Question for the weight lifters

[Hoov]

1 serving of whey is usually cheaper than the equivalent amount of protein you get in purchasing solid food i.e. chicken breast, steak, etc.

Sure you can buy cans of tuna for < $1.00 but I personally can't stomach that every day. Buying mass amounts of eggs would be another option.

Whey is economical, convenient and allows you to hit your macronutrient needs.

I guess it may be cheaper, but i dont know where cost came into play. I only mentioned that the amino acid pills are a scam. One serving of the whey protein would probably equal the amount of protein in the entire bottle of amino acid pills that I have seen.

Another point i was trying to make is that most people already eat over 100gm proetin a day, so even if you use whey powder which is cheap, your still eating breakfast, lunch and dinner too - so buying whey to cut down food costs only works if the person cuts back their food intake and just use whey for protein. Which is pretty weird, i mean are you going to just have a peice of toast and whey protein and a peice of fruit for breakfast every day, then eat rice for lunch with more weigh and so on just to live super cheaply ?

Or... are you talking about still eating 3 meals and using whey in between your meals instead of eating a protein food in between your meals ?

To which I would say your probably eliminating a lot of excess nitrogen by eating more protein than your body can utilise - so do you really need the whey ?

 

[Jenky]

I guess it may be cheaper, but i dont know where cost came into play. I only mentioned that the amino acid pills are a scam. One serving of the whey protein would probably equal the amount of protein in the entire bottle of amino acid pills that I have seen.

Another point i was trying to make is that most people already eat over 100gm proetin a day, so even if you use whey powder which is cheap, your still eating breakfast, lunch and dinner too - so buying whey to cut down food costs only works if the person cuts back their food intake and just use whey for protein. Which is pretty weird, i mean are you going to just have a peice of toast and whey protein and a peice of fruit for breakfast every day, then eat rice for lunch with more weigh and so on just to live super cheaply ?

Or... are you talking about still eating 3 meals and using whey in between your meals instead of eating a protein food in between your meals ?

To which I would say your probably eliminating a lot of excess nitrogen by eating more protein than your body can utilise - so do you really need the whey ?

I'm talking about eating meals + taking whey. For instance, I'll have an egg sandwhich in the morning and whey. Right there, i'd probably get 40-50 grams of protein. Lunch is a basic meal consisting of protein, carbs and fats. Around 3 p.m. I might have a carbohydrate; oatmeal, fruit, or a granola bar and whey again. At this time, I'm at work, and it's highly convenient. When I get home, I get to cook again and make another "real" meal.

I get 3 main meals a day, and snacks + whey in between. Now I only weigh 190 pounds. I'm using whey to hit my daily macros and caloric needs to maintain.

Imagine someone who is a power lifter and much bigger. They would ingest far more calories than I would, and each of their macronutrients would be increased. They may not have all of that time to cook, prepare and eat food.

You absolutely don't need whey if your diet is on point and you have time to cook and eat 5-6 meals a day. I'm not bringing all of that tupperware to work lol.

As I said earlier, the amount of protein needed daily is still being debated. Here's a video of Alan Aragon (highly renowned nutritionist) and one of his seminars that states this.



There's a chart at the 3:10 mark.

We probably differ on the amount of protein needed, which is where I basically fill the void using whey to hit my daily macros.

 

[KJJ]

Just my opinion:

I don't think BCAA's are necessary unless you are dieting and are a crazy caloric deficit or training fasted (yes, I know taking BCAAs can break the fast).

If diet is on point and you are eating right (to maintain weight or caloric surplus) than your recovery should be good.

I'd save the money and put it towards food or whey which has BCAAs in itself.

Many use BCAA's during their cut to help lose the fat they gained while bulking. A large dose of BCAA's can be very beneficial when cutting and you can increase your dosage between meals by taking BCAA's by themselves without protein. Some are sensitive to whey protein it can cause gastric problems for some as well as nasal congestion so they have to opt for other proteins such as soy or egg. Another great thing about taking BCAA's by themselves in a powder form is they can provide an energy boost prior to working out. Just add 3 small scoops to a little water swirl it around and drink it 20 min prior to your workout. Most energy drinks contain caffeine which can cause jitters with some people and they don't react well to it.

