Does Anyone Here Lift Weights?

[dethrock]

I was taking a pre-workout but I found it wasn't doing anything for me anymore. Going a month without pre-workout, energy drinks and coffee right now.

I also take creatine mono, a multivitamin, protein and zma.

[Shitty Rambo]

How long does it usually take until you start seeing results? So far I've only gained like 5lbs but don't look different. I can only assume it's fat from my lack of running haha.

I divided that workout over 3 days, essentially one day is arms/shoulders, the next back/abs/legs, than a rest day. It takes me about an hour each day. Is this a good routine or should I do it different?

[unwound]

^^thats perfect. The main thing you want to do is stay consistent, that's the key. Results should start showing within a month of your cycle, depending on your goal (are you adding mass or toning up?). After the month is done with, switch the order of your days. This should shock the hell out of our body from what it's accustomed too..the more you shock it and add different things, the more drastic the result!

[Shitty Rambo]

I definitely need mass, I got tiny stick arms and legs haha

[hipsterasfolk]

You guys take supplements?

I'm pretty much taking a multivatimin, fish oil, creatine, and whey all the time. I'm off and on the preworkouts and thermogenics.

Whey, Muscle Milk, Glutamine, Creatine, Nitric Oxide, etc.

I named my biceps Matt Damon and Ben Affleck yesterday

[natealcatraz]

Tribulus helped me gain mass

[Shitty Rambo]

Should I use supplements? I'm just worried about putting on a bunch of weight. I gain weight in my gut and face super easy.

[natealcatraz]

Yes you should, but they shouldn't be everything you consume. Are you a hard-gainer or do you gain weight easily? For me, I was a hard-gainer back then. I used natural testosterone boosters like Tribulus to help me build muscle, stacked with weight gainers. I also ate huge meals every 2-3 hours, slept as long as I can, and did cardio only once a week.

An old friend once told me, "If you can take the elevator, take the elevator. If you can sit, sit. If you can find closer parking, then park close." You're gonna gain weight in your gut, but you can lose it after you've built some muscle mass.

[thebiglebowski]

Whey, Muscle Milk, Glutamine, Creatine, Nitric Oxide, etc.

I named my biceps Matt Damon and Ben Affleck yesterday

You take a pure Whey and Muscle Milk? Not saying their is anything wrong with that. Just curious as to why. I know muscle milk contains more than just whey but I would think you would take one or the other. They pretty much do the same thing.

[thebiglebowski]

Should I use supplements? I'm just worried about putting on a bunch of weight. I gain weight in my gut and face super easy.

Anyone that works out seriously is going to use supplements. An omega-3 supplement and a multivitamin aren't really targeted towards muscle gains but more for overall health.

Anyone trying to gain mass is going to take whey protein and creatine. Whey protein is made from milk. It is a form of protein that is quickly broken down by the body and contains every amino acid needed by the human body to build muscle. It is the standard. Creatine is a special kind of sugar utilized by the body for anaerobic work (ie, quick, heavy lifts when your body doesn't have time to use it's normal sugar supplies).

I didn't suggest supplements because you said you were on a tight budget in original post. Neither is really expensive. I prefer Muscle Milk as a Whey but there are cheaper ones. The reason I like MM is that it tastes pretty good, which in turn, makes me more likely to take it a couple times a day.

Creatine is usually paired with a simple carbohydrate, which helps it be absorbed. Some have a ton of simple sugar in them. I prefer to buy the creatine separate, and mix it with maybe a third of a gatorade.

Start with these two first. Supplements don't fix bad eating habits or lack of exercise, but they help you realize that last 10 to 20% of your natural potential. Others that have been mentioned but aren't "standards" of weightlifters are:

preworkouts (varies, but usually a mixture of stimulants, b-vitamins, creatine, and other stuff that is designed to give you workout energy)

thermogenics (fat burners and metabolism boosters. Think hydroxycut type stuff. Also a lot of stimulants)

nitrous oxide (works on the cardiovascular system and it's ability to supply oxygen. supposed to make you more "veiny")

glutamine (an amino acid used in muscle production. I have heard it is unnecessary as a supplement but obviously others believe in it)

testosterone boosters (I have heard these do little to nothing. Tried one one time and would agree. Not making blanket statement about all of them, though).

People will argue about the above listed ones and their effectiveness. Everyone takes Whey and Creatine, and there has never been ANY evidence of negative side-effects of these. I prefer to take the whey before workout, the creatine immediately after (your muscles are shaky and can really use the sugar), and then another whey shake about a half-hour after the workout. Timing is only 1/10th as important as getting a lot of protein in your body, though.

And lastly, it is hard for us to say if you are doing something wrong or not. Maybe if you want to post detailed info about your lifts and a couple pictures. A better option is to maybe work out with someone who knows what they are doing and copy them. If you were doing a ton of cardio, it's not surprising to put on a couple pounds to start as you slow down. You need to focus on getting stronger for a month, then diet and cardio to lose the flab. Then repeat. If you are putting on fat and not muscle, then something is wrong.

