T-Nation | Supplements and Nutrition http://www.t-nation.com/category.jsp?categoryID=23 T-Nation: Supplements and Nutrition en-us Wed, 22 May 2013 06:51:58 GMT Wed, 22 May 2013 06:51:58 GMT http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss T-Nation via P-APP-01 webmaster@biotest.net webmaster@biotest.net 23 60 NEW: Biotest Supplement Advice http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5593716

Questions about which Biotest supplement best fits your goals?

Need us to look over your supplement stack and offer tips?

Post them in the new forum and we'll be glad to help.

The new forum can be found here: Biotest Supplement Advice ]]> Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:59:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5593716 Gut Health! Sort of a Lo... http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5658629
So I suspect my gut health is not great, based on the quality of my bowel movements. Too much information? You betcha, but I'm willing to bet a lot of physique enthusiasts are in my position due to the way we eat. It's not something we talk about, but I reckon gut health should be one of the things we put highest on our agenda as health conscious, physique minded individuals.

Apparently force feeding, and high protein diets can lead to us producing less digestive enzymes, so we won't absorb all we eat. Also, certain lifestyle habits (alcohol, sweet, sweet alcohol) can really damage your gut flora, and I was quite a heavy drinker in my younger days so I suspect my guts are all fucked up.

So I've decided to get my gut sorted. The protocol I am following is of my own devising, but borrows heavily from Berardi, Poliquin and Meadows. Every day I will consume:

-Probiotic and Glutamine (20g) in the morning on an empty stomach
-10g inulin fiber with meals
-Digestive Enzymes with meals
-Psyllium Husk before bed

I am also loading the glutamine at 80g for 5 days before moving to the 20g/day maintenance dose. Poliquin recommends this and Berardi recommends something similar so I figure why not?

I started a couple of days ago, so still got a few more days loading the glutamine. Only thing to report is that since I have started the digestive enzymes I have been on the toilet pretty much constantly. Apparently that's due to the enzymes breaking down food residue that's just been sort of gathering dust in your gut, and is to be expected. It's not nice, and I figure it'll probably get worse before it gets better, but I will ride it out in the quest for the greater good.

So there we go. I'll update this thread every now and then so people can see whether or not it's worked.

Anyone who has done a gut cleanse, gut health protocol or whatever feel free to chime in with their experiences.

I realise this thread is a little gross, but I think it's worth talking about. Considering 80% of the immune system is found in the gut, it makes sense to get it healthy. ]]> Tue, 21 May 2013 23:56:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5658629 Eating Bull Testicles http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5659529
And they even had bull testicles for sale, one going für 3,40� and weighing about 200grams (pretty heavy, I guess)...

Now I am intrigued to try it... but well, you know... it seems kind of disgusting.
Has anybody here eaten gonads before (no homo) and can tell me about the taste and how best to prepare it without feeling too grossed out?

It is considered a delicacy in some cultures and Red Bull uses Taurin which originally came from Bull gonads (not anymore) ]]> Tue, 21 May 2013 22:17:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5659529 Healthy Fats for Cooking http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5660025 Tue, 21 May 2013 19:35:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5660025 Pre-Workout Suggestions? http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5659813
Just got done with PUMP-HD, and was not impressed. NO explode tasted like ass but wasn't bad. Ive tried Monster Pump and it was alright it just made me kinda bloated. Currently part of my training consist of the smolov squat program so I occasionally need help getting my mind right. Thanks for the help guys -Boles ]]> Tue, 21 May 2013 17:45:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5659813 Oils Beyond Smoke Point http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5656799
All i get from google searches is that they become "toxic" and form free radicals that harm the body and cause cancer.

Obviously cancer is enough to make me stop using low smoke point oils during cooking, but I am just curious if there is any other harmful effects.

Thanks ]]> Tue, 21 May 2013 17:31:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5656799 Luka's Anabolic Diet Log-Bulking http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5649016
I really appologize for opening another post about Anabolic diet, but i wanted to keep a proper log about my progress. I'll write here everything related to AD.

