Gym Rats and Beefcakes... what supplements do you recommend ?

[Porter Rockwell]

Get your testosterone levels checked first, make sure they are optimal... if they are not, get a testosterone replace therapy prescription

Get on a solid nutrition plan and Stick with it

lift weights

Most of the “supplements” ie: the protein powders, creatine, is all bulll****..

your physique is going to be 100% based on what you consume food wise and your genetics (muscle belly’s, inserts, length, etc )

Just had a full physical. T levels are good. I’ve really made an effort to clean up my diet, it’s not perfect, but that was my best blood work in a long time. BP, cholesterol everything was pretty solid. Good advice. Thank you

Still a little too much belly fat, I need more cardio but I hate cardio work.

My current eating plan is fairly basic - lean beef, some chicken and plenty of fish. Whole grains and lots of beans, and vegetables, little bit of fruit and minimize sweets and junks foods ( I won’t be perfect). I’ll plan on eating most of whole grains carbs after a heavy workout. I’ll use whey protein shakes to spread my protein out throughout the day. It’s hard for me to eat at work sometimes, so I’ll use the whey and pea protein shakes to maintain at work when I don’t get chance to eat a good meal, or for a quick breakfast if I am running late to to work. I’ll eat at least 2 eggs a day and some oatmeal now and then.

I’m thinking about adding some creatine. Some, guys swear by it and some say it’s a waste of money. Of course some guys say their Taurus pistol is just as good as a Sig, so it’s sometimes hard to tell who really knows what they are talking about.

 

[BH-ATL]

I did some creatine when I was younger, (50's) and thought it helped especially with recovery. Some of the gains were not lean so there is that. Some of my lifts went up but I also tweaked my shoulder. I have heard one can get more injuries on creatine. I have one son that works out a lot and says you need to do it in sessions and not continually.

 

[ShawnZR-1]

Your eating plan will do more than any supplement you can take. EVERYTHING starts in the kitchen!
Record what you eat, religiously. Pay attention to your macros more than calories. Adjust those to align with your goals.
Look up both bulking and cutting diets and understand the nuances. Customize to your goals.
Cardio should be part of your exercise plan but consider it a tool to help build your stamina, not just burn calories. Weight lifting and resistance training are better in the long term since lean muscle burns calories more efficiently and the effects of weight training last much longer than cardio. Look up EPOC. You continue to burn calories long after your weight lifting session is complete. With cardio, you stop burning those calories very shortly after the workout.

As far as your eating plan, understand a few things: First, you can only process and absorb protein at a limited rate. If you can only absorb 160 grams, consuming 200 grams is a waste, though there are different types of protein and associated amino acids with different absorption rates. Again, research and apply. Second: you need carbs and fat! Carbs give you the energy to get through your workout and fat helps transfer the necessary nutrients around to the cells. Just get both from healthy sources. Don't drink your carbs! Lastly, keep your eating plan dynamic. You'll get more nutrients via variety.

Full disclosure: I take a multi-vitamin, a collegen supplement (I was on antibiotics for a while and it was recommended to avoid potential tendon problems), and I take a 30 gram protein shake a couple of times a week as a between meal snack if I get hungry.

 

[BamaBrad]

Creatine is good to take as a pre workout regimen. It will help give you the xtra umph to keep pushing. It’s not intended to be taken as a mass builder. There are several protein powders that have creatine in it that you can take for a pre workout to help boost your workout which in turn will give you the muscle/ mass your looking for.

 

[MuleShoe]

Worked out for about 6 years in the 90s used a creatine called phosphagen and drank boost pre workout! Worked out 4 days a week for 45 miniutes and lost down to 245 and benching 445 when I quit! I need to start back but can’t seem to get motivated and I’ll be 64 Saturday! Had 3 friends that worked out with me and we kept everybody motivated! Good luck and good health!

 

[BDR1]

Worked out for about 6 years in the 90s used a creatine called phosphagen and drank boost pre workout! Worked out 4 days a week for 45 miniutes and lost down to 245 and benching 445 when I quit! I need to start back but can’t seem to get motivated and I’ll be 64 Saturday! Had 3 friends that worked out with me and we kept everybody motivated! Good luck and good health!

Dang 445 bench at 245.. that’s awesome

 

[elduque1969]

Get a good BCAA supplement if not previously mentioned

 

[Porter Rockwell]

Worked out for about 6 years in the 90s used a creatine called phosphagen and drank boost pre workout! Worked out 4 days a week for 45 miniutes and lost down to 245 and benching 445 when I quit! I need to start back but can’t seem to get motivated and I’ll be 64 Saturday! Had 3 friends that worked out with me and we kept everybody motivated! Good luck and good health!

Dang 445 bench at 245.. that’s awesome

Yeah that’s impressive.

 

[Dundee]

Creatine made me puffy as hell. Protein powders I found good to help put on pounds, mostly fat, and work back down from that. Now that I'm over forty these swings in weight do not agree with me. Brings on heartburn and higher blood pressure, the only time I've had either. The only other physical difference that spending huge amount on bottles of stuff at the supplement store 100% definitively achieved was changing the color of my piss. Been reading about peptides lately, interesting, but just a bit too strange an secretive.
I actually looked in to the T therapy because I wanted to try and knock a niggling injury on the head, Lance Armstrong style. Doctor I spoke to, a friend not some "Dr" on the phone trying to push the ****, told me that the amount of testosterone that is prescribed is about a third of what would be considered an anabolic amount and was not going to significantly help my injury. So not worth it for how I was looking at it. Interesting, I think I'll try it mid-fifties.
I've seen too many friends start back up, be sensible for a week or two and then hurt themselves. Got to lift within yourself for the first three months back, even if you're feeling strong after a couple of weeks. And maybe with more of a focus on the cardio than you would normally like. Any injury you pick up over forty is going to hang around.

 

[BH-ATL]

Worked out for about 6 years in the 90s used a creatine called phosphagen and drank boost pre workout! Worked out 4 days a week for 45 miniutes and lost down to 245 and benching 445 when I quit! I need to start back but can’t seem to get motivated and I’ll be 64 Saturday! Had 3 friends that worked out with me and we kept everybody motivated! Good luck and good health!

Maybe you are a better man than me but I always enjoy going to the gym and telling the youngin's just leave the bar loaded so I can warm up and then add more plates. Nothing better than out lifting them. Fyi I am 64 too.