This page may contain affiliate links, and SamForget.com may earn from qualifying purchases.

There are just a handful of things you might need to invest in when beginning the program:

  1. A measuring tape (to take your monthly measurements)
  2. A food scale (measuring cups and spoons are not accurate enough)
  3. A bodyweight scale (for daily weigh-ins)

That’s it for 100% necessary!

The following supplements can be helpful in conjunction with a nutritionally sound diet (NOT as a replacement for it):

  • Protein powder. This is the single most convenient way to get an extra 30-40 grams of protein per day. Virtually all my most successful clients have it every day — or pretty close to it. I recommend getting a “whey isolate” if you tolerate dairy well, or a vegan blend if you don’t. I get mine from Legion Athletics (Email me if you’re not sure which one to get!)
  • Creatine. Contrary to popular belief, this is NOT a meathead supplement that’ll make you gain weight. It’s actually one of the safest, most well-researched supplements, and improves performance, recovery, and more. About five grams per day of creatine “monohydrate”– taken any time — is more than adequate, and yes: you can even take it on rest days
  • Fish oil. This popular supplement supports joint health, heart health, and even your hair, skin, and nails
  • Vitamin C for immune support
  • Vitamin D — especially if you live somewhere cold, and don’t get ~20-30 minutes of direct sun every day. It supports bone health, immune health, nutrient absorption, and more
  • Magnesium. This can improve sleep quality and even cognitive function

I want to reiterate that not ONE of these supplements is necessary. They’re just icing on the cake once your diet is in check.

That said, I do like protein powder and creatine for most of my clients, for the convenience and transformation-friendly benefits.

Yet again, the following food-related investments are NOT necessary — but are quite popular with my clients:

  • An air fryer. It doesn’t require preheating, there’s a setting for any food, and it requires almost zero monitoring. So even if something technically takes “15-20”  minutes to make… you’re probably only looking at ~5 minutes of actual “effort” (if we can even call it that)
  • A George Foreman countertop grill. It’s tough to think of a faster, lower effort way to prep your proteins. In just 10-15 minutes, you can have 2-3 day’s worth of protein ready to go. It’s particularly great if you live in an apartment, like I do, and can’t have a “real” grill. But even then, I think it’s a great option for actual grill owners who want an easy way to prep
  • A “good enough” blender. You’ll notice I didn’t link to anything fancy here. I don’t think that’s necessary for most people. You just need to be able to blend liquid, ice, some fruits and sometimes greens, and protein powder. That’s it!
  • A vegetable chopper. I use mine to dice onions, peppers, tomatoes, and other vegetables than I can “sneak” into bowls, tacos, wraps, omelets, and more. It’s a great way to increase your intake without much effort (especially if you’re somebody who doesn’t love vegetables)
  • A small, portable cooler. This may be the most underrated investment on this entire list. I pack something healthy virtually every time I leave the house, so it’s always convenient to eat well, and I don’t just default to take-out

I think there’s a VERY strong case to be made for going to an “actual” gym to:

  1. Create a clear (mental) separation between your home and workout environments. This lends itself to training hard without distractions
  2. Have more equipment to choose from
  3. Be around other people that lift you up and inspire you

That said, some of my clients who prefer to train at home. And if that’s you… here’s the minimalist set-up I recommend:

  • Adjustable dumbbells. This was the first thing I invested in when I started an in-home training business a decade ago… and they’ve paid for themselves a hundred times over (just 1-2 years of gym membership > the cost of the dumbbells). Plus, they take up very little space and give you tons of weight options. My biggest recommendation is to get a heavier set that you think you need. A 25 pound set simply won’t cut it for very long… so you may as well get ahead of it
  • A solid adjustable bench. A flat bench is fine, but an adjustable bench — that has multiple incline settings — doubles or triples the amount of exercises you can choose from
  • Resistance bands. They’re not as important as the dumbbells and bench, but they’re quite helpful for warming up, some isolation exercises, and staying active when traveling
  • Lifting straps. If you’re not new to training, but your grip never really gives us during your workouts… you’re almost certainly not training hard enough. Here’s a quick audit
  • A walking pad. This isn’t necessary if you don’t mind the elements or live somewhere walkable. But many of my clients prefer to invest in this instead of going to the gym or a mall just to get steps in

Again, I do think there’s a very strong case to made for venturing into a gym a few days per week. But plenty of my clients absolutely crush it with this set-up.

A few final recommendations:

  • A pedometer. I don’t personally like having my phone on me at all times, or being attached to a wearable (Apple Watch, Fitbit, etc.). This is where a pedometer comes in handy: it’s puny, and allows you to break away from your “real” devices 
  • An alarm clock. Again, creating some distance between you and your gadgets is important for your mental health, sleep quality, and more. Which is why many clients invest in an “old school” alarm clock: so there’s no reason to bring the phone into the bedroom
  • A journal. Many “food issues” are actually just coping issues in disguise, and brain dumping whatever’s on your mind onto an actual piece of paper is one of the most underrated ways to get better at this: understanding and responding to your emotions in a healthier way

If you have questions on any of these… fire away! That’s what I’m here for.