12-Week Fitness & Weight Loss Supplement plan

In this third installment of the 12-week fitness and weight loss reset program, we will dig into the supplements I am using during this period.

There were a few takeaways if you listen to our prior episode on supplements. First, I don’t believe supplements are needed to see health and fitness improvements. With proper nutrition via diet and an intelligent exercise program, you can achieve the same gains with or without supplements.

With that being said, I also feel there may be room for supplement use. However, results may vary person-to-person. If they are helpful for you, then, by all means, I suggest using them, as long as there are no adverse side-effects and they are not cost-prohibitive.

For example, I had a positive experience with some that I did not get into in the supplements podcast. I used a supplement stack with multiple test cases showing significant cardiovascular improvements while exercising, which I was using while working on improving my conditioning. Taking that stack for two to three months, I improved my VO2 max from the low 30s to the low 50s. That peak was back in June last year, around the time I stopped using that stack and working on conditioning two to three times a week. Since then, it has been steadily declining, clocking it at 37.5 the last week of December.

During this 12-week challenge, I will go back on that stack to see if I can repeat the VO2 max improvements. I will also use some of the supplements I covered in the podcast that I have not had prior personal experience with, namely CLA and 7-Keto-DHEA.

Before going into the details of the supplements, as always, make sure you consult with your primary care physician before starting to take anything new, especially if you have any medical conditions which may be sensitive to supplements.

In the next post, I will tie all the pieces of this series together regarding how diet, exercise, and supplements are integrated and used together. But, for now, I suggest if you start introducing any of these, you make sure they do not conflict or stack with anything you may already be using.  

For example, if you are already getting plenty of vitamin D3 from something you use, I would suggest avoiding anything here with D3, or replacing yours, to not consume high quantities.

Also, be aware of the directions, as they may require to be taken with food or spread out between doses. If you are following the fasting guidelines, and like me, aren’t having breakfast, taking supplements that suggest pairing with food in the morning isn’t possible, so timing and spacing are important.

I will include in this list an item that isn’t always considered in the supplement category, meal replacement drinks. If you are strictly using them to replace a meal, it may be a hard sell to call it a supplement. However, I usually utilize them to supplement what I am eating to manage my macronutrient percentages, usually to increase my proteins, so I will include them.

Before getting to the good stuff, I will include some warnings. Some of these can be harsh on your stomach. I’ve found that the body adapts with time and often fairly quickly, but if you have a sensitive stomach, be warned. Also, many supplements contain caffeine, which can lead to restless nights and upset stomachs if too much is taken.

The last word of caution is about bowel movements. While not everyone’s, or anyone’s, favorite topic, be forewarned that with significant diet or supplement changes often come loose, if not just watery stool, and if you had a regular schedule, don’t expect it to remain consistent. Some people may not be affected as much. Others may not want to make any plans for the first few days. Just know to proceed with caution and if it is knee-on-belly week in your jiu-jitsu training class, watch out!

Now, on with the program. The supplements I’ll be using over the next twelve weeks are listed below. I will attempt to use them as directed, but I may need to adjust the scheduling to fit my lifestyle and fasting windows.

For each supplement, I’ll list what they are meant to do, which brand I will be using, and any comments like my prior experiences with them or where I may need to make changes for scheduling or doses. I plan to use the final piece in this series to get into timetable specifics regarding my day, diet, and exercise schedule. Still, I will note below any timing concerns or challenges I foresee.

Here they are, in no particular order:

• Supplement: 7-Keto-DHEA

• Brand: Life Extension

• Purpose: Promotes weight loss by speeding up the metabolism

• Timing & Dose: One capsule first thing in the morning, one before lunch, preferably on an empty stomach

• Supplement: Blade

• Brand: Blue Star

• Purpose: Appetite control, increased energy, and heightened focus, and fat burning

• Timing & Dose: Two capsules first thing in the morning and two mid-afternoon

• Comments: This supplement has multiple ingredients, including L-carnitine, green tea extract, caffeine, and more. It can be rough on the stomach initially, and it suggests starting with one capsule daily and increasing from there.

