Must Have Supplements?

[T.Horton]

Also, for anyone, bulk or cut, I'd recommend 16/8 intermittent fasting.

I would like to hear a little more about this if you wouldn't mind.

[ZeeBrah]

I would like to hear a little more about this if you wouldn't mind.

There's loads of info, but basically, it's where you fast for 16 hours out of the day, and have an 8-hour eating window. There are other methods, but it's generally accepted that 16/8 has the most health benefits.

My eating window is from 12 to 8PM and it works great.

Lots of fat loss benefits and jsut overall health benefits (too many to name here).

Check out leangains.com

[DIB42]

A good multi-vitamin is all you need.

Try sorting your diet out using solid foods, you'll gain a lot better than you will from a poor diet & a load of overpriced supplements, its as simple as that really.

I always hear ''my diet is good'' reality is if it was you'd making good gains and wouldn't need supplements or anything else.


What is your daily diet like?

I agree with this mostly. Getting your vitamins/nutrients out of quality foods is way cheaper and more effective than suppliments. There is a pretty strong case against multi-vitamins as well. I personally think its better to error on the side of caution and use the multi, I know it makes me feel better, but that could be sort of a placebo effect.

With that said, unless you eat plenty of fish, or items infused with omega-3, I think fish oil is a reasonable suppliment, actually heres my list

Fish Oil,
Whey Protien
creatine (not neccessary, but I like a little boost before/during/after my workouts)
MultiVitamin.

Now on to OPs post -

People have a tendancy to make weight gain/loss way too complicated by adding weird boosts, individual vitamins they don't actually need, teas, scrubs, bands, etc

Think of them as the really cheesy work out devices that used to be everywhere in the 80s/90s... Ab Blaster, Thigh Master, shake weight, most everything from body by jake, all the weird home gym contraptions. Do they help? Maybe a little... Are they worth it... No... Alot of people got rich selling those items, but no one got in shape.

All you really need a weight bench, or a couple army duffle bags full of sand if you're ******, or just something heavy if you're really limited. You'll get more out of that then you will using the thigh master/ab blaster/shake weight combined.

Same with suppliments, no need to go ape**** and spend $300 on a bunch of pills, when you should be spending that $300 on quality food. Want to gain weight, eat more calories than you burn. Want to lose weight, eat less calories. Just eat high protein, low fat meats, and lots of veggies, a couple fruits, etc and plenty of water.

If you're really concerned, you can get bloodwork done and they'll tell you if you're low in anything. Odds are if you end up with a low amount of something in your system, they'll tell you to eat particular foods before they'll recommend a suppliment.

I know it feels cool and you look bad-ass when you pull out your gym bag and you can hear all the pill bottles clanking together... "Oh that guy must be pro" the onlookers whisper... but you're really just flushing your money down the toilet... Actually worse than that, at least in the toilet your money isn't making some company, that lies to people who are just trying to get healthy, rich.

[Jack3d]

If you want to gain mass, stop worrying about supplements and start eating.

As far as pre workout, Craze is what all the cool kids seems to be taking now.

But no supplements are a must have. Except for maybe a multi-vitamin

[itchum77]

increase your vitamin C intake, watch the boost you'll get in training after a couple weeks.
Also i recommend taking Muscletech's cell tech, boy will you be happy with that

[DIB42]

There's loads of info, but basically, it's where you fast for 16 hours out of the day, and have an 8-hour eating window. There are other methods, but it's generally accepted that 16/8 has the most health benefits.

My eating window is from 12 to 8PM and it works great.

Lots of fat loss benefits and jsut overall health benefits (too many to name here).

Check out leangains.com

This is likely to keep people from midnight snacking. Most of the time if you snack at midnight and whatnot, you'll grab something easy, and easy is usually unhealthy. Also if you know you only have a small window to eat, you're going to make the most out of it, and prepare for it.

Likely this works because you're planning meals, and not eating when bored/tired/in the mood.

When you eat really has little to do with anything other than how hungry you get.

[dan_cov]

increase your vitamin C intake, watch the boost you'll get in training after a couple weeks.
Also i recommend taking Muscletech's cell tech, boy will you be happy with that

Sarcasm?

75% of Celltech is a simple sugar;Dextrose which can be found for a few quid a big bag at all supermarkets. The rest is Creatine & a tiny amount of aminos. All-in-all a horrifically overpriced, poor post-workout formula.

If you're going down that route just buy a bag of dextrose & a tub of Creatine monohydrate, even some amino's. It'll be a lot cheaper to make your own. You could get 3 times the servings for around half the price.

[itchum77]

Sarcasm?

75% of Celltech is a simple sugar;Dextrose which can be found for a few quid a big bag at all supermarkets. The rest is Creatine & a tiny amount of aminos. All-in-all a horrifically overpriced, poor post-workout formula.

If you're going down that route just buy a bag of dextrose & a tub of Creatine monohydrate, even some amino's. It'll be a lot cheaper to make your own. You could get 3 times the servings for around half the price.

i did not know that, i've been using cell tech and my strength has jus been amazing.
i am going to try your recipe, how much of each ingredient should i use?

[dan_cov]

i did not know that, i've been using cell tech and my strength has jus been amazing.
i am going to try your recipe, how much of each ingredient should i use?

The dosages in Celltech are too high IMO, that is just going to make you go through it quicker & get more bloat. 75+ g per serving of sugar/Dextrose is ridiculous, I'd say 10g of Creatine was too much myself as well.

Personally I would cut that in half.
30-40g Dextrose, 5g Creatine monohydrate post workout, then your whey (presuming you use a whey powder)

I don't rate Celltech or Muscletech for that matter or their brother company Six Star nutrition. The claims they make are absolutely ridiculous & they're ridiculously expensive for what they are.
Far better companies/alternatives out there.

[sammiza567]

omg did someone really say cell-tech? christ this s&c forum needs serious help dan lol. i dont take anything to replace whats missing in my diet. but i train harder/more days per week than 99% of people(being an aspiring two sport professional athlete, and pretty elite at the amateur level in both). i train every single day so i need more. protein- i try to only take two a day max, with at least 4 meals without it just chicken/beef/fish. creatine- im gaining power/strength right now and this is something you really cant get through diet, helps explosiveness and strength alot if your training right. multivitamin- just to make sure your getting everything, on top of fruits/veggies at every meal. fish oil- you have to eat alot of fish which i cant do to get good dosages of your omega's and im just not willing to so i love fish oil. your joints will thank you. occasionally a preworkout. i dont think pwo are bad for your health per say, but i speak from experience, and you can become mentally dependent on them, like not being able to workout without it. none of these are mandatory, and plenty in history have acheivements great things in sports without supplements.