Does this log make my ass look fat?

[SpacecityPaula]

ahh well at least I tried.

have a good "heavy" day!

[dillytl]

Picked up our beef today from the butcher. 558# of young & juicy, grass-fed yumminess! We threw some wood in the grill tonight and cooked up several big ol' hunks of steak. *faint* Served with some freshly-picked garden greens for salad, a banana and chocolate milk for dessert. Life is good!

WOW that's a LOT of beef!!! But that dinner sounds AWESOME!!!

[tkinsley]

Originally Posted by nutbar

I think I love you. I hate gainers and most of the marketed crap I've seen but didn't want to get into it all. Preach it, brother!

Yup.

Most people, especially n00bs, do best with real food... and after all, what's the rush? Slowly adding muscle with a small calorie surplus is sustainable. Adding quickly by choking down calories just to hit a number is a recipe for extra fat gain (and more to lose when it's time to take it off).

Additionally, it's unrealistic to expect that you'll NEVER eat pizza or whatever. I'm all about being healthy, looking good, and being lean, but trust me, that way lies obsession and pain. Learning how to operate in a relatively "normal" fashion is the key. After years of doing it the other way, I can tell you THAT from experience.

Keep on keepin' on, Diane!

Tina

PS that's a lotta meat!

[Willie]

Originally Posted by DanceDiva

Well, if I didn't already like you, I would have just fallen hard.

Ditto!

[UConnJulie]

Where's the Beef?

Friends of ours get a half-cow every year. Some in steaks, some in ground, and some in roasts. But she says it's great since it is grass-fed and the farm is less than a mile from their house. So they know what the cow has eaten and such through the year. If I ate beef, that's what we would do for sure!!

[L'ilJ]

Amen on the gainer BS. There's no magic in it. Drink your chocolate milk, eat your pizza, enjoy your life. Load up on the beef cuz protein = good. I mean, you can try to complicate this stuff all you want, but what it ultimately comes down to in the end is energy in minus energy out = weight gained or lost. As long as you get enough protein, the rest is just gravy so to speak. Mmmmmmmm....gravy.

[kfisherx]

Jill have you done an intentional gain yet? I am just trying to get a feel for people who are speaking from experience.

Yes, eat as many whole foods as possible but how can fried pizza snacks, french fries and that sort of empty eating be better than a gainer? First of all it is truely empty in calories. You get high GI carbs, fat (lots of it) and almost no protein. That sounds like much more of a recipe for gaining fat to me.

At least with a gainer you are getting high protein with your carbs. We can argue the benefits of the carbs but generally speaking I would bet they are better than french fry carbs if nothing more than for the fact that they are not covered in fat. In addition to this you can physically get more calories in using a gainer than with whole foods. This can be a good thing people looking to gain weight but not eat a lot of fat. I had to go from being in serious deficit (1400 cals) up almost 1000 cals a day. I could not have done this with whole food even over the course of years because I do not do well on a 30% fat diet. My body likes 20% or less.

I was able to gain 10lbs in the past 3.5 months and only 3 of those pounds are fat. The first month was spent just stopping the weight loss so mostly that result is from 2.5 months of effort. Using a gainer wasn't about the marketing for me. It was the only way I felt confident that I could tackle my food issues and acheive the goal of gaining muscle mass.

Folks, I am moving this discussion to the Nutrition folder soas not to step any more on Diane's log. Please answer there. I will call it "The Magic of Gainers"

[L'ilJ]

What I said has nothing to do with intentional gains. Last time I checked, Diane wasn't trying to gain weight either. All I'm saying is that there's no bad food. Diane isn't building her diet around pizza - she just indulged in some this week. Why is it not okay to do that? There's no magic in drinking a gainer when things like chocolate milk also contain protein and sugar and some healthy fats. Hey, I'm not saying gainers are bad either...drink up and enjoy if that's what works for you.

I am officially stepping off my soapbox. Diane...you can have your log back now.

[kfisherx]

Okay... If you follow the thread I hadn't comprehended that she only did it a few times. I thought that was the strategy she was using to up her calories. I should have known that wasn't true. Even though she can't figure out the birth control thing, Diane is far too wise to do something stupid like that.

