Organic / Natural / Healthy Supplements???

[desilu98]

I'm fairly new to serious lifting (since Jan.), and have seen quite a bit of muscle gain since then. I just make sure I eat like a cow after my workouts. Everything I eat is organic, I'm a health nut. No-hormone chicken, eggs..organic breads, yogurts...etc...

I'd like to start taking a supplement to help speed up my weight gain. But when I go to GNC everything has a list of ingredients that seem to be concocted in a science lab... I wouldn't ever put that **** in my body without knowing the effect it's going to have on my insides...

So, does anyone know of anything thats natural and healthy? or should I just continue to eat until my stomach is about to burst? Is whey protein ok?
Would appreciate any help..

Thanks all.


22, 6'1, 195lbs

[vegHead]

there are some all natural whey proteins out there. Jay robb is a company that sells a really healthy whey protein, only sweetner used I believe is stevia. Its pretty expensive but very clean

[KrushR]

Let me know what you find and I'll do the same. I'm just about out of my regular whey and want to try some organic as well. My wife and I try to eat as much organic as possible. The JayRobb stuff looks good. I'm going to order 2 lb. of it and give it a shot. I'm still looking for more reviews. I'll post links as I find them.

[vegHead]

Let me know what you find and I'll do the same. I'm just about out of my regular whey and want to try some organic as well. My wife and I try to eat as much organic as possible. The JayRobb stuff looks good. I'm going to order 2 lb. of it and give it a shot. I'm still looking for more reviews. I'll post links as I find them.

ive tried the jay robb choclate and I loved it. I work at a health food store which sells it and it sells incredibly fast. The store also has an organice whey protein by source naturals I believe. I think you'll enjoy the taste man its a little expensive which is the reason i dont usually buy it.

[KrushR]

Cool. I'm ordering this weekend. I can't really find any reviews on it, so I'll probably review it myself.

[pu12en12g]

I'd like to start taking a supplement to help speed up my weight gain.....

1) Oats. Rolled (300 calories per cup) or Steel cut (600 calories per cup)

2) Whey protein. Aim for AROUND 2g per lb (see below)

3) Milk. Lots of milk everyday. I drink at least 1 gallon daily.

4) Squat, Deadlift, Benchpress (BIG 3.. see below)

5) Multivitamin (see below)

6) Spirulina. (This is because of your emphasis on health)... basically a good compact source of "green veggie" type nutrients.


A few things that helped me go from 6ft 130lbs @ age 19 to 6ft 234lbs @ age 27:

Supplements:

- SAVE $$$$$ ! ! STICK WITH THE BASICS ! ! )

Multivitamin
10 lb bags of Optimum Whey Protein (This includes a great BCAA profile AND glutamine) (Note: I recommend Choc / Choc Mint only)
Creapure Creatine or Creatine Ethyl Ester HCL
Cold Pressed Flaxseed oil (and / or fishoil

- Stay on creatine, there is no need to cycle it ! (cycling and loading are totally optional)

- Creatine timing (when / how to take it):

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=307788
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/author22.htm

- Aim for AROUND 2g of protein per lb of bodyweight EVERY SINGLE DAY ! !) Here is why:

http://www.johnberardi.com/articles/...oprejudice.htm
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=337536

Diet:

-Total daily calorie intake. This is what will make / break you
-Total daily calorie intake. This is what will make / break you
-Total daily calorie intake. This is what will make / break you

- Fatloss basics. READ IT: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=379131

- BMR and nutrition calculator: http://michaelandkendra.com/BMRCALC/bmrcalc.htm

- Foods (Good vs. Bad): http://www.t-nation.com/portal_inclu...1/172food.html

- If there was ONE SINGLE KEY to the gains I made in the 1 1/2 years when I went from 175-225, it is OATS / STEEL CUT OATS ! Oats are a CHEAP SOURCE OF HEALTHY CARBS (and calories). I saw lean gains like I had never seen before. But NO THEY DON'T TASTE GOOD. YOU HAVE TO FORCE FEED THEM. This gets old fast. I added about 1 cup of oats to each protein shake.

