Would you recommend starting supplements now?

[Lasers]

Currently, I am working on losing weight and fat. I started my program (I am a little over 5'11 and 19 years old) at about 245 and am now down to 194. Everything I am doing seems to be working (eating a lot healthier and going to the gym/running about 5 days a week). I don't use any supplements except a grocery store multivitamin at dinner. After reading up a little bit on bodybuilding.com, it seems that there are many different supplements around that I should be taking to help. The thing is, should I really start them if everything I am doing seems to be working?

The bodybuilding website lists all of these supplements I should be taking: http://www.bodybuilding.com/guides/m...ss/supplements

Once I reach my goal of about 175ish, I will start working on building a lot more muscle. I figured then is when I would start taking my supplements. But, should I start taking any of these now?

[Shik Valentine]

Just start off with the basics. You can add in other supps later on once you've stalled on weight loss. I wouldn't really use the main site off BB.com(lot of broscience), check out the forums.

Multi: Controlled Labs Orange Triad
Fish Oil: Controlled Labs Oximega fish oils
Whey: Myofusion is fine
Creatine: SNS creatine mono

We have the same stats. I actually started off at 245, sitting at 196 now. Whatever you're doing seems to be working for you, so keep at it. Just be sure you're getting enough protein(to retain muscle as you lose weight), & fats. About 1-1.5 grams of protein per lbm(lean body mass), & .45 of fats per lbm. Check out the links in my sig for further help.

Edit: I wouldn't shop at BB.com. A lot of other places that are cheaper.

2nd edit: As far as my macro intake. I take in about 160 grams of protein, & 70-90 grams of fat.

[Lasers]

I haven't used any protein bars or shakes because whenever I check them out they seem to have so many calories. Is it worth it to at least start drinking some of these protein shakes?

After a workout, I almost always eat a sliced roast beef sandwich.

[Shik Valentine]

If you're able to get enough protein through your diet, there really is no point to taking shakes/bars. Unless you don't have time to make food, shakes/bars are fine. Just eat w/e you're craving after your workout, won't make a difference.

Most protein powders range from 100-200 calories with 20-30 grams of protein.

[Lasers]

Yeah that is what I was figuring. I also was looking into beef jerky (never really eaten it before) and it seems pretty high in protein and low in calories. I think the protein shakes I was looking at at the grocery store are just pretty bad compared to the one you listed.

[Shik Valentine]

Yeah, love jerky. I buy mine at walmart. About 14g of protein for 80 calories. It can get rather expensive though, so I rarely buy it.

[jaxus]

Seems like you've got the big picture though — shakes are basically just another meal. In the diet game, regardless of what people tell you, is about doing what works for you, and taking in fewer calories than you burn. You're doing that, obviously. That plus a multivitamin is probably enough. Heck I forget to take mine 95% of the time. I need to work on that. I started this year at 265. I'm at 210-215 now (it varies throughout the week).

[Dodrin]

If you're cutting, don't bother with protein shakes. But if you want to build muscle, you want to ideally intake 1g of protein per pound of body weight. That's when you need to take supplements.

[Deleted]

That's when you need to take supplements.

Care to elaborate why?
You never need to take supplements, otherwise they'd be called essentials.

[Zyzzyx]

Start off with none (other than what you find yourself not getting from food, if lacking vitamins and omega 3). If that works out, keep it. Don't just start with supplements like creatine and whey, there's absolutely no reason unless you find yourself not gaining at all with a decent program.

[whiskjack]

First off don't take creatine.. or if you do consult a doc first.. if can do a number on your liver if you don't watch it Second.. you don't need subs if you eat right to build muscle, unless you want to take roids i guess... Sups will only enhance your gains to a certain degree.

When you hit a wall change it up.. people invest way to much money on sups and read these books and sites that advertise all this crap.. eat right, and work hard and you will see gains like you have man. If you dead set on taking sups.. protein isn;t bad and is a great pre and post workout drink.. omega 3 is great and can help your memory :P

[Zyzzyx]

First off don't take creatine.. or if you do consult a doc first.. if can do a number on your liver if you don't watch it Second.. you don't need subs if you eat right to build muscle, unless you want to take roids i guess... Sups will only enhance your gains to a certain degree.

When you hit a wall change it up.. people invest way to much money on sups and read these books and sites that advertise all this crap.. eat right, and work hard and you will see gains like you have man. If you dead set on taking sups.. protein isn;t bad and is a great pre and post workout drink.. omega 3 is great and can help your memory :P

You probably meant kidneys...but to an extent I agree, either consult or just don't overdo it. Creatine isn't a foreign material by itself, just don't take too much and your body will adapt just fine.

