Steroids, HGH, SARMS and Peptides = :(

Earlier today I got an email (spam???) from a company trying to sell steroid pills / etc.

It said the following (edited so I am not accidentally advertising their company):

"Hi friend,

Good day! This is Vera from NAME OF COMPANY REMOVED, which has engaged in R&D, production and marketing steroid powders, HGH, peptides and Sarms for more than 10 years, our products are exported well into U.S. , Canada, Brazil, UK, Germany, Poland, Greece, Italy, Australia and many other areas. Our company gains high reputation among our old and new clients through the highest quality, best price, fast and safe delivery as well as the excellent customer service, many of them are famous labs.

What we can serve for our customers:
◊ 100% legit steroid powders with top purity
◊ Competitive price with frequent discount
◊ Mature logistic system to assure the delivery time
◊ Discreet package for worldwide shipping
◊ One to one on&after-sales customer service to support

If you have interests, small trial order for first cooperation to test our quality and shipping efficiency is welcomed. I'll try my best to satisfy you on your request. Looking forward to your kind reply.

Regards,
Vera
COMPANY WEBSITE REMOVED"

Getting this email disgusted me.

It is bad enough when professional athletes are induced into taking steroids because they really want to win and they manage to find someone willing to sell them a steroid or illicit drug that will allow them to cheat.

But it is even worse to be trying to sell this crap to a personal trainer / sports coach, who would then effectively become drug dealers trying to sell the drugs to their clients / athletes. That to me is much worse, as it tarnishes the sacred role of a teacher (which is what I consider myself to be) and turns the teacher into a drug dealer who can effect multiple students / clients. So not just one person is effected in such a scenario, but multiple people.



No reputable person should be dealing in steroids.

Not an athlete. Not a coach. Not an instructor. Not a personal trainer. Not a doctor. Not a nutritionist. Nobody.

Anyone who is encouraging cheating / drugging yourself to bulk up should be ashamed of themselves, and when caught banished from the industry.

Vitamins, minerals, calcium supplements, whey protein powders, creatine - these I don't have a problem with because they are all natural things we get in our diets, they are just being used as supplements to make certain the athlete is getting enough of what they need.

Whey protein is just a protein found in milk, which is separated during the process of making cheese, and is sold in powder form so people can take mix with water / milk for a protein drink. Creatine is just a chemical found in red meat that regulates energy to muscle tissue, and thus is handy for losing weight / building muscle.

As such they are used by people who know they aren't eating enough red meat or not enough protein, so that they can maximize their body's natural ability to regulate energy / build new muscle tissue.

Man-made Steroids however...

All sorts of bad side effects.

Decades of research into the topic has revealed while steroids do give a temporary advantage to athletes, they cause long term permanent side effects which I am not going to bother listing as there are so many of them. The most notable and common side effect is liver damage leading to terminal liver cancer, as steroids are also toxins and the liver will try to filter the toxins out - but doing so puts so much stress on the organ that it effectively kills the person's liver.

HGH is technically a natural hormone, human growth hormone, but humans usually only have large amounts of it when they are children or pregnant. Adults taking HGH pills is effectively unnatural and allows the person to build muscle at a faster than normal rate. It is heavily regulated too, and numerous celebrities and athletes have been arrested trying to smuggle HGH across international borders. So if it has to be smuggled into Canada by criminals, then it is definitely not something I am interested in.

SARMs, are various chemicals categorized as selective androgen receptor modulator are a type of androgenic drugs. They can be used legitimately for people who suffer from low testosterone, but for people who do not they are used to increase testosterone production. Various athletes in the NFL and NBA have been banned due to alleged use of SARMs.

Peptides are short chains of amino acids connected by peptide bonds, hence the name. They block and/or control sugar, and thus they can be used as anti-obesity medication, but are also used in the bodybuilding industry to increase energy levels to muscle tissue. Taking in combination with steroids, they give a person an unnatural edge over the competition. Some peptides can also effect the body's HGH production levels, can be used to increase testosterone levels, etc. As such an athlete who tests positive for certain peptides used to effect HGH, testosterone, and anything else that gives them a competitive edge is considered to have cheated.


Honestly... are people so obsessed with winning that they have to damage their liver and ruin the reputations just for a shiny trophy or gold medal to hang on a mantle?

Clearly some people are.

Ben Johnson, Lance Armstrong, Marion Jones, etc.

