You’ve started hitting the gym more often. You want to lose weight and bulk up a little bit. Having goals in mind is the first step toward fitness success.
The second is choosing a good supplement that can help you get the most out of your gym visits. Picking one that’s going to do more good than harm isn’t as straightforward as you may think.
There are many fitness supplement buying errors that people make every day. We can help you avoid them. Check out this guide to learn what you should look for in a supplement so you can maximize your fitness regimen.
1. You Don’t Check Out Reviews
When you’re buying supplements online or any product for that matter, it’s important to look at customer reviews. We’re talking about your health here. You want to make sure that you’re buying from a reputable seller.
You can get recommendations from your healthcare provider or look for online customer reviews. Reading about other people’s experiences can give you plenty of insight into how a product is going to affect you.
You want to make sure that the reviews you’re reading are recent. Manufacturers are always changing their recipes, so outdated comments are going to be inaccurate.
If a product doesn’t have customer reviews at all, that should raise a few concerns. The last thing you want is to buy a supplement you don’t know anything about.
2. Not Thinking About Your Goals
Before you head to a fitness supplement store for the best deer antler velvet, think about what you want out of your fitness journey. Is the goal to lose weight? Do you want to gain plenty of muscle?
Are you trying to give your stamina and immunity a boost? Whatever your goals are, you need a supplement with ingredients that can support them.
For example, let’s go with the assumption that you’re hitting the gym to get stronger. Buying a fitness supplement that packs a lot of protein will do the trick for you.
3. You Don’t Include Your Doctor
Another thing that you need to do before you even think about options for fitness supplements is, talk to your doctor. Again, they’ll make product suggestions based on what you want out of your fitness regimen.
You shouldn’t waste money on a supplement that’s going to add too much or not enough to your body. In many cases, it can actually be harmful to you.
Your doctor will take blood tests to find out what your body needs to be healthy. You may think that you need more protein to bulk up only to find out from the blood test that you’re getting more than enough.
4. Going to the Wrong Websites
When shopping around for supplements, you venture to a website that has some great prices. They’re cheaper than most other sites you’ve found.
We’re here to tell you that cheaper isn’t always better. If the prices are too good to be true, they probably are. Suspiciously amazing deals are only one sign that you’re on a sketchy website.
Let’s say that you have a question about the company’s products. No matter how much you hunt around on the site, you can’t find any contact information. Instead of giving in and buying the supplement anyway, take your needs to a different company.
5. Be Wary of Labels
You see a supplement with 50 things in it, and it looks awesome. The more healthy ingredients the better, right? You would be wrong about that.
You may end up taking something that doesn’t work with your body by mistake. Talk to your doctor about what you do and don’t need.
From there, when you go to the store, flip over the bottle to look at the list of ingredients in the product. Cross-reference it with the things that you’re allowed to have.
6. Don’t Get Swept up in Gimmicks
Supplements that advertise they can have you feeling fit within a few weeks are most likely lying. Fitness is a long-term endeavor. You’ve got to put a lot of time and effort into it.
Supplements can help you in your journey, but there’s not a super pill that can speed things up. Do your own research without buying into gimmicks.
7. Buying Synthetic
Your body is meant to process natural ingredients. If you take something with synthetic ingredients, it’s not going to do much for you. In fact, it could do more harm than good.
Most companies that use natural ingredients advertise it. Look for products that contain herbs, mushrooms, and spices.
8. Be On the Look Out for Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners and sugars are less than stellar for your body. They hide in many products that you consume every day. That includes your supplements.
When we say hide, we mean hide. Many companies use words that you may not recognize as sugar such as xylitol, sorbitol, and maltitol.
9. Fillers
Sugars aren’t the only thing that won’t do anything for your body. Fillers are a problem too. They’re ingredients that while seeming important, don’t help you.
Protein powders are a huge culprit for this. You’ll down a shake and end up feeling more than a little bloated afterward.
Fitness Supplement Buying Errors to Avoid
No matter if you’re trying to bulk up or lose weight, there’s a supplement out there that can help you along with your fitness journey. The problem is picking the right one for your body.
Many people make fitness supplement buying errors every day that can be avoided by talking to a doctor. Not only will they tell you what ingredients will work for you, but they can give you important dosage information. Make an appointment with your physician today.
For more tips that will help you stay in good shape, visit the Lifestyle & Health section of our blog.
