Nutrition/Wokrout Supplements

[BrianaNicole]

So i'm interested in getting into workout supplements, but I l literally nothing about them, when to take them, etc. I feel overwhelmed shopping online or walking into GNC.

My goal is to lose weight (about 25 lbs) and build lean muscle. Any insight?

[Niki.]

I recently started using VegaOne for breakfast - you use 1 scoop of the protein powder, which is plant based proteins, and make it into a smoothie with various ingredients in your blender (I have been experimenting will all kinds of flavors) & it's a good start into supplements etc...  And delicious!

[FitBeforeFifty]

My suggestion is save the money and eat real food.  

I got to my goal weight 4 years ago (and have maintained it since) without using any supplements. During that time I ran multiple half marathon races, 1 full Marathon and increased my bench press to 1.7x my body weight.

With a few simple tweaks you can get plenty of protein just eating breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is no need for a post recovery shake. My recovery meal is breakfast. I have a 3 egg omelet and a venti latte. That's 40g of protein at breakfast.

In my opinion, adding supplements (especially protein shakes) just makes losing weight harder because you have to reduce the calorie content in your other meals. Personally, I'd rather eat an awesome breakfast than skimp on breakfast so I could have a protein shake.

[emili]

I guess I would ask why you think you need them? If you aren't getting a specific nutrient or have a vitamin deficiency- a one a day or that specific vitamin will do the trick for you. I am a firm believer in getting nutrition from food- being choosy and specific about what you fuel your engine with. Not a believer in supplements.

[Dominique]

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@BrianaNicole wrote:

My goal is to lose weight (about 25 lbs) and build lean muscle. Any insight?

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First of all, you need to be aware of the fact that these two goals are contradictory: you need to be in a caloric deficit in order to lose weight, while you need to be in a caloric surplus in order to maximize muscle gains. If you are brand-new to resistance training, you may be able to gain some muscle while in a déficit and losing weight at the same time, but these gains will be smaller than what you’d get with the same training in a surplus. The main goal of doing resistance training when in a caloric deficit to lose weight is to maintain your existing muscle mass / minimize muscle loss.

As to your question about supplements, I recommend you watch this short video. 

[BrianaNicole]

Thanks for the advice! 

I'm trying to eat healthier, especially cleaner. Getting off of processed foods is difficult though since they're so addictive, but I'm slowly pushing them out of my diet.

I actually really enjoy protein shakes thoroughly lol. I have two kids, a full-time job, and also am a part-time student so breakfast and lunch are sometimes difficult for me. I generally meal prep lunch, but sometimes I run late in the mornings and to make sure I don't skip breakfast, I'll drink a protein shake on the go. 

[BrianaNicole]

I know that I can't do it at the same time, but is it obtainable if I were to lose the weight first and then attempt to build muscle after that point? 

[Dominique]

You don’t have to wait until your weight loss is over before starting resistance training. There are benefits in performing resistance training while dieting to lose weight: maintain existing muscle mass and gain strength (you don’t necessarily need bigger muscle in order to get stronger). Maintaining muscle mass and gaining strength will be useful when you are able to eat at a surplus and train for muscle hypertrophy.

[Ilaida]

I can relate... been taking a clean, balance protein shake and its been helping me with my weight loss as well as eating healthy because at times its difficult to find something good