Thankfully there are some sports where doping doesn't really help. Figure skating for example is more about finesse than bulk muscle.

Tonya Harding already had the physique of an amazon that gave her a physical edge to perform triple axels - making her the first woman to complete a triple axel in a competition. But her fear of losing resulted in her conspiring with several men to put out a hit on rival Nancy Kerrigan's leg.

So there are always more ways than one to cheat in sports, but when you consider that Tonya Harding was banned from figure skating and later took up a brief career in boxing because of her financial problems.

Clearly cheating doesn't pay.

And selling the drugs to do so clearly means that a sports trainer is in it for the money, not because they actually enjoy teaching and guiding athletes.

Speaking for myself, I enjoy what I teach. It allows me to go outside and exercise regularly, and to get paid to do it. I cannot ask for anything better.

Shocking the Muscle with Arnold Schwarzenegger

The following video was produced by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bodybuilder.com and deals mostly with how to shock the muscles in the upper body: Chest, arms, shoulders, abs, etc, but also touches on the lower body: Thighs, etc.




Arnold also talks about eating 5 meals per day and how this allowed this allowed him to pack on the muscle in a hurry due to the amount of protein he was eating while training. During his training Arnold was fond of drinking 2 protein drinks per day, plus meals, plus supplements in order to maintain peak muscle growth efficiency.

For those people seeking to build muscle it is important that you stick with it and KEEP TRAINING and follow a strict diet. Quitting, slacking off on the dietary requirements, slacking off on workouts will cause the body to either plateau or go back to its old condition. You need to keep shocking the body with new challenges regularly in order to maintain muscle growth.

Arnold also routinely tried out other sports and activities in order to give his body new challenges - archery was just one of them.

5 Whey Protein Recipes on Video

There are lots of ways to mix whey protein in with lots of your daily foods. Everything from cereal to coffee to even pancakes and cookies. Go browse YouTube for whey protein recipes to see what I mean. Below is some examples that I found.

Up first on the list of whey protein recipes...



Whey Protein + Cereal!



Whey Protein in a Sandwich???



Whey Protein + Yogurt!



Whey Protein Oatmeal Cookies!



And lastly...

Whey Protein + Coffee!

Frequently Asked Questions about Whey Protein

Below is a list of Frequently Asked Questions about Whey Protein - and their corresponding answers.

#1. Does Whey Protein Have any Side Effects?

Whey protein is found in milk. There are no documented side effects provided a person does not have an allergy to dairy proteins or does not need to restrict dairy products for medical reasons. If you are allergic to dairy proteins please consult with a physician prior to consuming any type of whey protein.

#2. There are so many different kinds. Which Whey Protein Supplement is right for me?

When it comes to choosing a whey protein supplement that's right for you there are two main things you need to take into consideration: budget and quality. There are 3 main types of whey protein available:

    Whey protein isolate - the most pure form of whey protein - more expensive.

    Whey protein concentrate - not as pure, slightly higher fat & lactose - cheap.

    Whey protein blend - a mixture of isolate and concentrate - moderately priced.

Obviously, the more pure and high quality the product is then the higher the price tag will be. This is why whey protein isolate is the most expensive form of whey protein. But you get what you pay for, pure whey protein is literally zero fat, zero carbs and zero lactose. It's the highest quality protein and will give you the most protein per serving with the least amount of calories. So if you have the money to spend, then whey protein isolate is the best quality protein available.

#3. What are the Pros and Cons of Whey Protein Isolate?

Pros of Whey Protein Isolate:

1.     Purest form of whey protein available
2.     Fat free, lactose free, carb free
3.     Excellent amino acid profile
4.     More protein per serving
5.     Ideal for both muscle building & fat loss

Cons of Whey Protein Isolate:

1.    More expensive than concentrate & blends.

#4. Which whey protein brand name company is the best?

There isn't a "best". That is like asking which clump of sand is best. Sand is sand. Whey protein isolate is whey protein isolate, it is chemically no different from other whey protein isolate.

However when it comes to whey protein concentrate and whey protein blend, there will be definite differences in purity between different companies because they will be filtered differently and some concentrates will be higher quality than other concentrates, and the same goes with blends.

For someone who is looking for weight gain - muscle mass - they might want the concentrate or blend because it will give them more energy during their exercise routine. For someone who is actually looking to LOSE weight, but wants to gain muscle while shedding fat, they might want to pick the isolate instead - or if they feel they need more energy, the concentrate.

So it isn't a matter of which is the best brand name company, it is a matter of which product suits your needs in terms of protein, energy and price.

A quick rule of thumb, the bigger and shinier the container, the more likely the contents are overpriced. Myself, I whip out my smartphone and start doing protein per price calculations with the calculator on my phone.

#5. What are the Pros and Cons of Whey Protein Concentrate?

Pros of Whey Protein Concentrate:

1.     Well priced, with 5lbs starting at under $30
2.     High in amino acids
3.     Great for muscle building

Cons of Whey Protein Concentrate:

1.     Higher in fat and carbs than whey protein isolate
2.     More calories per serving coming from fat

#6. What are the Pros and Cons of Whey Protein Blends?

Thankfully there is some middle ground - Whey protein blends, as the name suggests, is literally a blend of whey protein isolate and concentrate. Roughly half and half, depending on the company. By doing this, supplement manufacturers have found a good middle-ground between price and quality.

Not all protein blends are created equal though. Some have more isolate than concentrate, and vice versa. So like I said earlier, now is a good time to get out your calculator and do some calculations to determine the price per protein.

Pros of Whey Protein Blends:

1.     Good mix of isolate and concentrate protein sources
2.     Great value for money
3.     Excellent amino acid profile
4.     Less fat/carbs/lactose than whey protein concentrate
5.     Loads of brands to choose from

Cons of Whey Protein Blends:

1.     More fat/carbs/lactose than whey protein isolate
2.     Some blends contain a lot of whey protein concentrate

#7. Can I mix whey protein with other supplements?
Yes of course. Whey protein goes well with a whole host of supplements. A few examples are creatine, dextrose and glutamine. In fact, the uptake of protein can be improved by combining it with high GI carbohydrates. This produces an insulin spike that delivers nutrients to muscles faster than water or milk.

However what really matters is what your goals are. If your primary goal is to add on muscle, then you need to learn more about whey protein and the other supplements you are using to see how each works independently.

#8. How much protein should I take?

How much whey protein you need is completely dependent on your weight, exercise level and goals. No 2 people are the same. Bodybuilders generally consume between 1 and 2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight per day - but to be fair, not everyone is a bodybuilder and doing that much exercise. If you are an average joe who is trying to put on extra muscle, 1 scoop is probably all you need.

#9. When is the best time to take whey protein?

When you take whey protein depends on your goals. Whey protein is fast digesting, so it's ideal for when you need it quickly. The most common times whey is used is first thing in the morning, after sport or training and sometimes before exercise. So you can mix it with milk, water, yogurt - I even enjoy mixing it with my cereal and milk in the morning to make my Kellogg's Vector flakes taste chocolaty.

#10. Will whey protein help me lose weight?

More likely you will add weight first - as you put on more muscle weight.

However assuming you are exercising, especially cardio exercises, adding whey protein to your diet will add more muscle mass to your heart and lungs and give you a greater endurance.

And greater endurance means you can run faster for longer periods of time - which will ultimately burn more calories and shed fat. Thus yes, whey protein can help you lose weight - but only in combination with regular cardio exercises.

Studies have also  found that individuals who combine diets with leucine rich protein foods, like whey protein, and exercise have more lean muscle tissue and they lose more body fat. As they lose fat their metabolic rate increases and they naturally burn more calories each day. Another way that whey protein helps manage weight is by promoting satiety, or a feeling of fullness.

#11. What is better, whey or casein protein?

Whey protein has the highest BV value, and is the richest source of BCAAs of any protein. This means it is far superior to any other type of protein for muscle building, weight loss and general health. Casein protein has its place though. Casein protein is absorbed much slower by the body (up to about 7 hours). This means it's ideal for a "night time" supplement, taken before bed. Bodybuilders and professional athletes have used casein for decades as a slow release protein to repair muscle tissue during sleep.

Thus for best results, use whey protein in the morning, before and after workouts, and consume casein protein as part of your evening meal.

#12. Is whey protein OK for vegetarians?

    Absolutely. Whey protein is an ideal protein source for vegetarians who include dairy products in their diet. However for vegans, who don't consume dairy, they won't like where the source of the whey is coming from: Dairy farms.

#13. Is whey protein easy to digest?

Whey protein is water soluble and a very easy to digest protein. It quickly enters the body to provide the important essential amino acids needed to nourish muscles and other body tissues. This is one of the reasons it is a common ingredient in infant formula and protein supplements for medical use.

Some people also make granola bars, biscuits and cookies using their whey protein. There are lots of recipes online for you to browse.

#14. Can whey protein harm my kidneys?

No. Bodybuilders frequently consume up to 500g of protein per day for months - even years. There is no scientific evidence that this ridiculously high protein intake causes kidney problems. (Although there is evidence of bodybuilders taking steroids, and that DOES cause kidney problems and all sorts of other problems with internal organs.)

For animals studies have shown that animals with high protein intakes (like cats, dogs, bears and other carnivores) they don't suffer kidney damage for the first half of their life time. The kidney damage they sometimes suffer later in life is more closely linked to aging and getting older.

High protein intake may be hazardous only for individuals who have abnormal kidney function or kidney disease, and the reason is because their kidneys are the first to suffer if they become dehydrated.

Even for the disease-free individual, the most serious concern with high protein intake is dehydration, because it takes a lot of water to metabolize protein. Thus for best results, drink between 250 mL to 500 mL of water for each scoop of whey protein you take.

Whey Protein + French Press

Do you get annoyed by the chunky bits of whey powder in your drink when drinking a protein shake?

Well, here is a hot tip.

Buy a French Press (typically used for making coffee) and use it for mixing your milk and whey powder together.

No chunky bits of whey protein. Huzzah!

Where to buy Whey Protein and Protein Bars

Whey protein is a must for weightlifters and anyone looking to build more muscle - including athletes. I would even argue that even ballet dancers should be consuming whey protein regularly, as the extra muscles will help prevent dance injuries.

However figuring out where to regularly buy your whey protein is a bit of mystery.

My advice is to shop around a bit and compare prices - and remember what percentage of protein the mix you are buying is, and the flavour.

I myself prefer chocolate whey protein, with a high protein content of 90% or so.

Below are two photos of prices from different locations. The first is from Bulk Barn, where the chocolate whey protein (90%) was being sold for $4.87 per 100 g.

And the second below is a sale at Shopper's Drug Mart. A 600 g container of 90% whey protein (chocolate again) for $19.99. Which math wise is $3.33 per 100 g. Even without the sale price, the Shoppers Drug Mart prices for whey protein are still better than Bulk Barn.

So the lesson here is try to shop around and compare prices. And better yet, buy it on sale.

And this also applies to protein bars.

A 20 g protein bar from Shoppers Drug Mart is $2.99.

But in contrast if you go to the grocery store - just a regular grocery store! - you can get Vector Protein Bars for a box of 5 for $2.49. Which is roughly 50 cents each.

Now the Vector bars only have 11 grams of protein per bar (and they taste better), but price wise the PowerBars with their 20 grams of protein are a complete rip off. You just eat 2 Vector bars and you get 22 grams of protein (10% more!) and you save yourself a bundle price wise because it works out to $1 for the two Vector bars to $2.99 for the 1 PowerBar.

So you save money and you get more protein.

I prefer the peanut ones, but the Vector bars come in a variety of nutty flavours. Whenever they are on sale I buy a bunch of them. As healthy snacks go after exercising they are my go to snack these days. That and carrot sticks.

Whey Protein isn't just for Bodybuilders

Whey Protein is typically used by people who are into weightlifting and bodybuilding in an effort to bulk up.

And it works too. If you're putting in the effort into the exercises (weightlifting or otherwise) then adding whey protein as a supplement to your regular diet will help bulk up the muscles you are using during the exercises - faster than you normally would on your regular diet.

What is Whey Protein? Its from whey (as in curds and whey), a milk product that is extremely high in protein. So if you're vegetarian you can use it just fine. (Vegans however won't because they don't use dairy products.)

Now you may have noticed up above that I said "exercises (weightlifting or otherwise)", meaning basically any kind of exercises. Including cardio. It does not have to be weightlifting.

Why?

Because during cardio exercises the two muscle groups you are using most is actually the lung and heart muscles. The lungs are bringing in oxygen, expelling CO2, and the heart is pumping freshly oxygenated blood to all your body parts.

So what happens to someone who is training for a marathon and they add whey protein as a supplement to their diet?

#1. Their lung muscles will become stronger, making it easier for them to breathe while under stress.

#2. Their heart will become stronger, enabling them to pump more blood quickly and easier.

#3. Their endurance will go up at a faster rate than the normal diet alone.

#4. The muscles they are using (in this case, leg muscles) will grow stronger too. They won't bulk up so much (quantity), but the individual muscle cells will become stronger (quality).

#5. Sore muscles after running will heal faster thanks to the extra protein.

Personal Example #1 - It is archery season right now and I am using whey protein as a supplement after particularly difficult days at the archery range so that I can both heal my back and shoulder muscles faster, and bulk them up faster so I can handle a heavier draw weight on my bow.

Personal Example #2 - I am also using whey protein after jogging every morning so my lungs, heart and leg muscles will grow faster - increasing my endurance and speed.

How Much Whey Protein Should You Use?

Honestly, you don't need to gobble it down in large doses.

If you read the packaging it recommends the maximum dosage. For example on Six Star Muscle Professional Whey Protein the maximum dosage is listed at "2 heaping scoops, 3 times daily". That is a huge amount and it is aimed at people who are bodybuilders who are doing weightlifting in the morning, the afternoon and again around 7 PM in the evening. They're weightlifting for multiple hours daily.

Chances are likely that is not you. Your goals are much more different.

Speaking for myself when I use whey protein I don't even use a full scoop most of the time. It is usually half a scoop or three quarters of a scoop. I use whey protein sparingly, and only when I need to because my regular diet is already reasonably high in protein.

So if you're into jogging and want to build your endurance faster, half a scoop after you finish jogging is enough for your needs.

INTERESTING NOTE

Protein is also tied to higher brain functions. Your brain is a muscle after all. A balanced diet that makes certain you are getting all your vitamins, minerals and protein will also make you smarter. In contrast too much cholesterol (from a fatty diet) in your blood clogs up the arteries in your brain, making you slower at problem solving and interferes with mnemonic skills (slower at remembering things).

HOWEVER, in order for this to work you need to be doing brain exercises on a regular basis. Thus activities which work your memory skills, problem solving skills, math skills, etc are essentially exercises. Someone who does math for an hour every day and follows those math exercises by eating a healthy meal will ultimately be smarter at math than someone who doesn't exercise their brain and fails to eat a healthy meal.

Be Smart, Eat Healthy!

Whey Protein Burger

It is BBQ Season in Toronto!

Someone out there (someone who is better at cooking than me) should invent a WHEY PROTEIN BURGER.

Technically its already been invented. It just isn't being mass produced and sold in restaurants or grocery stores or specialty stores catering to exercise junkies.

I found two recipes online, but the first recipe I found didn't list how much of each ingredient was needed so was rather useless. Here is the 2nd recipe, which uses ground chicken as the secret ingredient (you could also experiment with using ground pork or ground beef, but chicken breast is healthier for you).

Whey Crisp Protein Power Burger

Servings: Makes 4 Burgers

INGREDIENTS

1 16 oz. ground chicken breast
1 cup Whey Crisps
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon steak sauce
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon grill seasoning

DIRECTIONS

Mix egg whites, steak sauce, Worcestershire sauce and seasoning in a bowl. Add chicken and Whey Crisps into mixture. Make 4 small patties. Grill burgers on inside grill or frying pan until cooked through.

For fun add fat free or reduced fat cheese, tomato, red onion, and lettuce. Healthiest when served on a whole wheat roll.

Whey Protein Questions and Answers

Below are some Frequently Asked Questions about Whey Protein:

#1. What is Whey Protein and where does it come from?

Whey Protein is one of two types of protein that comes from milk (the other type is casein protein). Whey Protein is made during the process of cow's milk being turned into cheese, wherein the whey protein is a by-product of the process. The great news is that Whey Protein is a rich source of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), containing the highest known levels of any natural food source.

Thus its good for vegetarians too, but not for Vegans because its made from milk.

#2. Do any other Foods contain Whey Protein?

No, its only found in the by product of the cheese making process. You can find different kinds of protein in other foods (especially meat). There are a variety of different foods that contain high levels of protein, but they're not as high in protein as you might think.

    Lean red meat (20% protein)
    Chicken/turkey (20% protein)
    Fish (20% protein)
    Eggs (6-10% protein)
    Cheese (10-30% protein, but also high in fat)

Thus if you get Whey Protein Powder you're consuming something that is often 50 to 90% protein, depending on the brand. You will need to read the label and possibly do some math to discover the exact percentage. eg. Six Star Muscle Professional Strength Whey Protein is 66.6% protein.

#3. What Types of Whey Protein are There?

There are 2 major types of whey protein:

Whey protein concentrate, which also contains some lactose and fat and is roughly 75% protein by weight. Its cheaper to buy whey in this form, but you'd better be feeling energetic and not be lactose intolerant.

Whey protein isolate, the purest form of whey protein has been processed to remove fat and lactose. Typically whey protein isolate is about 90%+ pure protein by weight, and this is the type commonly used in whey protein powders.

There is also whey protein blends, a mix of the above two, and is typically used for making protein bars and whey protein powders. A blended mix is slightly cheaper than pure isolate, but still boasts a good chunk of protein.

#4. What does Whey Protein do?

Whey protein provides the body with the necessary amino acids for muscle building, strength and recovery. Bodybuilders and professional athletes use whey protein supplements to help increase size, strength and speed up recovery times.

Whey is also easy and fast ingesting, meaning it gets to where it's needed in the body quickly. It is best used right after a weightlifting workout as it plays a huge roll in post-workout nutrition, when your body is in a catabolic state and needs a fast injection of protein.

Whey protein also works as an antioxidant to boost the body's immune system, helping to create a stronger immune system. The end results include: Increased lean muscle mass; Decreased recovery times and faster muscle repair; Reduced post-workout muscle breakdown; Increased metabolic rate.

#5. Are there any side effects?

None whatsoever. Its protein, a necessary amino acid that your body needs.

Get The Most From Your Training Using Pre-Workout Supplements

Anyone who does bodybuilding knows that it takes a lot of time, effort and commitment and for this reason; it's worth squeezing every last ounce of muscle growth out of every weight lifting session. And whilst making sure you are working out in the most effective way is a large part of this, there's also a lot you can do before you start doing reps to maximize your training.

There are a huge range of supplements on the market and it can be difficult to decide which ones would be of real benefit to your training. Most of them are completely bogus. Here's a guide to some of the most effective supplements you can take before you head to the gym which could quite literally re-energize your whole regime.

The benefits listed on most pills

There are a vast range of different supplements but there are a number of key ingredients which have been robustly tested and scientifically proven to help achieve the desired results. My advice is to skip the supplements which are mostly untested and overpriced gimmicks and go for the ingredients we know work because they're in what the pros use - And oddly enough what the pros use is often naturally occurring things like Whey Protein which is derived from milk and Creatine which is found in red meat.

The kind of benefits you could typically expect to see after taking a pre-workout supplement including the following:

• Increased muscle growth
• Increased power
• Decreased muscle cell breakdown during and post-training
• Heightened protein synthesis
• More stamina and endurance
• Better energy levels
• Less muscle soreness post-workout
• Improved mood
• Sharper concentration

The exact benefits you will see depend on what supplements you choose to take and how you take them; some can be used in different ways to get different results.

Strength and Power

For many bodybuilders, increasing muscle and strength is the only thing they are after. Some of them don't even care about how strong they are, they just want to look beefy.

Creatine is one of the most popular supplements but not everyone understands how it actually works. Muscles can only contract when they can access stores of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) but unfortunately only small amounts can be stored. These means that each contraction can only last for a few seconds, before the ATP store has to be replenished. The body manages this by breaking down Creatine to replace it - but if Creatine levels are low, you might struggle to complete your set.

Thus Creatine helps regulate the flow of ATP to your muscles, giving you an effective energy boost which allows you to do more reps. In other words by taking a Creatine supplement you are effectively providing direct fuel for your muscles, allowing you to complete the reps for each set whilst maximizing the weight.  Experts suggest approximately 5g of Creatine half an hour before you work out will achieve the desired result.

And the best part is that Creatine is found naturally in red meat, so if you lack the supplement just eat some beef before you workout.

Endurance

Endurance may seem like a quality more suited to a cross country athlete but bodybuilders also need stamina in order to complete each set and finish their planned training. For this reason, adding a supplement which improves endurance can result in better muscle growth as the workout will be far more effective.

