Which one should YOU use to help achieve your muscle building goals?

I get a lot of questions like this from my online followers…
They just want to cut through all the confusion and figure out which one they should use, what’s the best value for their money, and how they can maximize their muscle gains…

This is a common question I hear:

“Lee, I’m 24 years old, 5’10 tall, and weigh 173 pounds. My goal is to bulk up and gain as much muscle as I can. But I don’t want to get gain any fat either. Should I use a Protein Powder or a Weight Gainer to help me gain lean muscle?”

Then they usually list out a bunch of different brands of protein powders and weight gainers, and ask me to rank them as to which one is the best…

But before we can answer this question we need to step back and just look at protein powders and weight gainers for what they really are… A source of quick convenient liquid nutrition. That’s it!

Most advanced bodybuilders, myself included, don’t even consider protein powders or weight gainers to be “supplements” at all, but rather just a convenient food source. For example, do you consider drinking a glass of milk taking supplements? Probably not… Well, drinking a protein or weight gainer shake is pretty much the same thing, except it’s a more concentrated source of liquid nutrition.

So don’t be fooled by all the hyped up magazine ads that feature jacked up bodybuilders saying that the key to their success is drinking “Super Duper Muscle Builder 4000″.

You need to read between the lines when it comes to any advertising.
For example; just because Mr. Olympia drinks protein shakes, that doesn’t automatically mean that the protein shakes are what caused him to win the Mr. Olympia.

To break this down further and show you how supplement ads will sometimes play off this, just look at the following example… Ronnie Coleman drinks bottled water. AND… Ronnie Coleman won the Mr. Olympia. So There For… Bottled Water is the key to winning the Mr. Olympia.

Now we all know that drinking water is important, not only for building muscle, but for life in general. However, this doesn’t mean that drinking bottled water is the “magic secret” that will cause you to build the ultimate body of your dreams.

The same thing applies with protein powders and weight gainers. Yes protein is an essential nutrient, one that we all need in order to live. But protein powder doesn’t have any special muscle building properties over normal high protein foods. Regardless of what the advertisements say, or who the paid spokesperson is, these products are nothing more then a convenient meal replacement alternative.

So now that we’ve gotten the marketing hype out of the way, let’s get into the meat of the article and answer the question…

Protein Powder OR Weight Gainer – Which One Is The Best?

There are 3 main categories of protein supplements:

1) – Protein Powders
These powders are almost all isolated or concentrated protein, with only trace amounts of carbohydrate and fat. A typical scoop of protein powder will have 20+ grams of protein and only a couple grams of carbs and / or fat.

2) – Weight Gainer Powders
These powders are usually a combination of both carbohydrates and protein. Generally they will have a 2 to 1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein. A typical serving of weight gainer powder (which is usually a couple large scoops of powder) will have 60+ grams of carbohydrates and 30+ grams of protein. Along with a few grams of fat.

3) – Meal Replacement Powders
These powders are also a combination of protein and carbohydrates. But they generally have a 2 to 1 ratio of protein to carbohydrates. A typical serving of a meal replacement (which usually comes in a pre-packaged individual serving pouch) will have 40+ grams of protein and approx. 20+ grams of carbs.

The best bang for your buck and the one I recommend everyone use is… Pure Protein Powder!. This is a staple that should be on everyone’s grocery list. I recommend either a whey protein isolate or a protein isolate blend such as Iso-Smooth 4 Protein Blend. The average person needs to get more protein in their diet, NOT more carbohydrates, so that’s why I personally use and recommend protein powder as the top choice.

Now with the others, weight gainers & meal replacements, they are totally optional and only really need to be used for extra convenience.

Meal Replacement Packets are good for when you on the go and can’t sit down for a sensible meal. All you have to do is pack a shaker bottle and a bunch of meal replacement packets with you and you can have instant high protein meals meals anywhere. Now because of the packaging they are expensive, about twice the price of protein powder on a per serving basis. But I have a cheaper “home made” alternative for meal replacements that you can use with pure protein powder as the base ingredient. You can check it out in the video clip below:

However, you can very easily make your own post workout Protein & Carb shake with pure protein powder and simply add in the carbs yourself. This is usually cheaper then buying a weight gainer powder. You can buy Maltodextrin (a carbohydrate powder) in bulk at stores that sell Home Brew Beer & Wine Kits. You can also buy Dextrose (a simple sugar) at these home brew kit stores as well, and simply add them to your post workout protein shake.

Just mix your post workout shake so that it has about 80 grams of carbohydrate powder (a 50/50 mix of maltodextrin & dextrose would be ideal) and 40 grams of pure protein powder. This will give you the ideal 2 to 1 ratio of carbs to protein.

Shop Smart & Save Money On ALL Of Your Supplements…

These are just a couple little “sneaky tricks” that you can use to save money on your supplements while still maximizing your muscle gains in the gym!

If you would like to learn more tips & tricks like this, then I suggest you pick up a copy of the “Homemade Supplement Secrets” e-book. This is a complete user guide to deciphering all the misinformation out there about bodybuilding and fat burning supplements.

ALL of the research has been already done for you by analyzing the REAL science behind which supplements are purely worthless… which ones show some promise… and which ones will provide you with the powerful results you’re looking for 100% guaranteed!

But not only do you get the FACTS behind the popular bodybuilding supplements… You also get STEP-BY-STEP recipes that ANYONE can follow to begin EASILY making your OWN supplement formulas right in your very own home for pennies on the dollar.

Learn ALL of the shady tactics you need to be aware of so you’ll be able to make an educated decision EVERY TIME you evaluate the latest “breakthrough” miracle supplement!

If you are tired of spending your hard-earned money on “hyped up” bodybuilding and fat loss supplements that promise all and deliver NOTHING, then this e-book is a MUST READ…

Check out www.HomeMadeSupplements.net for more information…

Some Love It… Some Hate It…

But regardless of how you feel, it’s a must in order to get ultra lean and ripped.

Practically every bodybuilder and fitness competitor that I know of does cardio (and lots of it) in order to get ripped for competition.

Even though cardio works great for burning bodyfat, you run the risk of also burning up some of your hard earned muscle mass in the process. During cardio your body not only burns fat for fuel, but it can also dip into your skeletal muscle tissue and use it as a source of easily accessible Amino Acids to help fuel your exercise efforts.

This is definitely something we do NOT want to happen. This is why you often see folks who do excessive cardio training looking flat, scrawny, and stringy… NOT the look you’re after if you are training to be a bodybuilder. You want to have a big, full, and defined physique – Not skinny and flat looking.

So how do we overcome this dilemma?

Simple…
Just take a serving of Branched Chain Amino Acids before you do your cardio workout.

Research has shown that taking Branched Chain Amino Acids can keep you anabolic even while you do cardio! In fact, supplementing with BCAA’s has been shown to increase protein synthesis by 33% while at the same time decreasing catabolism.

What I suggest you do is take a serving of BCAA’s right BEFORE you start your cardio workout. And another serving right AFTER you finish your cardio workout.

If you are going to do an Extra Long cardio session (1 hour or more) you can even take a serving of BCAA’s right in the middle to help keep your body in an anabolic state.

It’s OK to take several servings of BCAA’s like this because they are basically just super fast absorbing protein that gets easily and rapidly used by your working muscles. Your body will resort to burning bodyfat and the BCAA’s for fuel…
Saving your hard earned muscle mass!

You can (and should) also use this BCAA’s supplement trick with your weight training workouts as well. It will work wonders for keeping your body in an anabolic state and maximizing your muscle gains during any type of exercise or activity – Be it cardio, weight training, or playing sports.

Click Here To Get High Quality Pharmaceutical Grade Branched Chain Amino Acids Shipped Right To Your Front Door!

I mean they so convenient, yet so full of garbage!

They hold the promise of being healthy, easy and full of life-giving, muscle-building protein.

But have you ever taken a minute to look actually look at what’s Really IN them?

I think you’re going to be in for a shock when you read the TRUTH about the ingredients in some of the most popular protein bars on the market right now.

Let’s get right to it…

#1 – Soy Protein Isolate (SPI) This is, unfortunately, one of the most prevalent protein sources you’ll find in protein bars, especially those marketed to women. This marketing would have you believe that soy is an excellent protein source for women because of the isoflavones found in it. But studies have indicated that these soy isoflavones can actually be TOXIC because of how the soy is processed.

In addition, SPI was actually considered a WASTE product in soy processing until recently, when it was discovered that money could be made by passing it off as a protein source. It’s cheap and definitely NOT a high-quality protein. It should be avoided.

And the final nail in the soy coffin:
GMO. A very high percentage of the soy grown in the United States is from genetically modified organisms (GMO). They don’t currently have to be labeled as such but if you’re buying any sort of processed food, chances are good you’re getting a GMO-sourced product.

#2 – High Fructose Corn Syrup This is an easy one to figure out… The adverse health effects of it are well documented (contrary to what the commercials from the Corn Growers Association claim – those are truly among the most annoying commercials in existence, trying to make people who question corn syrup look stupid). It’s one of the WORST things you can eat and yet there are still bars that use it as a primary ingredient.

#3 – Fractionated Palm Kernel Oil Palm kernel oil is a cheap unhealthy fat. Unlike plain palm oil, palm kernel oil can’t be obtained organically. Instead, the oil must be extracted from the pit with a gasoline-like hydrocarbon solvent. The fractioned form is the most processed… If you see that in the ingredients, you should definitely avoid it.

#4 – Sugar Alcohols This includes ingredients like Maltitol Syrup, Xylitol, Sorbitol, Lactitol, Mannitol, and Erythritol. Sugar alcohols are included in bars for sweetness – especially in bars that are “carb controlled”.

Sugar alcohols don’t impact blood sugar as much as regular sugar because they’re not well absorbed in the digestive tract… And when things aren’t well absorbed in the digestive tract, things happen (if you know what I mean).

In small amounts, sugar alcohols aren’t a big problem, but if you start getting into the double digits of grams of sugar alcohol (and many low-carb bars have 20+ grams), THEN you can start to see unpleasant digestive issues.

#5 – Artificial Sweeteners I won’t get into the whole debate about whether artificial sweeteners are bad for you or not and what they turn into in your body, etc… Personally, I’m of the mindset that if it’s created by science, chances are good your body won’t recognize it and won’t be able to metabolize it into something actually good for you. Therefore, I try and stay away from artificial sweeteners as much as I possibly can. I find the actual natural flavor of real food to be pretty good

In Summary…

Those are my Top 5 Worst Protein Bar Ingredients…

And you will actually find bars that contain ALL 5 of these ingredients in them.

The main problem I have with the vast majority of protein bars today is that at their most base level, they’re deceptive. The bars are put forward as convenient, healthy alternatives to food for “on the go” people. Yet when you take a close look at the ingredients, they’re actually WORSE for you than most candy bars.

Obviously money is the biggest factor…

Companies that use high-quality ingredients in their bars have to charge more for them in order to stay in business. Hence the brick-like slop sold in bar form that you’ll find in the grocery store aisles today.

