2 weeks off!!!

[Jazon]

Hi all,

For the past 2 weeks i have been off bodybuilding and giving my body 2 weeks of rest and recovery. I have also stoped supplementing my body with mass protein shakes ,creatine,glutamine and amino acids which i know i should not have done .The thing is that i have lost 5kilos in those 2 weeks and i look slightly smaller especially my arms.

On January i start again my mass diet with the 5x5 routine ,is this the best routine for me to gain muscle mass

I say this because i have been on the 5x5 routine for 2-3 months yes i gained from this routine but i saw more benefit in strength than in muscle mass .

What do you think people!!!!!
Thanx Jay

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Eric3237]

Five kilos is a lot to lose in two weeks. Some of it could have been water I guess, maybe from going off the creatine.

But my first thought is it's all about food. You mentioned going off supplements which makes me think you are depending on the supps to help you gain weight instead of on diet. If your diet is in place then going off those supplements shouldn't make such a big difference since you're supposed to be eating everything in sight.

Some people report losing a little going off of creatine. I've never experienced that. If you depend on the shakes for a good part of your protein (and carb?) intake then of course that's a problem but you shouldn't be. You also stated you will start "again" your mass diet in January.

A whole lot more of the diet of a bodybuilder goes to maintenance and protein turnover than people realize. So just because you cut the activity level doesn't mean you want to make a drastic cut in calories. Perhaps just changes such as taking away the pre and post workout stuff. Nohing very definitive I know, just observations.

The only other thing is that time off can be good, but you don't have to take complete rest to get full recovery (assuming you're needing recovery).

[Scorcher2005]

I'm gonna say the loss of mass appearance is due to being less bloated by the creatine. I felt the same way when i get off mine for a while. It's sorda depressing. Although i never lose weight when im off it, but i never really ever stop training though either. Maybe 4 days max at a time (like right now because of my work schedule and the gym's holiday schedule) that i dont work out. But how i see your dialema (sp?) is that you should have taken those 2 weeks to cut up and drop some body fat knowing that you werent gonna work out anyways.

[Eric3237]

I would think that someone who lost 5 kilos in two weeks coming off a routine the last thing they should do is go on a cutting diet. Cutting should be planned carefully so as to maintain strength and hopefully maintain mass...not just a sort of piece meal thing that you do during a period of recovery. During those periods, assuming you need them, it's possible that you might put on some mass "after the fact".

I'm not saying one needs be on a "bulking diet" but just that after a period of stress deciding to try to lose fat for a couple of weeks could simply be selling you body short the things it needs to recover. So while you may not be taking in the same calories as you do while active, I don't think you should be going below maintenance either.

Merry Christmas!

[Jazon]

Hey Guyz thanx for the reply

Eric yes i do depend alot in my supplement to gain muscle mass especially from the mass protein shakes as i have a total of 4 per day without those i couldnt make over 100g of protein which i do only from food. I usually do 100g of protein from food and 160g of protein just from protein shakes total of 260-280g daily which for my weight of 160 pounds is ok i think. I know that i should eat more but i think that its better to have a shake of 45g protein and 70g carbs than having a can of tuna with something on the side or piece of chicken with some rice which could contain 25g protein and 40g carbs.

I have to decide what to ddedicate my diet more on if its with shake i can do 250-300g of protein daily , but if i rely more on food source i may not reach 170 g of protein .can you understand what my problem is

what do you suggest
THANX JAY

HAPPY XMAS EVERYONE

[Jazon]

This was my daily intake Eric on October November December ,

08:45 True mass proten shake

10:00 80-100g chicken breast with 2 sliced bread / multi vit

13:00 100g of chicken with spagetti / 2 flaxseed oils 15min later 1 banana

15:00 True mass protein shake

15:45 N0-Xplode

16:15 WORKOUT

18:00 imediately after Cellmass creatine

18:20 N-Large protein shake

20:30-21:00 100G of steak,chicken,turkey,cod"fish" with Uncle bens rice / 2 flaxseed oils

23:00 pro peptide plus and mix in it 10g of glutamine

23:00 ZMA

24:00 sleep

Was that ok or very low on solid foods

[Eric3237]

^^^Well Jazon that's the beauty of liquids. Even after you've eaten some solid food theres still room for a shake. So if it's really about bulking and food intake and you feel you need the shakes, do that tuna and whatever else and then top it off with a shake, or half a shake, or whatever. You do not necessarily have to make a decision of a solid meal OR a shake. And remember a "weight gainer" is a little different than a "meal replacer".

Most of the ingredients can be found in high quality bulk which gives you more freedom to formulate you own shakes but if you want to stick with the True Mass, overpriced as it is, you should probably also have something faster absorbing in protein and carbs seperately for post, and maybe pre workout.

You are defecient in low to medium GI carbs. Most of your carb intake is coming from the shakes. That needs to be corrected.

You could do better around pre and post workout. You have choices for pre. You have a sup there requring you to empty your stomach and IMO, the NO is largely a waste. Likewise for post, you could do without the expensive creatine and get regular mono or CEE and be able to take in some high GI carbs and fast absorbing proteins along with the creatine JUST when your body needs it most. So I'd consider changing that.

There are others who can probably help you more specifically. But basically like I said, it seems you pulled out the rug during the lay-off , and your diet could stand some tweaking to give you better results.

[Jazon]

Hey Eric Thanx for your advice, yes i am planning in changing protein shakes and stop with the No2 ,also i really do need to eat more carbs much more infact . I am also planning in mixing in a carb drink with a whey protein shake for pre workout shake and for post workout Optimum serious mass for my shake which has lots of Kcals ,carbs and protein plus aminos and multivit

Well thanx once again
Jay

[Eric3237]

Originally Posted by Jazon

for post workout Optimum serious mass

IMO, you should do something similar for post as for pre. You don't want a lot of extra stuff like casein or fats. Just fast protein (whey...best would be an isolate) and fast carbs (malto and dex, or waxy maize starch) in water for immediately post workout. Solid food and/or a mass shake around an hour later.

[Jazon]

So what your saying is for post and pre a fast working protein shake and carbs which contain whey isolate and malto. Didnt know that i thought it was the other way a slow digesting protein and carb drink. So in the morning 5 min after waking up i usualy have a shake ,is that slow or fast releasing protein shake.

P.s I Thought BSN stuf were one of the best i know they are overpriced so what good CEE Creatine brand could i buy ,do you know some good stuff.

Thanx once again Bro
JAY