ExRx.net

Hi guys I need your expertise the topic stated. I've been working out for more than a year and finally decided to do it religiously. Right now I'm loading BSN Stack: NO Xplode, Cellmass and True-Mass. And after reading a few feedback on NO Xplode from this site (which I think is the best site for enthusiast) I've decided to drop it. My concerns are:
1. Is my stack correct?
2. How can I improve it.
3. What are the best brands out there and how to load them......

Save your money. Eat food.

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Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

I like to stack beef on top of beef
Tuna stacks up good too, but moreso before taking it out of the can

But you really can't get all the nutrition you need from food alone right?

If you think about that one, you have to wonder, how did people get nutrition before it came in a pill? Um, from food?

I change Jungledoc's advice "eat food" to add one word, "eat real food". When you eliminate processed foods, especially any bread from processed flour, you getting loads of nutrients. Plus it tastes a lot better, and you get a lot less salt and sugar.

And though you did not ask, I will add: get sleep. 8 hours. or more. every night.

You're kidding, right?

No?

I was afraid of that.

I consider 2 supplements to be of some value for the average, healthy person: fish oil and protein powders.

One of the few things that can be a bit difficult to get from the food supply in developed countries is omega-3 polyunsaturated fats. We need to decrease the omega-6 polyunsaturated fats (vegetable oils, corn, etc) and increase the O-3s by eating fish or taking fish oil supplements. Protein powders make it a little more convenient to get the quantity of protein that many of us prefer to get, but that isn't something that couldn't be gotten from food with a little effort.

So you think that in the last 30 years or so, we evolved the need for a bunch of chemicals that some company somewhere synthesizes or extracts from who-knows-what source and sells us at high prices? Cause that's what you are saying.

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Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

Well... I would say somewhat in partial answer to your question... yes. Not that people need to go out of their way to get sythesized or extracted stuff, but that in the past 30 years or so, we have found the need to really search for our quality foods because alot of the stuff in the WalMarts and other supermarkets are so processed they are void of some needed nutrients anyway...

Things to look for/do for less or unprocessed foods...
-Local butchers that give sources of their meat. Usually listed as more expensive but are open to negotiation/haggling.
-Local farmers markets for fresh straight off the farm fruits, vegetables, and eggs, etc. Same pricing situation as above. Or plant your own!
-Fishing local ponds, streams, and oceans for your fish. Cost of a fishing license or even cheaper if you have & stock your own pond. Heck, get some core exercise out of it too by bringing your kayak or canoe and boat while fishing.
-Hunt, not many better ways to get good fresh meat unless your butcher buys from the Amish. Deer, Turkey, Squirrell, Bear in some cases, etc. are quite cheap to have butchered and even more if you have your own land to get around the hunting licenses, etc.

Just sayin...

Thanks doc... I'll consider that... but how about creatine? I see it everywhere and there's a ton of them in the market and for an average guy like me trying to be fit. It is very hard to decide what to get, not to mention if I'm getting my money's worth.

I'll tell you from experience and from the fact I'm a fairly muscular/lean individual (~205lbs and 10-12% bf, if that gives me any credit).

You don't NEED anything to achieve your physique/fitness goals.

Things that are proven to help, though, are:

Caffeine/Stimulants (CNS boost, increases endurance and strength performance)
Creatine Monohydrate (Helps some, doesn't help others - only monohydrate is worthwhile)
Protein Powders (Purely for convenience and lack of fat/carbs if dieting, it's basically just food in powder form)
Multivitamin (This is just in case you eat a limited selection of food)
Fish Oil Pills (General Health)


Beyond that, eating well and lifting/working out intensely is going to be the biggest factors - the things listed will make a very small difference.

If you're strapped for cash, I'd recommend just sticking to food (maybe get protein powder, since it's cheaper per gram of protein than most foods)

Yes, what does that have to do with this:NO Xplode, Cellmass and True-Mass?

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Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

The OP bought up that food might not give people what they need to maximize growth when exercising and that these powders are needed to supplement for those nutrients that everyday food isn't giving him.

My point was that OP may be partially correct if the OP isn't watching the sources of his/her food, but not to make up for those deficiencies by way of powders, just by way of being more picky as to where OP gets the food.

I dunno, this is all from information that I haven't been able to confirm but recieved from trusted people in my life... just like the need to isolate each muscle and work it 3 sets for 10 reps, so ya know... I'm just trying to weed through the bull that I've recieved in life and confirm the good by bringing up these points when I see similar topics about it.

I would give the exact same advice as above. I have similar stats too. I'm not quite as lean, but I'm probably shorter and smaller framed. I weighed in at 206 this morning. So there you have it, two muscular bodybuilders in complete agreement.

On the topic of whey, it might be worth pointing out that beyond all the other benefits that have already been cited, it also has a higher biological value (i.e. amminoacid profile) than most foods out there. E.g. table in this article.

Another pro, more subtle but still very important IMO is that by virtue of being low in fat and carbs, it makes room in the protein and caloric budget so that you have more variety in your diet. Also a Very Good Thing in my book!

BTW a couple days ago I posted a link to a clinical study where soy protein (BV=74) was put up against whey (BV>100). Whey promoted a beneficial change in body composition while soy did not.

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I don't know where the blind could lead the sightless
but I'd still like to witness