Nutrition & Supplementation
Questions and Answers
Page 8

Question

Hi,

I know that I have to loose all the fat around my midsection. I try to eat lots of fruits and vegetables, but I am always tempted by the fatty foods. Do you have any advise?

thank you Mr. Hayward.

Dainiai Tazisa

Answer

Hi Dainiai,

When you eat a meal always start off by eating lean proteins, vegetables, fruit, and then starchy carbohydrates. This way you will fill up on the good stuff first and get rid of your appetite and your cravings. It still takes a bit of will power, but I find that this works well for me.

Question

Lee,

What are your thoughts on any of the HGH products and using them?

Answer

The best HGH product that I have ever used is GABA. This is an awesome product that can increase your GH levels by as much as 500%. I used this while I was dieting for my last bodybuilding contest and it made it a lot easier to get lean and muscular.

You mix up a few grams of GABA powder with a glass of water and drink it before going to bed. With in 15 minutes you will feel very relaxed and a slight tingly feeling throughout your body. You will sleep like a baby when using this stuff. GABA has no side effects, even when taken for long periods of time. And not only does it work better then most other growth hormone products, but it is much cheaper too. I have 100 grams of GABA (about a months supply) on sale for only $19.99 at: http://totfit.safeshopper.com/23/186.htm

Question

Lee,

I'm currently following 45% carbo, 45% protein and 10% fat. I do 1 hour cardio 5x a week (30min in the afternoon and 30min afterwork). I lift weights to build muscle mass 3x a week(1.5hr after the noon cardio). My calorie intake should be 2100, however, in order to lose fat I've cut down to 1400-1500 and less sometimes. Is this the right combination or should I increase the carbos. I do find myself more fatigued when I do my weight lifting. I'm just trying to find the right combination to maximize losing fat. Please advise.

thank you,
Teresa

Answer

Hi Teresa,

Your workout routine looks good. However, I suggest that you increase your calorie intake to about 1500-1800 per day. If you lower your calories too much you will slow your metabolism and have less energy. By keeping your calories just below maintenance levels you will burn bodyfat without feeling like you are on a diet.

The key to fat loss is patience. Measure your progress every couple of weeks. What I suggest you do is every second Saturday morning weigh yourself and measure your bodyfat (you can get a bodyfat tester at: http://totfit.safeshopper.com/20/cat20.htm). This way you will know exactly whether or not you are making progress and be able to make adjustments to your exercise and nutrition program if necessary.

Question

hey lee,

I'm about 245 lbs but i was 195 at the end of football i lift run and eat right but i ca'n't lose that extra 50 lbs can u give me some advice?

Signed chris

Answer

Hi Chris,

I suggest that you cut back on your carbohydrate intake and increase your protein intake. Don't go to the extremes and avoid carbs all together. But when you eat a meal fill up on lean proteins and veggies first and then eat starchy carbs such as bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, etc. after. This is an easy way to increase your protein intake and limit the amount of carbs that you eat without feeling deprived.

I also suggest that you AST Dymetadrine Xtreme to help curb your appetite, raise your metabolism, and boost your energy levels. I take this personally when dieting and find it works great. You can get it on sale at: http://totfit.safeshopper.com/23/184.htm

Question

Hi Lee,

As a British racing cyclist which supplements would be best for me to give me the performance of the day.

Thanks,
C Price.

Answer

Basic supplements such as protein powders, meal replacement bars, etc. are good to provide your body with extra nutrients and calories. This is important for any athlete because it will help speed your recovery and help you to perform at your best.

As for specific performance enhancing supplements "AST Dymetadrine Xtreme" is great for boosting your energy levels and mental focus. I sometimes take this before my workouts when I need an extra energy boost.

Another great performance enhancing supplement is "Glycerol". This helps to draw water inside the muscle cells so they are "super hydrated". This improves your exercise performance by keeping your body cooler and keeping your heart rate lower.

