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Hello lovely people! It's been a while (like... a year xD), I hope there are still people here who remember me. The world is changing. I feel it in the water, I see it in the earth, I smell it in the air! A lot has happened since my last attempted challenge. tldr: Finished all my internships and my degree, took a few months off (well I still worked my office job and did my dance teaching but it was chill), looked for a job, found a job, looked for a new apartment, found a new apartment, had some health stuff*, made some changes and now here we are. xD New job starts just two days after this challenge will end, new apartment will be ours from the 1st of December. Will say goodbye to the office job (one more day to meet everyone one last time and bring my WFH-PC back next week), will continue the dance teaching (currently 2-3 days a week). So now the challenge is: prepare a move (=declutter something every day, pack everything) while preparing for the new job (= brush up my knowledge on that subject and read a book or two about it too - they have a lot of trust in me and I want to not disappoint them xD) while incorporating some new food stuff (want to do three meals a day, get some protein with every one meal and I ordered some supplements that should arrive any time in the next few days that I wanna get in the habit of taking). I went to a friend who is a nutritionist, we did a BIA (wanna do one of these every three-ish months now to see how things change*, super interesting), she analyzed my food diary, I learned a lot. I have a new morning routine that I wanna keep doing (been on it for almost a week now ). I got the sports thing down atm (a lot of dance teaching and dancing, gym some days, it's nice having so much spare time ), so I won't track that. Tracker: 🌻Morning routine 3️⃣Three meals a day with protein 💊Supplements 📚Read a chapter 📦Declutter/Pack one something Bonus: 👾Secret research for a secret project * health stuff spoiler since it might be a bit TMI, not sure? PS: I do have a 452 day streak in Duolingo now, that owl has me tightly in its grip. xD xD

Hey team, any good websites you would recommend for good information on vitamins, minerals and other supplements such as probiotics ? I just want somewhere I can research by my own, trust and use it as a base for informed talking with health providers - true nerd fitness way!!! I read a lot of lists on men's health mag, men's fitness mag, lifehacker, etc... but I wonder if there is a more authoritative place, or a more general public education place - less commercial and more independent? It seems that sources for a specific recommendation are many times a industry trade association, pushing big doses. Tks

Hey guys, I'm a 32-year-old male and was wondering is it fine to take testosterone specifically for when I work out?. Hope to hear from someone soon Thanks in advance

I am lifting weights for almost 2 years but my progress is very slow. Someone suggested me that I should start taking supplements which can boost my performance legally but I am worried if it will affect my health. I searched for some muscle building supplements out of which I found some supplements on bodybuilding.com and some of them on other websites including creatine, protein, pre workout and intra workouts with some test boosters but my diet is good and I eat more than any other friends of mine. Someone also suggested me a supplement with the name crazy bulk their website is mentioned here but I haven't heard about this supplement anywhere except on internet and some websites. What should i take and how please guide me?

Hey everyone this is an article I wrote about scientifically validated supplements. I'm going to be up front I wrote it for my website, but I'm not getting any money from posting it. It covers several research reviews on the efficacy of supplements and apparently there is only a strong consensus for creatine and HMB. I'm a level 1 crossfit instructor and have been working out for about 16 years either as a crossfitter or general gym rat and previously had never heard of HMB. From the research I read, linked in the article, it seems very safe and effective. I hope it helps some folks on the forum but if it bothers the moderators that I wrote it then please delete the thread. Thanks http://www.tierthreetactical.com/crossfit-supplement-review-hmb-creatine/

I hear commercials for Genostim and Nugenix on sports radio all the time. Just wondering if anyone has any experience with either. I'm mostly interested in any impact they'd have to a weight-lifting workout routine. Thanks

I don't know much about protein powders, but I'm looking for something that wont upset my stomach. I'm lactose intolerant and mildly allergic to almonds. Right now I'm on hiatus from regular workouts until early-mid November (in the process of having surgery done on my eyes), but I'd like to have something for when I start back up. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Hey evreyone! I recently purchased 'sacha inchi protein', never tried it before. I'm intolerant to milk proteins, so whey or milk isolate are definitely not an option for me, and I can't use soy protein with my thyroid medication. Sacha inchi protein has a slightly nutty flavour, but it's quite strong (in shakes for example). I can't find a decent recipe for it because it seems like it's so new! Does anyone have any experience with this protein? I feel like it could be of good use in baking! Thank you and keep kicking ass!

