Ok, so this is not strictly about steroids, but nevertheless it's very much related so bear with me.
One thing that constantly amazes me about guys new to training who are about to take steroids, is that they might have the most detailed, thought-through plan for taking AAS, but virtually no idea how they are going to eat sufficient calories to make the AAS truly effective.
Many I have known just expected to pack on 20+ lbs of mass, and keep it afterwards, without really adjusting calorie intake at all. Those who do that learn the hard way that the 'gains' they make are just intra- and extra-cellular water, a few pounds of extra blood plasma and red blood cells (a 'pump'), and some grease in their acne spots! Or those who did try to eat more, just found it too hard going packing in all the necessary protein and calories. This is especially true when you're fairly new to training as protein is a satiating substance that tends to send the 'full' message to the brain very quickly.
In fact I've known some guys so sick of eating that all they could do is nibble some real food and drink shakes. The trouble is, most rely on commercial mass-gaining powders, those highly branded, promoted, colourful and tasty drinks that are actually little better than VERY expensive chemical cocktails of cheap, highly processed ingredients with artificial sweeteners, flavourings and colourings, tons of fillers, zero fibre, a high glycaemic load of maltodextrin, and little real nutritional value.
Anyone drinking too many of these will understand just how hard these powders can be to process as their digestive system proceeds to expel said shake with some violence!
So, to once and for all put an end to this needless waste of precious male hormones, to save money on rip-off chemical cocktails, to give you no excuses not to get the calories in, and to do it in a way that is at least slightly more healthy and natural, here is a basic bulking meal-supplement SHAKE plan that you can adapt to your own requirements and drink as many times a day as you need:
__________________________________________
MEAL-SUPPLEMENT SHAKE
1) PURE PROTEIN POWDER - Choose UNFLAVOURED (whey/milk protein/casein/whatever) and buy in bulk to save tons of $$ on the usual commercial cr@p. Aim to take in 40-60g of protein from this (about 160-240 calories).
2) HEALTHY OILS - I recommend Coconut oil for MCTs, a touch of Extra Virgin Olive oil (not too much, tastes rank), and also liquid Omega-3 fish oil - which comes in non-fish tasting natural citrus flavours for example (a very cheap way to get your Omega-3s into your diet). You can easily add loads of calories with oils, so think carefully about how much you need. I use 10ml of Omega-3 liquid per shake, and 10ml of other oils - which adds 180 calories.
3) BIO-ACTIVE YOGHURT - This can be dairy, soya, or whatever your tolerance allows. Getting good bacteria in with every meal should already be a part of your routine. Knowledge about our intestinal flora and its importance to processing food, the immune system, and generally keeping us healthy grows by the week. I recommend 100-200g (4-
z) per shake, which also adds texture and flavour to the shake (and about 150-200 calories).
4) PURE ROLLED OATS - eg Quaker oats. Let them soak in the shake for a few minutes if you find them too hard to swallow whole without gagging. This is going to be your main source of natural carbohydrates, so take in something like 100g/4oz, which will deliver 360 calories. It also adds fibre, an extra 10g of protein, and mixed with the oil, works to slow down digestion of the shake to give a more gradual release of carbs, protein and fat than with just a powdered maltodextrin.
5) FRUIT JUICE - This is where you add the flavour. You honestly don't need a lot, especially if you have flavoured yoghurt in the shake, maybe 150ml max. But choose something you like the taste of, and you can't go wrong.
6) PSYLLIUM HUSKS - This is essential to the shake. Psyllium husks are just a form of powdered fibre, but they add back much of the substance that a shake takes out compared to eating real food. They also again help slow down digestion and give a more even (less glycaemic) profile to the carb release from the shake. But beware: anything more than about a dessertspoon of husks and (after about 10 minutes) your shake will become like jelly, as the husks thicken the shake a lot. So drink a bit of the shake, then add a little water to keep it liquid.
7) OPTIONAL EXTRAS - The list is as long as your imagination. Lots of guys like to add peanut butter for the extra calories, protein, texture and flavour. Again, like with oil, a spoonful has a lot of calories, so don't just chuck some in, measure it first. You can also add fruit, though if you are out and about or don't have a blender at work, this can be difficult (you could always just eat the fruit separately). If you have favourite suggestions, add them to the post!
All of these ingredients you can put in a bag or bottle and take with you wherever you go. And you can adjust quantities to suit whatever calorie intake you need. As outlined above, the basic shake is about 900-1000 calories: 55-75g protein, 80g carbs, 25g fats.
