Who has...

[JolietKev]

Given up their supplements? Either all or some of what they have taken in the past and why? Also, what have your results been. I ask because I am contemplating this move myself. I will probably stay with Creatine (sizeon) and protein powder, but will give up the rest. Like I said I am thinking about it. I love drinking my Blue Raz Super Pump first thing in the morning so it may be rough. I am not sure what the long term effects of taking all these will do if anything/

[Marius_Ursus]

I have. I stopped the protein powder when I decided to get serious with my weight loss. I also stopped taking a lot of different supplements in pill form in favor of getting the complete nutrition matrices from whole foods.

It appears to be working out really well for me.

[...Kennedy]

Tried a men's mutlivitamin for about eight weeks, then stopped. The only change I noticed was the color of my urine while on it. But then, I eat a variety of food, and often.

Tried fish oil for about eight weeks, then stopped. Noticed no change from it, but I take prescription arthritis medication also, so that may be why.

Supplements and such seem to become more necessary the further one gets into actual bodybuilding, as opposed to just lifting weights. Plus, some people don't have access to full meals at every our of the day, so that makes protein shakes and such very useful.

Just my two cents.

[JolietKev]

I have. I stopped the protein powder when I decided to get serious with my weight loss. I also stopped taking a lot of different supplements in pill form in favor of getting the complete nutrition matrices from whole foods.

It appears to be working out really well for me.

Why did you stop the PP for weight loss?

[Marius_Ursus]

Why did you stop the PP for weight loss?

It was an experiment at first. I decided to eliminate "liquid calories" as it were. I know protein powder isn't technically a liquid, but for my current goals I wanted to cut back on as many fast-digesting foods as I could. Comparing my pictures from January and the avatar I have now (taken about six weeks ago), you can see a big difference, and there's an even bigger difference now.

[Old-Time-Lifter]

Right now I'm just taking whey powder and fish oil......... dropped everything else for a month.

[drewkawa]

I'm the average protein powder, multi vitamin guy. That's it. Nothing else in pill, powder for liquid form.


Well there is my signature....

[thomasale]

I stopped all except protein powder...I have noticed NO differences. No multi,fish oil creatine, NO, nuthin!

[m1k3g0rd]

Over the years you discover what works/what doesn't/what's purely psychological.. Most supplements are completely unnecessary. Even multivitamins are over hyped. Protein powder comes in handy if you don't have time for real food, but shouldn't be a staple in anybody's diet. Creatine seems to provide mostly water gains.

I've narrowed my 'required' supplements down to 2 - fish oil & boswellia. Without these, my joints get sore and I can really tell the difference. Occasional use of citrulline malate, beta alanine, & gatorade mixed (all bought in bulk) as a pre-workout drink.

That's just me though, everyone's different.

[bodyhard]

Supplements and such seem to become more necessary the further one gets into actual bodybuilding, as opposed to just lifting weights.

Spoken for the truth. Most who compete, or at the very least have physiques like people who do compete take supps.

Your typical weightlifter/Gym-goer wouldn't be taking any supps and they really don't sport the build neither.

I might not compete, but I live on supps, if it wasn't for supps I would never get to where I was/going to be again.

And with the help of Ol-Sup I will compete before I hit 50

[Ctrainer]

I stopped the No-Xplode, a good breakfast did the same thing for energy and the crash was too much..

[JolietKev]

All the stimulants in the supps give me anxiety issues. Anyone else experience that?

[Nikonguy]

I stopped creatine after 12 weeks even though it worked for me but at the time I was bothered by the water retention. I just restarted creatine because at the moment I don't care about the water weight.

I have tried both White Flood and Purple Wrath (not together) for extended periods and felt they did not deliver as much as a mid afternoon meal, good hydration and caffeine. I may revisit similar products in the future.

[JolietKev]

This may sound a little dumb, however how do you know or feel like you have water retention??

[keninverse]

This may sound a little dumb, however how do you know or feel like you have water retention??

You look in the mirror and you're bloated from all the crap you ate over the weekend.

[x-trainer ben]

This may sound a little dumb, however how do you know or feel like you have water retention??

You definition and sharp angles seem to vanish, you have this big sausage looking arm with less of a horshoe in it. Or your teardrop in your quads seems to vanish. The ridges in your hamstrings go smooth.

[Marius_Ursus]

This may sound a little dumb, however how do you know or feel like you have water retention??

Relax your arm and poke it. Hold your finger in the skin for a count of 10. When you relieve the pressure, if it takes longer than half a second to rebound, you're retaining water.

[m1k3g0rd]

This may sound a little dumb, however how do you know or feel like you have water retention??

It's that sloshing sound when you walk...

[jawter]

Relax your arm and poke it. Hold your finger in the skin for a count of 10. When you relieve the pressure, if it takes longer than half a second to rebound, you're retaining water.

Another common place to do this test is on the shin.

[JolietKev]

After trying the tests, I am thankfull too say that SizeOn is not making me retain water. COOOOL.

[kennyken55]

I have tried every supplement going over the past 20 years, and to be honest unless you are consistent with you training you will just waste your money on supps!

