ok, so ive been back into lifting for about 6-7 weeks now. i feel GREAT i look alot bigger and more built, but as bad as i know it is, im feeling impatient. summer is approaching and i want to look great soon.

i was talking to a friend from high school at the gym, and he says to take the PROTEIN supplements makes huge results fast.

so for the first time i am putting thought into supplements but only protien. he said it also helps your muscles HEAL faster so you wont be so sore afterwards.

well after working out today i decided not to go to GNC and get protein booster, but to go to the grocery store and get a pound of bananas, sirloin STEAK ( love steak ) and fat-free yogurt. with 4 bananas i made a banana-milk shake, fried the steak without grease, and ate a thing of yogurt.

Do PROTEIN supplements have negatives to taking them? ive heard by not working out enough it will make you fat, and ive heard various long term problems can happen

any info? thanks

 

I've been a bodybuilder for some years now, I can't stress the importance of taking in high quality protein right after a workout. A good quality powder like Nitrotech beats out food proteins because they have been enginereed to release both fast and slow, plus have aminos to aid absorption, etc. There is no con to intaking protein, as long as you don't take in more than one gram per pound of body weight and drink plenty of H20. Even if you went beyond this you wouldn't put the stress on your kidneys like rumor has it. But in any case, one gram per pound and lots of water and your good to go. Will they cause to you to gain weight? Sure, muscle if your working out. Otherwise they are just calories, and if you exceed your daily caloric need then it will convert to fat just like everything else. Nice to find a fellow lifter, good luck.

 

i use gnc pro performance 100% pure whey protein.

it don't taste too bad, and i have never had problems. you take it before you workout, and it helps reapir muscle. there's only like 3 gr of fat in a shake so you won't get fat. i also use creatine, but i use that effervescient stuff (fizzes like alka seltzer) and it taste horrible but you only have to take it 30-60 mins before you work out, and no loading phase.

i recomend the protein though. noticed a huge difference using it. just make sure you stir it good

 

I'm not sure what you mean by 'protein supplements', but if you're lifting weights you will need more protein to build and replace the protein that you burn. Taking any supplement will not 'build muscle fast', only hard work and a good diet.

In my opinion developed over the past 18 years of lifting weight fairly regularly (no, I'm no incredible hulk, but I try to stay in good shape) I think that genetics is the biggest factor in getting in shape, followed by nutrition.

Most supplements are vastly overblown in my opinion. For example, I tried androstenodine, a supposed testosterone precursor (turns into testosterone). I didn't see any result so I quit after a couple weeks. I later found out that studies proved it increased hormone production - FEMALE hormones!

Creatin, on the other hand, has been proven to help. I take some before I work out. It helps a little, but not a lot. Amino Acids may help, but I have never been able to tell.

For nutritian, you may respond well with regular meals. I, on the other hand, respond well to high protein, lower carb meals, and limited fat. This means a protein shake in the morning (~80 grams of protein), grilled hamburger or chicken for lunch, and steak or other meat for dinner. If I'm getting in shape, high protein diets really work for me. I can't keep the fat on. An overall recommendation for people who workout is 1.0- 2.0 grams of protein / pound of body fat.

Overall, supplements can help, but a good diet for your body type, and the right workout routine that works for you will do a lot more.

 

Actually, andro does raise the production of testostorone. This in turn cause the body to balance itself by also raising estrogen levels. Taking any supplement that alters your chemistry like that must be used carefully, and knowledgably. There are supplements commonly used with sups like andro to suppress the bodies build up of estrogen and avoid this negative side effect.

 

some days i can prepair the ultimate meal, fruit, vegetables, meat, everything healthy. BUT most days i eat at 615 am, leave the house to go work, and basically consume nothing but Gatorade and beef jerky until 600 or 700 pm that night. i work alot of long days so its impossible for me to keep a perfect diet but i try.

 

So taking andro can get me a great pair of biceps, AND a great pair of knockers. Wow, this may save me a bunch of money on Saturday nights!

