Starting the Gym, supplements?

[Zahgurim]

personally i dont use supplements when i work out i just push myself to the point of exhaustion on a particular part of my body say legs or arms or abs and the next day i work out i do a dif part you'll see major rewards doing it that way. I use P90X, it is hard but you see a nice difference after only 30 days not to mention 90 days.

[Sadgazm]

As many here have already said, you don't "need" any form of supplement. But if you're going to be adding additional workload to your muscles/joints you do have to fuel them. I take protein in the morning with my oatmeal, then throughout the day eat about 12oz chicken breast along with rice and beans. About half hour before gym time I take another protein drink (small one only 8oz) the immediately after workout I take another. I could just at more egg whites and chicken but the powders are more convenient and don't make me feel too full. I shoot for about 1/2 gallon of water per 50lbs of body weight to keep yourself from dehydration.
If you're looking to go lean then there's no need for gainers, and you can get all the nutrition you need from food, many people including myself just find it easier to supplement the diet with powders because it's more concentrated.
Mix in aerobic and weight training if you're looking to be lean, I gym 6 days per week and only on two of them do I do aerobic (about an hour of running/jump rope/crossfit training). You can lean out with pure weight training but the running is a nice change of pace from the plates and bells.
Happy to hear you're looking to keep/become fit, hope you stick with it because it's the best thing you can do for yourself

[stickyjam]

sort the diet first and commit to the gym..

later consider supplementing.

[Toroc]

Careful with those powders, a lot of that stuff damages your kidneys.

[nertharul]

u should def use roids ................ naah just kidding, well my recomendation is.

Hard work out for 1 month 6 days a week, and after that when u get some endurance go with the supplements:

Protein shake, aminos, something like jack3d, and multi vitamin pills like centrum, with a good dietary schedule sorry for my bad english, eat alot of chicken, fish, 1 per week red meat, alot of veggies, alot of water avoid the fake fruits juice, eat alot of fruits and make juice with em, well thats pretty much how i roll and works rly good

[KainX]

Careful with those powders, a lot of that stuff damages your kidneys.

This kind of misinformation is the only "damage" to be done. If you're talking about the basics, you're referring to creatine/protein powders. Issues only arrive if an individual is not maintaining an adequate level of water. Why? Because high protein diets generate a lot of metabolic waste that needs to be removed from your system. Water is what does just that. In addition, if your kidneys aren't doing their job, the liver will kick in to help them - and then slack on doing the job they would be doing otherwise: burning stored fat.

[Deleted]

OP, too many people rely too heavily on supplements for gains. Get the basics right then use supplements for what they are for - to supplement your training and diet.

Sort your diet out, get a good training regimen going, make steady gains then look at supplements 3-6months down the road if you can highlight any deficiencies you have during your training.

Honestly, if you're just starting out in the gym / training you'll have no need for supplementation at all. A good diet will provide nearly everything you need to gain healthy weight.

[freelapdance]

sort the diet first and commit to the gym..

later consider supplementing.

This. Supplements DO help but you should use them when you hit a plateau in the gym. What supplements you should take depends on where you are and where you want to be. If you want to bulk up then take in a LOT of protein. You want roughly a 500+ calories a day surplus. Personally I find it very hard to put on weight and don't have much of an appetite. So when I am doing a bulk phase I will usually just have a couple of extra protein shakes with full fat milk.

Now with regards to the "damaging kidneys" thing. IF you take enough creatinine for a long period (this is still under debate lets say 6 weeks) then you could put a strain on your kidneys. Excess protein will just be excreted. Just make sure you are keeping hydrated- as in make sure your pee is clear.

[Blinks]

You don't need supplements, but they do help get more out of every workout depending on what you take. Although not every creatine work the same way in the sense of just adding water weight, I don't take any of it.

For building muscle, protein is great for adding mass as well as assisting in muscle recovery. Just make sure you are taking the right amount and staying hydrated throughout the day. A pre workout will help great in getting the most out of your workout and really pumping more. Then a post workout will help you keep your gains. I used to use 100% Whey for protein, cellmass for the post workout and Bullnox for the pre workout.

For cutting fat,I have used Animal Cuts, OxyElite Pro, Ripped Fuel Extreme as well as an ephedrine based cutter.

