My Supplement Stack

My Supplement Stack

Here you will find the complete list of supplements that I use everyday. Like I mentioned in my earlier post on 'Fitness Myths' (http://fitnessgeekspeak.blogspot.in/2012/12/fitness-myths.html), there really isn't a need for everyone to take in supplements. If you feel that you are not getting enough nutrients from your food source, then by all means you are welcome to try out supplements.

I prefer to take these because I know, that I'm not getting enough nutrients through my diet. And you would wonder how can I be so sure about it?

Well I simply count calories and the amount of nutrients that go into my mouth everyday. I read the nutrition facts written behind the packets and based on that I am able to determine approximately how many grams of what goes into my rice hole.

So here is the list.

Gaspari Myofusion Probiotic Series (Strawberry & Cream)

This is the Protein Powder that I use post-workout or sometimes as night time recovery. Although It is not the best option for night time recovery but the probiotic factor makes it even better.

BSN Amino X (Watermelon)

This is the Amino Acid powder that I use generally during workout. Its packed with the Branched Chained Amino Acids like Micronized L-Leucine, L-Valine and L-IsoLeucine. Apart from that, It also has L-Alanine, Micronized Taurine and L-Citrulline.

All these make up for a very good recovery.

Driven Sports Craze (Berry Lemonade)

My most awaited Pre-Workout Supplement, It never fails to get me into the workout mindframe and keeps my energy up high through the workout. 

ON Opti-Men

These are Multi-Vitamin and Multi-Mineral capsules, there are also some Amino Acids in that.

ON Flaxseed Oil Softgels
These capsules have Omega-3, Omega-6 and Omega-9, excellent source of good fat.


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Bizzy Diet Review

So I finally finished with the 21 day Bizzy Diet Program by Cory Gregory of Muscle Pharm. 
I found this program on bodybuilding.com, link is posted down below. This was probably the first program which I properly followed and got through.
Firstly, Bizzy Diet is not a diet plan, Its a workout program. Although if you follow the diet as given on their page, you are bound to see some good results. 
Its a program designed specially for the people who are busy, and want to take emergency actions when they are unhappy about the way they look and feel. Also, you cant simply go out there and start with this program. In order to start this program you need to be fairly regular at gym and have been working out since a few months. If you just start this program out of no where, then you might end up having fatigue and muscles soreness.

The Bizzy Diet Fitness Plan is simple yet intense. It has options, but it's strict. It's only 3 weeks, but the changes you can generate will be amazing. You can transform your life in just under a month.

Its a simple plan, but not easy. The training makes your body to change and adapt. These workouts are backed by proper nutrition. Since it is just a 21 day program, forget your cheat meal, at least you should be able to control for 3 weeks.

The training consists of High Intensity Interval Training and two weightlifting circuits (upper and lower body). The 3-week course puts your body in a state of super-confusion: the training feeds off the diet and supplements, and vice versa. You feed your body, burn more calories than you take in, and then refuel. This happens over and over, melting fat the entire time.

I personally started this program because I was stuck with the stubborn lower body fat, which I had been wanting to get rid of since the past few years. And also, since its the end of the year, I suddenly realized my 2012 new year resolution, which was to get fully shredded.

The Bottom line is, Bizzy Diet works if you follow it strictly, and I have benefited greatly from it, as there has been noticeable improvement in my cardio endurance and made by body more functional.

Aesthetically, I have lost another layer of fat from my lower abdominal region and my six pack abs have developed. Its just a matter of time till the lose skin becomes tight and my entire set of abs are visible.

I loved this program and might even continue for a few more weeks or till the time I find a different workout program.

Here is the link to Bizzy Diet 3 week program.  

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/the-bizzy-diet.html

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Pre Workout Supplements

In this post I am going to review a few Pre workout supplements I have used. Pre workouts for me simply mean getting more energy in the gym and being able to train that little bit harder. I started off with Jack3D and I am currently using DS Craze. DS Craze is currently facing a lawsuit so it went off the market, which just made me want it even more. However DS Craze is still available on some online sites.

First up, Cellucor C4 Extreme (8.5/10)
This is one product I was quite excited to use and to be honest. This one was probably the best tasting pre-workout that I ever had. It does its job well and I couldn't complain. It got me through the workouts and kept my intensity high. Even after the workout I had a lot of energy. I would definitely buy this again in the future.

