The Role of Supplements

Many people have been misinformed about the role of supplements in losing weight.  I guess this isn't terribly surprising given the high number of "miracle pill" commercials on TV.  I mean really, makers of these products expect us to believe that you can simple shake some weird stuff onto your favorite ice cream and lose weight.  Seriously?  If it were that easy to get in shape, we wouldn't be facing our current obesity crisis.  Because of the popularity of these "quick-fix" pills, potions, and fad diets, many people are confused about what supplementation is, what it really does, and how to do it properly.  I'm by no means any sort of expert, but I do know all of those commercials are bogus and not worth anyone's time or hard earned money.

What supplementation is NOT:

Any sort of supplement, it doesn't matter what kind, canNOT erase the effects of eating garbage food.  You simply cannot "out supplement" your food intake in the same way you can't "out workout" a bad diet (I'm using diet here to refer to the food you eat, not in the "I'm on a diet" meaning).

Supplements will NOT create the lean muscle mass you're after.  Even illegal doping only works if you're already killing it in the gym.  You cannot simply pop a pill (or however it's administered) and expect to get in awesome shape sitting on the couch all day.  Now, I certainly do not endorse taking or doing anything illegal.  I'm just making a point that you cannot pop an OTC supplement and expect to get ripped watching TV.

Finally, these pills are not going to give you a healthy, slim, toned body.  Sure, some of them may make you lose weight, but be prepared for nasty side effects (anal leakage, anyone?).  And that "new" body you get?  You may be smaller but you'll just be a smaller version of your former self, not a fitter one, nor a better shaped one.  Just smaller.  

Have I convinced you that there isn't a miracle pill yet?  I hope so, because there truly isn't one.

So, why bother with supplementation at all?

Taking supplements does what the name implies.  It "supplements" and fills in any gaps in your nutritional intake.  When you work out and cut calories, it becomes extremely hard to consume the proper amount of all the essential vitamins and minerals (along with pre- and probiotics, antioxidants, digestive enzymes, etc.).  It is even harder today when the quality of even our healthy food isn't what it was 20, 30, or 40 years ago.  This is where supplements enter the picture.  Taking the right supplements can help make sure you get all those essential nutrients to be healthy and give you the energy to get through your workouts (and day-to-day life!).

Can you get healthy and fit without supplements?  Sure!  If you have the time and energy to prepare meals that will allow you to get all the nutrients you need (and I'm talking micronutrients, not just the macronutrients you're probably familiar with: carbs, fat, and protein) then you have no need to supplement.  However, if you're busy, don't have time to cook, or simply don't like certain types of food, it may be worth it to invest in some good quality supplements to fill in the gaps.

My supplement regimen:

Again, I don't claim to be an expert and you should definitely check with your doc to make sure any supplement you add won't negatively interfere with any medications you're on (and especially if you're pregnant or nursing), but this is what I personally choose to take:

A general Multivitamin/Multi-mineral: I take a basic multivitamin every morning with breakfast.  This is something I grew up doing (I started as a kid with the Flinstones chewables!) and continue to do to this day.  I feel like this covers me and fills in most any gap in nutritional intake.

Calcium supplement: Also with breakfast, I have a calcium supplement.  I take these for a couple reasons.  First, I don't drink milk (although newer research says milk is completely unnecessary for adults) and I don't eat a ton of veggies so I want to ensure I get enough calcium.  The second reason I make sure to take this daily is because of a former Prilosec regimen.  A number of years ago I was diagnosed with chronic acid reflux and was put on a twice a day dose of Prilosec.  One of the side effects of taking that much of that medication is that it can pull calcium out of your bones.  Not good!  Luckily, my acid reflux is gone and I no longer have to take that mediation, but I want to make sure I'm taking plenty of calcium to make up for the years I did have to take it.

Omega 3/Fish Oil supplement: Omega 3s are very important for your brain and heart health and can be found in fatty cuts of fish.  Unfortunately, I think fish is gross and am lucky if I eat it more than four times a year!  Since I know I don't eat enough Omega 3s, I add a daily supplement, also taken with breakfast.

Tropical Shakeology: This is the last supplement I take, although I see it more of a small meal than a supplement but I guess it counts.  Shakeology is a product developed and sold by Beachbody.  I blend this powered mix with water, ice, and frozen fruit to create a powerful post-workout snack.  The amount of nutrition found in this shake is staggering and contains whole foods that were ground into powders.  That way, you aren't getting just the "good component" of the food.  You get the whole plant so it is easier for your body to absorb and utilize.  The science behind this shake is honestly more than I understand, but I do know that it provides the nutrition of a whole days worth of fruits and veggies (along with weird grasses, roots, and all sorts of things) so I make sure I get my daily glass!  I choose to have my shakes within an hour of finishing my workout.  That way, my body is primed to absorb all that fantastic nutrition.  This shake might render my multivitamin unnecessary, but I don't mind taking both.

And that's it!  The rest of the day I fill up on clean foods and stay away from the processed junk as much as possible.  You may decide to take the different or additional supplements than what I listed here.  That's totally up to you and your doctor.  This is just what works for me given my health history and the types of foods I eat.

Stay healthy!

PS:

In case you're interested in more of the science behind Shakeology and want to know all the ingredients in it you can click here.  And for the record, I drink the (vegan) Tropical Strawberry flavor.  Yum!