Supzilla’s Five Core Principles of Fitness Supplementation

Supzilla’s Five Core Principles of Fitness Supplementation

Nutritional supplements can make a huge difference in your overall potential for a healthy and fit lifestyle. They can provide you with more energy, help boost muscle growth, and prevent injuries in the long-term. However, this will only occur if you are using them properly.

We’ve broken down SupZilla’s five most important principles to keep in mind when exploring the world of fitness supplementation so that you get the most out of the nutrients that you are taking.

Research

Fitness supplements are a market just like anything else. With markets, you always have the push and desire for bigger and better products. This is what leads people to forgo proven, highly supported fitness solutions in favor of some exciting new supplement on the block that makes bold claims. Don’t be fooled. If a brand makes promises that feels too good to be true, then they probably are. One good way to ensure you are getting effective supplements is to always purchase them from reputable, well-supported sources such as SupZilla. Don’t ever take supplements that aren’t supported by research and a large body of users vouching for its success. Not only might they not be effective, but they could even be bad for your body!

Nutrition

One crucial aspect to understand about nutritional supplements is that they are specifically meant to supplement your diet and exercise routine. If you don’t build your supplement routine up from a strong foundation of a healthy diet and exercise, and are instead using it as a way to skip meals or effectively try and ‘cheat,’ then there is no chance you will get your desired results. It is important to understand that there is no magic solution to make your body healthy overnight. However, when supported by research, supplements can and will take your already strong workout routine and push it to the next level.

Consistency

Fitness supplements are not at all like traditional medicine in the sense that you take them once or twice and feel the desired effects right away. They are part of an overall fitness regimen that will take weeks to establish itself in the body. Simply put: they need to be taken consistently in order to be effective, and never more than the recommended dose.

Timing

At Supzilla, we believe in carefully breaking down the distinction between when supplements are most effectively taken: either pre or post-workout. Depending on the time you take your supplements, they can either help or hinder your performance during your next workout. Generally speaking, it is a good idea to take supplements that provide energy before your workout, and take supplements that aid in muscle recovery after. This is one of the reasons we generally recommend taking protein post-workout, since that is when protein synthesis and muscle recovery is the most crucial.

Compatibility

It is very important to read up on how each supplement you take can either support or undermine other supplements. Make sure that the nutrients you are taking work positively together with the other nutrients that you are putting in your body. For example, two supplements that are important for bone health are calcium and magnesium. If you take too much calcium, your muscles can potentially cramp up and become weaker, but when balanced with magnesium (which relaxes the muscles) they can have a synergistic effect. Dosage is very important as well. You not only need to know which nutrients are compatible with each other, but also at which dose are they most effective when used together.

If you want to learn more about supplements and the positive effects they can have on your health and fitness, check out a list of our most popular supplements here at SupZilla!!!

What You Need to Know About Threacine

What You Need to Know About Threacine

Threacine is an exciting new supplement that has been growing in popularity recently as an alternative to caffeine and creatine for safe and long-lasting energy. For many people, caffeine is an essential part of their morning and they almost wouldn’t be able to function without it. While it is nice to enjoy a cup of coffee every once in awhile, it is no secret that most coffee drinkers are nurturing a pretty powerful addiction to caffeine. In the United States alone, 85% of people are estimated to consume caffeine every single day. Even for habitual coffee drinkers, too much caffeine can lead to anxiety, jitters, and a major crash later on. What are the alternatives if you need that extra boost in the morning?

What is Threacine?

Threacine is a staple of the traditional Chinese tea known as kucha. It is known for providing long-lasting energy while helping to promote focus. It is now a common staple of fitness supplements and pre-workout routines for many people, occasionally taken along with caffeine as a way to help make caffeine’s effects better and more manageable.

A 2014 study found that a single 200 milligram dose of Threacine greatly improved energy and motivation, reducing fatigue and anxiety in the process. It is also reported to help provide a boost to brain power, giving users more concentration and attentiveness to the task at hand, quite unlike the unfocused jittery feeling that occasionally comes with caffeine.

More Manageable Energy

The most exciting aspect of Threacine is that users find its effects to be far smoother and more manageable than caffeine. Caffeine’s effects can hit the body suddenly and be somewhat overwhelming, causing anxiety and sleep deprivation for many people. Additionally, caffeine is the kind of product that your body becomes habituated to, meaning you will gradually need more of it over time to have the same effects as before. Threacine doesn’t appear to work the same way.