A multi vitamin is an awesome idea as well.

Keep in mind though you have to be careful when taking these things.they can. Do just as much damage as good. Especially if you were to take a weight cutting supplement. I have recently quit taking them.

A lot of these things have natural stimulants that sounds nice but will really change how you feel. For example some people have experienced a feeling of light headed or dizziness, insomnia and more. Not saying it will happen but there is the potential for it to.

My advice, go to the gym and just work out hard. Don't mess around talking to friends or screwing off.get in there and work your ass off and see the results. Eat a well balanced diet, remain hydrated and you will see results.

[freelapdance]

OP test it and see. Two weeks of protein powder should show how you are doing and about a month on creatinine, lets say 5g a day, possibly going up to 10. Also glutamine is pretty amazing. I started getting that into my routine a couple of months again and the "healing" process felt a lot better and faster.

[Blinks]

Also don't just take them whenever. A lot of supplements need to be cycled instead of just taken everyday. A lot follow the 3 weeks on 1 week off rule.

[dd614]

Don't even worry about supplements until you're diet and training are right.

---------- Post added 2012-05-08 at 04:30 PM ----------

protein powder isn't a miracle pill, the protein in it is no different then chicken/beef/eggs etc etc. however if you live a busy life style they can assist u in meeting ur daily calorie requirements to build muscle, and u make some awesome stuff with it like proats ^.^

In regards to other supps creatine mono and pre workouts are the only ones that will assist you in getting bigger and you should be cycling (not taking them year round). All this other stuff

- Glutamine
- BCAA
- multivitamin
- any sorta oil capsule
- basically anything that isn't int he three I spoke about is all bullshit and doesnt work.

Sorry, but those things are not necessary at all. A proper diet negates the need for a multivitamin and if you're getting proper protein, BCAAs are also not necessary for average people. They are only good in cases of very hard training(ie athlete), vegetarianism or hard caloric deficit. Glutamine supplementation is also a waste of time. A study done in 2001 showed no difference in strength gains between a test/placebo group. The test group took in significant glutamine supplementation. The best supplement is and always will be protein powder for those who simply can't eat enough whole foods.

[Blinks]

Don't even worry about supplements until you're diet and training are right.

Definitely true. Even with supplements, if you are eating like crap and/or not exercising consistently you won't see any progress anyway. Just a waste.

Also these supplements aren't normally cheap and especially not if you are stacking them with others. Definitely make sure you have everything down before you invest in them. The last thing you want to have happen if you do decide to buy is get them, then get lazy after a week and have wasted all the money.

[iadamson]

You need a high protein diet, and take in a lot of calories. (if your skinny)

If your skinny-fat, just take protein without the whey.

Protein should just supplement your diet by adding in additional protein & calories. If your really skinny take casein or whey protein before bed, if your bodies hungry while u sleep its not good for muscle mass.

Take a multi vitamin. Just to make sure your getting your essential nutrients, no ones diet is perfect.

Eat clean, lift mean, its 50% work out 50% diet.

Creatine.... marketing.. doesn't work limited usage... expensive ones just add a ton of vitamins making it 'better'
Pre-work out - pointless unless you need motivation or a caffeine pump to get started working out... if you need that your kinda of a beta white knight phgt.
Test boosters... for old men, young guys who take it already produce x amount of test naturally... over night you'll just convert it into estrogen. (srs)

Once you hit your plateau in 1-2 years you'll have to start taking 'real' supplements.

anyone who doesn't take whey gainer or protein is a crossfit idiot who doesn't know sh!t about the gym or working out. (srs)

Protein ---> cheaper solution and easier than buying massive amounts of groceries and forcing yourself to each to reach your calorie goal.

Also your body only absorbs 50 grams of protein per sitting/ digestion.

Your gonna need about 50 each calories per extra pound of muscle once you gain some to maintain it.

If your fat... each regular serving and a healthy diet never eat fast food. Do cardio.
Raspberry Ketone works well for a modest fat burner... not a miracle or anything.
Some people have use caffeine pills with Ephederine to bust the metabolism. Might have to take double dosage to get an effect... I dont reccomend this at all.
Take winni.

