haydon.cottier
- Mar 6, 2022
- 4 min read

When to take your supplements? Continuation from last week

Updated: Mar 20, 2022

Hey Gym N Japan FAM! Here we are bucking the trend of alternating weeks for anime and gym posts. This week we have a bit of a continuation of last week's post and will hopefully flow quite nicely from that post. If you haven't read it CLICK HERE. Alright, you have now gone out and bought all of the supplements we told you last week and are now wondering when to actually take these supplements? Well the answer for some is quite easy but others it honestly depends on personal preference or goals.

AND here you go:

1. Protein Powder

This can vary quite a bit from person to person. Good times typically to take it are:

Post Gym: Anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour after the gym is usually a good time. If your last meal was more than 2 hours before the gym then it is best to take soon after the gym. But if your meal was 30mins-1 hour before the gym, this window can usually be extended to 1-1.5 hours after the gym.
Before bed: If you haven’t reached your daily macro goal with protein, having this before bed can help reach that goal but also aid in recovery while you sleep
Whenever you feel you need to add protein into your meal.

2. Creatine

Creatine is probably best to be taken with your protein Post Gym or Before bed so that you dont forget and are consistent with it. A Lot of the benefits of creatine come with the consistency of using it. A good idea is to set an alarm at the same time each day to make sure you take it, because if you miss a day, you basically have to restart the whole loading process again. Also if you don't feel like having it with your protein shake you can have it with cordial as a separate drink altogether, just don't forget to take it consistently. The reason why we like to have it with cordial or our protein shakes is that it is best absorbed when consumed with some carbs so keep that in mind and it tastes meh without anything anyway.

3. EAA’s

What are EAA’s? Essential Amino Acids. Don’t confuse these with the bullshit that is BCAA’s (Branched chain amino acids). EAA;s are useful building blocks in protein synthesis - basically in muscle recovery. They can be taken usually during a workout, basically as an intra-workout drink to help with some of those longer grindy leg sessions which deplete you of your energy. They aid in recovery, are usually coupled with electrolytes to give you more energy during the workout.

4. Vitamins

Honestly it doesn’t matter too much when you take vitamins throughout the day however there are some benefits to taking it in the mornings. First is that you can incorporate it into your morning routine before work/ with breakfast etc and this will also help with remembering to take them everyday. Second benefit is that some vitamins can stimulate your metabolism and brain function and are obviously a great way to start your day.

We would recommend putting them in a visible place that you access regularly especially when you are trying to build up a habit of taking them daily.

5. Fish Oil

Fish oil is quite simple and can usually just be taken with your vitamins in the morning. A good rule with fish oil is - if you eat fish twice a week, then don’t bother taking these. However if you don’t then taking a high strength one, once a day with your vitamins is super easy to do. Good thing about eating actual fish is the protein you get also. The reason we take it is to get the essential Omega-3 fatty acids which help aid in recovery and reduce inflammation through the body.

6. Pre-workout

Alright this one is probably the most simple because it's called “pre-workout’ for a reason and I will mansplain if you would like? Pre means before so therefore pre-workout means before your workout.. HAHAH! Just in case you didn't know… But in all seriousness it is kinda up to personal preference but we would normally have it about 20-30 mins before we workout. Usually we just have it just before we put our shoes on and leave for the gym. Honestly if you took it as you were leaving for gym, by the time you get to the gym and warmup it definitely would have kicked in. Some people like to have the pre-workout 30-60 mins beforehand which is completely fine because we know how hard it can be to even have the energy to leave the house so it may assist with that.