Comp Prep Guide

Heidi Somers goes over different sports supplements that bikini, figure and fitness competitors need to know... as well as a few vitamins. She also covers WHY to take the supplement, WHEN to take the supplement as well as WHO should take the supplement.

In this video I'm going over a variety of supplements, all of which I have personally used, and reasons why you need to take them, when to take them as well as who should take them.

First of all, you need to understand there's no magical pill out there that's going to make you buff, lean or shred overnight. But if you're eating clean and exercising then you can introduce supplements into your diet to speed up your results.

A common question people have asked me is ‘liquid or pills’? I personally try to take most of my vitamins and sports supplements in liquid form.

The reason I do this is because your body will absorb 98% of a liquid supplement whereas a pill you will only absorb three to twenty percent depending on the quality of the supplement.

If you can't choke down a liquid form supplement then look for a pill in a capsule form. These have better absorption than a regular pill.

The first supplement that you should purchase is a Multivitamin. Everybody needs this, it doesn't matter if you work out or if you don't work out.

The human body needs 13 essential vitamins to even function properly and you are making sure you're getting your nutrients every day from your multivitamins.

You will also receive multivitamins from your food, you will see better results with your health and fitness.

My personal favorite supplement is actually Fish or Krill oil. The same as a multivitamin whether you work out or not fish oil is beneficial to everyone. The oil helps stabilize your insulin so that you store simple sugars as energy in your muscles to be used later on instead of storing as fat.

The oil also helps preserve your muscles which is a big thing if you don't work out five to six days a week, you're able to hold on to that muscle longer. Most people don't consume enough fish oil either. If you are trying to lose fat then your intake of fish oil has to be a lot higher than the average person.

To save on cost I would suggest purchasing a Fish or Krill oil in liquid form. You get so many more grams for your money.

The only downfall with liquid fish oil is that it's sensitive to oxygen and sunlight, you want to look for brands that keep the oil in a darker glass bottles to keep the sunlight out.

Also try to buy smaller bottles, I think this one actually comes in a smaller bottle. If you're able to find Krill oil instead of Fish oil that is even better. Krill oil is less sensitive to oxygen and sunlight.

Pre-workout is not essential, you don't have to take it. People take pre-workout when they are tired or mentally exhausted. Pre-workout gives people that sudden burst of energy that makes them want to go destroy their workout, clean the house, clean your neighbor's house or clean the world.

It's powerful stuff and that's why I really only use it on days I need it, like leg day, back day or cardio day. You don't want to become dependent on using your pre-workout. I try to use natural energy when I'm in the gym but let's be honest some days you need it.

BCAA’s stands for ‘Branched Chain Amino Acids’ and they are the building blocks of proteins.

Three essential aminos that you'll find in your BCAA’s are going to be Leucine, Isoleucine and valine. This supplement helps with the growth of the muscles and also helps with muscle recovery. It also helps with fatigue which is why I choose to drink mine during my workouts, helps me last longer and finish my workout strong.

The one I take has Glutamine and Collagen in it. Collagen helps promote younger and smoother skin.

Glutamine: female and male version of the BCAA’s that I have, both have glutamine in it. Glutamine plays a key role in metabolizing protein, it also helps your body secrete human growth hormone.

Human growth hormones help metabolize body fat and support new muscle growth.

This is a great supplement to take when you are cutting down because you're wanting to get rid of unwanted fat and at the same time preserving the muscles that you already have.

People that don't workout still take glutamine because it plays a key role in your immune system. Glutamine is used by your white blood cells to fight off infections.

Protein: everyone's favorite and it’s probably the most common supplement that people purchase.

You actually use Protein throughout your body, in your tissues, your organs, your cells for everyday function. If you're trying to gain some muscle you're definitely going to need to up your protein intake and there's all kinds of proteins out there.

There's plant-based ones, there's soy ones, rice ones and whey protein. Whey is known for being the best at supporting muscle gains. However if you are vegetarian or you are allergic to something, then there are different proteins out there.

I did try the plant-based proteins but I am highly allergic to Peas so that just tore my stomach up. I typically stick to whey protein. I take in at least 105 grams of protein per day because I weigh 105 pounds.

Depending if you are cutting or if you are bulking your protein intake is going to change based on that. No matter what, you should always get at least your body weight equivalent to your protein intake.

Don't get all your proteins from the protein shakes, you want to try to get it from food sources like lean meats, chicken, turkey, and fish. Protein shakes are a great add-on to make sure you get the right amount of protein but for females, I tell them never to exceed more than one per day. That is because when females are consuming protein shakes or protein bars you're definitely going to put on some muscle but you're going to put on some fat with it as well. Male can get away with it a little bit more.

Nutrition Diet Supplements