Posts by Matthew Richardson81

irontiger27 said:Can someone tell me if it's better to mix my protein with milk or water?

Look, if you're on a bulking phase, go with the milk! You'll be packing in those extra calories way easier, and honestly, milk has a killer macronutrient profile for building mass.
If you're cutting though, you gotta watch those calories so you stay in a deficit. It's usually smarter to eat those calories as actual food instead of drinking them, plus liquid doesn't fill you up like real food does. Stick to water if you're trying to get shredded!

John Johnson16 said:Ugh, man... why am I even talking to you in the first place? ☕

Look, I don't know, man. You've gotta be willing to actually learn some new stuff and listen to what people are telling you. It's pretty obvious you're a total rookie when it comes to this kind of thing! Just take the advice, seriously. Better to listen now than to realize you messed up later—you can't get lost time back once it's gone.

John Johnson16 said:I wonder if mail carriers have strong legs... probably, right? And what about soccer players? Do they get strong legs from all that running?

Oh, come on, man! Don't even go there. First off, pro soccer players are hitting the weight room hard—they’re doing legit leg days with heavy weights. Second, sprinting can definitely build some muscle in your legs, though it's obviously not going to touch what you can do with actual iron.
Soccer players lift weights AND sprint constantly, which is why their legs look so jacked.

If you're just cruising on a bike for miles or jogging for miles, you aren't going to get huge or see any real volume in your legs.
You'll build up endurance, sure, but that's a totally different ballgame than building muscle mass.

John Johnson16 said:So here's the deal... I was using standard whey (MuscleTech Nitro-Tech with 75% protein plus vitamins) for about 9 or 11 months and managed to pack on 3-4 pounds. Honestly, the results were pretty solid! I was hitting the gym 6 days a week, absolutely killing it. I did everything except legs since mine are already pretty strong from biking all over town every day, you know?
Now, since it's winter, I've had to take a break from the gym to focus on other stuff (college work), but I just picked up this MusclePharm Whey... what's the big difference? I've been reading some other online forums saying this specific type of protein speeds up muscle growth and all that jazz...

I'd love it if someone could give me some advice on this!
LP

Get real and train your whole body, man. Saying you don't need leg day because you carry groceries is like saying you don't need arm day because you carry shopping bags. I've heard hundreds of guys claim they have killer legs just from soccer or cycling. At the end of the day, any whey protein is basically the same crap. You drink it after your workout, and boom—done. Simple as that. It’s not even strictly necessary, really; having a killer training routine and a solid high-protein diet is way more important.

Richard Cook2 said:Multipower is solid, MusclePharm is good, Biotech isn't bad, and Optimum Nutrition is killer!
Stay away from Scitec though—honestly, it was a total disaster for me. It’s loaded with sugar and caused some serious bloating... let's just say I had some absolute nuclear meltdowns in my bathroom! xD MusclePharm is definitely my go-to. 😁

Honestly, it's all the same crap. This idea that Scitec is packed with sugar is just nonsense. The only real difference is the flavor, which doesn't even matter that much since you chug it in like 20 seconds and move on.
MusclePharm products are the most expensive out there, but there is zero actual difference. Just grab whatever is cheapest and call it a day. It makes no difference if one concentrate is 80% and the other is 75%; that extra gram per scoop doesn't mean squat.

Adam Long7 said:Which whey protein brand is actually the best?
I'm currently using Multipower—is that any good, or am I just wasting my money on low-quality stuff?

Also, quick question: if the goal is putting on serious muscle mass, should I be sticking to whey protein or go for a weight gainer instead?

Thanks!

Honestly, man, it doesn't matter which one you pick, so next time maybe grab something cheaper than Multipower.
A weight gainer is basically just whey protein mixed with a ton of sugar. It's way smarter to just buy some decent whey and grab some glucose powder on the side.
Just take a look at the ingredient label on those gainers and you'll see exactly what I mean!

crimsonscout362 said:What’s that vanilla vibe like, though? Is it just kind of bland and empty, or does it actually taste good, like a rich vanilla pudding?