Has anyone ever experimented with dHEA as a weight training supplement? I tried it this week and my ankles got all swollen and puffy within 48 hours, which is apparently a side effect. Anyone used it successfully? Do the side effects ease up after a bit? I've stopped taking it for now, but am curious. I'm not a huge supplement fan so I won't be crushed if it turns out to be a loser.

Hi everyone! The vitamins I'm using are "opti-men", I have two questions: -Should I take them one per meal or is it ok to have them all at the same meal? The daily dose is 3. -Should I swallow them whole with water, or is it better to cut them in two or even crush them? I assume the same would apply to all brands of multivitamins. On a side note is opti-men a good brand? If not, what's a better alternative?

Hi, I'm not lactose intolerant, but I do have an intolerance for cow milk. (Everything that's from goat/sheep/horse milk is perfectly fine) First of all, I'm new to this protein powder thing, so I need your advice 1. Milk isolate is absolutely no option, but what about whey? I have no clue where it actually comes from? 2. What is a good plant-based protein powder? I personally don't like hemp as much, but I have no experience with others. 3. Is it possible to get a protein powder WITHOUT a ton of artificial sweeteners? I'm not used to sweet flavours and they make me kinda nauseous even... (comparison; Just having a single bite of a brownie, I find sickeningly sweet, can't even taste the chocolate, just sugar) Thanks!!

I went from tall, dark and (arguably)handsome to... tall, bloated and chubby-faced. A little about me. I'm Lee and I FINALLY got married at 36 years of age on June 22nd to the most beautiful woman I've ever known, inside and out. BUT, I've taken this honeymoon thing waaaaay too far and she won't stop cooking deliciously fattening foods. Lots of Presidente beer and rich Dominican dishes caused my temporary downfall. From the day we stepped into that hotel resort in Punta Cana(I live in the DR) to celebrate our marriage I've been slacking on my workouts and eating like there is no tomorrow. The worst part is that I've been weight training for over 15 years, teaching and training others to get in shape for 10+ years. Usually through intermittent fasting, which I am now back to doing after having TOTALLY abandoned it post-wedding the last 3 months. My Stats: 6'4" 255 lbs My Normal Size: 6'4" 240 lbs My New Goal: 6'4" 230 lbs (lean, ripped & muscular) I've done this before and I always get back to my shape, but trust me... I have fat guy genetics, if I don't stick to the script I blow up quickly. Here's a pic from when I REALLY got too big, I was about 270 lbs in this pic and went down to 240. And that wasn't my biggest, I've been 289 before but I didn't take many photos of that stage in life. I think I'll be back to where I was in 3 months, I'm not a naturally lean guy but I know how to get lean when I want to, and since I won't be having anymore honeymoons I will stay lean. I'll be doing 3 full-body weight-training workouts per week and atleast 120 minutes of cardio per week. Feel FREE to give your encouragements and helpful suggestions. Today's fasted workout....(I always workout fasted, regardless of my goals but it's REALLY great for fat-burning) Walk 1 mile to the gym with loaded backpack. I'm not pushing the weight you most of you guys are and I'm not trying, it's just not my goal. I hope that is respected. I've done a lot more weight in the past, but it's not MY thing. I'm all about aesthetics and athletic function. Squats: 3 sets of 10 squats - 205 lbs (going for lightweight - higher volume to burn fat)4 sets of 10 box squats - 225 lbs Barbell Clean & Press(fast-paced):3 sets of 12 - 70 lbs Bench Press:3 sets of 10 - 205 lbs Lat Pulldowns:3 sets of 12 - 100 lbs This workout ad me TOTALLY GASSED. By the time I got to the 2nd set of Barbell Clean & Press I was huffing & puffing like no tomorrow and you should know that I work out on an empty stomach ALWAYS. My last meal from yesterday was at 8:00 pm Sunday night and I just ate at about 1:30 pm today.. I must admit, I had to break up my bench press sets and ended up doing 6 sets of 6, I was gassed from the clean and presses. The Lat pulldowns went well and I felt a second wind coming, I threw in a couple extra reps in each set and will definitely up the weights the next time I do it. Afterwards, I walked back home one mile, the first few blocks are totally uphill(The Dominican Republic is full of hills and valleys). Anyway, I felt GREAT and Energized after the workout. I wanna see if I can hit my fitness goal in 3 months and if I can get my wife to cook healthier dishes without hurting her feelings... - Lee

I've been reading up on the benefits of fish oil, seems like good stuff so I'm going to give it a try. However it seems like every man and his dog are trying to sell supplements. How do I choose a good brand and what should I look for on the label? (note: I'm in Australia so some of the US brands might not be available here).

