can i bodybuild without protein supplements?
342523
Of course.  Just learn how to get the protein you need from food.  Chicken, red meat, fish, etc.   Its the best way to get big actually, however the supplements are much easier...which is why most people use them.
714293
NO\n\nYou need protein and carbs as well as vitamins
133467
You could eat more protein in your diet. Protien is used to build skin and muscle.
450270
A protein shake is just a supplement. It is not a meal replacement, however, there are products that are labeled as such. If you want to use a protein shake as a meal replacement (I've done this myself), add some fresh fruit (frozen strawberries, blueberries, etc) and maybe some yogurt. It's will leave you pretty full and satisfied. I highly suggest whey protein as opposed to soy protein. Also make sure it's pretty low in carbs and sugar.
1118066
meats and nuts.  You only want to eat lots of protein when your building muscle.  Otherwise just keep a small amount in your daily diet
1154979
hey handsome yes you need to get a protein shake or good nutritinal shake I use the nutritional shake from walmart their brand I eat a healthy huge breakfast and take my nutritional shakes for lunch and a reasonable meal at nite sometimes just the shake
801113
The answer is anyone at any time as food supplement.\n\nAs the term supplement suggests, if you are eating healthy diet you do not need any supplement, supplement is not wholefood. However, it is very GOOD when you have regular work-out, resistant training or aerobics.\n\nAbout the time you take it - I would say between meals, also some hours before your work-out session, and I don't think it is important to take it AT ONCE after the work-out, but just take it some time after your work-out. The reason is simple, it take 3-4 hours to digest even the isolate is easier to be "absorbed", when replacing the protein loss, your body is using the resources already there which is what you ate few hours ago and before.\n\nBUT the most appropriate use is for bodybuilders, who are very aware of UNWANTED extra carb or fat, doing hard-core weight training to take it regularly. Hard-gainer and beginners just take whey protein.\n\nThere are links you can go to and read more about whey protiein isolate like VPX, Isopure, etc. If it's 100% it's zero carb and no fat and costs you more.\n\nhttp://www.bodybuilding.com/store/vpx/cross.html\nhttp://www.nicemuscle.com/isopure-zero-carb-81730.htm\n\nYou can find nearly all the popular whey protein from there with review\n\nhttp://www.nicemuscle.com/category1072.htm\n\nBe careful, 100% whey protein may not be isolate and so it's not really all protein without carb and fat.\n\nExtract from VPX\n\n>100% Whey Protein Isolate \n>Microfraction Selection Technology \n>Great Tasting Flavor \n>Zero Carbohydrates \n>Zero Sugar \n>Zero Fat \n>Zero Aspartame or Acesulfame K \n>Zero Corn Syrup Solids or Hydrogenated Oils \n>Zero Fat-Promoting High Glycemic Index Maltodextrins \n>Zero Caseinate, Ion Exchange or Other Old-School Proteins \n>Zero Estrogen Promoting Inferior Soy Proteins \n>Zero Lactose - Generally Safe for Most People with Milk Allergies \n\nWhy supplement your nutrition program with protein?\n\nProtein exerts the release of many powerful muscle building (growth hormone and IGF-I) and fat burning (glucagon, GH, etc) hormones. It is also necessary to build and repair muscle tissue. Frequent consumption of high quality lean proteins help maintain a lean muscular physique
361013
I heard that taking protein after you eat helps build muscle. I have huge calves ( I hate it) but  mine are from dancing. I do Irish step, so yes it's alot of work on being on the balls of your feet.
1011840
No.  You get bigger by lifting weights, and increasing the weight as you become stronger.  A balanced diet is key.  Supplements make expensive urine and that is about it.  These supplements merely provide calories usually in the form of protein, that ultimately taxes your liver.\n\nYour body will naturally adapt to the challenge.  Mix up your weight program (the same routine will not challenge new muscle), do sprints, distance,  keep your body guessing and you will keep building muscle.\n\nNote:  Most women hate the 'body builder' look.  We prefer nicely muscled men, not bulky weird looking men.  We will take David Beckham over Hulk Hogan.
420749
if your looking to gain muscle don't restrict your calories but eat clean foods and avoid grease and sugar as much as possible.  Here is a good grocery list I use http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/stella9a.htm but DON'T CUT CARBS carbs are your friend for building muscle they are the shuttle to the muscle fibers for protein synthesis to take place.  Without proper nutrition your workouts will actually do more harm than good because your muscles are not going to heal efficiently.  I recommend a whey protein isolate 30 min prior to workouts and a nighttime protien that breaks down slower for when your sleep (when your muscles are actually healing) this is the stuff i use for nighttime http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/mhp/pro.html but amino acids are very important for muscle building.
607487
In theory you can build lean muscle while low on carbs, it just is very unlikely to happen. Two things need to happen to build lean mass:\n* your muscles need to be in an anabolic state (i.e. a "build up" state), and \n* you need to provide them with the right nutrients (building blocks) to mass up\n\nWhen you're on an Atkins type diet, the second point should be no problem: if your diet is high on proteins, than your body is likely to have to building blocks necessary to construct new muscle tissue, i.e. lean mass.\nThe problem is the first point: to get into an anabolic, muscle building, state, you typically exercise. Cardio type exercise will help you loose fat. Not a bad thing, if you have to much of that. This will also help improve your body composition, as your existing muscle mass will be paired with fewer and fewer fat.\nHowever, cardio exercise will not help you build new muscle. Only strength training will do that. And herein lies the problem: you need lots of energy to do strength training. The theory behind Atkins is that you can derive energy from burning stored body fat. However, the reality is, that most people find it hard to impossible to do so. Most people on Atkins find that you can derive enough energy through fat burning to hop on the treadmill for 30 minutes, but not enough to hit the weights seriously enough to build muscles.  Only carbohydrates seem to give you the energy boost that allows you to do serious lifting.\n\nBody builders, when preparing for a contest, always face the task of having to build lean muscle, while loosing the fat they accumulated in the off season. I don't know of any such athlete who uses Atkins for that.
