[gravik]

Originally Posted by SlowbaltSS Yep ON is the best. It mixes in milk so well. Muscle Milk was always chunky when I blended it, ON completely mixes if you just shake it in with whatever liquid you want.

100% Natural ON is even better. Same stuff, zero artificial sweeteners.

[01Lightning]

Honestly, if you buy anything from a GNC or Vitamin Shoppe you'll probably be fine. Some stuff is better than others, yes, but you won't get any knock off crap that's actually dangerous like you may if you go to Walmart to buy your protein.

In my opinion, eating good is just as important, probably more, than what brand of protein you take. Honestly, if you have any protein shake, and eat a lot of food, good food, with calories, protein, carbs, and good fat, you'll gain muscle and get stronger. I believe that I'm benefiting a lot from eating chicken and pasta or rice for lunch, fish or steak or burger and rice or pasta or potatoes for dinner, and peanut butter sandwich for snacks. Simply by having the peanut butter sandwich instead of a bag of chips, I'm gaining around 5-10 grams of protein, and a few hundred calories.

I think my point here is that you need to eat well, not just have protein shakes, if you want to truly get as big and strong as you can. I know that the monstrous calorie and protein count in these shakes makes it seem like you can live of of them, you should still eat good foods. It may seem obvious, but you'd be surprised at how some people try to reach their fitness goals.

[PiggySmallz]

Originally Posted by 01Lightning Honestly, if you buy anything from a GNC or Vitamin Shoppe you'll probably be fine. Some stuff is better than others, yes, but you won't get any knock off crap that's actually dangerous like you may if you go to Walmart to buy your protein. In my opinion, eating good is just as important, probably more, than what brand of protein you take. Honestly, if you have any protein shake, and eat a lot of food, good food, with calories, protein, carbs, and good fat, you'll gain muscle and get stronger. I believe that I'm benefiting a lot from eating chicken and pasta or rice for lunch, fish or steak or burger and rice or pasta or potatoes for dinner, and peanut butter sandwich for snacks. Simply by having the peanut butter sandwich instead of a bag of chips, I'm gaining around 5-10 grams of protein, and a few hundred calories. I think my point here is that you need to eat well, not just have protein shakes, if you want to truly get as big and strong as you can. I know that the monstrous calorie and protein count in these shakes makes it seem like you can live of of them, you should still eat good foods. It may seem obvious, but you'd be surprised at how some people try to reach their fitness goals.

not probably, it definitely is more important. A solid diet is 80% of the work in my opinion. A mass gainer is loaded with starches and sugars. I also bolded the few hundred calories part. That is very important. I see a lot of kids chugging down Optimum shakes...those things have so few calories. Muscle building and strength building need caloric excess. You won't get that from a few protein shakes with 150 calories. I'm 175 lbs and 5'10 my caloric maintenance is about 2500 calories. I'm eating about 3200 calories a day now pushing to 180 by the end of march.

[01Lightning]

I wish I could gain some weight.

You mentioned that mass gainers are loaded up wit starches and sugars, luckily for me I've been on a gluten/dairy free diet, all natural, for the past 10 days or so. It's working great so far, I know I'm having more fruits and vegetables, which I was really lacking, and I am also taking in more caloires, and more protein. Another key is that I'm having a ton more fat, but good fat, fat from oils and Omega 3 and 6. I'm averaging 3500-4000 calories and 160-180g of protein per day on this diet so far, and just about every one is "good". I think I'll be better off on this diet than the old one where I just ate.
One expert who I know says that if I'm 155 now, I should be able to gain 10-15lbs of lean muscle from this diet, so I'd be 165-170lbs, which is a great goal for me.

I've never understood why lifters looking to bulk up have Boost or Ensure, or even normal Whey protein. They have the protein, yes, but they are sort of calorie deficient. Also, protein won't digest well without carbs. If you want to gain muscle, you need a lot of calories, why are people so afraid to have a lot of calories, even when they're thin and trying to bulk up?
Kids try to go from skinny to "ripped" by eating normal and doing high rep exercises, it doesn't work like that, you have to put on the muscle, then get ripped, there are some exceptions to the rule, but not many. I try to tell this stuff to my friends, most listen to me at first, but don't have the dedication/ time to stick to it.

