Best protein powders for muscle gain?

I don't really get how you're doing a 30-minute HIIT session. What's the actual routine? And what are you eating?

Sam Roberts said:I don't get how you're doing a 30-minute HIIT session. What's the actual routine? And what are you eating?

Stationary bike. Program swaps between 2 mins at 100W and 1 min at 200W. Total 30 mins, including an 8-minute warm-up up to 200W.

My diet:
Breakfast: 3g BCAAs before the bike, then 3 tbsp oats, 1 tbsp flaxseed, 2 tbsp almond/hazelnut/raisin mix, plus 1/2 cup skim milk and half an apple.

Lunch: Lean protein or grains (~9oz), 1 tbsp olive oil, and a spoonful of flax/sunflower seeds. (On weekends I eat meat, etc.)

Post-work: Whey, yogurt, and a few slices of lean turkey breast.

Dinner: 7oz fish or meat, tons of salad or veggies, 1-2 glasses of wine, maybe some whiskey—nearly 4 shots, actually.

Before bed: A yogurt or two.

And 2-3 apples as snacks. On gym days, I take another 5g BCAAs before and 30g whey after, plus 1 or 2 apples.

you still stuck on those apples? 😁

that kind of lunch feels way too light for me... and dinner is just overkill, especially if you top it off with two yogurts

Sam Roberts said:Are you really stuck on those apples? 😁

That lunch is way too light, and dinner is overkill—especially if you're slamming two yogurts after.

Yeah, you've got a point about the lunch, but I can't really change it since I eat at work and then have dinner with the family. Can't just force more food down during my break. Those yogurts are non-fat and sugar-free (besides the lactose, obviously)... (6oz, 11g P, 5g C, 0.1g F)

Try switching up that HIIT routine... mix in some calisthenics, pushups, running, or even actual cycling
i try different intervals too—maybe 20 to 40 seconds at max effort followed by 10 to 20 seconds of rest. Do that a few times a week depending on what you're training

lonebadger0 said:So how exactly do you expect someone who’s been training for years and actually reached a high level of fitness to keep making gains just by eating "regular" food?
Look, an athlete at that level needs massive amounts of protein, carbs, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, all that stuff... If they tried to hit those numbers through whole foods alone, their digestion would be absolutely trashed, and honestly, they probably couldn't even physically stomach that much volume. Even if someone had a stomach of steel and managed to eat it all, they wouldn't be able to process it efficiently. You basically can't do it without supplements.
Just look at any nutrition chart to see the macros in standard foods. A well-trained person needs about 3 grams of protein per kilo of body weight, and don't even get me started on the carbs... It’s just mathematically impossible to get enough through regular meals, which is why people use supplements—to fill those gaps that real food just can't cover.

I was watching some Champions League coverage the other day and Diego Forlan was talking about his daily diet: a huge breakfast, a solid lunch with meat or fish, and then a light dinner like a salad.

Truth is, he isn't just some well-trained person—he's a top-tier pro athlete😁

hiddenskipper14 said:I was watching some Champions League documentary the other day and Tim Tebow was talking about his daily diet: a massive breakfast, a solid lunch with meat or fish, and then just a light salad for dinner.

Look, the guy isn't just some fit dude—he’s an elite pro athlete😁

Don't be naive.

And no offense to football players, but let's stop talking about you guys and get back to the gym, which is what this thread is actually for.

If anyone could help me out here...
I picked up some protein powder over in Canada about a year ago, and I still have quite a bit left because I took a break from training for a while and just bought way too much at once. Now that I'm getting back into it, the stuff tastes really bitter... I was wondering if they can actually go bad, and if they have, what kind of trouble am I looking at? Is it okay to drink them or is it actually DANGEROUS

PS - It's the vanilla flavor, though I need to check if the chocolate one tastes the same way too

Jeremy Nguyen61 said:Hey, anyone got a sec to help me out?...
I picked up some protein powder over in Canada about a year ago. I ended up with a huge stash because I took a break from hitting the gym for a while, so there's still a ton left. Now that I'm back at it and trying to drink it, it’s got this weird bitter taste. I'm wondering if it actually went bad—like, if it's spoiled, what am I looking at here? Can I still drink it, or is it actually DANGEROUS?

PS - It's the vanilla flavor, though I gotta check if the chocolate one tastes the same too.