[thebiglebowski]

Should I use supplements? I'm just worried about putting on a bunch of weight. I gain weight in my gut and face super easy.

Describe what you have been eating. Not to the 8 ounces of this, 5 ounces of that level but just in general. Do you drink often?

[thebiglebowski]

Not trying to say that if someone eats a soy burger they are going to sprout bitch-titties, but eating a lot of soy over a long period of time may have diminished your testosterone levels. I might try a testosterone booster if I was you. Don't try too many new things all at once though. Probably start with whey and creatine. You want to be able to discern what you think is helping and what isn't, otherwise you might blow a lot of loot on something that is just a placebo.

Also, worth every dollar if you are gonna take protein shakes for any period of time:

http://www.amazon.com/Sundesa-BB28-SC08-28-Ounce-BlenderBottle-BlenderBall/dp/B001KADGMI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346617036&sr=8-1&keywords=blender+ball

[thebiglebowski]

And also, on Tribulus. Took 2 seconds to find this:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15994038

As far as I know, the only testosterone booster that has any kind of science behind it (besides steroids and growth hormones) is D-aspartic acid.

Natural testosterone boosters is one of those things that has a ton of conflicting evidence/opinions surrounding it. Can't really say I know the answer.

[Shitty Rambo]

Describe what you have been eating. Not to the 8 ounces of this, 5 ounces of that level but just in general. Do you drink often?

I only drink constantly.

I usually eat Mexican based foods, bean and rice burritos, vegetarian tacos, lots of beans haha.

[natealcatraz]

If you're trying to bulk up without building a gut, it's not gonna happen. But if you just want bigger arms, just do bicep curls and push Downs all day everyday

[thebiglebowski]

I only drink constantly.

I usually eat Mexican based foods, bean and rice burritos, vegetarian tacos, lots of beans haha.

Your life, your call. But it is (kind of) a waste of time to lift weights if you don't change up your diet. You don't have to eat red meat, but protein shakes combined with a healthy dose of nuts, fish, eggs, some cheeses, greek yogurt, etc. You don't have to cut out beans, dark rice, etc. but it sounds like you are way off on the protein & good fat / carbohydrate ratio (at least from a muscle gain point of view). There is a reason your average vegan probably weighs 150 pounds. That's what the diet leads too.

As far as drinking, again, it is a lifestyle thing. Why do you drink? You like the social aspect of it? The physical effect? It just doesn't mix well with serious weight lifting.

I used to drink maybe 4 times a week. Then I got serious about trying to get in shape. Took 2 months off this summer with no alcohol at all. Lost a good amount of belly fat. It readjusted myself from being someone who just drinks cause my friends do and it is what is expected of me, to someone who drinks once in a while when I feel like cutting loose. Meeting girls through drinking? You are much more likely to get girls by calling a time-out and getting in great shape over a couple months, then going back than just being another random dude in the bar.

Hope that is coming through clearly. I don't mean to go on an anti-alcohol rant. I just really wish I had done what I had done this summer when I was 19. Once you break the cycle and change the way you drink, it is easy to hang out with friends, have 2 or 3 beers, and not feel out of place. And it's not that hard to maintain good health with a small amount of drinking. It is very hard to change your body shape with moderate or more amounts of alcohol.

[thebiglebowski]

just do bicep curls and push Downs all day everyday

Wrong (says every bodybuilder and personal trainer in the world).

And for someone who has never worked out before, it IS possible to lose weight and put on muscle at the same time (I think the problem here is diet). There is definitely a limit though and eventually you have to bulk/cut. Putting on a gut without feeling stronger means something is wrong.

I do enjoy talking about this stuff on here. Your average weightlifting forum is full of gym rats on all kinds of illegal chemicals and is greatly skewed by supplement industry promotion. Cool to talk to normal dudes about weightlifting.

[mattisr1984]

Your life, your call. But it is (kind of) a waste of time to lift weights if you don't change up your diet. You don't have to eat red meat, but protein shakes combined with a healthy dose of nuts, fish, eggs, some cheeses, greek yogurt, etc. You don't have to cut out beans, dark rice, etc. but it sounds like you are way off on the protein & good fat / carbohydrate ratio (at least from a muscle gain point of view). There is a reason your average vegan probably weighs 150 pounds. That's what the diet leads too.

As far as drinking, again, it is a lifestyle thing. Why do you drink? You like the social aspect of it? The physical effect? It just doesn't mix well with serious weight lifting.

I used to drink maybe 4 times a week. Then I got serious about trying to get in shape. Took 2 months off this summer with no alcohol at all. Lost a good amount of belly fat. It readjusted myself from being someone who just drinks cause my friends do and it is what is expected of me, to someone who drinks once in a while when I feel like cutting loose. Meeting girls through drinking? You are much more likely to get girls by calling a time-out and getting in great shape over a couple months, then going back than just being another random dude in the bar.

