Supplementation 101: The "Must Have" Supplements

Editor’s note: I do not endorse any specific brands above others. Any brands/imagery shared on this post is based on my personal preferences and previous uses of such products and are not a direct endorsement or bias towards one brand or product over another.

First of all, there are no “must have” supplements. You know this because I wrote no back there in bold, italic and underlined, so you can tell I’m dead serious. The very notion behind the word supplement is in the meaning of the word. It “supplements” you but it is not a replacement for real meals and real food.

That being said, supplements DO help. The trick here is identifying which ones you need depending on your goals, how often to consume, and how much in order to service both your body and your wallet whilst staying away from the harmful stuff.

Needless to say, unless you have a medical condition, any supplements which are anabolic steroids based are a major No No. These - usually in the form of injections - act as a substitute to other male hormones such as Testosterone which trigger muscle growth - among other effects on the body. Obviously replacing your body’s own production cycle with an external one can and does indeed wreak absolute havoc inside. The adverse effects can be in some cases as bad as having permanently disable natural hormone production due to testicular atrophy in men as the body renders the organ useless in the presence of a synthetic alternative.

Fat Loss & Energy Boosters

Add to the list of baddies the majority of pills that advertise themselves as “fat burners”. Most of these products act by preventing the emulsification of fat, a process by which your body breaks down fat before it goes through your small intestine. Once again, even those amongst you who slept through biology class may realize that hindering a naturally occurring process does not mean good news. Not only do you need to eat fats, but some fats are absolutely crucial for everyday functions including the synthesis and production of the very hormones that trigger fat loss and muscle growth. That being said, there are “fat burners” that do work. Just not the way you think. Fat burners that operate on the mode of increasing your body temperature have a positive effect on fat loss via increased thermogenic effect.

Some sample products in the realm of fat loss include Pro Lab’s “Caffieine” - which you can get from Seif Pharmacies. Caffeine has a notable effect on boosting your body’s thermogenic effect and with 200 mg of the good stuff per pill, you’re guaranteed quite the sweat (plus some intense focus during your workout) without the negative effects such as jitters or crashing. I personally consume only one (and you should never take more than one) of these bad boys 20-30 minutes prior to my workout. Works like a charm every time. Other products with similar effects include green tea extracts (which are also loaded with caffeine).

Pre-workout Proteins

BCAAs, or Branched-Chain Amino Acids for chemists and biology fanatics, are basic building blocks of essential amino acids. The name refers to the unique chemical structure of these amino acids which include isoleucine, leucine and valine. BCAAs are notable for their use in the treatment in various health conditions. They are also most known and used by athletes for their ability to reduce muscle breakdown during intense workout and increasing overall performance during exercise.

These are usually aggregated in pill form (or powders) and are best consumed prior to your workout. They act by providing a steady stream of these essential amino acids throughout your body, instantly lending support to any muscles which require more proteins as your workout starts to take its toll. My personal favorite brand is by Optimum Nutrition (picture below) with 400 capsules in the bottle (4 pills per serving) that can easily last two months at a rather low cost. You can probably find that or equivalent brands in Seif Pharmacies or supplement specialty shops.

Whey Protein was previously discussed in prior articles and has an honorable mention in this piece as both a pre and post workout supplement choice. Whey is derived from milk and is a special brand of protein that is readily and instantaneously digested by the body when consumed, providing a quick surge in proteins and other nutrients to your muscles. Consuming whey protein prior to your workout is most commonly done as a pre-workout meal of its own with additions to the powder scoop in the blender (you can add milk, yogurt, banana, dates, honey, etc.) My favorite brand is once again Optimum Nutrition’s Gold Standard whey as it does not clump, mixes very well with almost any liquid with minimal stirring and shaking and a wide variety of flavors to satisfy all different tastes (CHOCOLATE RULES!)

Post-workout Proteins/Carbs

Whey Protein was mention above as a pre workout supplementation intake but it is more commonly used as a post workout choice due to the instant delivery nature of whey protein, providing your muscles with proteins and other nutrients right when it is needed the most. One scoop of Optimum Nutrition’s Gold Standard whey protein provides 24 grams of protein, 4 grams of BCAAs, 3 grams of fat and 1 gram of carbs standing at 120 calories. Other brands can pack on more proteins and a more rapid rate of digestion at varying price ranges, various package sizes with different flavors. Some of them can make you bloated so experimentation is key here.