Personally, I think it’s solid! It doesn't hit you over the head too hard. But honestly, when it comes to flavor, it's such a toss-up—what one person thinks is amazing, someone else might totally hate. You really gotta grab a tub and test it out for yourself.
The best part is they aren't sugary messes, which I love. Compare that to Universal, for example—that stuff is super intense and way too sweet. It actually took me a minute to get used to it!

crimsonscout362 said:I'm curious about those of you using their whey protein; which flavor is actually the best? I was thinking about grabbing vanilla, but I've heard it's kind of a letdown.

Honestly, I think all their flavors hit the spot. But if you want my real opinion? Berry blast is hands down the winner!

Christian Harris2 said:Look, I already know about that whey—that’s not why I asked, but thanks anyway!
And yeah, I know where to snag that 10lb tub of Dymatize for $200, I'm just wondering how legit these guys actually are (basically just some random guy 😁 selling out of his trunk).

Has anyone here ever dealt with supplement hustlers before? What was your experience like? 😕

Most of those guys are just driving up from Mexico, grabbing stuff from Prosport and bumping up the price a bit to cover gas and make a quick buck. If you check the classifieds on some local fitness forums, you'll see plenty of them. Honestly, since they've been doing this for so long, it's probably pretty reliable.
Personally, once I save up enough cash, I'll probably grab that 10lb tub too. It's definitely the best bang for your buck.

Christian Harris2 said:Where'd you grab that?

It's actually solid whey, made right here in the States, and the price is super reasonable. It’s about 70-75% concentrate. You should be able to find the expiration date on the bag if you bought the pouch version.

For the Starbucks—you just order over the phone or via email. Just Google Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey and you'll find their site. Honestly, it's the cheapest whey you can find in America, unless you count driving across the border to grab stuff.

I used it for a whole year, but my budget is a bit tight right now so I had to switch things up. Overall, though, I've had nothing but good things to say about them!

casualwalker14 said:Hey! I was wondering how often I should be hitting the protein shakes during the day and when exactly? Like, right after my gym session or before? I'm heading to the gym three times a week.

Definitely hit them after your workout! You can also mix some in with breakfast or whenever you feel like you're lacking protein in a meal, but honestly, the most important window is right after you crush it at the gym.

Henry Evans3 said:But what about my rest days?

Look, you can use it whenever you want, but honestly? Stick to whole foods first. Grab some chicken or cheese instead. Save the Whey protein for right around your workout or toss it in your morning oats if that’s your thing.

Christian Harris2 already weighed in on this too. Taking casein before bed is definitely the better move.

Amy Morris36 said:I totally get where you're coming from and you're spot on,
but honestly, I just can't stomach that much protein from meat and fish... I can't hit those numbers by volume alone.

If we're talking about being a beginner, fish is pricey and meat isn't cheap either...
Sure, chicken is cheaper, but it's loaded with antibiotics... vegan cheese is total crap, just like most "plant-based" stuff out there... even canned tuna is pretty unhealthy too...
Meat is packed with hormones that we end up ingesting, and then we wonder why we have cellulite and all that... you know?
Eating clean and high-quality is just insanely expensive...

Hit me up once you actually switch to a diet consisting of chicken, plant-based cheese, tuna, and veggies. Then we can look at the actual results. You're over here acting like nothing is allowed to be eaten, while you're definitely still snacking on all sorts of junk that's miles ahead of this stuff in terms of how bad it is for you. If you just eat slightly less harmful stuff, you'll see better progress.

wiredpilot30 said:Casein doesn't SLOW DOWN whey. It’s not like we're trying to walk into a nightclub and some slow, chunky dude is blocking a sprinter from getting through the door, right? 😬

And "recovery"... man, I hate that word. It sounds so much like suffering. To me, working out isn't some grueling torture session or a massive stress fest. 😛

Honestly, PWM is totally overrated. People go way too hard on it... you aren't going to wake up with flat muscles the next day just because you skipped your heavy dose of PWM, and you aren't suddenly going to hit catabolism either. 😉

PWM is really just there to speed up the whole muscle "recovery" process, it doesn't actually kickstart it.

