Which supplements can help me get ready for my first fitness competition? — Lisa Ritchie, via Twitter
“In addition to training hard and eating right, certain supplements can help boost your results and get you into stage-ready shape. I recommend a few different types of supplements to my clients when they are prepping for a show,” says Shannon Dey, CEO and founder of Bombshell Fitness and head of professional competitive fitness Team Bombshell. Below, her fave picks.
Before first cardio:
A fat-burning supp (two days on, one day off) for energy and fat loss
Morning:
Vitamin B6 (for brain development and function), vitamin E (antioxidant), multivitamin (overall health), collagen (to help boost skin elasticity), slow-releasing iron (red-blood-cell function), glucosamine/chondroitin (joint health), and a fiber supplement (for gastrointestinal health)
Post-workout:
BCAAs and glutamine (amino acids that assist in building muscles and repairing tissue as well as recovery)
With two to three meals per day:
Digestive enzymes (to help with digestion)
Evening:
Vitamin C (antioxidant) as well as calcium, magnesium, and zinc (key minerals for a variety of bodily functions)
Protein powders:
These may replace other protein sources but preferably only for one or two meals per day, maximum.
