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@yaxomoxay

Here it is:
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So the story is, I’ve always purchased Elite Gold or Dymatize protein powders. The problem is with some of these companies, they make such a great product, but it’s so limited where they either stop producing it or change manufacturers, which usually puts someone like myself looking for a new project. So I was looking for a new protein powder when you mentioned Jocko last week, and then I started researching your recommendation, and it basically was everything I was looking for and more.

Purchased it from Amazon, decent price and the reviews were excellent. Usually Amazon will make recommendations of like various protein powders to me, but this one was never on my radar.

So thanks to you, this will be my go to for The forseeable future. And just think, now I purchased something from somebody else’s recommendation like yourself!

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Bonus photo:

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Two new pre-workouts. [Both non-stimulant], but I’m always looking for a good pump in the gym, usually which you can achieve by eating carbohydrates, but this give that extra boost of pushing the blood flow to the muscle to help it grow


The one specifically the one to the right in the photo, ‘Gorilla mode’, has exceptional reviews, and most of their products are out of stock, right now I’m with that one.

If there’s anything that I enjoy in the gym, and you know you’re working hard, is if you get a good-solid pump in the muscles from your training intensity and through that muscle-mind-connection.

(Also, I got to say, I love the marketing behind these manufacturers, like ‘Frog juice and Gorilla Mode’, definitely catchy for those looking for a pre-work out.
 
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@yaxomoxay

Here it is:
View attachment 1759837

So the story is, I’ve always purchased Elite Gold or Dymatize protein powders. The problem is with some of these companies, they make such a great product, but it’s so limited where they either stop producing it or change manufacturers, which usually puts someone like myself looking for a new project. So I was looking for a new protein powder when you mentioned Jocko last week, and then I started researching your recommendation, and it basically was everything I was looking for and more.

Purchased it from Amazon, decent price and the reviews were excellent. Usually Amazon will make recommendations of like various protein powders to me, but this one was never on my radar.

So thanks to you, this will be my go to for The forseeable future. And just think, now I purchased something from somebody else’s recommendation like yourself!

*************************
Edit:

Bonus photo:

View attachment 1759838
Two new pre-workouts. [Both non-stimulant], but I’m always looking for a good pump in the gym, usually which you can achieve by eating carbohydrates, but this give that extra boost of pushing the blood flow to the muscle to help it grow


The one specifically the one to the right in the photo, ‘Gorilla mode’, has exceptional reviews, and most of their products are out of stock, right now I’m with that one.

If there’s anything that I enjoy in the gym, and you know you’re working hard, is if you get a good-solid pump in the muscles from your training intensity and through that muscle-mind-connection.

(Also, I got to say, I love the marketing behind these manufacturers, like ‘Frog juice and Gorilla Mode’, definitely catchy for those looking for a pre-work out.
Thank you my friend! I am seriously honored and inspired by reading that something I shared helped you! I also got the peanut butter one and so far I love it. You mentioned that you were looking for something in the product, anything specific?

that Gorilla mode preworkout sounds quite intriguing.
 
Thank you my friend! I am seriously honored and inspired by reading that something I shared helped you! I also got the peanut butter one and so far I love it. You mentioned that you were looking for something in the product, anything specific?

that Gorilla mode preworkout sounds quite intriguing.
So if you can find a protein powder, one thing you want to look for is -glutamine-, which is an agent that helps in the aid of reducing muscle fatigue the following day after a workout, and helps with muscle repair. [And also offers some benefits in digestion with the intestinal track.] Now, Jocko does not have glutamine necessarily as a main ingredient, but it has ‘glutamine acid’. It also has leucine, which is another agent that’s really good for your eyesight support.

I tried Jocko last night, it’s good. I added a banana and some pineapple, and I only used 2% milk versus water.

As for Gorilla Mode. That was also my first time using that last night for my work out, and I can confirm the pump was solid, but in fairness, I naturally get a good pump in the gym, that’s partially due to my diet and genetics. I thought it was a good product for my first time, but I’ll know more as I go along.
 
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So, the other day I mentioned that I was reluctant to ingest another supplement of some sort. Oh well, I purchased Ashwagandha. Scientific research and bro-science both support its benefits on multiple levels. I will try it on Friday night.
 
