What a Fitness Coach Takes at 49 (And What I Tell My Clients to Skip)
After 31 years of coaching, I've learned that most people don't need more supplements. They need better reasons for taking the ones they already have.
I'm 49 years old, getting ready to turn 50.
I've been coaching people for 31 years. Regular moms, busy executives, teenagers, people starting from scratch, and athletes competing on the WBFF world stage.
I've built bootcamps, trained competitors, coached transformations, and watched the fitness industry reinvent the wheel about 47 times.
I've also experienced something most fitness coaches haven't.
In 2016, Guillain-Barré syndrome left me paralyzed. I had to rebuild my strength and much of the muscle I'd lost.
Today, I still lift heavy, train, stay active with my family, and work toward building the strongest, most capable version of myself.
So when somebody asks me which supplements I recommend, I look at the question differently.
Not, "What's the hottest new product?"
Not, "What is everyone on Instagram taking?"
I ask: What problem are we actually trying to solve?
Because here's something 31 years of coaching has taught me:
You can spend $500 a month on supplements and still have a lousy physique.
You can also spend very little on supplements and build an exceptional body.
Let's talk about what actually matters.
One quick disclaimer: I'm a coach, not a physician. This is my coaching perspective and personal experience, not individual medical advice. Supplements can interact with medications or medical conditions, so discuss them with your healthcare professional.
My First Rule: Supplements Are Supplements
Sounds obvious, right?
Then why do so many people spend more time researching magnesium than figuring out whether they're eating enough protein?
Or obsess over a pre-workout formula while training twice a week with no actual progression?
Or buy a fat burner while averaging 4,000 steps a day?
I see it all the time.
Here's the order I teach my clients:
Eat enough protein and build a reasonable nutrition routine.
Train consistently, especially with resistance.
Move throughout the day.
Get the best sleep and recovery your real life allows.
Use supplements to address an actual need.
Notice where supplements land?
Fifth. Not first.
And that's coming from someone who actually uses supplements.
1. Protein: The First Thing I Look At
This is probably the biggest nutritional gap I see when somebody starts coaching with me.
People tell me they eat healthy.
Great.
Then we look at what they're actually eating.
Coffee for breakfast.
A salad for lunch.
Maybe some chicken at dinner.
A handful of almonds somewhere along the way.
And somehow they assume they're eating enough protein because they had chicken.
They're not necessarily eating badly. They're just not eating enough protein for the body they're trying to build.
And that's especially important for adults in their 40s, 50s, and beyond.
Because most people aren't just trying to weigh less.
They want less body fat, more muscle, better shape, better strength, and a body that looks good in clothes and even better without them.
Muscle is a big part of that equation.
For many resistance-training adults, a useful starting range is approximately 1.4–2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, adjusted for body composition, goals, activity, and health.
But I don't hand everyone the same number.
I look at their starting point, their lifestyle, what they're willing to eat, and what we can realistically get them to repeat.
Because getting someone from inconsistent protein intake to consistent, adequate intake can make a meaningful difference.
That's where protein powder comes in.
Not because there's something magical about it.
Because it's convenient.
What I use
I rotate between 1st Phorm Phormula-1 Clear, Level-1, and Phormula-1.
I like having options.
Sometimes I want something refreshing instead of another thick protein shake. That's where Clear fits.
Sometimes I want something that tastes more like a traditional shake or can double as a convenient snack. That's where Level-1 fits.
And sometimes I simply want an easy serving of whey protein after training.
The major difference isn't some magical muscle-building window. It's convenience, texture, digestion, and personal preference.
My philosophy is simple:
The best protein powder is the one you'll still be using three months from now.
Not the one with the most impressive marketing.
And if you're already eating enough protein from food?
You may not need a powder at all.
2. Creatine: One of the Few Supplements I'd Actually Put Near the Top
If we're discussing supplements with meaningful research behind them, creatine deserves a place in the conversation.
I've used creatine as part of my training routine because strength, muscle, and physical performance are priorities for me.
And unlike most supplement categories, we have a substantial body of research supporting creatine monohydrate.
It can improve performance during repeated high-intensity efforts and support greater strength and lean-mass gains when combined with resistance training.
That's relevant whether you're 25 or 55.
Especially when your goal isn't simply to get smaller, but to build or preserve muscle.
Creatine isn't a steroid.
It's not a fat burner.
And it's not a substitute for training.
A common evidence-based maintenance amount is 3–5 grams daily for healthy adults, although individual circumstances vary.
Here's what I tell clients:
If your training and nutrition are reasonably consistent, creatine is worth discussing.
If you aren't training, don't expect a scoop of powder to build the body for you.
3. Collagen: Promising, But Let's Not Pretend It's Magic
The older I get, the more interested I become in being able to keep doing the things I enjoy.
Not just lifting more weight.
Moving well. Training hard. Staying active.
And recovering well enough to do it again.
That's the lens through which I look at collagen.
There is some promising research on certain collagen supplements for joint discomfort, especially in people with knee osteoarthritis. However, studies vary, and the evidence doesn't justify all the claims you see online.
Collagen isn't going to rebuild a damaged knee overnight.
It isn't a replacement for a rehabilitation program.
And it isn't a superior muscle-building protein.
