Best protein powders for muscle gain?

Arthur Doyle6 said:that Gold Whey stuff.

Here is the website and their contact info so you can reach out and ask. I'm not too sure about the multivitamins, though...👍

http://forum.teretana.net/viewtopic....204cca1feb16fc

You're overpaying. There are cheaper options out there.

What would you recommend if I just want pure protein?
A while back, I was using some straight-up protein from Labrador...

slydriver52 said:You can pay a premium, but there are definitely cheaper options out there...

I haven't seen Optimum listed for less than $117, and since this guy is reliable, he's my go-to for orders..

What would you recommend? Where do you usually shop?

Affordable nutrition from Brežice Scientist in Canada 👍
Around here, Pronutrition offers some pretty budget-friendly options. You can just order directly from their site at pronutrition.com!

Arthur Doyle6 said:I haven't seen any Optimum products listed under $117, and since I trust this guy, he's my go-to for orders..

So, what's your recommendation? Where are you getting yours?

I actually sell it myself, and I can get you MWP at some pretty solid prices too.

Bryan Cook2 said:What would you suggest for a pure protein?
I was using some pure protein from Labrador a while back..

Labrador is a solid choice, but they charge way too much for it.
In fact, I compared their creatine to what Optimum puts out; the Optimum stuff wins hands down because the powder is finer and dissolves much better in water.
If you want a reliable option, go with EAS—I’ve used it before and was satisfied.
Looking at international brands, Powerbar is a great pick, though I can't speak to their proteins since I only ever tried their creatine, which was strikingly similar to Optimum's, but even then, the price tag was steep.
People claim Peak is excellent, but honestly, the flavors leave a lot to be desired.
BSN is also a strong contender. MuscleTech is overpriced, Twinlab is decent, and I tried Ultimate Nutrition once a long time ago—over a decade, if I recall correctly—and the flavor was a bit too sweet, plus it was pricey here in the States.

slydriver52 said:Labrador is a solid pick, but they charge an absolute premium for it.
For what it's worth, I compared their creatine to the stuff from Optimum, and Optimum wins hands down because the powder is finer and dissolves much better in water.
EAS is a reliable option; I've used it before and was satisfied.
Regarding international brands, Powerbar is a great choice, though I can't speak to their proteins—I only tried their creatine, which was remarkably similar to Optimum, but even then, they're overpriced.
People claim Peak is excellent, but frankly, the flavors leave a lot to be desired.
BSN is also a good bet. MuscleTech is way too expensive, Twinlab is decent, and I tried Ultimate Nutrition once a long time ago—over ten years back, if I recall correctly—and the flavor seemed a bit too sweet, plus it was pricey here in the States.

Let me correct myself there. I mistakenly categorized Powerbar as a European brand, but it's actually American.🤦

Is it actually possible to pick up someone else's package ordered from Prosport in Brežice if I happen to have a copy of the original buyer's ID?

I'm 17 years old and I've been hitting the gym for about a month and a half now. My goal is to pack on some quality muscle mass. I actually started taking anabolic whey protein two weeks ago. I've also adjusted my diet, so tell me if this looks right to you.

Weekends:
8:00 sandwich
10:00 two eggs, low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt

12:00 whatever the old folks make for lunch. It's healthy stuff with plenty of protein—beans, fish, chicken, etc.

14:00 leftovers from lunch

16:00 a sandwich that I pair with low-fat cottage cheese

18:00 200g of chicken or whatever meat, low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt, a little milk

20:00 low-fat cottage cheese, two eggs, a glass of milk

When school is in session:

Morning:

8:00 oatmeal, yogurt

10:20 sandwich
14:30 lunch

16:30 leftovers from lunch, yogurt, and low-fat cottage cheese

18:30 some kind of sandwich with chicken breast that I combine with low-fat cottage cheese
20:30 two eggs, low-fat cottage cheese, a bit of meat, and maybe some milk

Afternoon school schedule:

8:00 sandwich, yogurt

10:00 low-fat cottage cheese, two eggs, milk

12:00 lunch

16:20 sandwich

19:30 leftovers from lunch, yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese

21:00 low-fat cottage cheese, two eggs, a glass of milk

Tell me what needs changing, what's good, and what isn't working in this diet.

THANKS

Are those really the instructions from a fitness coach?

@dustymoose53/">@@dustymoose53

Look, if you're just starting out, you don't actually need protein supplements in any form—really. If you feel like you do, then my advice would be to go ahead and hire a nutritionist to put together a meal plan for you, and definitely check in with your doctor first, because you really need to nail down your specific daily caloric needs. Otherwise, if you're looking to bulk up, the general rule of thumb is simply to bump up your intake of both carbohydrates and proteins. As for fats, try to focus on getting a higher ratio of omega-3 fatty acids into the mix.

As for what a menu might look like, personally, I’d probably lean toward something like this:

Breakfast: 150 grams of oatmeal made with low-fat milk and a handful of dried fruit.
First snack: A tuna salad.
Lunch: Just eat a regular, balanced meal—and hey, treat yourself to some dessert!
Second snack: Grab some cooked meat.
Workout
Post-workout: Have a plate of pasta tossed with a bit of olive oil, some meat, and a side salad.
Dinner: About 250 - 300 grams of low-fat cottage cheese.

goldenfox24 said:@dustymoose53/">@@dustymoose53

As a beginner, you don't need protein supplements in any form.

