Everyone who steps foot in the gym has the goal of self-improvement. But this means different things to different people. You may want to lose weight, build muscle, or get stronger.
Or maybe you’re hitting the gym so that you’ll be able to pick up your grandkids in the future or just because you feel your best when you’re training consistently.
You know that depending on your goals, your nutrition and training shift. The same goes for supplementation.
In this article, we’ll share 4 steps to help you create a supplement stack suited to your goals, budget, and lifestyle.
Step 1: Identify Your Staples
Regardless of your nutrition goals, you should eat fruits and vegetables. Regardless of your training goals, we know that strength training at least twice a week goes a long way.
When it comes to supplementation, the same applies. We recommend you start your supplement stack here.
Here are a few supplements that almost everyone can benefit from.
Creatine
Creatine is one of the most well-researched supplements in existence. With 200+ studies backing its efficacy and safety, it's been shown over and over to support performance.
It’s not just for those who want to build muscle.
Creatine works by increasing your phosphocreatine levels. This in turn helps your body regenerate ATP, our main source of energy. This helps you produce more ATP during high-intensity exercise, leading to improved performance and strength.*
In more recent years, creatine’s ability to support ATP regeneration has suggested even more benefits. For example, a 2024 study suggested that a single dose of creatine can support cognitive function during sleep deprivation. We need more research before jumping to conclusions about creatine's more widespread benefits. However, this emerging research suggests creatine is about more than muscle. This makes sense due to its mechanism, which support ATP regeneration broadly, not just in your muscles.
Classic creatine monohydrate is also very affordable. Our pure, banned substance-tested Creatine Monohydrate comes it at just 30 cents per scoop.
Omega-3
While often overlooked, omega-3 supplements are a crucial staple for almost everyone. Despite the importance of these essential fatty acids, a staggering 90% of Americans don't get enough omega-3s from their diet, according to a 2017 survey.
Omega-3s play a critical role in supporting multiple aspects of health. They contribute to heart health by supporting a healthy inflammation response. For those focused on fitness, omega-3s are valuable for brain health and joint support.*
When choosing an omega-3 supplement, quality matters. Kaged Omega-3 is sourced from wild-caught fish, uses the high-absorption triglyceride form, and provides 3x the dose of a typical fish oil supplement.
Protein Powder
Like creatine, protein powder is typically associated with bodybuilders. But the truth is, almost all of us can benefit from consuming more protein.
Protein is crucial for countless bodily functions beyond just muscle building. Every cell in your body relies on protein for structure and function.
As we age, protein becomes even more critical. Consuming adequate protein helps you maintain muscle mass, which is key to the longevity puzzle. After age 30, we naturally begin to lose muscle mass, a process called sarcopenia. Bu we don't have to. Consistent protein intake can help slow this process, keeping you stronger and more functional as you get older.
There's nothing magic about protein powder. However, it provides a convenient, affordable way to increase your protein intake.
Whether you take it post-workout, blend it into a morning smoothie, or use it as a mid-day snack, it offers a flexible nutrition solution. All Kaged protein powders are ultra-filtered, so you can more protein with less sugar, fat, and other fillers.
Start here with these staples that, if you take consistently, will bring you results.
Step 2: Decide Your Ideal Workout Stack
Once you’ve decided on your staples, the next step is to decide what supplements, if any, you’re going to take around the workout.
Around the workout is usually a great time to lean on supplements because it's the hardest time to get the nutrients through whole foods.
Pre-Workout Options
It’s common to say you don’t need a pre-workout. It’s true, you don’t. But if you want to train with more energy and provide your body with nutrients that support everything from strength to focus, the right pre-workout will support you.
At Kaged, we have pre-workouts to suit every goal. To decide the right one for you, check out this article on 8 factors to consider when choosing a pre-workout.
If your goal is weight loss, consider taking Clean Burn powder as a pre-workout, which contains organic caffeine along with other ingredients to support healthy weight loss.
Intra-Workout
Not every workout needs an intra. But on those intense training days, you may want to re-up.
One option is Kaged Intra-Workout. This supplement contains caffeine, so only combine it with a pre-workout on your most intense training days. You can learn more about this original Kaged Pre-Intra-Post stack here.
If you’re training in the sun or in a hot climate, you can reach for Kaged Hydration as an intra-workout. For additional support, add our unflavored BCAAs or l-citrulline if you want muscle support or pumps.
Post-Workout
After you train, it’s time to recover. Here’s where your protein powder can come in.
Step 3: Integrate Your Stack Into Your Routine
This step is often overlooked.
Once you’ve decided on your supplements, figure out what routine works best for you.
People often don’t get results from supplements because they don’t take them consistently. That's because they don't have a plan.
For example, do you go to the gym right after work? In this case, you’ll want to keep your tub of pre-workout in your gym bag.
Decide what routine works for you. Where do you need to keep your supplements? Do you have a shaker bottle to make mixing them easy?
If you want to add protein powder to a smoothie, for example, do you have all the other ingredients you need?
Habits don’t form overnight.
We recommend adding supplements to your life piece by piece, starting with the basics.
Step 4: Add Other Supplements for Additional Support
Of course, there are more supplements than just the ones we’ve mentioned. And they have their place for the right person and the right times.
However, start with the basics.
If you’re not eating enough protein, you probably shouldn’t take different “test boosters” or “fat burners.” That would be losing the forest for the trees.
Here are a few other supplements to consider once you’ve built out your initial stack.
A Greens Drink
Does everybody need a greens drink? No, of course not.
However, national estimates showed that less than 10% of Americans eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. A greens drink like Kaged Organic Greens Elite provides the nutritional equivalent of 2.5 servings of fruits and vegetables in each scoop.*
If you think you’re part of that 90%, then consider adding Kaged Organic Greens to your routine.
Goal-Specific Supplements
The last is to consider supplements for your specific goals. If you’re a guy who wants to build muscle and support healthy testosterone levels, then a supplement like Ferodrox may be exactly what you’re looking for.
If your goal is to lose weight, then Clean Burn Capsules could be that missing piece to getting better results.
Here's where you can do more research. Think of this as getting from a 95% on a test to a 100%. If you're a competitor of any kind, you know this can be the difference between winning and losing.
We don't want to downplay the benefits supplements can have at this stage. However, it's also important not to get too caught up with advanced supplementation before you've mastered the basics.
The Kaged Standard
Whatever your goals are and whatever stack you choose, Kaged supplements are here to support you.
We choose the highest-quality ingredients and bring them in effective, researched-backed doses. Kaged supplements are banned substance-tested, free from artificial colors, flavors, and dyes like Red 40, and backed by our 60-day return policy.