So, no more excuses, get drinkin'!
One thing that constantly amazes me about guys new to training who are about to take steroids, is that they might have the most detailed, thought-through plan for taking AAS, but virtually no idea how they are going to eat sufficient calories to make the AAS truly effective.
Many I have known just expected to pack on 20+ lbs of mass, and keep it afterwards, without really adjusting calorie intake at all. Those who do that learn the hard way that the 'gains' they make are just intra- and extra-cellular water, a few pounds of extra blood plasma and red blood cells (a 'pump'), and some grease in their acne spots! Or those who did try to eat more, just found it too hard going packing in all the necessary protein and calories. This is especially true when you're fairly new to training as protein is a satiating substance that tends to send the 'full' message to the brain very quickly.
In fact I've known some guys so sick of eating that all they could do is nibble some real food and drink shakes. The trouble is, most rely on commercial mass-gaining powders, those highly branded, promoted, colourful and tasty drinks that are actually little better than VERY expensive chemical cocktails of cheap, highly processed ingredients with artificial sweeteners, flavourings and colourings, tons of fillers, zero fibre, a high glycaemic load of maltodextrin, and little real nutritional value.
Anyone drinking too many of these will understand just how hard these powders can be to process as their digestive system proceeds to expel said shake with some violence!
So, to once and for all put an end to this needless waste of precious male hormones, to save money on rip-off chemical cocktails, to give you no excuses not to get the calories in, and to do it in a way that is at least slightly more healthy and natural, here is a basic bulking meal-supplement SHAKE plan that you can adapt to your own requirements and drink as many times a day as you need:
__________________________________________
MEAL-SUPPLEMENT SHAKE
1) PURE PROTEIN POWDER - Choose UNFLAVOURED (whey/milk protein/casein/whatever) and buy in bulk to save tons of $$ on the usual commercial cr@p. Aim to take in 40-60g of protein from this (about 160-240 calories).
2) HEALTHY OILS - I recommend Coconut oil for MCTs, a touch of Extra Virgin Olive oil (not too much, tastes rank), and also liquid Omega-3 fish oil - which comes in non-fish tasting natural citrus flavours for example (a very cheap way to get your Omega-3s into your diet). You can easily add loads of calories with oils, so think carefully about how much you need. I use 10ml of Omega-3 liquid per shake, and 10ml of other oils - which adds 180 calories.
3) BIO-ACTIVE YOGHURT - This can be dairy, soya, or whatever your tolerance allows. Getting good bacteria in with every meal should already be a part of your routine. Knowledge about our intestinal flora and its importance to processing food, the immune system, and generally keeping us healthy grows by the week. I recommend 100-200g (4-
z) per shake, which also adds texture and flavour to the shake (and about 150-200 calories).4) PURE ROLLED OATS - eg Quaker oats. Let them soak in the shake for a few minutes if you find them too hard to swallow whole without gagging. This is going to be your main source of natural carbohydrates, so take in something like 100g/4oz, which will deliver 360 calories. It also adds fibre, an extra 10g of protein, and mixed with the oil, works to slow down digestion of the shake to give a more gradual release of carbs, protein and fat than with just a powdered maltodextrin.
5) FRUIT JUICE - This is where you add the flavour. You honestly don't need a lot, especially if you have flavoured yoghurt in the shake, maybe 150ml max. But choose something you like the taste of, and you can't go wrong.
6) PSYLLIUM HUSKS - This is essential to the shake. Psyllium husks are just a form of powdered fibre, but they add back much of the substance that a shake takes out compared to eating real food. They also again help slow down digestion and give a more even (less glycaemic) profile to the carb release from the shake. But beware: anything more than about a dessertspoon of husks and (after about 10 minutes) your shake will become like jelly, as the husks thicken the shake a lot. So drink a bit of the shake, then add a little water to keep it liquid.
7) OPTIONAL EXTRAS - The list is as long as your imagination. Lots of guys like to add peanut butter for the extra calories, protein, texture and flavour. Again, like with oil, a spoonful has a lot of calories, so don't just chuck some in, measure it first. You can also add fruit, though if you are out and about or don't have a blender at work, this can be difficult (you could always just eat the fruit separately). If you have favourite suggestions, add them to the post!
All of these ingredients you can put in a bag or bottle and take with you wherever you go. And you can adjust quantities to suit whatever calorie intake you need. As outlined above, the basic shake is about 900-1000 calories: 55-75g protein, 80g carbs, 25g fats.
So, no more excuses, get drinkin'!