Caffeine can cause sleep problems and some of these energy drinks contain large amounts of sugar. These drinks can cause cramps and upset your stomach it just depends on the individual. You avoid all these issues by taking BCAA's just prior to your workout and have some protein immediately after your workout. The BCAA product I mentioned is a good value because you get 2.2 pounds which comes out to 166 servings and you only need one or 2 servings a day depending on your goals. Naturally everything we're discussing are "supplements" to your diet you definitely need food but supplements are important to reach certain goals.

 

[KJJ]

I'm more opposed to a hard and fast rule....like 1 g per lb. I can't stop giggling about the idea of eating 285 grams of protein lol

14 Cliff Builder's Bars
48 eggs
9+ chicken breasts
14 cups of almonds

Granted, you wouldn't do that, it's just funny how much food that is

This is why they have protein shakes so you can get all the protein you need without having to eat all that food. A person is likely to digest just half the amount of protein those foods contain. Whey protein absorbs quick so adding a couple of protein shakes to your diet is a great way to meet your protein requirements. You listed some of the foods you eat and the amount of protein they contain but your body is not going to absorb all the protein from some those meals. If you have a couple of chicken breasts that contain 60 grams of protein your body will only absorb 30 grams unless you supplement that meal with some digestive enzymes. You still won't absorb all 60 grams this is why whey protein shakes/meal replacements are important to a weight lifting program. Some people think if they eat 3 meals a day that contain 50 grams of protein each they chalk that up to having 150 grams of protein that day when in reality their body only absorbed 90 grams of protein.

You mentioned you snack between meals if you snack an hour and half after you've eaten whatever protein that snack contained your body won''t absorb it because the body can only absorb 30 grams of protein within a 3 hour period without a digestive aid. Body builders and athletes usually eat 5-6 meals a day every 3 hours to meet their protein requirements. Many athletes that are on weight gain diets drink a lot of their calories because it's a lot easier to drink 700 calories than to eat solid food that contains 700 calories. They eat solid food along with high calorie protein shakes that contain ground oatmeal or steel cut oats. Every 3 hours they're drinking and eating something to meet their calorie and protein requirements. If you're going to get most of your protein from solid foods then I recommend you pick up a digestive aid so you don't waste all that protein.

 

[Jenky]

Many use BCAA's during their cut to help lose the fat they gained while bulking. A large dose of BCAA's can be very beneficial when cutting and you can increase your dosage between meals by taking BCAA's by themselves without protein. Some are sensitive to whey protein it can cause gastric problems for some as well as nasal congestion so they have to opt for other proteins such as soy or egg. Another great thing about taking BCAA's by themselves in a powder form is they can provide an energy boost prior to working out. Just add 3 small scoops to a little water swirl it around and drink it 20 min prior to your workout. Most energy drinks contain caffeine which can cause jitters with some people and they don't react well to it.

Caffeine can cause sleep problems and some of these energy drinks contain large amounts of sugar. These drinks can cause cramps and upset your stomach it just depends on the individual. You avoid all these issues by taking BCAA's just prior to your workout and have some protein immediately after your workout. The BCAA product I mentioned is a good value because you get 2.2 pounds which comes out to 166 servings and you only need one or 2 servings a day depending on your goals. Naturally everything we're discussing are "supplements" to your diet you definitely need food but supplements are important to reach certain goals.

Given those scenarios, I would agree. On bulk, I don't think BCAAs are necessary. You have more than enough nutrition to cover your bases, not to mention the amino acids consumed from breaking down the surplus of food.

Caffeine doesn't really prevent me from sleeping. I have a hunch that some preworkout supplements that have nootropics are the likely cause. Well in my case at least.

 

[KJJ]

Given those scenarios, I would agree. On bulk, I don't think BCAAs are necessary. You have more than enough nutrition to cover your bases, not to mention the amino acids consumed from breaking down the surplus of food.

Caffeine doesn't really prevent me from sleeping. I have a hunch that some preworkout supplements that have nootropics are the likely cause. Well in my case at least.

Some have problems with stimulants like caffeine plus the sugar some of these drinks contain is not good. I tried a nitric oxide/energy drink called Super Pump Max and got the worst cramps and diarrhea ever! They should have renamed it Super Dump Max. lol The best advice I can give on supplements is go to the body building site I posted a link to and checkout the user reviews of some of these supplements to see how effective they are for some and if they have any side effects. This can help avoid wasting money on something you may only use once because you hate the taste or it upsets your stomach.

