Top Supplements 2011
When it comes to supplements there are thousands and thousands of brands and different hyped up products that are being pushed by intensive advertising campaigns but how do we differentiate the good from the bad?
If you feel you’re like me and a bit new-school with being open to supplements and not knocking something until you try it yourself then I hope this article is right up your alley.
The key thing to remember is that most of us don’t have enough hours in our days and even if we do sometimes it’s hard making sure we have the perfect diet day in and day out. Supplements should be treated just as their name suggests, supplementing your already healthy diet. Don’t lose focus of that in any way. Just because you are taking a thermogenic supplement doesn’t mean you can eat chocolate and chips all day long!
So what is a good way to gauge the top supplements for this year? I like to use the power of the web and its ability to bring people together to review and leave feedback on supplements as my best weapon in choosing what may work for me and my clients. I’ve found BodyBuilding.com to be a great resource in this aspect since they have a great review system in place and are quite reputable in the brands that they carry (P.S. I did some research for you and found you guys a coupon to use: use this link and coupon code 5off100 to get $5 off if you spend more than $100).
Now let’s get on with the top supplements for 2011…
Top Supplements 2011
1. Optimum 100% Whey Protein – with over 3345 reviews from men and women of all ages and a rating of 9.0 this protein is the cream of the crop. It consists of the purest and highest grade whey protein and is the gold standard in the industry for quality. 1 scoop will get you 24grams of protein and only 130 calories and yet will provide you with the amino acids your muscles need to grow strong and recover from your daily workouts. For more info click here.
2. USPlabs Jack3d – designed purely to take your workouts to the next level by giving you a boost in energy, power and endurance this is not for the faint of heart! In other words, if you are ever, and I mean ever lacking motivation have a small tiny scoop of this pre-workout drink and you will kill it at the gym. A great combination of arginine (NO) and Creatine to give your muscles a fantastic pump and increase your strength to allow you workout hard. For more info click here.
3. SciVation Xtend – branched chain amino acids are the magic formula when it comes to muscle recovery. This is especially powerful for those of you who get quite sore after your workouts so make sure to have a quick shake with Xtend added in within 30 minutes post-workout to help speed recovery. By the way, the watermelon flavour is actually quite good especially if you blend it with lots of ice. For more info click here.
4. Optimum 100% Casein Protein – if you thought all whey protein was made the same then you are in for a treat. Casein protein is a much slower to digest protein which makes it perfect for right before you go to bed. It’s slow absorption rate means that it feeds your muscles when they need it the most – when you are in the rest and recovery stage of sleep! I kept delaying getting this, but once I did I was quite astonished at the difference in made. For more info click here.
5. Optimum Fish Oil – although fish oil may sound kinda gross it really is the best source of the Omega 3 essential fatty acids that we require in our diet. If you wish you ate more fish to get the benefits then this supplement is a must. Essential fatty acids like Omega 3 are the building block of every cell in our bodies and have added benefits of supporting your heart and joint flexibility. For more info click here.
I’m going to stop it at this point and make the remaining 5 as part two of this article since I think this list so far has some of the most fundamental supplements we can all take at any age. Read Top Supplements 2011 Part 2.
If you have any questions or can’t wait to read the 2nd part of this article please leave me a comment below, I’d love to hear your feedback!
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Thank you for visiting! Weight Loss and Training is a health blog which features all the best weight loss tips that I have learned over my 20 years of training. My background includes a degree in Kinesiology from the world renown Simon Fraser University, certification in nutritional sciences from UBC, and Personal Trainer Specialist certification from Can Fit Pro.
A friend of mine suggested Snytha-6, when I went to GNC to purchase it, the employee said that many of these products have high Grams of Sugar. He suggested I buy the Gnc Amp product although the taste would be so-so. Now My question is, are any of the one you and I mentioned low in sugar, and Tasty? Does the Sugar really matter when taking any of these suppliments for Muscle recovery? I’m really confused. I’m trying to lose weight but know I need to build up some muscle to burn fat. This is all new to me, so any advice would help. -Jennifer
Hi Jennifer, that’s a great question. Optimum 100 does not have any added sugar but it uses artificial sugars for the sweetness and to make it tasty. Take a look at part 2 of this article as I highlight not only an artificial sugar-free whey protein but also just as low in calories and my favorite in taste and quality. Some sugar generally isn’t bad as it helps with uptake of amino acids into muscle but I prefer to use fruit to get the added antioxidant and fiber benefits of real fruit.
hi, just found this web page and have to say its brilliant!! As a complete newby to the gym it is really helping, plus the supplement information is great, so Creatine and Whey Protein is on my shopping list. As a 42 year old I am in ok shape, if i suck my guts in, some think Ive got a good body, sadly I cant hold my breath for very long. Now having been dumped for a younger and fitter model (no sleep lost) what it has done is kick my rear into doing something. Question I have, I get home around 6pm, what kinda meal should i have before going to the gym and also i understand i should also drink the why protein drink and take 3 creatine pills and how long should i do all this before i hit the gym. When i crawl back i then drink another why protein and another 3 creatine pills, is that right? Thanks Rob
Hi Rob, sorry to hear that. But you are right on with the pre and post. Make sure your pre workout supplementation is about an hour before you hit the gym so you may have to take it before you leave work.
For more help on these topics check out: https://weightlossandtraining.com/pre-workout-energy-foods & https://weightlossandtraining.com/post-workout-nutrition
Hi Sam, kudos to u for shedding light on various aspects of fitness and bodybuliding. I went through ur website and found lots of useful information. Its got all information about bodybuilding and fitness in one place. Im still a beginner in bodybuilding and have started training only one year back. Im 174cms tall and weigh 73kgs. Recently i have started using Cytosport Monster Mass. What is your opinion about this protein supplement? I dont want to be too bulked up, i just want to gain lean muscle mass and have good body shape. Thanks!
I wouldn’t recommend that protein if you are worried about bulking up as it is very high in calories, instead go for something like this – https://weightlossandtraining.com/protein/platinumhydrobuilder
Does it really matter if i have a whey protein shake or a protein bar instead? i like these pure protein bars that have 20 grams of protein, are low in sugar and range from 180-220 calories, depending on flavor, and they are quite tasty