I’m going to be starting a clean bulk shortly and would really appreciate some advice on the most effective supplements to be using.
First off, I’m 5’10", ~165 lbs, 14% bf. I’ve been eating around 2700-2900 calories the last several weeks and have been staying at about the same weight, while my body fat has gone down. I’m lifting on a hypertrophy program (New Rules of Lifting) 4 times a week, and plan to do so until around mid-Feb, where I will then move to the NROL strength routines.
For supplements, what I’ve been doing is taking about 5g creatine daily, pre-workout, and then a scoop of ON 100% whey mixed with water immediately after my workout. Then about 20 min later, I’ll have an apple or banana, sometimes with a whole food meal (lean protein and veggies usually), or sometimes the meal will be about 30 min after the fruit. I also take 6 caps of fish oil and a multi-vitamin daily.
Here’s what I’m specifically wanting to know:
What is an optimal pre- and post-workout meal?
Would I be better served with a product like Surge with more carbs along with protein in it than something like ON 100% with low carbs? I was told by the head trainer at my gym that the post-workout drink should have a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio of carbs:protein in order to be most effective.
Should I take creatine pre- or post-workout? Or both? Or at any other times of day?
Are BCAA’s anything I should spend money on? Or does whey protein usually contain enough?
I lost about 25 lbs in the last 3.5 months during a cut (I was at 22% bf), and don’t want to put on weight too quickly during a bulk, since I think it would likely be mostly fat. Would going up to about 3100-3200 cals/day (from 2700-2900) be too much too fast?
Is there anything else I should or shouldn’t be doing?
I try to get most of my protein in through whole foods. I’m averaging 210-240g per day, including about 24 through the scoop of ON whey.
Yes, Surge would be better - low carb whey would be could used in conjunction with a meal at other times during the day/night.
Take it before and after a workout.
Personal experience - BCAA’s are good in HIGH amounts (20g+) around workout peroids to gain muscle, otherwise good to keep anabolic before bed (5-10g) or best saved for a cutting diet.
Nope, that seems ok.
I would increase fish oil consumption to 15g a day - minimum.
Since you recently lost weight, you may want to maintain your weight for a while. You don’t want your body to rebound back to fat, so by maintaining for a while your body can adjust to your new weight, and when you start to gain again, you (hopefully) will be “reset” and gain muscle.
I probably could have said that better, but you get it.
If you don’t bloat up on creatine, then 5g before and after a workout would be fine - and mix it with whatever shake you are having no problems. You could take it in the morning as well - but it all depends on how you respond. I personally take 5g a day, just before a workout.
On non-lifting days, I still take 5g a day. Micronized creapure creatine is the simplest and best quality creatine - any brand containing this will do (also sold here).
BCAA’s you could take before, during and after a workout, in 8-10g doses (it can get expensive). As far a brands go - for pills try the ones sold here, for powders there is a website floating about but I don’t have a link on me - maybe someone else can help with that or try doing a search on here.