 

So taking andro can get me a great pair of biceps, AND a great pair of knockers. Wow, this may save me a bunch of money on Saturday nights! [/B][/QUOTE]

dude.... thats just wrong.... i dont even know what to say!!!

 

Actually, thats true. Its called gynomastcia (sp) otherwise knows as the dreaded b...htits. Personally, good diet, workout program, basic supplements like protein, creatine, and vitamins are what I recomend. Messing with your hormones is a risky business.

 

yeah i heard that if you take testosterone supplements, they make your tool get a little smaller. you know like moving down from a 1/2 inch ratchet down to a 1/4 inch... when the job really needs a 1/2 inch wrench bad deal!



the protein really works. i take protein, vitamins, and creatine. don't go for those "super" vitamins at soem stores that you have to take twice a day. i bought some, but stopped taking them after my urine turned almost neon green (while i was drinking 64+ ounces of water a day)

 

Yeah, and you'd think I'd feel bad about it too...well, maybe not.

Anyway, back to the supplement issue, I still believe that most legal supplements are based on the placebo effect. I have a fairly cynical additude towards them, so maybe I'm a little too biased in the opposite direction.

The only supplements I've seen that work quite well will also land you in jail for a number of years. Not worth it to me, besides the long term health effects. An no, they will not reduce the size of "Big Jim", but the "Twins" will atrophy due to the body not needing the production of testosterone. Take them long enough, your body forgets how to make it. I know of a couple of ex-professional body builders in town that now look like middle-aged fat women. Yikes!

(Nothing against weightlifting, but only against illegal hormone replacement.)

 

From the female perspective -

Personally, I've dated a bodybuilder before and I'll stick to my slightly overweight, beer-bellied hubby. Mmmmmmm..... More time for him to spend with me and less time for him to spend with "Him". Plus, the non-steroid thing is a big plus.

However, should he decide to begin working out, my supplement of choice is and most likely will always be a product called "Budweiser". (Had to check the can in hand to make sure that it was "e" before "i".) This product is available in cans, bottles or on tap. My personal preference is the can. There's just something about that aluminium flavor that adds to the benefits of this supplement. It is a recommended supplement to any diet!!!

 

Carlene, just remember that not all body builders use steroids. Many of us remain "natural". Thats one of those stereotypes like most women can't drive well

 

Carlene has a point. I think too many lifters are too focused what will get them big the fastest. And, of course, that means supplements of all kinds. Truth is, the focus should be on lifting at full intensity, doing the big lifts (Bench, deadlift, and so on), allowing for recovery, and progression in strength. Genetics also play a huge role. My biceps aren't much bigger than they were 3 years ago (a little), but I can lift alot more. It's STRENGTH training, you want steady progression. If you get stronger, you WILL get bigger. Some things are determined by genetics, my arms will never look like Arnold's, but my back has bulked up at twice the speed of my arms.
Also, it's nearly impossible to build muscle and lose fat at the same time for many of us. If you're starting out thin, you need as much food as possible to put on extra pounds. Eat meat and potatoes, man. Then cut back around summer.
Noone needs ANY supplement to succeed. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with protein, just that pills and powers are shortcuts, and the cost and risks of some are too much. Eating decent isn't a bad idea either. Lift heavy and push yourself to the limit, that is the key. You don't need to do 10 sets of 30 curls 5 times a week either. If you press hard, you can do big lifts once a week. I do deadlifts once a week and make a couple lbs. of progress each week. I've even made progress skipping a week. And remember, when it comes to priorities, lifting shouldn't be at the top of your list.

 

i've been working out since i was 14 or so. The skinny guys are never happy with their progress so they start taking steriods and really start putting on muscle. the only problem is that they can't do anything about their Bone structure and consequently when they start lifting fairly heavy weights they start breaking bones and generally screwing themselves up...Their ego starts functioning as their brain......but , they all learn sooner or later....fd