The Best Fitness Supplements To Add To Your Routine, Trainer Says

Any time is a good time to learn about the latest and greatest ways to improve and add to your workout routine. That's why we reached out to Mike Matthews, certified personal trainer, founder of Legion, and author of the new book, Muscle for Life to scope out the absolute best health tips and the most effective fitness supplements he recommends. Read on to learn more, and next, check out The 6 Best Exercises for Strong and Toned Arms in 2022, Trainer Says.

Getting rid of stubborn fat and sculpting lean muscle isn't as complicated as you may think

woman running up steps for cardio workout — Shutterstock

We were in for a great education speaking with Matthews. He tells us, "Building lean muscle and burning stubborn fat isn't nearly as complicated as most people have been led to believe. You don't need to give up any of the foods you like, do a bunch of workouts you hate, or fill your cabinets with bags and bottles of exotic pills, powders, and potions. In Muscle for Life, you'll find a simple paint-by-numbers plan for transforming your body faster than you ever thought possible that's based on time-proven principles produced by decades of hands-on experience and thousands of hours of scientific research that anyone can follow at any age and fitness level."

You may just be starting out seeking a healthy lifestyle change, or perhaps you're an athlete whose goal is to take your performance up a notch. Maybe you're a level in between the two. Whatever stage you're at in your fitness journey, Muscle for Life is a great resource to have on deck. Matthews says it will help you perform, feel, and look your absolute best.

You don't necessarily need supplements to gain muscle, "but the right ones can help"

making protein powder smoothie, fitness supplements — Shutterstock

The bestselling author states in his book, "No matter how old you are, no matter how bad you might think your hormones or genetics are, and no matter how lost you might feel from trying and abandoning past diets and exercise routines … you absolutely, positively can have the lean, defined, and healthy body you dream about." We asked Mathews how exactly you can make that happen. Matthews explains, "Most of your results will come from following a good diet and exercise plan, and no pills, powders, or potions will change that." He adds, "You don't need supplements to build muscle, lose fat, and get healthy, but the right ones can help."

If you're trying to lose a few pounds, you probably like the sound of this. So we asked for more specifics, and Matthews continues to explain, "If you have the budget, there are supplements you should consider, because the few that work can enhance many meaningful aspects of your body composition and physiology, including muscle growth, fat loss, strength, inflammation, heart health, mood, brain and gut health, insulin sensitivity, energy levels, immunity, and more."

Pretty interesting stuff, right? He further elaborates and tells us that training and eating right are key. Although the right supplements can strengthen the work you do at the gym and in the kitchen, they aren't worth much if you're not doing just the right exercises and consuming the right foods.

The best fitness supplements to start out with

vitamin d held up in sunshine, fitness supplements — Shutterstock

To kick things off, this is what the certified personal trainer/bestselling author recommends:

Protein powder
Multivitamin
Vitamin D
Fish oil
Creatine

In his book, Matthews explains, "Protein powder is the most important because it makes eating enough protein easy, which helps you lose fat and build muscle faster, burn more calories, and experience less hunger. Optimal protein intake differs depending on your goals, but a good rule of thumb for most people is to consume 0.8-to-1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day."

Matthews advises that a multivitamin is the next, most crucial supplement to consider, explaining, "A high-quality multivitamin helps plug nutritional 'holes' in your diet, boosts your intake of certain vitamins and minerals that improve health and wellness at higher doses, like B vitamins, zinc, and chromium, and provides beneficial ingredients that are difficult or impossible to obtain from food."

In addition to a multivitamin, fish oil and vitamin D are also important. Matthew tells us, "Maintaining adequate vitamin D and omega-3 intake is tricky with food alone and these benefit your health and performance in many ways. For vitamin D, I recommend you start at 2,000 IU per day, and increase your intake if you're experiencing any symptoms of low vitamin D levels." As far as omega-3 goes, he adds, "Research shows that a combined intake of between 500 milligrams and 1.8 grams of EPA and DHA per day is adequate for general health, and for physically active people, 2 to 3 grams of combined EPA and DHA per may have small additional benefits."

Last but not least, is creatine. Creatine is "an amino-acid-like molecule, because it's the single best supplement you can take for boosting strength, muscle growth, and post-workout recovery," says Matthews, instructing that creatine monohydrate can be taken whenever you'd like a good effect. He recommends taking 5 grams of it daily.