Hi all,

I've recently started at the gym with the idea to lose some weight and to gain some strenght/muscle, all to hopefully improve my biking and all round fitness. Now, 2 months in and i've lost a bit and started to see some change in body shape.
I'm interested to know what supplemnts/shakes i can take to speed everything up. I've done a bit of research but it's a bit of a mine field! All i'm interested in finding out is what to take and at what times of the day.. any gym fiends care to help me out??

Cheers

These might be of some help

http://www.southerndownhill.com/forum/index.php/topic,135301.0.html

http://www.southerndownhill.com/forum/index.php/topic,147547.0.html

Maximuscle Promax Diet.

It's designed for exactly that – to lose weight and gain strength/muscle.
Take it twice a day along with a sensible diet.
IMHO

Honestly, eat less food than usual and up your exercsie intensity/frequency/ volume (Not dramatically for either)

Eat smaller portions more frequently 5 -6 small meals as opposed to 3 big ones and cut out unnecessary crap (especially before bed)

The only sustainable solution to losing weight is maintaining a negative energy balance = burning more energy than you consume.

Don't waste your money on supplements – especially fricken Maximuscle's overpriced crap. They are a joke in the strength training community. Only people who read mens health use that rubbish.

I use supplements (I am a power-lifter as well as mtber) so I am not anti supplementation but the only good fat burners arn't very good for you or very legal. Avoid them

Eat a balanced diet – don't cut out carbs or fat, they are both essential especially when exercising.

Try to get your head round calories and RDA's of food/nutrients.

Anita Bean has written an excellent book that makes all this very clear (forgot its title – sports nutrition or something) Its very accessible to noobs.

There is little point in taking supplements if you don't already have nutrition really dialled in and are training intensely. Stuff like multivitamins and fish-oils have their place, but frankly anything more is just (expensively) convenient. Protein shakes are good if you don't have time for a REAL meal after training, but taking one instead of, say, some chicken, isn't going to magically put on muscle. Some supplements have their benefits, but it's just a very expensive way of trying to make up for shortcomings in your diet.

FWIW that promax thing is exactly what it says it is – a "substitute" for real food. And not a very good one at that.

Just my opinions, no doubt someone will disagree 😛

I use a protein shake after the gym, but I'm vegetarian and don't have a very high protein intake. I also add a little creatine because this seems (it might be in my head) to improve recovery time. I've looked at fat burners and the like, but frankly I'm a strong believer in eat less do more. I am however still fat as I like to eat more and then I feel like doing less, but I'm getting There!

I'm told steroids work…

[edit] if you don't mind your winkle being the size of an acorn

As Robz said

Plus, buy a road bike and a comuter.

Oh and dont break your leg….

Very important that last bit..

Steroids don't shrink your winkle. Just your testicles.

Just your testicles.

thanks for your personal insight 🙂