A New Breed of Protein Bar… Raw and Natural

One of my good friends Nick Nilsson, (aka: the Mad Scientist of Bodybuilding) sent me some new protein bars called…

“Dale’s Raw Food Protein Bars” <<--Click Here

The owner of this Renegade Company is Dale Buchanan. His bars are all made from raw, natural, organic ingredients. And let me tell you, these bars taste EXTREMELY good and
the quality of the ingredients is outstanding. For example, here’s what you’ll find in the Raspberry Hazelnut Bars which are one of my favorite flavors:

Organic dates, pea protein, hemp protein, rice protein, almond butter, hazelnuts, coconut nectar, dried raspberries, raw cacao, coconut oil, stevia, and water.

GREAT ingredients… GREAT taste…

They are my new favorite healthy snack!

These bars are even “vegetarian” as well. So if you eat a Raw Food or Vegan Diet these bars are a delicious source of natural protein that you eat.

And here’s the best part…

Right now you can save a HUGE 20% off Dale’s Raw Protein Bars by using coupon code: PROTEINBAR20

So just go to this website:

http://www.DalesProteinBars.com <<--Click Here

Enter Coupon Code: PROTEINBAR20

And you’ll save 20% off your protein bar orders until Feb 29.

Now, remember how I mentioned that companies that use high-quality ingredients have to charge more to stay in business?

That’s the case with these bars. I’ll be the first to admit that at their regular price, they’re not cheap… But when you can get 20% off the normal price of the bars, like you can with this sale, the price is basically the same as the garbage bars that you find at the store.

And THAT is why I highly recommend taking advantage of this offer before the Feb. 29 deadline.

Get delicious healthy protein bars and save 20% at:

http://www.DalesProteinBars.com <<--Click Here

Enter Coupon Code: PROTEINBAR20

============================

Note:
Due to US Customs Regulations Dale isn’t able to ship these bars outside of the USA because they are classified as “Raw Food”. However, my friend Nick ordered me some of the bars and sent them into Canada for me as a “gift”…

Did you know that nearly ALL commercial shampoos contain the female hormone “estrogen” in them?

It’s True!

Even worse, since these are chemical forms of estrogen, your body has a hard time getting rid of them.

If you’re a man over 30 you may have already started seeing the signs of low test such as:

* Decreased libido

* Less energy and mental focus

So here’s what I want you to do right now…

Go to your shower and grab your shampoo NOW!
(yes, if you’re at home, do it right now so you don’t forget)

Look on the ingredients label for anything that ends with “-paraben” (such as methylparabens, butylparabens, etc.)

If you see any parabens in your shampoo, then you must know that it’s wreaking havoc with your hormones!

Throw it out!

There are other toxic estrogenic ingredients to look out for as well and you can find them here:

http://www.JackYourTestosterone.com <<--Click Here

This is the #1 resource for Men who are looking to naturally increase testosterone while combating the “estrogen assault” that’s literally turning men into women.

(**Not only will you get your ‘thank you’ in the bedroom?
But you’ll also decrease the risk of breast cancer in your
woman and prevent ‘hormone’ issues in your children.)

So go NOW and check out the testosterone solution HERE?

http://www.JackYourTestosterone.com <<--Click Here

…and take back the master controls on your mojo!

==========================

P.S.

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Don’t kill the mood – make the day (and night) extra-special
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when you sign up for the Testosterone Solution HERE.

Click Here For More Info About Increasing Testosterone Levels Naturally…

Guest Post By: Cassandra Forsythe-Pribanic, PhD, RD, CSCS

Have you ever wondered why krill oil was brightly colored red instead of yellow like other marine omega-3 lipids? Well, this red shade is not only pretty to look at, but it can help you burn more fat and increase your athletic endurance – added benefits we’re all looking for.

This pigment responsible for giving krill oil its unique color is a special red carotenoid called astaxanthin. If that isn’t just a mouthful enough to say, it has also has been demonstrated to have a laundry list of pharmacological effects including as an antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and anti-inflammatory agent. But, what we’re going to focus on here is fat loss and endurance.

Sources of Astaxanthin…

Astaxanthin is a colorful antioxidant that occurs naturally in a few different foods – mainly of marine sources. It’s the primary reason some fish and seafood are colored red; the pink flesh of salmon is a perfect example. However, you have to be careful. Many farmed fish are given a synthetic version of astaxanthin in their diet, or their flesh is dyed with it before being sold in the market because astaxanthin is lacking in farmed fish feed. In the wild, salmon and other fish get astaxanthin naturally from the microalgae they eat. In fact, microalgae is the greatest naturally-occurring source of astaxanthin; shrimp, krill, and salmon are red from eating it.

Another place to get astaxanthin in human diets is from bright yellow egg yolks, but again, this usually comes from a synthetic form of astaxanthin fed to chickens. Organic chickens are fed natural compounds containing astaxanthin, so that’s your best bet. Most red, yellow, and orange fruits and vegetables are colored due to other natural carotenoids, like beta-carotene. The best way for humans to get astaxanthin naturally is to eat a diet of wild salmon, trout, seafood, and organic chicken eggs, and take supplements rich in astaxanthin, like krill oil.

Krill oil is made from a species of krill called Euphausia superba, a tiny shrimp-like crustaceans that are approximately 1 to 6 centimeters long. Three of the most important nutrients in krill oil are: (1) omega-3 fatty acids similar to those of fish oil, (2) omega-3 fatty acids attached (conjugated) to phospholipids, mainly phosphatidylcholine (alternatively referred to as marine lecithin) and (3) astaxanthin, an antioxidant. Krill oil comes from the Antarctic, or colder areas of our ocean, but it is now harvested for feed for fish farms. Commercial fishing of krill occurs primarily in the Southern Ocean and the northern Pacific Ocean along the coasts of Canada and Japan. A small percentage is harvested for human consumption. Whales eat them by the ton, and they also make up a part of the diet of humans, mainly the Japanese and Russians. Click Here for more info & to order Krill Oil Supplements online.

Fat Loss, Endurance and You…

A group of Japanese researchers recently demonstrated that mice given astaxanthin in several different doses, along with a high-fat diet, had significantly lower body weight and body fat levels compared to mice fed a high-fat diet of the same calorie level. Astaxanthin also reduced liver weight, liver triglyceride content, and blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. What this means is that when added to a high-fat, high-calorie diet, astaxanthin prevented mice from becoming overweight with a fatty liver and high blood fat levels. The way astaxanthin did this was not by reducing the digestion of absorption of dietary fat, but instead by increasing the usage of fat as an energy source. This was supported by a decrease in the respiratory exchange ratio (RER), which indicates that fat was used for fuel, instead of carbohydrates.

In another Japanese study, mice were given astaxanthin along with a daily exercise routine (and if you’ve never seen mice run on a treadmill, you’re really missing out). They were divided into four groups: sedentary, sedentary plus with astaxanthin, running exercise, and exercise plus astaxanthin. After four weeks the animals in the exercise groups were placed on a treadmill to test a range of physical parameters. Similar to the study above, astaxanthin increased fat usage during exercise and accelerated the normal decrease in body fat that occurs with regular exercise. It did this by increasing the movement of fats into the mitochondria for energy production via enhanced carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT I) activity (a transport protein for fat located on the cell membrane). What this means is that astaxanthin supplementation spared muscle glycogen (a normal fuel source for exercise) and used fat stores instead.

Finally, mice given astaxanthin in doses of either 1.2, 6, or 30 mg/kg body weight for 5 weeks, along with regular swimming exercise, were shown to have a significant increase in exercise time to exhaustion (meaning they swam longer) than mice given a placebo. Blood lactate levels (a marker of exercise fatigue) were lower in the animals given astaxanthin, while blood non-esterified fatty acid and glucose levels were higher (indicating that astaxanthin spared blood energy sources). Overall, astaxanthin improved swimming endurance when given for only a short period of time.

What Dose is Needed for Humans?

Many people criticize animal research as being irrelevant to humans, but that’s not entirely correct. True, we’re a different species, but our enzymes, muscle function, and metabolisms are scarily similar. Plus, there are only so many humans you can poke holes in before someone starts to get suspicious. But I digress…

The doses used in these animal studies can be converted to human doses. All of the studies above used the same astaxanthin doses. At the lowest level of 1.2 mg/kg for mice, this translates to a dose of 0.1 grams (100 mg) for humans. At the minimum, humans can still take a dose of 0.012 grams (12 mg) of astaxanthin from all dietary sources and see results over no astaxanthin at all, because research with humans have shown this dose to be effective for reducing blood triglyceride levels, and increasing healthy blood HDL cholesterol levels. Further, doses have been suggested to accumulate over time, since it is fat soluble, so lower doses would act as higher doses with longer durations of supplementation.

Astounding Astaxanthin…

Overall, based on current research, astaxanthin holds promise as a fat-burning, exercise-enhancing, health-improving dietary nutrient. Further research will confirm this. We’ve also covered the EASIEST AND SIMPLEST way to not miss out by using a quality Krill Oil chocked full of astaxanthin like EFA Icon. This, in addition to eating a diet rich in red-colored seafood like salmon and shrimp, may increase the tools to keep your body lean, fit, and free of disease. And, in this age of chronic diseases and foods full of high-calorie anti-nutrients, we need all the tools we can get.

Get The Shocking Truth About The FISH OIL You Are Taking Now! WARNING: Do NOT Take Any Fish Oil Until You Read This… Click Here For More Info…

Everyday I get tons of questions from my followers about protein supplements such as…

- Should I have protein shakes?
- Are protein supplements safe?
- Are protein shakes necessary?
- Will protein damage my kidneys?
- Can I just eat high protein food?
- Is it ok for a teenager to take protein?
- When should I take protein?
- What’s the best kind of protein?
- Do I take protein before or after my workouts?
- Will protein stunt my growth?
- Should I mix protein with water or milk?
- Will protein shrink my dick / balls?
- Does protein powder contain steroids?
- And on, and on, and on…

Those are just a handful of the many frequently asked protein related questions that I get asked on a regular basis.

First off, for all the absurd questions; like if protein will stunt your growth, shrink your junk, or if it contains steroids… The answer is NO to all of the above. Those are just stupid BS myths that get spread around by people who don’t have a clue what their talking about.

As for the questions with regards to protein’s safety, I think most of these come from concerned, but mis-informed parents, who are just looking out for their kids. But the fact is that protein powders are just natural food supplements. For example, whey protein, egg protein, vegetable protein, etc. So protein powder is just as safe as eating the natural foods themselves. And using protein supplements is safe for everyone; men, women, and teens.

Another common myth is that protein is bad for your kidneys and again that’s totally false. There has never been a single study what so ever that has shown a high protein diet causes kidney damage. Only people who already have pre-existing kidney problems need to be concerned with keeping their protein in check, and that’s something that would be looked after by a doctor. But again high protein foods & protein supplements Do NOT cause kidney problems to begin with.

Alright, so now that we’ve got the safety issues covered and we know protein is “safe” to consume. Now we need to cover the “why” questions.

Why use protein supplements in the first place?
Why not just eat high protein foods?

