Supplement Secrets Revealed Part 5

Because your cells are so hungry and whey works so fast, the ingestion of whey during recovery is perfect for maximizing your protein intake. This will prevent your cells from drawing on the stored reserves of nutrients in your body and it provides the maximum number amino acids for athletes looking to build muscle. 

Studies suggest that athletes in training may take in as much as 25% of their entire day’s required protein intake after an intense training session when their muscles most need the support. 

Whey Isolate is also a GREAT choice for dieters looking to lose weight, especially those on low-carbohydrates diets who can’t use complex carbohydrates for energy, because WPI will work as an alternative source for that energy instead of leaving your body to rob muscle protein and glutamine stores for the resources it needs. 

The downside of using Whey Protein Isolate is that it IS more costly than other sources of protein. But even with this limitation, WPI is also much more qualified at providing you with a better return on your investment in the form of optimized muscle growth. 

Whey Protein Concetrate – WPC (Max BV 104)

Back when researchers were first experimenting with isolating whey, they managed to isolate Whey Protein Concentrate first, with a max BV of 104. However, with the further development of Whey Protein Isolates, the concentrate has been rendered relatively useless. 

Given that it only has four more points on the BV scale than eggs, you could save your money by using eggs instead of going with whey protein concentrate. Unfortunately, the supplements industry has been using whey concentrate as filler in many of their products, so it hasn’t disappeared all together. 

But in my humble opinion, it isn’t worth the money.

Milk Protein (max BV of 91)

Personally, I’m not a big fan of milk as a protein source, but let’s face it... it’s cheap and does contain some quick and easy protein in both the slow-digesting casein version as well as the quicker digesting whey. 

This combination may yield greater results for some people and because of its convenience should make up a large portion of your protein intake. Most meal replacement powders (MRPs) use a blend of casein and whey as the base for their mix of protein. 

Casein (Max BV – 77)

The other protein successfully isolated from milk is casein with a max BV rating of 77. Often touted as the protein choice for skinny “hardgainers” who have a hard time gaining weight, casein digests much slower in the body, seemingly allowing the available proteins to be available much longer for use by people with faster metabolisms. 

From my research, the jury (my jury) is still out on this theory based upon recent findings, but we do know that casein DOES digest slowly and has its place in an athlete’s supplement program. While it may be a good option for “skinny guys”, casein may also prove valuable during periods when you need a longer feed of amino acids, such as right before going to bed since you’ll essentially be going without protein for the next 6-8 hours while sleeping. 

Soy Protein (Max BV – 74-95; higher BV with Soy Isolate)

While most bodybuilders shy away from soy protein chalking it up as a protein reserved for tree-hugging hippies, it actually performs several additional roles that prove beneficial to your body. 

Soy can protect your cardiovascular system by lowering LDL, minimizing the likelihood of developing arterial diseases as a result of all that “bad cholesterol” you may be taking in from your primarily carnivore diet. In addition, soy contains a high level of the amnio acids l-Arginine and l-Glutamine, but beneficial in the maintenance and growth of muscle tissue! 

Summary: 

The well-informed training athlete would do well to NOT consume protein from just one source. Variety is key when it comes to getting a comprehensive profile of readily available amino acids for optimum cell function and muscle growth (in addition to making sure your diet doesn’t become to boring). 

By learning which proteins will serve you best at which time of the day and based upon your body’s profile and goals, you can combine the benefits of each to reach you goals faster. The following is a good chart to use when it comes to bioavailability of each protein source...

Protein Source BV Rating

Ion-Exchange Whey Protein/ Whey Protein Isolate 110 – 159
Whey Protein Concentrate 104

Whole Egg 100 

Cow’s Milk 91 

Fish 83 

Beef 80 

Chicken 79 

Casein (Found in milk and cheese products) 77 

Soy 74-95 

Rice 59 

Wheat 54 

Beans 49 

A Word On Buying Protein Supplements...

There are several factors that determine the best value when buying protein, but the highest amount per serving may not be one of them. First, look at the source of the protein since you now know that certain types are more easily absorbed by the body than others. 

Once you have the right protein source for your goals, take a look at the Serving Size (52 grams per serving sounds great...until you see the size of the 2 scoops they consider a serving!) and the size of the container. 

Next look at the price. (Always a factor, right?) Now that you have all of the info you need, it's just simple math from here. Here's how to compare products to make the best choice... First, gather all of the products together (from the shelves or the catalog pages) that contain the best source of protein. 

