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As we watched the world's elite athletes compete in the recent Olympics, it's clear that their success is not only a result of relentless training but also optimal nutrition and supplementation. The supplements that help them reach peak performance can also provide significant benefits to everyday individuals looking to improve their overall wellness.

1. Creatine: Power and Recovery
​Creatine is a staple for many athletes, particularly in sports requiring short bursts of power, like sprinting and weightlifting. It helps replenish energy stores, improves recovery between intense workouts, and supports muscle growth. For everyday people, creatine can be beneficial for improving strength, endurance, and muscle mass, making it an excellent choice for those engaged in regular resistance training or high-intensity interval workouts​ (Granite Body).

2. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Heart and Brain Health
Omega-3s are crucial for reducing inflammation, supporting heart health, and enhancing brain function. Athletes often rely on these fatty acids to maintain joint health and speed up recovery. Incorporating omega-3 supplements, like fish oil, into your diet can help protect against cardiovascular disease, improve cognitive function, and support overall well-being, regardless of your activity level​ (Granite Body)​ (Health & Fitness Blog - NASM).

3. Protein Powder: Muscle Maintenance
Protein is essential for muscle repair and growth, which is why athletes often use protein powders to meet their daily requirements. For those who struggle to get enough protein through whole foods, a supplement can ensure adequate intake, supporting muscle recovery, bone health, and immune function. Whey protein is particularly popular due to its complete amino acid profile and fast absorption rate, but plant-based options like pea or soy protein are also effective​ (Health & Fitness Blog - NASM).

4. Electrolytes: Hydration and Performance
During intense training sessions, athletes lose essential minerals through sweat, which can lead to dehydration and decreased performance. Electrolyte supplements help replace these lost minerals, maintaining fluid balance and preventing cramps. While most people don't need electrolytes for moderate exercise, those engaging in prolonged or high-intensity activities can benefit from staying well-hydrated with an electrolyte solution​ (Biogena Middle East).

5. Multivitamins: Filling Nutritional Gaps
Even the best athletes can't always get all their nutrients from food alone, which is where multivitamins come in. They help fill any gaps in the diet, ensuring optimal health and performance. For the average person, a multivitamin can support general wellness, particularly if your diet is lacking in variety. However, it’s important to choose a multivitamin tailored to your specific needs​ (Health & Fitness Blog - NASM).

6. Vitamin D: Bone and Muscle Support
Vitamin D is vital for bone health, muscle function, and immune support. Many athletes, especially those who train indoors or live in areas with limited sunlight, supplement with vitamin D to prevent deficiencies that could hinder performance. For non-athletes, maintaining adequate vitamin D levels is equally important for preventing osteoporosis, improving mood, and supporting overall health​ (Health & Fitness Blog - NASM)​ (Biogena Middle East).

Conclusion
While you may not be competing for Olympic gold, incorporating these supplements into your wellness routine can help you feel and perform your best. Just like high-performance athletes, finding the right balance of supplements tailored to your needs is key. Always consider your individual health goals, dietary needs, and consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement regimen.

By learning from the best, you can optimize your own health and well-being, taking a page from the playbook of the world’s top athletes.

I have a bone to pick today, as I'm feeling a bit rant-y.
But mostly, I'm frustrated.
Because I think you're getting tricked and it's time you learn the truth...

See, the workout "truths" you've been fed are things like,

• "Pilates and yoga will give you toned, lean muscles!"
• "If you want to look like an athlete you have to train like an athlete!"
• "You should ditch machines and do free weights to be more functional!"
• "Kettlebells train stabilizers and all planes of motion, which prepares you for real life!"

And I'm here today to tell you this is all nonsense.

Ok, to be fair, it's not all nonsense - there is some truth in each one.
But it's nonsense to the fact that ~95% of the people reading this newsletter lift weights for aesthetic reasons.

Aka you lift weights to look better.

Sure, you know it's healthy and therapeutic and helps you move better and makes you stronger, yada, yada.

And yes, I get it ⏤ you don't want to look too bulky like a bodybuilder, or get too obsessed with your muscles, or not fit into your favorite outfits.

I understand all of that.

But at the end of the day, you MOSTLY go to the gym to 1) build muscle and 2) lose fat so you feel more confident in your clothes and proud of the body you see in the mirror.

You want to be in-shape. Slim, defined, and muscular in all the right places.
(And hey, me too. No shame here.)

So if you agree that that is your main motive in the gym, then believing the "truths" above will only prevent you from reaching your goals.

And why is that, exactly?

Firstly, muscle and fat tissue can ONLY do three things:

1. get bigger (gain muscle or gain fat)
2. get smaller (lose muscle or lose fat)
3. stay the same

So, knowing this, and knowing that the main outcome we're working out for is to increase our muscle mass and decrease our fat mass, then we should judge our workout's effectiveness solely on how well it does those two things.

And, again, yes we can also workout to improve our cardiovascular fitness, explosive power, core stability, and so on. Or just to have fun!

These are all by-products of muscle building workouts too, they just aren't the primary focus.
You can go to the gym and do whatever feels good for you.

Do the HIIT class, the kettlebells, the battle rope, or Crossfit workouts.

Just don't be upset when your body doesn't look the way you want, even though you're working out hard.

Because remember: our goal in the gym is NOT to sweat the most or get our heart rate up as high as we can or to train for the NFL combine.

Our goal is to gain muscle and lose fat. Period.

Which means we need to do workouts that are built for exactly that.

There's obviously way too much to break down in one blog, but I'll give you my general template.

My muscle-building workout breakdown

1. Warm up - increase body temp with cardio and dynamic stretching of target muscles
2. Heavier compound lifts - multi-joint exercises like bench, squat, deadlift, overhead press, etc (all variations)
3. Accessory lifts - more machines, cables, and stabilized exercise choices for isolating target areas
4. "Athletic" lift - ONE exercise that is single leg/arm and multiple planes of motion (this prevents injury)
5. Cardio/Core - this will be either long distance cardio, a HIIT finisher, or an ab workout

To clarify, 2 and 3 are 80% of these workouts.

And the other 20% ⏤ 1, 4, and 5 ⏤ support 2 and 3 to make them more effective via injury prevention and core stability. Or cardio, which supports fat loss.

Notice how everything is hyper-specific to the goal of building muscle or losing fat.

And, of course, the exercise selection, sets, rep ranges, and weekly progressive overload are the other components required to optimize all of this, but this is the skeleton.

Maybe I'll chat on those another day, but I hope this was helpful.

I'm passionate about making this clear because I want you to get results.

And I've had too many clients come to me thinking they've been working out the right way, except they've looked the same for the last two years.

Not because they weren't trying.

But because they were putting their efforts in the wrong place.

So my hope is to help you prevent that.

You only have so much time, energy, and bandwidth to make it to the gym in the first place.
If you're going to be there, I want you to make it count.

Not wasting your time on fluff, false promises, or exercises that simply don't move the needle.
One last thing, if you want to completely take the guesswork out of workout programming check out our ASCEND Training App. This app will help elevate your fitness journey with an all-inclusive collection of personal training programs designed to help rise to new heights.

Thanks for listening to me rant.

If you have any questions, just comment below.
​
Thanks,
Kayli