ForeverAlphaBlog’s Supplement List
First thing is first; whenever I get asked about supplements, I always get the impression that the person is looking for a quick-fix or shortcut.
The clue is in the name – supplements are there to supplement what you’re currently doing to lose fat or gain muscle.
The order of priorities looks like this:
1. Lifestyle (adherence, consistency, discipline)
2. Calories (energy balance)
3.Macros
4. Micros
5.Supplements
Supplements come last.
With that said, if you’re already pursuing an Intermittent Fasting lifestyle that works for you, your calories, macros and micros are on point, then supplements can absolutely help.
Here are the ones I recommend:
Protein Powder
Protein powder is not magical. It’s no better than chicken breast, steak or fish. However, if you’re a busy guy, it’s very helpful from a time management standpoint. And it’s a quick, easy way to get loads of protein in at meal #1. It’s also incredibly helpful whilst travelling without access to your own kitchen/cooking space. I definitely would have gained fat last summer with work trips to Cuba, LA, Vegas, New York, Dom. Republic, Mexico etc. if it wasn’t for packing protein powder.
Without protein I’d have been hungrier, eating more carbs, and my metabolism would have been shot to shit.
Keep it cheap by the way – there’s no benefit to wasting money on top-tier brands. They’re no better.
Creatine
This will definitely help you to gain muscle during your first year of training. It will help significantly with intra-muscular glycogen storage, strength in the gym and recovery.
It’s a fantastic, cheap supplement that works well. Stick to monohydrate – you can’t go wrong with it.
For some reason, it seems to lose its effectiveness once you’ve gained a decent bit of muscle. I’m actually not sure what the science is behind this, but my theory is that you automatically become more efficient with glycogen storage etc. once you’ve been training for a while. Whereas a new lifter is highly inefficient, so benefits greatly from creatine. Just a theory though.
ZMA
ZMA is used to enhance sleep quality and quantity. Some people rave about it, others think it’s useless.
Personally, I found that it gave me vivid dreams, but didn’t necessarily enhance recovery, help with fat loss (indirectly through appetite control), so I didn’t keep buying more.
However some people will absolutely sleep better with it; which will enhance recovery from workouts, and will reduce cravings and appetite. The fastest way to crave sugar is to be sleep deprived.
Overall, I encourage you to test it out and make your own conclusion.
Watch out for those vivid dreams!
Vitamin B Complex
Personally, I’ve always found the B complex to be very helpful in terms of energy throughout the day. For me, it’s almost as potent as caffeine. But without the inconsistency that comes with caffeine.
This will not be the same for everyone.
But again, I encourage you to try it, because there’s a good chance it will help with energy levels, and if you have more energy, you’ll be more active and burn more calories.
That’s it for now.
Always remember that your lifestyle, calories, macros and food choices come first. Once you’ve got these more or less sorted you can look into supplements.
Enjoy!