The 3 Supplements That Changed My Life

The 3 Supplements That Changed My Life

I have a complicated relationship with supplements.

Ever since I started my career as a personal trainer, there was always pressure to sell pills, powders, shakes, detox teas, fat burners — you name it. When I worked at a big box gym, supplement sales were practically baked into the job description.

And I absolutely refused to do it.

Because most people didn’t need expensive powders. They needed:

  • better sleep
  • enough food
  • strength training
  • less stress
  • more consistency
  • and an actual understanding of how their body works

They needed systems and support — not a neon-colored pre-workout and a dream.

Needless to say, I didn’t last long there before leaving to start my own personal training business.

And even after working for myself, I was approached constantly to sell supplements to clients. MLMs. Affiliate programs. Protein powders. “Wellness” products.

I always said no.

So trust me when I say:
I do not throw around supplement recommendations lightly.

But postpartum changed my perspective on a lot of things.

Postpartum Recovery Is No Joke

You don’t have to be postpartum for this blog post to matter, but postpartum was absolutely the catalyst for me reevaluating my own health and recovery support.

And honestly? I think we collectively downplay how physically and emotionally brutal postpartum can be.

There’s this weird cultural idea that postpartum is a 6–12 week phase and then women are magically supposed to bounce back into normal life like nothing happened.

Absolutely not.

Postpartum changes your:

  • hormones
  • sleep
  • nervous system
  • recovery capacity
  • stress levels
  • energy
  • body
  • brain
  • identity

And for many women, the effects last far beyond the first few months after birth.

This past year was the most chronically exhausted, depleted, run-down, and inflamed I’ve ever felt in my life.

Eventually, I went to the doctor and had bloodwork done because I genuinely thought something more serious was going on.

Turns out, my vitamin D levels were critically low.

That discovery sent me down the rabbit hole of rebuilding a supplement routine that actually supported my nervous system, recovery, sleep, and overall wellness.

Before I continue:
please talk to your doctor before starting any new supplements.

Your biology, medications, health history, symptoms, and needs are unique to you. What has helped me may not be appropriate for you.

Okay.
Now let’s get into the three supplements that genuinely changed the game for me.

1. Magnesium Glycinate

Holyyyyy shit.

If I could recommend one supplement to almost everyone — especially stressed, exhausted women — it would probably be magnesium glycinate.

Magnesium is one of the most common mineral deficiencies in the world, and it plays a major role in:

  • nervous system regulation
  • muscle relaxation
  • recovery
  • sleep quality
  • stress response

And no- magnesium glycinate is not a sleep aid.

It doesn’t knock you out or make you drowsy.

What it does do is make the sleep you are getting feel deeper and more restorative.

As a sleep-deprived mom, that distinction matters a lot.

I notice a massive difference when I forget to take it. My sleep feels lighter, more restless, and less restorative overall.

I personally take magnesium glycinate at night, usually about 30 minutes before bed.

I also increase my dosage during the week leading up to my period because I’ve noticed it helps take the edge off my PMS and PMDD symptoms.

And before someone grabs a random neon powder from the drugstore:
quality matters.

The type matters too.

Magnesium glycinate specifically has been the MVP for me.

2. Creatine

Creatine gets such an unfair reputation.

Mostly because people panic about the scale going up a couple pounds due to increased water retention in the muscles.

Respectfully, I do not care.

Creatine is one of the most well-researched supplements available, and the benefits go way beyond aesthetics or gym performance.

Creatine helps regenerate ATP, which is essentially your body’s primary energy source at the cellular level.

Translation:
it supports energy production, recovery, strength, and overall physical performance.

But what I noticed most postpartum wasn’t even gym-related.

Creatine helps reduce:

  • perceived exertion
  • overall fatigue
  • recovery time
  • that “everything feels impossibly hard” sensation

And when you’re chronically sleep deprived, overstimulated, and trying to function as both a human and a parent?
That matters.

There’s also emerging research showing creatine may help support:

  • brain health
  • cognitive function
  • mood
  • PMS/PMDD symptoms

Which honestly tracks with my personal experience.

I take creatine every single day whether I’m training or not.

3. Vitamin D

This one is significantly less exciting…
but probably the most important.

I assumed my vitamin D levels would be fine because:

  • I spend a lot of time outside
  • I walk often
  • I love being outdoors

Turns out, living in the northern hemisphere has entered the chat.

My vitamin D levels were critically low when I finally got tested.

And low vitamin D levels can impact:

  • immune system function
  • energy
  • mood
  • muscle function
  • bone health
  • overall wellness

Once I started supplementing consistently, I noticed I simply felt…
more resilient.

Less run down.
Less chronically sick.
More functional overall.

Not superhuman.
Just… healthier.

And interestingly enough:
magnesium actually helps your body absorb vitamin D more effectively.

So those two work really well together.

Final Thoughts

I still believe the foundation of health is:

  • sleep
  • nutrition
  • movement
  • stress management
  • recovery
  • supportive systems

No supplement replaces those things.

But I also think there are seasons of life where your body needs more support than usual.

Postpartum was absolutely one of those seasons for me.

And while these aren’t technically “postpartum supplements,” they’ve played a huge role in helping me feel more functional, more resilient, and honestly… more like myself again.

Not perfectly optimized.
Not biohacked.
Not “bouncing back.”

Just better supported.

You can hear more about my supplement stack in this episode of The Confidence Project Podcast: