Do You Need Bodybuilding Supplements or Are they Waste of Your money?

Common questions among bodybuilders:

  • Do you need Bodybuilding supplements to gain muscle?
  • Are they must for building muscle mass OR
  • Are they a complete waste of your hard-earned money?

Bodybuilding supplements DO work but You don't need them to build muscle. But there are 2 reasons you might consider them adding to your nutrition plan - convenience and insurance.

Do You Need Bodybuilding Supplements?

In this Article you will discover the truth about muscle building supplements, if they work/if you need them and how to make the best use of supplements to save time and money.


Bodybuilding Supplements: More is Better?

Bodybuilding is tough, especially for recreational bodybuilders like you and me who juggle training and eating with making a living, passing college or raising a family.

Enter supplements, the so called biggest gift for bodybuilders designed to take the pain away from frequent eating. {Marketers sure have highly effective ways of branding their products!}

But do you need them? If yes, which are the bare essentials? and how can you use them at best times for best gains. Lets find...

Inside this Article:


The ONLY TWO ROLES of Bodybuilding Supplements

The biggest reason I started using supplements in my initial bodybuilding days was LACK OF APPETITE. 

But there are 2 more valid reasons for using supplements. They are:

  1. CONVENIENCE and 
  2. INSURANCE. 

1. CONVENIENCE

Let me explain with an example. Imagine these scenarios:

1. You are in the middle of a college class or a meeting at work and its time to feed your muscles. Your caloric intake tells you to eat 40g proteins, 30g carbs and 15g fats.

A full muscle meal is out of question. What do you do?

2. You are late for school or work but its breakfast time, the most important meal of the day after 8 hours of muscle fasting.

What do you do?

The answer is obvious in both the scenarios. You will look for a quick muscle building supplement that will provide you with your caloric intake while saving TIME.

Its called convenience. And I recommend such use.

BUT most coaches say food is enough

Many trainers will tell you food has everything you need to build muscle. I AGREE.

Food is the best muscle builder, provided you eat it. In the above scenarios you have NO TIME to cook/pack/eat real foods. 

Your only options are to skip meals and let your proteins breakdown or use a proper meal replacement {home made} and ensure nutrient balance for the muscle building process.

ONLY on such occasions you need supplements.

Proper supplementation has played a big role in my 24 pound muscle gain in 15 weeks. Could I build so much muscle in such short time? No.

I did have a solid nutrition plan but supplements have been a big help. But their is another reason you need supplements.

2. INSURANCE

Did you know that the biggest dietary deficiency I find is bodybuilders in vitamin/mineral deficiency? 

These micronutrient energy assimilators are the key for proper food digestion and absorption.

And hood you get them? In Vegetables & fruits. If you are training hard and eating 5-10 servings of fruits and vegetables EVERYDAY, then my estimates tell that you might be lacking in these essential nutrients.

Essential oils is another deficiency i regularly find in my clients and add Krill oil or fish oil to their diet to insure against lack of quality fats  that aids in hormone synthesis.

To insure yourself against such deficiencies add equality multi-vitamin/mineral plus essential oils to your nutrition plan. The increased energy will be worth it.

Enough about me, what about you?


Do You need Bodybuilding Supplements to Build Muscle?

Serious bodybuilders understand the Power of Muscle Shakes

If you find yourself in the above 2 scenarios often, you should consider supplementation.

Today we have access to the most powerful muscle building supplements made of highly concentrated, high quality nutrients. Why not take advantage of them?

They provide calories, nutrients while saving time and money.

Every 21st century bodybuilder needs to take full advantage of latest scientific research.

But are you different? Then...


You Don't Need Bodybuilding Supplements IF...

You can do without supplements IF...

  • You have at least 2 hours a day to cook and eat
  • You have the skills to cook 6 meals a day and 
  • You have the desire to cook day in and day out

Because without supplements, preparing and eating real food will be a 6 times a day, 7 days a week challenge.

Don't let me discourage you. In fact I urge you eat 3 solid meals a day packed with natural muscle building foods, BUT I do know the practical challenge and therefore speak from experience.

Not Convinced? Here are...


2 More Reasons to Consider Supplements

There are 2 reasons why proper supplements are extremely helpful:

  1. Faster absorption and 
  2. No food options

1. Faster Absorption:

Nutrient timing has taken the bodybuilding world by storm. Its no coincidence that todays natural bodybuilders are bigger and muscular than ever before.

Better supplements, better knowledge about training/nutrition and most recently, nutrient timing are the key factors for such amazing transformations.

Around workout your nutrient absorption is highest

Did you know that during and after workout your muscles are very hungry for nutrients and the nutrient absorption rate might be as high as 200%? 

Yes. Just like soil soaked up water in a hot desert, your body will absorb nutrients faster and selectively divert them to your muscles.

Supplements such as whey have highest bio-availability and are absorbed by your body faster. This means faster muscles growth and repair.

2. No food options?

Supplements like creatine, branched chain amino acids and beta alanine are proven performance enhancers and muscle builders.

No food can provide them in optimal quantities without eating such foods in huge quantities.

What else option you got if you intend to use these proven muscle builders?


When to STOP using Bodybuilding Supplements

The biggest reason I started using supplements was LACK OF APPETITE.

As a skinny guy I had a tough time eating loads of proteins. But soon I was eating 4 solid meals a day and thereafter stopped using supplements at breakfast and bedtime.

Once you develop the habit of quick muscle cooking and eating real foods, you need to stop unnecessary use of supplements and concentrate on the core usage only.

The only supplement I still use is Post workout because my body cannot accept heavy food immediately after workout.

I still use my whey + creatine + BCAA shake post workout.


Top 5 Muscle Building Supplements

I have covered the topic of Muscle Building Supplements earlier. The article shows you everything you need to know about supplementation including the best 5 supplements for bodybuilders and how to use them.


No Supplement can overcome a bad diet and what is the No.1 diet challenge? Its cooking the right meals.

Anabolic Cooking program has 200+ muscle building recipes that are tasty and easy to make. I highly recommend it.


Summary And Action Plan

"You cannot out-supplement a Bad Diet."

BUT, Supplements can make your life very convenient. They can insure against nutrient deficiency and save your time and money.

Use them judiciously. Use the proven ones and super-charge your results.

All the Best.


› Do You Need Supplements




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