2012 FITNESS CHALLENGE

[Feared]

Re: 2012 FITNESS CHALLENGE

I'm almost to the end of my bottle of Hyper FX (BSN product). I've been really busy with crap and haven't had a great workout in over a week.

Hopefully, I will make up for that tonight.

Well that's understandable, considering with you getting your new job and all, congratulations by the way.

Good luck with your work out.

Oh and Jonesy let us know how the jack3d works out for you once you crack it open compared to the other PWOs you've used.

[NDAlum]

Re: 2012 FITNESS CHALLENGE

bh you look great man (no homo)

[Feared]

Re: 2012 FITNESS CHALLENGE

Question to anyone who is familiar with Muscle Pharm products.

When you are already taking the Combat Powder (the Protein blend) is there any use, or reason to also take the Re-con? (the post workout recovery formula)

A few of the guys I work out with have differing opinions.

Someone told me that the Combat Powder was more for meal replacements, and to take before bed to prevent your body from going into a Catabolic state. (breaking down it's own muscle for energy because your muscles need fuel especially while at rest for 7-8 hours)

and that I should be taking Re-Con for immediate post work out, and then use the Combat Powder 15-30 minutes before bed. Re-con is mainly a blend of Glutamine, and BCAA's to help re-build muscles, and Beta Alanine to replenish energy.

but a lot of people have told me that Combat Powder is fine for Post Workout, even though it has Micellar Casein, and Whey Concentrate which are slower digested... it also has Whey Protein Isolates, and Hydrolyzed Protein which are quicker absorbing, and that I don't really need to use the Re-con if I'm already taking Combat.

[BatsareBugs]

Re: 2012 FITNESS CHALLENGE

I don't think you necessarily need to get Re-Con for post-workout, just about any protein is fine post-workout. It's more a matter of preference, you can go with Re-Con because of the said ingredients you listed in your post. However there's nothing wrong with using Combat as a post-workout protein. I sometimes have to resort to a protein blend for my post-workout protein.

I'm probably going to look into Muscle Pharm protein powders myself, but in the meantime my number 1 post-workout protein is ON 100% Whey. My pre-workout and pre-bed time protein is either Muscle Milk or Syntha-6, depending on my macro needs and what flavor I crave.

If you can afford it, go with Re-Con for post-workout, if not, there's nothing wrong with using Combat for it.

[Feared]

Re: 2012 FITNESS CHALLENGE

Yeah I don't really think I need to have both, was just browsing their website and they have a ton of supplements in their lineup.. and was kind of wondering what differences a Carb/Amino Acid based Post workout would have over just taking a Protein blend, or Whey which is what I have always done in the past.

Maybe one day when I get more money, I can try the Re-con post workout, and have a Protein an hour or so later. Wonder what kind of difference it would make.

[Jonesy]

Re: 2012 FITNESS CHALLENGE

Wonder what kind of difference it would make.

Probably absolutely none. I wouldn't sweat it too much man.

The 'anabolic window' is massively overblown as is the whole 'going catabolic during sleep' thing so just use what you have and you'll be fine.

It's overall protein levels in the diet that matters not getting a shake into you 4.6 seconds post workout etc etc. You body is constantly processing / breaking down protein so as long as you overall levels are high enough there will be more than enough amino acids in the blood stream to allow for maximum recovery.

The science shows that whey protein is about the quickest (or at least one of the quickest) things to be broken down by the body and even then it takes 8 hours for it to fully pass through to your blood stream. A steak or peice of chicken breast can take 24-48 hours to be fully assimilated so just hit your daily protein targets and you'll be fine.

[AUChase]

Re: 2012 FITNESS CHALLENGE

Yep, I usually don't even feel like drinking a shake post-workout.

I'll drink one in the morning, on the way to work and sometimes after I get home from work, but other than that, I just try to eat a few cans of tuna each day and maybe a peanut butter sandwich.

I don't load up on protein and I still seem to be building muscle just fine.

[Jonesy]

Re: 2012 FITNESS CHALLENGE

Yeah I rarely do the post workout shake anymore as well. If I do do it's only because I love the taste of a blended shake with protein, frozen banana and ice and it's like a healthy awesome tasting milk shake.

