Takin a trip to the supplement store

[DCR660]

I'm going to the local supp store tommorrow, and im probably gonna get somethin but I'm not sure what yet. I wanna get lean for summer, but i dont really want to lose muscle..So I might just get some low carb protein or somehtin else. Any suggestions?

[Cort]

Whey protein, that's about it. If you really want to cut, a strict (and well-planned) diet is the way to go, along with a good exercise routine.

[DCR660]

Ya, my diet really isnt too strict. Basically I'm just cutting way down on snacks and just eating one healthy snack between lunch and dinner. I also get about 20 to 30 mins of cardio in at least 5 times a week. I just want to know if there is anthing out else out there. I'm thinkin about takin trib or any one natural test booster. Besides that I'm out of ideas.

[sooner_ed]

Originally Posted by DCR660

Besides that I'm out of ideas.

Please take a look at my progress pics. This was done in five months with nothing more than diet and exercise. No supplements whatsoever. There is no substitute for diet and exercise.

[DCR660]

sooner_ed I've seen your progress pics before, and you did a great job. But I'm really not trying to be a 5k runner. I want to look ripped for summer, i don't want to look like a cross country runner. And, i only want to lose 10 pounds at the very most. I just want to tone up a bit. I'm already in shape, I've been lifting for 2 years, I just need a boost.

[Cort]

Originally Posted by DCR660

I just need a boost.

What he means is the 100% best fat loss boost you're going to get, is from a good diet and the regular exercise. You have to eat at a caloric defecit to lose fat...it isn't an option. The majority of the supplements out there for burning fat completely suck or are way too expensive or both.

Why is it the best? Once you know your maintenance calorie level, you can easily cut 200-400 calories off of that and you will start losing fat at a decent rate as long as you maintain a similar activity level. That or you can eat your usual maintenance level and increase the amount of activity so you burn more...

and...most of the *good* cross country runners I know are pretty ripped

[DCR660]

Good cross country runners are ripped huh? I went to school with the 2004 illinois state cross country champion, and yes the 2004 foot locker national champion. Fastest CX runner in the country that attended high school. I'm pretty sure he qualifies as a "good runner" and he was a twig. But besides that I'm not really looking for a diet pill anyway. I want a supp that can allow me to keep the muscle that i already have while losing weight, maybe even get a lil stronger while losing weight.

[DCR660]

and one more thing, I don't know my maintence calorie level seeing as i eat diiferent things for breakfast lunch and dinner everyday. So how do i figure that out?

[sooner_ed]

Originally Posted by DCR660

I want a supp that can allow me to keep the muscle that i already have while losing weight, maybe even get a lil stronger while losing weight.

This depends on how much weight you have to lose. The more weight you have to lose, the easier it is while keeping and even gaining muscle. The less weight you have to lose, the more difficult it becomes along with the risk of losing some muscle in order to lose that last little bit of fat. The key to losing that last little bit of fat while keeping your muscle is to minimize your cardio but making sure you feed your body enough carbs to support your cardio session so your body will not turn to your muscle for fuel. When you're down to that last little bit of fat, it becomes a balancing act to try and keep all of your muscle while trying to lose that last 10 pounds or so. I don't know of any supplement that will allow you to maintain all of your muscle while losing that last little bit. It may be out there. I'm just not familiar with it. My guess is if it is out there, it would have to be very popular because many people are out there trying to lose that last little bit without losing their muscle. So in my humble opinion, it's just a matter of minimizing your cardio, along with your lifting and an excellent diet to get the results you're looking for.

[Cort]

All I can think of using is whey protein (which is generally low carb, but check the labels on what you buy.) Other than that, there aren't really any products that do what you want. Transdermal gels MIGHT help, but I'm skeptical on those. I've never really felt like laying all the money down to see if they really work.

Running a few miles (5k is only 3.1 something miles...) wont make you a twig, that comes from running like 6 miles a day 5 days a week and not eating quite enough to support it.

[DCR660]

as of right now run 25 mins a day on the treadmill, which is a bit over 2 miles a day. I hoping that this plus whey protein plus eating healthy will help me lose 5 or 10 pounds and keep the muscle that i have.

Breakfast=2 Eggs and 2 pieces of white toast

Lunch=Either a turkey sandwhich, a tuna sandwhich, a tuna salad, sometimes soup.

Dinner=Whatever mom cooks (always healthy, usually relativley low carb)

snack= 1 apple w/peanut butter and raisins

Hopefully this will work, even though I'm not in too much of a rush, i would like to lose this 5 to 10 pounds as quick as possible.

*Please critique my diet, I could use the advice..

[Cort]

Well, as far as diet goes, just record what you eat (everything) for the next week or so. In that time also record any change in weight (weigh yourself on the same day of the week at the same time of day for the best accuracy.) If you gained weight, take a look at how much you were eating on average. Try to cut 400 calories (daily) out of that and then go another week and see how it goes. It takes tweaking.

Far as diet goes, your veggie consumption seems rather low, try to get at least 4-6 cups of green veggies.

Drop the white toast for whole wheat. Same at lunch time, use whole wheat bread on the sandwhichs, and don't use sub rolls (I don't know what you are using now, just some advice on that.)

To tell the truth that diet doesn't look like it has enough food in it, but you don't list the quantities so its hard to tell.

Your goal is actually similar to mine, here is the diet I'm using for the next 2-3 weeks. Its just an example, you may need more or less food than that.

http://www.discussfitness.com/showpo...33&postcount=1

[KayakJones]

Originally Posted by DCR660

Good cross country runners are ripped huh? I went to school with the 2004 illinois state cross country champion, and yes the 2004 foot locker national champion. Fastest CX runner in the country that attended high school. I'm pretty sure he qualifies as a "good runner" and he was a twig. But besides that I'm not really looking for a diet pill anyway. I want a supp that can allow me to keep the muscle that i already have while losing weight, maybe even get a lil stronger while losing weight.

When you find that "supplement" invest your life savings in the company's stock and e-mail me who they are. Until then, be aware that no such animal exists. You are not listening to these people. Supplements don't do this. Nutition is about 70% of the program with a dedicated and well developed excercise regiment making up the remainder (for most people).

[WERA27]

I was a high school state runner up and also placed 14th at the Kinney (like foot locker) CC in Wisconsin. Im from MI.

I was far from ripped. I was stringy if thats a word. Low body fat but small muscles.
14.37 5K at the time.

[Cort]

Originally Posted by WERA27

I was a high school state runner up and also placed 14th at the Kinney (like foot locker) CC in Wisconsin. Im from MI.

I was far from ripped. I was stringy if thats a word. Low body fat but small muscles.
14.37 5K at the time.

Depends on the person, some of our varsity runners were weighing as much as 165-170 at 6', and very little of it fat, though we did have a fair share of skinnier ones.