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Hello, I’m back. Can you believe we are on Article 3 already and this is my first time ever writing? Today we are going to dive into diet and supplementation. This is definitely a tough one to get dialed in, but when you do it's amazing the results that come and how relatively easy it is to tweak one way or the other when wanting to cut or continue putting muscle on.

First things first though; thank you ProSource for picking me out of all the incredible physiques out there with similar transformation stories. It is an honor to be able to share with all of you through such an outstanding company with such high quality products at such incredible prices. Remember, I’m not a genetically gifted person, I'm actually a hard gainer, and do all my workouts at home with around $2500 worth of equipment, nothing fancy. If I can do it, so can you.

If you remember when I started it was all about lifting and not much thought into diet and supplementation. Grab some protein bars and maybe on sale cheap protein powder at one of the big box stores. If you also recall, I hit burn out very quickly and started losing strength and muscle rather quickly too, so back to the internet I went.

 

 

I remember in my early research that everyone that had success always said diet and supplementation, over and over again. They would even go as far as to say that even using PEDs are useless without proper diet and supplementation. So, you don’t just lift weights and grow, imagine that.

Evolution of a Dietary Regimen

How did I build my daily diet? I am not a big eater so I knew that my meals would have to be small and many throughout the day. I figured this part out by using 1.5 times grams of protein per pound of bodyweight for starters. This is very common and is used by many to ensure proper protein for growth.

For me and my inability to eat a lot at any given moment I came up with 8 meals per day. I was 160lbs when I started, so that equates to 30 grams of protein per meal to equal 240 grams of protein per day. Ok, now what? Let's get some carbs in there. Do I calculate carbs? No, instead I look at my day as always 3 main meals with 5 snacks.

What? Are you confused? Let’s break it down. For growth and even maintaining, your body needs to be fueled up as much as possible without running on empty. What about sleep? Yes I factor in about 7 hours sleep per night with a nap or two on the weekend. My sleep time is when I come closest to empty as it is the longest time of a day that I don’t consume something.

Do I use a ratio or count macros and calories? No I don’t! Here is how I came up with what to have with my protein; back to the internet. What are the big guys doing? Rice, oatmeal, nuts, fruit, vegetables, bread (yes bread) in reasonable amounts, plus pasta and legumes. Got it. I built my meal plan around those items, 8 meals per day, but protein stayed the same and increased as I grew. Here is where I started and where I am now.

This is daily, every day unless I am on vacation. Consistency, consistency, consistency in training, diet, sleep, supplementation. My body completely turned around when I made the decision to be consistent.

• 330am: 1 serving of oatmeal, 30 grams of chocolate NytroWhey and Glutamine mixed in. Today I mix 40 grams in for where I currently am

• 530am: Nutrition bar – This changes to different types but is extremely easy to increase or decrease based on bulking or cutting. You can eat half, whole, quarters. Depends on what you are doing

• 830am: 1 cup of white rice, 30 grams of chocolate NytroWhey and Glutamine mixed in. Today I mix 40 grams in for where I currently am

• 1130am: 1 cup of white rice and 8 ounces of chicken breast, lightly seasoned

• 1PM: Snack on some trail mix – serving or 2 – Recently added for bulking – Another easy delete or add on for bulking or cutting

• 230pm: 30 grams of chocolate NytroWhey and Glutamine mixed in water. Today I mix 40 grams in for where I currently am

• 330pm: Pre-workout – ProSource Creatine, Leucine, Acetyl L-Carnitine, Beta Alanine, Super AKG, 1 scoop amino powder, Extreme Caffeine, Arginine tabs, Tyrosine Tabs, Taurine Tabs and a piece or two of chocolate

• During workout – Sports drink and a banana

• 530pm: ProSource MyoZene

• 7pm: Healthy dinner – I really don’t put much thought into this other than grams of protein – Might be burgers, tacos, tuna, some type of steak or chicken salad. I love bread so I have some type of bread here. Everything else is lean meats and low fat items but I want a good dinner so why not. Once again though, this is also a great place to cut or increase depending on your goals

• 830pm: 30 grams of chocolate NytroWhey and Glutamine mixed in water. Today I mix 40 grams in for where I currently am

• Last but not least – WATER. I try to drink 2 gallons per day. Sometimes I get there, sometimes I don’t, but can certainly see the difference when I am well hydrated versus not. It can be really easy to think you have put fat on but in all actuality you are retaining water. Get your water up before you hit the panic button and start cutting calories.

This has worked very well for me and is so convenient. Yes it is the same everyday but I’m okay with that because I want results. Do I cheat? Sure occasionally, but I monitor my weight, bodyfat, and overall appearance when it comes to deciding when I feel okay cheating.

Just Add Supplementation

Lets talk about supplementation. Like I have stated earlier, there is and always will be a controversy over what is necessary and what is not. My opinion remains the same and there is substantial backing for this; supplements are just that, supplementation. When you are heavily taxing your body week in and out, just food alone is not enough to keep you healthy and growing, your body needs excess vitamins, minerals, and aminos.

 

 

Think about supplements just like the protein; you need excess to grow, supplements fall into the same category. I have 3 different times during the day that I take supplements and it is working well. Do I do this year around? No. When I take a vacation, away from home and weights, I only take a vitamin pack. Why? I believe that your body becomes tolerant to supplements to where the effectiveness might fall off a little, so allowing the body to clean and reset is a good idea for me anyway.

