Supplements for Women

slcl

New member
Hello,

I recently joined a gym and have discovered the joys of working out 5-6 days a week (weights 3-4x a week.) I am a 34 yr old female - 5'11", 130lbs.

Having never worked out this frequently, (prev it was 1-2x a wk) I want to ensure that I give my body the nutrition it needs: to fuel my workouts, help gain muscle, and decrease body fat (currently around 20-21%.)

I am taking Alive (for addtl "greens"), Nature's Way enteric coated Fishol, and MAN Vaporize w/lunch each day. I usually eat every 3 hours, about 5-6 times a day. I know I need a good multivitamin and creatine, and that I should be taking supplements through out the day.

I know I need protein before a wkout, and carbs and protein after. I'd like to find a ready made drink, or bar, for post wkout that has enough, but not too much, protein as I am going home after my wkout and eating dinner w/my husband within 1-1.5 hours of working out. I also need a good pre wkout protein shake/bar, and a meal replacement for those “on the go” days.

I'd also like some assistance w/other fat burners and/or muscle builders. I chose vaporize because it doesn't have any stimulants. I could take something in the morning (w/stimulant), but I'd prefer not to in the afternoon/evenings.

Thank you in advance for your assistance!

I've read so many articles that I am not really sure what is best for me - what supplements/brands. More than anything I want to be sure that I am taking them at the appropriate times. I am familiar with stacking, but don’t know what/when, or even if I am ready for that.

Thanks again!
 
slcl said:
Hello,

I recently joined a gym and have discovered the joys of working out 5-6 days a week (weights 3-4x a week.) I am a 34 yr old female - 5'11", 130lbs.

Having never worked out this frequently, (prev it was 1-2x a wk) I want to ensure that I give my body the nutrition it needs: to fuel my workouts, help gain muscle, and decrease body fat (currently around 20-21%.)

I am taking Alive (for addtl "greens"), Nature's Way enteric coated Fishol, and MAN Vaporize w/lunch each day. I usually eat every 3 hours, about 5-6 times a day. I know I need a good multivitamin and creatine, and that I should be taking supplements through out the day.

I know I need protein before a wkout, and carbs and protein after. I'd like to find a ready made drink, or bar, for post wkout that has enough, but not too much, protein as I am going home after my wkout and eating dinner w/my husband within 1-1.5 hours of working out. I also need a good pre wkout protein shake/bar, and a meal replacement for those “on the go” days.

I'd also like some assistance w/other fat burners and/or muscle builders. I chose vaporize because it doesn't have any stimulants. I could take something in the morning (w/stimulant), but I'd prefer not to in the afternoon/evenings.

Thank you in advance for your assistance!

I've read so many articles that I am not really sure what is best for me - what supplements/brands. More than anything I want to be sure that I am taking them at the appropriate times. I am familiar with stacking, but don’t know what/when, or even if I am ready for that.

Thanks again!
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If you've only really started training regularly, then you don't need ANYthing aside from the staples right now.

Staples:
* Creatine
* Multivitamin
* Good Fats
* Protein Powder
* BCAAs (some protein powders include these, so no need for a separate product)

Since you want to recomp (i.e. gain muscle and lose fat simultaneously), the DIET is the KEy to this, and muct be manipulated correctly. Ensure that you have THAT right FIRST, that your training is targeted for hypertrophy, and that you build yourself a solid foundation before looking into any further supplementation.

At 20-21% BF you do NOT need a fat burner (wait until you are already relatively lean (i.e. <15% BF) and are looking for that ‘extra edge’ to lose the last 1-2% bodyfat). You can lose fat effectively through simply eating the right food at the right time. And unless everything that you’re doing is already done to ensure the maximum results in the timeframe that you want to achieve it in, and then supplementation should not be the focus.

I highly suggest that you read post #4 at Invalid Link Removed. It will tell you what you need re diet and supplements (and training).
 
Thank you for the information on the "staples," as well as post #4. That is exactly what I was looking for!

Thanks again!
 
slcl said:
Thank you for the information on the "staples," as well as post #4. That is exactly what I was looking for!

Thanks again!
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You're welcome.

Just remember that it's your DIET (and training) that is going to get you the results you want. Supplements are just a sliver of the cherry on top of the icing of the cake!
 
I would like some guidance on protein shakes/bars. I don't so much care about brands as I do about protein/carb/fat ratios and which would be best. I like Myoplex bars - 30g protein/35g Carb/9g fat and the Myoplex shakes, but I know there are "light" versions avail.