Yeah, they can definitely go bad. Honestly, some brands even put a label on the tub telling you exactly how long it stays good after you pop the seal, assuming you've been storing it properly in a cool, dry spot. I'm not a doctor, so I don't know every single thing that could go wrong, but you're definitely looking at potential dehydration or a nasty bout of food poisoning... which isn't exactly ideal when you're trying to bulk up. You'll end up losing way more progress from being sick than you'd ever gain by forcing down a sketchy supplement. 😉 Btw, sometimes a change in flavor is just subjective. Since it's been a whole year since you last had it, your palate might have just "forgotten" what the original flavor was supposed to be like... so it's not always a definitive sign it's rancid. My advice? Just toss it in the toilet and flush.

velvetmoose9 said:It can definitely spoil, yeah. Some brands actually go as far as printing instructions on the label about how quickly you need to use it once it's open, provided you've been storing it properly in the fridge or pantry. I'm not entirely sure about every single possible side effect, but you could certainly end up dealing with dehydration or some nasty stomach issues... and honestly, you’ll lose way more in downtime than you'd ever gain from drinking even a perfectly fine 😉 By the way, a change in taste might just be subjective rather than an objective sign that something is wrong, especially if it's been a while since you last had it and your palate has sort of "forgotten" what the original flavor was supposed to be... My advice? Just toss it in the trash...

I don't think this is a matter of my taste buds being off because I can actually see these little black specks at the bottom 🙂 In general, I don't really notice that kind of thing in chocolate so I usually drink it, but this stuff is going straight into the garbage..

hiddenskipper14 said:I was watching some Champions League coverage the other day, and Diego Forlán was talking about what his daily diet looks like. He mentioned having a huge breakfast, a really solid lunch with plenty of meat or fish, and then just something light for dinner, like a salad or something.

I mean, let's be real, the guy isn't exactly just a fit person—he’s a top-tier, elite pro athlete😁

It honestly feels like these soccer players act like they're getting all their nutrition advice from Miles in interviews.

-Steve

What’s everyone’s take on marinated chicken fillets?

I have no clue what to make for lunch, just looking for something high in protein.

I wonder what everyone else thinks about this. 🤣
Personally, I’ve gotta say, I have a massive soft spot for marinated chicken fillets. 😁

wearyotter81 said:What would they even think? 🤣
Personally, I have quite a high opinion of marinated chicken fillets. 😁

But what about breaded ones?

I am asking seriously 🙂

Hey everyone,

I’m planning to start using MuscleTech pro whey 3G in a few days. I swim competitively and am looking to put on some mass. What’s your take on this protein? How much should I be taking daily? Would it make sense to have a serving first thing in the morning, then another around 1:00 PM right after training? And what about my off-days—should I still be drinking it then?

Matthew Alvarez77 said:Hey everyone,

I’m planning on starting MuscleTech pro whey 3G in a couple of days. I swim competitively and I'm looking to pack on some mass, so I wanted to get your take on this specific protein. How much should I actually be taking? Does it make sense to have a serving first thing in the morning and then again around 1:00 PM right after my workout? Also, should I still be drinking it on my off days?

I’m also a swimmer. Personally, I stick to Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Serious Mass. Taking it once in the morning and once post-workout should be plenty. On your rest days—assuming you’re only off on Sundays—you can probably still have two servings. From what I gather, that's pure protein without the extra carbs, so you won't have to worry about gaining unnecessary fat.
If your actual goal is bulking up, you’d be better off grabbing something like Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Serious Mass. That stuff is specifically engineered for mass gain since it’s a blend of proteins and carbohydrates.
Besides, mass isn't necessarily the priority for swimming, especially if you're doing distance sets. If you're a sprinter, you might want a little more size, but don't overdo it or you'll just end up weighed down. Muscle doesn't float nearly as well as fat does.

Jericho said:fried food is always a subpar choice, but whatever, it is what it is.

I'll just have one omelet without any bread, maybe some veggies... I don't think it'll cause any major issues.😉>

I don't know. Honestly? I think we're looking at some seriously major problems ahead...

wearyotter81 said:I honestly can't say. I just have a feeling we're looking at some major trouble ahead......

What kind of trouble? 😕

I was wondering if I should maybe toss some sugar into my MusclePharm Whey Protein, and if so, how much? thanks in advance...