Then, looking at the Nutrition Facts label on the back of each container (or from the catalog info) and multiply the Serving Size (in grams) by the number of Servings Per Container. This will give you the total number of grams in the container you're looking to buy. 

Finally, divide the container Purchase Price by the total number of grams in the container (from above). This will give you your “Cost Per Gram Of Protein” for each of the products. 

Here's an example from ProtaQuest's Precision Whey Protein: 

Serving Size: 1 scoop (32 g) 

Servings Per Container: 70 

32(g) X 70 (servings) = 2,240 grams per container 

Purchase Price: $25.55 

$25.55 divided by 2,240 = $.01 per gram

All things being equal (ignore the claims of containing "proprietary blends" of glutamine or other additives!), choose the product with the lowest cost per gram and you're all set! 

Another Word...On Building Muscle On A Vegetarian Diet... 

Many have wondered whether it is possible for bodybuilders to be vegetarians. It is possible, as many of the supplements outlined so far are vegetarian or come in vegetarian forms. 

Although meat sources aren’t used, the highest bioavailable protein sources are derived from milk (meaning Whey Isolate, Concentrate, etc.) and if taken with a variety of other vegetarian protein sources such as legumes, should be ok. However, vegans (vegetarians who don’t even consume dairy or eggs) are unlikely to be able to achieve stage-winning muscles because of the limitation on protein sources for a full spectrum amino acid profile that’s ALSO readily assimilated. 

To reduce the gap, vegans may need to work harder and take more time to recover from training just to make near the same gains as their meat-eating gym buddies. 

In fact, the odds are against most vegans even being able to maintain a healthy lifestyle without thorough research and a broad spectrum of highly bioavailable non-animal proteins. 

Then again, the same can be said for those who eat nothing but meat. The lesson here is that everyone needs supplemental nutrition to maintain a wellbalanced diet for proper support of your body’s ability to function and achieve the desired results.

Supplement Secrets Revealed Part 4

Step 3: Select Your PRIMARY Supplements

Once you’ve determined what your MAIN fitness goal is, you can start to pick out the PRIMARY products that will make up the foundation of your supplement program. You see, the sad reality is that most supplements, no matter how flashy the ad, will only bring you about 2% added gain toward your objectives.

But there ARE some “heavyweight champions” that have been tested and proven to bring you dramatic results and form the core of any personal supplement program design. What is key to point out however is that many of these supplements are helpful only because they make up for deficiencies in our diet. Over-processed foods, pesticides, heat treatment, and other advancements” of civilization have stripped away many of the nutrients that our bodies were used to getting WITHOUT supplements.

Trending diet patterns toward fast “convenient” meals and away from whole grains, organic fruits and vegetables, seeds, nuts, and lean meats have put many athletes in a position of requiring extra output from their body through intense training but an insufficient nutrient intake to allow the body to accomplish what it is you want it to accomplish.

For that reason, you’ll find that many of these primary supplements are simply gap-fillers between an ideal diet and your current one. It will be up to YOU to decide the quality of your current diet program and which supplements you can use to plug up any of your own gaps.

Here are some of your best options for your PRIMARY SUPPLEMENTS:
Multi-Vitamins/Mineral Complex.
The true foundation of a dietary supplement program is the mighty multivitamin/mineral supplement.

No matter how good you think your current diet is, because of the degradation of nutritional quality of our food, it’s virtually impossible to get all the quality nutrients you need solely from your daily meals. This is especially true for athletes or those training to build muscle or lose body fat.

While some texts for advanced athletes will tell you that since each person has a very specific vitamin/mineral requirement that should be analyzed and individually created, this high-cost option is neither cost-effective nor practical for the average person training their body.

Enter the MULTIVITAMIN/MINERAL!
Multi’s provide you with broad-spectrum coverage, complementing a healthy diet to ensure that all your essential nutritional requirements are met. Think of them as the “nuts and bolts” that hold all of your body’s machinery together.

If you were driving a car whose engine were missing a few bolts and others were rusting out, it’s only a matter of time before your engine blows a gasket. A daily multiple is even more important for the many people (you know who you are!) who know they have nutritional gaps in their diets.

(Think “dieters who are starving themselves to lose weight...office workers with their deep fried lunches eaten much too fast while hiding in their cubical...and college students living on coffee, pizza, and microwave nachos!)

In fact, a lack of vitamins and minerals seem to be the norm for us these days, not the exception. For example, intakes of iron, folic acid, and calcium are consistently found to be lower than the recommended levels in the diets of women.

