what do you reccommend for supplement stacks?

[Semidevil]

male, 29, skinny.
was in the mid 120's lbs, and now hitting 130 finally(after eating as much as I can. Will continue that).

I started to take GNC Re-mass, weight gainer, which includes a bunch of stuff plus Creatine. each serving is about 850 calories, and I usually take 1/2 of a serving before, and 1/2 of a serving after. It is obviously working to an extent, as I am lifting heavier, lifting more, and am actually able to do a bunch of pull ups.

However, I feel that there are better choices out there which will help me lift better. I want something that I can take before, during and after.

For pre-workout, what do you guys reccommend? The GNC stuff is good for gaining weight and as a bonus, good for additional energy, but I wonder if there is something that is better out there that specifically will boost my energy to lift more every week?

 

[repoman0]

Just drink lots of whole milk and do lots of squats and deadlifts. I gained about 20-25 lbs of good, lean mass on the whole milk diet over the past 9 months. Now 5'10" and 160 and can't seem to put on any more, which is fine with me. No supplements here because I can't afford them

edit: Oh, I use a cup or two of coffee as a pre-workout supplement to keep me focused at the gym. Safe, cheap and effective!

 

[tedrodai]

I know there are folks who use supplements around here. Caffeine & creatine are 2 supplements that people generally acknowledge will help with weight lifting. The only supplement I use is protein shakes, but that has nothing to do with pre/during/post workout.

Anywho, til you get more answers, your overall diet will promote your energy level and muscle gains more than any supplement will. Not sure how generic you're being by saying "eating as much as you can"...if you're not counting calories, look into that. It's good to have an idea of how much you're eating compared to your daily caloric burn when you have weight goals. It's also important to know the types of calories you're eating (i.e. not just eating a bunch of carbs to meet your calorie goal, though carbs are important). SC's "Fat loss" sticky thread gives a good overview--ignore that the title refers to a goal opposite of yours. The knowledge there applies to gaining as well, you simply increase the total calories you're eating by a lot.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

I don't think you need extensive supplementation yet. You're fairly small and the most effective way to get bigger and lift more will be to eat. I think drinking your calories is much easier than eating and eating and eating. That's why I would suggest adding olive oil, fruit, coconut milk (not the light stuff), peanut butter, etc to your shakes. You could easily get a shake to hit 1200cal, which would help you continue to gain weight. Also, if you do drink milk, make sure it's whole milk as you'll be able to gain some calories with that. I wouldn't do that permanently, but just for the bulk period.

 

[surfsatwerk]

Eating right and getting a good night's sleep does more for me than any "stack".

 

[Miramonti]

Weight gain products are a scam. They are often sold for about $10/lb yet are mostly high glycemic carbohydrates that you can buy in bulk for $1-$3/lb.

 

[Doppel]

Virtually all supplements are crap. It was this way 20 years ago and is still this way today.

 

[Andrewjohn123]

Most regular bodybuilding programs involve a lot of wasted time and effort for a few pounds of muscle or minimal fat burning. Creatine and HMB are two best supplement which you can take and eat more calories food with that.

 

[Andrewjohn123]

Thanks for your reviews.

 

[Pantlegz]

I only use creatine and orange triad but I'm also an easy gainer.

 

[QueBert]

my latest PWO's 2 scoops of Hemovol + 2 scoops of Gaspari Superpump Max. I'm one of those UUUUGGGHH stim tolerant people, so I'm sure 1 scoop of each would give you a ton of energy. Doesn't hurt that they taste amazing. While I haven't tried this yet due to the $$$ being out of my range. When I got some extra bucks I'm definitely buying some Empyrean Nutrition Insu-Pro for a post workout.

 

[Saint Nick]

I try to have two of these per day:

2 scoops whey (~280)
2 cups whole milk (~300)
1 cup oats (~300)
2 tbps olive oil (~280)

Comes out to about 1200 calories and lots of good fats, protein, and carbs.

 

[pauldun170]

One banana
16oz Almond milk
Couple of globs of Peanut butter (natural stuff)
Seaweed
Kale
Blueberries
Whatever egg or whey powder I have in the cabinet. If none available I don't sweat it.

Blend it

I usually have dinner at 7 and hit the gym at 8:30. I'll have my shake right before I go to the gym.

I'm 5'9 and run between 185 and 195 (its easy for me to go up or down in that range)

If I want put on weight - More pre workout shake.
If I want put on weight quickly - Cheesecake from my local diner one day a week (that's not leg day or close to leg day)


Otherwise my diet consists of nothing fancy. Lots of fish and veggies, some rice and very little bread or dairy.

 

[TheNinja]

I try to have two of these per day:

2 scoops whey (~280)
2 cups whole milk (~300)
1 cup oats (~300)
2 tbps olive oil (~280)

Comes out to about 1200 calories and lots of good fats, protein, and carbs.

Hey, you stole that from me - j/k that is exactly my preferred weight gainer too.

Ya, OP, this weight gainer is FAR superior to the weight gainers you by from stores. Most of that stuff is just whey protein with a bunch of maltodextrin in it. They charge a lot for it too.



In response to the OP, you probably aren't at the point where supplements will help a ton, food is more important. But supplements can help give you the motivation and placebo effect so I won't bash them all.

In order of importance IMO :
Tier 1
MultiVitamin (NOW makes one called ADAM that is quite popular and afforable)
Whey Protein
Fish Oils (helps keep me lubed)

Tier 2
BCAA (branched chain amino acids) - great for pre-during-and post workout
Pre workout drink/pill - often these give you extra drive and intensity for your workout. There are tons to pick from and can be hard to distinguish though...and will usually be called things like "Jack3d" or "Xplode" or "Intenze". Find a reputable company

 

[Sixguns]

Whey, creatine, BCAA, Orange Triad and Jack3d (preworkout only)