 

[KJJ]

Not sure if it's been mentioned but another important supplement you should add to your regime when entering a weight lifting program is glucosamine or krill oil to help lubricate your joints. Weight lifting can be rough on the joints especially if you're older so you need a supplement to support your joints. I have a trainer who's worked with a lot of professional athletes who educates me. If you have the money I recommend getting a good trainer and I'm not talking about one of these trainers that work at 24 hr and LA Fitness. I hate to knock some of these people but some of them look like they need trainers. They'll have their pictures up and what they specialize in and you'll see one with a gut and 3 chins who specializes in muscle building and weight loss. I'm sure they're all educated but for me they have to look the part and have a good resume or you'll waste money and time with them.

 

[Rack]

This is my workout schedule:

Sunday:

Cardio in the morning (usually do elliptical for 30 minutes, that gets me 5 miles)
Late Afternoon: Chest

Monday:
Cardio in the morning
Back in the afternoon

Tuesday:
Cardio in the morning
Arms (biceps and triceps)

Wednesday:
Cardio
Shoulders

Thursday:
Cardio
Legs

Friday:
Off

Saturday:
Cardio
Arms again (biceps/triceps). You can hit your minor muscles twice a week.

Technically you can hit any muscle group twice a week if you aren't going "hard" but if you aren't going hard you aren't doing it right. Whether it's heavy weight/low reps or light weight/high reps you get your best results with high intensity training. Go hard or go home.

I try to treat the gym like I used to when I played football. I put my game face on and get in there and open up a can of whoopass. I've seen GREAT results with this workout plan.


DIET:

Breakfast:

5 boiled egg whites, 2 pieces of grilled chicken, couple of slices of watermelon, and a banana.


Lunch:

2 pieces of grilled chicken and veggies.


Dinner:

2 pieces of grilled chicken and veggies.

Snacks: I try to fit a snack in between meals. Usually just a handful of almonds or maybe another banana.


After lifting weights I drink a protein shake right away, then eat dinner right after that. You get your most optimal protein synthesis if you eat your protein within 2 hours of lifting weights.

With this workout and diet I've lost 23 lbs since I got to Afghanistan and put on A LOT of muscle.

I work out with one of my soldiers. He eats basically the same thing I do and we do the same workout. Check him out on facebook (I don't have a facebook). Just look up Powerman or Marquis Powers. He's a freakin' best. I call him "The Beast of Bagram". I don't look like him (not many do) but I'm not THAT far off. I'm also 22 years older than he is so I never will look like that.

Oh yeah, I also allow myself ONE cheat MEAL a week. Not a "Cheat Day", just a cheat meal (could be just eating some ice cream after dinner or something).

 

[Rack]

Yeah, I don't use it for bulk because I add bulk pretty easily, but I'm on a ketogenic diet from time to time so it's important to get a clean source of protein that's not full of filler or carbs. And ON is pretty tasty, too, which is a plus.

I use the mocha cappuccino from ON. I was also just given a giant tub of Banana Cream protein powder from ON and it's freakin' delicious.

 

[CyberB0b]

This is my workout schedule:

Sunday:

Cardio in the morning (usually do elliptical for 30 minutes, that gets me 5 miles)
Late Afternoon: Chest

Monday:
Cardio in the morning
Back in the afternoon

Tuesday:
Cardio in the morning
Arms (biceps and triceps)

Wednesday:
Cardio
Shoulders

Thursday:
Cardio
Legs

Friday:
Off

Saturday:
Cardio
Arms again (biceps/triceps). You can hit your minor muscles twice a week.

Technically you can hit any muscle group twice a week if you aren't going "hard" but if you aren't going hard you aren't doing it right. Whether it's heavy weight/low reps or light weight/high reps you get your best results with high intensity training. Go hard or go home.

I try to treat the gym like I used to when I played football. I put my game face on and get in there and open up a can of whoopass. I've seen GREAT results with this workout plan.


DIET:

Breakfast:

5 boiled egg whites, 2 pieces of grilled chicken, couple of slices of watermelon, and a banana.


Lunch:

2 pieces of grilled chicken and veggies.


Dinner:

2 pieces of grilled chicken and veggies.

Snacks: I try to fit a snack in between meals. Usually just a handful of almonds or maybe another banana.


After lifting weights I drink a protein shake right away, then eat dinner right after that. You get your most optimal protein synthesis if you eat your protein within 2 hours of lifting weights.

With this workout and diet I've lost 23 lbs since I got to Afghanistan and put on A LOT of muscle.

