Angela L. Waderker

The journey begins with a vision and a single step (not equipment and supplements)

Me:  Good for you.

Son:  First I need to get me some equipment.

Me:  You can’t even do a push up, what “equipment” do you think you need?

Son:  Well, I need to pick up some supplements too.

The definition of supplement quickly runs through my mind;

1. something added to complete a thing

2. in addition to

Me:  What exactly are you ‘supplementing?’  You haven’t even done anything yet!

Unfortunately these are the types of thoughts that go through some people’s minds when they want to start working out and trying to lead a healthier lifestyle.  I want to debunk the equipment myth, and explain to you why supplements can be a bad idea.

DISCLAIMER:  I am not a certified personal trainer or medical doctor.  The information you’re about to read is based on either my personal opinion or research I have done.

Thinking that you need some type of special equipment to workout is untrue.  Let me help put this into perspective for you.  When you were in school, and you had gym class, did you need any special equipment?  I’m going to guess that a lot of you didn’t.  And if you had any special equipment, it was probably minimal, like a kick/dodge ball or maybe a bat and a baseball.  Some of us were lucky enough to be able to play with a parachute on special occasions, and even got to work with some real gymnastics equipment sometimes like the balance beam or the vault horse.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say most of you probably did a lot of calisthenics (gymnastic exercises designed to develop physical health and vigor, usually performed with little or no special apparatus).  Simply put, you did jumping jacks, push ups, sit-ups, and probably some running too.  You do not need special equipment or a gym membership to get in shape.  You can do all of the above plus jump rope, hula hoop, roller skate, squats, lunges, mountain climbers, heck you can even skip if you want.  If that’s not enough, here are 35 more suggestions.  All you need is some motivation and some stick-to-it-tiveness (a very technical term).  You don’t even need a lot of time (seven minutes will do), or space, as demonstrated in this workout video (one of my favorites, especially if I’m short on time).  If you’re feeling froggy, you can even throw in some burpees too.   The bottom line:  You can exercise anytime and anywhere with nothing but your mind and your own body weight.

Let’s talk a little about supplements, shall we?  First off, just like I told my son, if you aren’t doing anything to supplement, then you don’t need supplements.  Sometimes people want to start out using supplements because they think it will help them see results quicker.  Say it with me now; there are no shortcuts to getting fit.  If there were, there would be a lot less overweight, out of shape, and unhealthy people in the world.  Usually what happens when someone who is just starting out takes supplements, either they don’t see results or they end up gaining weight.  Then they get discouraged, give up, and stop trying to work out all together.

DISCLAIMER:  Unless otherwise backed up with links to resources, the following statements are my own thoughts and opinions.  I am not a professional.  I’m simply a workout enthusiast who has done some research.  And anyone who knows me will tell you I can research the heck out of something, it’s just what I do.

Here’s what I can tell you about supplements:

• Dietary supplement manufacturers and distributors are not required to obtain approval from the FDA before marketing dietary supplements.  Don’t believe me?  You can read it for yourself on the official FDA website.
• FDA approval does not guarantee effectiveness or safety of a product.  They simply review information provided by the manufacturer to make sure they have complied with FDA and DSHEA (Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994) regulations.  And a company would never lie in order to get their product approved, right?  If there is a problem with a supplement (as in people start dropping dead or other serious issues), “the FDA is responsible for taking action against any adulterated or misbranded dietary supplement product after it reaches the market.”  Also, “there is no provision under any law or regulation that FDA enforces that requires a firm to disclose to FDA or consumers the information they have about the safety or purported benefits of their dietary supplement products.  It is up to each firm to set its own policy on disclosure of such information.”  Both of those statements come directly from the FDA website.
• Supplements can negatively react with prescription medications, and negatively affect medical tests (think false positives).  That’s why you should ALWAYS disclose any vitamins or supplement you are taking to your doctor.
• Here are a few examples of some supplements that have been recalled or taken off the market:
  • OxyElite Pro – Reason: acute hepatitis and liver problems
  • Fen-phen – Reason:  heart valve problems
  • Multiple miscellaneous supplements (65), sold on BodyBuilding.com- Reason:  may contain steroids
  • DMAA (used in a popular product called Jack3d but can be found in other products too) – This product hasn’t been recalled because the FDA cannot prove that DMAA is causing what people are claiming, which includes increased blood pressure, cardiovascular problems, heart attacks and death.  Click here to read more about that, and click here to read about how it is alledgedly connected to the death of a soldier.

The bottom line:  Supplements are nothing to be played with.  Do not be fooled by the label “FDA approved.”  It doesn’t mean much.

Now that we’ve gotten all THAT out of the way, in the interest of full disclosure, I will tell you there are two supplements that I use on a regular basis.  I did not start using supplements until I’d been working out on a regular basis for well over a year.  I did some research and tried a few samples (from GNC, free for the asking) before I decided that was the direction I wanted to take.  I also shop around on the internet for the best deals (using coupons and free shipping specials) because supplements can get expensive.

DISCLAIMER (yep, another one):  These two supplements work for me.  I am not recommending them, or encouraging anyone to use these or any other supplements.  And just to be crystal clear, I am NOT a paid representative or spokesperson.  Everybody clear on that?  Good!  Let’s continue.

• I AM NOT A MORNING PERSON.  And since I work out in the morning, I use a pre-workout called C4 Extreme to help get me motivated.

  

  • What is a pre-workout supplement?  – Typically a powder mixed with water and consumed prior to a workout to enhance performance.  Basically it  helps increase your energy, among other things.  You can read more here.
  • What’s in it? – Usually a good shot of caffeine, but there are other things in it too that claim to help build muscle, strength, and endurance.
  • The bottom line:  There are many different types available, and a lot of them will make your skin feel prickly, itchy, and hot.  In other words, you can end up looking like a heroin addict at the gym.

    

    Personally, I don’t suffer any of those effects with C4.  People with high blood pressure (like me) and other heart and health issues need to be really careful, or steer clear altogether of pre-workouts.  The caffeine content in C4 (135 mg) is less than a short cup of brewed Starbucks coffee (180 mg).  On a side note, if I have a cup of coffee in the morning, I do not take pre-workout.  I also only take this when I’m working out in the gym (four days a week), after I’ve had my blood pressure meds, a lot of water, and breakfast.

• The other supplement I use is protein.  I’ve tried Aria and Designer Whey powder mixes, but I’ve found what works best for me is Six Star Casein Protein. 
  • Why protein? – Whether it’s all in my head or not, I’ve found it’s really helped me with muscle recovery.  In layman’s terms, it helps with muscle soreness;  I don’t hurt as bad, for as long.  Also, I was eating fresh fruit as my mid-morning/post workout “small meal,” and I wanted to get away from the sugar (even though it’s natural sugar).
  • The benefits (for me):   Besides being less sore for less time, having a mid-morning protein shake means I’m not as hungry at lunch.  So if I happen to go out to eat, I can easily push away from the table (no clean plate syndrome here), or take home leftovers for dinner.  It can be a nice deterrent to overeating, even in tempting situations.

So what have we learned today?  The journey begins with a vision (seeing yourself as a healthier person), and a single step (some kind of action).  You don’t need to spend money (if you don’t have it or just don’t want to) on a gym membership or special equipment (dumbbells, exercise balls, and special yoga mats).  And you don’t have to spend a fortune on questionable and potentially dangerous supplements.  Just find your stick-to-it-tiveness and put one foot in front of the other.  Walking doesn’t require any equipment at all.

The more you know,