According to studies, users of Threacine don’t have the same difficulty winding down later in the day that some have with caffeine. Threacine manages to increase alertness, physical performance, and coordination without the same drawbacks that several cups of coffee may have. It is no wonder why more and more people continue to try Threacine, or even a combination of Threacine and caffeine, to help with a pre-workout boost.

But what about Creatine?

Creatine is another clean and long-lasting source of energy that works well for many people. Creatine is mainly used a fitness supplement to help build muscle. It is extremely popular and seems to have a larger body of research supporting its effectiveness than Threacine.

However, the main distinction between the two is that Creatine specifically provides more energy to the muscle cells while Threacine produces energy in the entire body. Therefore, Threacine is used more generally as an energy booster while Creatine is more specifically a bodybuilding supplement.

Conclusions

As we always say, since every person’s body is different, if you are curious about Threacine, we would encourage you to try it in different forms and in combination with other supplements. Many people have found success with a product called TeaCrine, a combination of Threacine and caffeine. There is no one-size-fits all approach when it comes to nutrition, and the only way to know for sure is to try and see what works best for you!

Product Review: Cellucor C4 Pre-Workout

Product Review: Cellucor C4 Pre-Workout

Cellucor’s C4 Pre-Workout is known as one of the original pre-workout supplements and has undergone several changes to its formula since its creation in 2011. It is used to provide long-lasting energy, mental alertness, strength, and endurance, helping to reduce fatigue during workouts.

The C4 is primarily used to increase energy and endurance. It functions as a stimulant, containing a healthy dose of caffeine and creatine which both give the body an energy boost.

As with any supplement that is a blend, the end result is only as powerful as its ingredients. Let’s take a closer look at what comprises Cellucor C4 Pre-Workout and how each ingredient affects your body.

Beta Alanine

The most active ingredient in C4, Beta Alanine is a popular supplement used to enhance muscle endurance. When beta alanine is ingested, it becomes the molecule known as carnosine, which functions as an acid buffer in the body. By blocking lactic acid production, users have reported being able to complete more reps during workouts and experience less fatigue than they normally would. To a lesser extent, beta alanine also helps promote fat loss and lean muscle growth.

Creatine Nitrate

Creatine Nitrate is the second most active ingredient in C4. It is a creatine-nitrate hybrid which is reported to have strong performance enhancing effects during workouts. Much like beta alanine, creatine nitrate helps boost energy while reducing fatigue during workouts, and also helps with muscle gain. Creatine specifically helps with burst muscle contractions; the explosive energy required for intense weightlifting exercises. It does this by fuelling ATP which are high energy molecules used by the muscles during workouts.

L-Arginine

L-Arginine is an amino acid that is converted into nitric oxide in the body, it helps promote several metabolic and brain functions. It primarily is used in pre-workouts because nitric oxide causes blood vessels to open wider providing stronger blood flow. It also may help stimulate growth hormone release and insulin in the body.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is one of the key nutrients to keep the bones healthy. It is essential in helping your bones heal after injuries. Taking vitamin C can help make the bones stronger and more resilient overall.

Caffeine

The most commonly used stimulant available, most of us are all-too-familiar with the effects of caffeine. It provides long-lasting energy and mental alertness which can help enhance workouts greatly. However, it can also negatively impact sleep and anxiety when overused.

Other Key Ingredients

C4 also contains N-Acetyl Tyrosine, a stimulant, along with niacinamide, promoting stronger circulation and increased focus. The final ingredients are vitamin B6 and folic acid, both responsible for the metabolism of amino acids, and vitamin B12 which helps maintain the body’s nerve and blood cells.

Benefits and Drawbacks

Overall, the Cellucor C4 Pre-Workout is excellent at providing long-lasting, explosive energy and is a well-rounded source of nutrients. Not only that, but it also tastes delicious!

It is stimulant based and performance-boosting, best taken 30-60 minutes before a workout, preferably earlier in the day. Some of the drawbacks of this product, potential restlessness and an increased heart rate, can be mitigated if you take tit in the morning. If you are taking a larger amount of the C4, you may experience a common but harmless tingling effect known as paresthesia, which is the result of the increased beta alanine.

The Cellucor C4 is a very popular pre-workout tool that is successful for many people at promoting energy, focus, and overall performance. We’d highly recommend giving it a shot and seeing what benefits it can have for you and your workout. SupZilla loved it so much it is now available to purchase through our online store!!!

Vendor Feature: Cellucor

Vendor Feature: Cellucor

Cellucor is a popular sports nutrition company most well-known for producing the C4 Pre-Workout, one of the most popular pre-workout supplements. The company is also responsible for an extensive line of other products, including whey protein, BCAA, muscle gainers, and weight loss products. What sets Cellucor apart from other supplement brands?! Let’s examine the company’s history and take a look at Cellucor’s core product line to learn more about them!