I started bulking on Anabolic diet 6 days ago. According to Dr D's book i'm supposed to have 5200 cal (25x desired body weight). I know, its enormous amount of food, thats why its gonna be interesting to see what happens to my body and i wanna log everything here.

I think its going great so far. This morn i was 81.6 kg, 2.7 kg heavier than only 6 days ago when i started bulking. I checked my skinfolds yesterday-abdominal skinfold went up only 1mm, whereas my calves, quads and arms got leaner. Amazing results i reckon, it seems that most of the weight i put on is muscle.

Another wierd thing is that sabscapula went up, which is odd coz its an insulin sensitivity spot (according to Poliquin), and i havent been eating carbs on this diet apart from saturdays (carb up day). This gives me another reason to trust Poliquin less.

Third, a day after carb up (carb up was only 3 days ago), i weighed less then day before carb up (it usually happens opposit to that). And only three days after carb up (today), i weigh almost 3 kg more.

I'll post some pics soon, i think i already look bigger, my abbs do look smoother though.
]]> Tue, 21 May 2013 16:58:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5649016 Evidence for Protein Supplementation http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5659171
I am new to this forum but have heard great things. I am a physical therapist and have had a lot of questions regarding protein supplementation through the last few years and therefore decided to get more knowledge on the area. Now what I normally do in this situation is find a bunch of articles and give them a thorough read through and try to draw a conclusion based on this, in hopes that I can come with an informed and evidence based answer for my patients.

I must admit that in this case I was a bit biased as the theory to protein supplementation is very sound and I was convinced that finding concrete evidence for this would be a simple task.

I have now been looking about a bit for evidence and have thus far found an abundance of evidence that protein supplementation does not in fact help muscle cross sectional size and/or performance.

I would like anyone who has some evidence to counter this to please indicate it to me if at all possible.

Don't get me wrong I don't want people to post their opinions, or "what works for me". I would really like some solid evidence preferably peer reviewed double blind studies. I would really appreciate it.

Here are a few article that people may find interesting that state that protein supplementation has no noticeable effect.

"Efficacy of Whey Protein Supplementation on Resistance Exercise-Induced Changes in Lean Mass, Muscle Strength, and Physical Function in Mobility-Limited Older Adults."
Chalé A, Cloutier GJ, Hau C, Phillips EM, Dallal GE, Fielding RA

"Whey protein does not enhance the adaptations to elbow flexor resistance training."
Erskine RM, Fletcher G, Hanson B, Folland JP.

"Muscle Performance, Size, And Safety Responses After Eight Weeks Of Resistance Training And Protein Supplementation: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial."
Walter AA, Herda TJ, Costa PB, Ryan ED, Stout JR, Cramer JT.

Thank you very much for reading and I hope to hear from someone!

Regards,

Siin ]]> Tue, 21 May 2013 17:21:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5659171 Got Hemp Milk? http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5658538 Goodness gracious man, this blows Cow's Milk away,
except for maybe the practically illegal Raw Cow's Milk...IDK.
Very Interesting stuff.

http://www.collective-evolutio...

]]> Tue, 21 May 2013 14:36:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5658538 Continue Cutting or Bulk? http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5659099
Anyways, should I still cut or should I maintain/clean bulk until summer and then begin bulking?

Lifts:
Bench(havent benched in the last 2 months, but can probably hit 195x1, previously 205x1)
Squat 225x1
Deadlift 315x3
Military 125x1?
Weighted Chins +45 lbsx4

Main question: I have been eating 2200-2400 calories on workout days and 1500-1700 on rest days recently, with high protein and high fat on rest and high carb high protein on workout days. When you bulk, do you normally eat high carb high protein every day, or would this same protocol work? (I understand its all calories in vs out, but whats the most efficient way in your guys' opinons?)

