Are you a supplement offender?

[shortz]

To some, I am preaching to the choir. To others, they will just disregard what I am about to post and continue doing what they do. For the rest, hear me out.

Supplements and supplement timing is such a huge part of weight lifting. It's actually become overwhelmingly so, and some push it as far as being almost a mental disorder. There was a time, a few years ago, that I felt I had to squeeze every bit of nutritional "tactic" as possible. I Would set my timer, eat my simple carbs PWO, take my pre workout Whey, and make sure to eat a good meal at the 1 hour mark. I literally followed all the rules, had all the science to back it up etc.

Then came a day that I wanted to get lean after having several bad attempts at it. My focus was only to get ripped. I figured out that calories and macros were king, and everything will follow. I stopped all of my supps, all of the timing BS, and wouldn't you know it, I not only lost fat, but my gains were incredible. All these years I just hadn't been eating right. All of the supps and tricks in the world couldn't make up for my bad diet.

Sure, to this day I am still not "huge". I am pretty sure I am a just short of having the genetics of a 10 year old girl, but it was a damn good wake up call for me. I made more gains in the last 2 years than I had in almost 4 years of training total prior to that.

Now, don't get me wrong, there are circumstances where supps are good; Loss of appetite, on vacation and/or traveling and packing meals isn't an option etc. OTOH, to depend on supps and expecting good progress based solely on those, you're not going to be making optimal gains, IMHO.

On a final note, regardless of whether you're dieting or bulking or maintaining, it's always the same; food, food, food, THEN training, then rest, then, in a very far last place, supps.

Just some thoughts I have been having over the last few days. I have been working with a few people trying to get their diets cleaned up, and also posts on the forums about how much work they are putting in to their PWO nutrition, and I am seeing a lot of people using supps as a crutch.

 

[shortz]

Here is why supps suck. This analysis shows how much protein is actually in your protein. As you can see, its pretty pathetic, even the best stuff on the market sucks.

 

[Diesel0022]

I'm gonna quote myself in regards to the link you've posted

They're not accurate. The methodologies used for this small-scale analysis were questionable as the analyst in question is not a chemist, but rather a physicist. Nonetheless, the results of the colorimetric assay were inconclusive.

Take a look at the solubility variances. Sonication wasn't used to accelerate the dissolution of the analytes.

Flawed analytical methodologies & inaccurate findings.

Although I do agree, 98% of supplements are BS.

 

[Cabo Jo]

Well I have some bcaa for sale.should have just bought some koolaid and saved a few dollars.

 

[GiantSlayer]

Whereas my dieting ideals differ, I agree that most sups are useless. I do try to take advantage of nutrient timing. I have no proof that it works scientifically but it at least keeps me on a schedule which works for me. As for sups, some of them are as good as drugs. Mainly the stimulants and designer steroids are drugs by definition. These sups work but are not FDA approved so you do the math. Usually if it actually works it gets banned. Countless times I've read the newbie thread that says "Hi I'm new to this lifting thing. What supplements should I take?" I'm like wow.... So much to learn and this is the question everyone needs answered?

 

[Diesel0022]

Whereas my dieting ideals differ, I agree that most sups are useless. I do try to take advantage of nutrient timing. I have no proof that it works scientifically but it at least keeps me on a schedule which works for me. As for sups, some of them are as good as drugs. Mainly the stimulants and designer steroids are drugs by definition. These sups work but are not FDA approved so you do the math. Usually if it actually works it gets banned. Countless times I've read the newbie thread that says "Hi I'm new to this lifting thing. What supplements should I take?" I'm like wow.... So much to learn and this is the question everyone needs answered?

I have lots of respect for you

 

[shortz]

Whereas my dieting ideals differ, I agree that most sups are useless. I do try to take advantage of nutrient timing. I have no proof that it works scientifically but it at least keeps me on a schedule which works for me. As for sups, some of them are as good as drugs. Mainly the stimulants and designer steroids are drugs by definition. These sups work but are not FDA approved so you do the math. Usually if it actually works it gets banned. Countless times I've read the newbie thread that says "Hi I'm new to this lifting thing. What supplements should I take?" I'm like wow.... So much to learn and this is the question everyone needs answered?