Hope that is coming through clearly. I don't mean to go on an anti-alcohol rant. I just really wish I had done what I had done this summer when I was 19. Once you break the cycle and change the way you drink, it is easy to hang out with friends, have 2 or 3 beers, and not feel out of place. And it's not that hard to maintain good health with a small amount of drinking. It is very hard to change your body shape with moderate or more amounts of alcohol.

simply put, stop drinking your calories. same thing i told my brother when he decided he wanted to get into shape.

[thebiglebowski]

simply put, stop drinking your calories. same thing i told my brother when he decided he wanted to get into shape.

When people make statements like this I always equate it to someone saying "how do I become a millionaire" and someone answers with "save more than you spend".

It's a great rule of thumb. It's only a part of a healthy diet, which is only a part of a healthy body.

[Shitty Rambo]

Your life, your call. But it is (kind of) a waste of time to lift weights if you don't change up your diet. You don't have to eat red meat, but protein shakes combined with a healthy dose of nuts, fish, eggs, some cheeses, greek yogurt, etc. You don't have to cut out beans, dark rice, etc. but it sounds like you are way off on the protein & good fat / carbohydrate ratio (at least from a muscle gain point of view). There is a reason your average vegan probably weighs 150 pounds. That's what the diet leads too.

As far as drinking, again, it is a lifestyle thing. Why do you drink? You like the social aspect of it? The physical effect? It just doesn't mix well with serious weight lifting.

I used to drink maybe 4 times a week. Then I got serious about trying to get in shape. Took 2 months off this summer with no alcohol at all. Lost a good amount of belly fat. It readjusted myself from being someone who just drinks cause my friends do and it is what is expected of me, to someone who drinks once in a while when I feel like cutting loose. Meeting girls through drinking? You are much more likely to get girls by calling a time-out and getting in great shape over a couple months, then going back than just being another random dude in the bar.

Hope that is coming through clearly. I don't mean to go on an anti-alcohol rant. I just really wish I had done what I had done this summer when I was 19. Once you break the cycle and change the way you drink, it is easy to hang out with friends, have 2 or 3 beers, and not feel out of place. And it's not that hard to maintain good health with a small amount of drinking. It is very hard to change your body shape with moderate or more amounts of alcohol.

I was making a joke/exaggerating. I'll have a couple beers 2-3 days of the week after work at home because working in 110° is brutal. It's nice to unwind. Also I'm married, so I go to bars maybe twice a year (with my wife).

Like I said in the OP, I don't want to be some huge hulking dude, just put on some muscle. I get what you're saying about diets though, before when I only ran I weighed about 140-145. I'll start adding protein shakes into the mix. Are you drinking these as a meal or between meals?

[thebiglebowski]

Might get some use out of this:

http://josepharcita.blogspot.com/2011/03/guide-to-ketosis.html

[thebiglebowski]

I was making a joke/exaggerating. I'll have a couple beers 2-3 days of the week after work at home because working in 110° is brutal. It's nice to unwind. Also I'm married, so I go to bars maybe twice a year (with my wife).

Like I said in the OP, I don't want to be some huge hulking dude, just put on some muscle. I get what you're saying about diets though, before when I only ran I weighed about 140-145. I'll start adding protein shakes into the mix. Are you drinking these as a meal or between meals?

Hard liquor and some wine go better with weightlifting than beers. Better alcohol / carb ratio. A couple beers isn't going to kill you. Might be a good idea to line up the cardio on a morning following the drinking if possible.

As far as "not wanting to be a big-hulking dude", you almost certainly won't. The hulks are on roids, for the most part. You can be "ripped" and "strong" naturally. To use an analogy, if Peyton Manning was giving you tips on how to be a QB, you wouldn't say "I don't want to be an NFL quarterback, so I'm going to ignore Peyton and listen to this High School coach". You don't have to follow the bodybuilding rules absolutely to a tee, but the closer you are, the better results you will see. The hulks know the human body and how to grow it.

As far as timing of protein shakes, it's not as important as getting a lot of protein in you. It can be helpful to get one right after a workout (when your body starts rebuilding) but not 100% necessary. At 150 pounds, you might want to shoot for 80 grams of protein. If you stick with the carb heavy diet and don't eat a lot of animal protein, you probably want to take the shakes 3 times per day (should be about 20 grams protein / shake), and you will pick up another 20 from your food (eat some nuts and seeds. They are great weightlifting food and seem to go right with your diet). One shake right when you wake up, one mid-day, one maybe an hour before bed. Fill in between with a couple small meals and you are on the right track.

http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/guide-to-protein/recommended-protein-intake.php

[unwound]

Damn lebowski, where the hell where you at the beginning of this thread?

Just a quick question since you seem more knowledgeable then I. When it comes to alcohol, is it bad because it slows your muscle growth or because it kills muscle mass? I like my wine man.

[natealcatraz]

Damn lebowski, where the hell where you at the beginning of this thread?

Just a quick question since you seem more knowledgeable then I. When it comes to alcohol, is it bad because it slows your muscle growth or because it kills muscle mass? I like my wine man.

Always in moderation

[unwound]

^^oh of course, I only indulge a couple times a week because of what I mentioned previously..I just wanted to know exact proportions if there is any.