Overview

Cellucor is a widely used and well-trusted brand. Their main product line is known as the ‘Chrome’ series, which includes various pre and post-workout supplements. Cellucor as a company is comprised of individuals who take fitness very seriously and use their own products themselves. They make a commitment to always providing high quality products while continually keeping safety and customer satisfaction as a top priority.

The company was formed in 2002 as a response to an all-too-familiar scenario: the company's founders had determined that larger nutrition brands were creating supplements that were lacking effectiveness. Big promises and bigger prices are often hallmarks of sports nutrition companies that have grown too big for their own good. Since Cellucor is largely comprised of fitness-obsessed individuals like you and me, they sought to create an alternative, a brand that not only provided safe and strong products, but also with an emphasis on the human connection that major brands seem to lack.

How does Cellucor approach this mission? They do it several key ways:

• By combining the intimate feel of mom-and-pop retailers along with the strength and effectiveness of major brands, they allow the customer to experience the best of both worlds when it comes to supplements.

• Their commitment to customer satisfaction, which manifests itself in fast, cost-effective shipping as well as transparency. In particular, the C4 is not a proprietary blend, meaning that all of the ingredients and their amounts are disclosed. This helps customers understand exactly what they are getting into, helping to promote safety as well as effective use of their products.

• They also do a great job at making fun, exciting products that you actually look forward to taking. One of the ways they accomplish this is by providing a number of different delicious flavors for their supplements, including peanut butter marshmallow, chocolate chip cookie dough, and strawberry milkshake!

Core Product Line

C4 Pre-Workout

Cellucor’s flagship product, the C4 is one of the most popular and widely used pre-workout solutions on the market. We’ve covered the C4 extensively: Check out our review of the C4 here.

Alpha Amino

The Alpha Amino is a very useful post-workout recovery tool. It is a mixture of 14 amino acids including several BCAA’s that help your body rehydrate quicker during the post-workout period. Available in a number of delicious flavors, the Alpha Amino is a great addition to your post-training days.

COR-Performance Whey

A staple of any complete supplement routine, Whey Protein from Cellucor is an excellent way to maintain muscle mass, replenish nutrients, and enjoy a tasty treat that is low in carbs. It features desert-inspired flavors that help it go great with pancakes, puddings, and ice cream!

Recently they have launched the ‘Select Stack,’ which allows you to pick 6 or 12 smaller versions of the supplements C4 Extreme, Alpha Amino, or COR-Performance Whey that come in a pack. This way, you get to try a number of different flavors and products at once.

Overall

Cellucor is an excellent, reliable brand that produces a well-rounded suite of products. We particularly enjoyed trying all of their bright and great tasting flavors, and would encourage our SubZilla squad to do the same! Visit SupZilla’s list of top selling Cellucor products.

The Best Supplements for Endurance Athletes

Endurance athletes have their own set of unique challenges and physical requirements that make them different from the average gym goer. Long-distance running and hiking can be very taxing to many different parts of the body, making it especially important for endurance athletes to study up on the various supplements that can aid them in these long, strenuous workouts. Here are a list of the best supplements to aid in performance and recovery during endurance activities.

The Best Supplements for Endurance Athletes

Omega-3 (Fish Oil)

Omega 3 fatty acids carry anti-inflammatory properties to aid in muscle recovery and joint health, which are both very important for endurance athletes. They also support brain and cardiovascular health. Omega 3 can be obtained by eating salmon, mackerel, walnuts, flax, and hemp seeds, but since most of us don’t eat these items every day, taking fish oil tablets can help make things easier.

L-Glutamine

Glutamine is a substance found in the blood plasma that supports your immune system. When you work out, glutamine is depleted from your body and has to be replaced. For most people this wouldn’t be a huge issue, but for distance runners, not having enough glutamine can decrease performance and lead to injuries. Glutamine helps enhance rehydration and recovery time, and also helps promote a healthy digestive system. If you are frequently sore and achy near the end of a long run, then consider taking L-Glutamine.

BCAA’s

If you spend a lot of time performing endurance activities, then you are likely burning a significant amount of calories. Over time, if you don’t replenish these calories regularly, you run the risk of becoming calorie deficient and burning through lean muscle mass during strenuous workouts. BCAA’s, standing for Branched Child Amino Acids, help the body retain this muscle. BCAA’s are mostly comprised of leucine, the primary amino acid responsible for activating muscle protein synthesis. This in turn, helps muscle building and also aids in recovery. Overall, BCAA’s will provide you with more energy to your muscles and reduce fatigue during long runs.

