And that’s the purpose of this Custom Supplement Program Design guide... In these pages, I outline my 7-Step Process for creating your own customdesigned supplementation program that will fully support whatever your fitness goals, allowing you to achieve maximum results while saving you time, frustration, and money!
I hope it will remove some of the “mystery” that intentionally clouds the average consumer’s supplement choices and provides you with a step-by-step approach to taking you training (and RESULTS) to the next level.
So let’s begin, shall we?
Step 1: Determine Your Starting Point And End Goal A proper supplement program begins with the end result in mind. From there it’s all backwards planning.
For example, if your primary objective is to add lean muscle, you should put a higher priority on a whey protein powder rather than a “fat burner”. If getting “ripped and shredded” is your priority, the supplements you’ll want to reach your goals will be different. And dieters have emphatically different objectives, and therefore different supplemental needs, from the “muscle builders”.
Pretty simple, right?
But let’s add another piece to the puzzle... What if you are a classic “hardgainer” who has a difficult time putting on weight? Do you then choose a whey protein isolate...a casein protein supplement...a “meal replacement” powder...or a commercial “mass gainer”?
This is what is meant by your “Starting Point”. In other words, what BODY TYPE are you and what type of a LIFESTYLE do you have? HOW OFTEN and for HOW LONG do you workout? WHEN do you workout?
When working with my clients, I generally place them in one of 5 CATEGORIES and use that as a starting point for creating a fully customized supplement regimen...
Underweight
Commonly called a “hardgainer”, you have a “high metabolism” that doesn’t allow you to gain weight very easily. When you exercise, you may end up actually losing weight and your routine may end up making you stronger...but not any bigger. When you DO gain muscle...it says bye-bye as soon as you stray from a solid training and diet program.
Your Goal: Pack on some solid lean muscle that doesn’t disappear the first time you skip a protein shake.
Athletic Build
You’re the guy 95% of the guys on the planet would like to see run over by a Mack truck while all those blonde bimbos at the beach you stole from us, look on and start to assess their options (namely US!). You can gain muscle very easily and don’t have to work too hard to maintain it. Speaking on behalf of all of us “hardgainers”, please die!
Your Goal: Train hard to optimize your gifted genetics and have fun experimenting with some of the more esoteric supplements.
Overweight
Your muscles are in there...somewhere...and you curse the stubborn goo that seems to stay stuck no matter what you do. You probably were cursing at me as I was cursing at the “Athletic Guy” because you wish you had the problem of actually being “underweight”.
Your Goal: Get down below 20% body fat and feel great buying your next pair of jeans 2 sizes smaller than your last pair.
Over 40
How’s this for bad news...after the age of 30, our fast-twitch muscle fibers (the one’s we use for short powerful movements) naturally start to wither away unless they get used. Add to that, declining bone strength, lower “sex hormones”, a slowing metabolism (I can vouch for that!) and the new pops and creaks we feel getting out of bed in the morning, and you start to look at your annual physical in a whole different light.
Your Goal: Reverse the aging process, speed up your metabolism, and be able to train enough to beat the tar out of anyone who calls you “middle age”.
Over-Worked
Your work hours are 7am to 7pm, Monday through Monday and your fitness schedule revolves around whenever you can wake up early enough or have enough energy elsewhere in the day. You may find it hard to sleep due to stress on the job (and at home) and your hormones are paying the toll on your body.
Your Goal: Reverse the effects of your body’s stress chemicals that can reduce muscle tissue, wreck your metabolism and make it feel like your work life is hovering over your personal life wearing leather chaps and a horse whip.
Now of course, someone may fall into more than one of these categories. But it’s a good starting point to help determine where your goals lie and what is most important to YOU in order to make the right supplement choices as we progress with your program design.