Reccomend me a good $100 dollar or less supplement.

[Ferg]

Hey everyone!
I have been lifting for about two years but stopped recently because I wasn't really making any gains...
I got a nice sum of money from graduation with nothing to spend on. I am thinking of starting up lifting again.
Is there any great supplements I can get that will help me build on lots of lean muscle and increase strength? I have only used protein and creatine.
Feedback is really appreciated.

[Tom Mutaffis]

A combination of good quality protein and creatine should suit you well - and will only run about half of your budget:

Creatine 500 (http://atlargenutrition.com/nutrition_detail.php?products_id=3) / Creapure Creatine Monohydate. This is one of the highest quality creatine monohydrate products on the market. Effective dosing would be 5 grams daily for most individuals, taken with a simple sugar such as dextrose (powdered gatorade is the most common form of this). Can be taken pre-workout, post-workout, or with breakfast on non-training days. A loading phase is not necessary and you should begin to notice gains within 2-4 weeks.

Opticen (http://atlargenutrition.com/nutrition_detail.php?products_id=2) / Engineered PWO Protein Shake. Opticen is a meal replacement & post-workout shake that was designed specifically to meet the nutritional requirements for optimal recovery after training (quality protein and glycogen replenishment). It also works well as a meal replacement as the protein source is a blend of whey/egg/casein and the product comes from a company that is well known for great tasting powders (Men's Health top pick in 2008).

It is easy to become discouraged without a quality workout routine as well. I would check on the "Bodybuilding & Weight Lifting" section to make sure that you have an intelligent program that will allow for adequate recovery and progressive gains.

Diet is also important - for most individuals who are looking to build muscle they will ideally consum 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. Make sure that you are sleeping 8 hours per night, not spending more than 1 hour in the gym, and training to failure.

If you would like to discuss anything specific with regard to your program simply post the question here or you can message me directly. Hope this helps.

[Pimpstick]

www.kroger.com

[sCaRz*Of*PaiN]

www.kroger.com
Touché.

[Cards]

i've heard nothing but good things from RESULTS by atlargenutrition. anyone on this site who's tried has had awesome results, no pun intended. I believe results also has creatine in it and with a pre or post workout, such as opticen as tom said, that should run you alittle under 100$ for the both of them. If i had 100$ in disposable income to buy supplements, these would be my two.

[Skalami]

i would lift for a few months at least before starting any supplements (besides whey protein) you need to have some accomplishments so you know where you stand without supplements. And if you start supplements from the get go and need to stop a few months down the road it can be a mental let down. Also some supplements work different for diferent people... creatine helps me a little but my younger brother (who is much bigger and cut then me and doesnt even focus on supplements or diet eats good but not a lot of protein but is a lot more active) didnt respond at all to creatine.

Get a good solid routine going, instead of looking for supplements to fix a sticking point or to accelerate gains look for what more you can do in the gym (and out) i guarantee you'll make quicker gains if thats your focus. Then once that is good and you have a good rhythm MAYBE add some creatine or something.

[Tom Mutaffis]

i would lift for a few months at least before starting any supplements (besides whey protein) you need to have some accomplishments so you know where you stand without supplements. And if you start supplements from the get go and need to stop a few months down the road it can be a mental let down. Also some supplements work different for diferent people... creatine helps me a little but my younger brother (who is much bigger and cut then me and doesnt even focus on supplements or diet eats good but not a lot of protein but is a lot more active) didnt respond at all to creatine.

Get a good solid routine going, instead of looking for supplements to fix a sticking point or to accelerate gains look for what more you can do in the gym (and out) i guarantee you'll make quicker gains if thats your focus. Then once that is good and you have a good rhythm MAYBE add some creatine or something.

That is good advice. A quality PWO shake is one of the most important part of anyone's weight training program, regardless of experience level.

If I had to just start off with one product I would recommend Opticen and only taking it post-workout. Many people have trouble meeting their overall daily requirements without protein supplements and you can always pick up a cheap whey protein shake to add in or Novus Bars (About $2.25 for 36 grams protein) if you want something convenient for when you are on the run.

Creatine is proven to be safe and effective but is not something that is a "must have" for someone just starting out, just something that could help you to reach your goals more quickly which in turn can be motivating for someone who has been discouraged in the past. Some people are "non-responders" but there are also quite a few people who use the product improperly or expect too much from creatine and write themselves off.

