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As I continue to work on my ambitious “Exercise Choices in the Gym & Correct Form” blog, probably going to be 10 pages plus. I am on my last 2 servings of pre-workout. I ran out of my BCAA’s earlier in the week and the plan is to not take anything for 1 month. No nothing. If I cannot get my energy from food for one month then I am obviously doing something wrong. Since middle 2009 all my workouts have been fueled with preworkout. My goal here is just to give my body a little break from the chemicals that I have been putting in my body.

Protein Powders:
I have never really been a protein shake guy. I tried it here and there and I have seen zero results from it. The only thing I noticed was what comes out of my ass more frequently. So I gave up on protein powders over a year ago. I only take a shake here and there if I am hungry and if I have to eat small and will just chase it down with a shake.

Now, I have been sold up and down, different Protein Powders over the years. I don’t care what’s in it. I have found no benefit from taking it. Plus, they are always super expensive. I can just buy more food and eat better. I am sure if I micromanaged my diet to a point to where if I were in competition, protein powder may be a useful product. Right now I just see it as a product that gives me little benefit and costs way too much money to justify why I should purchase it. Plus, it doesn’t matter what new brand or mixture comes out.

Like I keep saying to people. I have been doing this over half my life. As I may not have the education that some do in the industry; work/sell/sample these products on a daily basis or be a professional in this industry anymore. I have something most of these people do not have, experience.

Over half my life, spent in a gym, reading about lifting and supplements; trying my own mixtures. Things affect other people different. Protein Powder doesn’t do much for me except make me gain weight that I don’t want. I do consider myself a bodybuilder, but I do not compete so I do not want to “get big” and so forth. Right now, staying lean and built is my mission, it’s all about the symmetry.

BCAA’s (Branch Chain Amino Acids):
BCAA are three amino acids with similar structures that beneficially influence the muscles. They are referred to the three amino acids: Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine. Mainly used during/after workouts to help replenish the BCAA’s in your body. You will see 2:1:1 of Leucine and even more radical combinations. 8:1:1, 10:1:1, 12:1:1 and so forth. For 2 years I felt like I needed this supplement to complete my grueling 3-3.5 hour workouts. I am starting to think I do not need this. Not just for the obvious reason that I cannot tell if it actually works or not and the spiritual aspect that I should not need to put artificial chemicals in my body to make my body do a specific thing. It’s not so much about the money, but the products can get pricy and pricy for something that no one is really sure even works or not, I don’t know. I think I will save the money, every little bit helps.

Pre-Workout:
Like I said I have been working with pre-workout since 2009 virtually every workout. I might have had a few workouts without it, but I cannot actually remember doing it. That is how long I have been using these products. Absolutely, they work. I have taken some really good products. I will spend whatever to get a preworkout that just blows me up, mentally, physically, spiritually (yes), then I am all for it. I just simply want to take a break for a month and see how my body responds to it. I will probably do a separate blog about which pre-workout supplements I have taken and like and which ones I think are crap…

UM……………
C4 & 1MR Vortex…
Absolute garbage…
Stay away, stay very away…
Spend your money wisely…

Nitric Boosters & NOX/NOS:
Again another debatable product lines that may or may not actually work. I haven’t really seen/felt the difference. I have a little in the Nitric Boosters, which you get in your pre-workout but not in the higher doses that if you got it in concentrate form. I may or may not purchase the product lines again. I am thinking about it. Right now taking a break.

Final Note (Rant):
After being both a competitor & trainer, working with all sorts of fitness professionals I feel that most of the industry is a complete farce of itself. Too many people out there just pushing out product lines that don’t’ work and some cases cause harm. Fitness People selling their own clothing line and such.

Most, if not all, of these supplements, are not regulated by the FDA and/or come from 3rd world countries. If I were to throw out a number, 90% of all supplements don’t work and have very little of the elements that the body requires for muscle growth or weight loss and are filled with these types of filler products.

See List…
• Hydrogenated Oils
• Artificial Colors
• Magnesium Stearate
• Titanium Dioxide
• Stearic Acid
• Carrageenan
• Gelatin
• Silicon Dioxide
• Lanolin
• Glycerin
• Calcium Carbonate
• Potassium Sorbate
• Cellulose
• Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (HPMC)
• Xylitol
• Palmitate

You can do a Google search to see what each of these do and are used for, but none of these help promote weight loss, more energy, muscle growth… So why are they there? Filler… Have more of the product and sell it for a greater price. Who cares if it works or not, because no one is holding any of these companies accountable. When you open an issue of Muscle and Fitness magazine over half the book is filled with advertisements and all this alleged data is backed up by lab trials. These tests are not conducted by independent groups, plus, I don’t know how many ads I ripped out just so I can get to the articles. A magazine that is supposed promote fitness tips and what not basically just sell products.

I am not saying ALL products are garbage, but a very large percentage of them are. You just have to do your research and experiment to see what works for you. This whole blog is what works and doesn’t work for me personally, but I am hoping some of you take notice at what I am seeing in the fitness industry. A few things to look for. There are not “wonder” drugs out there, even steroids without the right dose, discipline, diet, exercise, and rest; won’t do anything for you. If it says it’s a wonder drug, this is a bald-faced lie to you. If anyone tells you; you can’t achieve your fitness goals unless you take supplements, another bald-faced lie. This industry makes MILLIONS of dollars a year on the concept that we believe their product will give us that edge. Most times it doesn’t, so why keep doing it?

I do believe you can buy good products. 

Just find out what works for you and go for it. You find a product that doesn’t work, never buy it again. They sucked you once, why keep going? For me, all that I have discussed here, the only thing I ever liked and found that worked well is preworkout. Caffeine based preworkouts are garbage. They will get you up, but when you come down, boom, crash. Do your research and find products that will give you the edge you need. Most of this is superficial. Its mental/emotional lack of connection that makes you feel you need these products to be like the guy on the magazine… These people, that is their full-time job, they don’t work like we do. They make good money to try and help sell products and clothing, then go to the gym. Their diets are micromanaged and usually have a team of people that help these people get to that stage of fitness. If you are in total focus then you don’t need anything to get you through your workout.

Well, maybe your headset…
Maybe…

At Supplements End…
By David-Angelo Mineo
1/21/2016
1,406 Words