If you are being drug tested you may want to double check about "AST Dymetadrine Xtreme" because it contains caffeine and ephedrine. Some organizations have this listed as a banned substance. No need to worry about "Glycerol" though, because it is totally natural. It is a special type of carbohydrate that will not show up on any drug test.

AST Dymetadrine Xtreme is available at: http://totfit.safeshopper.com/23/184.htm

Glycerol is available at: http://totfit.safeshopper.com/107/787.htm

And you can check out our full line of protein supplements at: http://www.leehayward.com/protein.htm

Question

Hi Lee,

I am going to start taking some supplements and I was wondering how I would going about doing so. Should I take the whey protein before I work out and the creatine after?

Thank you,
CAD

Answer

Hi CAD,

I suggest that you eat 3 meals per day and have a protein shake in between each meal. This way you can provide your body with a steady supply of protein and nutrients to help support muscle growth. Have a serving of creatine right after your workouts, creatine is best absorbed by the body after a hard workout.

My personal favorite protein and creatine supplements are:

Optimum 100% Whey Protein - 5 lbs
- have 2-3 servings per day, in between meals.

EAS Phosphagen HP - 4 lbs.
- have 1 serving right after your workouts.

Question

Hi Lee,

I am 20 years old, right at six feet, 150 pounds. I have your typical skinny body-type.

I started training with free-weights about 6 months ago. I follow all the guidelines and recommendations that I've read elsewhere. The problem is that I have not seen any gains except for some increase in the chest area.

Others have told me that I'm not eating enough to build muscle, which makes sense since I do eat very little. But the problem with that is that I just don't have an appetite. I bought several brand of protein bars and shakes, but I have to force the down.

Is there a way to increase my appetite so that I can get the calories I need to build muscle mass without feeling sick?

Thanks in advance man,
Chris

Answer

Hi Chris,

The easiest way to eat more food is to eat several small meals and snacks during the day. Instead of force feeding yourself a few times per day. Try eating 6-7 small meals/snacks each day. Every couple of hours have a meal, or protein shake, or bar, etc... This will make is a lot easier to eat extra food.

Don't get too hung up on eating low fat foods either. If you need to put on mass eat some fat such as peanut butter, fried foods, even some "junk food". Don't go overboard with it, but some high fat foods eaten in moderation will help you get extra calories.

Question

Hi Lee,

Can you reccomend any good tasting recepies for a protein drink? I got a 5lb tub of the 100% whey protein.

Jeff

Answer

Hi Jeff,

I usually mix my protein shakes with water because it is quick and convenient and they don't taste too bad that way. But I sometimes get a bit creative. Mixing shakes with milk makes them more thick and creamy, like a milk shake. Adding more powder and less liquid will also make them thicker. You can also mix them up in the blender with frozen strawberries (or other berries / fruits).

If you are ever making pancakes you can add a couple of scoops of vanilla protein to the pancake mix. It tastes good and adds some extra protein.

Question

Hi Lee,

Got to know your site by luck. I was searching the net for some information on bodybuilding and I happened to hit upon your site.

Well my name is Sam and I live in India. I am a vegetraian and just once a week I have chicken breast for lunch and dinner. I am very kneen on building my body. I am 25 years of age and I have heard that non veg food has all the essential amino acids as compared to veg food. But due to some health problems I had to switch over to veg food since 6 years. Could you please suggest me a diet in veg food that could help me get all the required proteins to build my body. Please dont ask me consume eggs and whey proteins since I am allergic to milk products and eggs. Looking forward to receiving a reply back from you.

Thank a ton.

Sam.

Answer

Hi Sam,

Getting enough protein in your diet can be tough for a vegetarian. If you don't mind eating chicken then I suggest that you have 1 meal of chicken every day, this will really help with getting extra high quality protein in your diet. Foods such as beans, nuts, seeds, bread, and tofu all contain protein.