What you ate in the day leading up to your workout is more important than what you drink or eat straight after as that is the fuel your body is actually using to recover from the trauma and micro tears in the muscle fibers that lifting weights creates.

If you guys like doing it by all means keep going but the fact that you are actually lifting and eating a decent amount of protein is what will get you the results not any supplement or 'timing window' etc.

[Feared]

Re: 2012 FITNESS CHALLENGE

I'm not too worried about it, I do like taking some direct form of Protein directly after an intense workout though. Maybe it's just mental, but I do feel like my body needs something to replenish in the period right after an exhausting lift session or so.

[ehh]

Re: 2012 FITNESS CHALLENGE

Now that all my winter rec basketball leagues have ended and I took two weeks off to rest the old knees I've just started my April-December exercise routine.

All lifting is reverse pyramid (go heavy as possible first then reduce). All workouts are done in the morning before work, no excuses that way.

• Monday AM: Sprint workout*
• Tuesday AM: Squat 5x3, Lunges 5x5, Shoulder Press 5x5
• Wednesday: Rest, maybe a 2 mile jog if I feel like getting some fresh air
• Thurs AM: Bench 5x3, Pullups 5x5, Curls 5x5
• Fri AM: Sprint workout
• Saturday AM: Dead lifts 5x3, Chinups 5x5, Leg Ext 5x5
• Sunday: off

Sprint workout: two cones 60ish feet apart, there and back 5 times, 60 seconds rest, repeat five times. Takes less than 10 min to complete, not counting warmup/stretch. You feel like you're going to die at the end of it every single time.

It's all quick and dirty, I'm done every day in less than 30 minutes. All heavy lifting or HIIT outside of a casual run or Wed or Sun.


Diet-wise I'm nearing my one year anniversary of IF, aka the greatest thing ever. Focusing on fruits and veggies more than ever, not worried about macros/carbs/protein.

Noon snack to break the fast

• Two string cheese
• Pack of almonds
• Two hard boiled eggs
• Bag of green beans

3-4pm Snack

• 2 c plain Greek yogurt mixed with Trader Joe's O's (cheerios)
• Apple

Smoothie (when I get home from work)

• 2 c frozen berries (blueberries, strawberries, cherries, raspberries)
• 1 banana
• 1/2 c pomegranate juice
• 1/2 c Simply Smart "milk"

Dinner
Crapload of veggies (spinach, broccoli, cucumbers, carrots, green beans) and usually turkey or chicken of some kind. Hard boiled egg or two as well.

I end the feeding window at 8pm if possible but I'm not strict about it if I'm playing sports and get home at 10pm or if I'm out with friends. It's rare that I break the 8 hour feeding window, usually 6 of 7 days of the week I'm true to form.

I'm eating more fruits and veggies than ever of the last two weeks and have felt great, I've seen no ill affect of eating so many "carbs" in terms of stomach flab.

[TarHeelMan]

Re: 2012 FITNESS CHALLENGE

IF is the bomb. I'm still amazed at how I'm able to feel so full off of 1-2 meals a day, excluding my smoothie. Only thing I'm doing now is attempting to play with my feeding window, which is usually from 3-11, which is actually more like 3-9, since I leave for the gym at 10 and don't come back till after midnight.

[BatsareBugs]

Re: 2012 FITNESS CHALLENGE

Yeah I rarely do the post workout shake anymore as well. If I do do it's only because I love the taste of a blended shake with protein, frozen banana and ice and it's like a healthy awesome tasting milk shake.

What you ate in the day leading up to your workout is more important than what you drink or eat straight after as that is the fuel your body is actually using to recover from the trauma and micro tears in the muscle fibers that lifting weights creates.

If you guys like doing it by all means keep going but the fact that you are actually lifting and eating a decent amount of protein is what will get you the results not any supplement or 'timing window' etc.

Yep most of those "suggestions and uses" on these protein powders are just a marketing ploy to get you to go through your powder quickly so you have to get more sooner than you have to.

I'll admit I do the pre- and post-workout shakes along with the pre-bedtime shake (only pre-bedtime on rest/stretch days), but I no longer follow the "suggested serving sizes" considering a small fellow like me doesn't need much protein in total.