]]> Tue, 21 May 2013 05:01:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5659099 Poliquin Bio-signature http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=4410574
I train 6-9 times per-week and an getting stronger. However i find that i still have some extra fat on my pecs, and belly button area and am just in general not as lean as I would like. Also all other things being equal a 210lbs guy with 10% bodyfat is going to be stronger then the same 210lbs guy at 15% simply from having more muscle on their frame.

I have looked in to getting a Bio-signature done which really isnt THAT expensive, but the price of some of the supplements kinda bothers me if i cant be 99% confident that ill get the results that im looking for.

In short, has anyone here had their bio-signatures done and followed the recommendations? And if so, what kind of results did you see?

Thanks a lot. ]]> Tue, 21 May 2013 01:47:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=4410574 Carb Cycling for Rookies http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5656759 Mon, 20 May 2013 02:16:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5656759 Anyone Here Only Eat When Hungry? http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5646162
The title tells it all: just wondering if a few here are successful with weigh gain with eating only when they are hungry? ]]> Mon, 20 May 2013 02:15:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5646162 IF Question http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5655321
I've found plenty of older threads and posts on IF, and they've really piqued my interest. However, I haven't seen anything specific to my question. I'm trying to figure out when to make my 8 hour feeding window in a 16 / 8 plan. I want to make the 8 hours the same all 7 days of the week. My problem is I work 6pm to 4am 4 nights a week. On my 3 days off I'm usually on a "normal" schedule so as to spend time with the family, etc. Right now I work out M W F anywhere between 10am and 2pm. I plan to switch to M Tu Th F in a couple months, same times. The workout is usually closer to 1pm, but it does vary.

Anyway, can anyone suggest a preferred feeding time? My thought is to train fasted and eat 4pm to midnight. When I'm working I'm often too busy to eat properly after 12 anyway. And that way when I'm off work I could go to bed after my last meal. The problem there is I'd have a long wait to eat when I woke up early on a day off. Sorry for the run on paragraph here, and I hope it makes sense. Thanks in advance for any suggestions. ]]> Sun, 19 May 2013 11:47:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5655321 Daily Coffee & Cortisol Issues http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5638398
Olympic coach Poliquin and people who practise bio-signature procedure strongly advocate zero coffee for the whole day after workouts. They are also of oppinion that coffee is very good for preworkout (along with green tea), and that you can have even 3 cups of coffee as lOng as it is before workout and before 2pm. Otherwise, coach Poliquin claims, if we have coffee post workout we can eliminate all the benefits of the workout. Hoppefully thats to harsh to say.

A lot of ppl o line dont seem to follow these guidelines and they are doing quite well. Do you guys take coffee in the hours post workout and what is your experience? ]]> Sun, 19 May 2013 12:21:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5638398 Feeling Weak on Anabolic Diet http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5636684
I must be doing smth wrong on this diet. Im day 24 or smth and i feel very exhausted.

Im 179cm, 79 kg, around 9%bf and i want to cut a little bit b4 bulking (coz dr D's theory is that u cruise between 6-10%bf all around the year).

So im in cutting phase now. Dr D says maintenance is 18x bw which in my case is 3100cal. Im having 2500 cal a day (including 300cal from broccoli, cabbage and green beans) and arounf 4200 cals on saturday (carb up). Am i doing smth wrong coz yesterday i totally crashed and had the worst session ever?

Generaly my lifts (except for yesterday) didnt suffer, but ive been feeling generally weak and hungry all the time.

And if the answer is 'eat more' how the hell am i supposed to cut?

P.s. Do you think i need to continue cutting? See my pics at http://tnation.T-Nation.com/..._estimate_my_bf ]]> Sun, 19 May 2013 02:06:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5636684 Cinderella Man Food: Hash? http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5654864
Hash is shredded meat bits and potatoes.. Usually. It's normally made of leftovers..

