There Are No Magic Pills

Posted By elissa on Sep 10, 2009 | 1 comment

As y’all know, I moderate two private fitness forums: one focused on fat loss, the other on building muscle.  Thus, I frequently field questions about supplements: both individual ingredients and branded formulas.

Here’s the deal: every so often, a new member will join one of the forums, and proceed to ask question after question about supps.  They almost never ask for feedback on their nutrition or workouts…just supps.  And as soon as I give ’em a reality check on one brand, they’re back with another.  And then another… wash, rinse, repeat.

This gets pretty damn tiresome at times.  Especially since I know from experience, that these folks will NEVER reach their goals.  They’re too fixated on shortcuts.

Don’t get me wrong: I love supps.  I’m constantly trialing different kinds, and I’ve found products that are real winners.  I am VERY pro-DSHEA, and don’t want to see the cold, dead hand of the FDA choke off the market.

At the same time, I recognize two critical facts:

1. There are one hell of a lot of substandard products out there, not to mention outright ripoffs.  If you don’t know what you’re looking for, you risk wasting both time and money.
2. Even the best supps run a distant third behind nutrition and training.  They’re like the decorative shingles, beveled glass windows and stucco you add to a house: they supply the finishing touches… but they’re irrelevant in the absence of sturdy walls and a strong foundation.

Want to take the fat off and keep it off… and have a nicely sculpted body when you’re done?  It’s about your nutrition and training.  Get those dialed in first… then worry about the supps.  Sorry to rant, but that’s just the way it is.