Casein Protein is the antagonist to whey - not that it cancels it out - in that unlike whey (which is instantly digested) it can take up to eight hours to be processed by the body. This is arguably the supplement of choice for hardcore weight lifters and fitness enthusiasts who want to give their body something to keep working on before bedtime. Casein protein act by means of supplying a controlled stream of proteins throughout the digestion process, preventing your body from going into a state of catabolism during your sleep. Editors Note: I only used to take this in the past back when I was an iron buff, it made me a bit bloated but I know others whom it did not affect as such so definitely not a generalized effect, but the Optimum Nutrition variety tasted amazing (Chocolate fudge is indeed an available flavor).

According to Wikipedia, “Creatine is a nitrogenous organic acid that occurs naturally in vertebrates and helps to supply energy to all cells in the body, primarily muscle. This is achieved by increasing the formation of adenosine triphosphate.” Simply stated, creatine is a naturally occurring substance in the body (not hormonal) which can help improve your muscles’ ability to store more energy. It is naturally synthesized by your body and derived from amino acids - mostly in the liver and kidneys - and then transported to the muscles via the blood stream. It's also worth noting that more than 95% of your total creatine storages are found within skeletal muscle.

Creatine is stored within muscle fibers and cells so while you might assume it’s best consumed prior to your workout (and most people do so) it’s in fact the other way around. Since Creatine is stored in your muscles and produced by the body, your muscles are already loaded with it before you start working out and as such are in desperate need of replacement and refuelling AFTER your workout. Aim for buying Creatine Monohydrate brands which are pure creatine and nothing else. If you can find a flavorless one all the better, it might taste like crap but it’d have less additives and chemicals. My brand of choice and the one I currently use is CreaLean by Labrada.

Multi-vitamins

Drop the goddamn Centrum right fucking now. That shit is for pregnant women, ladies going through menopause and senile citizens. You workout. You lift. You run. You kick ass and take names. You cross the Great Wall of China via handstands only while eating glass noodles using the power of focus. You….I forget where I was going with this. Right, multivitamins, yes.

It’s pretty important to choose the right brand which offers you a good mix of all the important vitamins and minerals, not just that, but one that packs enough of a punch to make a difference. Remember that you get the majority of your vitamin intake from your nutrition, and your body is quite adept at synthesizing some of them (Vitamin D for instance is created naturally in the body via skin exposure to UV light, i.e., the sun!)

My personal favorite brand recommendation includes Optimum Nutrition’s “OptiMen” which packs enough of a punch that you only need to take one pill per day (180 pills per bottle) in the morning unless you weigh more than 90 kgs in which case you need to up the ante by one more pill at night. Overall it’s pretty good although the texture of the pill makes it hard to swallow without a ton of water and its odor is a tad foul.

Another personal favorite and the one I currently use and have been using for some time is “Anavite” by Gaspari Nutrition. The bottle tells you to take three pills a day, but you really only need two, one in the morning and one at night. Works like a charm. Odor isn’t too bad, and the pill coating makes it super easy to gulp down.

It’s easy to forget that some of these, such as whey and casein, are just supplements seeing as they can give you nutritional resources equivalent or even superior to some meals. But remember that they are no replacement, but a mere supplement. And remember that the abuse of anything - even healthy protein shakes - can have adverse effects. I know plenty of folks who ended up gaining fat by over-consuming and relying on whey shakes (which pack more than just proteins). Stick to the serving sizes on the label - or adjust according to body weight - as per your workout plan. If you’re not working out today, you can skip out on the workout shake unless you’re a powerlifter with intense metabolism that burns through muscle without enough protein. As a rule of thumb, you need an average of 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. If you weigh 70 kgs, you need to be ingesting about 140 grams of protein a day for maintenance only, increase at your discretion for muscle gains while avoiding too much intake to avoid fat gain and so on.

Does everyone need supplements? Not really. Our ancestors have gotten by just fine with good old fashioned nutrition and exercise. But we’re not our ancestors, my office desk lifestyle does not offer me the luxury of increased activity so I must seek out help where I can. Our ancestors didn’t have complex notions about body fat % or the overly complex fitness goals and ambitions we’ve developed today. I doubt - at least the ease of it - that one achieve a body fat % under 8% while weight lifting relying on proper - even perfect - nutrition alone. Supplements do help. Just don’t abuse them.

Obviously there’s like a billion other supplements out there you can take for all kinds of things, but these are the ones that matter to me. It’s my blog goddammit I write about what I want!

I’d say these form the cornerstones of my supplementation strategy, coupled with a powerful multi-vitamin, they can be a formidable arsenal which supplements your wholesome and balanced nutrition and aid you at reaching your fitness goals. As with anything you put into your body, consult a professional nutritionist or licensed physical trainer before going through a full-on supplementation course.