One of my favs, personally, hence why I felt I had to reply.. Cheers all, hash it up.. ]]> Fri, 17 May 2013 21:42:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5654864 Nutritional Confusion http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5655138
I have about 5 years PL experience and was trained by my pops, an old school PLer totalled around 1800 classic raw @ 242 in his hay day, dude knows his stuff. I took a break then saw how tubs I was. I've been back in the game for about a year and 4 months doing powerlifting, and some CF, whilst eating a Paleo-based meal plan and have recently adopted Carb Nite as well, great success! Fat has dropped, 40 lbs, and totals moved up consistently, 1285 to 1445, awesome!

My issue now is I'm stuck at 220, can't get down below that and I know its my nutrition that is holding me back. I've been having an internal battle with conventional nutrition, BMR, telling me to eat 3500-4000 calories a day with a billion carbs whereas Paleo is, well, Paleo and tells me to eat when I'm hungry...I've been mixing the two and ending up around 2500 calories daily. My supplementation is minimal as I'm trying to be as natural as I can. However I'm still carrying a pooch in the front and some baby back fat! I've always been afraid of getting the fat back if I eat like "they" tell me to.

Goals:
A. Long term: Become an elite raw PLer!
2. Short term: Lean out to solid 198 for nationals in November after which I will start working towards becoming a very dense 220!
III. Immediate: Start two-a-days in the coming weeks

Question(s):
What should I do? Haha!
What should I do nutritionally to most efficiently reach my goals?
Do I follow conventional daily caloric numbers with Paleo values?

A nutritionally confused atholete!
Jeff ]]> Fri, 17 May 2013 19:35:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5655138 Amino Acid Blood Test Result Surprising http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5650813
Does anyone understand how this can be? Looking at food sources - I eat oats and peanuts which both look loaded with it.

I am also looking to optimise the other amino acids which may be at the lower end of the range compared to others - eg lysine was low whereas arginine was high end.

BTW I am on T replacement now in middle of range and have osteoporosis. I'm also taking Vit D, Calcium, Magnesium, B Complex, K2, Boron and zinc mainly for the bone health.

I am also suffering from death by Google! ]]> Fri, 17 May 2013 19:17:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5650813 Pulsing Concept http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5654930
It has gained a lot of attention recently, especially after MAG-10 and the Anaconda Protocol, but how does it make sense? From what I understand, pulsing means chugging your BCAA/Leucine/Aminos instead of just sipping them, so your body gets it and absorbs it all at once as a big chunk of nutrients.

However, unless you're completely fasted, wouldn't your stomach contents get in the way and mess up the absortion rate, cause it to "drip down" slowly into your bloodstream?

What I'm trying to say it, unless I'm on an completely empty stomach, how much different is it from chugging it down to sipping on it for a while? (If that's not the point then please point it out). ]]> Fri, 17 May 2013 15:53:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5654930 Adderall & Zero Appetite, Best Strategy? http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5651617
I take 20 mg of Adderall daily - with a prescription - to manage my adult ADHD. I'm 35. Anybody who has taken this crap knows what it does to your appetite - it makes you feel full for hours and hours.

I have serious ADHD - with the adderall I'm on top of my business, and literally at the number one spot in the undergraduate science courses (physics, chemistry, anatomy) I'm taking. Without it I can barely function - I'm a fun guy but nothing gets done.

What to do? I'm dropping muscle and feeling weak. I can manage about 500-600 calories of oatmeal and a protein shake in the morning. At the same time I take the pill, which kicks in about an hour later. After that it's a solid 12 hours of no appetite, during which I can maybe manage another 500 calories if I really try. And unfortunately those 500 tend to be junk because eating clean while on Adderall? Forget it. I simply can't choke down a chicken breast and a plate of spinach while on amphetamines. Then at night I pig out after the drugs wear off. The last two nights have been giant burritos. Despite this attempt at eating my chest, shoulders and biceps have visibly shrunk in only 4 weeks. My waist measurement is holding steady at 29.5 inches but it is ALSO getting FLABBY. I think I'm losing muscle and gaining fat from the poor diet intake and timing. And I'm not training because my diet has been thrown off so bad and I feel weak.

