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The Benefit of Simplicity (2 of 2)

© Matt Danielson

Last week I presented this wacko conspiracy theory, where I said I believed that some supplement-companies willfully and knowingly try to pull a fast one on you. Why are we presented with supposedly unbiased "before & after" studies that have the most ridiculous claims and exaggerations? Is there even a remote chance that someone could achieve losing 20+ lbs of fat and gaining 20+ lbs of muscle in 4 weeks? And I also suggested that it's good business for them if they can get you hooked on the "quick fix" idea instead of following a consistent, long-term plan, as you'd be much more prone to buying their bogus claims.

Whether you agree or not is beside the point, as the basic facts about bodybuilding remain - you must train hard, train strict, rest, and eat plenty to succeed. And that's what I advocate - screw the fancy stuff, and get down to business!

Basic Nutrition
When you're young, you can get away with eating almost anything, and the only real culprit when we're talking teenage bodybuilding is to eat ENOUGH! If you're not a teenager, you'll have to pay more attention to those tempting doughnuts and servings of ice cream on hot summer days. This advice is mainly aimed at the latter category, but some points hold true for everyone. 10 quick guidelines:
1. Eat several small meals throughout the day.
2. Make sure to get enough protein.
3. Eat your carbs in the morning, not at night.
4. Have something sugary immediately after training.
5. Drink plenty of water (not coffee or sodas).
6. Eat lots of potatoes, rice, pasta & oatmeal.
7. Eat lots of fiber.
8. Avoid saturated fats (but eat "good" fats).
9. Have a good multivitamin/mineral capsule with breakfast.
10. Use sports supplements wisely.

Supplements
Rule #1 is that supplements are exactly that - supplements to real food. Even though you can benefit greatly from supplements, they should never take the place of the real thing.
Rule #2 is that you should never buy into something that sounds too good to be true. Once in a blue moon there's highly effective stuff that actually works, and those are most easily identified by the fact that they're around a year or two after the initial hype. Example: Creatine monohydrate. Always assume that lastest supplement is bogus, until scientifically proven elsewise. This step alone will save you from 9 out of 10 rip-offs!
Rule #3 is to stick to the basics. Protein drinks are very basic, yet they're one of the best aids in your supplement arsenal. Don't trade them for any miracle-pills. In fact, a supplement-schedule of a protein-drink or two per day, a multivitamin/mineral cap in the morning, and an occasional cycle of creatine will most likely do the trick for almost everybody.

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