|
Bodybuilding, Supplements, Diet, and Nutrition Articles and Advice
I've been involved in health, fitness, and bodybuilding for over 20 years. I've competed in bodybuilding and powerlifting contests for many years.
I also have been a bodybuilding and fitness judge and a personal trainer. I attended the University of Pittsburgh and I earned a Bachelor's Degree in Clinical
Dietetics and Nutrition. Rather than starting a career as a Registered Dietician and working in a hospital or clinic setting, I decided to use my
education and experience to help athletes achieve their goals through proper nutrition.
My goal is to provide free information that may help you in your quest for health and fitness. Use the links below to navigate to your area of interest.
I welcome any questions or comments you may have so feel free to contact us.
|
Taking Supplements
|
Bodybuilding Workouts
- Muscle Mass Building Routine
- Workout for Getting Ripped
- Bodybuilding Contest Preparation
|
Diet & Nutrition
|
Exercise & Diet Logs
- Log to Track Workouts (I)
- Log to Track Workouts (II)
- Log to Track Daily Diet
|
Health & Fitness Resources
|
Bodybuilding & Fitness Stories
- Bodybuilding Contest Journies
- Weight Loss Journies
- Post Your Fitness Journey!
|
Supplements for General Health
|
Bodybuilding Supplements
|
Supplement Search
|
Interesting Links
|
Latest Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
I just started taking body building supplements. I am taking creatine, glutamine, whey protein, and ALA. What's the best way to take these to get the best results?
You have selected supplements that I personally use and that have withstood the test of time. These basic supplements have been around for years and have provided consistent results for thousands of bodybuilders like you.
The glutamine is an all-purpose bodybuilding supplement. If your budget allows you to take 5 grams of glutamine two to three times a day, that should help significantly with your growth and recovery.
The creatine works very well, in my opinion, when taken immediately after weight training. On non-training days, I take 5 grams of creatine in the morning with some carbs.
I take the ALA every morning with my other supplements. I also take an additional dose with my post workout drink.
In addition to the suggestions offered above, I would recommend using the creatine, glutamine, whey protein, and ALA within 15 minutes of the end of your weight training session. I am not sure of your exact goals, but if your goals include adding lean muscle then you might consider combining the creatine, glutamine, whey protein, and ALA into a post workout drink mix. The post workout drink mix I use contains the following ingredients:
- 2 cups of water mixed with a 'no calorie' flavored drink mix
- 40-50g Whey Protein
- 50-70g Dextrose
- 5g Glutamine
- 5g Creatine Monohydrate
- 300mg Alpha Lipoic Acid
The dextrose can be purchased from a number of websites and you may also find a bag at a specialty health food store. A bag of the dextrose costs about $3.
I am not sure what type of whey protein you have, but I use whey protein concentrate. I use the whey protein concentrate because it is very rapidly digested and amino acids are quickly delivered to the blood stream. I use the dextrose rather than table sugar because dextrose causes a strong insulin response. The alpha-lipoic acid assists with the insulin response. The glutamine and creatine help with recovery and strength gains.
A supplement program like this may not be recommended depending on your overall health and any diseases you may have. Please check with your doctor before trying any supplement program.
Do you have to take whey protien on non training days?
No.
The only time I recommend taking whey protein would be right after a workout. This is because of the rapid absorption and utilization of the amino acids following consumption of a whey protein drink.
On non-training days, the spike in amino acids is simply not necessary, in my opinion. I prefer to use whole foods including cottage cheese, skinless chicken breast, skinless turkey breast, tuna, lean top round beef, and eggs - to name a few. Foods generally provide a long slow release of amino acids into the blood stream, which is desirable when attempting to maintain an 'anabolic' metabolism. Consuming protein from a variety of sources throughout the day ensures overlap in the delivery of amino acids to the blood stream (and muscles).
Because of the rapid spike in amino acids that consumption of whey protein causes, I recommend consuming a whole food meal one-hour after your post workout drink. This will provide a longer, more sustainable stream of amino acids and level off the initial spike and drop-off caused by the whey protein drink.
Some products contain either a combination of proteins (whey combined with casein, soy, egg albumin, etc) which deliver a slower more sustainable amino acid stream. Other products contain some type of ingredient that is meant to slow the absorption of the whey protein and provide slower absorption. These products may have some value and I must admit I have used them in the past. In my opinion, however, I still favor whole food whenever possible. After all, why drink your meals when you can eat them? Whole food meals provide more satiety (and variety) so you don't become hungry again so quickly.
|
Latest Bodybuilding Articles
9 Easy-To-Make Muscle Building Growth Recipes
Think putting yourself on a muscle building diet has to be a painful process? Whether your goal is fat loss or muscle building, getting proper nutrition is at least 80% of the game. If you don't have that figured out, you are going to be a long time away from seeing results.
Weight Lifting Rules For Skinny Runts
You wake up in the morning and look in the mirror. Pleased with your appearance? If you more resemble the appearance of a long distance marathon runner than a world class sprinter, don't worry, you aren't alone. You just need to start following these weight lifting rules.
Can You Gain Muscle Weight Without Getting Fat?
There are two common fitness goals - to gain muscle mass and to lose body fat. Unfortunately, for the most part, the two goals are at opposite ends of the spectrum.
6 Pack Abs - The Secret To 6 Pack Abs
Everywhere you turn, someone's promising the next secret to getting 6 pack abs. Some of these so called 'secrets' have some degree of accuracy, while others, not so much. Deciphering which are the best methods to getting 6 pack abs is going to be critical to your having success with this goal.
Learning The Muscle Fiber Types
Choosing the best type of workout program that will stimulate the muscle fiber type that will get you the results you're looking for is extremely important.
How to Avoid Over-training to Maximize Muscle Growth
Almost anyone that's picked up a set of weights has or will experience symptoms of over-training at one point in there muscle building program. Over-training can lead to serious injury, chronic fatigue, and even muscle loss.
|
|
| |