Well, you could and you should. There is nothing wrong with eating high protein foods. The only problem comes in with cost and convince.

Most typical bodybuilding diets require that you consume 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight daily, spaced out over 6 meals. Now if you have the time to cook, prepare, and eat 6 high protein food meals per day go for it. This will certainly help meet your protein intake needs.

The problem for most people is that we have a life outside the kitchen. So we either work, go to school, etc. and it makes it difficult to get in 6 high protein food meals each day. This is where protein supplements can help big time. You can simply mix them up in a shaker bottle and take them with you where ever you go and have a liquid high protein meal on the run. It’s harder to this with high protein foods like meat, chicken, fish, eggs, etc.

Another issue to consider is the cost. While most people look at protein supplements and think they are “expensive”, they are actually cheaper when you look at the big picture. Sure a 5 pound tub of protein powder is about $50 bucks (depending on where you live and the brand you buy). But you are getting 1600+ grams of pure protein from that 5 pound container. If you were to buy that much protein from lean beef, you’d have to buy about 20 pounds, and even at just $5 per pound it would cost you twice as much money on a gram for gram basis as buying the same amount of protein from protein powder.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you should give up solid food protein and just live on supplements. But by including supplements in your diet you can make consuming a high protein diet much easier, and cheaper as well.

Ok, so we’ve established the basics here about protein safety and why we should use it. In my next blog post I’m going to cover the best times that you should have a protein shake.

So you can click on the link below to go check that out right now at:

What Is The Best Time To Have A Protein Shake?

By Kevin DiDonato MS, CSCS, CES

Everyone knows that when we age, certain systems in our bodies start to function at less than 100 percent. Women typically experience this phenomenon during menopause, when Estrogen levels start to fall below normal levels.

This same phenomenon can hold true for men. Testosterone is a steroid hormone made from the testes, which aids in the development of male reproductive tissue, and aids in prostate health. Other areas that testosterone helps develop are secondary characteristics, including increased muscle size and mass, bone mass, and the growth of body hair. As we age, our levels start to decline, similar to that of women, but not as fast. Research in the decline of testosterone levels and men’s health is starting to be researched more with some astonishing results.

Testosterone Molecule

One area of research that is gaining press is declining levels of testosterone, and death from cardiovascular disease. Research from Khaw et al, reported that men with higher levels of endogenous testosterone levels exhibited more favorable cardiovascular disease profile. These men showed higher HDL cholesterol levels and showed lower triglyceride levels, lower blood pressure, blood glucose, blood pressure, and a lower BMI.

The research done by Khaw et al. also showed that there was an inverse relationship with testosterone levels and mortality. Their research followed 11,606 men from 1993-1997, with a follow up in 2003. They found that 825 men had died and that 369 of those deaths came from cardiovascular disease, while the remaining 304 deaths came from Cancer. The inverse relationship between low levels of testosterone and higher incidence of death was high. They also found that men with Low Testosterone levels had an Increased Risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Another study by Laughlin et al. showed that 30% of men, 60 years or older, were estimated to have low testosterone levels. Men that exhibited these low testosterone levels suffered from low bone and muscle mass, increased fat mass (abdominal fat), low energy, and impaired physical, cognitive and sexual function.

Laughlin et al, also showed that men with lower testosterone levels had an increased risk of falls, hip fractures, anemia, type 2 Diabetes, depressive illness, and in some studies, Alzheimer’s disease.

Having low levels of testosterone has been shown to possibly increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and some cancers. Having higher levels of testosterone not only can be protective to the heart, but also can prevent increases in BMI, hip fractures, and positive moods in men!

NEXT: An Easy Way To Improve Low Testosterone Levels >>

Bottom Line:
Testosterone is not the “Bad Guy” that the media has sometime made it out to be. Having high testosterone levels is critical for maintaining good health AND building a lean muscular physique!

Everyday I get questions from my online followers asking my opinion on various supplements. Now while most of the supplement questions are related to the basics of protein, creatine, vitamins, amino acids, etc. I do get a lot of questions asking about “Testosterone Boosters”.

Surprisingly,
Most of the questions I get about “Testosterone Boosters” come from TEENAGERS!

Unfortunately, I think this has more to do with teenagers being impatient and looking for a shortcut to get “huge”, rather than actually solving a physical problem that they have. During adolescence the production of anabolic hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone are at their all time natural peak. That’s why EVERYONE grows bigger and stronger during their teenager years, regardless if they workout or not.

If a teenager is looking for the solution to getting bigger and stronger, it is NOT through getting their testosterone levels higher. I mean the average teenage boy’s test levels are already on bust to the point that he’ll pop a woody if a warm breeze of wind hits his crotch.

A teenage boy looking for ways to get his testosterone levels EVEN HIGHER isn’t going to do a darn thing. The key to building muscle for teens comes down to consistently following a proper muscle building diet and training program.

However, once you get past this natural growth spurt and start approaching the “ripe old age” of 30 things take a nose dive…
Just like somebody stole your MoJo!

Unfortunately, most middle age men just assume that this is a side effect of growing old and that the “good ole days” are long gone. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

Believe it or not, there are actually 6 Natural Substances that are available to you Right Now!
That can safely restore your testosterone levels to what they used to be like in the picture above!

In fact, just ONE of these natural substances has been show to literally Double Testosterone Levels within 2 weeks!

And you can get the low down on all SIX of the most potent, most powerful substances available to raise your testosterone levels and get your mojo back!

Just Click Here for all the details…

Hope this doesn’t offend you, but the fact is a “guy’s performance” (you know what I’m talking about) is actually very important to him.

I mean, have you seen all of the TV advertisements, magazine articles, and internet offers offering men the ability to: * “enlarge your manhood” * overcome “erectile dysfunction” * become a “powerhouse” in the bedroom * “little blue pills” at discount prices The fact is, a HUGE number of men lack confidence in their “ability to please”! Whether it’s “size”… “performance”… “longevity”… or even the ability to “get started”, it’s an embarrassing situation for many men… …and it can even be frustrating for their partners!

While the “Willy Exerciser” may not work, the supplement stack below certainly does…

=======================
But HELP has arrived…
=======================

2 recent studies that may provide some relief for those of you who suffer from E.D…

…OR it may help those of you guys who DON’T have any “issues” down there, to become a “SUPERMAN” with a toe-curling performance!

I’m going to give you the entire “supplement recipe” right now that was used in these studies…

…but if you’re looking to take things to even the NEXT LEVEL, I have an even BETTER formula waiting for you along with a *Free Bonus*!

Let me explain…

First, these two SEPARATE studies took groups of men between the ages of 25-45 who suffered from mild to moderate E.D. that wasn’t related to disease.

They then gave them a dose of 1.7 g of the amino acid L-Arginine once a day.

After 30 days, 5% of the group were reporting “normal” function in the land down-under.

Not much to sneeze at, right?

=======================
But check THIS out…
=======================

Researchers then added 40mg of the super antioxidant “Pycnogenol” twice per day along with the L-Arginine.

After 30 days a full 80% were reporting normal erections… without any side effects !

Adding a third dose of the Pycnogenol increased the success rate to 92.5%!

That’s freaking AMAZING!

And in the SECOND study, 50 men were tested with the same combo… and ALL of them (yes…100%) were back to “normal” after 30 days!

Even if you DON’T have E.D., this supplement combo can result in harder (even LARGER) “apparatus” and increased “performance” with stronger “O’s”.

It’s a FACT! (Believe me!)

Now both of these supplements are readily available online and you can use this right away.

=======================
But I have an even
BETTER “recipe” for you…
=======================

My colleague and supplement expert, Jeff Anderson, was interviewed by a noted radio “sexpert” on the topic of “performance” supplementation.

In this interview, Jeff discussed the entire process of what works and what DOESN’T work for men.

Basically, Jeff researched and developed a powerful natural supplement combination (he calls it his “Bedroom Blaster Formula” !LOL!) that will…

* Overcome mild to moderate ED problems!
* Offer a cheaper, safe alternative to Viagra!
* Increase the SIZE and FIRMNESS of your erection!
* Increase the INTENSITY of your orgasms!

Now, don’t worry…
I’m NOT going to try and sell you some bottle of miracle Mr. Happy supplements.

In fact, Jeff actually recommends making your OWN supplements and saving money by combining the active ingredients yourself.

And he has laid out the EXACT ingredient that you’ll need. These are both easy to find and they’re guaranteed to make you a “superhero” under the sheets!

Don’t believe me?

Here’s a testimonial Jeff received from one “challenged” customer…

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Real Email From Charles:

“Hey Jeff, I’m 72 years old and haven’t had an
erection in over twelve years.

Six weeks after I tried your ‘Bedroom Blaster’ formula
and I woke up one morning with a weird feeling in my
crotch.

When I looked down to see what it was, IT WAS A FIRM,
SOLID ERECTION! It had been so long ago, I forgot what
it looked like, let alone what it FELT like! Ha Ha

Thanks Jeff, I’m back in business!”

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Now if this formula works so well for a 72 y.o. man whoes been “out of business” for 12 years, what will it do for YOU?

Get the picture?

=======================
Here’s how to get YOUR copy of
the “Bedroom Blaster Formula”…
=======================

Jeff is well known for being a real “nerd” when it comes to supplements.

He’s spent years researching and developing his own “do-it-yourself” supplement recipes that anyone (yes, ANYONE!) can make right at home with no special skills or equipment.

We’re talking all kinds of supplements, like…

* Muscle-Builders
* Fat-Burners
* Hormone-Enhancers
* Workout Formulas
* Mass Gainers
* And now even “performance” boosters like this one!

He’s created an entire STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE that shows you how to make your own supplements quickly and easily.

And get this…

By using Jeff’s personal formulas, you not only create BETTER PERFORMING supplements than you can buy at the store, but you’ll save as much as 98% on the some of the stuff you’re currently buying!

Imagine getting BETTER RESULTS and saving up to 98% at the same time!

If you’re used to taking supplements, that means that you could save hundreds (even thousands) over just the next few years!

He’s put up a special website that details his process and it’s located at:

http://www.HomeMadeSupplements.net <= Step-By-Step Guide

=========================================
For this weekend only, Jeff is GIVING AWAY the
entire interview + “Bedroom Blaster” formula for FREE!
(An extra $34.95 value)
=========================================

Get This FREE Bonus This Weekend ONLY! Click Here To Get Your Copy Now.

This is a real no-brainer if you use ANY supplements at all!

I mean, Jeff’s “Make Your Own Supplements” program is already super-cheap (it’s only 27 bucks!) and you’ll save literally hundreds of dollars by using it.

How many “programs” actually pay you back?

Go and see just how easy it is AND pick up the special “performance” bonus while it’s up for this weekend special, ok?

Here’s the link one last time:

http://www.HomeMadeSupplements.net <= The Weekend Only!

You’ll thank me…
(and I’m guessing your partner will be “thanking” you too, eh?

all the best,
Lee Hayward
(Your Muscle Building Coach)

=============================

P.S.

