Diet, Exercise and Supplements

Everyone wants to live a long and healthy life and in today’s age it is certainly possible. People face a lot of tough decisions when it comes to choosing the best supplements, diets, exercises, and workout gear, and who could blame them? Every day the list grows of the best way to lose weight, build muscle and get the physique you’ve always dreamed of. Even now, more than ever, there are emerging supplements marketed to those trying to shed extra pounds and transform their bodies into lean, sculpted figures.

With all this growth in the industry and all the big name brands launching new products, how can you really be sure what works and what doesn’t? Personally, I have spent a fair amount of time in the gym, lifting weights and lifting weights. I have spent countless hours training, exercising, trying new routines and learning many new workouts. During this time, I also tried a variety of different supplements for both diet and training.

When it comes to choosing a solid pre-workout, there have been many who have definitely stood their ground. (Of course, the supplements mentioned are personal preferences and can affect people differently) I’m someone who could be said to love caffeine. I drink about 3 cups of coffee a day starting with “double shot” at the strength level and gradually work my way down. When looking for a good pre-workout, one of the things I look for is something that has a higher than average amount of caffeine. While I don’t get too into the nitty gritty, I have found the strongest PWO’s (I mean feel the energy boost) to be Bullnox, and the all new Superpump 250 reformulated with DMAA. These 2 supplements definitely pack a bigger scoop and punch, but also lean towards the more expensive side. Another way I can personally measure strength is by the tingling sensation I feel throughout my body, and these 2 really give that feeling.

The pump these PWOs bring is quite substantial. I can see the difference in the weeks off the PWO in that my training intensity not only decreases, but the amount of time before I fatigue is noticeably shorter as well. I don’t want to discredit any other PWO as they all get the job done to varying degrees, but I find that these give me the most focus and keep my momentum going the highest in the gym, which means focused intensity. After finishing a great workout, it is essential to consume some protein and possibly a meal to replenish and help rebuild muscles and recharge your body with all the nutrients it needs after exercise.

One of the leading protein brands for many years has been Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard (100% Whey). This has been my favorite protein powder for many years. Although it is also a little more expensive than other protein supplements, I think the quality is outstanding and well worth it. The many flavors they have are delicious and the balls are a good size. The powder dissolves very evenly and easily and gets absorbed into your body quite quickly. This means faster protein synthesis or your body building muscle faster. There are many forms of protein with certain trade-offs, some that take longer to digest than others, and some that break down much more slowly. To really understand what works best, it’s always a good idea to experiment and see which works best for your goals and your body. If you’re still unsure, Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard (100% Whey) Protein is a strong recommendation. Even after taking pre and post workout supplements, sometimes you may not have the drive or energy to keep exercising… this is where intra workout supplements shine.

I haven’t been too interested in internal workouts as I feel like the PWO gets the job done at least to the level I need. When I decided to take one, I opted for Sci-Vation’s Xtend. This stuff is pretty powerful and comes in this greenish/blue powder, we like to call it the “Hulk juice” nicknamed because of its color. This gives you more of that power/energy boost during your exercises which helps with explosive pumps and harder, more intense workouts. For me, I could surely feel a positive change while taking this, but my wallet felt the opposite. This stuff isn’t necessarily cheap, especially when you combine it with all the other supplements.