Men need more zinc to keep testosterone levels maintained yet we typically excrete more than we take in on a daily basis. And this is just the beginning!

Now when choosing a multivitamin/mineral for your personal supplement program, you must consider your lifestyle. The “take-one-pill-and-forget” type of multivitamin works for people who don’t have the privilege of having a team of personal scientists and nutritionists guiding them every step of the way, are too busy to take several pills each day, and for those who have trouble remembering to take pills throughout the day.

However, I’ve found that multiple, smaller doses of a multi throughout the day are better absorbed and is an easy habit to develop with just a minimum amount of structure for even the busiest of lifestyles.

For example, do you know those “pill boxes” that little old ladies use to keep track of their daily medications? You know...the ones with a compartment for each day of the week?

Well, granny has the right idea and even for busy executives and college students, loading up each compartment with the day’s multi (and other supplements) allows you to easily stash it away in a briefcase or lunch bag and take it to work or school for the day.

Bring it home at night for resupply and your ready for the next day! Now the key to shopping for a good multivitamin/mineral complex is to take the time to thoroughly read all label information and not just the price tag.

While reading labels, your first priority is to find a multivitamin supplying at LEAST 100% and 300% of the RDA (Recommended Dietary) for most of the essential vitamins and minerals. However, for training athletes and those of us who are more “active” those levels may not meet your needs if your workouts are particularly intense. Look for multi formulas specifically designed for athletes as these are most likely a better profile for your specific needs.

Once you’ve located some possible options, start reading the labels. Stack each multi side-by-side to compare the amount of various nutrients to see which one offers the most comprehensive lineup of nutrients.

Look at how many nutrients are offered, percentages of RDA, and whether it’s a giant “one-horse-pill” dose, or a multiple dosage packet for each day’s consumption (usually the better option in my opinion).

No matter which supplements you choose, save yourself some money and store them away from light and heat since both can degrade the nutrients in multivitamins, reducing their effectiveness and leaving you with substandard results without even realizing it. And, finally, you should take any and all multivitamin/mineral supplements with a meal.

Many people report feeling nauseous when taking a multivitamins on an empty stomach. But when food is present, your body is primed to absorb nutrients, and nausea is less likely to happen.

You should also avoid drinking soda, coffee, or tea with your vitamins, as they can interfere with absorption. Any products containing caffeine act as diuretics, flushing your system of fluids and interfering with the uptake of vitamins and minerals.

Antioxidants
Our body’s cells are under attack! Unstable molecules, known as “free radicals”, are continuously bombarding our cells looking for a way to degrade function. These molecules are unavoidable in our body as they’re produced as a result of air pollution, cigarette smoke, environmental toxins and even due to the food we eat. And free radicals are nothing to be ignored as they are believed to be an underlying cause of numerous health conditions, including cancer and heart disease, and contribute to the signs of premature aging.

But for the athlete, they’re ALSO the bitter sworn enemy to any bodybuilding or fat loss program as they impair the cellular function you need to build muscle and burn fat. While your body has some defenses against free radicals, supplemental antioxidant nutrients will help deactivate them and limit their ability to do damage to your body.

Vitamins C and E, two of the body’s primary antioxidants, can safely be taken in supplemental amounts well in excess of the RDA to optimize your protection of your body. Some other examples of antioxidants you should consider adding to your nutrition plan are:
· Alpha-Lipoic Acid
· Carotenoids
· Coenzyme Q10
· Selenium
· Zinc
· Green Tea
· And even red wine!

Protein
Protein is one of the three big macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat) constituting about a fifth of our total weight or roughly half of our dry mass. After water (and sometimes, depending on the body, fat) it is the most plentiful substance that makes up our bodies.

Proteins are an essential part of all living organisms and participate in every process within cells. They take on many roles, such as acting as enzymes that catalyze biochemical reactions and comprising the structural or mechanical function for forming the “scaffolding” that maintains a cell’s shape.

Proteins are a primary component of muscle, bone, connective tissue, cartilage, collagen, elastin, and keratin and are vital to your body’s metabolism. Are you starting to see just how important protein is to your overall bodily functions and survival?

But since we can’t synthesize all the amino acids we need for survival, proteins MUST be obtained from the food you eat, whether plant or animal based, to provide our bodies with these essential building blocks. And because excess protein is not stored in the body, you have to eat enough of the right kind of protein on a continual basis for optimum performance.