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So, the other day I mentioned that I was reluctant to ingest another supplement of some sort. Oh well, I purchased Ashwagandha. Scientific research and bro-science both support its benefits on multiple levels. I will try it on Friday night.
I quickly looked into it. What health benefits do you think that target specifically that will give you an advantage?
 
Interesting. Is this in like a pill form or powder? Also, what made you choose that supplement, someone recommend it or did you just read on it?
I got it in pill form, but you can order it as a powder or even just get the plant.
My son recommended it to me, it’s highly recommended by one of his drill instructors. My kid claims that it truly helped him during his USMC PT and even in his focus. Might be placebo, but research seems to support the claims.
 
I got it in pill form, but you can order it as a powder or even just get the plant.
My son recommended it to me, it’s highly recommended by one of his drill instructors. My kid claims that it truly helped him during his USMC PT and even in his focus. Might be placebo, but research seems to support the claims.
You know, more than anything, I find myself more wanting to learn more about supplementation through podcasts and different health methods in the fitness world, versus just learning techniques of how to ‘work out’. So that’s really interesting, I have not heard of Ashwagandha , so definitely report back and see if you feel that it made any difference in your daily routine or workout activities.
 
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Mainly increased natural production of testosterone, mood enhancement, and better sleep.

Interesting. I’ve started taking a few vitamins and supplements to try and fill in a few gaps in my diet, so I’d be interested in hearing about your results as well.
 
I’ve made some improvements to the bike trainer setup. Last fall I picked up an early model Wahoo Kickr Snap for cheap. It’s a smart trainer which means that it’s capable of automatically setting a resistance level and adjusting it based on cadence. I added a cheap cadence sensor because I found that cadence was an easier target to hold than a specific power range.

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Most recently, I added a bike computer to function as the brain of the system. I can sync workouts to the computer and it will set the trainer resistance based on the workout. I consider it my new training partner. Next up is a new bike… because all of the attachments cost more than the bike itself. 😂
 
You know, more than anything, I find myself more wanting to learn more about supplementation through podcasts and different health methods in the fitness world, versus just learning techniques of how to ‘work out’. So that’s really interesting, I have not heard of Ashwagandha , so definitely report back and see if you feel that it made any difference in your daily routine or workout activities.

Interesting. I’ve started taking a few vitamins and supplements to try and fill in a few gaps in my diet, so I’d be interested in hearing about your results as well.
I will report back. So far I’ve been taking this herb since Thursday night. What I can report so far is: zero digestive issues, I feel more energetic, I slept like a baby. Now, the last two could be a mix of spring and just lifestyle; I am curious to see what happens in the long term. I also feel a bit more cheerful but, again, it could be the spring.

@Relentless Power do you have any podcast recommendation for podcasts?

small Non scale victory yesterday. I had about 30 minutes to go to the gym yesterday so instead of skipping I decided to go and do some boxing for cardio. While I was punching the heavy bags this young kid (18yo or so) asked me to teach him how to box :cool:
 
I will report back. So far I’ve been taking this herb since Thursday night. What I can report so far is: zero digestive issues, I feel more energetic, I slept like a baby. Now, the last two could be a mix of spring and just lifestyle; I am curious to see what happens in the long term. I also feel a bit more cheerful but, again, it could be the spring.

@Relentless Power do you have any podcast recommendation for podcasts?

small Non scale victory yesterday. I had about 30 minutes to go to the gym yesterday so instead of skipping I decided to go and do some boxing for cardio. While I was punching the heavy bags this young kid (18yo or so) asked me to teach him how to box :cool:
For me personally, I’m a huge fan of Fouad Abiad (He’s a former Pro bodybuilder competitor). He has an excellent YouTube channel where he brings on health coaches, former Mr. Olympians, nutritionists, Dr’s, and they basically talk about anything with supplementation, dietary habits, foods in terms of fats/carbohydrates/proteins, eating schedules, sleeping, recovery, PED uses, you name it, it’s discussed.

What I would suggest doing, is take a look at this playlist below, and when you click on a certain video you might want to watch, you can click the description, and It Will give you timestamps if there is only certain parts you want to hear about. And just for the record, this isn’t just about ‘bodybuilding’ [as in weightlifting], it discusses all the aspects of bodybuilding, in and outside of the gym through everything. Most of these interviews on his podcasts that he does, are from guys who have been involved in the industry for at least 20 years. I play these podcasts when I’m in the car mostly Or when I’m eating like a post workout meal from the gym.


