Posts by Aaron Cruz3

jadetiger962, thanks for getting back to me. I guess I have a few more things I wanted to run by everyone here if you don't mind.
I’m looking for something to use as a meal replacement, pretty much what Angela Allen82 was asking about earlier. Someone mentioned that whey isn't really a full meal, though I think someone else suggested that if you mix it with oats or something similar, it might work. I just wanted to see if that's actually true. If I did go that route, would it be okay to have that every single day, even on my rest days when I'm not hitting the gym?
My main struggle is that my schedule is just so hectic lately, so it's been pretty tough to stay super disciplined with my diet. I really need something that's quick to prep but still feels like a high-quality meal.
Like I mentioned before, my goal is to put on some muscle mass, so I know I need to eat plenty, but I want to make sure it's clean. Having something I can just grab and go would make my life so much easier.
One last thing—what should I do when those late-night cravings hit? Like, if it's around 10:30 PM and I'm heading to bed in half an hour. I know grabbing a piece of bread with mayo is probably the worst move I could make. Would it be better to go with some whey and oats, or maybe just stick to some fruit? I feel like fruit might be the healthier choice, but since I'm trying to bulk up, I'm a little worried it might not provide enough calories.

And honestly, I wasn't even planning on picking up any protein bars. It was just that whole debate about muscle breakdown that had me a bit confused, since I'd always heard that the body burns through carbs and fats first before it ever touches proteins. I figured maybe someone who actually knew their stuff could clear that up for me, but I guess it doesn't really matter.

jadetiger962 said:You don't really need any tablets; whey is basically meant for right after you finish training. I'd suggest picking up a shaker—you can usually find them at the same shop where you buy your whey—so after your workout, you can just mix one scoop of whey with maybe 50-60g of glucose in some water and drink it.

Whey isn't meant to be a meal replacement.

So, if I understand correctly, I should only be taking my whey after a workout, which in my case would be three times a week since that's how often I hit the gym?

Also, does anyone happen to know how much water I should use for a single scoop of whey, or even how big a scoop actually is? I'm assuming it's possible to mix it without a shaker, though it's probably way easier with one, so I might hold off on buying a shaker right away. I suppose the scoop size and mixing ratios are usually printed right on the packaging, right?

So, I just finished reading through this entire thread and decided to go ahead and grab some Dymatize elita Whey, but I have a few things I'm wondering about.

First off, has anyone been to this shop lately?

And where exactly is that location over at Horvaćansko 31? Is that near Baschiera's place?

Also, what's the best way to actually take whey?
Like I mentioned in my last post, I'm hitting the gym three times a week and my main goal is to put on some mass—you know, building muscle without adding too much fat. Up until now, I've been using some Weider Weight Gainer, which I've realized after reading here is pretty much garbage. I was drinking it twice a day, every single day, mixed with milk—both on training days and rest days. So, should I be drinking whey every day too? Just once a day, maybe twice? And does it matter if I mix it with milk or if I really need to stick to water? I guess I'm also wondering if whey can act as a meal replacement. I've heard that it might be a good idea to drink it after a workout mixed with some glucose. Apparently, you can pick up some dextrose at a place like CVS or Walgreens. Does anyone know what the right ratios are? With that weight gainer, I was doing about 75g in 3 dl of milk.

One more thing, though it's not strictly related to the first part. Some people were mentioning amino acid tablets and taking them right after a workout to prevent muscle breakdown. But, isn't it true that the body burns fat first before it starts breaking down muscle? Like, doesn't it use carbohydrates first, then fats, and then finally proteins?

I'd really appreciate it if someone could help me clear up these few uncertainties I have.

Thanks.

Could someone maybe give me a hand here? I’ve recently started hitting the gym because I really want to put on some mass. When I say mass, though, I don't mean packing on a spare tire around my waist—I'm talking about building actual muscle. Most people tell me I'm just naturally skinny anyway.
So, I asked a buddy of mine for advice, and he suggested I just head down to a supplement shop, find a guy there, and explain exactly what I'm looking for so he can walk me through it. I ended up going to the Weider shop over by Baschiera, but honestly, after reading through some of this stuff online, I feel like it was a total disaster. I told the guy I wanted to gain weight without just adding fat, and mentioned I’d be training about three times a week. He just started reciting this scripted little speech like he’s said it a thousand times before. It was all just "you don't just need protein, you need carbs," blah, blah, blah. Eventually, he pushed some Weider Weight Gainer on me. He told me to take it twice a day, regardless of whether I'm training or not—specifically an hour and a half before my workout and an hour after. I checked the label, and it looks like 100g gives you roughly 22g of protein and about 60g of carbs, plus other stuff. When I questioned the clerk about it, he insisted it was the perfect ratio, something like 3:1 in favor of the carbs.
Based on everything you guys have been posting here, it feels like that guy was just talking nonsense. So, what would you all actually recommend for someone like me? I'm looking for a specific product that's good for a beginner, where the price and quality are actually somewhat reasonable.