In fact, collagen should not replace a complete protein source when muscle growth is your priority.
I view it as an optional addition worth considering for a specific purpose, not a foundational requirement for everyone.
My standard is simple:
If the potential benefit fits your needs, the expense is reasonable, and you understand the limitations, it may be worth considering.
But you don't need collagen to have a great fitness program.
4. Daily Essentials: Why Something Like IM8 Makes Sense to Me
Here's another thing I know after 31 years:
People don't have a perfect day every day.
And neither do I.
You might have a great breakfast, get busy with work, spend the afternoon driving kids around, and end up making dinner out of whatever's available.
That's life.
I believe in good nutrition, plenty of variety, fruits, vegetables, fiber, and eating real food.
But I also believe convenience matters.
That's the attraction of an all-in-one daily essentials product like IM8.
Rather than managing an entire cabinet of individual products, a consolidated formula may be more convenient for someone who has identified a legitimate need for some of its ingredients.
But let's be clear about something.
More ingredients don't automatically mean better results.
And taking a daily essentials powder doesn't mean you can ignore food quality, fiber, or a nutritious diet.
The important questions are whether the formula provides anything you're missing, whether the doses are appropriate, and whether you're doubling up on ingredients from other supplements.
Convenience has value. But convenience isn't the same thing as necessity.
I would rather see you eat well consistently and use a supplement intelligently than depend on an expensive powder to compensate for an inadequate diet.
5. What I'd Tell Most People to Skip
This might be the most valuable part of the article.
Because I can tell you what I like all day long.
But after coaching people for three decades, I think it's just as important to tell you where I'd save your money.
Fat burners?
Generally, skip them.
Most aren't going to produce meaningful, lasting fat loss. Some are simply expensive stimulants with side effects.
You need a sustainable nutrition strategy, not a pill that promises to melt fat.
BCAAs?
If you're already consuming adequate high-quality protein, they're usually unnecessary.
You're already getting branched-chain amino acids from your food and protein supplements.
Testosterone boosters promising to turn you into a 25-year-old again?
Be skeptical.
If you have symptoms of a hormonal issue, get properly evaluated instead of trusting a supplement advertisement.
Detox teas and cleanses?
No thanks.
You don't need to flush away everything you ate over the weekend. You need to get back to your normal routine.
A dozen different supplements because an influencer calls it a longevity stack?
Not without a good reason.
More is not automatically better.
And every additional product is another expense, another variable, and potentially another interaction to consider.
Here's my general rule:
If I can't explain what it's for, why you need it, and what evidence supports it, I'm not going to tell you to buy it.
That's how I approach coaching, too.
The Part Most Supplement Companies Won't Tell You
Here's something I want you to consider.
Let's say you've got $200 a month to invest in improving your body.
Would I rather see you spend it on a bunch of supplements or invest in a training and nutrition program you can actually follow?
For most people, it's not even a close decision.
Because a supplement might help you improve the results of a good program.
But a good program changes what you do every day.
And what you do every day changes your body.
I've watched women in their 40s and 50s transform their physiques.
I've watched regular moms become stage-ready bikini athletes.
And I've worked with people who had absolutely no interest in competing but wanted to feel strong, look better, and become more confident.
Their transformations weren't hiding in a supplement bottle.
They came from doing the right things consistently.
Not perfectly.
Consistently.
So What Should You Actually Buy?
If you're a busy adult over 40, you strength train, and you want to improve your body without filling a kitchen cabinet with bottles, here's how I'd approach it.
First, establish your actual protein requirement and see how close your normal eating gets you.
If you're short, protein powder can make closing that gap easier.
Second, if you're training regularly and have no medical reason to avoid it, consider whether creatine monohydrate fits your goals.
Third, look at your actual nutritional gaps and personal needs before spending money on collagen, vitamins, minerals, or a daily essentials product.
And finally, stop assuming you need every supplement somebody on the internet recommends.
You don't need everything. You need what makes sense for you.
This isn't for someone hoping to buy their way around the work.
It's for people who want to work smarter, invest intelligently, and build a body that supports the life they want to live.
What I Use and Where to Find It
Here are the products discussed in this article, so you can review them and decide whether any fit your needs.
1st Phorm Phormula-1 Clear: A refreshing way to add protein without another thick shake.
1st Phorm Level-1: A convenient traditional protein shake option.
1st Phorm Phormula-1: Whey protein isolate for convenient protein intake.
Creatine monohydrate: A simple, well-researched supplement for resistance-training performance.
Collagen: An optional supplement with some promising but limited evidence for joint-related outcomes.
IM8 Daily Essentials: A convenience-oriented all-in-one formula to evaluate against your specific needs.
You don't need to buy all of them.
You might not need any of them.
That's the point.
And if you're wondering exactly what you need, that's where personalized coaching becomes valuable.
We look at your current body, what you're eating, how you're training, what your schedule looks like, and what you're trying to accomplish.
Then we build from there.
Because the objective isn't to become the person with the best supplement collection.
It's to become the person with the body, strength, energy, and confidence to actually live the life they want.
Fitness isn't the destination. Life is.
LIVE YOUR LIFE. BE FIT.
— Mr. Bootcamp
31 Years of Coaching. Real People. Real Results.
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