For the past 18 months I have trained non stop with only planned rest days and have took the following supplements with great sucess;

Morining:

Whey Protein

Afternoon:

Whey Protein

Pre Workout:

2 Teaspoons Flax Seed Oil
Whey Protein with equal carbs
Teaspoon Creatine

Post Workout:

Whey Protein
Teaspoon Creatine
12 Happy Cola Gummi Sweets
1/2 Banana

Before Bed:

1/2 Tub Cottage Cheese
Whey Protein

This may not suit everyone, but I am thriving on this diet at the moment!

[kennyken55]

I have tried every supplement going over the past 20 years, and to be honest unless you are consistent with you training you will just waste your money on supps!

For the past 18 months I have trained non stop with only planned rest days and have took the following supplements with great sucess;

Morining:

Whey Protein

Afternoon:

Whey Protein

Pre Workout:

2 Teaspoons Flax Seed Oil
Whey Protein with equal carbs
Teaspoon Creatine

Post Workout:

Whey Protein
Teaspoon Creatine
12 Happy Cola Gummi Sweets
1/2 Banana

Before Bed:

1/2 Tub Cottage Cheese
Whey Protein

This may not suit everyone, but I am thriving on this diet at the moment!

this is not my whole diet

I also eat a s**t load of chicken, tuna, salmon and lean beef!

[dungeonmistress]

Given up their supplements? Either all or some of what they have taken in the past and why? Also, what have your results been. I ask because I am contemplating this move myself. I will probably stay with Creatine (sizeon) and protein powder, but will give up the rest. Like I said I am thinking about it. I love drinking my Blue Raz Super Pump first thing in the morning so it may be rough. I am not sure what the long term effects of taking all these will do if anything/

i started taking them again and now because of circumstances beyond my control, i probably won't be able to afford them any more.

[Bando]

I think I could give up everything but the glucko/chondr/MSM for joints, muscle sore is OK, joint pain is not.

[kennyken55]

When you get to my age (44) you realy need to look after your joints, hence the flax seed oil!

i forgot to mention that I always take a good multi vitamin pill every morning.

If anyone wants my whole diet, I will be happy to post it, but remember what works for me may not work for you!

I have now got to stage where I feel I have everything down pact with my diet and I all I need to do is now lower the caloeies and carbs in the last few weeks leading up to comp time!

[AndroShock]

All the stimulants in the supps give me anxiety issues. Anyone else experience that?

Yup, plus I cant sleep even if taken early.

I dropped everything but protein for a while.

[dungeonmistress]

I have tried every supplement going over the past 20 years, and to be honest unless you are consistent with you training you will just waste your money on supps!

For the past 18 months I have trained non stop with only planned rest days and have took the following supplements with great sucess;

Morining:

Whey Protein

Afternoon:

Whey Protein

Pre Workout:

2 Teaspoons Flax Seed Oil
Whey Protein with equal carbs
Teaspoon Creatine

Post Workout:

Whey Protein
Teaspoon Creatine
12 Happy Cola Gummi Sweets
1/2 Banana

Before Bed:

1/2 Tub Cottage Cheese
Whey Protein

This may not suit everyone, but I am thriving on this diet at the moment!

any diet that includes those haribo happy cola bottle gummies (particularly the sour ones) is a diet that gets two thumbs up from me. *drool*

[plmb1]

Given up their supplements? Either all or some of what they have taken in the past and why? Also, what have your results been. I ask because I am contemplating this move myself. I will probably stay with Creatine (sizeon) and protein powder, but will give up the rest. Like I said I am thinking about it. I love drinking my Blue Raz Super Pump first thing in the morning so it may be rough. I am not sure what the long term effects of taking all these will do if anything/

I stopped all supps but digestive enzymes, multi, b6, b12, bcomplex and c.

The reason I still take enymes and extra b's is because now Im eating around 4 lbs of red meat every day (I have to eat like that to make up the difference of the protien powder).

This is what I've noticed so far:

I've really leaned out alot

Energy level is much better which means intensity is better when training and I think we all know what that means.

My pumps are harder and last longer

My wallet is much heavier.

By the way.........I "did" compete and do well without supps. Supps does not really do anything that the right foods can't do. When not taking supps I had to eat a ton of the right foods at the right time just like I did when I took supps..........I just had to eat more of it when not taking the supps.....thats all.......JMO........

[hochspeyer]

Its important (for me, at least) to differientate supplements and things one takes for something other than bodybuilding. Like a lot of folks here, I take protein powder and creatine. However, like many others, I also take MSM+glucosamine and multivitamins for general health. I also take a few things for gout and ADD, and I cannot count these as supplements because they allow me to function- not at a higher level, but to function, period. Through research, for example, I recently discovered bromelain, an enzyme which is found in pineapple (and available in a capsule form). Coupled with vitamin C and the quercitin which is plentiful in my diet, my last gout attack was quite mild and about three days shorter than what has been usual for me. So, I take a bunch of pills on a daily basis which improve the quality of my life.

Sorry for the mini-rant. We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.