Supplement Staples

My supplement cabinet back in my competing days was something I was truly proud of. Bottles and tubs of pills, powders, potions helped me gain, lose and preserve throughout the course of prep. I was a meathead back then and every being of my fibre consisted of the life of competing. Luckily for the most significant part of my career I was sponsored by a generous company with high quality products I truly believed in.

Fast forward 3 years and my cabinet is a shadow of its former glory. I’ve finally accepted that my supplement arsenal is puny, but the types of products I keep in my routine keep me from being a resemblance of that. Here are my supplement staples I still take on a regular basis to keep the maintenance after I’ve hung up that sparkly bikini :)

1.) Protein Powder

I still am somewhat of a protein snob with it comes to powders, so I keep two kinds: hydrolyzed whey and whey concentrate or a blend. Hydrolyzed whey’s protein molecules have been broken down as small as possible which means your muscles absorb it much faster. You want that quick absorption immediately after training. The whey concentrate or blend is great just to make smoothies, to mix with oatmeal or on the go protein fix!

In my cabinet: BNRG Proto Whey (hydrolyzed) and MusclePharm Combat (blend)

2.) Glutamine

L-Glutamine was one of the first products recommended to me as a competitor. It has multiple benefits (some surprising ones too such as immune system booster), but the main purposes are to aid in recovery and prevent muscle catabolization. I put a serving (5g) in my post workout shake and another serving before hitting the sack when your body enters a reparative state.

In my cabinet: PVL L-Glutamine

3.) CLA

When we get stressed out, our cortisone levels rise. This in turn causes our bodies to store body fat in the abdominal region. CLA reduces cortisol levels (which is great for stress heads like me) as well as slightly increasing our metabolism!

In my cabinet: PVL CLA

4.) Fish Oils

While the goal is to lose body fat, good fats such as fish oils provide benefits to your joints, muscles and skin. It also enhances your mood so it’s great for people who tend to feel blue easily and aids in weight loss.

In my cabinet: Ascenta NutraSea

5.) BCAAs

I usually mix a flavored version of this in my water for fasted cardio and for when I know I’m going to get hungry halfway through training. If my body is low on fuel, the last place I want the energy sourced from are the muscles. BCAAs save my muscles from being burned for fuel and provide energy until I’m done training!

In my cabinet: Scivation Xtend

What are your supplement staples? I would love to hear from you! :)