[Dreyen]

I'm no gym expert, but youre just starting out, dont worry about supplements. Just get what your need from food, you'll be healthier for it, eat as many fruits and vegetables as you can, it shoud be the major portion of your food, eat some eggs too, they're badass, try to vary your food as much as you can, eat your vegetables raw as much as you can to keep nutriments in them.

Personally, when i used to go to the gym, i used to eat like shit, but i trained 3x a week, with amazing results, i almost increased every weight i did by 50%, just eat well and keep a steady pace or at least x3/week and youll be badass enough without supplements

[Drihan]

Supplements should not replace food. Balance your calorie, carb and protein intake around your workout (weight loss, weight gain etc). If you're trying to become big and bulk (gain weight and muscle) a diet high in protein and calories will work best. REMEMBER, talk with your personal physician about what you wish to gain out of your workout and he/she will be able to advise what type of diet you should have. Weight and muscle gainers need to worry the most about supplements, it's not necessary, but it can help with getting those few extra calories.
Personally, I can eat pizza and hamburgers every day for years without gaining weight. It's just how I'm built. Therefore, to gain weight and muscle, I'm perfectly able to use supplements to help the process. Someone who gains weight very fast need to be much more careful.
Like I said, talk with your doctor. He/she can run blood tests, stress tests, BMI measurements etc. to help you create a good diet that fits your body.

I wouldn't touch creatine, not at first anyway. Creatine is naturally occurring in red meat and it helps your body transfer more energy to the body. It does what it sounds - your muscles can go on for longer workouts without getting tired. Take creatine after you have created a basis (1-3 months of 3-4 days a week of workout), that is when it helps you the most, and use it very sparingly; if you workout 3 times a week - 1 time on, 2 times off. If you have asthma or any allergies you should ask your doctor to see if it's safe, since it has been linked to inducing asthma attacks.
Creatine has also been linked to kidney damage, that is one of the reasons you should use it sparingly, even though that only occurs in excessive amounts. No more than 3 grams a day, depending on your physical form and medical status.

[Johnson32]

Many of the people that have already posted here have given great insight. It definitely starts with getting your body's endurance up and eating right. Proper diet can make or break all of the hard work you put into the gym. A tip is to eat more, but smaller meals, that way your metabolism keeps on working throughout the day and you burn fat effectively. As far as supplements go, the first I would recommend is your basic protein shakes. Most people dont get enough protein in their daily diet so shakes are a great way to supplement that and prevent muscle loss. Also when taking protein shakes 30 min post workout your recovery time is quicker and you dont feel as sore the next day. As far as pre-workout supplements go, you don't really need them but I have just started using 1.M.R. (one more rep) lately and have noticed a huge boost of energy and greater endurance during my workouts. Usually pre-workout supplements are just concentrated caffeine tho with some amino acids and precursors for N.O. (nitrous oxide) which is a relaxer of smooth muscles=blood vessel dilation which increases blood flow and oxygen delivery to muscles during exercising. Also, one last tip is to never lift antagonist muscle groups the same day (such as triceps and biceps) as your gains will not come as quickly. You want to lift synergistic muscle groups (muscle groups that complement each other) such as triceps and chest, which are both "pushing" muscles one day, then back and biceps the next. That way you are getting the most muscle gains from your workouts and actually seeing improvements. Just my 2 cents.

[Deleted]

Pre-work out - pointless unless you need motivation or a caffeine pump to get started working out... if you need that your kinda of a beta white knight phgt. Test boosters... for old men, young guys who take it already produce x amount of test naturally... over night you'll just convert it into estrogen. (srs)...

...Take winni.

Wait, what. So drinking caffeine to boost your energy levels prior to going into the gym is for "beta white knight phgts", test-boosters are for old men then end your cry-wank clueless rant by suggesting he takes Cyclostanozol.

Bro-fist!

[Deleted]

i have tried only proteins, but is not a must since there is a max of proteins the body can take daily, so if you eat a lot of meat, fish and milk derivates you don't see much changes taking them.

[Deleted]

As a beginner you do not need supplements, just eat well with a lot of protein you can get from good healthy food. If you still insist on supplements then by all means get some whey protein, this does wonders for muscle gain if the rest of your diet is in order.