Consumer Review: I Am Looking For Tried And True Results From People With Similar Experiences.
I am 6'4", 210 lbs, 25 years old, and have been training consistently for about 3 years. I have tried several supplements, workout programs, and diets, but have not seen the results I expected to see by now. When I began weight training I made no change to my diet or lifestyle as I was in my third year of college and drinking/smoking heavily. I got hooked on working out and subsequently changed my diet and habits.
In what seemed like a matter of months, I saw my body transform from 225 lbs with 18% body fat to the 210 lbs with 13% body fat that I sport today. Since then I have made several attempts to add mass, but it has been to no avail. Don't get me wrong, I am not unhappy with the way I look, but it would be nice to look as if I was someone who worked out 4-5 times a week. I've spent tons of money on supplements hoping it would help me get off this long plateau, but it too has been to no avail.
Some of the supplements I've used over the years are creatine, all sorts of protein shakes (designer protein and Met-Rx mostly), branch chain amino acids, HMB (Betagen and in tablet form) and EAC stacks. Creatine worked well the first time I used it, but has had lackluster results since. Over the last 2 months I used a combination of Betagen, Met-Rx shakes, EAC stacks and BCAA's.
My standard daily diet consists of:
Breakfast: Met -Rx shake mixed with 6 egg whites, Betagen, 2 BCAA tablets
Lunch: 2-4 chicken breasts (sometimes with a little rice), Betagen, 2 BCAA tablets
Dinner: 4 chicken breasts; Betagen; 2 BCAA tablets Post workout: Met RX shake mixed w/ 6 egg whites
I constantly switch my workouts up and make sure not to spend much more than an hour a night on weight training. I've garnered advice from all sorts of people over the years, but have yet to find a routine that truly works for me. I know people who "claim" to have used anabolic steroids only once or twice and I have to admit they look pretty good and are much stronger than me. I'm at the point where the thought of performance drugs is entering my mind, but that would be an absolute last resort. I guess I'm looking for tried and true results from people with similar experiences.
Response #1
The foods that you're eating seem OK, but you need to eat little and often!
Eat a few more more carbohydrates and spread those chicken breasts or other protein meals across 5-6 smaller meals. This way your body can use all the nutrients to much greater effect. Eat one of these meals directly after training, and shortly before bedtime to keep your metabolism busy through the night.
Also make sure you take a good multivitamin and mineral supplement each day and drink lots of water. This is very important as you can't fire on all cylinders if your body isn't given the basics for good health.
Good luck!!!
Response #2
I think one problem you may be having is your lack of carbohydrates. People tend to think that these just add fat. In reality, it is carbohydrates that are the backbone to putting on mass. I'm not saying go crazy on carbs, but you should raise the amount of carbs you are intaking. Don't forget about your essential fatty acids. Without these, you wont go very far.
I don't know what your workout regime is, but try lifting higher with lower reps. For instance, if you work out benching 200, lift 215 instead, but for 4 sets of 6. Always strive to lift more. This is what I find worked best for me. I have had a lot of my friends try this as well, and they have seen better results doing this then their old regimens.
If you seem to have plateaued and need the extra edge, a suggestion which always puts me over the plateau is for 1 month, and 1 month only, take a combination of creatine monohydrate, vanadyl sulfate and 19 nor androstenedione and norandrostenediol. Works like a charm and helps break the plateau. I don't recommend taking this for more than a month at a time. Don't take it again until you reach another plateau. Cheers from your friendly Canadian, Brendan.
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