No, this is NOT a joke! And for a lot of guys,
this “problem” is no laughing matter.

But the prescription way is way too expensive
and really doesn’t have a great track record
of working very well.

But THIS ONE WORKS! And it works NATURALLY with your body!

Don’t miss out on this special promotion, ok?

Here’s the link one last time:

http://www.HomeMadeSupplements.net <= Special Free Offer

Enjoy the results!

Ever wonder why that “miracle muscle builder” supplement that hoovered up last week’s paycheck didn’t perform as well as it did for the shredded dude in the magazine ad?

* Were you just not working hard enough in the gym?

* Did you forget to use the magic words?

That’s what some of the big supplement companies would like you to believe.

When in fact, it’s not YOU at all!

A recent review of the slick marketing tactics used by greedy bodybuilding supplement companies revealed some pretty scary tricks that you may have fallen for in the past.

Here are the Top 3 findings (and how you can be sure to NEVER get scammed again!):

==============================
1. “Proprietary Blends”
==============================

If the ingredient label on a supplement says “patent-pending” or “proprietary blend”, don’t buy it!

That’s scam-talk for “cheap worthless supplements we don’t want to tell you about!”

Companies can combine any simple compounds (whether they work or not) and submit them for a patent WITHOUT even telling you what’s in their super secret formula.

Sounds “official”… but it’s a smoke screen!

==============================
2. “Pixie Dust”
==============================

Most supplements list “proven” active ingredients on their labels that CAN help you build more muscle and burn fat.

Unfortunately, most of them contain so LITTLE of the actual ingredient that they will literally have NO EFFECT on your body unless you take expensive MEGA-DOSES!

Usually the language that’s used is something like, “…contains an ingredient proven to blah, blah, blah…”

“Contains” = “Sucker” Don’t be one.

==============================
3. Scientific Jargon
==============================

We’re conditioned to accept medicines as having a powerful effect on our body.

That’s why supplement companies will use the latin or scientific name for a compound on the ingredients label to jack up the price for something that costs just pennies to produce.

In an expose, a friend of mine actually found one expensive “advanced” supplement that was using the long scientific name for plain old creatine… and charging a small fortune for it.

In another testosterone-boosting supplement, the manufacturers used the scientific name for (get this…) black tea leaves!

The bottle cost nearly $60 and it was filled with nothing more than ground up black tea leaves with its latin name!

Makes you want to give up on supplements, doesn’t it?

==============================
Well that would actually
be a HUGE mistake!
==============================

Of course you need to have a kick-ass training program to stimulate muscle growth.

And you know you need to feed that muscle to make it grow, right?

Well the fact is, there ARE some great supplements that can show you faster results in the mirror!

The secret is to know…

* Which ones actually WORK
* How much DOSAGE actually works
* And how to buy them WITHOUT going broke!

I know that sounds like a big challenge, right?

Well this week, I’ve been telling everyone I know about a “how-to” guide that actually shows you how to make your OWN
supplements (without any special skills or equipment).

The site is located at:

www.HomeMadeSupplements.net <= Step-By-Step Guide

I’m speaking about it so much because I think it’s such a “no brainer” decision for ANYONE who uses supplement at all (or wants to use supplements but can’t afford the prices).

It’s literally just $27 for the entire step-by-step blueprint.

But you’ll save as much as 98% by making your own supplements and you’ll know that your own formulas actually WORK!

That’s because there are 29 ready-to-make recipes that you can use for ANY fitness goal starting right away.

Imagine making your own:

* Muscle-Builders
* FatBurners
* Hormone-Enhancers
* Testosterone Boosters
* Workout Formulas
* Mass Gainers

…AND saving a ton of dough while getting BETTER results!

See what I mean by “no brainer”?

Check it out NOW at…

www.HomeMadeSupplements.net <= Supplement Secrets Revealed!

Oh, and this week, there’s a special “bonus recipe” for a formula that’s scientifically proven to increase your “performance” in
the bedroom. (Tons of great testimonials on this one!)

Don’t miss out on this special promotion week, ok?

This offer goes away in just a few days so see what it’s all about at:

www.HomeMadeSupplements.net <= Step-By-Step Guide

You’ll be thrilled with this deal and the results you’ll SEE and FEEL when you make your own muscle formulas and never have to be a slave to the greedy supplement companies again!

all the best,
Lee Hayward
(Your Muscle Building Coach)

One of the most effective ways to blast away that stubborn bodyfat is to increase your cardio. The combination of hardcore weight training workouts supplemented with regular cardio is a proven fat burning combo. Practically every bodybuilder and fitness competitor has used this combo to get ripped to the bone shredded time and time again.

Now when it comes to doing cardio there are endless debates over how to go about it…
(i.e. High Intensity, Intervals, Low Intensity, Long Duration, etc.)
But you know what? They all work as long as you do it consistently.

I personally mix and vary my cardio all the time. Variety is the spice of life and I don’t like to get stuck in a boring rut of having to do the same things over and over again.

If I’m full of energy I’ll go all out with a high intensity cardio workout. One of my personal favorites is hitting the trails on my mountain bike and cranking it out. This is high intensity cardio at it’s best because my legs will be burning and my heart rate will be racing.

However, if I’m feeling a bit beat down from my training and just need some active recovery type of cardio. I’ll simply take my dog and go for a brisk walk outside. And if the weather outside isn’t suitable for cardio, I’ll go to the gym and use the cardio machines there. It really doesn’t matter what you do for cardio, as long as you Do It!

Another hot controversial topic that you’ll hear fitness gurus debating over is:
“When Is The Best Time To Do Cardio?”

And for all practical purposes; any cardio, done at anytime, is better than no cardio at all.

However, there has been some research that has shown that you’ll get the best bang for your buck when it comes to fat loss if you do your cardio first thing in the morning before eating, and again right after your weight training workouts. The reason being is that your body is pretty much running on empty at these times, your glycogen levels are low so you’ll be able to tap into burning stored bodyfat more readily for fuel.

Now while cardio at these times may be good for burning fat at a faster rate, it can also burn up precious lean muscle tissue as well. And as a hard training bodybuilder this is something you definitely DON’T Want!

So how do we… Burn The Fat AND Keep The Muscle? Simple, before each of your cardio workouts just pop some Branched Chain Amino Acid capsules. What this will do is provide your muscles with rapidly digestible amino acids that will help maintain your lean muscle mass and keep your body from going catabolic. But they will not hinder the fat loss benefits of doing fasted state cardio, or cardio right after your weight training workouts. I personally take BCAA’s before my weight training AND cardio workouts to help combat the catabolic effects of training. You only need to take them on your workout days. But it’s something that you’ll notice the benefits from rather quickly. Within a week of regularly taking amino acids you’ll find that recovery from your workouts is quicker and you won’t feel as beat down or experience as much muscle soreness either. BCAA’s are a “must have” supplement for more advanced fitness enthusiasts who are looking for every natural edge possible to maximize their lean muscle gains.

Click Here For More Info

=======================================

If you’d like to get more advanced training tips for maximum fat loss, then I highly recommend you check out my Extreme Fat Loss DVD program.

This covers in detail the exact Fat Loss Diet and Training Cycle that I personally use to get ripped to the bone shredded for bodybuilding competitions.

One the DVD I break down exactly what you need to do on a daily basis with regards to your diet, supplements, and your workouts to quickly lose that stubborn bodyfat and get a lean, tight, athletic physique.

To get more information just click on the link below:

Click Here For More Info…

And there is a good reason for that because creatine is one of the few supplements on the market that can produce a noticeable enhancement in strength and lean muscle gains in a relatively short period of time.

I get more questions about creatine than any other supplement… - What is creatine? - Does creatine really work? - What is the best kind of creatine? - Are there any side effects from taking creatine? - Is creatine safe? - Dose creatine damage the kidneys? - Can teenagers take creatine? - Does creatine help build muscle? - Does creatine help burn fat? - How do you take creatine? - Should you cycle creatine? - Do you need to load with creatine? - Is creatine stable in water? - Should you take creatine before or after your workout? - Can you drink coffee while taking creatine? - Etc, etc, etc… These are the most popular questions that I keep hearing over and over again. So in this article I’m going to answer all these questions and cover the whole “Creatine Supplement Info 101″ to help you understand exactly what creatine is, what it isn’t, and how you can use it to get better muscle building results in the gym.

What Is Creatine?

Creatine is a natural combination of 3 amino acids (arginine, glycine, and methionine). These amino acids are naturally found in foods like meat and fish. They help to regenerate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the energy that is stored in the muscle cells. Creatine enhances physical performance by increasing the number of times that ATP energy can be recycled during physical exertion without increasing the absolute amount of ATP stored within our muscles. The body can produce creatine by assembling the amino acids arginine, glycine, and methionine. However, the actual amount of creatine that is produced is minimal because it is quite low on the list of priority’s of metabolic functions for the body. There are numerous other proteins that need these amino acids that are more critical to our survival than creatine.

After all building a big muscular physique isn’t really high on the body’s priority list either. In nature having excess muscle mass increases the metabolic rate, and from a survival point of view this is a “waste” of calories and nutrients. So in order to reap the muscle building benefits that creatine has to offer we need to supplement our diets with creatine.

Does Creatine Really Work?

Yes, creatine “Really Does Work”…

When creatine is ingested into the body and taken up by the muscle cells, it binds with a phosphorus molecule to create creatine phosphate. It is then either used during muscular contractions or stored in the muscle cells. The more phosphocreatine that is stored in your muscles cells, the more potential energy each muscle cell has available. This equals a more powerful muscular contraction, more power output, and a higher tolerance for a greater workload.

The improvement in strength and energy when taking creatine supplements is usually obvious for most people. It is quite common to feel stronger in the gym and experience better muscle pumps within 1-2 weeks of taking creatine. You can think of ATP as the cell’s energy currency and phosphocreatine as a debit card with an adjustable balance – the balance being set by creatine deposit via the diet and creatine supplementation.

What Is The Best Kind Of Creatine?

There are many different types of creatine supplements on the market. The most common is Creatine Monohydrate. This is the predominant creatine supplement on the market. It is one of the earliest creatine products that gained wide popularity and made creatine world famous.

Over the years there have been other variations of creatine made such as Creatine Ethyl Ester (CEE), Micronized Creatine, Kre Alkalyn Creatine, Creatine Serum, Tri Creatine Malate, as well as several creatine mixtures where creatine is combined with other amino acids and supplements in a combo product. Some of the popular ones include: Cell Tech, NO-Xplode, Cell Mass, Super Pump 250, NO-Shotgun, etc.

With so many creatine options available it can be very confusing to know which one is “The Best Creatine” and which one you should use. Both from a cost effectiveness point of view and a physical performance and muscle enhancement point of view.

Some of the newer and more expensive kinds of creatine have been promoted as being better absorbed by the body, and thus producing better results than regular creatine. But for the most part these claims haven’t been backed up and supported by scientific studies. In fact some studies have actually found that some of these newer creatine supplements, such as Creatine Ethyl Ester, to be not as stable as regular creatine and even less effective.