(I love how this thread went from BEEF PROTEIN to an in-depth discussion of diets and eating with working out. It's mostly my fault, but I think we've put some good points out there.)

[TheUNZippee!]

Aren't you very young?

Keep working out and maintain a healthy diet. You will fill out naturally and put on weight as you get into your 20s. Trust me.

[01Lightning]

Yeah, I'm only 17. I'm a junior in High School.

My family is naturally light though. My father was a body builder. He was 5'10" 160 at his heaviest. At the time he says he ate 7000+ calories a day. He squatted 365, not too shabby for a 160lb guy. We just have such fast metabolisms. He is in his 50s now, and doesn't really work out, and he still weighs less than 160, and is in great shape, especially for his age.

I'm hoping I can gain some weight into my 20s. I just want to do it naturally, no "juice" or any of that shit. My goals are to bench 275 and squat 350 before I graduate HS (I'm at like 240+ and 320+) (I also want to be able to do a few 2-finger one arm push ups, and a true one-arm pull up)

[PiggySmallz]

you're not just going to gain 10-15lbs of lean mass (muscle) for every 4 lbs expect 1 to be fat IF you do it correctly. You don't just gain muscle, fat comes with it, there is no way around it. You're taking in more calories than you need.

you're 17 you don't need to worry about all the exact numbers, just look for a general amount. At 17 i'd eat as much chicken, beef, and fish as i could. Thats how I started putting on my mass. As my metabolism slowed I adjusted my carbs fats and calories.

Also, I take whey protein its necessary after a workout. During a cut, I'll drink the whey with a glass of pomegranate juice or cranberry juice as my carb source. Now during my bulk I throw a banana in it, raw oatmeal and a tbsp on natural peanut butter for the calories and carbs

[94v6blkndred]

yea when i was 17 i was on a triple cheeseburger diet 2-3 times a day...beer...and like 8 hours of skateboarding a day cut as hell..couldnt get above 185 if i tried..now i can barely get under 210 and thats with diet and exercise...fuck growing up...metabolizm and work is bullshit hahaha

[PiggySmallz]

lol a triple cheeseburger and beer diet was not what I was implying. I was saying to stick to a solid diet with lean meats good fats and carbs, but not to worry so much about the final numbers. Just to hit general numbers and eat so you're always full. 5-6 meals a day every 2.5-3 hours

[OZ_872]

Just want to add that taking a good multivitamin daily is a good choice also, I take "Centrum Energy". Pretty pleased with it. I also take Osteo Biflex daily too, if you like lifting heavy weight I would recommend it, lifting big weight (or any weights on a regular basis i suppose) is hell on the joints, and the stuff does make a noticeable difference in my opinion.

[94v6blkndred]

Originally Posted by OZ_872 Just want to add that taking a good multivitamin daily is a good choice also, I take "Centrum Energy". Pretty pleased with it. I also take Osteo Biflex daily too, if you like lifting heavy weight I would recommend it, lifting big weight (or any weights on a regular basis i suppose) is hell on the joints, and the stuff does make a noticeable difference in my opinion.

hells yea. ive been takin a multi vitamin as well..between working on cars for 12 hours a day,going to the gym after that,been skateboarding for 14 years..my ankles and knees will one day tell me to fuck right off so im trying to prevent it..i should look into a joint supplement as well.my ankles already sound like firecrackers when i move them..and im only 24

[OZ_872]

^ I hear you man, i'm actually 24 also and the only thing i love more than mustangs is riding snowmobiles. Been riding since I was like 5, on trail, off trail, jumping. We ride pretty hardcore too, really start to feel the wear and tear after awhile.

[94v6blkndred]

haha hells yea. i skated yesterday for about 4 hours for the first time in over a month and it hurts to walk hahahha