Citrulline Malate is a type of amino acid which not only optimizes blood flow, driving power to the muscles, but also enhances the production of ATP, thus it works really well in combination with Creatine. However, it is particularly effective in reducing muscle fatigue during workouts, even during high intensity training. Citrulline works by removing lactic acid and other endotoxins which are produced during exercise, allowing the training to last longer and for the individual to continue to perform at a higher level. The removal of the acids also means that you will suffer less muscle pain after you are done.

Because of its excellent results, many pre-workout supplements include Citrulline in their ingredients but it is also possible to take it during your training session too.

Energy and Concentration

Although workouts need physical strength, mental stamina is just as important in order to get the best results if you need to stay focused and not get distracted.

Therefore, a good dose of caffeine is a great idea as it will help you stay on track. The added benefit is that caffeine is a very effective fat-burner, ramping up metabolism and freeing fatty acids to be used as energy.

However, it's important to get the balance right as too much caffeine can actually impair focus and concentration and reduce performance. It also takes a while to be absorbed into the blood stream so make sure you take it at least 30 minutes before you start training; around 200mg is usually the right dose. You will need to check the label on your coffee or other caffeine source to make sure you don't overdo it.

Notes

There are many other useful pre-workout ingredients such as whey protein, tyrosine, anti-oxidants and BCAAs.  You do not need to take pre-workout supplements on days you aren't training but when you do train, they should usually be taken on an empty stomach to maximize and speed up absorption.

Remember that you may also want a post-workout supplement - such as a whey protein shake - afterwards too.

Whey Protein Supplements

Now if you've seen them in stores before you know what they are. Whey Protein containers... they look a bit like a bucket and what is inside is usually chocolate flavoured protein, a whole whack-load of chemicals designed to give you energy (like Creatine, a chemical which boosts energy being sent to your muscle tissue) all wrapped up in a chocolaty powder designed to be mixed with milk or water.

Speaking for myself I've been doing weightlifting and boxing for several years now (nothing professional, just as part of my weight loss / muscle bulking goal) and what I've learned is that whey protein supplements are really only useful if you're getting in a lot of exercise. As in at least 1 hour per day.

So if you're only doing 5 minute workouts you might as well just stick with your regular nutritious diet. The supplements aren't going to help you much.

But if you're jogging for an hour per day, doing weightlifting for an hour per day, or aerobics... or anything that causes you to break a sweat and gets your heart rate going (really rowdy sex) for an hour... then you might want to consider having 1 scoop of whey protein + 2 glasses of milk.

The Whey Protein I use is SIX STAR MUSCLE. The same as in the photo above.

Why do I prefer that one? Because I like the chocolate flavour and it has 26 grams of protein in one scoop. One of those per day is enough for my fitness routine and I only drink one if I know I am going to be exercising a lot on that day. The professional weightlifters are consuming 6 scoops per day (156 grams of protein) in addition to their regular diet... but that is just craziness. You would need to be exercising 30 to 40 hours per week to make that much protein actually do its job.

For myself my goal right now is to get rock hard abs, so I am combining a cardio routine with a battery of abdominal exercises designed to beef up my abs in a hurry. So I figured I might as well be taking 1 scoop per day to help speed up the process.

Whey protein supplements isn't for everyone. If you don't want all the extra muscle and just want to lose weight then you definitely don't need it. So if you're doing yoga, aerobics, cycling, etc and want a slim cyclist / yoga instructor physique then its definitely not for you.

There are plenty of places in Toronto where you can buy whey protein, including Shoppers Drug Mart. If you have a personal trainer they can also give you advice on how much whey protein you should be using to compliment your weight lifting routine.

Christian Bale's Muscle Gains and Weight Losses

The chart below shows the amounts of weight that actor Christian Bale loses and gains depending on the role he is playing... including the incredibly 109 lbs he gained in six months after portraying The Machinist in order to prepare for his role in Batman Begins... he got so big that he ended up losing 19 lbs in the last month to "downsize" himself to play Batman because the producers thought he had beefed up too much for the role.

Yo-yo dieting is a way of life for some people, but when it comes to Hollywood actors gaining and losing lots of weight is sometimes part of the job. But it certainly helps when they have access to some of the most expensive personal trainers available in the USA.

Another big difference between Hollywood actors and ordinary people is the amount of free time they have. Free time to consult with personal trainers, nutritionists and doctors. And abundant free time to exercise, lift weights and do cardio training.

Lets stop and do some math.