I need to determine my cals and plan out my meals. I have egg whites/dry toast in thee morning, sometimes oat cereal w/fruit, cheese or peanut butter as a morning snack, a balanced meal at lunch, a protein shake 45-1hr b4 wkouts, half of a protein bar on the way hm from gym, and then a balanced meal 1-1.5hrs after work out.
 
Protein powder is whey - most amino acid complete.

Amount:
1g per kilo for light excercise
1.5g per kilo for moderate
2g per kilo for heavy/serious e.g. competitive atheletics
2.5g per kilo for serious muscle building.

The exact definition of light - heavy excerise will vary.

1:1 carb to protein. Low GI carbs are best, oats that sort of thing but it depends what you are doing, you might want moderate or even high GI (glucose).

I need to check out the intro section myself.
 
slcl said:
I would like some guidance on protein shakes/bars. I don't so much care about brands as I do about protein/carb/fat ratios and which would be best. I like Myoplex bars - 30g protein/35g Carb/9g fat and the Myoplex shakes, but I know there are "light" versions avail.
Click to expand...

It doesn't really matter what protein powder you use; you can always add milk, yoghurt, ice, fruit, etc. to them to make them thicker and have more calories. I would stay away from the bars, sicne they contain a lot of unnecessary stuff in them. Don't get too caught up in the ratios; as long as you're having enough protein (at least ~1g/lb/bw/day), carbohydrates (at least ~1g/kg/day), and fat (at least 50-60g/day), and your calories are targeted accordingly to your goals, you should be fine.

I would eat REAL food over protein shakes, because they have a more thermogenic effect. Protein shakes should be used pre or post-training (and then a meal 15-30 minutes later). Lipotropic protein by LG Sciences is an excellent option.


slcl said:
I need to determine my cals and plan out my meals. I have egg whites/dry toast in thee morning, sometimes oat cereal w/fruit, cheese or peanut butter as a morning snack, a balanced meal at lunch, a protein shake 45-1hr b4 wkouts, half of a protein bar on the way hm from gym, and then a balanced meal 1-1.5hrs after work out.
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Look around. There are plenty of ideas here. Follow the diet recommendations that I made in that post. Start learning how many calories are in the foods that you eat. See a nutritionist if you are so concerned with a diet plan; otherwise it is easy to do.

There's plenty of information on this site (and others); do some research of your own!
 
Thank you Guejsn! I really appreciate the info. I've been researching and will continue to. I guess I was hung up on the protein shakes because I'd read that it's important to have protein before and after a workout, esp after so that your muscles can recover and I wanted to be sure I was getting enough.

Thanks again!
 
slcl said:
Thank you Guejsn! I really appreciate the info. I've been researching and will continue to. I guess I was hung up on the protein shakes because I'd read that it's important to have protein before and after a workout, esp after so that your muscles can recover and I wanted to be sure I was getting enough.

Thanks again!
Click to expand...

No worries. Don't get hung up on the protein shakes. They're more for convenience or for those who need a high protein intake and can't get it all from their diet. At only 130lb you can EASILY get 130g of protein/day from your food. As for protein pre and post-training; POST would be more important, and make sure that you have at least 50g of simple carbohydrates with it as well for better recovery (i.e. this is the best time to have a protein shake; but then DO eat a proper meal within the next 30 min, with complex carbohydrates and protein).
 
SlimXtreme would also be a great option for you. Great for fatburning and energy and lasts up to 12 hours!

Slim Xtreme is a stimulant fat burner that sets itself apart from every other stimulant on the market. You can't compare SlimX to any other product because the feeling you get is so unique. Its a cross between stimulating, euphoric and helps a ton with focus.

Check out PowerofSX.com for a free smaple
 
Hey i ran across a women's multivitamin at my gym from Top Form Nutrition called "Pretty On The Inside" personally never tried it as im using the mens right now ! The mens is great im sure the womens is good to.
 
I would make most of my protein shakes with water, and yeah like guejsn said try to eat more whole food sources over shakes or bars. Those bars usually contain a lot of saturated fat, and soy protein to say the least. Maybe pre make about 5-8 chicken breasts so they are available when you need them: )

If your seriously trying to lose weight I would suggest a very low carb diet. possibly carbs for breakfast and then taper off. If you do have carbs make sure they are mostly slow digesting healthy carbs such as whole wheat bread and oatmeal.
 
fightbackhxc said:
If your seriously trying to lose weight I would suggest a very low carb diet. possibly carbs for breakfast and then taper off. If you do have carbs make sure they are mostly slow digesting healthy carbs such as whole wheat bread and oatmeal.
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VERY low carbohydrates is NOT essential for losing fat (it's more about energy intake versus energy expenditure). In fact, you don't want to go lower than 50g per day, as anything lower than that and your body canNOT metabolize fat effectively. As mentioned in those diet tips, a good guideline for fat loss is having 1g/kg/bw/day at a MINIMUM.
 