This really blows. Before I went on this stuff a month ago (going back to school, which is why I need it now - i took it years ago in school, stopped when i left school, and now i'm doing it again - anything less than A's are not an option) I spent the winter ski racing, doing crossfit three days a week, and eating super clean (meal delivery service + protein shakes). I was at the leanest bodyfat of my life, the abs were starting to show, I was in the best shape of my life and I was toned. I had planned to stop crossfit and bulk up this summer with a typical gainer routine before the next ski season starts.

Okay - so what to do? Anybody in my boat?

1 - Train in the morning before the drugs hit, during the day while on adderall, or at night when it wears off?
2 - I'm gonna do whatever I can do get my calories back up to about 3,000-3,500 at least. But that means major eating at night. :/ It is really hard to eat 2,000 calories of clean food in a 3 hour time span at night.

Another option - junk food + a ton of training?

Anything I can do to stave off muscle loss.

I'll take any supplements that are legal.

]]> Fri, 17 May 2013 07:26:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5651617 Vitamin D and Fish Oil Help. http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5650148
I am currently taking 6 1200mg soft gels of fish oil daily. Is this too much or too little? I weight 170 pounds.

I also just purchased a bottle of vitamin D3. I have heard a lot of respected members recommending it but i'm not sure i should be taking d3 or d2? I also have no idea about the dosages.

Any help would be awesome! Thanks.

]]> Fri, 17 May 2013 07:31:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5650148 The Effects of BCAA's on Blood Glucose Levels http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5379020
I enjoy taking a walk early in the morning, right after waking up, as I believe it is a great way to burn off some extra fat. When doing so, I drink 5-10 grams of amino acids by coach Thib's and other coaches reccomendation.

But, I've been wondering if these amino acids creates a rise in insulin, significant enough to diminish the claimed boosted fat-burning effects of fasted cardio.

I tried but failed at finding an definitive answer to this. So, I've bought my own glucose meter,and I will be doing some measuring on myself, along with measuring body temperature and heartbeat in the morning.

If this is something people are interested in, then I'll post my result. I'm open for suggestions to other similliar experiments requiring a glucose meter.

Daniel. ]]> Fri, 17 May 2013 02:02:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5379020 Macros/Carbs - Static or Cycle? http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5653868
I have found my sweet spot so to speak on fealing good, and losing weight/fat at a steady pace. Down from 193 to 181 since the beginig of april. My best guess right now is 15% bf. To get down so far I gradually cut down cals/macros to get to me where I am now.

Basically 200-225 protein
100 g carbs(after subtracting fiber)
60 fat

These are my minumums. I stay between 10-12x bw cals with incidentals or extra fat making up for the missing 200-300 cals for those of you doing the math so i basically sit between 1800-2100.

Again things are moving at a good pace right now, just curious if the best approach for now would be to stay the course each day and keep these macros static until around 10% bf or fatloss slowing down, or should I cycle my carbs?

Would most likely cycle it like this: 50 100 150 100 50 150 100


Been a while since I have seen the single digits so I am a bit rusty at this, appretiate the help in advance fellas. ]]> Fri, 17 May 2013 02:04:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5653868 Opinion on My Diet Plan for Fat Loss http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5652621
This time around i have decided to focus on just one goal at a time and my goal is to get to 8-10 % bodyfat.
I have noticed i have had problems with carbs as when i eat rice or something else i could feel it going to the love handle area. This lead me to a different approach.

This is how my diet looks like now:

I eat 2 avocados a day ,one in the morning and one with dinner to get enough healthy fat and other vitamins. I also take 2 fish oil caps a day and a green tea pill aswell as 12 g of EAA for pre-workout togather with 5g of creatine. I also eat one big apple pre-workout

My only carbs comes from vegtables and the quark. Which is less then 5g for every 100g.
I get around 100-140g of protein a day and maybe 50-100g of carbs.