Discipline for Dummies: Get Real. Real Fast

Prepare yourself, this post is longer than usual, and it’s about me. (Vanity o'clock!)

I treat my body like a machine. I fully control its desires, needs and cravings. I do not cave in to desserts laid out on a table at the office. I do not crave a pizza at 3 AM. I do not indulge in candy. I do not indulge in the local delicacies while travelling. Most of all, I do not consider myself a normal human being.

How I’ve come to be so strict in regards to my fitness and nutrition discipline spans over the course of more than four years ago when I started this fitness craze. Little do many of you know, but I was not always the self-proclaimed fitness Messiah I am today. In fact, I was quite the opposite. I was the guy who’d order the extra Chicken McDoo alongside their Double Big tasty combo with supersized fries, coke and an extra chocolate sauce Sundae. I was the guy who’d chill in front of the TV with a tub of zalabia and other sweets completely oblivious to the meanings of the words “calories”, “body fat %” and “cardiac arrest”. Yep, I was that guy. I was also remarkably shorter than I am today (by almost 10 cm) so weighing in the mid-80’s for someone who was barely 165 cm was not a pretty scene. I had the J Lo ass, the Fat Albert tummy and the Marilyn Monroe muffin-top love handles. Don’t even get me started on my B-cup man tits.

I don’t have any fat me pictures (definitely not topless ones) so the below will have to do for reference on differences between the past and present.

Moi, circa 2009/2010, about a year into my fitness journey (bad photoshop skills on display to remove someone’s head who would not appreciate appearing on this blog post)

One Summer vacation day (I believe the year was 2008/2009) I woke up utterly repulsed by the figure I saw in the mirror. I used to be quite into sports as a child, being on professional teams for Squash, fencing and martial arts. What happened? How did I let it get so bad? When did this even happen? How could I be so blind? So I made a conscious decision. To take a step in a drastically different direction and to never look back.

It was the stupidest decision I ever made.

Before you rush into thinking I regret being a fitness fanatic, take a minute to calm your tits and breathe. I’m not saying that. It was the best thing I’ve ever done and always will be the biggest gift I ever gave myself. That being said, the decision to embark on a fitness journey without the most basic understanding of the process was the stupidest decision I ever made to date.

I thought it’d be straightforward. Stop eating shit for food. Get moving. Right? No, not right. Not right at all. You see dear reader, I’ve always been a man of extremes. I do everything 110%. Eat junk food? Only eat that. Workout? Workout till I die. And die I almost did. I decided that the sensible way to “shed off the blubber” was to live solely on canned tuna and lettuce and to spend an average of four to five hours a day in the gym between the treadmill, Elliptical machine, stairmaster and stationary bike. I cut out all carbs. All fats. All soda. All candy. All pasta. All rice. And damn near all foods.

I lost 25 kgs in 45 days.

Never ever EVER do that. Sure, some of you reading the above went like “Well shit if I can drop 25 kgs by eating tuna and lettuce and just sweating it out for 6 weeks why the fuck not? Let’s do this!” Trust me on this, it’s not all pink roses.

Before you start off with the congratulatory high-fives and order a few shots to our metaphorical table, you should probably know - if you have the most basic inkling of understanding of health - that the above numbers signal bad news. The human body - unless obese and I certainly didn’t qualify in that category - cannot handle such drastic loss of fat at such rapid a rate. Not to mention the lack of nutrients with a diet composed of two food items. It’s simply unhealthy. It wrecks absolute havoc throughout your body in terms of energy levels, hormone response, immunity and other aspects. For weeks, I was deathly ill, my immunity made HIV positive patients look like they won the goddamn genetic lottery. My joints were aching. I had stomach ulcers. I looked like a death stricken Somali child. I had dropped from 84 kgs to 58 kgs in a mere 6 weeks. And it almost killed me.

Fun Fact: Losing too much weight too quickly can lead to a condition where your kidneys literally drop as they are held in place by existing body fat!

Bit by bit I recovered and started to do what I should have done before taking a single step towards my goal; to study. I read. I read so much I may as well had majored in a few domains in regards to nutrition and exercise. I would crunch through dozens of studies, published articles, peer-reviewed journals and books every week. Little by little, I understood what had to be done, how it had to be done and that - most importantly - it could not happen fast. It shouldn’t happen fast. Ever heard the phrase “What goes up must go down?”. That’s especially true for those who drop too much weight too quickly. It’s simply not sustainable. It’s not sustainable to spend hours in the gym and live on foods even street cats would deem inadequate.

