Supplement 101: Let’s learn the basics

Today I want to take a moment to demystify supplementation and it’s place in fitness weight loss.
The first thing I want to say is

Supplements are for supplementation. They are NOT the solution to your problems.
I do not believe in starting my clients on any supplements until we have gotten their food worked out.
Don’t waste your money on magic pills when you haven’t put down the fast food.
You cannot out train a bad diet and you cannot out supplement one either.

But…

Stop listening to Dr. Oz
Now, I realize that Dr. Oz is a popular guy and while I believe he knows a lot and he’s got a friendly face, I don’t think he really embraces
a brand new fat loss cure every single day of the week. There cannot be that many cures or we’d all be cured from belly fat.
Dr. Oz gets a check. So does Jillian Michaels. Uh-oh! I’m in trouble now. I’ve said something negative about the ‘World’s Toughest Trainer’.
*eye roll*

Supplementation products are terrific in theory. You can wander into Target, Walgreens or GNC and find products that promise you everything
you want. I want you to stop for a second and drink this in. If a product has a famous face on it, it is called a “licensed” product. That means the
celebrity that is ‘endorsing’ it got a check. Many times the product ends up being very kitchen sink-y. The product might have more fillers or less
quality ingredients because the company has to pay for the licensing rights.

So.. walk past those products. A personal side note.. please never give the Kardashian family a dime for any fitness related products. *shakes head* Jillian I get.

So where shall I go?
Return policy is #1
I live in St. Louis and the two competing entities in our area are GNC and Supplement Super Store.
I really like them both, but I recommend GNC for my clients for one solid reason. The return policy is great at GNC. There is no ‘official’
return policy at SS2. Quality products are an investment so if you find a product that doesn’t suit your system or you don’t care for, you need the opportunity to get it right. This is absolutely not an indictment of stores that don’t have a return policy. I have had clients who have reactions to high quality products and it’s hard to let go of 75 dollars for whey protein you can’t use. Begin your search in a store that has a return policy.

But I want some supplements because it’s January and I’m on a diet.
January is awesome. You feel all energized and ready to go. Supplements are deeply discounted for this reason. So I’m trusting that you have
your meal plans in order. I also trust that you are not going to be falling for the cardio only workout of weight loss. So if you are solid and ready to get started some supplements, alright!

Do you take a multi?
Take a multivitamin every day. I use GNC Active Multi. Love it. But I’m happy if you are on a One A Day.

Fish oil/Omega 3: Let’s do that too. Got mine at Target for 6 dollars. Fish oil is terrific for making your arteries slick and it also aids in weight loss.
It is believed that omega 3 oil improves the flow of blood to the muscles during exercise and helps to stimulate enzymes which transport fat to where it can be used up for energy. You can get Omega 3 in super foods like Flax oil or Flax seeds as well.

Vitamin C 1000mg daily: Recent studies show that vitamin C helps in weight loss and lowering body fat. It’s also important to note that many fat loss programs have less fruit due to the sugar content. Take your C everyday.

Calcium with D: For your bones. You already knew that! Don’t get any chews of any kind. They have corn syrup. Well.. that’s not helping the weight loss!!!

I want weight loss supplements

Do NOT buy fad diet items like HGC, that promise rapid weight loss. You are risking metabolic damage. I will never condone anything other than solid meal plans, proper workouts and lifestyle changes. However, unless you are prepared, you ‘could’ walk out having spent a small fortune. You are doing your homework so now you know.

Fat Burners
There are two types of Fat Burners:
Stimulants (Stim) and Non Stimulant.
If you can take caffeine you ‘might’ do ok on a Stimulant. Fat burners are NOT made to allow you to eat whatever you want.
They raise your metabolism slightly and some have ingredients that stabilize your insulin. Extreme fat burners might have the Geranium oil and use tag lines like the ‘meanest and cruelest’ fat burners on the market. You may really like the idea of sitting on the couch and losing 5 pounds, or sweating like crazy while at your desk, the risks are real. I used a Stim fat burner and had terrible panic attacks. If you are on medications, be wary also. Mixing extreme fat burners if you are on anti-depressants or other mood altering pharms might not be a good idea. Do your research!!

Non-Stimulant Fat burners use ingredients like Green Tea, Raspberry Keto to rev the metabolism. Be wary, they take a while to get into your system and work.
You can certainly drink green tea as a natural fat burner if you prefer.

I used:
The Non-stim fat burner I used before my last show was Epiq Shred from GNC. I had great results with it taking just one capsule a day.

Do not purchase a fat burner that has an appetite suppressant. You must eat to lose weight. If you are not eating you are burning muscle. Your weight loss will be temporary and you will gain even more weight. Don’t be that girl!

In my next blog post, I will explain my fat burner stack.