Overall I would say that you need to look at the big picture:
- Proper Training Routine
- Finding a good Gym / Training Partners
- Diet (High protein, clean foods)
- Supplements

With all of the above factors you should begin to see improvements in body composition, strength, and energy levels within 3-4 weeks.

Along with this you will have to find ways to stay motivated and disciplined. There is plenty of great information on this board and I would be happy to answer any direct questions that you may have.

[Sensei]

There is a reason you only here positive things. PM me if you want to know.
Let me save you both time - we are at a commercial forum. Yes, huge revelation I know... If you don't like At Large Nutrition products, fine, but badmouth them somewhere else.

Overall I would say that you need to look at the big picture:
- Proper Training Routine
- Finding a good Gym / Training Partners
- Diet (High protein, clean foods)
- Supplements
This is great advice. Perhaps not intentional, but supplements are at the end of the list. If the others aren't in order, you'll be absolutely wasting your money.
In another thread yesterday about extreme muscle soreness, the most common advice was ETS - I love ETS too, but if your training is not in proper order, ETS is not going to do much for you.

[Tom Mutaffis]

This is great advice. Perhaps not intentional, but supplements are at the end of the list. If the others aren't in order, you'll be absolutely wasting your money.
In another thread yesterday about extreme muscle soreness, the most common advice was ETS - I love ETS too, but if your training is not in proper order, ETS is not going to do much for you.

Exactly, it was intentional that I put things in that order :thumbup: .

If you are looking at improving body composition then diet is the #1 factor; if you are looking at trying to improve athletic performance or strength then training is #1. In both cases supplements are going to come after Diet & Training. Supplements are still very important and can make a big difference for a lot of people, but are only a piece of the puzzle. When all three are in order you can achieve great things.

[samadhi_smiles]

25lb bag of protein from trueprotein.com

[sCaRz*Of*PaiN]

http://sportprotein.com/

[Tom Mutaffis]

http://sportprotein.com/

Why egg protein?

Whey would be a better choice for PWO, specifically isolate.

I have never heard of SportProtein either - do you know anyone who has used their products? EggWhitesInternational is at a lot of the industry events for bodybuilding and seems like a good idea for someone who eats a lot of eggs - but their product is liquid.

[Mercuryblade]

EggWhitesInternational is at a lot of the industry events for bodybuilding and seems like a good idea for someone who eats a lot of eggs - but their product is liquid.

EggWhitesInternational spammed these boards like crazy. There product actually did look somewhat appealing, also their logo was so ridiculous it made me want to buy even more of their product, but I won't purchase anything from them due to principle.

[Tom Mutaffis]

EggWhitesInternational spammed these boards like crazy. There product actually did look somewhat appealing, also their logo was so ridiculous it made me want to buy even more of their product, but I won't purchase anything from them due to principle.

I did not know that. Their product is not revolutionary, just bulk egg whites - the same as what you can buy at the food store. They do have a cool logo though with the jacked up rooster.

A lot of people overlook it but "egg beaters" and other products are safe to drink or add to shakes if you wanted to. I have friends who do that and also make "oatmeal pancakes" which are basically just egg whites and oatmeal, sometimes with a scoop of protein for flavoring.

[sCaRz*Of*PaiN]

Why egg protein?

Whey would be a better choice for PWO, specifically isolate.

I have never heard of SportProtein either - do you know anyone who has used their products? EggWhitesInternational is at a lot of the industry events for bodybuilding and seems like a good idea for someone who eats a lot of eggs - but their product is liquid.
Do I know anyone that uses them? Yes. I have been for years. It's great stuff. It's carb free, additive free... just pure egg white protein. It doesn't mix very well though, it needs a blender. But I can make myself a glass of chocolate milk with 50 grams of protein... lol. It doesn't have much flavor, so I use it with a lot of shakes, pancakes/waffles, etc. Plus it's 324 servings for 63 bucks. I just use it for getting in my daily protein intake, not necessarily for a PWO.

[Sensei]

A lot of people overlook it but "egg beaters" and other products are safe to drink or add to shakes if you wanted to. I have friends who do that and also make "oatmeal pancakes" which are basically just egg whites and oatmeal, sometimes with a scoop of protein for flavoring.
My favorite protein shake of all time is: milk, vanilla-flavored protein powder, egg beaters, vanilla ice cream, and "maccha" green-tea powder. Amazing.