You should also use a soy protein supplement. This is an excellent source of vegetarian protein. I suggest that you use "EAS Soy Protein Powder". This is a good source of all the essential amino acids.

Question

Is the Atkins diet a good diet, as far as a "faster" way of dropping the weight along with a good exercise program? And have you heard anything good or bad about the supplement "Hydroxycut"? I'm totally lost, and I have never really been "overweight" and have no clue on how to go about losing my extra weight.

Jennifer

Answer

Hi Jennifer,

The Atkins diet does work, but some people (including myself) find it harder to stick with then a more traditional diet.

As for Hydroxycut it is a great supplement for boosting your energy levels, speeding your metabolism, and curbing your appetite. Eating a well balanced diet, following a weight training and aerobic exercise routine, and taking Hydroxycut is a great way to lose excess bodyfat.

You can read more info about Hydroxycut and get it on sale on my website at: http://totfit.safeshopper.com/65/473.htm

Question

hi lee,

i was just wondering if it was safe for a 14 year old to get in to taking supplements. if it is which ones will help me get the best results?

thanks,

josh

Answer

Hi Josh,

Most supplements are safe to take because they are just concentrated sources of nutrients (i.e. protein powders, vitamins, minerals, etc.). You should first make sure that you are eating lots of good healthy foods. For protein eat foods such as: beef, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, milk, etc. For carbs eat foods such as: bread, rice, cereals, potatoes, pasta, fruit, vegetables, etc.

As for supplements the only ones that you need at this stage would be a good protein powder and a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement. I suggest that you use:

AST Multi-Pro 32x Multi Vitamin - 100 caps
- Take one tablet twice daily in the morning and evening with food. This will ensure that you are providing your body with all of the essential vitamins and minerals that it needs for good health and muscle growth.

Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Protein - 5 lbs.
- Take 2 servings per day. This will provide your body with extra high quality protein. Protein is the raw material needed for muscle growth.

Question

Hi!

Thanks for such a great informative website. I just had a couple questions about my fitness. I am 19 years old, 6'3" and a little under 200. I have been working out pretty regularly, and just started taking a protein supplement about a week ago. I have heard mixed things about taking xenadrine and ripped fuel, as well as creotine. I have a medium sized build, and am starting to look pretty good, but still have a little bit to lose around the mid-section. Could you please clear up some of the hear-say about these 3 supplements, as far as harmful side effects? And what is another good way to get toned, along with running? Also, my work out, consisting of only my upper body, is about 2 hours. Is that too long?

Thanks a lot.

Tim

Answer

Hi Tim,

If used properly supplements containing ephedrine and safe. The problem is when people abuse these supplements. If you take a fat burner with ephedrine (i.e. xenadrine, ripped fuel, hydroxycut, etc.) 3 times a day for a couple of months and then take a month off before using them again you will have no problems. The problems arise when people use ephedrine as a party drug and overdose on it.

(Note: I have Ripped Fuel on sale for only $18.99 it is regularly $28.99. You can get it at: http://totfit.safeshopper.com/108/829.htm)

I have a good article that you should read at: http://www.leehayward.com/art17.htm This article has some great fat loss tips.

I have another good article about creatine that you should read at: http://www.leehayward.com/art4.htm

As for your workouts, you need to work your lower body just as hard as your upper body. This is a big mistake that a lot of guys make when they start working out, they only focus on their upper body. But training your legs will speed the growth of your entire body. Working big muscle groups such as legs, chest, and back causes the body to produce more anabolic hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone.