[WTF]

Re: 2012 FITNESS CHALLENGE

Anyone give a full breakdown on what they're doing with the IF? No food until 3pm THM? that sounds rough.

I wouldn't mind giving IF a try, but man...

[l3ulvl]

Re: 2012 FITNESS CHALLENGE

Anyone give a full breakdown on what they're doing with the IF? No food until 3pm THM? that sounds rough.

I wouldn't mind giving IF a try, but man...

That would be easy for me since I don't typically force myself out of bed until almost 2pm. I'm guessing it would have to be adjusted for everyone's schedule so I probably wouldn't get to eat til like 8pm.

[AllJuicedUp]

Re: 2012 FITNESS CHALLENGE

Anyone give a full breakdown on what they're doing with the IF? No food until 3pm THM? that sounds rough.

I wouldn't mind giving IF a try, but man...

I know jonesy and most other ppl that do IF do the 16ish hours of no eating (usually after dinner/pre bed shake/etc till lunch the next day). So something like 1 PM - 9 PM you can eat, then 9 PM - 1 PM the next day no food.

Me personally, I take a different approach and do the Eat-Stop-Eat method, essentially not eating for 24+ hours at a time and then eating like normal anywhere from 24-72 hours depending on my schedule. I really like this method because I dont feel the constant pull of fasting, I do it on my schedule (preferably 2 or 3 times a week).

If buddies are going out on a Saturday night and my families getting together for something Sunday, I don't stress out about it. I'll just do a fast on Monday. I don't let it get in the way of me living my life (in fact, my friends don't even know I do it. They think its some miracle that I've lost so much weight and am in so much better shape lol).

One of my favorite parts about this, is that my "one day fast" usually ends up more along the lines of 36-48 hours than it does 24 (and as the science has shown, you're metabolic rate actually increases during this time and you don't actually start burning muscle until something like 60-72 hours... so each meal skipped after 16 hours is essentially prime fat burning time for an additional 6ish hours until your next meal. If thats not the push you need to get you through it idk what is!).

Although I must admit I do use the EC stack (ephedrine via bronkaid and caffeine pills) during times of hunger during the fasting (there are plenty of times where you dont even feel hungry despite not eating for 24 hours, but inevitably, those hunger pains will creep in and out lol). I don't care what the government says, keep yourself WELL hydrated during this time, and take a little ephedrine and caffeine, and you will feel alive and like you could go a week without eating. It is a great push to have for those times you need it.

While fasting I do minimal working out. Since I'm not taking in any protein, there's really not much of a point to lifting. That said, I LOVE to come out of a fast with a high fat & protein meal, even if its just stuffing your face with a jar or almonds or some other nut and a protein shake, and then doing a hard workout. It's fantastic just loading up after a fast and tearing down the muscle

In the case of a solid workout, i'll usually not fast again until all soreness is gone from said workouts. Which is why I may go 3, 4, 5 days in a row eating at times, but I'll always come back and pound out a 24-48 hour fast when my bodies ready. Hell, I might go 36, 24+ of solid eating, and then another 36 of fasting (obviously, I'd do minimal lifting during all this time).

The best advice I could give you is to just try it. Be it 16 hours of fasting every day as so many people do, or the eat-stop-eat method. Give IF its due diligence and find out what works for you.

For me, I went from an out of shape 215 in January 2011 to a stronger 160 at the beginning of July 2011 (with really, only working out 2 times a week max and 1 night of soccer... the actual workout dedication was not near my full potential, and I still saw awesome results). Then in July, I started an office job, started slacking on the IF (and pretty much only playing soccer once a week, no real dedicated lifting), and jumped to 180 as of mid March (with less muscle mass than at 160). For the last month+ I've started getting back on track and am back at 165-170 (more muscle mass than at 180, but still less than when I was 160 in July... but I'll get there!)

Either way, thats what works for me. I've found my body is capable of incredible change in a remarkably short period of time (55 lb's and more muscle in 6 months of less than stellar effort on the workout front... and now 10-15 lbs in 1+ month). Dive in the IF waters, and see what works for you