Celadrin

Celadrin specifically improves joint health by increasing flexibility. Joints are one of the most important areas of the body for distance runners to keep healthy. Celadrin helps joints at the cellular level by lubricating the cell membranes that cushion bones and joints, reducing the potential for injury. It also benefits the muscles, tendons and deep tissue. If you occasionally experience pain in the knees or ankles during a long run, then celadrin would be a great place to start.

Calcium

Calcium is another no-brainer supplement to take for joint and bone health. Runners are constantly dealing with injuries like stress fractures that can be linked directly to bone health. Without enough calcium in the body, strenuous exercise can lead to injuries and even bone loss. Taking calcium can help reduce the risk of bone fractures and keeps the body fortified with nutrients. It is commonly known that calcium can be obtained by drinking milk, but since most adults don’t drink a large amount of milk on its own, calcium supplements can be a great boost.

Be sure to check out our hand-picked list of supplements designed for runners, and as always, check out our blog for more fitness tips!

Vendor Feature: Optimum Nutrition

The Story of Optimum Nutrition

Optimum Nutrition is a sports nutrition brand that has provided bodybuilders and gym-goers everywhere with an extensive line of premium nutrition products for many years, including bars, powders, tablets, and ready-to-drink products. They have produced some of the most popular fitness supplements on the market, including Optimum’s Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein, which is one of the nation’s top-selling protein products. So why is Optimum so trusted and how have they become so successful? Let’s take a look.

History of Optimum Nutrition

Founded in the mid-1980s by two fitness-obsessed brothers, their goal was to create supplements that were safe, effective, and easy-to-use, while still managing to taste great. They determined that most supplements on the market did not meet their high-standards of purity and ease-of-use and sought to develop their own. They currently own and operate several production facilities across the country and are one of the few sports nutrition brands to manufacture in every product category.

Now, Optimum Nutrition (ON) is responsible for two premium sports nutrition brands, Optimum Nutrition and American Body Building. One of the main qualities that sets ON apart from other competitors is their impeccable focus on quality and customer satisfaction. They make all of their own products themselves, meaning they can specifically focus on quality control during every step of production. Whereas other companies may only focus on distributing another brand’s product, meaning they have less control over the outcome, Optimum Nutrition is fully responsible for every aspect of their production.

From ingredient selection, to manufacturing, all the way up to distribution, Optimum will not accept a product unless they are absolutely sure that it meets their rigorous quality standards. This is the primary reason for their success, the same exact qualities that make up a successful workout routine: consistency and reliability.

Optimum Nutrition Today

Now, Optimum Nutrition’s line of gold standard products are some of the most popular and reliable supplements on the market. These products include Gold Standard BCAA Powder for muscle restoration and recovery, the Gold Standard Pre-Workout blend (with creatine, beta alanine, and caffeine) and of course, the very popular Gold Standard Whey Protein.

Other popular supplements of theirs include the High-Protein Gainer, delivering supplemental protein, carbs, vitamins, and minerals for post-workout gains, and the Creatine Monohydrate Powder, designed to support muscle strength and power. They also produce more general nutritional supplements including fish oil, fiber, and specialized multi-vitamins for men and women.

Optimum Nutrition has earned their reputation as one of the most reliable and beloved provided of fitness supplements on the market. We encourage you to browse through our list of products now available in the SupZilla Online Store and take your fitness commitment to the next level!

Come get a scoop!

New Year, New You: How to Stay Motivated

We’re all familiar with the routine that comes with a new year: you enter January with a long list of goals and a great deal of optimism towards achieving them. A month or two later, you’ve lost your motivation and you’re back to square one. Not this year, Supzilla Nation! 2018 is your year for health, fitness, and massive gains!

At SupZilla, we’re all too familiar with this new year’s resolution cycle for fitness and have witnessed people burn out countless times. Thankfully, there are many unique ways to avoid losing motivation towards completing your new year’s resolutions. Here are some of our favorites.

Write Your Goals Down and Display Them

Writing down your goals helps make them much more real in your mind. Keeping them displayed in a spot where you frequently see them also helps keep you reminded to stay on track. Every time you glance at your list, you’ll gain a small amount of motivation. Your goals should be achievable, whether it’s losing 10 pounds or benching another twenty. Be specific and keep those goals in front of your face!

