Posts by George Bailey2

frozenlynx33 said:Anything containing at least 1% synthetic material—like all those artificial vitamins—is "chemistry." Just think about that. 😉

I certainly hope there isn't any "chemistry" in my Bud Light... 🙂 😁 👍

Synthetic stuff in food??? Are you actually sure you know what you're talking about?

By the way, what do you mean by "artificial vitamins"? There is only one kind of vitamin—they are natural. It doesn't matter if you get them from eating fruit and vegetables or if you take them in pill form after they've been isolated from that same fruit and veg.

swiftscout8 said:Look, just forget about the gear. If you actually want to be healthy and fit, stay far away from the chemicals.

What exactly do you mean when you talk about "chemicals"? Are we talking about anabolic steroids?

Regular gym sessions, pickup soccer games, running, and hitting the stair climber every now and then.
As for my diet, I try to stay away from greasy junk. I might indulge in some chocolate or pastries occasionally, but that’s about it. I take flaxseed oil, a multivitamin, and glutamine, plus the occasional omega-3 supplement.
Overall, I'm happy with where I am physically. As for my mental state—that's a conversation for another time. 🙂

Ugh...
You’ve got a massive mountain to climb here. It comes down to strict discipline: clean eating, cutting way back on carbs and junk fats, and loading up on healthy fats and protein. You have to be precise about it.
As for working out, you need to hit the gym at least four times a week, and match that with four cardio sessions. But I’m talking about actual, effective training—not those sessions where you just do some half-hearted bicep curls while staring at your own teeth in the mirror and posing for a selfie. 🙂
A few supplements won't hurt either. You'll definitely need a good multivitamin, flaxseed oil if you can get it, and whey protein right after your workouts.
Honestly, answering your question properly would require writing a whole damn book. At the end of the day, though, your persistence is more important than anything else. You can find all the specific guides and instructions you need online.

Taylor Swift said:You’re exhausted, you hit the pillow, but it takes two hours of tossing and turning just to drift off.
Then you wake up feeling like garbage, irritable at work, and constantly fighting twice as many battles as you actually should be facing.
It’s a cycle of constant irritation and high-level stress.

Where do we draw the line on when to chill out and reach for something like a Xanax or similar?
When is it time to give in and use chemistry to calm down, specifically when your brain gets stuck in a mental whirlpool that you just can't escape on your own?

Try picking up some melatonin tablets. It might help, and honestly, it’s way less harsh than the standard stuff people take to relax. Melatonin helps settle things down and improves sleep quality.

driftingorca9 said:I'm also curious about which muscles are getting hit the hardest and which bones are taking the most load?

Go ahead. Take a guess.
It's your forearms and shoulders.
🙂

Justin Ramos2, you act like you're on some holy mission to enlighten humanity through nutrition, but let’s be real: you’re just profiting off these poor souls who lack the backbone and willpower to fix their own lives. They think someone else is going to step in and discipline them for them.
If I were running this board, you would have been banned a long time ago.

Look, from where I stand, sweating isn't just some random inconvenience; it serves a critical, vital biological purpose. Trying to stop yourself from sweating is actually counterproductive and shouldn't be encouraged at all.

total

placidfalcon said:Then there's whey. A liter of whey costs less than a liter of bottled water.

Hmm. And how does whey actually taste? 🙂

Artichoke.
Olive oil—it’s a solid staple, sure, but let’s be real: flaxseed oil is miles ahead of it.

There’s one thing I just don't get: a few months back, I posted an announcement here about launching a website—which isn't even a commercial venture, by the way—and the thread was nuked almost immediately. How exactly does this guy get away with posting spammy content and threads without them being deleted?

jadesailor14 said:You can pick up some whey or other dairy byproducts from, I think, Dean Foods.
You’ll definitely find it at Walmart or Kroger. It comes in those square plastic liter bottles. A friend of mine chugs it constantly and swears it's the best thing ever.

Just so there's no confusion for the uninitiated—that liquid whey isn't a substitute for whey protein powder. This liquid stuff has a pretty low protein content compared to the powder.

Hummer / Mayo said:There is a massive amount of scientific research on soy protein. It’s been proven to help prevent various types of cancer—like prostate, stomach, and breast cancer—it helps regulate hormones (especially in women), and it’s the only plant-based protein that actually contains all nine essential amino acids.

