Many people make time each day to exercise. Some do it in the comfort of their home and others schedule time to go to the gym and work out. Regardless of the venue, many who work out regularly like to take a pre-workout supplement to help them keep their energy up. There are several such products on the market but when you’re looking for a kosher supplement, the selection becomes somewhat limited. Enter MPS Supplements.

Bergenfield resident Yoni Lautman and Atlantic Beach resident Jake Daloya are both avid fitness buffs. When they found themselves having to choose between non-kosher supplements or kosher supplements that didn’t do what they felt supplements should do, they decided to develop some themselves. First, they determined what they wanted the supplements to achieve and what ingredients they wanted included and then they approached a company with chemists to create the formula. “We did many test runs until we had the product we wanted for the pre-workout supplement,” said Lautman. “And then we did it all again for the fat-burner supplement.”

MPS Supplements launched their initial line of kosher supplements in May of this year. Certified by the OK, the first two are Pre-Work Out and Fat Burner. The names pretty much say what they do. Pre-Work Out is intended to be taken before working out when the user wants a burst of additional energy and increased blood flow to the muscles, which delivers much-needed oxygen and nutrients.* It also helps with focusing. The pre-workout supplement can also be used as an energy drink when a person needs a burst of energy to get through the day and can be used by anyone, not just athletes.* The Fat Burner supplement helps burn fat, increases the body’s sensitivity to insulin and suppresses the appetite.*

Lautman is a certified personal trainer, certified nutritionist and a private healthy chef. “Fitness has always been my true passion,” he told The Jewish Link. “I went to cooking school to become a chef but my passion always was in fitness and in healthy eating. When I was 18, even though I was working out, I found out that I was on the verge of becoming pre-diabetic. Having family members who suffered from that disease I knew what it could do and swore that I would do everything in my power to prevent it. After that I became a student of both fitness and nutrition, utilizing my skills as a professional chef to create gourmet healthy food and teaching my clients how easy healthy cooking can actually be.” Today, Lautman combines his two passions and offers private sessions to help people lose weight and get healthier through exercise and food.*

Daloya’s path was a little different. As a skinny kid, he was bullied a lot in school and called names, so he looked to the gym and weights as his escape and to overcome the bullying. He’s been a student of fitness and working out ever since.

“The difference between our product and others out there is that the energy you get from our pre-workout is clean—meaning you won’t get the jitters like you might get with some others out there,” said Lautman.

Lautman and Daloya are proud that not only are their supplements effective and kosher, but people who do not require their supplements to be kosher are using theirs because of the subtleties that their supplements contain that “take us above the non-kosher products out there,” said Daloya.

“When you drink the non-kosher supplements, you are left with a gritty, sandy taste in your mouth and sediment on the bottom of the cup that hasn’t dissolved, so you’re not getting all of the benefits,” said Lautman. “Ours has no gritty taste and we’ve been told by people who don’t keep kosher that it’s the best-tasting workout [supplement] they’ve had.”

“That’s really exciting and rewarding to get that feedback from people in the fitness world,” said Daloya.

The second product currently available is called Fat Burner. The two really wanted to come up with a kosher fat burner product that could rival the non-kosher ones out there. They went through the same steps as they did for Pre-Work Out. The difference is that this one features clean energy and has Hoodia, in it which acts as an appetite suppressant.*

“I work with food all day,” says Lautman, “but I take the Fat Burner supplement and I have no craving to pick. For me personally, it gives me energy so I’m not tired, which helps battle snacking, because oftentimes we eat not because we are hungry but because we are tired. The supplement suppresses my appetite so I’m eating less to begin with. I’m very proud about that.”

Next up, they have plans to come out with a line of protein powders and Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA).

The tagline of the company is “It’s what’s inside that counts.” Lautman and Daloya hope that people will feel a sense of empowerment in any part of their lives. “One of the great things about accomplishing fitness goals is that it’s totally up to the person,” said Daloya. “You get from it what you put in and there is no one to point a finger at except yourself. Once you embrace that, the power can be transferred to any aspect of your life. When it comes to accomplishing goals—whether fitness or any other life goal—it’s what’s on the inside that counts.”

“If you’re willing to put in the time, our products will help you accomplish your goals,” says Lautman.

To learn more about the company and to place an order, visit mpssupplements.com. Questions? Email [email protected].

Please note: Before starting a workout regimen or taking supplements, consult with your doctor.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

By Sara Kosowsky Gross