Don't Waste Your Money - 5 Product Categories You're Overpaying On
Since Coalition Nutrition started we have been all about getting the most bang for your buck. Let’s take a look at supplements you may be taking, that you really shouldn’t be.
- Whey Protein Isolate
Most people taking a whey isolate are looking to cut weight in some way, shape or form. Here’s the issue though; for most people the extra gram of fat, and approximately three or so grams of carbs don’t need to be cut for them to see results. If running a very strict IIFYM, then an isolate would be better, but for 95% of people the isolate isn’t necessary, and they could save a few dollars by getting a high quality blend or concentrate.
2) Creatine HCl
When this “super creatine” first came out it was all the rage. This type of creatine was supposed to be able to be micro-dosed and had no water retention. Well, years later it has come out that there is no superiority to HCl over monohydrate, and the water the side note of no water retention only came about because the products were very underdosed. Long story short, research doesn’t back that HCl is better, and if you want to get the most bang for your buck, Creatine Monohydrate is still king of the supplement world.
3) Lenny & Larry Cookies
Coalition has been openly against the cookies since day 1. Each cookie is around 180kcals, and a breakdown of 4g of fat, 27g carbs (15g sugar), and 8g protein. The protein is from pea protein and brown rice isolate, which are two of the cheapest forms of proteins and are not readily bioavailable when compared to whey. The average pop-tart is 200kcals, with 4g of fat, 38g of carbs and 2g of protein, you might as well save the extra money and eat those instead. The cookies are anything but healthy. **Disclaimer** - Yes, they do taste good though.
4) Weight Gainers
It took us over a year to even carry a gainer and to this day - we only carry two of them. Most gainers are filled with cheap carbohydrates, unhealthy fats, and a load of cholesterol. On top of all of that, they usually use cheaper protein sources that resemble dairy creamer more than whey protein. The best option (even better than the 2 we carry) is for you to make your own gainer. Choosing a quality whey protein (doesn’t need to be an isolate) and a carb that suits your needs is an easy way to make a gainer. You can also add mct oil/powder or flax seed meal for a healthy fat source and omega 3’s. The versatility of the homemade gainer is what wins. If you ever need to adjust your shake because you ate more or less during the day - this is an easy way to do that. You cannot do that with a pre-made gainer.
5) Test Boosters
It’s not that Test Boosters don’t work, they can… but the issue we’ve found when researching ingredients in Test Boosters is that these products only keep your levels up while taking them. Often times people take one bottle and are done, which isn’t long enough to recognize the benefits of the product. Many Test Boosters are severely underdosed with ingredients that offer little benefits outside of a placebo effect. Make sure if you are taking a Test Booster it’s clinically dosed with ingredients proven to make a difference.