I work out with one of my soldiers. He eats basically the same thing I do and we do the same workout. Check him out on facebook (I don't have a facebook). Just look up Powerman or Marquis Powers. He's a freakin' best. I call him "The Beast of Bagram". I don't look like him (not many do) but I'm not THAT far off. I'm also 22 years older than he is so I never will look like that.

Oh yeah, I also allow myself ONE cheat MEAL a week. Not a "Cheat Day", just a cheat meal (could be just eating some ice cream after dinner or something).

Damn, 10mph for 30 minutes. You're a beast.

 

[Rack]

Damn, 10mph for 30 minutes. You're a beast.

Should have seen me when I first started, I could barely hit 2 miles in 20 minutes. I've come a loooong way, with both my body composition, endurance, strength, etc...

 

[Rack]

Btw, a great app for tracking and viewing others' workouts is bodyspace. You need a bodybuilding.Com account.

 

[CATCH17]

I use the mocha cappuccino from ON. I was also just given a giant tub of Banana Cream protein powder from ON and it's freakin' delicious.

IF you like Banana I recommend Muscle Pharms banana flavor.. IT is so good.

Especially if you throw a scoop in some oatmeal and add cinnamon to it.





If yall want the best deal that I know of for some good tasting Chocolate protein you can get 5lbs at www.vitamineshoppe.com for 40 dollars with free shipping.

 

[Doc50]

I am just getting back into lifting weights after a 10 year absence in the weight room. I was a power lifter and played football for from 5th grade to varsity.

But I would like to know what would you gym rats recommend for supplements,protein powder for shakes. Amino acids. or anything else you would recommend to pack on muscle mass and strength.

Btw... I haven't ruled out steroids.

High protein intake is hard on the kidneys, creatine is bad for the liver, excess vitamins are bad for both, fish oil has been proven to be useless, and steroids will shrink your gonads and increase cancer risk. And there are no substances that increase energy or burn fat.

It's best simply to eat lean meat, lots of green vegetables, fresh fruit with every meal, and whole grains and nuts daily.
Sodium , fats, and sugars should be limited, and have only 1 starch per meal (corn, beans, rice, potatoes, bread, pasta.).

The two strongest guys I've ever tested were lean and wirey.

You can't change your genetics.

 

[CyberB0b]

And there are no substances that increase energy or burn fat.

I think nearly every stimulant does both of these by raising your metabolic rate.

 

[bounce]

Technically you can hit any muscle group twice a week if you aren't going "hard" but if you aren't going hard you aren't doing it right. Whether it's heavy weight/low reps or light weight/high reps you get your best results with high intensity training. Go hard or go home.

I disagree with this. Lots of workout programs are based around hitting the same large muscle group 2x a week. PPL, Stronglifts, Starting Strength, Madcow, etc. I think going a week between them is too much. I'm on a PPL routine and do each 2x a week, resting one day, and have had great results and no problems. I'm not saying once a week is bad, but hitting the same group >1 a week with max intensity is pretty widely accepted.

But, there's no one-size-fits-all routine. If it works for you, great.

 

[Doc50]

I think nearly every stimulant does both of these by raising your metabolic rate.

No, they do not raise metabolic rate.

 

[CyberB0b]

No, they do not raise metabolic rate.

This and many other studies say otherwise.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7369170

 

[Nova]

Not much mention of it so far, but plain Creatine monohydrate is great.

It's pretty cheap and it actually works. Some are not receptive to it, but at about $12 for a 60-90 day supply, why not give it a shot. Under normal circumstances, you will not feel the effects for the first 3 weeks, but once it's cycled in, you'll notice a "second wind" of sorts in your sets.

I used to go with Dymatize micronized creatine monohydrate. Tasteless and can be added to anything.

I'm out of shape now

 

[Jenky]

High protein intake is hard on the kidneys, creatine is bad for the liver, excess vitamins are bad for both, fish oil has been proven to be useless, and steroids will shrink your gonads and increase cancer risk. And there are no substances that increase energy or burn fat.

It's best simply to eat lean meat, lots of green vegetables, fresh fruit with every meal, and whole grains and nuts daily.
Sodium , fats, and sugars should be limited, and have only 1 starch per meal (corn, beans, rice, potatoes, bread, pasta.).

The two strongest guys I've ever tested were lean and wirey.

You can't change your genetics.

If useless, why is fishoil in high concentrations being prescribed as medication?