[Tom Mutaffis]

Do I know anyone that uses them? Yes. I have been for years. It's great stuff. It's carb free, additive free... just pure egg white protein. It doesn't mix very well though, it needs a blender. But I can make myself a glass of chocolate milk with 50 grams of protein... lol. It doesn't have much flavor, so I use it with a lot of shakes, pancakes/waffles, etc. Plus it's 324 servings for 63 bucks. I just use it for getting in my daily protein intake, not necessarily for a PWO.

Can't beat the value there, although that does sound like an inconvenience having to blend all of your shakes. For daily protein though to be able to make a 50 gram shake for 50 cents that is a great deal.

I would still suggest whey protein for PWO, which is generally the most important time to be drinking shakes for someone just starting out.

Does SportProtein cause any kind of "gas" problems? I know a lot of bodybuilders who have stomach issues when loading up on egg whites.

[Mercuryblade]

Does SportProtein cause any kind of "gas" problems? I know a lot of bodybuilders who have stomach issues when loading up on egg whites.

I'm pretty sure my GF would leave me if I started getting the majority of my protein from eggs.

[samadhi_smiles]

My favorite protein shake of all time is: milk, vanilla-flavored protein powder, egg beaters, vanilla ice cream, and "maccha" green-tea powder. Amazing.

damn that does sound good

[sCaRz*Of*PaiN]

Can't beat the value there, although that does sound like an inconvenience having to blend all of your shakes. For daily protein though to be able to make a 50 gram shake for 50 cents that is a great deal.

I would still suggest whey protein for PWO, which is generally the most important time to be drinking shakes for someone just starting out.

Does SportProtein cause any kind of "gas" problems? I know a lot of bodybuilders who have stomach issues when loading up on egg whites.
When I'm bulking I make 2,000 calorie shakes on a daily basis so I've just grown accustomed to using the blender. I have a plastic one for mixing just basic stuff and I have the glass/metal one for heavy duty hardcore shakes. The plastic one is extremely easy to wash.

[t_parker]

Nitro Tech (Protein) and or maybe NO2 Black (which will run you $100 for about a month depending on weight). The Nitro Tech is costly also but very good.

All proteins are NOT the same so watch out. Really have to read labels. You usually get what you pay for.

[Tom Mutaffis]

Nitro Tech (Protein) and or maybe NO2 Black (which will run you $100 for about a month depending on weight). The Nitro Tech is costly also but very good.

All proteins are NOT the same so watch out. Really have to read labels. You usually get what you pay for.

What kind of results have you achieved with those products?

The NO2 Black retails for $89.99 (smallest size) and NitroTech retails for $44.99 for the smallest container (2 lbs). This would bring the total cost to around $135 for a 1-2 month supply.

NO-products are typically known for their poor cost-benefit ratio as are pretty much all MuscleTech products.

[SuperTerrorizer]

Whatever you do don't get Gaspari Plasmajet. Tried a free sample and it didn't do anything to me. Supposed to give insane pumps but I think it actually made my pump worse somehow.

[BFGUITAR]

When I'm bulking I make 2,000 calorie shakes on a daily basis so I've just grown accustomed to using the blender. I have a plastic one for mixing just basic stuff and I have the glass/metal one for heavy duty hardcore shakes. The plastic one is extremely easy to wash.

That really is a great deal when it comes to protein. Question though... when you mean blender do you mean the hand held one or the bigger one? I was thinking of making some shakes with ice and wanted to know if the hand held one was good enough for that.

[sCaRz*Of*PaiN]

That really is a great deal when it comes to protein. Question though... when you mean blender do you mean the hand held one or the bigger one? I was thinking of making some shakes with ice and wanted to know if the hand held one was good enough for that.
I'm sure the hand-held one will work fine. You just need a mixer that works better than a spoon. :thumbup:

[blackboard]

Hey everyone!
I have been lifting for about two years but stopped recently because I wasn't really making any gains...
I got a nice sum of money from graduation with nothing to spend on. I am thinking of starting up lifting again.
Is there any great supplements I can get that will help me build on lots of lean muscle and increase strength? I have only used protein and creatine.
Feedback is really appreciated.

I would honestly say none because I'm not a big fan of supplements. Seems to me you might be looking for some quick fix. You will have a small uphill battle gaining your strength back. I would get on a good program and stick with.