Throughout college I worked at a pretty popular gym in the Columbus area...I started working at the desk and then progressed to become a personal trainer. It was one of the best jobs a college kid could have. Being at the gym it seemed the majority of my time was immersed in the bodybuilding magazines which are supported by the multi-billion supplement industry. It seemed every month there was a marvelous new product that would make you "HUGE" or make you "CUT" or perhaps "HUGE and CUT". The temptress promised an easy out...just pay some money take our magic pill and you'll become strong, ripped, cut, diesel, beasty...
Long story short it seemed any money I made went right to the supplement companies to make me "HUGE and CUT"....all I really ever got was "BROKE" and my piss stunk something fierce sometimes. It wasn't until several years later I that realized nothing is more important than a solid diet, plenty of rest, and training the way we do at PSKC. If you don't train hard, get plenty of rest, and eat right...everything else is pretty much a waste of time and money....
Supplements mean exactly that...they are supposed to "supplement" or add to an already sound nutritional plan. Use the money you would spend on supplements and buy all organic/natural meat and foods...God put everything on Earth to make you big and strong...
But I will say this...no matter what you're diet (or lack thereof is)...you need to be taking, let me rephrase that, you need to be bathing in FISH OIL. That's right...it's not manufactured in some lab in Thailand through secret ingredients of tiger penis and rhino horn....it's taken right out from our friend the fish.
But why take fish oil? Basically it's the miracle cure for EVERYTHING. Heart health, brain health, fat loss, my favorite is the anti-inflammatory properties. Don't believe me? You shouldn't by the way..you should do your own research and experimentation. But here's a few links...
http://whole9life.com/fish-oil-faq/
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_bodybuilding_supplements/fish_oil_and_fat_loss
http://robbwolf.com/2010/09/27/how-to-jump-the-shark-with-fish-oil-and-moderation/
Okay...now you're hooked. The next question is how much? I know some of you have told me you're already taking fish oil and can't really tell a difference. Here's the trick...the 2 pills a day from the Wal-Mart brand our no where close to the amount you should be taking. Why? Wal-Mart is awesome for getting dog food and tampons....but it's not too cool to get your fish oil from because it doesn't have the good stuff in it...EPA and DHA. Unfortunately, not all fish oil is created equal.
Below information is taken from
http://whole9life.com/fish-oil-faq/
Q: Why do I need EPA and DHA?
A: You only need a quick web search for this one, because there is a wealth of information on this subject. Fish oil is not a magic bullet, but there are an infinite number of well-documented benefits for a whole host of lifestyle diseases and conditions. The short answer is that EPA and DHA are specific types of polyunsatured omega-3 fatty acids. Your body cannot produce these fatty acids – you must get them from the food you eat, or via supplementation. EPA and DHA are natural anti-inflammatory agents, and as such, play a role in brain health, heart health, protection against cancer, Alzheimer’s and depression, improvement of skin conditions like psoriasis and acne, fetal brain development, inflammatory bowel disorders, and arthritis, to name a few.
Our typical diets are rich in another type of pro-inflammatory polyunsaturated fatty acid called omega-6. When our dietary intake of omega-6′s far exceeds our intake of omega-3′s, our bodies experience a wide range of negative consequences, all with the underlying cause of increased systemic inflammation. Minimizing dietary intake of omega-6 fatty acids, and supplementing your intake of omega-3 fatty acids, helps to reduce inflammation, and the wide range of downstream effects.
Q: Is there an ideal EPA to DHA ratio?
A: This isn’t particularly important – but a supplement in the general neighborhood of 1:1 would be a good find.
Q: What else should I look for in a fish oil brand?
A: First and most importantly, squeaky clean ingredients. This means your fish oil should be free of soy (including lecithin), dairy, wheat, rice, sweeteners or other artificial ingredients. (Visit ourSupplement Evaluation Checklist for more information.)
Then, look at the EPA and DHA amounts per serving – that’s far more important than the “total fish oil” amount. A concentrated source means you have to take fewer pills or teaspoons a day – it’s more efficient, and makes it more likely that you’ll actually take your recommended dose each day.
Finally, decide whether you want a liquid or capsule. We prefer liquid, because liquid forms are often more concentrated than pills, and don’t have the additional ingredients found in capsules or pills with enteric coating. (Some find the coating on fish oil pills irritating, even allergenic.)
Q: What fish oil brands does Whole9 recommend?
A: The brand we take personally is Stronger Faster Healthier’s OmegaMaine. We’ve tried lots of other brands, and like quite a few (including Carlson’s and Nordic Naturals), but we choose OmegaMaine for three reasons.
-First, the ingredients are squeaky clean – no soy, dairy, wheat, sweeteners or other artificial ingredients.
-Second, it has more EPA and DHA per teaspoon (1.8 grams!) than other high quality brands… and at a lower price per gram*.
-Third, it comes in five palatable flavors (lemon, tangerine, mint, chocolate and vanilla), and all taste pretty darn good… for fish oil.
*Click the OmegaMaine link above and automatically save 10% on your order. (Our discount code is “Whole9″.)
And trust me I'm not trying to get you to use OmegaMaine's product because I get a referral for it...I want you to use it because I use it and it's the best out there. Let's compare and contrast...
Wal-Mart sells a product called NatureMade
Let's compare that to the OmegaMaine product:
Well just exactly how much do you need to take a day? The answer is it depends....depends on your bodyweight and your diet. The more you weigh and the worse your diet is...the more fish oil you need to take in order to counteract your super inflamed guts. Lose weight and clean up your diet, the less fish oil you have to take. As for me I take 6 teaspoons a day of the Omega Maine...like I said you need to bathing in it. But please don't take my word for it....I'm not qualified and/or certified to give you advice...all I can do is tell you what I do.
But Dale...tell me exactly how much I need to take. Okay, here's what I do....you'll need to know how much you weigh and how much EPA/DHA is in the fish oil you're taking. Plug it into this calculator and be prepared to be amazed...
See...I told you you need to be taking a lot...
So does it make a difference? Yes...how can I tell? Well I can tell when I don't take it that's for damn sure. My joints sound a mixture of old school Metallica and Sasquatch running through the woods snapping tree twigs on the ground....so it definitely helps my joints and recovery from workouts..and that's good enough for me.
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