                                          

MusclePharm Assault (9/10)
In 2011 this supplement was the most researched product on the web. And it still is. In a weird way the positive I took from this product was it contained Beta-Alanine, not all pre workouts have this ingredient in. It’s known to cause the itchy feeling that people feel before there workout, but I always think when I feel this it means that the supplement is working and which in turn helps me to get more out of my workout. This supplement has every possible ingredient in it, so you cant really complain. Its a complete package so the price is kind of on the higher side. I felt a good pump and energy boost from this product and would recommend it.

  

    

USP Labs - Jack3D (9/10)

This was the first ever pre workout supplement that I used. It literally gave me the kick, and automatically made me reduce the rest period between sets. It was like I am a beast set free.  This was perfect for lasting the workout and helped me prevent feeling fatigued during training which is a massive plus. I couldn't stress more how good this product is, no wonder it was the best seller. Recently they have come up with Jack3D Micro, which is just the micronized form of Jack3D and without Beta-Alanine. Will soon come up with a review about Jack3D micro as soon as i get my hands on it.
                              

And Finally,

Driven Sports Craze: (9.5/10)

So much hype about this product, In fact this product won the award for best new supplement in the bodybuilding.com awards 2012. When DS Craze went off the market, there was suddenly a large demand for it. Which made me want it too. When some one tells you, you cant have it, then you want it even more. However I got hold of it somehow!  But when I tried it for the first time, I didn't feel much of a difference, I wouldn't say I was disappointed, maybe my body was used to the caffeine  However it did improve concentration and gave me energy to finish the workouts. And even after the workouts, I had a lot of energy still left. I personally like DS Craze even though it does not give me the kick, but it gets the job done, Maybe it does not have Beta-Alanine that is the reason why I don't feel the kick. But as its tag line says, good pump comes from a good workout, and its true in this case.

A good workout comes when you are in the right frame of mind and have enough energy. That is what Pre Workout Supplements do. The Bottom line is, no matter how much you like your favourite pre workout, your body is going to get used to it. It is always suggested to keep changing or shuffling your pre workout supplements. If this is not your thing then you can opt for some complex carbs and a black coffee. 

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Fitness Myths

Today I am going to talk about myths that circulate around building lean muscle. As we all know Genetics play a key role in building lean muscle, for some it will be harder than others.

Myths Around Building Lean Muscle -
- Many people believe that changing muscle shape is easily achievable, however this is also down to the genetics of the individual and different exercises will not alter the shape of the muscles.

- Almost everyone in the gym believes that by doing a lot more reps will make them more defined however this is not the case. More reps will most defiantly increase muscular endurance but will not make the “Shredded” look more achievable. For example if somebody was to do a simple Triceps pull down exercise and do 20 reps as opposed to 10-12 of a lower weight they would not achieve the best results possible.

- Another common myth is that all fats are bad and should be avoided at all costs, again this is not true, while many fats should be avoided, there are some fats that are essential to your diet.

- Same goes with the Carbohydrates, some people think Carbohydrates tend to make you gain fat. But there are simple carbs and complex carbs, out of which Complex carbs are our area of interest when it comes to fitness

- Building lean muscle while shredding fat in the same cycle is something a lot of people believe is achievable but even the best results of this are VERY minimal hence why body builders use cycles for bulking a cutting up.

- Some people believe that supplement can be taken to substitute eating meals. This is also wrong, supplements are there to support your diet. Eating healthy food is a must to get the nutrients you need to build muscle and carry on growing without eating you will not see potential gains.

- And some might even find that supplements are dangerous and they have harmful chemicals. I don't want to go in detail about this but seriously, do you think fast foods and sweets are not dangerous? You would think 10 times before consuming supplements but wouldn't even blink while eating a pizza.

- Also there are people who think Supplements are bogus and scam. Well, believe what you want, but as the name suggests, they are Supplementary foods, and help you reach your daily requirements incase you dont get enough nutrition from your meals. 

- Sipping Electral or any sugary drink like Glucon-D or Gathorade while workout, that's not really wise as it sends your blood sugar levels into a tizzy and screws up Insulin, hence suppressing the gains from your workout.

-Turning fat into muscle is yet another common myth, these are two different goals, fat will need to be burned off, while muscle will have to be built there is no other way about it.