I don't know about you guys, but today I finally got back at it after an 8-day break. Hit squats, military press, and rows—all 5x5. Since I hadn't touched a barbell in a week, my legs were literally shaking like crazy after those squats. It was a struggle to finish the set! Now, six hours later, I can already feel the soreness creeping in. Tomorrow morning is going to be brutal. I'm definitely going to need some serious recovery after this one.
Just a little side note, but that nightclub analogy is spot on. Over here in the States, people are actually talking about widening all the hallway exits because Americans have gotten even bigger over the last few years. I've even heard stories about folks getting stuck in hallways because some huge guy collapsed and blocked the path, making it impossible for anyone else to get through.

Thomas Garcia48 said:What’s the consensus on Myprotein compared to the other brands out there? Their prices are unbeatable, but what about the actual quality? I wouldn't even bring this up if I didn't see their website acting super glitchy right now...

I just hopped onto their site and everything seems totally fine on my end! Honestly, I’m pretty stoked with Myprotein because you seriously can't beat those prices.

Jonathan James7 said:All this talk about Aspartame and Sucralose... everyone already knows that stuff is junk.
Honestly, Whey is pretty much useless if you aren't hitting your macros with real food like cheese, eggs, turkey, or chicken.

If you're dealing with constant stomach issues or diarrhea, it’s probably because you're overdoing the Whey mixed with all that Aspartame crap.
In my book, the only decent animal-based option is the MVP iso logic neutral.
Now I'm actually thinking about ordering some hemp protein from http://www.marijuanamuscle.com/ just to see if I get better results since it's plant-based. It’s got about 50% less protein than the animal stuff though, and man, is it pricey.
Plus, once Customs and sales tax hit me, the price is gonna jump another 30%! You can't even find the good stuff here in the States. All they stock are those trash proteins that everyone blindly buys.

Wait, hold up. If Whey is totally useless, why on earth would you drop a ton of cash on plant protein? That sounds totally backwards! You literally just said a few lines ago that eating whole foods is what matters most. Like, seriously, just eat another 200 grams of cheese and you've basically had your scoop of Whey right there.
It's way cheaper that way.

placidranger said:👍
I used to do it the other way around, but now I’ve flipped it 😬

Just so I don't have to deal with all the prep work—you know, cleaning the stove, cooking, chopping, and chewing through pounds of meat. Now, I just grab a liter of milk, some magic powder, and some fruit. 🙂

Yeah, fair enough, I get what you mean. But looking at his meal plan, I don't really see him eating like that.
The same thing happens to me sometimes when I realize I'm just not gonna be able to finish everything I planned to eat.
But the foundation stays the same.

Jonathan Miller7 said:Man, I’ll give you my stomach for a week just so you can test it out! 🙂

Well, shoot. But honestly, I’m not even touching any supplements either—just some glucosamine pills. And look, even though I’m a total gym rat and don't usually feel that hungry, I can still smash my calorie goals if I have to.

placidranger said:😕
Personally, I just see gummy bears as being a tiny bit less healthy, but hey... it’s not like you're eating them by the bucketload.

Not sure if your eyes are playing tricks on you, but check that last sentence again—you wrote, "I'm Filati-ing myself with junk food."

Jonathan Miller7 said:Ice cream, fruit yogurts, actual fruit, gummy bears, chocolate... I mean, I'll grab a sandwich if I'm starving, some peanuts here and there—usually at night—and those corn-based chocolate bars.

Honestly, I just grab whatever is within reach! That was the first thing that popped into my head. Usually, it’s fruit or yogurt, though I feel like all that junk adds up in calories too.

Setting aside any goals about how you look, this stuff isn't healthy. I know most people eat like this and they're still walking and talking, but you can definitely pack in way more calories with much healthier food. Like, if you crush down 200g of oatmeal with a big glass of milk in the morning, you're already over 1,000 calories right there.
At the end of the day, it's actually cheaper to just stock up on chicken, oats, pasta, and rice.