• Supplement: Beta-Alanine

• Brand: Now Sports

• Purpose: Improved endurance for high-intensity activities

• Timing & Dose: Three capsules two to three times a day

• Comments: I’ve had success with this for improved performance, and multiple studies back up the effectiveness. I stick to taking it twice a day even though it says up to three.  

• Supplement: MASF Multi

• Brand: MASF

• Purpose: Daily multivitamin 

• Timing & Dose: Two capsules daily

• Comments: This is my current choice for a daily multivitamin to make up for what I’m not getting through what I eat.  

• Supplement: Sustamine

• Brand: Modern BCAA+

• Purpose: Improved endurance, recovery, cellular hydration, and protein synthesis.

• Timing & Dose: One scoop mixed with 20 ounces of water. Drink immediately before or during workouts.

• Comments: This has quite a lot of studies showing effectiveness. For best results, I double up with two scoops and mix it with Vitargo, which I’ll cover next. I drink about half of it 15 minutes pre-training and sip the rest during the workout.

• Supplement: Vitargo

• Brand: Vitargo

• Purpose: Fast absorbing carbohydrates to fuel workouts and improve the delivery time of other supplements to the body.

• Timing & Dose: Two scoops with water before and during the workout for performance increases. Then one to two scoops post-workout with added protein powder post-workout for improved muscle recovery.

• Comments: This is a powerful supplement on its own, but it is better paired with a BCAA pre-workout and protein powder post-workout. As I don’t tend to focus on bodybuilding, I skip the post-workout drink but suggest it for anyone looking to optimize muscle growth. I will mix two scoops of this with two scoops of Modern BCAA+ before any lengthy training sessions and see notable performance improvements. When blending with other powders, I suggest getting the plain flavor of Vitargo. Flavored Vitargo paired with other flavored powders can taste anywhere from overpowering to disgusting.

• Supplement: Crea-Tech

• Brand: Blue Star

• Purpose: Supports building lean muscle

• Timing & Dose: Four capsules once a day

• Comments: This is part of a stack of supplements from Blue Star suggested to be used together. The others are also on this list. While they can be used separately, they are marketed as best when combined. I don’t do much bodybuilding, which seems to be the primary target audience, but I will try it during this 12-week reset period.

• Supplement: NiaCel

• Brand: Thorne Research

• Purpose: Improved aerobic endurance

• Timing & Dose: One capsule, twice daily

• Comments: I have also had excellent results with this one regarding endurance. It is a bit pricier than most supplements, but I recommend trying it if you do any lengthy aerobic activities. I notice significantly less fatigue when running and in long training sessions when regularly taking this.

• Supplement: Jocko Super Krill

• Brand: Jocko Fuel from Origin

• Purpose: Many potential benefits, including, but not limited to, increased brain function, heart health, reduced belly fat, less inflammation, lower blood pressure, and more.

• Timing & Dose: Two capsules daily

• Comments: This is an alternative to fish oil for getting Omega-3 fatty acids. I prefer this supplement because it doesn’t have the fishy-smelling burps typical of many fish oil pills.

• Supplement: Jocko Joint Warfare

• Brand: Jocko Fuel from Origin

• Purpose: Joint health and cartilage support

• Timing & Dose: Three capsules, one to two times daily

• Comments: This is another I’ve used on and off for years. I have had persistent joint issues for years and can’t say if this helps them, but I do keep it in the mix just in case. The primary ingredient is glucosamine, the most commonly used supplement for joint health.

• Supplement: Status

• Brand: Blue Star

• Purpose: Improved muscle gains, power, and energy.

• Timing & Dose: Three capsules once daily

• Comments: This is a blend of multiple ingredients. If you are taking supplements in addition to this list, please check that you aren’t overdoing any of the ingredients.

• Supplement: CLA

• Brand: Bronson

• Purpose: Weight management

• Timing & Dose: Two capsules twice daily, with meals

• Comments: This has been recommended by many people on the combat sports scene. It will be the first time I’m trying it.  

• Supplement: QH + PQQ

• Brand: Jarrow Formulas

• Purpose: Increased energy production and supports mitochondrial health.

