Supplement

C

cian

0
I'm thinking of getting something to help me bulk out a bit and was wondering what the best one would be.I've heard some good things on this forum for both whey protein and Creatine and whihc would you reccomend?
Any particular brands? preferably available in Ireland and I'd prefer to buy in bulk as I live in sunny old Belgium
 
I started taking whey protein about 4 months ago and I've had great results. I use Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard. You can order it online for under $30 (for a 5 lb jug).

Neither creatine or whey is required to build muscle though. I'm sure you've read this already, but the key is to eat 1g of protein per 1 lb of lean body mass EVERY DAY. I.e. if you weigh 180 lbs and have about 10% body fat, you're going to want to eat around 160g protein daily. Protein from animal sources (such as meat, dairy, eggs, etc.) is ideal because they have the most complete amino acid profile. Whey is helpful in reaching your daily protein allotment b/c it is low calorie and easy to make. It's not necessary though, just helps a lot.

As far as creatine goes, I don't think you should take that if you're just starting weight training. stick w/ regular protein and work hard in the weight room. Good luck!
 
A month only? Since you are a hardgainer it will take you probably 3 before you start seeing change. It took me along time before i started to gain weight.
 
Diet is the only "supplement" that you need. Forget about all of these pills and powders if you are not eating right - they won't do anything for you. Once you diet is in check, you'll realize that you won't need 4 protein shakes a day, all those weight gainers, etc. Just be taking a good multivitamin and some fish oil for now.
 
Well three questions so:
Is it actually worth getting creatine?I've read the sticky which says it lets you work out longer but is it actually useful for building muscle?

Secondly: What would happen if you took too much of a supplement,they always say never go over the dosage but morbid guy I am, I'm curious as to what would happen.

Finally, should I take protein shakes on days I don't work out? Is there any use in taking them anyway, ditto creatine if I buy any.

THanks
 
I disagree with the endurance value in creatine. It can add increase ATP/CP energy system duration, but since weight training endurance relies heavily on glycolysis....I wouldn't use it for endurance reasons.

Because of its ability to increase your ATP/CP system, you should be able to lift short and heavy which is key for maximal strength.....in the end big weights will equal muscle (or a trip to the emergency room:D )

2: Creatine overdose may give you cramping and bloat you up. For the most part it will just be urinated out as waste. Unless you really get crazy with it, I doubt if you will get any medical problems

3: That all depends on how well you are able to maintain a diet of whole foods. Creatine (coming from red meat) is not necessary on off days.
 
I also found that the "all vegetable" multi-vitamins (available at health food stores or Whole Foods, etc) seem to be more effective than the synthetic multi-vitamins (centrum, store-brand, etc).
 
big problem with me and food is my metabolism.I can eat **** all day and put no weight on or eat rice and skinless chicken with the same result.SInce I started working out I've even managed to lose weight.
 
ive tried creatine twice and wasnt impressed. apart from the initial and painful stomach ache and frequent toilet visits, the bloating was uncomfortable to the point where it felt like i was carrying extra fat.

plus its a temporary thing - when you stop taking it the weight retention stops and you lose size. why do something that isnt actually changing your body unless its for competing? the gains made in muscle size werent worth worthwhile and performance improvements were minimal.
 
benelson101 said:
ive tried creatine twice and wasnt impressed. apart from the initial and painful stomach ache and frequent toilet visits, the bloating was uncomfortable to the point where it felt like i was carrying extra fat.

plus its a temporary thing - when you stop taking it the weight retention stops and you lose size. why do something that isnt actually changing your body unless its for competing? the gains made in muscle size werent worth worthwhile and performance improvements were minimal.
Click to expand...



the muscle you build wont dissapear as soon as you stop taking creatine. you may loose some water weight. Read other threads mate and eat a lot.
 
Is there anything I can do that can slow down my metabolism?

Hardgainers are sometihng like 86% of the population,I'm one of those who cannot put on muscle very easily.
 
You have only been training a month haven't you? not being harsh here but it takes time. if you eat more calories than you burn and split them over 5-8 meals a day you will put on weight. Any weight gainer would be good AFTER you have tried whole foods for a good 6 months or so. Remember supplements are to SUPPLEMENT your diet
 
cian said:
Is there anything I can do that can slow down my metabolism?

Hardgainers are sometihng like 86% of the population,I'm one of those who cannot put on muscle very easily.
Click to expand...

seriously post up your general diet and we will see if there is anything a miss with it
 
Well I'm a student so diet is pretty hit and miss.
4 weetabix in the morning,multivitamin
bar around 11(awful I know,need sugar boost during school)
pasta,beans sardines around 1
rice,chicken in the evenings.
I drink large amounts of semi skimmed milk/water during the day.More milk at the moment seeing as it's cold over here.Fruit scattered haphazerdly throughout the day,mostly pears and satsumas,apples in the summer.

This will sound like an awful excuse but I just have no appetite most of the time.Every time I try to add in extra meals I just can't face them:( So far the closest I got is overloading what I eat at meal times.)I tried eating extra meals for about 3 weeks(mostly rice and skinless chicken) but I still gained 0 weight(or not enoug to register on weighing scales).Have any of you ever had the same problem.
 
Derwyddon said:
This is your problem and no amount of supplimenting will ever fix it.
Click to expand...

agreed, if this is actual example of your daily diet then you are kidding yourself if you actaully think that it is your metabolism that is the problem. Also for someone who is looking to bulk there isn't enough protein in your diet, ok there are other problems with it but this would be one of my main concerns

edit: I will give you an example of what I eat just in the evening post workout just to compare

finsih training 7.15 PWO shake approx 22g protein 44g simple carbs.
8.00 full dinner eg chicken, wholemeal rice and veg.
9.00 maybe a packet of plain popcorn with maybe a chicken fillet
10.00 some nuts and seeds
10.45 500ml milk, 30 protein, spoonful of cottage cheese and some flax and cod liver oil

oh and I wouldn't have a high metabloism
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top