A good routine to follow is:

Workout 1:
Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Workout 2:
Back and Biceps

Workout 3:
Legs (quads, hamstrings, and calfs)

Question

Hi Lee

Love the site it's very informative . I just have a few questions. First off, i want to put on mass. I am 21 skinny enough, but i have a big gut. I have alot of fat there around my mid section and hips etc. But still if you were to look at me i still look thin. You see i went about getting bigger by stuffing myself with junk food etc and all i got was a fat gut. Then 7 months i did the sensible thing and started to lift weights to get bigger. I hear all the time you have to eat alot of calories to put on mass etc, but surely i don't as i have a big gut?? I am trying to reduce calories and keep carbs at about 200-230 a day ( i weight 170) and keep protein at about 150g-170 while putting on mass aswell. Putting on mass is No.1 and hopefully with the workout plan and what i just said the fat will go to. What do you think?? Here is my workout plan inspired from your site. 1-2 reps for each and about 2-6 full intensity sets to failure. I have been lifting as i said for about 7 months but was overtraining i think i hope i am finally getting it right. My Arm started out at about 13 inchs and is still around the same now but it looks more fuller . why is it around the same in mearsurments, as it looks bigger?? Like should my mearsurments increase each month or what is the best progress mearsurer?? and weight should i be able to increase in let's say the bench press by about 10 pounds a months or more or less???

This workout is sort of a upper/ Lower split but i added shoulders and abs to share the times with the workouts so not to go over 45 minutes. Which reminds me, they say you should never train with weights for over 45 min does that mean you should stop all exercise or can you then do your cardio as i am which would work out 45 weights followed by 25 min walk which works out to be a total = 1 hr 10

Thanx a million Zap. Sorry for the long email its just i want to make gains as fast as possible and i am unclear about certain things

Jimmy

Answer

Hi Jimmy,

You still need to eat a lot of good food in order to provide your muscles with the nutrients that they need in order to build muscle mass. Eat 6 small meals each day, one every 2-3 hours. This will allow you to eat a lot of food while preventing the bloated belly. If you ate 3 big meals each day your belly stretches and gets bigger from the volume of food, you are much better off eating less food more frequently.

As for your workout schedule, 3 days a week or every second day works the best for packing on muscle mass fast. You need to give your body time to rest, recover, and grow. I suggest that you follow the workout routine that I have listed in my article "How To Get Big". I have used this program personally with great success. As for how long you should workout, don't get too hung up on how long your workouts are, just make sure that the total training time including warm up and cool down is less then 2 hours.

For the next couple of months just focus on getting bigger and stronger. Don't worry if you put on a little bodyfat, you can always lose the excess fat with diet and cardio. It is easier to lose bodyfat then it is to build muscle mass. To prove this just go to any local bodybuilding contest and you will see lots of guys and girls who are ripped, but very few will have huge muscle mass.

To judge your progress use your strength and bodyweight as a guide. Write down your workouts and keep track of the exercises, weights, sets, and reps that you do for each workout. Each week try and lift more weight or do more reps then you did the previous week. And each week try to put on 1 pound of bodyweight. Weigh yourself the same time each week (i.e. every Saturday morning before eating). If you are not gaining weight, increase your food intake a little each day until you are consistently gaining 1 pound per week.

After you have gained 10-20 lbs. you can focus on losing any excess bodyfat. Simply by cutting back on your food intake and increasing your cardio exercise.

Question

Ive been takin whey protein for a while and seems to be working but ive always heard of andro by twinlab and wondered if this had any bad side affects? ive heard good and bad things bout it. Some of the good it helps u work out longer by raiseing heart rate. Bad in young people which i am (15) can cause growth and skeletal problems and hormone imbalances ect. im wondeing if this could be right for me. im bout 170-175 6'0 and play middle linebacker but im only a freshman and i figure if i could put on a solid 10-20 lbs. i could make our varsity football team. i know 10-20 lbs may be a little much but i know its bout time to fill out a little and im wondering if andro could speed up the process?

thank you,
Steven Hall

Answer

Hi Steven,

You shouldn't take any andro or hormone supplements. The reason is because they are designed to raise your testosterone levels and at your age your body is pumping out lots of natural testosterone. If you took these supplements you would fool up your natural hormone production. These supplements will only work for people who are 21 years old and older. Between the ages of 16 and 20 you will be able to make some awesome gains if you train hard and eat lots of good food, because your body is at its peak for hormone production.