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Upper Body Workout

Upper Body Workout or HIIT
This was Day number 11 out of 12 of my Bizzy Workout Program. That means I'm almost done. Just one more workout day to go.
I have already started to see minor results, like some of the fat on my lower abdomen had reduced, and my lower abs had started to develop. Previously I had a visible 4 pack, I still have a visible 4 pack, but now the 6th pack has developed and its just a matter of time till the remaining fat goes away.
So this is what I did.

As usual I started off with the 20 Minutes of Interval cardio. But as the days progressed, I started to feel comfortable with the 20 Mins interval at alternating 6-6.4 km/hr and 10-12 km/hr.

Moving on to the Circuits or HIITs, the Circuit no.1 and Circuit no.2 were exactly same, but i thought of increasing the weights slightly. I did Incline Chest Press, Standing Barbell Row, machine Shoulder Press, Hammer Curl and Tricep cable pulldown.
Circuit 2 was exactly the same, but marginally increased the weights.

As I went back to the Elliptical Cross Trainer for a 10 minute cardio, I felt my upper body muscles to be rather pumped. Maybe it was because I increased the weight or maybe I modified the variations. Whatever it was, it seemed to have worked.

Once the 10 minute elliptical cross trainer was done, It was time for Circuit no. 3 and Circuit no. 4.
As always I tried to keep things simple by keeping the Circuit 3 and 4 the same as 1 and 2. Exactly the same thing, Incline Chest Press, Standing Barbell Row, machine Shoulder Press, Hammer Curl and Tricep cable pulldown. But I did not increase the weights since my muscles were already pumped.

By the end of it , I did a good 5 mins of stretching, don't really want to waste a very good workout like that.

Moral of the story, keep making simple variations and not some weird variations.

If you like my fitness blog please leave a comment and let me know about it.
I was just like you but have come a long way to achieve a fit body. I have also spent a lot of time researching bodybuilding and fitness in India, hence the name fitnessgeek.

Workout Summary:-
20 Minutes Interval Cardio
Circuit 1 -  Incline Chest Press, Standing Barbell Row, machine Shoulder Press, Hammer Curl and Tricep cable pulldown. X 20 Reps
Circuit 2 -  Incline Chest Press, Standing Barbell Row, machine Shoulder Press, Hammer Curl and Tricep cable pulldown. X 20 Reps
10 Minutes of Cardio
Circuit 3 -  Incline Chest Press, Standing Barbell Row, machine Shoulder Press, Hammer Curl and Tricep cable pulldown. X 20 Reps
Circuit 4 -  Incline Chest Press, Standing Barbell Row, machine Shoulder Press, Hammer Curl and Tricep cable pulldown. X 20 Reps
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Yet another day in Paradise

Too much rest is not good for your Body, I would say 2 days rest is more than enough, but not more than that. You might lose touch if you rest too much or just that body wont perform too well at the gym.
This was actually my Day 10 out of 12 in a 21 day program. Confused? Its a 21 day program in which 12 days you workout and remaining 9 days rest, spread over 3 weeks.

If you havent read my previous blogs, This 21 day program is by Kory Gregory of Muscle Pharm

So this is what I did on Day 10. It was Workout B which includes legs and abs.
Like always, started off with a 20 minute interval cardio, which includes alternating 1 minute sprint at 9-12km/hr and 1 minute walk at 6-6.4 km/hr.
Interval Cardio is way better than Endurance cardio with respect to fat burn. And it also primes your body well for the upcoming workout.
Moving on to Circuit no.1, this one had Squats, Lunges, Calf Raise, 2 types of ab crunches. But ofcourse I improvised and did Weighted Squats, weighted Lunges, Sitting Machine Calf Raise, Ab Crunches and Leg Raises. and not to forget 20 reps of each sets. No compromise there.
Circuit no. 2 was exactly the same as Circuit no. 1. but the 2nd one really tried to test me out.
Once the 1st 2 circuits were done, I took a 1-2 min break to sip on some BSN Amino X. Yes I prefer to drink Amino Acids during workout instead of plain water, as it contains the three BCAAs ( Branched Chain Amino Acids) and some other EAA (Essential Amino Acids).
Please note, its not wise to drink Electral or Glucon D or any sugary products while working out as sugar is known to induce insulin in your body. Workout is not the best time to induce insulin in your body, as it cant cant co-exist with your Growth Hormone.
I personally found Amino Acids to be marginally effective as they help you recover your body, faster the body recovers, quicker you can hit the gym again.