Your body actually uses various combinations of specific amino acids to create new cells so this constant replenishment is necessary in order to ensure a steady supply of the important building blocks it needs to run smoothly.

The DRI (Dietary Reference Intake) currently suggests 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of total body weight. But let’s face it...athletes in training require more protein than that because strenuous exercise and heavy lifting actually tear muscle cells in an effort to force new growth.

Rest and recovery, with the proper nutritional support, allows your body to rebuild your muscles stronger and larger. However, contrary to the marketed claims of supplement manufacturers and misinformed bodybuilding “experts, only a small amount of extra protein is required for the growth and remodeling process since muscle actually grows quite slowly, even when stimulated correctly.

To make matters worse, continuous bouts of intense exercise that outpace the growth process wears heavily on your entire system. Scientists in sports medicine have found that, with intense strength and volume training, the harder the workouts and the more frequently they are performed, the more likely you are to “overtrain” and the more difficult it is for you to remain in a “positive nitrogen state”.

Maintaining a positive nitrogen balance (PNB) is essential for growth and recovery and to achieve it, you must consume more nitrogen (or protein) each day than what you lose via your metabolism.

Protein Supplement Sources
There are many sources of protein you should consider in your dietary and supplement program including meat, soy, egg, milk, casein, and whey proteins. Eating a variety of proteins is important in order to get a good spectrum of essential amino acids (those which cannot be synthesized by our bodies), which in turn produce non-essential amino acids (which we can synthesize, using the ingested essential amino acids as source material).

Making sure you get enough protein, which translates into enough essential amino acids, is the most important aspect of a properly functioning body, which in turn optimizes your recuperation from the stress of exercise and allows maximum muscle growth.

The “Biological Value” (BV) of a protein is the measure of just how easily it can be broken down into a form that can be used in protein synthesis in your cells and THIS is the best way to determine the “quality” of a protein for purposes of proper assimilation.

When the Biological Value system was introduced, eggs were given the highest BV rating of 100 because they were the most bioavailable natural protein available. Later, once whey was isolated from milk, it was shown to have an even higher BV.

Depending upon the process used to generate it, whey’s BV can yield percentages from 104 to 159 on the Biological Value scale. The following is a list of the various protein sources and their BV scores.

Whey protein isolate – WPI (Max BV – 159) Whey protein isolate (WPI), with a max BV of 159, has the second highest yield of protein currently available. (I’ll briefly mention the top source in a minute.)

A derivative of milk protein, WPI’s molecular structure makes it absorbable within as little as 10 minutes of ingestion. WPI is by far the best value for its cost. However, it should be noted that popular dietary advice recommends that due to it’s rapidly assimilated protein profile, WPI may degrade quicker in the body and not stick around long enough to provide you with a steady stream of amino acids for sustained muscle growth.

But that may not be the case as current research may hold a few surprises for us The “new protein on the block”, Hydrolyzed Whey Protein has an even HIGHER BV rating than Whey Isolate.

That would make HWP even more likely to quickly leave the body “protein-less” due to its VERY rapid uptake since basically it’s already pre-digested. However researchers testing this theory found that HWP not only provided the most bio-available source of protein of any of the choices...but ALSO maintained the highest amount of available amino acids up to 3 hours AFTER ingestion!

That’s SHOCKING news for the supplement world in my opinion and may suggest that Whey Isolate may not degrade as much as originally thought! Nevertheless, more research must be conducted and, in my opinion, Whey Isolate is STILL the best value for your supplement dollar.

If protein degradation is a concern for you and you’d like to slow down the digestion process, you should take WPI with milk instead of water as the casein in milk protein will slow down the digestion of the whey and give your body more time to absorb it.

But there are ALSO periods when WPI’s rapid absorption is a huge benefit to your fitness goals. During your post-workout recovery time, the cells of your body – having experienced considerable stress – are prepared to soak up whatever protein you can take in.

Supplement Secrets Revealed Part 3

Step 2: Determine Your Budget

If you’re serious about adding nutritional supplements to your diet and fitness program then realize that this is going to be a monthly expenditure just like your car payment or phone bill. And of course, you want to keep it MUCH closer to your phone bill than your car payment, right? Take a practical look at your MONTHLY expenses and first determine exactly how much money you can commit to spending each and every month to help you reach your goals.

Ahhhh...what’s the matter? Did you hear your wallet slam shut like a dungeon door? Attaching a monthly “commitment” to buying supplements took all the “fun” out of shopping around for glitzy newcomers you see in each issue of the latest bodybuilding magazine, didn’t it?

