weight lifting supplements

[MoparMotel]

ive been working out at the gym and weight lifting PE for a while and am thinking about starting something to get more gains. I was thinking about creatine/protein............anyone tried it or on it? I know you have to drink a lot of water.........just wondering if anyone has taken it.

[dads_69]

I take some of that product from the local GNC store. I mix it up with my applesauce and whenever I eat eggs, twice a week plus workout somewhat so I don't get fat and gain muscle instead. I eat a lot of chicken and rice durring the week also and the instant mix potatoes just add water and heat for 5 minutes. I've gained about 16 to 18 lbs. Now if I could only stay on a steady plan, I'd be set. I am on and off of my ruotine.
Mark

[69_Hemi_Charger]

Creatine and Protein are very similar in what they do and when you take it. I personally prefer to take a high-end level creatine supplement called Dimaxx Muscle Creatine. The liquid form of creatine is much more efficient then pills or powder. Creatine swells the muscles and makes you feel super macho when you are using it! Work out until you are wasted otherwise creatine is a waste of time. I use it for working out and while boxing...

Protein supplements are good in shakes. They taste like absolute BS but they get the job done. I waned off of protein after I picked up a diet that really worked for me, called the Testosterone Diet Plan, by Men's Health. It's very rational and sets you up for a "life" diet instead of a "fad" diet like the South Beach and such.

I'm big into lifting and training and I have tried just about all supplements EXCEPT for the roids. No ball shrinkage for me!

[Ponch ®]

what about whey?

[Charger4404spd]

My diet suppliment

[HDCharger]

Both are good if you are working out hard.  Creatine:  Think of a ballon that is half full of water (Muscle), when you take creatine it volumizes your Muscle makeing it like a full balloon thus giving you more energy and stamina when you workout and more gains.  Protein is what is needed to build muscle.  If you are working out really hard you need about 1 gram per body pound, which is kind of hard to do without taking a protein supplement of some kind.  You MUST drink lots and lots of water when taking Creatine or you WILL cramp.   Diet and Exercise:  Eat about every two hours either food or a protein shake to keep your metabolism going.  Don't eat alot and watch what you eat.  Control Carbs and Fat content but do not eliminate them as they are needed for energy and joints.  Do the above and workout hard you will not know yourself in about 4-6 weeks.

[greenpigs]

I wear sweaters its a lot easier than working out.

Mass isn't really a good thing- strength however is.

[Blown70]

A good protein supplement,  TRY Cytosport, muscle milk or Evopro.

Also, creatine is good but try the buffered kind as well Nitric oxide.  I would not do either untill you have 16 weeks of weight training under your belt.

Start the protein immediately.

Tom

[hemihead]

Just don't use the ones that shrink your nads.I hear the women laugh at you then. 

[Charger_Fan]

My diet suppliment

[Doc74]

HDCharger is spot on, listen to the man.
So you've been working out without taking extra proteins ? That means you're losing muscle, not gaining.
And stay away from all weight gainers period.

[golden73]

Creatine is all water weight. It will make you bigger, not stronger.

[69bananabeast]

I would stay away from creatine or use it lightly.  My reasoning is because your body already makes creatine .  If you take too much creatine your body will  be depending on an outside source. Thus  making you screwed in the long run and your hooked .

[ChargerBill]

Wow, talk about a lot of misinformation...LOL. Guys, there is a science to all this stuff, you can't just guess what it's doing by how it makes you feel or look, or by what Joe-lifter told you last week in the gym.

Yes, creatine is a naturally occuring Amino Acid that the body already produces, however, there are no studies indicating that taking creatine will cause your body to stop producing it's own. In fact, studies have shown that when excess creatine is ingested, it simply comes back out the other end. There is definitely a limit to how much your body can absorb and use, but you are only wasting money by taking too much, not causing a health risk.

When you are lifting your muscles need and use ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) for energy/fuel. During the liftin process the ATP is broken down and becomes ADP (adenosine diphosphate) and energy is released. The creatine you ingest is converted by your body to creatine phosphate. This creatine phosphate donates its phosphate group to ADT which then converts back to ATP - thus creating more energy for the workout - which is why you experience more endurance for your workouts when taking creatine. It is true that creatine will not make you stronger, HOWEVER, the after effect of having more endurance is that you can lift the same weights for more reps, which eventually translates into increased lifting capacity...yes, you DO become stronger.