After the 1st 2 circuits  It was time for a 10 minute cardio again, This time I decided to do Rowing for cardio. Rowing can be a really good cardio as it involves your entire body. Also your lower abs.

Once 10 minutes of rowing was done, It was time for Circuit number 3 and 4. There was nothing new here it was exactly like Circuit number 1 and 2.
Once everything was done, I did some stretching. Don''t ask me why, but stretching is just very important and has to be done before you drink your recovery protein shake.

Workout Summary:
20 Minutes Interval Cardio on Threadmill
Circuit 1 : - Weighted Squats, Weighted Lunges, Seated Calf Raise, Ab Crunches, Leg Raises X 20
Circuit 2 : - Weighted Squats, Weighted Lunges, Seated Calf Raise, Ab Crunches, Leg Raises X 20
10 Minutes Cardio on Rowing Machine.
Circuit 3 : - Weighted Squats, Weighted Lunges, Seated Calf Raise, Ab Crunches, Leg Raises X 20
Circuit 4 : - Weighted Squats, Weighted Lunges, Seated Calf Raise, Ab Crunches, Leg Raises X 20

I don't offer free advice, People don't follow free advice.

Hangover Prevention

Ah the one condition which does not have any scientific cure. But so what! It is still preventable, if not preventable then at least its effects can be reduced.
The reason I am writing this article is because, I think I have successfully negotiated a hangover which was caused by last night's drinking :p
As far as I am concerned, I did not have a headache or dehydration, acidity in stomach, etc etc and all other symptoms of hangover. I had none of that today. But to be fair, I didn't have the fresh feeling and a deep voice. Of course I'm not a chamatkari baba (magician) to have found the cure for hangover. But this is much better than a hangover.
So this is what I did, as soon as I found out that I would be drinking, I had 500 ml of water and a nice strong tea. Water will make sure that I don't dehydrate and tea will make sure I get enough caffeine to prevent a headache.
As the drinks started flowing, I ordered a chicken burger with bacon strips. Sounds Unhealthy right? But It has just enough fat to grease up the internal lining of the stomach. So alcohol wont sit in your stomach. It would also slow the rate of alcohol metabolism and not give you the acidity feeling next day.
Drinks like beer tend to have more calories and also makes you full. Whenever possible, its best to avoid beer.
The drink with the least amount of calories is white wine, just 84 calories a glass. Red wine has 88 calories and beer has in the range of 140-200 calories a pint.
After Drinking is done, it is really important to drink an additional LITRE of water. And if a liver health promoting capsule is available, take it! I generally go for a Milk-Thistle pill which has Dandeleon extract too. So Liver and Kidney is taken care of.

Next Day when you wake up, there would be slight soreness or none at all. I always make sure to have at least 2 cups of caffeine to prevent headache. Of course by the end of the day I always make sure to have drank an additional litre of water than my regular water intake.

You have been warned, excessive drinking of water can cause urination :p But its a small risk to take ;)

I don't offer free advice, People don't follow free advice.

Rest Day

Ok Rest Day It is.
But what's the use of rest day? Rest day is very important as far as muscle recovery is concerned. It is like the day which makes sure you don't wear out your body completely and generate enough energy for the upcoming workout sessions. Rest day is important, but so is knowing the difference between soreness, fatigue and laziness. Only time and experience will teach you the mind-body connection.
But then Rest day doesn't mean sleep all day, It means the day you can do your favourite physical activity, like jogging, swimming, cycling, cricket, boxing, and my personal favourite Xbox Kinect. Rest should be more like Passive Rest, and not complete aaram.
This is what I generally do on a passive rest day. Before Breakfast, I tend to do a few sets of crunches and other core exercises on the swiss ball which I recently bought online :) Yes you do get huge discounts online, I always shop online.
Then 2-3 hours after breakfast I play various games on the Xbox Kinect. :D
If you aren't aware, Xbox Kinect is the new generation gaming device which requires your entire body to participate in the game. Some of the games really bump up the heart rate and give you the cardio workout.
As less as 30 minutes to 1 hour of physical activity is enough to get you through a passive rest day.
Even a long walk or brisk walk is enough, if fancy equipment isn't available to you.