Yes, it’s MUCH easier and exciting to get all worked up about the miracle new “fat burner” and whip out your credit card to look like the fitness model in the add 30 days from now, isn’t it?

And herein lies the problem...

Emotional decisions are what force us to spend more money than what we planned on sometimes worthless supplements...and then we’re left scratching our heads when the credit card bill comes in and we wonder how the current balance got so high.

Let me tell you...while establishing a monthly budget for your supplement purchases may force you to face the fact that there really IS a cost associated with them, most people spend MORE money on supplements by NOT setting a budget and sticking with it!

Bottom line...without a budget, you have no way of limiting yourself and you’re likely to overspend. But setting a monthly budget can help you in other ways as well...

By staying within a certain spending limit, you’re forced to REALLY make rational, educated decisions about your supplement choices. While the new “miracle” muscle-builder you were frothing at the mouth over in the latest muscle mag may be calling your name, once you see that it will blow this month’s AND next month’s protein purchase, it won’t be so magnetic and you’ll be able to stick with your tried and true supplement program that will take you MUCH further toward your goals.

Supplement Secrets Revealed Part 2

And that’s the purpose of this Custom Supplement Program Design guide... In these pages, I outline my 7-Step Process for creating your own customdesigned supplementation program that will fully support whatever your fitness goals, allowing you to achieve maximum results while saving you time, frustration, and money!

I hope it will remove some of the “mystery” that intentionally clouds the average consumer’s supplement choices and provides you with a step-by-step approach to taking you training (and RESULTS) to the next level.

So let’s begin, shall we?

Step 1: Determine Your Starting Point And End Goal A proper supplement program begins with the end result in mind. From there it’s all backwards planning.

For example, if your primary objective is to add lean muscle, you should put a higher priority on a whey protein powder rather than a “fat burner”. If getting “ripped and shredded” is your priority, the supplements you’ll want to reach your goals will be different. And dieters have emphatically different objectives, and therefore different supplemental needs, from the “muscle builders”.

Pretty simple, right?

But let’s add another piece to the puzzle... What if you are a classic “hardgainer” who has a difficult time putting on weight? Do you then choose a whey protein isolate...a casein protein supplement...a “meal replacement” powder...or a commercial “mass gainer”?

This is what is meant by your “Starting Point”. In other words, what BODY TYPE are you and what type of a LIFESTYLE do you have? HOW OFTEN and for HOW LONG do you workout? WHEN do you workout?

When working with my clients, I generally place them in one of 5 CATEGORIES and use that as a starting point for creating a fully customized supplement regimen...

Underweight
Commonly called a “hardgainer”, you have a “high metabolism” that doesn’t allow you to gain weight very easily. When you exercise, you may end up actually losing weight and your routine may end up making you stronger...but not any bigger. When you DO gain muscle...it says bye-bye as soon as you stray from a solid training and diet program.

Your Goal: Pack on some solid lean muscle that doesn’t disappear the first time you skip a protein shake.

Athletic Build
You’re the guy 95% of the guys on the planet would like to see run over by a Mack truck while all those blonde bimbos at the beach you stole from us, look on and start to assess their options (namely US!). You can gain muscle very easily and don’t have to work too hard to maintain it. Speaking on behalf of all of us “hardgainers”, please die!

Your Goal: Train hard to optimize your gifted genetics and have fun experimenting with some of the more esoteric supplements.

Overweight
Your muscles are in there...somewhere...and you curse the stubborn goo that seems to stay stuck no matter what you do. You probably were cursing at me as I was cursing at the “Athletic Guy” because you wish you had the problem of actually being “underweight”.

Your Goal: Get down below 20% body fat and feel great buying your next pair of jeans 2 sizes smaller than your last pair.

Over 40
How’s this for bad news...after the age of 30, our fast-twitch muscle fibers (the one’s we use for short powerful movements) naturally start to wither away unless they get used. Add to that, declining bone strength, lower “sex hormones”, a slowing metabolism (I can vouch for that!) and the new pops and creaks we feel getting out of bed in the morning, and you start to look at your annual physical in a whole different light.

Your Goal: Reverse the aging process, speed up your metabolism, and be able to train enough to beat the tar out of anyone who calls you “middle age”.

Over-Worked
Your work hours are 7am to 7pm, Monday through Monday and your fitness schedule revolves around whenever you can wake up early enough or have enough energy elsewhere in the day. You may find it hard to sleep due to stress on the job (and at home) and your hormones are paying the toll on your body.