Guejsn said:
VERY low carbohydrates is NOT essential for losing fat (it's more about energy intake versus energy expenditure). In fact, you don't want to go lower than 50g per day, as anything lower than that and your body canNOT metabolize fat effectively. As mentioned in those diet tips, a good guideline for fat loss is having 1g/kg/bw/day at a MINIMUM.
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essential.... no. very helpful...yes! Keeing the insulin stable is very important for a fat burning environment. now notice i said you can have some carbs......put them up front in your day at breakfast. anything after that leafy greens and some time released carbs are ok.

" by eating small frequent meals that are low in starchy carbs and high in healthy fats and proteins, you create adequate insulin release. By eating infrequent meals with HIGH carbohydrates and high calories you cause drastic insulin spikes that result in excess body fat storage and an insulin crash that halts fat loss. The GOAL is to balance insulin throughout the day, having much smaller meals you keep your metabolism burning."

Now you do need carbs throughout the day to keep your thyroid kicking, thats when you stick to time release carboydrates that do not spike your insulin quickly. If you keep your thyroid happy your metabolism will be burning like a furnace.
 
Guejsn said:
At only 130lb you can EASILY get 130g of protein/day from your food.
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Thats a good point! I'd forgotten about that. For me to hit I'd need 1+ kilo of minced beef per day. A kilo is 2.2 pounds so you are hitting the 2g per kilo mark. I think 0.5 - 0.75g per pound would be okay.

30g of protein...
2 tins of sardines
2 large eggs
approx. 90g chicken
approx. 150g minced beef
1 regular protein shake.
1.5 pints milk (this could be wrong)

So at the lower range a piece of chicken and 1 egg + 1 pint milk and you're there. Thats easy.

Really protein shakes become essential at some weights unless you've got a dedicated cook.

Whole egg is the most complete amino acid good.
 
fightbackhxc said:
essential.... no. very helpful...yes! Keeing the insulin stable is very important for a fat burning environment. now notice i said you can have some carbs......put them up front in your day at breakfast. anything after that leafy greens and some time released carbs are ok.

" by eating small frequent meals that are low in starchy carbs and high in healthy fats and proteins, you create adequate insulin release. By eating infrequent meals with HIGH carbohydrates and high calories you cause drastic insulin spikes that result in excess body fat storage and an insulin crash that halts fat loss. The GOAL is to balance insulin throughout the day, having much smaller meals you keep your metabolism burning."

Now you do need carbs throughout the day to keep your thyroid kicking, thats when you stick to time release carboydrates that do not spike your insulin quickly. If you keep your thyroid happy your metabolism will be burning like a furnace.
Click to expand...

Re carbohydrate intake and timing is really up to the individual (since protein also causes an insulin release). And if you read the link that I referred the OP to you will note that I mentioned re keeping insulin levels stable and metabolism up with smaller meals.


matthias7 said:
Thats a good point! I'd forgotten about that. For me to hit I'd need 1+ kilo of minced beef per day. A kilo is 2.2 pounds so you are hitting the 2g per kilo mark. I think 0.5 - 0.75g per pound would be okay.
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For larger guys maybe. But a female should always be able to get all her protein sources from food, since she weighs so much less.

Women actually require ~15% less protein per lb/bw than males (Tarnopolsky, 2006), and depending on the time of day training also can dictate intake.

However 1g/lb/bw is a good guideline.
 
ah i did not see that link. Protein doesnt cause near as big of an insulin spike tho right???
 
fightbackhxc said:
ah i did not see that link. Protein doesnt cause near as big of an insulin spike tho right???
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Why don't people actually READ what's been said in a thread (instead of just coming in and saying things)?

The only thing that causes a huge insulin spike is simple sugars/high glycemic carbohydrates. However, it really depends on the meal being ingested as to the intensity of the insulin response.
 
Guejsn said:
Why don't people actually READ what's been said in a thread (instead of just coming in and saying thing)?

The only thing that causes a huge insulin spike is simple sugars/high glycemic carbohydrates. However, it really depends on the meal being ingested as to the intensity of the insulin response.
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Wow. Cool.
 
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