No BS Muscle Building Supplements I used to go from Skinny to Jacked
This is part 3 of a 3 part series on how I transformed my physique.
In case you missed it you can catch up on:
Part 1 – dieting
Part 2 – workout
If you’ve read any of my books or previous blog posts I’m sure you know that I’m far from a fan of supplements.
Why?
Because the supplement industry is a big multibillion dollar industry with greedy supplement companies selling pixie dust with persuasive marketing campaigns to lazy gym-goers who are expecting quick results.
The only ‘supplements’ that will give you sure-fire results are anabolic steroids.
Over the counter testosterone boosters?
Absolute rubbish.
That said over the course of the past 5 years there have been a few supplements that have aided me on my journey. As the name suggests though they’re merely supplements – designed to supplement an already solid workout regime and diet.
Supplements for Weight Gain
I used the following 2 supplements (switching between the 2 based on availability) to help with my initial weight gain from 135lbs to 175lbs. Keep in mind that these aren’t essential, and I could have got the same results from eating food – however the convenience of getting 1200+ calories in 1 liquid shake that only takes a minute to drink as opposed to sitting down and eating 2 large meals is well worth it in my opinion.
Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass
Dymatize Nutrition Super Mass Gainer
Whey Protein Supplements
Through my own research and tests I eventually came to the conclusion that whey protein is whey protein. I have not found any noticeable benefits using pricey ‘whey protein isolate’ or ‘hydrolized’ whey protein (provided the nutritional content per scoop is congruent with both).
That said I do prefer to use naturally sweetened whey (with stevia) as opposed to artificially flavoured whey.
When shopping for protein I specifically look for a high protein percentage, no proprietary blends, just high quality 100% transparent ingredients.
You can check out a huge range of Whey Protein here.
Supplements for Getting Shredded
I have and never will use a traditional ‘fat burning’ supplement, find out why here.
That said there’s 2 little inexpensive supplements I do utilize when in a cutting phase…
Green tea extract and caffeine. Both of these supplements have been the subject of hundreds of studies all of which report an increase in exercise induced fat loss, increased metabolism, increased strength & endurance and more.
200-400mg of caffeine per day, 400mg of green tea extract and a calorie deficit in my diet were the key to getting and maintaining those shredded abdominals.
You can check out the specific brands of these supplements I use here:
Green Tea Extract
Caffeine
General Health & Well-Being Supplements
It isn’t all just about looks, a good physique is a healthy physique.
Fish Oil
Fish oil contains EFA (essential fatty acids) and is available in both capsule and liquid form (I opt for capsule). Fish oil has many health benefits, including improved blood cholesterol profile and improved bone health – no more squeaky joints! It also assists in protecting against major diseases such as cancer. Further, fish oil assists in increasing the serotonin levels within your body which results in an overall increase in happiness and well-being. Recent studies also show that fish oil may have an influence on muscle protein synthesis.
When selecting my fish oil I ensure it is high in EPA/DHA as these are the main omega 3 fatty acids. I take 2 – 3 capsules twice per day.
Here’s the fish oil I use.
Vitamin D
Over the last 6 months I’ve begun supplementing with Vitamin D and highly regard it as one of the most useful health supplements.
If you spend a lot of time indoors like I do chances are you’re deficient in Vitamin D (and by supplementing you’ll notice a big difference!). Supplementing with Vitamin D has been shown to aid muscle growth and fat loss if your levels are currently deficient.
If you’d like to read more about the health and performance benefits of Vitamin D you can check out my post here.
You can find the Vitamin D supplement I use here.
As I’m sure you know there’s TONS of other supplements out there, some will give you slight benefits in one way or another, while others are only full of empty promises.
The supplements listed above are the ones I can personally stand behind and vouch for as they’ve helped me throughout the process of my transformation and (in my opinion) offer great results considering the price point they come in at.
Are there any particular supplements you use and recommend?
Any questions regarding supplementation?
Let me know in the comments below!