Not sure if you saw this, but it's good info. Bottom line is, just eat. It doesn't have to be a shake, it doesnt have to be low fat. Just eat and the effects will be the same.

Alan Aragon on the Anabolic Window - YouTube

Too many guys are afraid to stray from the norm. I made the leap, and am really glad I did. If you never try new things, and with a good effort, not some half asses effort and didn't last long because you were afraid, then you will never truly figure out what is actually working.

 

[PillarofBalance]

Once I dropped all of my supplements I started growing again. Honestly I think I was so full from all the stupid powder drinks that eating was just more difficult. My goal wasn't abs, it was just size though. But the same thing held true. Until I completely focused on the food I wasn't reaching any of my goals. Creatine was the one exception though. That shit works...

The funny thing is once I stopped taking the supplements I wasn't watching the clock anymore. So I became less neurotic about what and when I ate. I just ate when I was hungry.

Now that I am at a size I am comfortable with, I was OK with adding some supplements back in. And now I'm slowly beginning the process of dropping fat.

 

[porky little keg]

Everything has a place.

Diet is the foundation, but the right supps for the right jobs help tremendously.

In the 12 years since I stepped in the gym I've tried everything. Some worked some didn't but in the end after a decade of busting butt I doubled my weight. I started at 165 and have been 330 for a few years now. I started at 15% and have been as high as 30% and as low as 6% - now I'm around 15% again... but double the weight....

The process took a LOT of food.... and I've found a few things that work really well on top of that.
BCAA during the workout
protein throughout the day and immediately post work out
stimulants... that should be given emphasis.... STIMULANTS
and when I'm eating 100% clean I'll start gagging on my meals by meal 5 of 6. Devour from Nubreed helps a lot with this.

Creatine has its place, glutamine is great, so are the regular joint care stuff....... but the above are my staples.


I agree with the big idea of the O.P though - food first, supps second..... but they do help as long as you have everything else in line.

They are the frosting on the cake....... but you can't frost a turd.

 

[shortz]

They are the frosting on the cake....... but you can't frost a turd.

Word

I used to love the stims you could get OTC. I just think they are pulling all of the good stuff as soon as it hits the shelves, so I Just stopped. Anything left on the shelves just isn't worth it anymore, IMO.

 

[Diesel0022]

Everything has a place.

Diet is the foundation, but the right supps for the right jobs help tremendously.

In the 12 years since I stepped in the gym I've tried everything. Some worked some didn't but in the end after a decade of busting butt I doubled my weight. I started at 165 and have been 330 for a few years now. I started at 15% and have been as high as 30% and as low as 6% - now I'm around 15% again... but double the weight....

The process took a LOT of food.... and I've found a few things that work really well on top of that.
BCAA during the workout
protein throughout the day and immediately post work out
stimulants... that should be given emphasis.... STIMULANTS
and when I'm eating 100% clean I'll start gagging on my meals by meal 5 of 6. Devour from Nubreed helps a lot with this.

Creatine has its place, glutamine is great, so are the regular joint care stuff....... but the above are my staples.


I agree with the big idea of the O.P though - food first, supps second..... but they do help as long as you have everything else in line.

They are the frosting on the cake....... but you can't frost a turd.

Bolded are strongly debatable

 

[porky little keg]

Bolded are strongly debatable

Debate all you want. I log my training, diet, and supplements. I know what changes each one is making for me.

Remember though, I lift 3 times a week. Each session is between 3 and 5 hours. That's how long a training session in gear takes with a big powerlifting team.


What helps me may or may not help the average gym rat going in for a 60-90 minute session, doing reps, and whatever else gym rats do......My work sets for squat start at around a grand. Think of how many sets it takes to warm up to that point. My warm up is over an hour just for squat and I train squat and deadlift on the same day.

So, I totally understand that you might not get the same results that I do if you aren't training with the same goals. You won't hurt my feelings by enlightening everyone about how you feel something would or wouldn't help you.