Do you take any supplements ?

[J4CKO]

i.e. those doing weight training ?

I just have the Whey Protein and have a shake of one scoop of that in milk after training, apart from anything I need a drink anyway and the Myprotein Vanilla is strangely compelling, like melted Vanilla Ice Cream with a hint of dust the Mint Chocolate is a bit grim.

I have some creatine I bought at the same time but not sure whether I should be taking that, I have put a bit in with my post workout shake but probably need some advice, am training 3 times a week and stepping up what I do.

Anyone take anything else (legal), just interested really.

[paulwoof]

I think alot of people have came around to realizing alot of supplements are a load of crap and anything worth taking is either now banned or is cheaper to get from your diet (Which you should aim for anyway)

Seeing huge jacked guys on tubs of random powder in years gone by was the done thing but now everyone knows those guys are on more than protein powder. The fact the fitness industry is all about selling clothes and "online trainers" selling copy and paste gym routines confirms this.

I take protein powder purely out of convenience.
ZMA (Zinc Monomethionine Aspartate, Magnesium Aspartate and Vitamin B6), I noted i dont get much zinc or magnesium from my diet so decided to try it. Cant really say its given any performance increase but it does give me awesome dreams.
A multivitamin, Loads of essays say doesnt make much a difference, But taking 1 a day cant be doing any harm and theyre cheap enough.
Fish oil capsule, Can never have enough fatty acids and is another lacking part of my diet as I dont like fish etc.

And thats pretty much it. Ive experimented with a fair few but the above listed are the only ones ive stuck to.
Currently taking a break from Pre-workout as built up a built of a tolerance. Got my hands on some good stuff which used to be widely available but isnt now (The people who know mr Jack will know it). Its great but the tolerance builds pretty quick to it.

[ORD]

Supplements don't work unless they are absolutely first rate (and those are expensive).

No point in cheap multi vits and minerals. You just secrete them.

[Fozziebear]

Tribulus, green lipped muscle and acai berry, I find it helps me, everyone is different. I used to take she'd loads of different supplement, very costly. I used to take 4-5 tea spoons of creatine spread over the day, eat 6-7 times a day, I was 19+ stone, solid, strong, not ripped, 450kg incline leg press etc, never again.

[Monty Python]

Magnesium, fish oil and vitamin D

[MrBarry123]

paulwoof said:

I think alot of people have came around to realizing alot of supplements are a load of crap and anything worth taking is either now banned or is cheaper to get from your diet (Which you should aim for anyway)

Seeing huge jacked guys on tubs of random powder in years gone by was the done thing but now everyone knows those guys are on more than protein powder. The fact the fitness industry is all about selling clothes and "online trainers" selling copy and paste gym routines confirms this.

This.

[HappyMidget]

Whey is a good source for extra protein.
Creatine is pretty much a must if you are vegetarian as the only dietary source for it is meat iirc.
Caffeine is pretty much the best pre-workout.
Taurine is good if you get a lot of cramps.
Everything else is optional really depending on your diet. Remember they are supplements, not instead ofs.

[okgo]

What I think is an OK qaulity multi vit from Myprotein
big dose of vit d also
fish oil

[DuncB7]

Multi-vitamin tablets are a great way to give yourself expensive urine. Absolute waste of money.

Get a supplement for Vitamin D in the darker months, or even all year round if you're feeling flush.

[J4CKO]

Does anyone not use Whey powder ?

Much as I like, Meat, Fish Nuts etc sometimes it is hard work to ensure a steady supply and get it down.

Also, do you lot mix it with Milk or water typically ?

[okgo]

DuncB7 said:

Multi-vitamin tablets are a great way to give yourself expensive urine. Absolute waste of money.

Get a supplement for Vitamin D in the darker months, or even all year round if you're feeling flush.

I do a lot of training, probably more than most on here, so I should think I need the extra that you get in the multivit, I did notice a large difference when I began taking them.

Most people are very very lacking in Vit d at all times, the RDA is a joke.

[otolith]

I have been trying to maintain a high protein intake with a relatively low calorie intake. I find whey protein quite handy for that.

I mix it with skimmed milk. If I do want some carbs with it, I chuck it in the blender with a banana. It's useful to have the option.