Protien in NOT bascially the same as creatine...it's is a completely different animal that serves a seperate function. Protien is a building block necessary for the body to heal/create/generate more/new tissue. When you lift you create small tears or fissures in the muscle tissue. Your body must repair these small tears in the tissue, but instead of repairing it back to it's previous state, it repairs it so that it is thicker and stronger so that it will be able to withstand the increased demands put on it the next time around. This obviously equals visible muscle growth. If you were to take creatine and lift harder without supplying your body enough protien you wouldn't make much if any gains at all because the body would not have the resources necessary to repair the damaged tissue.

As far as water intake while taking creatine is concerned, in my personal experience I have noticed bloating and more thirst. There is an explanation for this as well. The extra stress placed on the muscles due to increased endurance and lifting capacity causes (as a side effect) a need for more hydration in the muscle tissue. When the body detects a deficiency in water intake (mild dehydration) it will STORE water as a defense ...causing you to bloat. The easy way out of this is to make sure you increase your water intake by at least 50% to make up for the extra hydration needed. This will allow the body to flush the water out of the system and you will avoid most of the bloat. And BTW: some of the bloat is simply increased blood flow to muscle tissue...a good thing.

There are good protiens out there that taste great. Try Champion Nutrition products...excellent flavor and I haven't experienced any gas from their products like I have from others. As far as type of protien, whey is one of the better ones. keep in mind that not all protien powders are created equal, some are less than pure, crystaline (which doesn't dissolve well), by products of other processes (food processing), etc... Read the labels and ask questions of the guy behind the counter (although some of these bone heads know very little)

Also, an insulin spike should be induced when creatine is taken. This aids in absoption into the blood stream and muscle tissue. Some guys prefer grape or apple juice, but in all honesty ingesting protien will cause the same insulin spike needed.

Lastly, creatine is NOT for everyone. If you have liver, kidney or a heart condition, are on any medications or have experienced palpatations, etc... you should definitely see a physician and get his take on it before you decide to take it.

Happy lifting guys.

[69_500]

Good tips there ChargerBill.

How is the job hunt going?

Personally I use Creatine and take Whey Protein. I was thinking of using some other suppliments that have been reported to me as being very adventageous. I don't want to get huge or anything, just tone up and stay in shape. Maybe add a little size. When I was in college I was up to 195 lbs at 6% body fat, which I didn't think to be too bad for a guy 5'9" like I am. Now I'm down to 178 and about 14% at my last test of body fat. Not horrible, but would love to add back on that 20 lbs I have lost over the last 8 years and get back into great shape.
ChargerBill I PMed you with a few questions. If you have any answers I'd love to hear them.

You have to decide what your goal is also before you start taking supliments of any kind. There are risk to some, not hardly any to others. My goal has always been more for strength than size, and by gaining more strength you undoubtedly will add a little size. I just wanna stay in shape and be healthy enough to enjoy my time with my son until I'm old and grey, and then I still wanna be fit enough to do things with his kids when that time comes.

[MoparMotel]

I bought the GNC mega whey protein last night.......also have Creatine monohydrate but cant decide whether to start it or not.

[HDCharger]

ChargerBills info is dead correct.  I gave the short version.

[68ChargerJMP]

If you want the best tasting protein powder, try Muscle Milk. That stuff is the s#%t.

[Blown70]

If you want the best tasting protein powder, try Muscle Milk. That stuff is the s#%t.

Gee I wonder if anyone mentioned that before.?

[Blown70]

Wow, talk about a lot of misinformation...LOL. Guys, there is a science to all this stuff, you can't just guess what it's doing by how it makes you feel or look, or by what Joe-lifter told you last week in the gym.




As far as water intake while taking creatine is concerned, in my personal experience I have noticed bloating and more thirst. There is an explanation for this as well. The extra stress placed on the muscles due to increased endurance and lifting capacity causes (as a side effect) a need for more hydration in the muscle tissue. When the body detects a deficiency in water intake (mild dehydration) it will STORE water as a defense ...causing you to bloat. The easy way out of this is to make sure you increase your water intake by at least 50% to make up for the extra hydration needed. This will allow the body to flush the water out of the system and you will avoid most of the bloat. And BTW: some of the bloat is simply increased blood flow to muscle tissue...a good thing.