But that's not all, you do need to get your required amount of proteins, complex carbohydrates and good fats. NO! not the fried oily food. more like dry fruits, they are a good source of good fat.
Nothing fancy or extreme is expected today.

I don't offer free advice, People don't follow free advice.

Intro

Don't you love the way you sweat post workout? You Do? Well I don't  I make sure I have no energy left in my body to love anything.
The Harsh Truth is that you cant attain a desirable body if you don't work hard. There are no short cuts.
And where do you get the will to work hard? The answer is Inspiration! It is the only thing in fitness which you cant buy. Some people have the genetics to gain maximum results with minimum efforts, but I'm definitely not one of those.
I am 5 feet 6 inches, and weigh around 68 Kilograms, which is very average compared to Indian standards. This is exactly why I'm here blogging, I wish to share what all this average Joe does to attain that desirable, supreme, sexy body. Of course I don't even care about my endurance or stamina, I'm all about aesthetics  On the way I might build some strength, endurance or stamina, but all that is just bonus.
My goal is to have a very low fat percentage in the body with well developed and defined muscles, just like any fitness model would have. And I have tried every possible method to achieve that. Maybe If you start working out in your adolescence then its much easy.
Starting today I will share with you people, how do I go about this whole getting fit thing.

Once I publish enough posts, I would be making my own Blackberry Application. But you can still view my blogs on mobile web if you don't have a blackberry, its kind of equally good.

This blog is not expected to go viral, Its more like a fitness journal for myself.


I don't offer free advice,  People don't follow free advice.
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First Day Blog

Ok, this is going to be a short blog, because i didn't know where to start and secondly, I'm a bit tipsy ( yes I'm normal)
Im currently on a 21 day fitness plan, and I'm almost on my 3rd week. This plan was made by Corey Gregory from Muscle Pharm. i found it on bodybuilding.com It involves interval cardio and high intensity circuit or just say HIIT ( High Intensity Interval Training) so far it has been woking really nicely but there are marginal effects.
So here is what i did today. Its called as Workout A, which targets the upper body. Don't worry you can find the summary at the bottom.
I started with 20 minutes of interval cardio. So it was like 1 min walk at 6 km/hr and then 1 min run at 10 km/hr. so at the end of it you end up doing 10 min walk and 10 min run. Trust me interval cardio is wayyy better than your average walk or jog if you are looking for fat loss.
I took a 2 minute rest after cardio and  then went for weights. (yay cardio over)
I had to do total 4 circuits so i elected to do flat chest press, seated row, shoulder press, bicep curl & triceps kickback for the first circuit. I don't really lift heavy, i believe in hitting moderate or optimum weight suited for your muscle fibres.
The 2nd circuit was slightly different, this time i did cable flyes, lower back extension, shoulder press, bicep curls and finish off with triceps kickbacks.
Now time to do another cardio, this time i had to do a 10 min cardio so i went for the cross trainer.
This is the time i realize blogging isn't for me, maybe I'm going to make a fool of myself. But then i have faced a lot more humiliation in my life so i can continue with blogs ;)
Time for circuit number 3. Im getting bored but best i finish it quick. For circuit no.3 i did incline chest press, lateral pull down, shoulder press, bicep curls and triceps kickback.
Circuit number 4, and I'm almost done. This time a little different, incline flyes, lower back extension, shoulder press, bicep curl and finish with triceps kickback.
Yess done!
Perfect time to pound the recovery drink. I promise i will tell you about my supplements in the next blogs.
And after workout as i came back home, i was told that i HAVE to go and drink alcohol.
Alcohol isn't the best beverage to be had post workout but 1 pint can be kind of helpful. It doesn't really hurt.
I will blog the intro tomorrow, this is just like a pilot blog to get the feel of things. But thanks to my girl friend who encouraged me to write.

Training summary
20 minutes Interval cardio
Circuit 1 - Flat chest press, Seated row, shoulder press, bicep curl, tricep kickback - 20 reps each
Circuit 2 - Cable flyes, lower back extension, shoulder press, bicep curl, tricep kickback - 20 repseach

10 minutes of interval cardio
Circuit 3 - Incline chest press, lateral pull down, shoulder press, bicep curl, tricep kickback - 20 reps each
Circuit 4 - Incline flyes, lower back extension, shoulder press, bicep curl, tricep kickback - 20 reps each.

I dont offer free advices, People dont follow free advice.