When bulking, I aim for:

- 1lb lean beef per day
- 1 Gallon Skim Milk per day
- Around 2000 cals per day from oats
- Lots of protein shakes (up to 8 per day)
- Lean chicken
- Lean turkey
- Lean beef / sloppy Joes (manwich)
- Hamburger Helper
- Lots of pasta
- Lots of tuna
- Potatoes
- Rice (Note: If you can afford it you can do things like boneless chicken breast, steaks etc.. etc..)
- Veggies (Fresh if possible)

When cutting:

- I eat many of the same foods above, but with a lower TOTAL DAILY CALORIE INTAKE

- I put a emphasis on PRE- and POST-workout nutrition, and the end result is that most of my calories are eaten before my afternoon workout. I have found this to be ideal (for me).



Cardio:

- If possible, do cardio at least 8 hours from when you lift weights

- If possible, do cardio in the AM after sleeping.

- No need to do cardio on a empty stomach, but many prefer to due to nausea

- Jumping rope is a very efficient form of cardio

- HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is a efficient form of cardio






Recovery (A.K.A GROWTH !):

- With proper intensity MUST COME PROPER RECOVERY !

- Make sure and get enough protein right before you go to sleep.

- Make sure and get enough protein/carbs right when you wake up

- Make sure and get enough deep, quality sleep (Not getting enough quality sleep is the #1 newbie mistake. You should aim for at least 8 QUALITY hours of sleep per night):

http://www.johnberardi.com/articles/...sleep_1_pr.htm
http://www.johnberardi.com/articles/...sleep_2_pr.htm

- Make sure and get enough protein / calories on off days (This is when your body will be recovering) It is important to be consistent !

- Make sure and get proper pre and post-workout nutrition:

Carbs pre and post workout.
Protein pre and post workout.
Creatine pre and post workout:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=272067

H20 / Cell volumization:

- Make sure and drink enough water throughout the day (This is CRITICAL ! !) I drink about 1 liter per hour. (Keep in mind I am currently over 220lbs so you may not need this much) Click here to read about why this is SO IMPORTANT:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=332329
http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle....le=301stretch2
http://www.biochemj.org/bj/313/0697/3130697.pdf
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/author22.htm

Good luck !

Disclaimer: The above post is IN MY OPINION, or IN MY EXPERIENCE, unless otherwise noted.

[vegHead]

pu that was awesome thanks a lot for writing that up. just one question you take up to 8 shakes a day? Also how long do you wait in between meals. Write now im trying to eat every 2 hours while drinking milk in between. ANyway just curious to see what you do. thanks

[pu12en12g]

Also how long do you wait in between meals.

Around 2 hours or less. I also snack on oats, peanuts, and I always keep a gallon jug of milk on my desk.

[zimzum]

go to dadamo.com , they use natural organic ingrediants only.... or go to new-chapter.com all thier supps are food based!

[zimzum]

also buy all your sports supplements in thier raw state suck as creatine, nitrous products ect... just get em with that one ingrediant not the crap that has 20 ingrediants like a no explode , swole ect....

[DaddyR]

Organic? Natural? Ewww how sickening! I want all of my stuff to be PURE, without a bunch of undefined, unknown little bits of crap left over from whatever plant or animal it was extracted from!

For most things, I want 100% pure, synthetic stuff made in a clean pure lab, so I know exactly what I am getting!

Note that was said tongue-in-cheek. I personally think some people have a false sense that natural and organic are always good and that synthetic is always bad. IMO, at least sometimes "synthetic" is good just because you know what's in it.

[desilu98]

Thanks Pu...

while this sounds great..it also sounds like I would have to commit my entire day to eating... I couldn't imaging eating so much... a gallon of milk, 8 shakes...1L of water/hr? That alone would fill (and bloat) me up for the entire day..