By the way, boxing is a great form of cardio, and a good fat shredder. The gym I have has a heavy bag and this interval punching bag system for reflexes, I’ve never used it, but it looks like it would be challenging and fun. I’ll snap a photo of it sometime.
 
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so decide your what you want, cant have both

loose weight:
dont put anything in your face. Since the plan is to eat as little as possible consider eating the very best. Document what you have eaten and the plan for the remaining time forward. consider running, biking but eat a candy bar, bad its ~300 calories. Loose 300 calories by exercise along is an effort. I say go horzontal, read murder mystery novels but keep your face closed.

gain muscle mass:
sad news; you have to be slightly gaining weight for this to work.
 
loose weight:
dont put anything in your face. Since the plan is to eat as little as possible consider eating the very best.

I want to elaborate on your post here Jeff. It’s not exactly accurate. You don’t want to ‘eat as little as possible’, especially if you were averaging a ~2500 cal diet a day for a male for example (Which is recommended). If you start eating a little as possible, your body will go into survival mode and store whatever calories you’re eating into body fat. Keep in mind, The human body will fight you in every which way possible to not lose body fat, because that’s not how it operates. If you were in a surplus of calories before you start a diet and you go down to a deficit by eating a little as possible as you worded it, that’s not how you’re going to lose the weight.

You still want to average the recommended daily intake of through three Balanced meals a day.

My suggestion, is make sure you’re averaging the recommended daily amount of calories you need through fruits, vegetables, three meals a day, with adequate portions, and eliminate snacking. But by no means, do not go the route of eating as little as possible, that’s not the answer, and actually would have adverse affects towards somebody’s goal where it makes it even more difficult to lose body fat.

The only time somebody should be eating as little as possible, is if that’s actually recommended from a nutritionist or a doctor for ‘other’ reasons.
 
The way I have always approached weight loss is if calories out > calories in, you lose weight. The “best” way to do it is to figure out a reasonable weight loss per week goal. Pounds per week x 3500 (calories per pound) and divide by 7. Then subtract from the recommended daily calories to figure out the new total.

I agree with what @Relentless Power is talking about by starting by getting down to the recommended caloric intake, although eventually you need to eat less to actually lose weight. As long as you don’t yo-yo (way too few calories followed by way too many, averaging out to a reduced intake) then your body will get used to operating on a reduced intake.

The other advice I like to follow is setting intermediate goals (pounds or percentage) and then take some time to maintain your weight. If you have 50 pounds to lose, maybe lose 15-20 and then take 2-3 months and maintain before continuing on. It breaks it up into smaller chunks and gives you a sense of accomplishment. In my experience doing it this way, I’m also willing myself I can keep the weight off.

Also, a) I’m not a doctor, this is not medical advice and simply my experience with losing weight, and b) I’m not advocating that you try to cut the calories massively. Again, based on personal experience for me, I’m trying to lose between 1-1.5 lbs/ week which translates to cutting 500-750 calories/day below normal, based on the formula above.

Reducing the amount of extra snacks and sugary drinks is a good way to cut back to get to baseline. Once you can maintain your weight then cutting them out can help lose weight.

A digital kitchen scale, in my opinion, is probably the most important thing you can buy to help lose weight. I try to weigh most of my foods so that I can accurately log them. Grab a handful of cashews or almonds. How much do they weigh? At almost 200 calories per ounce/28g, there’s a high caloric cost of eating too much. (I’m trying to teach my kids no to eat right from the container because they could sometimes eat 1000 cal of nuts).
 
I just cant see an individual using exercise as a method to loose weight. It would be an effort to burn sifnificant calories by a life change of buying a gym membership. Just never eat that 300 calorie candy bar.

with a family it is near impossible but limit bad food options, just dont buy the stuff

I usally do the gym 4 days a week. With the pandamic i just stopped going. Looking forward to getting back to the grind but i dont plan to loose weight.
 