I agree 100% with you on eating whole good foods such as chocolate milk and even cheese pizza to accomplish the calorie rise. I can't get behind recommending people to eat Nacho chips, most cakes, french fries, etc. There are some foods that are far worse than gainers I think.

[Lost Dog]

You shouldn't look at foods in isolation.

You should see the PN forumites obsessing about the foods/recipes over there. "That bar recipe doesn't have nearly enough protein." "That salad is not a complete meal!" Duh. You can have the bar with a protein shake. The salad goes with your steak or chicken. It's a side dish...

Over the day (or hours, at least), your food should contain the calories and macros that you need. One food does not need to stand alone. If she's getting her protein somewhere else, it's cool.

I'd say fast food/restaurant fries are usually bad, but it's not because of the fat, but because of the type of fats used. The taters are very nutritious. Make them at home, with olive oil or something, and you're good. Of course, the biggest issue with fries is the calories of the fries.

Pizza is probably one of the healthier crap foods out there, it's just that people eat too much of the really calorie dense ones. For the most part, it's all about the calories. Eat a slice or two of pizza that fits your macros and calories, and you've done okay.

All macros being equal, by the end of the day, you'll be better off with the whole foods.

Last thing about the gainer, those macros and ingredients are right about the same that we talk about for pre and pwo drinks. Lots of high GI carbs and fast acting protein. That's what Cytogainer is -- High GI carbs (malto) and fast acting protein (whey hydrolysate). So, while it might be good to spike blood sugar/insulin before and after a workout, it could set you up for some mad crashes at other times.

Also, were you taking creatine before? That adds water weight. Maybe up to five pounds on some people. That might be throwing off your bf%.

[kfisherx]

Originally Posted by Lost Dog

Also, were you taking creatine before? That adds water weight. Maybe up to five pounds on some people. That might be throwing off your bf%.

Yes, I started on Creatine really early on. I think within the first week of seeing my trainer. I don't really feel any benefits from it though. I stopped taking it after starting the Cyto because the Cyto has it already and also I think I wouldn't take it anyway anymore. Like I said, no real benefits that I could tell and it never spiked or lowered my BF from what I could tell either. I know on some people it makes them swell up but nothing at all for me.

[nutbar]

Where's Jerry Springer when you need him?? I'm too zonked to get into this tonight but have at it, guys! It's free entertainment with a little side dish of education so I don't mind at all.

Today's workout is the spawn of my usual redneck workout x Starting Strength:

Six hours of various heavy outside work, half earlier in the day and half this evening, followed by squat practice. I'm working my way through the squat section, playing with weightless and empty Oly bar squats for now. I didn't keep track of exactly how many but I'd say maybe 5 x 5 of the BW and 5 x 5 of the 45# to work on form.

I'm going to stick with slowly working through the squat section, over and over, until I'm fully comfortable with squats again, then add on the other moves. It should work out so that I'm starting the full Starting Strength workout routine about the same time that most of my heavier outside work is done in a couple of weeks. (I'm so ready for an easier season to begin!)

[Natalia]

Originally Posted by kfisherx

J

Yes, eat as many whole foods as possible but how can fried pizza snacks, french fries and that sort of empty eating be better than a gainer? First of all it is truely empty in calories. You get high GI carbs, fat (lots of it) and almost no protein. That sounds like much more of a recipe for gaining fat to me.

that's my plan when I go bulking again...K, looks like you've accumulated quite some good solid nutri knowledge.

Originally Posted by nutbar

Today's workout is the spawn of my usual redneck workout x Starting Strength:

I am so jealous you got that book. It's still on my 'wish list'

[tcoy777]

I must say your red neck workout beats most people's workout. I am interested in this Strength Workout, you have a link?

[nutbar]

Originally Posted by Natalia

I am so jealous you got that book. It's still on my 'wish list'

Nanner-nanner! Do get it as soon as you can. I can't say enough good things about it!

Originally Posted by tcoy777

I must say your red neck workout beats most people's workout. I am interested in this Strength Workout, you have a link?

It's a book, Starting Strength, by Mark Rippetoe and Lon Kilgore. It completely dissects and explains the five basic moves (squats, deads, bench press, shoulder press, and power clean), along with some several "assistance" exercises. Towards the end of the book, it lays out a simple program with those 5 basic moves and that is what I'm beginning to use while I get anal on my form. Love, love, love that book!