Happy lifting guys.

May I suggest ChargerBill that you take the buffered creatine TRUST me is works a ton better.  I have gained 50lbs on all my lifts. And I have worked out for 14 years.  No bloat, nausea, or well the trots. If you were prone to that.

Tom

[69_Hemi_Charger]

If you want the best tasting protein powder, try Muscle Milk. That stuff is the s#%t.

This is what I use now, Vanilla tastes like cake. Pretty dad gum good.

Good Tips ChargerBill.... I knew it, I just didn't want to type it all up. Laziness 

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Anyone use this stuff from Sport Pharma?
http://www.sportpharma.com/products/whey/choc_detail.html

I picked this one because it was low in fat and had a good protein content......also because they sell it at Costco
I have only been taking 1 shake a day though as an after dinner snack instead of junk......should I be taking more?

Im what you call a "hard gainer"  I try a lot of different approaches with no real gains.  I am a casual lifter that works out at home.  Not a hard core gym rat......maybe thats my problem?

[69_Hemi_Charger]

Anyone use this stuff from Sport Pharma?
http://www.sportpharma.com/products/whey/choc_detail.html

I picked this one because it was low in fat and had a good protein content......also because they sell it at Costco
I have only been taking 1 shake a day though as an after dinner snack instead of junk......should I be taking more?

Im what you call a "hard gainer"  I try a lot of different approaches with no real gains.  I am a casual lifter that works out at home.  Not a hard core gym rat......maybe thats my problem?

Do you also diet and stick to it for a long time? Also just taking a protein shake instead of junk is not going to help you if you don't workout soon afterwards (an hour or two). If you don't work out after you drink the shake it is useless. Your body doesn't use this extra protein to build muscle, so it converts it into fat and/or disposes of it.

Casual lifting is all good, but you shouldn't expect dramatic results unless you stick to a lifting and diet plan. It does, however, help you keep some strength, but little improvement is made.

[MOPARHOUND!]

ChargerBill, you have a future as a personal trainer/dietician.

[The Ghoul]

I dont mean to jack the thread or nothing, I assume its run its corse and all...
Ive been working out 3 days a week for the last 3 months.. Its been going very well so far I have trimed down 13lbs and 3 belt notches, but I still have an issue with fat. I wasent too overweight to begin with but my stomic isnt tightening up and I still have flabby man boobies....
does any one know of a good supplament to help burn fat but not muscle that also might boost energy?
or maby my work out could be modified a bit to help these areas??
so far Ive been running for 30min each time on the tread mills (2.99 miles each time)
I usualy alternate my arm and chest work out with my back and abs each time I visit. I stick mainly to the machines when I go exept for arms curls (none of the machines feel right for bicepts)
Usualy what I do on the macines (because i usualy dont have a spotter when I go) is set a weight I can easily rep 6 times or so. I do reps of that weight untill I can no longer push up the bar any more. then i rest untill my muscles dont burn any more (30 seconds or so) then I start reps on that same weight again pushing my self as much as I can untill I can no longer push it up again. Then I rest and drop the weight by 10 lbs and do it all over again untill it gets so low that I'm embarrased to have girs see me struggle... thats usualy at about 20 lbs.

[Mike DC]

Possibly a diet issue?

Sounds like you're already getting enough exercise to be making a real difference in your body.  If the fat isn't going anywhere then my guess is that the calories are being replenished too well.

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A good friend of mine has lost about 45 pounds (of flab) in the last 6 months or so.  He did it with daily walks/hikes of a few miles (while wearing a 20-pound weight vest), and a restricted diet (very little sugar & processed foods).  I think he may have been pretty close to losing too much weight too fast, but he was very careful & informed about the whole process.  He seems very healthy/energetic now and his weight loss is still continuing (at a slower rate).