Your Goal: Reverse the effects of your body’s stress chemicals that can reduce muscle tissue, wreck your metabolism and make it feel like your work life is hovering over your personal life wearing leather chaps and a horse whip.

Now of course, someone may fall into more than one of these categories. But it’s a good starting point to help determine where your goals lie and what is most important to YOU in order to make the right supplement choices as we progress with your program design.

Supplement Secrets Revealed Part 1

Short of bringing my “pocket-protector” to the gym, the nickname given to by my sadistically cruel gym buddies is actually probably well deserved. 

I was the “geeky guy” at the gym who would always be seen sitting on the weight bench, hunched over my handy little notepad, scribbling down every last detail of my workout and results to be able to scientifically analyze what WORKS…and what was a complete waste of time when it came to building muscle while burning fat. 

Laugh if you must but it was these notes that lead to some of the most remarkable discoveries in natural bodybuilding and my ultimate step-by-step roadmap to amazing muscle growth that I detailed in my best selling program Optimum Anabolics (www.OptimumAnabolics.com). 

In fact, my discoveries have made such a dent in traditional thinking about how to build muscle and burn fat that even some PRO BODYBUILDERS are using the “natural hormone triggering” process I discovered as an alternative to steroids in their own program and IT WORKS! 

But what you may NOT know about me is that I spent 10 years serving my country in the U.S. Army as a light-infantry soldier. As a leader in several infantry units, I’ve trained soldiers all around the world…in 4 feet of snow; in drenched clothes in the freezing rain; under the searing heat of the desert sun; slicing through vines and elephant grass in jungles; neck-deep in swamps…you name it! 

And ironically, besides actual combat training, I’ve also received specialized military training as a Master Fitness Trainer and “Weight Control Specialist” where I discovered some of the most advanced training concepts ever devised. My follow on career after the military has led me on a never-ending search for the true “secrets” of fitness and the yet-to-be-discovered breakthroughs that lay out there, just WAITING to be revealed. 

And I’ve made it my goal to not only unearth the most cutting edge advancements in the scientific world of muscle building and fat burning...but also to SHARE them with my loyal clients who have found my programs to be so powerful. 

Here’s a look at some of my other programs based upon my research...

Other “Muscle Nerd” Programs... 

Combat The Fat 

The ULTIMATE FAT BURNING GUIDE to show off your new muscle! Discover how the training techniques of the U.S. Military can take you step-by-step to 6-PACK ABS! 

www.CombatTheFat.com 

Optimum Anabolics 

Build muscle and burn fat by skyrocketing your body’s NATURAL anabolic hormones! The "before & after" pictures speak for themselves! 

www.OptimumAnabolics.com 

Homemade Supplement Secrets

For the serious athlete who uses supplements, find out why you should NEVER buy your supplements “off the shelf”! Learn how to easily MAKE YOUR OWN SUPPLEMENTS and save up to 98% while making formulas that are even BETTER than the name brands! 

www.MakeYourOwnSupplements.com 

Advanced Mass Building

If you’ve ever struggled in packing on solid mass, THIS is the program that will make all your frustrations go bye-bye! 

www.AdvancedMassBuilding.com

Introduction 

One of the most common questions I’m asked by those who have read my books or hundreds 

of articles, is... “Do you REALLY need supplements to build muscle and burn body fat?” Those that know my work understand that I have a real “love-hate” relationship with supplements. You see, it IS true that you can achieve great results without the use of supplements, the REAL truth is that you can achieve BETTER and FASTER RESULTS but ONLY if you do it right! Supplements AREN’T about picking up a bottle of fancy-schmancy, hyped up glamour pills and expecting fantastic results. 

The supplements you pick, when you use them, and the amounts you ingest will all influence the effectiveness of your program, and all of that will impact your financial justifications as well. But thanks to hyped up marketing of the “power” of supplements to magically build muscle and blast away body fat, the average consumer’s mind has been programmed that the path to a better body lies in the form of the latest cutting edge “breakthrough” supplement. 

When frustration after frustration takes its toll on the high expectations of seeing some significant results like those of the steroid-fueled pro that graced the supplement ad, it’s no wonder guys turn to dangerous steroids and other cocktails in an effort to achieve super-human bodies. In the end, focusing on a soundly developed core supplement program, instead of relying on steroids and other drugs to build your physique or burn away body fat, will serve you MUCH better.