[HappyMidget]

J4CKO said:

Does anyone not use Whey powder ?

Much as I like, Meat, Fish Nuts etc sometimes it is hard work to ensure a steady supply and get it down.

Also, do you lot mix it with Milk or water typically ?

I mix with Gold top milk as I need the extra calories and like it quite thick.

[J4CKO]

otolith said:

I have been trying to maintain a high protein intake with a relatively low calorie intake. I find whey protein quite handy for that.

That is my aim as well, starting to see improvements now, not losing much weight but trousers fitting better (eyes not bulging any more) and seeing some definition, still reckon there is 2 stone of flab to get rid of.

Going to take a while !

[otolith]

Down to 11.5st, from 15st at Xmas. Still got some fat round the middle to dispose of, but focusing more on gaining some lean mass now - a month of serious calorie restriction and cardio would take a big chunk out of what is left, which I will do at some point, but it's not much fun.

[Monty Python]

DuncB7 said:

Multi-vitamin tablets are a great way to give yourself expensive urine. Absolute waste of money.

Get a supplement for Vitamin D in the darker months, or even all year round if you're feeling flush.

3p a day is hardly expensive.

[J4CKO]

otolith said:

Down to 11.5st, from 15st at Xmas. Still got some fat round the middle to dispose of, but focusing more on gaining some lean mass now - a month of serious calorie restriction and cardio would take a big chunk out of what is left, which I will do at some point, but it's not much fun.

Jesus, thats good going, I want to get to 15 stone, currently 17 st 5.

When I calculate my BMI, my ideal weight at 6ft is apparently between

9st 10lbs and 13st 1lbs

Short of disease, not sure how that would be possible !

My scales say I am 29 percent lard (not sure how accurate but sounds plausible) , 35 percent muscle, so if I get my Bodyfat down to 15 percent that is about 2 stone 5 away, i.e. my 15 stone aim, would have to go lower than 15 percent BF to go lower, or lose muscle, to get to the maximum weight the BMI says of 13.1 I would need to be at 5 percent Bodyfat !

The one positive I take from this is I have more muscle than fat.

[V8covin]

J4CKO said:

Does anyone not use Whey powder ?

Much as I like, Meat, Fish Nuts etc sometimes it is hard work to ensure a steady supply and get it down.

Also, do you lot mix it with Milk or water typically ?

I have an after workout shake,250ml full fat milk,1 scoop flavourless myprotein powder and a banana,chucked in the blender.
Other than that just 1 cod liver oil tablet a day

[otolith]

Yes, I did a similar calculation, the recommended BMI range doesn't seem realistic for me. The top end of the healthy range would be OK for me, the middle would be nice to get to, and the bottom end would mean losing all my body fat and either a few kgs of muscle or my skeleton. I've got short legs relative to my torso, which probably explains it.

You have to bear in mind that they are most useful when looking at populations rather than individuals, there is a large spread in the graphs of BMI vs body fat % I've seen.

[ORD]

J4CKO said:

otolith said:

Down to 11.5st, from 15st at Xmas. Still got some fat round the middle to dispose of, but focusing more on gaining some lean mass now - a month of serious calorie restriction and cardio would take a big chunk out of what is left, which I will do at some point, but it's not much fun.

Jesus, thats good going, I want to get to 15 stone, currently 17 st 5.

When I calculate my BMI, my ideal weight at 6ft is apparently between

9st 10lbs and 13st 1lbs

Short of disease, not sure how that would be possible !

My scales say I am 29 percent lard (not sure how accurate but sounds plausible) , 35 percent muscle, so if I get my Bodyfat down to 15 percent that is about 2 stone 5 away, i.e. my 15 stone aim, would have to go lower than 15 percent BF to go lower, or lose muscle, to get to the maximum weight the BMI says of 13.1 I would need to be at 5 percent Bodyfat !

The one positive I take from this is I have more muscle than fat.

Unless you are very broad and/or strong, I think your scales are being very kind. I think your muscle mass is being overstated and your bodyfat understated.

To give you a comparison, I am slightly shorter than you (5'11) and am about 11% bf at 12 stone 8 pounds (80kg). I am a normal kinda shape (neither broad nor slight).