Drop the Scoop: Rediscover Real Food

If you read enough hardcore exercise magazines and websites, you will eventually become convinced that progressing towards your fitness goals is impossible without supplementation. It's inevitable. But once you have succumbed to the lure of protein powder, BCAAs, creatine and the likes, is it possible to quit cold turkey?

I'll be honest: I do not plan on quitting nutritional supplementation, and for a good reason. Supplements are not bad. Whey protein isolate, for example, is a great way to work high quality protein into your diet. It contains all the amino acids the body needs in the best possible balance.

The same benefits apply to the branched-chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine, and valine. These BCAAs are referred to as "essential" amino acids because humans cannot survive unless they are present in the diet.

Then there is creatine, which helps promote production of the body's energy compound, ATP. Besides improving performance, creatine can also protect squeaky clean dieters from losing hard earned muscle mass.

And let's not forget Omega-3s and multivitamins--daily musts. You get the drift.

But as beneficial as supplements are, they don’t all necessarily need to be taken year-round.

I've decided to use whey protein isolate, for example, as an emergency back-up or meal-on-the-run option rather than an every day menu item. I've switched out my post-workout recovery drink to fat free chocolate milk. Hood's Simply Smart contains 12 grams of protein and 28 grams of carbohydrates per 8oz serving--it's the perfect protein to carb ratio with only 160 calories. And rather than add whey protein isolate to my morning oatmeal, I combine it with a 6oz serving of 0% plain Greek yogurt or eggs. My goal is to swap out my scoop of whey protein isolate with a variety of protein foods such as beef, chicken, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt and cottage cheese (which I actually like).

And although I still plan to take creatine post-workout, it is a supplement that can be periodized. Check out John Berardi's Making Sense of Supplementation if you're interested in learning how to properly and effectively periodize your nutritional supplementation.

So while I am not quitting my supplementation completely, I am weaning myself off of some of them, and using whole foods whenever possible.

Why does this matter to you? Take a look at your diet and make sure you are getting all your daily macronutrients within your caloric range. Strive to make the healthiest choices for your body and eschew engineered foods when possible. Save the protein powder for baking and special recipes. The results will be a hale and hearty you!