I just cant see an individual using exercise as a method to loose weight. It would be an effort to burn sifnificant calories by a life change of buying a gym membership. Just never eat that 300 calorie candy bar.
Exercise and nutrition go hand in hand. The only way to lose weight is caloric deficit, which can be obtained by reducing calorie intake or increasing calorie burn. Exercise is meant to increase your metabolism, which in turn makes calorie burning higher, especially with weight lifting. The more muscles you have, the more you will burn calories at rest state.

In my humble experience, it's 99% about psychology and less about the actual physical work which is a derivative of psychological factors. Losing weight is not rocket science. Everybody knows how to do it (now, the process can be made more efficient but that's another matter), everybody knows what's required of them to do it. However, it's easy to drift away, psychologically, or simply trick ourselves in unhealthy behavior. The people who fail after the January resolution fail not because of physical issues but because of their psychological state. I still have a long way to go to get to my objective (and the damn'd belly takes forever to trim down!), but I can say that understanding that most of the issues are in the brain was a game changer.
 
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I just cant see an individual using exercise as a method to loose weight. It would be an effort to burn sifnificant calories by a life change of buying a gym membership. Just never eat that 300 calorie candy bar.

I like eating candy bars sometimes. I also like running and riding my bike. A 40-minute bike ride will easily burn off the calories, improve my mood, and have some aerobic benefits as well. The candy bar is just fuel for the workout. 😃

Eating something I enjoy: win
Doing something I enjoy: win
Psychological benefits: win
Aerobic benefit: win
 
Seriously, I don’t mean to single out other members, but I can’t let this go, Jeff is still incorrect above. The idea is, you want to keep your metabolism moving. When you actively keep your metabolism moving through consistent eating, (which I assume would be healthy eating for the majority of the time), you will burn calories at a quicker rate than if you were not to eat very much at all.

If somebody is consistently eating healthy throughout the day with smaller meals, your body will assimilate that much faster, whereas if you’re eating slower, it will take longer to break down/be stored as fat, but there’s nothing wrong with eating a ‘candy bar’ once in a while. Your body still needs fats/sugars in various forms, and sometimes you have to give it what it wants to ‘reset’ it self from eating healthy all the time. Also,
What can happen is, is if you try to avoid all those artificial Temptations, you tend to ‘over-binge’ when you finally succumb to a sugary food item by over consuming. So by having a candy bar or a brownie for example every-so-often, there’s nothing wrong with that. By all means, (this is coming from a bodybuilder), unless you’re on a specific diet plan that you can’t stray away from, help yourself to that candy bar that you want once in a while, just don’t make it a habit in your daily regiment.
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If you’re looking for a ‘healthier’ version of chocolate, I recommend 80% or above dark chocolate. It’s also heart healthy and an antioxidant. I would blend this into pieces, put it in my Greek yogurt or oatmeal.

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Speaking of eating healthy....

‘Cinco De Mayo Carne Asada’, but using grass fed filet instead of flank. Flat topped, no oils, and using kimchi to marinate in, topped with pink Himalayan sea salt and black peppercorn.
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Not "healthy" per se, but I found out that Tyson has some Air Fried frozen chicken. I must say, it's not bad, and not a bad choice if you want/need a quick meal.

Air Fried Chicken Breast Filets - serving: 113gr, 180calories, 4.5g fat, 15g carbs (1g sugars), 20g protein
Air Fried Chicken Breast Nuggets -serving: 85g (5 pcs), 160 calories, 4g fat, 15g carbs (2g sugars), 15g protein
Air Fried Chicken Breast Strips - serving: 84g, 150calories, 4g fat, 13g carbs (3g sugars), 16g protein
 
Any recommend supplements for someone who has never taken any? Dropped from 224 lbs to 168 lbs in the past year, been working out regularly, 3 sessions of HIIT and 3 weights each week. I am noticing improvements in overall muscle but slow progress. Wondering if there is anything that could improve overall muscle gain. Not looking for miracle solutions here just an effective boost.
 
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Any recommend supplements for someone who has never taken any? Dropped from 224 lbs to 168 lbs in the past year, been working out regularly, 3 sessions of HIIT and 3 weights each week. I am noticing improvements in overall muscle but slow progress. Wondering if there is anything that could improve overall muscle gain. Not looking for miracle solutions here just an effective boost.
Creatine.
 
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