Why not add psyllium seed husks to your protein drink? It's great soluble fiber and has no calories. If you want added calories, you can also add ground flax seed, which has both soluble and insoluble fiber in roughly equal amounts, as well as healthful lignans. It's also probably the best plant source of omega-3 fatty acids, and has some protein of its own.
Arnold Schwarzenegger's trainer was a guy named Kurt Marnul. Marnul reportedly said that he learned about steroids from Steve Reeves. http://www.thearnoldfans.com/bodybuilding/history.htm Also, Larry Scott, the first Mr. Olympia, and Sergio Oliva, another Mr. Olympia winner, reportedly talked about Steve Reeves introducing them to Dianabol, an anabolic steroid. I don't have a source for this latter point and I certainly don't know it to be true, but I have heard it said. I don't even know if the timelines coincide, because I think Reeves was winning contests before D-bol was even invented. But you never know what these guys may have been experimenting with at the time to get an edge. In any event, I think a lot of people who have not spent much time at the gym overestimate the possible outcomes without some chemical assistance. The guys in the magazine ads pushing protein powder don't talk about the elephant in the room. And while genetics certainly play a role, that indoor elephant is not genetics.
The reason why I don't add that stuff is because it doesn't taste anywhere near as good as these I'm telling you... Get some of these and you'll be impressed at how good they taste. There was a point during my lo-carb diet a few months ago when I was almost living on these things.
I love those (and the regular smoke flavor) but there is so much sodium that I just eat a handful. I've tried raw almonds from Trader Joes but they are a little too bland without the flavoring. I guess you don't have a blood pressure problem so you can eat salt without any problems. Almonds are loaded with antioxidants and are an amazing food. One thing I've noticed is that apples are really good for regularity and also they completely eliminate heartburn (for me anyway). I like to cut up an apple and put it in a bowl of lowfat vanilla yogurt.
I think that success ratio is pretty standard though, no matter what the compound is. You name the compound and I can easily find posts from people who tried it and got unacceptable results.
I agree that the average user gets completely mislead by the magazines about what is actually possible. I also agree that drugs are the indoor elephant. But at the top level, drugs are not the determining factor. Extraordinary genetics are the KEY to an extraordinary physique. I read a post one time from a bodybuilding guru who trains many of the top professionals, and this is what he had to say about it.... "Oh, you think being one of the greatest bodybuilders is primarily about drugs? Then why the fuck do we have the same Mr. Olympia for like 5 years or more? Is it because he just has access to the best drugs?? Do you really think that Lee Haney, Dorian Yates or Ronnie Coleman won repeatedly because they had drugs that nobody else could get? Of course not. Thanks to the internet, bodybuilding drugs are more available to the masses than they ever have been. So given all the new people each year that can literally get whatever they need with a mouse click, where are all the amazing new challengers to the Mr. Olympia title year after year? Seriously, where the fuck are they at? Because I'm not seeing them anywhere. In fact, I can count on one hand, maybe half a hand, the number of men who could realistically be the next Mr. Olympia. And those guys have been around for years and years. The answer is simple... Only a truly genetically-gifted individual can become something special, something that the others cannot, no matter how much they take."
Speaking of superior genetics, I stumbled across this letter that you will probably find as fascinating as I did when I first read it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Originally Posted by BALCO Laboratories, Inc. October 1, 1998 Re: Flex Wheeler To whom it may concern: I am writing this letter per the request of Flex Wheeler. I would first like to briefly provide you with some background information regarding BALCO Laboratories. BALCO has been working with elite Olympic and professional athletes for over fifteen years. BALCO has provided testing and consultation for over 250 NFL players including the entire 1998 Super Bowl Champion Denver Broncos team and the entire Miami Dolphins team. BALCO works with professional athletes in many sports including teenis (Michael Chang, Jim Courier, etc.), hockey, bodybuilding (10 of the 16 1998 Mr. Olympia contestants), track and field, soccer and basketball (Seattle SuperSonics). BALCO Laboratories has been testing and monitoring Flex on a routine basis during the last year. We have performed tests including blood chemistry (SMAC), complete blood count (CBC), PSA, anabolic hormone levels, genotyping as well as comprehensive testing for nutritional elements. Flex's test results have been compared to twenty-four other professional bodybuilders and overall he has one of the healthiest profiles. Basically, Flex is in excellent health and has demonstrated the discipline necessary to maintain a peak level of conditioning. Flex was a participant in a study we recently conducted in collaboration with the Department of Human Genetics at the University of Pittsburgh involving 62 men who made unusually large gains in muscle mass in response to strength training (extreme responders). Flex was one of only nine extreme responders that had the very rare "myostatin mutation." Myostatin is the gene that "limits muscle growth." Specifically, Flex had the rarest form of myostatin mutation at the "exon 2" position on the gene. This simply means Flex has a much larger number of muscle fibers compared to the other subjects or the normal population. We believe that these are the very first myostatin mutation findings in humans and the results of this landmark study have already been submitted for publication. Flex was also found to have a very unusual type of the IGF-1 gene. In fact, Flex was the only participant in the study that did not have a "match." All of the other extreme responders had at least three other subjects with a matching IGF-1 gene. Based upon Flex's very unique genetic profile, we plan to expeditiously publish a scientific paper that reveals his complete genotype in specific detail. The publication of his remarkable genetic data should generate an enormous amount of media exposure. Hope this information will be helpful and please call if I can be of assistance. Sincerely, /s/ Victor Conte Victor Conte President BALCO Laboratories, Inc. And this is Flex Wheeler, the topic of the above letter.
Meanwhile back on insanity island. http://news.yahoo.com/japan-diet-glasses-fool-wearers-eating-less-114410996.html