My personal favorite and the one that I recommend to my coaching students is Creatine Monohydrate Powder, specifically Micronized Creatine. The only difference is that micronized creatine is processed into finer particles (up to 20 times smaller than regular creatine monohydrate). This makes micronized creatine easier to absorb and has a higher purity. Not only is this a very high quality form of creatine, but it is also one of the most cost effective forms as well. You can literally get 1000 grams of Pure Micronized Creatine Monohydrate for about $30. And this is enough to last you for over 3 months. It works out to less than $0.30 per day to supplement your diet with creatine.

Even folks who are on a very tight budget can still afford to supplement their diet with Micronized Creatine Monohydrate Powder and reap all the muscle building benefits it has to offer.

Anther good creatine supplement is Kre Alkalyn Creatine. This is a buffered creatine that remains totally stable when mixed with liquid. So it reaches the muscles cells at full strength. You can get the same muscle building effects from a smaller doses of Kre Alkalyn Creatine than you can from Micronized Creatine, but even at the smaller doses Kre Alkalyn Creatine is still a lot more expensive than Micronized Creatine (about triple the cost).

I’ve personally used both forms of creatine with good results. But obviously Pure Micronized Creatine Monohydrate Powder gets my top vote because it is the best value for your money. However, some people with very sensitive stomachs may find that taking the higher doses of creatine monohydate (i.e. 10 grams per day) may cause more stomach irritation compared to taking a smaller doses of Kre Alkalyn Creatine (i.e. 3 grams per day).

So for people with a sensitive stomach and digestive issues, going with the higher priced Kre Alkalyn Creatine may be the better option. But most people can get just as good of results for a fraction of the cost with Pure Micronized Creatine Monohydrate.

Are There Any Dangerous Side Effects From Taking Creatine?

It seems that anytime something shows promise for helping to enhance muscle growth or athletic performance people always assume that it must be “bad for you”. I think a lot of this flawed thinking has to do with steroids. People know that synthetic steroids can help improve athletic performance by building muscle and increasing strength, but when they are abused they also carry some negative side effects.

So when the average Joe hears about any supplement or product that can help improve athletic performance, he very often mistakenly thinks that there must be a downside to it as well (as in the case of steroids). But this is often NOT the case, especially with natural foods and food supplements. In fact most foods and supplements that help build muscle, do so because they are actually “Good For You”. Most of the bodybuilding foods and supplements that people take provide the vital nutrients needed to enhance the immune system, aid with recovery, and improve your overall health and fitness. It’s all these positive health benefits stacked together that provide the muscle building benefits as well. Creatine is NOT a steroid and it does NOT have any of the side effects of steroids. You are not going to lose your hair, get acne, have roid rage, fry your liver, or shrink your balls from taking creatine.

In fact there have never been any serious side effects from creatine ever recorded in research. I mean if creatine was a dangerous substance the FDA would have pulled it from the market long ago. But instead creatine supplements have been used by athletes and fitness enthusiasts for over 20 years now with very positive results.

Not only does creatine have positive muscle building benefits, but it also has numerous health benefits as well. Creatine has been shown to help with longevity, brain integrity, neuromuscular function, heart health, and chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia disorders. Creatine has been used with patients who suffer from muscle wasting diseases, chronic fatigue syndrome, and Alzheimer’s disease with positive results. Creatine supplementation has been shown to combat brain cell death and helping to preserve the proper functioning of the nervous system longer in life. In addition to that there have been studies that have shown regular creatine supplementation helped lower LDL levels (i.e. “bad cholesterol”) by over 30% in men and women with high cholesterol levels.

For the most part creatine is free from side effects; however it may cause water retention and bloating. This is especially true when one first starts taking creatine. But these side effects usually subside once the body is used to taking creatine. Also consuming adequate water intake what using creatine can help with these issues because the more water you drink, the more water your body will flush out of the system, and this actually helps to reduce water retention.

Another minor side effect that some people may experience is stomach irritation from taking higher doses of creatine (as was mentioned above). If you have a sensitive stomach than choosing a buffered Kre Alkalyn Creatine can help reduce the irritation because you can the same results from a much lower dose of creatine.

Dose Creatine Damage The Kidneys?

No, creatine has never been shown to cause any kidney damage. In fact there have been carefully controlled studies that have been performed on subjects who have been taking creatine for as long as 5 years with no adverse effects on blood pressure, kidney or liver function. Now these studies have been performed on healthy individuals. Of course anyone who has pre-existing liver or kidney problems should seek medical advice before using creatine (or any nutritional supplements for that matter).

Can Teenagers Take Creatine?

Creatine is a naturally occurring substance in the body. It’s safe and very effective for anybody to use regardless of age. So the answer is YES, even teenagers can safely supplement their diets with creatine and reap all the health and muscle building benefits that creatine has to offer. I always find it amusing how parents will usually not even think twice about feeding their kids “junk foods” like potato chips, french fries, pizza, chocolate bars, donuts, and candy. We already know that these foods are “unhealthy” and have numerous side effects such as high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, etc… Yet more often than not these same people will some how think that “Nutritional Supplements” are dangerous and will question the safety of such products… It’s a weird world we live it…

Creatine Is Safer Then Junk-Food…

Should You Cycle Creatine?

When it comes to creatine cycling you are going to hear mixed reviews. Some people believe you should cycle it on for several weeks, then take several weeks off before repeating the cycle. However, there has never been any studies or research that has show there to be any benefits to cycling creatine “on and off”. As was mentioned above in the sections on safety, there have been long term studies done on creatine supplementation where folks have taken creatine for up to 5 years non-stop with no negative side effects what so ever.

When you stop taking creatine, you also stop getting the positive benefits that creatine has to offer. But this shouldn’t come as any surprise, because this happens with virtually everything. I mean if you stop lifting weights, you are going to lose the benefits that lifting weights has to offer. If you stop eating a healthy diet, you are going to lose the benefits that healthy eating has to offer. So why should taking creatine supplements be any different?

In order to reap the full benefits of creatine I would recommend that you use it long term. Just like you would take your multivitamins long term, or take your protein powder long term. I don’t think anyone would assume that they can just eat a healthy high protein diet for a few weeks and then quit. We all know that in order to reap the results from proper nutrition you need to be consistent with it, day-in-and-day-out. And getting the maximum results from your nutritional supplements (such as creatine) is no different.

The only time I would recommend coming off creatine is for competitive bodybuilders who are a few weeks out from a bodybuilding show. The reason for this is that bodybuilders will temporarily dehydrate themselves right before a competition in order to rid their body of any excess water retention that’s under the skin. The idea is to be as ripped and dry as possible on the contest stage in order to reveal all the rock hard muscle definition. And because creatine pulls water into the muscle cells, it may blur some of the muscle definition. So to be on the safe side competitive bodybuilders should come off creatine at least 3 weeks before their competition.

Now this doesn’t apply to regular folks who are looking to lose fat and get in shape. Unless you are already dieted down and ripped to the bone shredded with virtually no excess bodyfat. Worrying about a couple pounds of water retention is pointless. You have to lose all the excess bodyfat first before water retention even becomes an issue with how cut you look.

Should You Load Creatine?

The idea of creatine loading is to saturate your system with creatine as quickly as possible. The standard practice is to take 5 grams of creatine monohydrate up to 5 times per day, for 5 days. Now I have to admit that the very first time I took creatine this is exactly what I did and it worked really well for me. I felt my muscles getting bigger and stronger by the day and by the end of that loading phase I felt like a tank in the gym. However, this isn’t really necessary especially if you are planning on using creatine over the long term. Just taking the maintenance dose of 5-10 grams daily will still top up your body’s creatine levels and saturate your system with creatine within a few weeks.

But if you are the impatient type who wants to get the biggest hit possible from creatine, you can go ahead and load with it. Granted it may cause water retention and some stomach digestive issues. But if you are not in that big of a rush, just take the maintenance dose and you’ll still get the same results within 2-3 weeks.

Is Creatine Stable When Mixed In Water?

Technically the answer is: “NO, creatine is not stable when mixed in water.” However, it’s stable enough for all practical purposes of mixing and consuming creatine supplements. You’ve probably heard the ridiculous rumors going around about how creatine breaks down in water so you have to drink it within seconds of mixing it up or it will be totally useless. Well, thankfully for us creatine is not that fragile. You can mix creatine in liquid and take your time drinking it, there is no big rush to instantly chug down your mixed creatine drink.

If you train at a public gym I’m sure you must have seen some of the local “muscle-heads” with 3-4 supplement containers all laid out on the sink in the men’s locker room mixing up their post workout shakes. Now while there is nothing “wrong” with this per say, they could save themselves the hassle of carrying around all those containers by simply mixing up their post workout shake before going to the gym, and then just taking the pre-mixed drink with them in a thermous or shaker bottle and drinking it after their workout. The pre-mixed shake will be perfectly fine and just as potent a couple hours later as it would be if you mixed it up instantly on the spot.

In fact there have been studies done on creatine mixed in water that has been left for 120 days. And even after 4 months of sitting in water the creatine was still at 80% of it’s original potency of when initially mixed. So you don’t have to worry about it breaking down and becoming useless within the matter of minutes after you mix it. There is nothing wrong with mixing your creatine drink up in the morning and then consuming it later that same day (as long as it’s kept cool of course).

Should You Take Creatine When Trying To Lose Weight?

Before we can answer this question we need to clarify something. “Losing Weight” should NOT be your goal. “Losing Bodyfat” should be your goal. There is a big difference. Weight loss can include losing bodyfat and losing lean muscle mass. We don’t want that, ideally you want to maintain (or even gain) lean muscle mass while you lose bodyfat.

So should you take creatine when trying to lose bodyfat? The answer is YES!
Creatine doesn’t have any direct impact on fat loss per say, but creatine will help you maintain your lean muscle mass while you are on a calorie restricted diet. This is very important because the more lean muscle you have, the faster your metabolism will be, and the easier it will be to lose fat and keep it off. Plus you’ll look and feel a lot better as well.

I always take creatine when dieting for fat loss because it helps keep your muscles fuller and stronger as you get leaner. If you were to try and diet without creatine you would most likely feel weaker and your muscles would feel flat and depleted. Creatine helps to prevent this. The only time I would stop creatine is during the last few weeks before a bodybuilding competition to avoid water retention. But if you are not competing in a physique competition, then there is really no reason to come off creatine supplementation.

When Should You Take Creatine?

The most important thing when it comes to creatine supplementation is that you take it daily. As long as you are consistent with taking creatine you will keep your muscle creatine levels topped up and reap the benefits that creatine has to offer.

Should You Take Creatine Before Or After Your Workout? This is an interesting question and you’ll hear 2 sides to this one. Some people believe that you should take creatine before working out so the creatine is available in the blood stream to be used during your actual workout itself. Others believe that you should take creatine after your workouts because your depleted muscles will be able to absorb and utilize the creatine and other nutrients better. I actually prefer to do both. I’ll have 5 grams of creatine monohydate powder mixed in with a protein shake around midday. Than I’ll usually workout later in the afternoon. And right after my workout I’ll have a post workout shake with another 5 grams of creatine monohydrate mixed in.

