i wrote a little bit of this as a note on facebook bc i haven’t had the internet for a week now, ugh! but i’m at my grandparents tonight so i would like to elaborate just a tad.
Clearing the air. It’s not that I don’t believe in some supplementation. I myself just couldn’t justify spending the money on them during my last prep so i decided to use my lack of funds as an experiment. Does not using supplements stop you from reaching your fitness goals? absolutely NOT!!!!! I am walking talking proof. With the same hardwork and dedication i had for my last 3 shows (taking a couple but very few supps for those), i walked on stage at my 4th one at my personal best. would they have helped me to be even better? maybe. i might could have held onto a bit more muscle there at the end and there were days a good preworkout would have given me the UMPH i needed to have a stonger lift day, but all in all, i am so happy i did it the way i did. made reaching my goal even that much better knowing it was just all me and the strength from my God that got me there.
However, if you can and want to, I highly recommend a good BCAA supplement, especially when calories are low to prevent muscle loss. Glutamine for repair and recovery after lifting and I also believe in creatine (increase strength) and beta alanine (decreases fatigue and increases total muscular work done) for building muscle. And I also recommend a good protein powder for a sweet fix or quick meal. But i prepped without one powder entering my body as well.
During my last prep I found it more essential to spend my money on whole foods and gas to get up to nky to meet with some amazing motivational women (and a few men. this is the Joe and Rick category).
With the list of very few supplements i just gave you, there are a ton of supplements I think are bogus (just don’t work), and those that are plain bad for your health and therefore not worth whatever the results may be for your physical appearance. I won’t name names. some of these you can get off the shelf at GNC and some these would cause you to fail a drug test at a natural show. every show i have chosen to compete in have not been natural shows and i know going into them that there will be a few competitors there that didnt have to work as hard as i did to get on that stage and yet will still look a ton better than me. this may be due to genetics (good for yall) and this may also be due to their choice of taking a steroid to gain muscle or lose fat or both. they aren’t hard to get a hold of, but i promise you, i will never even look for them. the side effects of these prescription drugs, especially if abused or not taken right due to lack of knowledge can lead to things such as stiffened heart muscles, high blood pressure, negatively affect the thyroid, severe allergic reactions which could lead to anaphylactic shock!!! etc etc etc. i myself like my tender heart, i think i already have a low thyroid, i love not have one allergy, like being alive and i am proud that my BP stays somewhere around 90/70 and resting heart rate at 50. i worked hard to get my body in that condition! in my opinion those are signs of a true athlete. So knowing that i went about competing in the most natural way that one can, that i everyday for the rest of my life will be fighting my metabolism, i will NEVER feel bad about the results i produce knowing i give it my all and rely on my body and the nutrients that God provided for me through natural food.
ok. those are my views on supplements. i won’t spend 200 dollars a month on supplements, EVER, even if one day i can afford it. i won’t take anything that will cause me to fail a drug test either. i’ll just run around and be accussed of taking steroids by women at my gym who think i have man arms…yes, i heard you yesterday, lady! and if you would have talked to me instead of whispering to your partner, you would realize i don’t have a “deep voice from steroid use”, but have actually been told that i still sound like i’m 12 years old. but you will never know.
