A lot of you have been requesting for a fitness supplement guide video. Here it is.

First of all, you have to understand that supplements will never replace proper nutrition, BUT they can help you hit your fitness goals faster! Supplements complement our diet and help cover nutrient gaps, ensuring that our body has what it needs for peak performance.

No matter what your training goals are, whether you want to build more muscles, try to lose weight or just want to tone your body, the right supplements can help improve your health, performance and physique. Of course, you should always know what are the right supplements to consume so that you will benefit from them. Don't use anything you don't understand.

I hope this video will make it less confusing for you and that you will know how to start adding supplements to enhance your performance.

1) Protein

When you think of those guys with muscles, we often associate them with Protein. They must eat a lot of protein or consume protein supplements. Well you’re not entirely wrong. Protein is basically the building block for muscle. It helps to repair and build tissue and muscle. The best source of protein is consuming whole foods such as meat, fish, eggs, tempeh, beans, nuts and seeds.

Everybody’s protein needs differs based on how active they are.If you’re active, your protein requirement will be higher and consuming protein shake post-shake can help to feed your muscles, and no you won’t be big and bulky just by drinking protein shakes, otherwise, all the guys would be super fit by now.

There are many different types of protein supplements out there and it can be very confusing. For beginners, let’s understand the 2 most popular ones, Whey & Casein Protein. These two milk protein are excellent sources of all the essential amino acids.

Whey is a “fast-digesting” protein whereas Casein is a “slow-digesting” protein. Whey protein takes only 20 minutes to be digested, absorbed into the blood, and fuels your muscles quickly. This makes it excellent before, during and after your workouts, to build and repair muscles. But since the benefits of whey after exercise are short-lived, you should consume a whole meal containing protein 20-60 minutes after drinking a post-workout whey protein shake

On the other hand, Casein protein takes longer for your body to fully digest. Casein actually clots inside your stomach. It forms globules of protein in there and this slows down the digestion rate. Slow digestion can be a negative before or after training when you are trying to get amino acids into the system quickly, but it's a benefit when it comes to holding off hunger and can help with fat loss.

Casein is best used before fasting, such as before bed because the slow release of amino acids promotes fullness.If this is too confusing for you, to keep it simple, some people including myself like to pair whey and casein together post-workout. The idea is you will get both rapid and sustained amino acids this way.

My favourite is the Milk Protein Isolate by California Gold Nutrition Sport, which contain both whey and casein. When I buy my protein supplement, I’d want to make sure that each serving contains at least 20 - 25g of protein. This is also Ultra Low Lactose, which is great for me. I’ll consume one serving after my workout to fuel my muscles immediately and to keep my hunger at bay.

Plant-Based

If you’re a Vegan or lactose intolerance, then you can also go for plant-based protein supplements, which tend to be made up of legumes, seeds, vegetables and fruits.

They often contain slightly less protein than the dairy protein, however they are higher in fibre and cholesterol free. I personally like this brand Organic Protein because 1 serving contains 20g of protein, which is quite high and 7g of fibre.

2) Fish Oil

What is it

Fish oils are rich in 2 essential Omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

What is does

Omega 3 fatty acids are vital in maintaining a healthy heart and brain. It has also been proven to reduce inflammation, keep the joints healthy and helps to maintain flexibility, which will help reduce injury when exercising. It is also known to increase the body’s fat burning ability. Whether or not you workout regularly, fish oil should be the most basic supplement to take.

How to take

For a healthy adult, it’s recommended that we take approximately a daily total of 500 milligrams EPA and DHA. Unfortunately most of us do not get enough Omega 3s in our diet, hence fish olil supplement can be important.

What I have here is Omega 800 by California Gold Nutrition. Because this is a highly concentrated fish oil supplement containing 840mg of Omega-3 Fatty Acids per softgel, I’ll consume one daily with my meal. They are better absorbed when taken with food.

3) BCAA

What is it

BCAA stands for Branched Chain Amino Acids. Isoleucine, leucine and valine, being the three most vital.

What it does

Nutritionally, BCAA’s can be consumed through a range of protein rich foods like chicken, fish, meat, eggs, nuts, lentils and some beans. Our body is unable to make them so they must be ingested either through food or supplements.

When taken during training, BCAAs gives you the extra surge of energy, helps prolong the length of your workout, improve recovery and reduce muscle fatigue, which means you’ll be able to train more frequently. They are also known as a muscle builder, to maximise muscle growth, reduce cortisol and increase levels of insulin, the anabolic hormone that is critical in replenishing muscle tissue with nutrients after workouts.

How to take

The optimum time to take BCAA is pre and/or post workout. You can add it into your protein shake. Start off by taking 2 - 3g per dose and slowly increase the dosage to 5g, depending on the frequency and intensity of your workout. This has 5.3g per scoop.

4) Creatine

What is it

An amino-acid-like compound that occurs naturally in muscle tissue.

What is does

If your training focuses on weight lifting, creatine should be added into the list as it helps to improve overall muscle mass and definition.

Creatine’s most basic function is to help muscles create fast energy during exercise. It is known to promote significantly greater gains in strength and also high intensity-based performance. Which means, you’ll be able to lift heavier and more reps.

However a big side effect of creatine for women is bloating. Unlike when you are menstruating, water weight will be in your muscles. It may put you off, but once you stop taking it, you’ll lose the extra weight within a week or two. If you primarily focus on cardio, then this is not a requirement. This is simply an add on for the benefit of extra strength and muscle tone.

How to take

Take 3 - 5g 30 minutes before training and another 3 - 5g immediately after training. Again, this can be added and taken which protein shake.

5) Multi-Vitamin

What is it

The truth is, we can’t always consume all the necessary vitamins in our diet every day. The last of my list is mulit-vitamin. Think of multi-vitamin like your body’s insurance, which helps to fill in the nutritional gap in our diet.

What it does

Vitamins and minerals are extremely important for us to have the highest quality of life. It is an important supplement not just for female, but for everybody whether or not you are on a fitness journey.

Saying that however, you should not rely on multivitamins to support your health and think that that’s good enough. You should still be consuming whole foods rich in nutrients to support your overall health. Getting your nutrients from real food, may not always be easy, but it is still the best! 

How to take

What I have here is a complete female multivitamin BY HER MULTI containing 23 essential vitamins and minerals, to help my body perform optimally. I consume 2 tablets daily with my food.

So these are the top 5 supplements I would recommend for beginners to maintain optimum health and to supper for fitness performance. So do you take supplements? If so, how have they helped you? Let me know in the comments below.