John Morgan67 said:So, here’s the situation. I’m 19, playing competitive soccer, and training four to five times a week on top of match days. My only issue? I’ve been stuck at 132 pounds at 5'9" for a few years now. I can't seem to budge that number. I eat everything in sight and I eat often, but honestly, nothing shows for it. What gives? 🤷
Since I don't know the first thing about proteins or supplements, I could use some help here. I just want to put on a few pounds. Which products actually work, and where should I be looking to buy them? Thanks in advance.
Look, I’ll try to help out however I can, but we should probably wait to see what the experts have to say before making any big moves.
At 5'9", I’d say I’m sitting around 155 lbs—and let's be clear, most of that is solid muscle.
When it comes to protein, you’ve basically got your choice between standard Whey Protein or those massive gainers. Most Whey Protein is relatively clean—you're looking at maybe 80g of protein per 100g depending on the brand. But then you have those heavy hitters like Optimum Nutrition, which are loaded with carbs. Or, as we all like to say, "just dump that sugar in." Here is my take—feel free to correct me if I'm off base: if you stick to Whey, you're mostly building muscle. If you go the Gainer route, sure, you'll put on weight, and maybe even faster, but there's a much higher risk of just packing on fat instead. You actually need to train. You really should be hitting the weights at least three times a week. I don't know what kind of routines you guys are running, but you can't just drink your way to a physique.
So, everyone says protein is best taken immediately after a workout. I actually heard one trainer suggest a different approach: say you’re hitting chest and biceps. You finish the chest portion, knock back half your shake, then finish the rest once you move on to biceps. Doesn't sound like a bad idea, really. But most people just wait until the session is completely over.
That protein shake isn't a meal replacement; it's maybe one extra snack at most. You still have to eat real food—breakfast, lunch, dinner—plus the shake. You can mix things up, like throwing some Oats into the blend, but you need actual calories. I saw someone complaining on a forum recently—maybe even here—about how they were drinking shakes four times a day. Who does that? Seriously, who is that crazy? Some labels suggest four servings a day, which is complete nonsense in my book. Most people don't even bother on non-training days, let alone hitting four shakes every single day. Also, if you're using Whey, you might add some Fructose. You can pick some up at Walmart for pretty cheap. Personally, I couldn't stand the taste of the sugar, so I just ate two bananas on the side. When you make the shake, just use one scoop—you know, the one that comes inside the tub. Don't think adding more scoops will magically get you results faster. There's some theory that the body can only process about 30 grams at once before it goes to waste, but I won't get bogged down in the science of it. As for brands, we could argue about this forever. Everyone has their favorite. Since you're just starting out, I’d recommend a decent Whey from a budget-friendly brand like Optimum Nutrition. They offer a lot of product for the price. Some people will trash them and claim they're just full of sugar, but I know guys who've seen great results using them. Honestly, as a beginner, you won't notice much difference as long as your training is solid and your diet is on point. Anything will help at this stage.