I digress…

What does it take to make it? What does it take to make sure you don’t yo-yo around? What does it take to stop you from reaching over to your phone and weep dialing McDonald’s in your bathrobe at dawn? Aside from self-respect; a choice.

Modern day Ramy. Say hi!

You need to make a conscious choice to improve your entire lifestyle. You need to stop viewing fitness as a specific weight goal, body fat % or particular body shape which you can achieve within a set time frame then slack off till it’s time to re-correct it. You need to understand that a dedication towards fitness requires a dedication towards yourself. You need to be dedicated towards dedication.

The most important step in the process is leaving your ego at the door. Drop that shit behind son. For real. You can’t walk into the gym or track with your ego on your shoulder. It will prove to be your biggest setback. You need to talk yourself into understanding that the process will be - and ought to be - slow and controlled. There are no long term gains when it comes to shortcuts. You need to convince yourself that this requires an overhaul of your lifestyle, to become dedicated to bettering yourself through better quality nutrition and exercising to stay active and to quit unhealthy habits (smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, public masturbation etc.)

You need to understand that slow and steady will ALWAYS win the race when it comes to fitness and health. You need to understand that this is a decision that goes beyond a set time frame, this isn’t about a beach body, this isn’t about getting six pack abs before your next topless occasion, and it certainly isn’t about being a skinny bitch. It’s about a balance.

Once again I must reiterate that I am not a normal person, but thankfully I’m well aware of it. I do not cave to cravings. I do not indulge in “bad” foods. Ever. I’ve simply arrived at that place where I am in that much control, but it’s hardly normal or easy. Most of my friends and family frown upon my disposition and think I am torturing myself or denying myself the goodies in life. That’s just not true, as you’ve seen over the past week with some of the recipes I’ve shared, there are plenty of ways to pimp out your meals so you’re satisfying all your cravings without straying too far off course.

That being said, you aren’t me. You shouldn’t strive to be. What I do has to do with my aforementioned extremes personality. I do everything 110%. If I did cocaine I’d be the best white horse sniffer this side of Colombia. But for now it’s just fitness. One of the best things you can do to help with your dedication to this new lifestyle of yours is balance. You love pizza? Fantastic. Eat pizza! Just limit your frequency of intake and portion sizes. Don’t order a large stuffed crust extra cheese pizza three times a week at night. Have a small or half a large pizza and choose better quality toppings. Add some grilled chicken for protein, add some veggies for fibers, vitamins and antioxidants. Better yet, make your own pizza and control the ingredients from scratch. Here’s an amazing recipe for a pizza made entirely from cauliflower (no flour goes into making it!)

Another helpful tip would perhaps be to establish milestones and checkmarks. No plan is perfect from scratch. A lot of my learnings in fitness came from trial and error. You discover this food works for you while this one does not, this exercise format is better for your muscle growth but doesn't burn as much fat, etc. You need to take this as a learning opportunity as well as set up checkmarks so you can review your progress along the way on this lifelong journey and tweak the plan as desired. You must always re-evaluate, re-assess and re-program yourself. Never get stuck in a plateau, never stagnate and never settle for anything but more.

It's all about choices. You choose to be healthier. You choose to be stronger. You choose not to eat a doughnut. You choose to not let a cancer stick dictate your disposition and have you beg for it. You choose to control your progress. You choose to be a better you.

The most important thing I suppose is for you to find a reason. Something to compel you not only to start, but more importantly, to persevere, to maintain, to keep pushing your limits and to break boundaries. That reason can be anything. It can be a simply decision of bettering yourself. It can be because of a girl or boy you like. It can be because a family member's health was affected on account of improper nutrition/lack of exercise. Your reason is your own. But it must be a reason powerful enough that you could call upon it at times when you feel like you can't do it anymore or that you're about to give up. Your reason must compel you to never look back and to always crave and yearn for more.

I started off around 84 kgs at 166 cm with 30% body fat, went over to 58 kgs at 173 with 12% body fat and currently stand at 71 kgs at 178 cm with 8% body fat. It's a roller coaster, but all good things usually are. If anything it was a great learning experience.

I gather that's about it from my end. You could always share your own thoughts and feedback with me by commenting below. Until we meet again...

If you have any questions or inquiries or would like to read about a specific topic on my blog, please reach out by commenting on this post or by adding me to your circles on Google+ on +Ramy Kandil or by tweeting me @Foxicakes