I have almost gotten ridd of the love handles completely and also see 4 abs but it feels like my fatloss has stalled.As my weight does not change recently.

I sometimes do cardio when i have energy 6 hours after my workout but i am afriad of doing to much as i don't want to lose to much muscle.

I workout 5-7 days a week.

Do you think this routine will lead me to 10% bodyfat or is there anything i should adjust which is slowing down my progress? should i add more cardio or is the diet and lifting weights enough?

]]> Thu, 16 May 2013 23:08:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5652621 Melanotan II http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5636449
Anyone still use this on the site? Was originally going to make a nasal spray of it for stress (more detail involved to this statement) but now I'm interested in using it for the summer before I go on a cruise and spend more time outside. Skin type 1 and have never tanned and it would be nice to not worry about applying sunblock AS MUCH.

Really just looking for some personal reviews though! Thanks.

]]> Thu, 16 May 2013 18:04:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5636449 N-acetyl-glucosamine http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5632853
Anyone try either of these to deal with an acute inflammatory episode? Recommendations? Dosing schedules?


Thanks! ]]> Thu, 16 May 2013 17:04:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5632853 Carb Timing and Fat Burning http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5646792
anonym wrote:
That being said, the whole bit about how avoiding carbs to keep yourself in "fat burning" mode is a bit derpity derp, too, but that's a discussion for another day.



I would like to get his (or anyone else's) thoughts on why he feels this theory is "derpity derp". Anonym's posts are always good reads and I thought the discussion about this topic could continue here.

Anonym? Care to elaborate?
]]> Tue, 14 May 2013 14:58:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5646792 Brickhead, How Was 'Eat Stop Eat'? http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5644974
I wanted to see if anyone has experience with this so used the search bar and noticed you had made a thread about this a few years back

http://tnation.T-Nation.com/...ns_eat_stop_eat

My results so far?

I've dropped 7kg in 6 weeks. Abs are starting to make an appearance as well.

I've probably lost a little muscle however the worrying thing is that workmates, family member are now telling me I have lost a lot of weight.

Strength is still going up though so it's difficult to tell.

Would be great if anyone else could chime in. ]]> Mon, 13 May 2013 18:52:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5644974 All Natural Creatine http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5645847 Mon, 13 May 2013 15:55:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5645847 Cardio or No Cardio on Anabolic Diet? http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5634106
Just a quick one.. Im doing Dr mauro di Pasquale's anabolic diet. My goal is cutting fat. Im aware that hiit is not advisable on this type of diet, but should i do low intensity cardio?

At the moment im eating below maintenance (having 2500cal at my 175 lbs weight; if i calculate maintenance as 18x bw it should be 3100, so im having about 500 cal below maintenance). Also, im not doing any cardio atm, just weights 4x a week.

And the second questiob: would a 5 day split be more useful?

Any replies much appreciated! ]]> Mon, 13 May 2013 02:27:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5634106 Cortisol Help http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5646244 Sun, 12 May 2013 20:57:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5646244 Same amount of protein to build and then maintain muscle? http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5648183
Let's say I'm right at a caloric balance (not cutting, not bulking) at 2500 calories, and 200g protein. I then up it to 2600 calories and 225g protein. I gain 5 lbs of muscle (this is all hypothetical obviously). I then go back to 200g protein, but up my carbohydrates by 25g, so that I'm still at 2600 calories. Will I lose that 5 lbs of muscle I just built?

Basically what I'm asking, does it take more protein to build muscle or maintain it? ]]> Sun, 12 May 2013 15:02:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5648183 Zero Calories Soft Drinks Bad for You? http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5592441
Would this inflammation they might cause 'undo' the anti-inflammatory effects of any veggies, cod liver oil and/or tumeric you might be taking?

Obviously the best choice is water, but are zero calorie soft drinks and flavored water actually BAD for you in terms of inflammation...etc...