On the days that I do not workout, I’ll simply have my midday protein shake with 5 grams of creatine. This way I’m consistently getting a steady supply of creatine, but I’m getting some extra creatine on my workout days to help replenish my depleted muscles and aid with recovery and growth.

Should You Mix Creatine With A High Sugar Drink?

When creatine first hit the market the big thing that the manufacturers were advising people to do is mix creatine with grape juice. The reason being is that grape juice is very high in simple sugars and it would cause an insulin spike, thus help shuttle the creatine into your muscles better. Insulin is like a double edged Anabolic Sword, it’s one of the most powerful anabolic hormones in the body. While it certainly does help transport nutrients into the cells, it can send those nutrients towards both FAT and MUSCLE gains.

So the key with using simple sugars to spike insulin levels is making sure you time them properly. You need to set up the right environment so when you spike your insulin levels it shuttles nutrients primarily into your muscle cells, and not your fat cells.

The ideal scenario for this is to first perform a hard high intensity weight training workout. And then right after consume a post workout shake that contains fast digesting simple sugars (to spike your insulin levels), fast digesting protein, and of course creatine. A lot of supplement companies make post workout drink mixes with simple carbohydates, protein, and creatine all mixed together. Most of which are pretty good, however they often tend to be a bit too high in sugar for my liking.

You can make your own post workout drink with whey protein, creatine, and simple carbohydrates such as dextrose. You could also use a sports drink such as Gatorade as the simple carbohydrates. In fact one of my favorite post workout shakes is mixing vanilla flavor whey protein, orange flavor Gatorade, and creatine together. It tastes like an orange creamsicle. Another post workout shake that I like a lot is mixing vanilla whey protein, apple juice, a dash of cinnamon, and creatine together. This tastes like apple pie.

These high sugar creatine and simple carb drinks are ok for taking right after a hard workout. However, if you were to take them at any other time when your muscles are not depleted, the insulin spike would most likely get shuttled towards the fat cells. So if you want to take creatine before working out simply have it mixed with water, or even a protein shake, and keep the simple sugars to a minimum.

Can You Drink Coffee While Taking Creatine?

Absolutely, coffee doesn’t hinder creatine’s effectiveness. You can still drink your coffee and use creatine. The whole issue of caffeine and creatine is simply that when you take creatine you need to increase your water consumption to shuttle the creatine into your muscle cells. And caffeine is a mild diuretic, so it causes you to lose water. So in order to combat this all you have to do is make sure you consume enough water to make up for what you lose through caffeine (i.e. drinking coffee). For most guys drinking about 1 to 1 1/2 gallons of water daily should be more than enough for this.

A good bench mark you can use to monitor your water intake is the color of your pee. If your pee is dark yellow you need to drink more water. If your pee is practically clear than you are drinking enough water.

Conclusion…

Well there you have it, a complete Creatine Supplement Information 101 with the answers to the most frequently asked creatine related questions. The bottom line, creatine is a very safe, healthy, and effective supplement that you can use to help increase your strength and muscle gains in the gym, as well as improving your overall physical energy levels.

Now despite all these benefits, creatine is NOT a wonder supplement. It’s not going to magically turn a 98 pound weakling into a 250 pound mass monster. It just anit going to happen… But when you add up all the benefits creatine provides, you are not going to find a better value for your money when shopping for supplements. That’s why I rank creatine as a “must have” supplement for all serious bodybuilding and fitness enthusiasts.

If you have any other questions regarding creatine that you would like to me to cover, please feel free to post a comment below and I’ll do my best to help you out.

And if you’d like to get the best value for your money when it comes to creatine supplements, I’d highly recommend you pick up a container of Pure Pharmaceutical Grade Creatine Monohydrate Powder.

1000 Grams Of Pure Micronized Creatine Monohydrate for $29.99

That is more than enough for a 3 month supply of creatine. It actually works out to less than 30 cents per day! At that price you won’t find a better bargain for such a powerful muscle building and performance enhancing supplement. Click Here to order Pure Creatine Monohydrate Online.

More Creatine References:
- Earnest, C., Almada, A., & Mitchell, T. (1996). High-performance capillary electrophoresis-pure creatine monohydrate reduces blood lipids in men and women. Clinical Science, 91, 113-118
- Greenwood, M., Kreider, R.B., Melton, C., Rasmussen, C., Lancaster, S., Cantler, E., Milnor, P., & Almada, A. (2003). Creatine supplementation during college football training does not increase the incidence of cramping or injury. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, 244, 83-88
- Schilling, B.K., Stone, M.H., Utter, A., Kearney, J.T., Johnson, M., Coglianese, R., Smith, L., O’Bryant, H.S., Fry, A.C., Starks, M., Keith, R., & Stone, M.E. (2001). Creatine supplementation and health variables: a retrospective study. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 33, 183-188
- Pritchard, N.R., & Kalra, P.A. (1998). Renal dysfunction accompanying oral creatine supplements. Lancet, 351, 1252-1253
- Poortmans, J.R., & Francaux, M. (2000). Adverse effects of creatine supplementation: fact or fiction? Sports Medicine, 30, 155-170
- Kreider, R.B., Melton, C., Rasmussen, C.J., Greenwood, M., Lancaster, S., Cantler, E.C., Milnor, P., & Almada, A.L. (2003). Long-term creatine supplementation does not significantly affect clinical markers of health in athletes. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, 244, 95-104
- Mayhew, D.L., Mayhew, J.L., & Ware, J.S. (2002). Effects of long-term creatine supplementation on liver and kidney functions in American college football players. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 12, 453-460
- Vannas-Sulonen, K., Sipila, I., Vannas, A., Simell, O., & Rapola, J. (1985). Gyrate atrophy of the chloroid and retina: a five year follow-up of creatine supplementation. Opthalmology, 91, 1719-1727
- Volek, J.S., Duncan, N.D., Mazzetti, S.A., Staron, R.S., Putukian, M., Gomez, A.L, Pearson, D.R, Fink, W.J., & Kraemer WJ. (1999). Performance and muscle fiber adaptations to creatine supplementation and heavy resistance training. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 31, 1147-1156
- Arciero, P.J., Hannibal, N.S. 3rd, Nindl, B.C., Gentile, C.L., Hamed, J., & Vukovich, M.D. (2001). Comparison of creatine ingestion and resistance training on energy expenditure and limb blood flow. Metabolism, 50, 1429-1434
- Groeneveld, G.J., Beijer, C., Veldink, J.H., Kalmijn, S., Wokke, J.H.J., & van den Berg, L.H. (2004). Few adverse effects of long-term creatine supplementation in a placebo-controlled trial. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 25
- Burke, D.G., et al. (2008). Effect of creatine supplementation and resistance exercise training on muscle insulinlike growth factor in young adults. Int J Sports Nutr Exerc Metab. 18:389-398.
- Candow, D.G., et al. (2008). Low-dose creatine combined with protein during resistance training in older men. Med Sci Sports Exerc. In press.
- Dalbo, VJ, M Roberts, and C Kersick. “Putting the myth of creatine supplementation leading to muscle cramps and dehydration to rest..” Br. J. of Sports Medicine. (2008): Print.

“What Should You Eat Right Before A Workout?”

and

“What Should You Eat Right After A Workout?”

Right around your workout is a critical time frame where your body NEEDS high quality, fast digesting nutrients to help replenish your muscles to aid with recovery and growth.

Taking advantage of this unique window of opportunity and getting it right can really help you get the most out of your workouts. Pre and post workout nutrition is very often the missing link for maximizing your strength and muscle gains in the gym.

So in this video clip below I’m going to show you exactly what you should have before, during, and after your workouts to ensure that you provide your muscles with the nutrients they need.

Here’s a quick re-cap of what a good pre and post workout nutrition plan would look like:

• 1 hour before going to the gym have a small protein and carbohydrate meal.

• 10 minutes before your workout have a pre-workout energy drink such as Extreme Rush to prepare you for the workout.

• 20 minutes into your workout have a serving of BCAA’s to help keep your body in an anabolic state.

• Right after your workout have a post workout protein shake with creatine and glutamine.

• About 1 hour after your workout have a solid food protein and carbohydrate meal.

Well there you have it, a complete pre and post workout nutrition plan laid out for you step by step. Now you are probably thinking right now: “That’s A LOT of stuff… It must cost a fortune to take all that…”

And I do agree that eating for bodybuilding isn’t cheap. After all it’s a lot more expensive to buy chicken breasts than it is to buy Kraft Dinner. But if you are really serious about maximizing your gains in the gym then you need to focus on consuming high quality nutrient dense foods, rather than cheap processed filler foods and junk foods.

Now as for the supplements that are covered in this video, they are actually more affordable than you would think. On a per serving basis supplements are a lot cheaper than most other food products.

For example, creatine costs about 15 cents per serving, glutamine about 30 cents a serving. Extreme Rush is about a $1 per serving. BCAA’s are about 40 cents a serving. The most expensive of it all is the protein powder which is about $2 per serving (but that’s still a lot cheaper than buying a steak). If you took all of these supplements just like I outlined here it would cost you $3.85 cents per workout.

Considering all the health and muscle building benefits that these supplements provide that actually works out to be a great deal in my opinion.

But I’d love to hear your feedback…
Please post a comment below letting me know what your pre and post workout supplement routine is and we can chat about it in the comments section below…

And just in case you are wondering…
No it’s NOT adding *steroids* to your protein shakes (sorry to disappoint you LOL)

I used that subject kind of as a play on words. However, the tip that I have to share with you can help you get “steroid-like” muscle-gains simply by maximizing your recovery and taking advantage of the whole post-workout nutrition window of opportunity even quicker!

I’m sure you’ve heard how important “post-workout” protein is for jump starting the whole “recovery process” and building new muscle, right?

That’s why all the serious bodybuilders will have a post-workout protein shake right after they finish their workouts. But here’s the kicker that a lot of folks, even the muscle-heads, don’t realize…

Your muscles don’t wait until “After” your workout is finished before they start the whole recovery process. During your actual workout your body is ALREADY trying to manage the stress and damage you are putting it through!

So while you are busting your butt in the gym and grinding out set after set, your body is working on recovery right then and there. So why wait until the end of your workout to provide your muscles with the ‘support’ they need to grow?

=====================
Here’s what to do…
=====================

Add some “Branched Chain Amino Acid” (BCAA) powder along with your workout drink!

BCAA’s are basically “broken down protein” so it’s safe and rapidly consumed by your starving muscles. That means that by consuming them DURING your workout, you’ll basically “SHOTGUN” the nutrients you need into your muscles at a time when they’re screaming for help.

BCAA come in both capsule and powder form. The powder can be bought in bulk very inexpensively online. It is relatively tasteless so you can even add it to plain water if you’re brave or use a flavored powdered drink mix. The other option is to just take some BCAA’s capsules, both options work equally as well. It’s personal preference which method you choose.

But regardless if you take capsules or use powder you’ll experience better gains and less muscle soreness due to faster recovery from your workouts.