Of course, it's an extreme case and he was in an ideal scenario to post those kinds of numbers.  (Six months ago he weighed 240 pounds, he was getting no exercise whatsoever, and he was not controlling his eating AT ALL.  Then he started a full-bore diet control and exercise program.)  But it's still very potent example to me that the basic stuff works when it's applied strictly enough. 

One time he said: "Yeah, it seems scary to eat so little while I'm working so hard.  But the whole principle of weight-loss is that I have to NOT BE EATING ENOUGH TO SURVIVE at this activity level. If I even ate enough calories for my body to do this steadily then I wouldn't lose any fat.  I have to give my body absolutely nothing to work with except the healthy stuff." 

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I don't know how much food/protein is enough to build muscle with, and I don't know exactly how the diet restrictions & exercise issues should be changed when you're trying to lose fat but still add muscle mass in a healthy way at the same time.  But I think the answer probably lies in balancing these issues.

.

[The Ghoul]

I did change my eating habbits as well (forgot to mention).
I went from eating what ever when ever to a strict regiment of.
bowl of cheeri-o's with half a bannanna sliced up in it, one glass of milk for breakfast
lunch is 2slices of turkey on wheat bread with lettice, milk, bannanna or orange, and 2 ghram crackers
dinner is usualy what my mom makes for dinner but half the portion I normaly eat.
I stay away from pop when ever possible but my down fall is coffie. I normaly drink about 6 12oz cups a day but i dont church it up with shugar or cream. just plain black coffie.
A diet for me is easy to stick to because every day I eat a packed lunch eather at school 2 days a week or work 3 days.
I have been loosing weight and noticing a diffrence in the waste line but like I said my problem areas are not being solved quick enough for my taste.
My muscle mass is growing but its still under a layer of flubb.   

[69_Hemi_Charger]

There are a number of things that I do to regain my 6 pack when i get lazy and lose it.....

1. I space my my meals out from 3 a day to 5 or 6 a day. I also proportionally cut the meals down, so I eat less but more often. This really helps to boost metabolism and helps you burn what you eat plus whatever fat is on the body.

2. Regulate the types of food I eat. Obvoiusly cut out the crap. Also, something that has worked for me is a diet that is called "The Testosterone Advantage Plan" by Mens Health editor, Lou Schuler. The book outlines an ingenious way of dieting without ever feeling hungry. I am an avid follower as it has worked for me for two years plus. It outlines exactly how much carbs. protein, and good fats you should eat. About 33% of your diet should comprise of each of these groups.

3. Work out my abs until I can absolutely move any more. You tend to feel tired long before you actually begin tearing those muscles, which is what you want.

Working the abs can be very painful... but well worth it!

Hope that helps

[The Ghoul]

Ive actully had a rough time finding good ways to work my abs at the gym. They have 2 types of macheenes there for it but both of them move me so unaturaly that i end up cheating and work more of my upperbody rather than the abs (sounds weard but the way they are set up thats how it works out). I try to do some free style excersizes my friend taught me.
first one is laying on a flat bench, grab eather side of the bench behind your head and roll up onto your sholders. Then extend your legs so your body is making an L with only your head, sholders and hands contacting the bench. then slowly lower your body to the bench keeping your legs and back aligned with each other. There will eventually be a point where your arms will not support your whole body any longer and your butt will come crashing down onto the bench but make sure your legs never touch the bench. That one kills but it feels affective.
Next one works more obliques (sp??).
you get one of those stupid big inflateable balls sit on it and start walking your feet away from it. let the ball roll along your back untill its between your sholders your torso is flat and in line with your upper legs. with your legs at a right angel keeping your but from drooping down roll with the ball onto one sholder, hold
roll with the ball back to starting position then onto the other sholder, hold
keep doing that.
last one is a yoga technique, dosent feel like your doing much but after a while you feel it.
sit on the floor and point your legs as streight as possible forward.
roll back on your tail bone, keeping your legs as streight as you can and off of the floor.
ballance with your arms held up and away from your sides. your body pritty much makes a V shape while you try to maintain your ballance on your tail bone.
Its tough to get your legs stright and ever tougher to keep your body  in a V shape.

so out of those 3 things I always feel like I havent even started to work my abs when I leave the gym.
any good ones you can think of that dont involve a partner?