Christian Bale gained 109 lbs in 6 months. That is an average gain of 18.17 lbs per month. Granted a small portion of it was probably fat tissue, but most of it was muscle so he would look beefy for the Batman role.

That much weight gain cannot be done by the average person. It would take an incredible amount of physical and mental discipline to do it without injurying yourself. (The normal recommended muscle gain is 2 lbs per month.)

To be gaining 18.17 lbs per month he would need to be gaining an average of 0.6 lbs per day he would need to be consuming approx. 270 grams of protein per day.

To put that in perspective 10 scoops of Six Star Muscle Professional Strength Whey Protein contains 260 grams of protein - And the recommended maximum daily usage is only 6 scoops (2 scoops three times per day).

And to be fair he would need other things to do. Lots of vitamins, nutrients, minerals, fruits and veggies. And perhaps most importantly, sodium, because sweating causes the body to lose sweat.

And lastly carbs and sugar, for energy. Because how else would he be able to exercise that much and put on so much muscle in an hurry?

According to sources Bale was going to the gym 6 days per week for 3 hours per day (18 hours per week) to prepare for the film American Pyscho in 2000. Presumably he must have been following a similar or more intense program to prepare for Batman Begins.

Well there is one trick to this... Muscle Memory. People who lose muscle and then later gain it back can bounce back faster because their body remembers the muscle being there. And since Christian Bale lost muscle to play The Machinist it was easier for him to gain it back while eating himself back up to his normal weight.

In contrast people are not regaining muscle will find it very difficult to gain new muscle because the body has no memory of it. Just the way it works. There are other factors too, like age, metabolism, hormone levels, bone structure and diet.

Diet can be managed via nutrition, and metabolism can be improved through the combination of diet and hormones like testosterone... but bone structure basically gives you a set maximum for how much muscle you can pile on. Eventually you reach a physical limit wherein you can't get any bigger because your frame can't handle any more.

Many ordinary people struggle to lose weight and struggle even harder to gain muscle mass.

On the first topic Christian Bale lost 63 lbs to play The Machinist (121 lbs and anorexic), but how did he do it? Starvation, vitamins and lots of cardio. He basically burned away the fat and muscle by doing lots of cardio while simultaneously starving himself.

As part of the process, Bale consulted a nutritionist who advised him about how much weight he should safely lose — but Bale kept going past that point. “I lost another 20 pounds below what she said I should stop at,” says Bale.

After The Machinist, Bale hired a personal trainer to help him gain 100 pounds (45 kg) in the span of only 6 months to prepare for the role of Batman in 2005. He ended up gaining 109 lbs, almost doubling his weight, and once he had reached 210 lbs he lost 20 lbs because he ended up looking too beefy. His extra large physique was not appropriate for Batman, who relies more on speed and strategy.

I should also note that it isn't healthy or good for your heart to create these kinds of huge weight fluctuations. It can cause a person to get holes in their heart and cause a heart attack.

People who are new to weightlifting can gain up 20 lbs of muscle in a hurry. This is known as "Newbie Gains".

Another way to gain muscle is Muscle Memory, but that only works if you have a history of weightlifting and used to have a lot more muscle. This is more common amongst athletes who suffer an injury and then bounce back to full strength after a long rest.

A larger bone structure and genetics helps too, especially if your body produces lots of hormones that help build muscle (like testosterone).

The last and final thing is steroids. Which is banned amongst athletes and very commonly used by professional bodybuilders. Steroids causes a slew of health problems however, including problems with liver, heart and even shrinks the testicles. It robs other body parts of needed energy and nutrients and funnels it towards muscle growth instead.

So what is the lesson from all of this?

Yes, you can gain muscle in a hurry if you want to... 2 lbs per month is certainly within the safety limits and doable if you exercise and lift weights for an hour or two daily. And if you're doing that then you need to be eating approx. 900 grams of protein per month on top of your regular diet. Which is a little over a scoop of Six Star Muscle Whey Protein per day.

Lastly if you do decide to do this, you need to know how to weigh yourself properly.

#1. Assuming you are pretty regular always measure your weight after you urinate and do your "Number 2" for the day.

#2. Wear the same clothes (or no clothes at all) every time you weigh yourself.

#3. Keep a chart and record your weight fluctuations daily.

If you're not gaining weight and seeing noticable changes in your muscles then you need to be lifting more weights and challenging yourself more. You may even need to hire a personal trainer to make certain you are getting the best possible results.