I live and work in NYC..where I don't have much time for anything...so usually on lunch..i run down and get a burrito..about 1300 calories..(chicken/rice/beans, good no?) then dinner sometimes i'll get 2...cook some eggs..big thing of yogurt..and then i'm paralized from eating. On my off days..I usually dont eat so much..a mistake i guess?

Any suggestions for someone who's always on the go? Should i make shakes in the morning and keep them in the fridge at work? How many do you suggest drinking?

also, i'm not looking to get HUGE...i'm naturally thick and i guess you could say I'm just focused on catching up the upper half with the lower..a healthy look.. not overdone..

thanks again

[pu12en12g]

I'd like to start taking a supplement to help speed up my weight gain.

i'm not looking to get HUGE...i'm naturally thick and i guess you could say I'm just focused on catching up the upper half with the lower..a healthy look.. not overdone..

Do you deadlift ? If not.. start.

[desilu98]

DaddyR..

Organic is "pure"..everything else that you buy isn't..and thats where the left overs come in..

"I want 100% pure, synthetic stuff made in a clean pure lab, so I know exactly what I am getting!"

I don't think anything you get is pure..if it's being made in a lab..because you really dont know what youre getting.. ...can you tell me "exactly" what Microcrystalline Cellulose, Magnesium Stearate, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Pharmaceutical Glaze, Silica, Titanium Dioxide (color), PEG, Polysorbate 80 are?
whats the Pharmaceutical Glaze made from? hmmmm?

just my opinion..

[pu12en12g]

No-hormone chicken

There's chickens that have no hormones ?

[KrushR]

There's chickens that have no hormones ?

I can see a redneck pointing at a chicken saying, "Dat chicken ain't got no hor-moans!"
Then blasting it with his double-barreled shotgun "into smithereenies".

[Deadhead96]

I can see a redneck pointing at a chicken saying, "Dat chicken ain't got no hor-moans!"
Then blasting it with his double-barreled shotgun "into smithereenies".

No.

I suggest losing the Gallon of Bodily Fluids from a Cow everyday.

[DaddyR]

DaddyR..

Organic is "pure"..everything else that you buy isn't..

I don't think anything you get is pure..if it's being made in a lab..because you really dont know what youre getting.. ...can you tell me "exactly" what Microcrystalline Cellulose, Magnesium Stearate, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Pharmaceutical Glaze, Silica, Titanium Dioxide (color), PEG, Polysorbate 80 are?
whats the Pharmaceutical Glaze made from?

I get what you're saying and I was definitely going way "over the top" in my exaggerated response. But I just don't agree that "natural" and "organic" is really always better. I think a lot of time it's nothing but a bunch of hype designed to get you to pay more for something.

Consider for example the herbal product Ephedra versus the pure alkaloid Ephedrine Hydrochloride. Ephedra has lots of other things in it, various of which have health effects good or bad besides the main active ingredient Ephedrine. Ephedrine HCl may have miniscule amounts of contaminants. Which is worse? You might say the contaminants in Ephedrine HCl, I might say the unknown mixture of "natural" stuff in the Ephedra. Who's right? Who knows for sure?

Microcrystalline cellulose is EXACTLY microcrystalline cellulose. Magnesium Stearate is EXACTLY magnesium stearate (do I need to write out the chemical formula for you?), Silica is EXACTLY silica, Titanium Dioxide is EXACTLY titanium dioxide (TiO2), PEG (polyethylene glycol) is EXACTLY PEG, Polysorbate 80 is also known as polyoxyethylene sorbitan-80-monooleate (see http://sci-toys.com/ingredients/polysorbate_80.html), Pharmaceutical Glaze is a kind of shellac that is an edible, all-natural wax product (see here http://www.temuss.com/html/pharmaceutical.html).

Your point being? No wait: I think I get your point. If it has a chemical name instead of a common name, or is something with which you're not familiar, you're scared of it. "Chemical" is bad. Never mind the fact that nothing in all of creation isn't made up of chemicals, except for a perfect vacuum.

Sorry - I know that's kinda harsh the way I put it. I don't really have as much disrespect for you "organic" dudes as it sounds. I just disagree with some of your most basic beliefs.