816908
This site has info on both. A vegetarian bodybuilder convinced the governor of CA that you can get everything a bodybuilder needs without meat.\n\nProtein needs 8 essential amino acids. Most fruits and vegetables contain all 8 of them. In fact fruit has everything except in small quatities because it contains so much water. But that water is good for you and non-fattening.\n\nThis site has quotes from governor of CA from his 700 page book, Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding. Maybe it will help you become governor of your state.\n\nhttp://www.phifoundation.org
1037907
get a protein supplement, nutrition stores sell them, and they work....  follow the directions and you'll be in good "shape"
807782
Hi, Im not a body builder but I started lifting weights around your age.\nOne of the most important things if you want to build muscle is your diet. It depends if you have a fast, slow or normal metabolism (how fast your body burns calories/energy/fat) you should know yourself what you are. Make sure you have a balanced diet and a little bit of extra protein (chicken & turkey are good sources). If you need a bit more protein in your diet I would recommend a "protein shake" these are safe and are not steroids they just contain a multi-vitamin and protein (protein can be found in many foods naturally) this is an easy way to boost your amount of protein without the hassle of cooking etc.\nRead up on diet etc I recommend www.menshealth.com I would also recommend the magazine it features a wide range of workouts, food, interesting articles, sports etc.\nDon’t work yourself too hard lifting heavy weights if you feel any strain stop! Don’t try to act tough in the gym and lift weights to impress others you could do serious damage that will set back your training and may be do permanent damage.\nYou can build muscle doing cardio/sport etc. I would also recommend that you build up your flexibility while you are young this will help prevent pulling muscles etc in the future. \nStart with light weights 3 sets 15 reps as it gets easier build up the weights. Also rest a day between lifting weights its normal to feel achy the next day but this will go away after awhile. I would say to do a workout like this 3-4 times a week.\nI could go on forever but check out the website and the magazine if you go to a decent gym don’t be afraid to ask questions there too. Have a look at www.maximuscle.co.uk too I wouldn’t recommend anything else but the protein shakes though.\nGood luck!\n\nEDIT: I forgot you are only 16! You are still growing so take it easy and eat a balanced diet up your intake of protein but you probally wont need a protein shakes at your age. I would also say you should start swimming its a good full body work out.
1034002
Yes and no.\n\nProtein powders are exactly what they say on the tin - protein.  If your diet, for whatever reason, is lacking in protein then they have their place for you.  Just the same as an anaemic may take iron supplements.\n\nHowever, the body can only synthesize so much protein at a time, so if your dietary supply of protein is sufficient for your needs, the surplus is (to be blunt) pissed back out.  I can think of more enjoyable ways to piss your money away.\n\nA cheap way to make an equally effective source of protein in the form of a shake is to add powdered milk to your drink - about 2-3 tablespoons per pint.  A tin of marvel costs about a quid.  It's pretty much the same thing.\n\nCreatine is a different matter and the jury is still out on it.  Most of the studies done on creatine have been funded by...guess who?  Yep, the people who make and market it.  \n\nCreatine phosphate is a molecule involved in energy release in the body.  It is used to make more adenosine triphosphate when it is being burned at a high rate.  The idea is that by taking artificial ammounts, you will have extra energy and your muscle's supply will become less depleted meaning they grow more quickly after exercise.\n\nOf the relatively independent studies, the muscle growth has been shown to be pretty much a load of rubbish.  Your body simply stops producing as much of its own creatine phosphate when you have the artificially introduced stuff.\n\nThere is one genuine, relatively long term and independent study which has shown that olympic standard squash players showed a 1% performance enhanced effect due to creatine.  If you're training your cardio system as hard as an olympic standard squash player, then yes, it appears worth it.\n\nThe long term effects of creatine supplementation cannot yet be known, as it has only been on the market for around fifteen years.  Already there are suggestions that it can cause digestive and kidney problems - which doesn't bode well.  Later research suggests that this is more due to the powders that the creatine is carried in, so the liquid forms should be safer.\n\nWhat about all the testimonials from sports personalities?\na) Would you admit to taking steroids?\nb) Here's a hundred grand to say you use our milkshake...deal?\nc) Sports persons have a very high calorie requirement - shakes or another plate of pasta in between your running?\n\nThere is also the placebo effect to take into account.  Various studies have shown that placebo groups make improvements because the people think they're getting a special pill to make them bigger, stronger, faster, whatever.  So they're more motivated, so they train harder, which (guess what?) leads to improved outcome.\n\nSo even if they do nothing for you, if you believe they do, they actually will...oddly enough.
807054
push yourself a little harder.  more weight.  also make sure you eat enough protein.  you can't build muscle without protein.  eat your body weight in protein everyday.  however, your body can only take in between 25-42 grams of protein per meal.  so if you weigh 120, you should eat four meals a day at 40 grams of protein per meal.  if you're not getting sore after a workout then increase the reps and sets.  switch up exercises too.  do leg extentions and leg curls and calf raises.  read muscle and fitness magazine too.  they always have good exercise routines.
1030059
wow 300 bench w/o using any protein supplements...not bad. =]\n\nafter workouts, wouldn't you want your muscles to have the necessary protein to repair your muscle tissue?  you should definitely add it after workouts at the very least.\n\nsome people add it before workout too because evidence suggests that an easily digested serving of protein pre-workout may increase protein synthesis in the exercising muscle more than 6 times resting levels.