This is actually just one of many “sneaky supplement tricks” that a friend of mine Jeff Anderson has for mastering the use of supplements for packing on more lean muscle, while stripping away excess bodyfat.

=====================
His biggest secret?
=====================

Teaching you how to make your OWN supplements!

http://www.HomeMadeSupplements.net <= Seriously, check it out!

Look, I know you’ve already heard me mention this process before but that’s because it’s truly a freakin’ “no brainer”. I’m sure you’re as sick as I was, paying outrageous prices for name brand supplements that you “hope” are working.

Why pay so much just in hopes that your supplements will perform like the glossy magazine ad said it would? Do you REALLY trust the supplement companies? So why not KNOW (without a doubt) that you’re getting the results you’re looking for and save up to 98% on your supplements?

And no… that’s NOT a typo! You really can save up to 98% on certain supplements by making your own “home made” supplement stacks.

You don’t need to be a laboratory scientist to do this, it’s actually amazingly simple if you know how. Want to see just how simple it really is?

Here’s a 4-step process you can use yourself to create your very own powerful supplement formulas…

http://www.HomeMadeSupplements.net <= Sneakiest Supplement Trick EVER!

Once you read this report, you’ll never look at supplements the same way again, and you won’t have to go broke in your quest for building a ripped muscular physique!

You really NEED to check this out!

Now while it has been an absolute blast and we’ve had lots of fun, it can be quite challenging trying to stick to a sensible eating plan when you are away from your home base. So in this blog post I’m going to share some eating tips that we’ve been using to help minimize the damage of eating while traveling.

Prepare Your Own Food… (if you can)

If at all possible I’d recommend staying in a hotel that has an efficiency unit (i.e. mini kitchen with fridge, stove, microwave, etc.) This is what we did during the first week of our trip and it allowed up to buy our own food and prepare it the same as if we were home. Plus it saves you a ton of money from having to eat out for every meal.

Staying at a hotel with an efficiency unit makes eating healthy while traveling super easy!

Now obviously staying in an efficiency unit isn’t always possible when traveling. And there will be times when you want to go out to a restaurant and enjoy a good meal. So here are some tips you can use for those situations…

Pig Out In Moderation…

First off, it’s totally cool to “occasionally” let yourself go and literally pig out and and eat whatever you want. Heck I’ll admit that I’ve done it on numerous occasions. I’m not one of those stuck up health gurus who pretends to eat perfect all the time. I love to indulge in a good meal. But the key is to keep those crazy indulgences down to once a week.

Now for those times when you are forced to eat out for several days in a row (as you often are when traveling) you have to use a bit of planning and strategy or else you’ll end up bulking up in all the wrong places

Eat Your Veggies…

One of the things I like to do is start each meal with a large garden salad. This way you get get some fresh veggies in your meal and pre-fill your belly before the main course arrives. (Note: ask for the salad dressing on the side and use it in moderation.) Now I know some of you are probably saying: “But Lee, I don’t like to eat vegetables…” And my response to that is Man Up & Eat Them! One thing you’ll find with eating veggies is that the more you eat them, the more you’ll like them. It just takes a little bit of will power to get the ball rolling. I personally love eating salads and I strive to eat at least 1 garden salad every single day.

Start Your Meal With A Garden Salad

Eat REAL FOOD… Not Processed Crap…

When you order your main course try to order “Real Food” and what I mean by that is food that is as close to it’s natural state as possible. Heavily processed foods and deep fried foods are just stripped of their nutrients and loaded up with empty unhealthy calories.

To give you some ideas of Real Food meals last night I had Asian stir-fried shrimp and vegetables served over rice. The night before I had steak and lobster with steamed asparagus and a baked potato. The night before that I had a grilled grouper sandwich on whole wheat bread. Try your best to order natural foods that are grilled, baked, or stir-fried rather than deep fried. This will go a long way towards keeping your meals healthy and nutritious.

A healthy & Delicious High Protein Meal!

Try to avoid foods that are cooked in thick sauces and gravy as this will sky rocket the fat, sugar, and calorie content of your meal. It’s best to ask for sauces and toppings on the side so you can use them in moderation.

Pack Your Protein Powder & Snacks… Another tip that I like to use when traveling is to make sure to pack your protein powder and a shaker cup. This way you can keep up with a high meal frequency without having to go to a restaurant for every single meal / snack. As I write this I’m sitting in the hotel and I’ve got a 2 pound container of Blue Star Iso-Smooth Whey, a bag of apples, and some a raw almonds sitting on the table in front of me. They make for perfect healthy snacks. You can pack these things with you when you leave or just buy them while you are on the road.

Now I’ll be the first to admit that it is very difficult to eat well when traveling. But following these simple tips here can go a long way in helping you stick to a sensible muscle building diet plan until you get back to your home base.

Learn To Cook Healthy & Delicious Meals…

If you would like to get more killer nutritional tips for cooking and eating to help you with your muscle building and fat loss training goals, than I highly recommend you grab a copy of the Anabolic Cookbook.

This is a must have program for any serious muscle building enthusiast! This program contains over 200 mouth watering Anabolicious recipes that are high in protein, low in fat, and will help you reach your fitness goals while eating delicious food.

If you haven’t already picked up a copy you should do so right now at: http://www.AnabolicCooking.net

Trust me, you’ll be glad you did!

Click Here To Download Your Copy Now!

The draw back to these meal replacements is the price, they can run as much as $5 for a single shake. So if you were to consume a couple of these a day the cost can quickly add up.

In this video below I’ll show you how to make a “homemade” alternative that costs less than half the price, and still has all the nutritional benefits and convenience of the more expensive pre-packaged high protein meal replacement shakes.

And if you’d like to get more “homemade” supplement variations to expensive name brand supplements than I highly recommend you check out the Homemade Supplement Secrets Guide below.

=============================================

Click Here For More Info

“Homemade Supplements Secrets” (Downloadable .PDF eBook) NEVER AGAIN be at the mercy of greedy supplement companies who are trying desperately to suck the $$$ out of your bank account! When I first read this e-book I was just blown away with all the valuable information that it contains. This will take you on a No Bull S&*T journey into the most EFFECTIVE and the most WORTHLESS supplements out there and turns them INSIDE OUT!

Jeff Anderson is the author of the e-book “Homemade Supplement Secrets”. This is a complete user guide to deciphering all the misinformation out there about bodybuilding and fat burning supplements.

ALL of the research has been already done for you by analyzing the REAL science behind which supplements are purely worthless…which ones show some promise…and which ones will provide you with the powerful results you’re looking for 100% guaranteed!

But not only do you get the FACTS behind the popular bodybuilding supplements…You also get STEP-BY-STEP recipes that ANYONE can follow to begin EASILY making your OWN supplement formulas right in your very own home for pennies on the dollar.

Learn ALL of the shady tactics you need to be aware of so you’ll be able to make an educated decision EVERY TIME you evaluate the latest “breakthrough” miracle supplement!

If you are tired of spending your hard-earned money on “hyped up” bodybuilding and fat loss supplements that promise all and deliver NOTHING, then this e-book is a MUST READ…

Check out www.HomeMadeSupplements.net for more information…

In this 5th video I’m going to focus on covering some
advanced muscle building and fat loss supplements. These
are things you can use to help maximize your gains in
the gym, and take your physique to the next level.

However, I would suggest that you start with my previous 4 Bodybuilding Supplement Review Guide Videos first… (I’ve got links to them at the bottom of this post.)

The first 4 videos contain basic foundational supplements that you need to use in order for these “Advanced Supplements” to have their full effect on improving your athletic performance.

Just click PLAY to see the “Advanced Bodybuilding Supplements” that I use myself and recommend to my personal coaching students…

After you watch it, please leave me a comment with your feedback. Also if there are any supplements that you would like for me to cover in a future video, please let me know in the comments section.

Note:
To watch the previous parts of my supplement review guide click on the links below:

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yz9OCT4upRQ
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIKzriUEeEg
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcfa7Q-XOOA
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt9IPXAND_4

The Total Fitness Bodybuilding Talk Show airs tonight
August 19 at 9:00 pm eastern time at:

http://www.LeeHayward.com/tv

Tonight I’m going to continue on with the whole bodybuilding supplement theme that I’ve been using with my most recent YouTube videos.

In case you haven’t seen them all you can check them out at:

Part 1: Bodybuilding Supplement Overview

Part 2: All About Protein Supplements

Part 3: All About Creatine Supplements

Part 4: Must Have Supplements For Overall Health & Fitness

So for tonights talk show I’m going to focus the topic on answering your supplement questions and clarifying some of the stuff that I’ve already covered so far in my recent supplement review videos.

The show will be starting at 9:00 pm Eastern Time at:

http://www.LeeHayward.com/tv

I’m looking forward to chatting with you then!

In this 4th video I’m going to focus on covering the essential and foundational supplements that you NEED to take for your overall health and fitness.

These are what I consider to be “must have” supplements that everyone should take, even if they are not into serious bodybuilding training.

Following a proper nutrition program and taking essential supplements like these is critical before moving on to the more “advanced” muscle building and fat burning supplements.

You need to lay the proper nutritional foundation first before the more advanced supplements can effectively do their job.

So check out the detailed video presentation below and then leave me a comment with your feedback. Also if have any supplements that you consider to be “must have” supplements, please let me know in the comments section below.

Note:
To watch the previous 3 parts of my Bodybuilding Supplement Video Review Guide you can check out my YouTube videos at:

Part 1:
Basic Bodybuilding Supplement Info

Part 2:
All about Protein Powder Supplements. Benefits, myths, misconceptions, health risks, & safety issues.

Part 3:
All about Creatine Supplements. Is creatine safe to take? Creatine benefits, safety issues, what’s the best form of creatine, etc.

This one covers one of the most talked about supplements in the entire bodybuilding and fitness world and that’s “Creatine”.

Particularly with regards to what is creatine, creatine side effects, creatine health benefits, how to take creatine, what’s the best value for your money when buying creatine, and a lot more…

But before you watch this video, I would suggest that you check out the previous 2 parts of my Bodybuilding Supplements Review Guide at the links below:

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yz9OCT4upRQ
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIKzriUEeEg

After you’ve watched those videos, you can move on to this 3rd part right here.

After you watch this video, please feel free to leave me a comment below letting me know what you thought of it. And you can also leave me your suggestions about what you would like to see covered in my future bodybuilding supplement review guide video clips.

Also make sure to subscribe to my Total Fitness Bodybuilding YouTube Video Channel so that you can stay up to day with all my latest muscle building videos!

http://www.youtube.com/leemhayward

One of the main issues that I cover in this video is with regards to protein powder safety. Especially with the recent uproar over certain protein powders containing toxic levels of Heavy Metals.

This is a serious topic and it has a lot of bodybuilding and fitness enthusiasts concerned about whether or not they should stop drinking protein supplements all together!

This is something that you really NEED to watch right now, especially if you are consuming protein supplements on a regular basis.