Set an Accountability Buddy

Find a close friend that you trust--be it a friend, spouse, or coworker-- and confide in them about your goals. Choose a friend that you know won’t be afraid to call you out if you are slacking on your diet or trying to skip leg day. Another good suggestion is to find a partner who has the same goals as you to get the added bonus of keeping each other accountable.

However, it is not a good idea to go around broadcasting your new year’s resolutions to everybody. Studies have shown that people who frequently discuss goals that they have not yet completed gain a sense of complacency and can trick their brain into actually thinking they are making progress when they haven’t done anything to move toward accomplishment. Don’t share it with the world until you’ve hit some key milestones. And once you do, go ahead and take pride in it!

Be Realistic

While it is good to to dream big, don’t set goals that you can’t reasonably achieve. If your goals are too lofty right out of the gate, it may make you discouraged and decrease the likelihood of you following through with them. This goes back to being specific. Don’t just make a goal of losing weight, specify a target number and lay out the plan for getting there. You won’t transform into Arnold in three months, but if you set realistic goals and keep hitting them, maybe you’ll be Terminator swole in a year or two.

Additionally, having a realistic approach applies to not only your goals themselves, but to your attitude towards fulfilling them as well. If you break your promise to yourself, if you skip the gym, or sneak a donut that you aren’t supposed to have, the important thing is not to beat yourself up about it. If you treat each mistake like the end of the world, it just increase your chances of giving up on your goals completely. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Habits take a long time to change, and there will always be bumps along the way!

Set Milestones and Celebrate Them

One of the easiest ways to keep yourself motivated towards a larger goal is to continually complete smaller tasks along the way. If your goals seem daunting, try breaking them down into smaller chunks that take less time to complete. For example, if your overall goal is to lose weight, then a good milestones would be to celebrate increments of weight loss along the way. For each mini-goal that you achieve, you will increase your motivation and make the final goal less daunting.

Fuel Your Transformation with Supplements from SupZilla

If you’re worried about losing motivation towards your new workout routine, then we can’t recommend supplements enough. Workout supplements can help motivate you and keep you energized even when you may otherwise not feel up for it. Consider a good pre-workout supplement for that morning jolt to get you to the gym and BCAA’s to fuel you throughout the workout and the day. Always refuel your torched muscles with a couple scoops of healthy whey protein.

It’s important to keep in mind that not everybody works the same way and is motivated by the same things. Try a few different strategies to see what works best to help you stay focused on your goals in this upcoming year.

If you have questions about health, fitness, training, nutrition, or choosing the right supplements for your lifestyle, the experts at Supzilla stores are available to advise you in the right direction.

Come see us at your local Supzilla store today!

Visit Supzilla on Black Friday for Killer Deals!

Alright Supzilla Nation, we're getting close to the madness of holiday shopping season and there's no better day to do insane deals than Black Friday! We're celebrating the kickoff of the holiday season with a massive day of discounts and deals on all the best fitness supplements and sports nutrition for our friends and neighbors. Visit your local Supzilla store and take advantage of the savings!

Supzilla Black Friday Deals

All stores will be open from 7am to 7pm with a range of discounts throughout the day. The best stuff is in the morning so come visit us first!

• 1st 2 Hours (Limit 1st 100 people) :  Buy any item in the store, Get One Half Off any item of equal or lesser value!
• 9am to 12noon : 15% off everything in the store!
• 12noon to 7pm : 10% off everything in the store!

GRAND PRIZE RAFFLE

Each purchase you make at Supzilla on Black Friday gets you an entry in our Grand Prize Raffle drawing.  We'll pick one winner per store at the end of the day.

Prize is $150 Supplement Stack!
(items vary by store location)

Other Great Deals All Day!

The first 15 people in the door at each store get a Free Gift Bag that includes a Supzilla shaker bottle, Supzilla T-shirt, a grab bag of product samples, and discount coupons for future visits.

Our newest protein product, Monster Blend from CytoSport will be available for an exclusive limited time price of $14.99 for a 2lb tub, $24.99 for 2.  WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!

Each store location will also be doing its own INSANE DEALS too so check with your local Supzilla to see what else we're discounting and featuring in your neighborhood!

Just a heads up, our bu lk scoop protein is excluded from all deals.

Small Business Saturday

The Saturday after Black Friday is always reserved for encouraging shoppers to visit small local businesses instead of only buying from giant box stores. In that spirit, we invite you to visit your local Supzilla location on Saturday, November 25 to meet and consult with our sports nutrition experts to help you build the perfect stack to meet your fitness and health goals.

We'll be doing discounts on individualized stacks all day long.
Come load your gym bag and get ready for 2018!

Happy Holidays from your friends at Supzilla!