So, I feel like many people ask about different powders and what to get. So I figure since I'm on my own journey of trying out different protein powders and seeing what I like, I thought I would share. I hope it's informative, and at least comical. My Philosophy on BROtein: It's a supplement. I only use it to add some easy numbers to my protein macro without inflated calories. I only drink one shake a day (2 scoops protein, 5mg Creatine). The rest of my macros comes from food, as they should. I also prefer natural ingredients and sweeteners. I don't need a bunch of BCAA's and crazy pre/post workout concoctions thrown in. So you'll see that I'll focus my quest currently to finding the one I like. I also don't make shakes very often with them. I just don't care. I have added protein to things but I don't go out of my way to do so. My first protein powder: CYTO-SPORT LEAN MUSCLE PROTEIN Vanilla Creme This stuff is terrible. Doesn't mix well, filled with words I can't pronounce, and really crappy quality. Lets just say I bought this at the start of my journey because I thought "hey, you need protein if you're working out". Yeah it's cheap but avoid it. The quality isn't there and I'm sure there a better cheaper alternatives at your local Walmart (I may do try them all after I find the right natural option). When I started lifting at the beginning of this year, I knew I needed a protein powder to reach my macro and calorie goals. All my research pointed to Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey for it's value and quality. One Amazon order later and boom: Optimum Nutrition 100% Gold Standard Whey: Double Rich Chocolate. My first impression was: "THIS STUFF SMELLS JUST LIKE NESQUIK! AWESOME!!" And it tastes like nesquik if you mix it with milk, but in water this stuff has a terrible artificial sweetener aftertaste. I had to chug this stuff down. Other than that, I can say this is a quality protein. Other flavors may vary but I wouldn't hesitate to drink it if it's all I had.

I am thinking about trying Con-cret creatine. Has anyone else used it. I have read that this one is better because it doesn't require a "loading" cycle, and there aren't any adverse effects if you just stop taking it. Any thoughts?

I'm a noob and I'm looking to lean out and retain muscle mass. I'm just getting back into training and so much has changed in the supplement world so if anyone can suggest a quality thermogenic it would be appreciated. I am looking at AMP Heat Extreme but with so many out there not sure if this product is the best one? Thx

I keep hearing about this weight loss supplement that is supposed to produce miracle increase in metabolism. I am extremely skeptical about it, but I can't deny a boost in my metabolism would definitely help me achieve my fitness goals. I was wondering if anyone has had any experiences about it first have and what they were.

I am trying whey protein for the first time and did a lot of research about the two brands. Help me decide which is better. I am trying to gain weight. Thanks!

This challenge has some very awkward timing for my big picture plan. Those of you who popped into my thread on the last challenge know that I was still going strong on my recomposition. It was easily defined. Gain lean mass and drop body fat via resistance training and nutrition. Over the next month or two, I will be slowly transitioning from my recomp into a lean gain cycle. This is going to make my numbers look very stagnant for the most part…..but I want to get bigger and stronger while maintaining low bodyfat…..so this is going to be a slow and methodical process….and somewhat boring to observer…. On to the goals…. Main Quest - Stay on the Master Plan Nutritional Goals Hit my planned macros within +/-5g of each every day with exception of refeed days (CON: +2)Smoothly transition from my current recomposition into a lean gain cycle (WIS: +1 , STA +1)I plan on doing this in a very smooth and methodical fashion.I am not suddenly going to start eating 4000 calories a day. Training Goals Continue the war on gravity and try to get strongerThis will evolve from my current recomp-style training into something more exotic as I transition to my lean gain this fall (STR: +2)Continue to strengthen and rehab my right knee and safely work around all of my nicks and dings: (DEX: +3)destroyed my right knee 2 years ago….multiple surgeries etc…old rotator cuff tearhot elbowbeing old…lolOptional: Not sure if I will be on enough of a caloric surplus to do so within the next 6 weeks, but I have made some significant strength gains this summer and I want to test some of my 1-RMs. Record Good Data (WIS: +2) This is a huge regret of mine. Six years ago, I was at all-time strength levels….and I have some memories of the more epic reps and misses…..but I have no record of how I was training or what I was eating. Sad. I want to record every rep in the gym, every calorie I eat, weekly weight and bodyfat, and full body measurements at least monthlyTake more pictures, put dates on the file names! Level Up My Life Goal - Be a good nerd fitness community member and contributor (WIS: +2 , CHA: +2) This is an open letter to all and an invitation to use my thread as an open forum to ask questions about and discuss all things nutrition and supplements….and I am especially talking those lurkers who are shy and afraid to ask the "dumb question." There are no dumb questions in my thread. I have learned many things over the years through trial, error, success and failure. I feel like I have a lot to share with others….and especially the message: NOTHING can change your body and your well-being like nutrition can. You can do endless reps in the weight room…..you can run every marathon in your region…..but the true catalyst in reaching your goals (whether it is to get bigger, stronger or faster) is going to be the execution of a good nutritional plan. Now, I am not saying that I can create custom nutritional plans for everyone…..there just isn't enough time…..but I really hope to give people the tools they need to make the right decisions in building a great plan. How to find caloric targets, how to find good macro splits, what to eat and when depending upon the situation and the like……I want it to be wide open and public. That way, anyone who stumbles upon our conversation will stand to benefit. Additionally, I see it every day…..people throwing their hard-earned money away on useless supplements. Don't get me wrong…..there are absolute must have supplements that I use on a daily basis…..I am not trying to ram some homeopathic message down your throat. But I do want you to avoid spending $80 on a magic fat burning pill when you could have bought a weeks' worth the groceries with it instead. We are all in this together! Edit: we are doing a "suppleement of the week!" Stop in to discuss and debate on the most widely used/hated supplements! Week 1: Creatine Week 2: HMB Week 3: Whey & Casein Hydrolysate Protein Powder Some caveats: I am not terribly creative with food….I have my go-to things….but when it comes to turning ground beef into a delicacy, thankfully Ash, Kiwi and YellowJacket will be stopping in to join the fray….their acumen to making food more palatable dwarfs my own. I am not really a jack-of-all trades when it comes to programming weight training. I definitely know how to train to get bigger and change your body composition…..but if you want to add 75 lbs. to your squat, there are far more qualified warriors in our midst…they can get you on the right Smolov protocol or whatever is appropriate to your goals.When asking about nutrition, please try to include what your goals are. Your nutritional guidelines are going to be massively different based upon whether you want to get bigger, stronger, leaner, recomp, etc. Last Edit: supplement of the week

Today's the anniversary of 'Black Monday' - when the UK government imposed 20% VAT on sports supplements. Why is the health industry taxed more than the junk food industry? Sports nutrition companies are doing a call to arms to protest against the tax: http://www.bulkpowders.co.uk/blog/5700/share-despair-black-monday-vat-sports-nutrition-1-year-anniversary.htm What do you guys think?

Hey all, today I've been looking at different supplements I've taken, am taking, or am looking into taking. I'm wanting to start going Paleo but am wondering what I should be taking. Pure Power Protein looks like a good whey, but what I'm more wondering about is BCAAs? Creatine? Glutamine? And also I've heard casein before bed is supposed to help muscle growth? Anyways, Right now Im about to start Stronglifts 5*5 with cardio and some crossfit. All Advice Welcome! Cheers!