• Timing & Dose: One capsule, twice daily

• Comments: Along with the NiaCel and Beta-Alanine, this completes the stack I prefer for improved endurance. I’ve always taken the three together. As a group, I find them quite effective.

• Supplement: Zeus TEST

• Brand: Origin

• Purpose: Increased testosterone and energy production

• Timing & Dose: Three capsules one or two times a day

• Comments: I take this once a day because I also take another supplement with testosterone-increasing effects. I have used this one on and off for a couple of years. Personally, I tend to feel some results when first using it after a break, but over time it seems to diminish until I take another break from it. Also, be wary that this includes some vitamin D3, as do others on this list. Adding another D3 supplement isn’t needed if you take them all.

• Supplement: GH Peak

• Brand: Blue Star

• Purpose: Promotes good sleep while stimulating growth hormone production

• Timing & Dose: Four capsules before bed

• Comments: This contains several ingredients, including melatonin, to promote falling asleep. Some people wake up groggy after taking melatonin or feel restless if they do not fall asleep within an hour of taking it. For them, this is one to skip.

• Supplement: Smashin’ Greens

• Brand: MASF

• Purpose: A blend of green superfoods, prebiotics, and probiotics.  

• Timing & Dose: One scoop with water daily

• Comments: I use this to ensure I don’t lack any nutrients that generally come from eating greens, as I don’t always have them in my diet. It is also a go-to drink during fasting windows if I feel the urge to eat.  

• Supplement: AminoFast

• Brand: Blue Star

• Purpose: Improved energy, recovery, and performance

• Timing & Dose: One scoop with water pre or post-workout

• Comments: This is another BCAA product, so you may ask why I list this as well as Modern BCAA+. I use Modern BCAA+ around workouts, and I sip on AminoFast if I need a general boost during fasting windows where I won’t be working out. I find that AminoFast helps with weight loss more than Modern BCAA+ but does not help as much with improved performance. You could take this with Vitargo as well for faster absorption, but I usually don’t mix them.

• Supplement: Glycodrive

• Brand: Blue Star

• Purpose: Promotes storing broken-down carbohydrates into muscle rather than as body fat

• Timing & Dose: One capsule with carb-heavy meals

• Comments: This is part of the Blue Star stack I mentioned before. I don’t take it regularly, but on the days where I ignore my diet restrictions and eat carb-heavy meals, I’ll take one.

• Supplement: Raw Organic Meal

• Brand: Garden of Life

• Purpose: Meal replacement shake to promote weight loss

• Timing & Dose: One scoop with water or liquid of choice at mealtime

• Comments: As mentioned above, meal replacement shake powders usually aren’t included in supplement lists if they are strictly used for diet purposes. While I will drink this instead of having lunch occasionally, if I don’t have a healthy option on-hand or need to “eat” on the go, more commonly, I will drink this to get the 20g of protein on top of any meals. For me, when trying to get to the 40% protein, 40% fat, 20% carbohydrate mix of macronutrients, I usually come up short on protein and high on carbs. I use this to get a protein boost without introducing much of the other macronutrients or adding too many calories.

And there we have it. I hope you find the above helpful and insightful. If you are following along with any of the diet, exercise, or supplement components of this 12-week reset program, I’d love to hear your experiences or about the adjustments you are making. You can contact me via perpetually sore dot com or Instagram at perpetually sore two four seven.

As noted in the last update, you can also reach out to us if you are looking for a personal trainer or coach to help create a custom plan for martial arts or combat sports fitness and health supplemental training that fits your goals, needs, and lifestyle. The above supplement approach is tailored for me, by me, both for results and for experimentation. It is not a one-size-fits-all plan, and I offer coaching services and consultation based on a first-come-first-served basis due to our available time slots often filling up.

I have also recently updated the website, so now the podcast and blog content will be complimentary and posted at approximately the same time. In addition, we will soon be launching on-demand training courses covering many aspects of fitness and health to support and optimize your training.

Next up will be our post regarding integrating the topics covered in these first three parts. So keep an eye, or ear, out for that, and until then, have fun on the mats. We’ll talk soon.

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