Every guy gets bigger and stronger during his teenage years whether he workouts or not, simply because his body is producing so much testosterone. So just imagine what will happen when you add hard weight training and a good high protein, high calorie diet! You have no choice but to make great gains!

To give you an example, during the time I was in high school I was one of the biggest and strongest guys in my school and I was only 5'6. I ate a lot of food and worked out hard at least 5 days a week. Man I used to bring a big lunch to school every day. I used to eat a sandwich, granola bar, and banana for recess. For lunch I would eat another sandwich, a chicken breast, bran muffin, and apple. I used to bring a big 2 liter jug of water in my book bag and sip water all day long.

Of course people made fun of me because I was eating so much, and you could smell my lunch throughout the hall way especially if I had eggs or tuna fish on my sandwiches. But I didn't care because I knew that I would never build any muscle if I didn't feed my body enough good food.

When I started working out when I was 14 years old and I weighed 140 lbs. by the time I was 20 years old I weighed 230 lbs. In only 6 years I gained 90 lbs. of muscle! And I did this with out using any steroids or andro supplements, I didn't need to because my body was producing so much testosterone naturally.

Question

I tried Cell Tech and I followed the instructions, but I started having faintness during the day. Do you know why am I feeling faint? Should I lower the amount of servings (2 scoops)?

Answer

Cell Tech is a creatine supplement that contains dextrose (a type of sugar). The reason you have been feeling faint is because dextrose causes your body to release insulin. I suggest that you only take 1 scoop instead of 2. This will cause your body to not release as much insulin.

Question

What is insulin and what is its purpose in the body?

Answer

In a nutshell, insulin is a hormone that helps the body regulate blood sugar. It is released when you eat any food that contains carbohydrates (i.e. bread, pasta, rice, cereal, sugar (as in Cell Tech), sweets, soft drinks, etc.). Insulin is an anabolic hormone that can cause your body to either build muscle, store bodyfat, or both.

Eating large amounts of carbohydrates during the day when your muscles are resting will cause your body to release insulin, which will cause excess carbs to be stored as bodyfat. However, right after a hard workout when your muscles are tired and depleted the insulin will cause carbohydrates to be stored in the muscles. This helps build and repair muscle tissue.

Question

Hello Lee,

I was hoping if you could help me out. I just got back into weightlifting, and seems like i'm not getting any bigger. I eat well, and train very hard. I do 4 sets of 6 to 8 reps on all my routines and was wondering if that was my problem. If you could please make me a prgram that would work for me, I'M 6'1 168lbs and slim. I hpoe you can help me with my problem.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
a.j.

Answer

Hi A.J.

Your problem is a very common one. The reason for your lack of growth is not eating enough. You need to eat big and lift big in order to get big.

Eat at least 25 calories and 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight each day. For protein eat foods such as: beef, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, milk, protein shakes, etc. For carbs eat foods such as: bread, rice, cereals, potatoes, pasta, fruit, vegetables, etc. You should also eat a moderate amount of fats from foods such as: peanut butter, cheese, regular milk, butter, salad dressings, etc. Don't go overboard with it but a little extra fat will help give you more calories and energy to help you add bodyweight and build muscle. Eat a small meal every 2-3 hours. You also need to drink at least 1 gallon of water each day to help keep your body hydrated, help with digestion, rid your body of toxins, etc.

You should check out my article Hard Gainers Mass Building Workout and Eating Routine. This routine will really help you pack on some quality muscle size and strength.

Question

hi my name is carmel cathey i want lose 40 lbs do u think it will work? and if so how fast?

Answer

Hi Carmel,

The best way to lose bodyfat is to follow a regular exercise program that includes both strength training and aerobics. You also need to eat a well balanced diet that includes lots of protein foods such as: beef, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, and low fat dairy products. Lots of carbohydrate foods such as such as: rice, whole grain cereals, potatoes, pasta, fruits, and vegetables.