After you watch the video, please leave me a comment below. I’d love to hear your feedback about this…

I mean every month there are new products hitting the market, some new weird and wonderful anabolic concoction that’s promised to be the long lost secret to achieving the ripped muscular body of your dreams. Or some new loss super duper fat loss diet loss pill that will melt the fat off you quicker then a stick of butter in a red hot frying pan.

And these supplements can be tempting. Especially when you read the glossy full page magazine ads with all the scientific jargon, and the picture of some jacked up muscle dude claiming that he built his body as a direct result of taking “Supplement X”. Then to top it off they’ll stick a picture in the background of a guy dressed as a doctor with a stethoscope around his neck and a clipboard in his hand to make the whole thing seem “official”.

I mean with all that stuff being heavily promoted in an internationally published bodybuilding magazine, how can one not help but to be a little intrigued about this magic muscle building breakthrough miracle that they are selling.

Now before you think that I’m just going to go on a big “Anti-Supplement” rant, I’m NOT. I actually do use and whole heartedly believe there are huge benefits to taking certain supplements. But what I don’t like is the deceptive tactics and BS that most supplement companies use when promoting their products.

My goal with this video is to help you become a more educated consumer so that you don’t fall prey to the lies and misconceptions that greedy supplement marketers use to trick you out of your hard earned money. I also want to help you make intelligent supplement choices that will move you closer to achieving the lean muscular physique you desire. Rather then just getting a lean wallet, which is all most people end up with when buying supplements.

Part 1:

Part 2:

To keep up to date with all my latest videos, make sure to Subscribe to my
Total Fitness Bodybuilding YouTube Channel at:

http://www.YouTube.com/leemhayward

Bodybuilders and athletes have been know to use caffeine (i.e. caffeine pills, energy drinks, coffee, caffeine & ephedrine stack, etc.) prior to training to help increase mental focus, energy levels, and workout intensity. Basically it gives you a good swift kick in the arse before hitting the gym, we all need one of those from time to time.

But the caffeine is doing more than just increasing energy…
It is also increasing testosterone levels! New Zealand researchers have found that taking caffeine induced higher blood levels of testosterone during weight training.

And of course we all know that higher levels of testosterone helps with muscle growth, recovery, reducing bodyfat, building strength, and increasing sex drive. I’ve always drank a cup of black coffee prior to my workouts for the energy boost, but now it appears that the caffeine may also be helping build more muscle mass due to increased testosterone levels. A nice added perk if you ask me!

(Note: this study was published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition Exercise Metabolism 18: 131-141, 2008)

I posted up a whole rant about Acai Berry on my old blog back in November. But I’m still getting several e-mail on a daily basis from guys asking me: “Does Acai Berry Really Work?”

So that’s why I’m sharing this info again here. Please read it and then forward it on to your friends so they don’t get caught in the scam. Below this post there is a share button that will allow you share this with your facebook friends and twitter followers. I encourage you to share this post, after all if we can prevent just one person from getting scammed out of their money then it will be well worth it!

So without further delay, I shall answer the question below…

“Does Acai Berry Really Work?”

I’m sure that if you have surfed the Internet at all over the last few months you must have seen these Acai Berry banner ads plastered everywhere. Usually with the headline: “How I got ripped in 4 weeks…” or something along those lines along with a “before” and “after” picture of some dude who is jacked and in awesome shape.

And you know what…

These ads can be tempting. I mean when I first seen those banners myself I had to click on them and go check it out to see what it was all about. But anytime I see an ad hyping up a supplement I always put on my BS detector. After all when it comes to supplements if they are legit and work, you’ll hear about it from real world feedback. NOT from an advertisement.

After all… anyone who has an iota of sense knows that there is no other way to build a muscular physique than busting your butt in the gym on a consistent basis. If anyone (or any advertisement) tries to tell you otherwise they are full of sh!t.

By the way, Acai Berry is nothing more then some over priced, over hyped fruit. In fact you could go and eat a handful of blueberries and get more anti-oxidants and health benefits. I don’t think you would ever be so naive as to think you are going to get big and ripped eating blueberries… Well, Acai Berries are no different.

Now the fact that these ads (which are plastered everywhere) are out right lying and being dishonest about a Bull Sh!t product and trying to scam people out of there money is pretty bad…

But that’s not the worst of it…

These Acai Berry scam artists are illegally using pictures of honest and reputable people in their advertisements (i.e. actors from the movie 300, top MMA fighters, fitness trainers, etc.) Trust me, none of these guys would ever promote this crap. They have even used some of MY before and after pictures taken right from my website saying that “I Got Ripped In 4 Weeks” from this crap. Just to let you know it took my 6 months of hard dieting, daily cardio, and weight training to get in the shape I did. If it was as easy as popping a few acai berry pills everyone would be in awesome shape, and we know that’s not the case. This pisses me off to no end because I would never in a million years recommend this garbage to anyone. But the worse thing is that my online followers who see me in these ads may actually fall for it and get scammed out of their money.  And even if someone were to realize it’s a bunch of BS, it makes ME (and everyone else) look bad because these A$$ Holes are associating our faces with their junk product. So that’s why I’m saying this loud and clear…

ACAI BERRY IS A FRIGGEN SCAM!!! STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM IT!!!

It’s bad enough that they are selling a BS product, but to tarnish the image of honest people with their scam just makes my blood boil.

In fact the Better Business Bureau has received literally thousands upon thousands of complaints from consumers. And they have released a statement warning everyone to be wary of any website offering acai berry-related products.

Unfortunately, law enforcement officials have yet to catch up to these rogue operators because they operate in foreign countries and they don’t provide any contact information or anyway to get in touch with them. But sooner or later they will get caught, it’s only a matter of time, and when they do you can bet they are going to face some heavy fraud charges and hopefully some serious jail time as well.

If you want to read more about the acai berry scam just check out this article on CTV News at:
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090323/acai_090323/20090323

Please use the share / save button below to pass this along to your friends, you’ll be doing them a favor! You can send it to your facebook friends, tweet it to your twitter followers, e-mail it, etc.

Do these aches and pains limit your strength and mobility?

Overtime weight training can put a lot of stress on your joints, tendons, and ligaments. This can really slow down your workouts and progress in the gym.

The joints most often affected are the weight bearing joints, such as the knees, elbows, hips, and the small joints of the hands. The pain in these joints is the result of cartilage damage, the main reason being the cumulative effects of years of use of the joints compounded by the inability to restore joint cartilage.

The current treatment for joint pain includes the use of aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen. These medications provide only the short term benefits in the relief of both the pain and inflammation.

There is a natural substance found in high concentrations in our joint structures known as Glucosamine. Numerous double blind studies have shown that Glucosamine produces better results in the treatment of joint pain than traditional drug therapy.

The main function of glucosamine is to stimulate the manufacture of substances necessary for joint repair. Glucosamine is a well tolerated, natural treatment. There have been no reported adverse reactions. In rare instances, some gastric discomfort was reported but was easily relieved by taking the supplement with food. For the past few years I have been supplementing with a Glucosamine, Chondroitin & MSM supplement and I find that it works great! I used to frequently have pain in my elbows, knees, and shoulders. But after a couple weeks of taking the supplement I haven’t had any problems with joint pain. And I have been able to train harder and lift heavier weights. I highly recommend it for anyone who suffers from joint pain.

You can usually find Glucosamine, Chondroitin and MSM supplements at most drug stores & supplement stores. These supplements are quite common, they’re not that expensive, and they work! I personally take them daily as part of my basic supplement routine and I’d recommend them to anyone who deals with joint pain as well.

“Learn How To Make Your Own Homemade Supplements That Work EVEN BETTER Than Expensive Name Brands…”

Jeff Anderson is the author of the e-book “Homemade Supplement Secrets”. This is a complete user guide to deciphering all the misinformation out there about bodybuilding and fat burning supplements.

ALL of the research has been already done for you by analyzing the REAL science behind which supplements are purely worthless…which ones show some promise…and which ones will provide you with the powerful results you’re looking for 100% guaranteed!

But not only do you get the FACTS behind the popular bodybuilding supplements… You also get STEP-BY-STEP recipes that ANYONE can follow to begin EASILY making your OWN supplement formulas right in your very own home for pennies on the dollar.

Learn ALL of the shady tactics you need to be aware of so you’ll be able to make an educated decision EVERY TIME you evaluate the latest “breakthrough” miracle supplement!

If you are tired of spending your hard-earned money on “hyped up” bodybuilding and fat loss supplements that promise all and deliver NOTHING, then this e-book is a MUST READ…

Check out www.HomeMadeSupplements.net for more information…

You see every single magazine out there is owned by, or affiliated with, a supplement company. That’s why virtually everything they publish is geared towards pushing supplements. And unfortunately most of them are worthless junk.

But there are some products out there that can help you make better gains in the gym and myself and my good friend Vince DelMonte shot this quick video clip sharing our personal favorite supplements and the ones we use in our own training.

Vince DelMonte has a No-Nonsense Muscle Building Program that’s geared towards helping skinny guys pack on lean muscular bodyweight fast. In fact Vince used this system himself to gain a massive 41 pounds in just 6 short months.

You can check it out for yourself at: http://www.VinceDelMonteMuscle.com

I’m super pumped to get my new bodybuilding blog up and running. This is really going to help me deliver even more killer muscle building and fat loss advice that will help you take your physique and muscular development to the next level.

There is a lot more “bells” and “whistles” with this newer updated blog compared to my old blog…

Note: I’m still keeping the old blog online as an archive as there is almost 2 years worth of valuable posts at: http://www.LeeHayward.blogspot.com and I certainly don’t want to get rid of it.

So what I need you to do now before you go any further, is to make sure that you have entered your name and e-mail address in the form above and download my FREE Muscle Building Training Course. This will give you the foundational base of training information that you need to get started building your ultimate body. Plus you’ll also get on going muscle building and fat loss training tips from my a few times per week.

Another thing I suggest you do is get yourself set up with a Gravatar (globally recognized avatar) at: http://en.gravatar.com

This will add your face and personality to your comments.  It’s always more enjoyable to see another persons face when conversing.  It’s not mandatory but I encourage you to do so. You only need to set this up once which is great because if you post on other blogs or forums on the Internet, many of these websites will recognize your Gravatar.

I really encourage you to share your feedback with me by leaving your comments to the blog posts. This allows you to become part of the Total Fitness Bodybuilding community and it gives me valuable feedback and direction as to what things we should focus on and where we can improve the website in the future.

We also have the option for you to share these blog posts via Social Media outlets like FaceBook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, and many more!  By sharing content, you help others and bring more people to this site to continue to make it even bigger and better.

If you enjoy a post, send it to your Twitter friends, post it to your Facebook news feed, or simply email it to your contacts.  The sharing tool below each post makes it so easy!

In fact I need your help with sharing this site and all the valuable information on it!  Together, we can help so many people better themselves and get in their all time best ever shape!

I’m looking forward to chatting with you in the comments section!

In fact you can leave your first comment right now below and introduce yourself on the new blog!

all the best,

Lee Hayward

(Your Muscle Building Coach!)