Be careful, as with anything. Too much water can kill you.

[Butry]

You can start cutting now. Would be more beneficial then working your way down into the 170s then working it back up.

[Dragoncurry]

Supplements are absolutely unnecessary. If you need to build muscle eat 3 chickens and 20 eggs (whites) a day.

[Shik Valentine]

^^^^ That's unnecessary.

[Nailien]

Creatine: SNS creatine mono

Why would you ever recommend a monohydrate to someone who wants to loose some weight? All it does is increase strength and water retention. Strength - fine. Water retention - not good for weight loss.

You SHOULD get a protein powder/isolate no matter if you're at weight loss or weight gain or whatsoever. Why? Because the greatest anabolic window occurs within 30-45 minutes after training. Within that timeframe, no food will get digested and proteins from them be applied to muscles. Greater muscle mass - greater basal metabolic rate - more fatburn.

If you're concerned with calories from shakes, get a protein whey isolate - one scoop (30g) usually consists of 25-27g's of protein. It is a laughable ammount of calories.

Don't even bother looking at supplements if you haven't sorted your meal plan properly for weight loss. If you only want a weight loss, low carb or ketosis (no carbs at all for 5-6 days, followed by recharging with 100-200g of carbohydrates a day for a day or two) or low carb diet. If you want weight loss and muscle growth, carb rotation (for instance from day 1 to 7 - 200 - 150 - 100 - 0 - 50 - 100 - 150, with hitting the gym 4-ish times a week on days where your carb intake is higher)
Have 5 - 7 meals a day (this way you also increase your basal metabolic rate) and sort them out so you have about 30g of proteins each meal (depending on your current weight, but more accurate - 2.5 grams per kilogram of body weight), sort carbs depending on your goals mentioned above and body weight, with 60-100g of fats, much more preferably unsaturated ones.

Good way to start is - forget about junk food, forget about sugars, forget about fruits, forget about any kind of bread, avoid any kind of fats where you can (for example if youre preparing yourself some chicken breast, fry it with water, not with oil, remember meat's already got plenty of it)
If you're not sated to make it through to next meal, add green vegetables like tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber, etc... but especially tomatoes (not exactly green, but still - it's wonderous).

[Deleted]

Have 5 - 7 meals a day (this way you also increase your basal metabolic rate)

It does not. And it does not accelerate fat burning either.
Research TEF (Thermic Effect of Food) if you'd like to know the exact scientific details.

It's like the new bodypart-toning myth, except people still believe that too.

[Nailien]

It does not. And it does not accelerate fat burning either.
Research TEF (Thermic Effect of Food) if you'd like to know the exact scientific details.

It's like the new bodypart-toning myth, except people still believe that too.

Sure it does, research Insuline and research simple carbs - very simple theory behind these.

[Shik Valentine]

Why would you ever recommend a monohydrate to someone who wants to loose some weight? All it does is increase strength and water retention. Strength - fine. Water retention - not good for weight loss.

-Also helps retain muscle mass(which is essential in cutting[losing weight])
-like you mentioned it also increases strength
-source of energy
-bloating is temporary, it's usually people that "load" it. Not necessary.
-endurance
-fuller muscles
-water is drawn into the muscles, not where you might think it does.


Only things I can think of off the top of my head atm....

You SHOULD get a protein powder/isolate no matter if you're at weight loss or weight gain or whatsoever. Why? Because the greatest anabolic window occurs within 30-45 minutes after training. Within that timeframe, no food will get digested and proteins from them be applied to muscles. Greater muscle mass - greater basal metabolic rate - more fatburn.

That anabolic window, it doesn't exist(it's all marketing by supp companies). YOU DON'T NEED whey, as long as you're getting enough from your diet, it's not needed at all.

---------- Post added 2011-07-06 at 05:08 PM ----------

Sure it does, research Insuline and research simple carbs - very simple theory behind these.

No it doesn't, I've explained it here before. Do a quick search.

[Phuongvi]

Remember Bodybuilding , they want to sell stuff first of all.
Supplement are expensive , but I dont know your budget.
I would recommend first , using the proper nutrition , paying you an expert/trainer for a couple of session (3/5 session) and paying your gym bills
THEN.
Some items you should consider
Fish oil omega 3
Glutamine + Vitamine C
And Protein , ok yes , I think everyone going to a gym need at least a Protein bucket at home,
If you cutting the fat , get something that is not a meal replacement like the Synta-6.
I really like this one http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/un/sensation.html

And another thing I like is Waxy Maize mix with two scoops of whey before work-out