Thanks!! ]]> Sun, 12 May 2013 10:37:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5592441 GABA Effects? http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=4507918
Does anyone else get a very rapid heart rate and a huge boost in body temperature after taking around 5 grams of GABA?

Can anyone think of any causes for this since its suppose to be a nervous system relaxant? ]]> Sat, 11 May 2013 20:45:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=4507918 Licorice Root Extract http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5561201
I just started taking Licorice Root Extract as part of a regimen for battling adrenal fatigue, however it reduced my libido and made me real moody and gave me hot flashes. I have went online and read that it can reduce testosterone by as much as 1/3. I have since gooe off it and stuck to taking Vitamin C. Is this decrease permanent or would it go back to normal in a matter of time?

Thanks! ]]> Sat, 11 May 2013 00:55:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5561201 Functional Medicine Docs http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5646809 Fri, 10 May 2013 20:22:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5646809 Diet Help - Post College Nutrition http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5639592
I will be graduating in a few weeks and am off to Boston after a brief summer vacation to start "real life."

All throughout college I have told myself that I need to focus more on nutrition, and as a nutrition student I am fairly embarrassed by how I have approached my diet thus far. I begin with great intentions, but fall off the bandwagon pretty easily and end up justifying poor food choices with the fact that I "want to gain weight."

I've posted around T-Nation a few times before, always focused on my lifting program (which has similar trends to my eating habits) but as I sit here today I think the best way to approach my fitness lifestyle moving forward is to really hone in on my nutrition and let the lifting take care of itself. I'm currently injured (shoulder and back) and haven't been able to lift much recently so I think now (and the summer) will be a great time to focus on my eating and get into a routine that I can easily continue once I begin work in the fall.

All of that being said, below is some basic information about me:

Age: 22
Height: 6'0''
Weight: 200
Body fat %: Unsure, but I have the classic "skinny" fat problem
Experience: On and off for 5+ years (never consistent enough)

Bench 1RM: 290
Oly Squat ATG 1RM: 300
Deadlift 3RM: 405


I've read a decent amount around T-Nation about nutrition and think that a plan similar to the "Quality Mass Diet" by Chris Shugart is a good approach for me. Mentally and physically I need to be more disciplined and having a strict, well-defined eating plan will be great for me moving forward.

What I am looking for from all of you is general guidance and support as I move forward with all of this. I know that there is a learning curve to establishing a diet plan such as the one I will be attempting, and I would greatly appreciate any advice, criticism, tips, tricks, etc. that you can all offer!

To start I will be using the equation BW x 16 + 20% for my kcal intake which sets me up with:

Kcal/day (workout days): 3,840
Kcal/day (non-workout days): 3,440

The macro breakdown I am a bit more unsure about -- any thoughts on how to divide these on a daily basis? I think carb-cycling is a good approach for me, so the -400 kcal difference between workout and non-workout days will probably come mostly from a decrease in carbs.

PLEASE don't hesitate to comment and start a conversation in the thread - I really do need the support moving forward to help me get started, and to stay on the course I set. Thank you in advance for all of your help!
]]> Fri, 10 May 2013 15:48:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5639592 Ezekiel Bread http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5644841 Fri, 10 May 2013 10:39:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5644841 Whey Supps Leaving Out Creatine Info http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5641909
Does anyone know how much creatine is in Six Star Whey Protein Puls? I wanted to start taking actual creatine but didn't want to go overboard seeing as this protein also has creatine.

Hey OP, we can't release all our secrets but Whey Protein Plus has a full clinical dose of creatine so that you don't HAVE to pair it with another creatine product. However, if you prefer to get a high dose of creatine, then you can certainly consider Creatine X3 or the creatine product of your choice. Hope that helps man. Let me know if you have any other questions.

All the best,
Luke -
Team Six Star
[quote/]

I read this on a forum earlier today when searching for how much creatine is in this protein powder I decided to try in a pinch from Walmart. This seems like a strange answer about something as simple as creatine. ]]> Fri, 10 May 2013 04:28:00 GMT http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=5641909