I have a good article that you should read called How To Lose Bodyfat.

I suggest that you get a copy of the Living Lean program. This program is geared towards losing bodyfat and building lean muscle. The Living Lean program has a lot of great information about exercise and nutrition has, sample meals plans, low fat recipes, and it also has nutritional charts that tell the nutritional content of dozens of common foods. It will show you step by step how to lose weight and keep it off.

By following the Living Lean program you can lose approx. 10 lbs. per month. So it will take you about 4 months to lose 40 lbs.

Question

Lee,

For my nutritional plan to complement my wieght training i drink .66 ounces of water per pound of body weight (i weight 170 which means about 112 ounces) and i eat 3200 calories per day which is somewhere between 18 - 20 times my body weight. Consequently i was wondering if the calories included in the water would be a part of those 3200 calories per day?

-thanks for your help!

Answer

Water has no calories so your calories will all come from food and food supplements. For protein eat foods such as beef, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, milk, protein shakes, high protein bars, etc. For carbohydrates eat foods such as bread, rice, cereals, potatoes, pasta, fruit, vegetables, etc. Try to limit your fat intake, you don't eliminate fat entirely just try to avoid eating a lot of deep fried foods and “junk-foods”. Eat a small meal every 2-3 hours.

A protein shake can be considered a meal and is an easy way to get extra protein and calories in your diet. You can get protein powders on sale at: http://totfit.safeshopper.com/specials.htm

Question

I'm writing for my wife who really enjoys weightlifting.

My wife has been weightlifting for a few years and has done incredibly well. I lift weights also & I introduced her to the discipline. Her strength gains are amazing. I honestly never thought a 5'2 1/2" woman could become so strong. I think part of it is her chemical make-up, because she's gained strength faster than any person I've ever met. She doesn't want to use mass-building supplements (e.g., creatine). But she is more into body-shaping. She likes the look of clear muscle definition and clearly defined veins showing in her forearms and biceps. My wife is Asian and she wants the "Kiana Tom" look. She wants to know what weight exercises plus what supplements (like creatine, etc.) will reduce her fat and/or make her veins and muscles more prominent.

Also, my wife likes to have videos and pictures taken of her progress. She thinks bodybuilders must do/take something that causes their veins to stick out more when they are photographed. Do veins stick out more in certain types of weather (high humidity, etc.) I've been able to help her lift so as to gain strength, but I don't know much about this other stuff.

Thanks.

-Bill

Answer

Hi Bill,

First off a woman will never build "huge" muscle mass. They do not have enough testosterone and other anabolic hormones in their bodies to build a large muscular body. A lot of the really big women bodybuilders that you see in muscle magazines are taking bodybuilding drugs (i.e. steroids, growth hormone, etc...) to get that kind of freaky development.

Muscle definition is simply a lack of bodyfat. If she loses bodyfat she will get more defined. For example, everyone has "6 pack abdominals". The only problem is that for 99% of the population those abdominals are covered with a layer of bodyfat.

As for supplements that will help speed her progress I suggest that she should use a good whey protein supplement and a good fat burning supplement.

My personal favorites are:

EAS Simply Protein Complete Whey
- have 2-3 servings per day with or in between meals to get extra high quality protein in your diet.

Cytodyne Xenadrine RFA-1
- take 3 times per day on an empty stomach (make sure to take before workouts). This will speed fat loss and boost energy levels.

In order to see veins you need to have a very low bodyfat. After a workout, when you are "pumped up" you can see the veins much more. Also when you are warm the veins are much more noticeable, so on hot days you will see more veins then on cold days.

You can also try using Hot Stuff Vasodilatation Optimizer before taking pictures. This is a special posing oil that helps maximize blood delivery and circulation throughout the upper levels of the skin while it's natural warming action keeps muscles pumped while it works. I use this personally and it works great for brining out the veins.

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