Fine, that's true. But if you're an athlete, whey is superior. Everyone knows why athletes drink protein; they aren't primarily doing it to prevent tumors. They do it for muscle mass, strength, endurance, recovery, and immune support.
Besides, check out the link I posted above. You'll find plenty of study results there regarding how whey protein impacts overall health.

shadowgardener12 said:Look, anything highly concentrated is basically poison—it’s just an unnecessary burden on your body, specifically the liver. Why mess with all that artificial junk when you have a whole world of natural, healthy options available?

First off, it is a massive misconception to assume that everything "natural" is automatically healthy. Some of the most potent toxins and drugs on the planet are entirely natural, but that doesn't make them good for you.
Second, shadowgardener12, I would actually love to hear you provide some concrete evidence regarding the supposed harm of protein shakes and their specific impact on liver function. I'm not sure if you realize how much of a baseless claim you just made. I fully expect you to come at me or maybe even get insulting, and I doubt I'll see any actual data or references from you to support the idea that protein supplements damage the liver. However, in the slim hope that you might actually be reasonable, I'm leaving a link here where you can check out the research and references concerning whey protein.
http://www.wheyoflife.org/benefits.cfm

And yeah, I should probably mention: shadowgardener12, protein is 100% natural—arguably more natural than half the stuff you consume throughout your day!

Thanks, and cheers everyone. 🙂

stormyotter67 said:And how much mass did you actually put on using that, George Bailey2???? How long have you even been taking protein?

I’ve been cycling through supplements for over 10 years now. To be clear, this specific stuff didn't build any muscle for me. Whatever gains I've made came from a combination of heavy lifting, strict dieting, other supplements, and plenty of sleep. Pure whey isn't going to do anything for you on its own.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be some "mass monster," but at 6'2", I'm sitting at a solid 205 lbs.

As for soy proteins: sure, soy has some benefits, but if it were truly superior to whey, pro athletes would be choosing it over whey every single time. From the bodybuilders and swimmers to the track athletes I know, the vast majority stick with whey. The biggest edge whey has is definitely the absorption speed—which is critical if you're looking to build muscle—and the high concentration of BCAAs, which are vital for recovery and preventing muscle breakdown.

Regarding the price, this 5lb tub, which should last about 2-3 months, goes for $143.

stormyotter67 said:From what I’ve gathered reading the page that silentorca492 posted, about 80% of that powder is straight protein, and everything else is just filler. As far as I can tell, it's currently the best thing on the market because you won't find a protein supplement this clean without extra fats and junk mixed in.

Here is the whey I use:
(check out the ingredients)
One serving only has 1.5 grams of fat. Honestly, I don't think anyone needs to sweat that number.
Any decent quality whey is going to have less than 3.5 grams of fat, which is practically nothing.

Thomas Hernandez21 said:Look, it’s all just chemicals, right? It’s not natural (I guess). I’m asking because I honestly don't know. 😉

Proteins aren't "chemicals" in some scary sense—they are completely natural. In fact, if you weren't consuming proteins every single day (which, clearly, you aren't even aware you're doing), you wouldn't be able to stay alive.

Maybe I've got it wrong, but it seems to me like you and your mom have totally confused proteins with steroids.

Hummer / Mayo said:I can see you’ve really done your homework on nutrition, but I have one correction—or maybe just a question (if you could share your more specific take on this).

From what I understand, soy proteins are superior since soy doesn't have any fat at all, whereas whey protein does... though people often talk about mixing soy and whey together, but I don't know the specifics of how that works.. 🙂

Two statements here are just plain wrong:
1. Whey is better than soy simply because it has a superior amino acid profile.
2. Whey (whey protein) doesn't have fat and physically cannot have fat. Whey proteins are proteins ISOLATED from whey, which means everything else has been stripped away—including the fats.

Thomas Hernandez21 said: I'm trying to figure out if there are any actual health consequences to consuming protein supplements. If anyone actually knows the deal, I'd appreciate the insight. 😉

Did you and your mother ever bother to sit through a single biology class during all those years of schooling?
By the way, what’s Mom’s take on the side effects of protein?