Why? I’d argue the exact opposite. A beginner actually needs to pay *more* attention to their nutrition, specifically their protein intake. If they don't, they run a massive risk of burning out—which happens all the time to newbies. They show up with all this willpower, training harder than anyone else, but if their diet isn't keeping up, the results just won't materialize. That's when the motivation starts to tank...

dustymoose53 said:I'm 17 and I've been hitting the gym for about a month and a half. Goal is quality muscle mass... started on some anabolic whey protein two weeks ago too. Adjusted my diet as well, let me know if it's on track.

Weekends:
8:00 sandwich
10:00 two eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt

12:00 whatever the old folks make. It's healthy, high protein—beans, fish, chicken, etc.

14:00 leftovers from lunch

16:00 sandwich with cottage cheese

18:00 200g chicken or any meat, cottage cheese, yogurt, a little milk

20:00 cottage cheese, two eggs, glass of milk

School days:

Morning:

8:00 oatmeal, yogurt

10:20 sandwich
14:30 lunch

16:30 leftovers from lunch, yogurt and cottage cheese

18:30 some kind of turkey breast sandwich with cottage cheese
20:30 two eggs, cottage cheese, maybe some meat and milk

Afternoon school:

8:00 sandwich, yogurt

10:00 cottage cheese, two eggs, milk

12:00 lunch

16:20 sandwich

19:30 leftovers from lunch, yogurt, cottage cheese

21:00 cottage cheese, two eggs, glass of milk

Tell me what needs changing, what's good, what isn't...

THANKS

Nothing but sandwiches... no fruit anywhere.

Sam Roberts said:It's always some kind of sandwich, but you never see any fruit

Same goes for veggies, too...
And honestly, what even counts as a "sandwich" here?
I mean, technically, you could just smear lard on a slice of white bread and call it a day...

Look, I already mentioned this a few days ago. I eat plenty of fruit and just smaller amounts of vegetables... My sandwich is usually just some cream cheese and chicken breast.

slydriver52 said:Let me clear something up on my end too. I accidentally listed Powerbar under the Euro, but I meant US dollars...🤦

What’s your take on Weider?
Is it just a big name, or does the stuff actually hold up?

George Bailey2 said:Why? I’d actually argue the exact opposite—a beginner needs to pay even closer attention to their nutrition, especially protein intake. If they don't, they run the risk of totally burning out, which is a classic rookie mistake. They show up with all this incredible willpower, pushing themselves to the absolute limit in the gym, but if the food isn't keeping up, the results just won't show up. Then, eventually, that motivation starts to crater...

That's just nonsense.
The kid is 17—any nutritionist worth their salt will tell you that teenagers going through puberty don't strictly "need" supplements because they aren't professional athletes and their hormones are already doing most of the heavy lifting anyway.
What he really needs is a solid diet and a steady stream of high-quality proteins and carbs from actual food. It's not that I'm against supplements—I use them myself—but only when I have a specific training session at the gym followed by a swim at the pool. Any kind of catabolic effect people are worried about isn't going to magically melt away his muscle mass.

Bryan Cook2 said:What’s your take on Weider?
Is it just a legacy brand, or does the product actually hold up?

Regarding Weider, I can tell you one thing for certain: their creatine is garbage. As for the rest of their lineup, I haven't personally tested it, but the general consensus among serious lifters is pretty negative. I used to think they were riding on old reputation alone, but if I get my hands on their whey protein soon, I'll let you know if it's worth the money or just more hype.

goldenfox24 said:That's total nonsense.
The kid is 17, and every nutritionist out there is going to tell you that teenagers in puberty don't need protein supplements since he isn't a pro athlete and his hormones are already running wild at that age.
What he actually needs is a solid diet and a steady intake of high-quality proteins and carbs through whole foods. It's not that I'm against supplements—I use them myself—but only when I have a gym session followed by swimming. Whatever catabolic effect people claim exists isn't going to burn off a pound of muscle for him.

It is a nesporan fact that muscles can very effectively utilize a solid dose of high-quality protein within about an hour after a weight training session. It’s up to the lifters to decide if they want to maximize their gains or if they’re fine with slower progress.
Also, don't forget that most 17-year-olds have a metabolism running at 100 miles per hour, and unlike us older guys, they often have fewer opportunities throughout the day to consistently eat high-quality meals.
The kid asked what works best; it's our job to give him the real answer. This isn't the *only* way, but it's certainly not harmful or counterproductive, and realistically, it isn't expensive or problematic in any other way. 30 grams of whey protein a day can only do good things. Of course, that's just one meal; the rest of the diet should be high-quality and balanced for everyone, including lifters—that goes without saying.

Is it actually safe to take a supplement if it’s slightly past its expiration date? I’m not talking about some crazy scenario where it expired three or four months ago—I mean we're looking at maybe fifteen days or so. I picked up a tub on sale because the date was coming up fast, and a buddy of mine is insisting it's perfectly fine as long as you don't let it sit around for months on end. I wanted to get your take before I start loading up on it. 🙂