This challenge couldn't have come at a better time! I have been looking for an excuse to make some additional changes to my Druidly lifestyle and looks like this is the perfect opportunity to solidify some new healthy habits. I am fairly new to Nerd Fitness but have already spread the word like a virus at a day care center! I have started a little rebel uprising at work and my fellow rebellions are joining me on the 6 week challenge as the "Sterling [something clever]" group because we just couldn't come up with something more clever by the time we signed up. I consider myself a Druid (although I believe a Druid according to the wisdom of our fearless rebel leader involves a life of veganism). I am finally learning to eat appropriately for good health and am easing my way into a Paleo lifestyle. On a side note I am ideal weight according to my height but due to a chronic illness have been living a mostly sedentary lifestyle for the past 15 years - amazing that I am not obese! I have over the course of several years eliminated Coffee, Soda, and most "junk foods" but still have a ways to go towards becoming the best damn druid that I can be. Here are my Druidly Health goals: 1. Go completely Grain free by week 6. I have already cut out Wheat but by week 6 I will not even do the cheater "Gluten-free" breads and cereals. A=6 weeks no cheats, B=week days only, C=week days only and 1 slip total, D=Week days with 2 slips total, F=more than 2 slip ups 2. Take my daily supplements and detox regimen daily. We Druids know how depleted and toxic our soils have become and we need all the help we can get to achieve homeostasis. A=6 weeks no slips, B=week days only, C=week days only and 1 slip total, D=Week days with 2 slips total, F=more than 2 slip ups 3. Meditate 3 days a week. I have the books and learned the benefits but have yet to put it into practice - no time like the present! I will start out with 5 minutes / 3 days and increase by 5 minutes each Monday to achieve 30 mins / 3 days by week 6. A=6 weeks no slips, B=1 slip, C=2 slips, D=failure to increase duration, F=more than 2 slips and failure to increase duration Time to Level Up! Life Goal: 4. I am taking an e-course to get my Comptia A+ certification. By the end of Week 6 I wish to schedule my test and obtain my first Certification. A=complete course and schedule test, C=complete course but fail to schedule test, F=failure to finish course by the end of the challenge For all you RPers out there: Str (1) Dex (2) stam (2) Con (2) Wis (5) Char (3) Hoping to increase Dex and Str at the next challenge!

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome... I was recently diagnosed with this. I was just curious if anyone else here had it (as I've learned that it is actually quite common) and how it's affected your ability to lose weight/gain muscle/affect thing. Personally, I get really frustrated as my weight yo-yo's constantly and the pudge on my abdomen NEVER goes away. I read that a high protein low carb (basically Paleo) diet was the way to go as there are issues with insulin, etc.? I also have a couple of friends who are taking supplements (such as garlic and green tea extract) to help with their weight loss goals. Do these supplements actually do anything? I'd prefer to lose the weight naturally, but if they really help, I'm getting sort of desperate. Any thoughts?

Challenge the 2nd: Reconnaissance, support, & escalation Recon: gather info (not underpants!) Support: maintain what's already established Escalation: take it up a notch! This challenge is about not getting hurt as I move up to Level 2 in Steve's Rebel Fitness Guide, finding out if there's any patterns to what I eat, adding supplements which have been helpful in the past, and conquering that one goal I bombed last challenge. Support (Nutrition): CON 2 Take Ultimate Greenzone supplements Take an omega-3 (evening primrose oil?) Reconnoitre (Nutrition): WIS 3 Track calories Track one macronutrient (carbs?) Support & Escalate (Fitness): STR 2 STA 2 Build on 1st challenge workout habits: A: Move up a level in Rebel Fitness Guide B: Hold myself back in the intervals dept. don't run more than once a week (this has been a problem area for me - I take on too much too fast and get hurt.) C: Have an injury-free challenge pay attention to my body do back exercises daily (@ night?) never skip a stretching session post-exercise explore a nighttime stretching routine ice and massage shins post running workouts Reconnoitre & Escalate (Lifestyle): CON 3 WIS 3 Sleep hygiene A: Decide upon morning & bedtime routines in less than 2 weeks B: Practice routines at least once a week in weeks 3-6 C: Track sleep (and other factors) daily using Optimism app This is a rough draft of my challenge; I'll polish it up nice and shiny and post a grading scale. My attributes are locked in, and the general challenge statements are set; I want to tweak the minutia a little more. Here we go! EULALIAAAAA!

Hello all! I'm a newbie here on the NF forums and to the paleo diet. Today is my first day of paleo! I'm easing into the diet all through March, so hopefully by April I'm fully paleo. I have really only one concern, where do I get my vitamin D? I know You can get vitamin D from sunlight, but I live in New England and it's March, so no sun bathing. I also know you can can get it from salmon and other fatty fishes, however I cannot eat salmon as I have a slight allergy to it. I have tried sardines... not my favorite things in the world but I'm sure I could dress them up to make them more appetizing. Should I take a supplement? Any recipe suggestions? Please help! Thanks, Noelle