It’s especially important when using AndroTest where usage is 4 weeks on, 2 weeks off. This allows your natural testosterone production to not be affected so the boost you receive is just that -- a boost. If you suppress your natural testosterone you lose that boost. Yes, Androtest is that powerful.

How do I continue to grow over 50? You might want to try Androtest. Ok, back to my daily supplement routine….

3:30am

• Vital Mens Multivitamin - Complete Spectrum of Vitamins/Minerals/Antioxidants for Men
• BCAA Caps - Anti-Catabolic and Energy Support Aminos - Try this with and without on your next workouts. I definitely notice decreased muscle soreness when using
• Turmeric - Awesome for joint pain
• Ultra Glucosamine and Chondroitin - Joint health
• Ultra CLA - Stimulant-Free Fat Loss and HDL Cholesterol Support
• COQ10 - Heart-Healthy Antioxidant and Energy Support
• Acetyl-L-Carnitine - Reduce muscle soreness, enhance focus and greatly facilitate the muscle's capacity to recuperate and repair
• Flush Form Niacin -  Clinical studies have shown that non-buffered (flush form) niacin may enhance workouts by helping to increase blood circulation to muscles (vasodilation) along with cholesterol support
• L-Leucine - Leucine has demonstrated a remarkable capacity to decrease protein degradation and improve protein synthesis, especially after intense exercise
• Omega-1250 - Highest Potency Standardized Amounts of EPA and DHA, May Play a Role in Reducing Post-Workout Catabolism, Essential for Immune Support, Well-Validated Support of Cardiovascular Health
• Vitamin D
• Garlic Tab
• A liver support supplement

Pre-Workout

• Creatine - Contains 100% Creapure® Creatine, the World's Purest, Most Potent German Creatine Monohydrate
• Leucine - Leucine has demonstrated a remarkable capacity to decrease protein degradation and improve protein synthesis, especially after intense exercise.
• Acetyl-L-Carnitine - Reduce muscle soreness, enhance focus and greatly facilitate the muscle's capacity to recuperate and repair
• 1 scoop Amino Powder - Anti-Catabolic and Energy Support Aminos
• Beta Alanine - Clinically Validated to Significantly Increase Carnosine Levels, Shown to Help Reduce Fatigue, 100% Sourced With Premium Grade CarnoSyn® Brand Beta Alanine, The World's Best, Helps Augment Energy Levels During Intense Workouts
• Super AKG Powder - Nitric Oxide Potentiator. This mass-building, pump-producing dynamo is highly reactive and plays a critical role in increased blood flow by a process called vasodilation, for improved nutrient delivery, amplified growth signals, muscle recovery and increased endurance
• Extreme Caffeine - Stimulator that contains 200mg of the highest-quality natural caffeine available and 250mg of L-Tyrosine for added focus and performance enhancement, and 200mg of calcium
• L-Arginine - Potent vasodilation, proper immune system function and potential cardiovascular support
• L-Tyrosine - this powerful amino acid offers a spectrum of important benefits for athletes looking to maximize their intensity level and even for non-athletes just looking to increase their focus and energy
• Mega Taurine - Taurine has demonstrated profound muscle cell volumizing effects, which can help to enhance protein synthesis. Taurine also provides support as an insulin mimicker, which can help enhance glucose and amino acid metabolism
• Post Workout – MyoZene – Heavy hitter here - MyoZene’s core strength originates from its rare and highly specialized whey hydrolysate technology. It’s well established that the ingestion of premium hydrolyzed whey protein immediately after exercise results in the highest levels of blood amino acids, which are associated with augmented nitrogen utilization, protein synthesis and a greatly elevated anabolic state

830pm

• BCAA Caps - Anti-Catabolic and Energy Support Aminos - Try with and without on your next workouts. I definitely notice decreased muscle soreness when using
• Turmeric - Awesome for joint pain
• Ultra Glucosamine and Chondroitin - Joint health
• Ultra CLA - Stimulant-Free Fat Loss and HDL Cholesterol Support
• Acetyl-L-Carnitine - Reduce muscle soreness, enhance focus and greatly facilitate the muscle's capacity to recuperate and repair
• L-Leucine -  leucine has demonstrated a remarkable capacity to decrease protein degradation and improve protein synthesis, especially after intense exercise.
• Omega-1250 - Highest Potency Standardized Amounts of EPA and DHA
• Vitamin D
• Garlic Tab
• A liver support supplement
 
So there you have it for my diet and supplementation program. I am living proof that this combination works to a tune of 10-12 lbs of muscle addition for the past 6 years. Cycle in Androtest 3-4 times per year, follow a strict diet and training plan and you will see results.

Remember start with a diet plan that gives you the protein that you need then come close with everything else, don’t be afraid to experiment a little, learn where you gain and learn where you lose. This diet and supplementation program has allowed me to make lean gains. I prefer to stay lean just for overall sense of feeling good about how I look year round.

Next article we will talk about training routines and exercise selection, as well as what is too much and not enough. Again, when you are at the gym, you are not there to bs, you are there to lift, bring the heat, be always within 1-2 reps of full failure and don’t be a show off with weights you can’t control. Remember, mind muscle connection. The results and appearance you get will speak volumes versus how much you can lift.

You can always find me on Instagram @darrinjhills
 
Thanks for reading,
 
Darrin

 

Endorsers used supplements referenced here in conjunction with diet and exercise and were compensated for their appearance. Endorser's results are not typical. Read and follow all product label instructions and warnings thoroughly before use. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

The articles featured herein are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Specific medical advice should only be obtained from a licensed health care professional. No liability is assumed by ProSource for any information herein.