Nutrition and Supplement Strategies

By Brad Loomis

2x ABA/INBA Natural Body Building Champion

Nutrition

            I use the nutritional calculator provided by AST Sports Science to figure my nutritional and macronutrient requirements.  The calculator is free and is easy to use.  In the past I have always used my current weight and an “endomorph” metabolism as my body type.  It has worked very effectively, but I have noticed the muscular gains have slowed down.  I believe this is due partially because as we all know, the longer you train, the harder it is to put on muscle.  I also believe it is due to the fact that I have changed my metabolism to more of an “ectomorph” metabolism.  I have a lot more muscle than I used to, and my activity level is a lot higher.  So I derived upon my new nutritional requirements by using an ectomorph metabolism body type and providing my goal weight in the nutritional calculator.  Basically, I used 205lbs as my body weight instead of 185lbs.

            Using my “new” macronutrient and caloric requirements, I created a nutritional menu that I will follow Monday through Friday.  On the weekends I will relax a little, eat clean, but not think so much about the timing and nutritional value of the food I eat.  I have bracketed both my morning cardio, and afternoon weight training sessions using AST’s “bracketing method.”  Additionally, I will follow AST’s “Anabolic Nutrient Timing Factor” to a T for the three hours following my afternoon weight training.

Current nutrition schedule

Supplements

            Like many of us, I do not have an unlimited supplement budget, or an endorsement contract to provide me with any and all supplements that I want to take.  There for using a supplement “hierarchy” that I created, I take the supplements that I can fit into my supplement budget.  95% of the supplements that I am taking are AST Sports Science high quality, high performance supplements.  The main reason I take supplements is for the convenience.  I can not cook 10 meals a day, but I can cook 5 meals a day, and eat 5 supplement meals a day.  I also believe that supplements aid in my quest for maximum results in a short period of time through scientific delivery of high quality nutrients.  I use AST-SS Supplements because they have earned my trust as an honest supplement company whose supplements are of the highest quality. 

The Juice Plus whole food supplement by N.S.A is my Multi-Vitamin.  I am getting the whole food nutrition of 17 different fruits and vegetables in 4 easy to take capsules.  It is literally “Jetson Food” and is of the highest bio-availability of any supplement. 

The Complete Whey by Cytosport is more of a supplement protein to supplement my VP2.  I would love to take 9 or 10 scoops of VP2 a day, but my budget can not allow it.  There for I will surround my workout, using the bracketing method, with VP2 because it is the best whey protein on the market.  I will bolster the protein in my whole food meals with the whey protein concentrate to keep my protein intake at the levels AST’s nutritional calculator recommends. 

I will cycle my Creatine use according to the latest research provided by Paul Cribb, Director of Research AST Sports Science.  I will take a loading dose of 30 grams of Micronized Creatine monohydrate for three days, specifically, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.  Then I will cycle off the Creatine for Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.  I will bracket both my morning cardio, and my afternoon weights with 5 and 10 grams of Creatine respectively.

My supplement hierarchy goes as follows.

1.)   VP2 Whey Protein Isolate – AST-SS

2.)   Nytro Pro 40 Meal Replacement Pack – AST-SS

3.)   Juice Plus (Whole food Fruit and Vegetable supplement) - N.S.A

4.)   Micronized Creatine – AST-SS

5.)   DGC – (Dextrorotary Glucose Crystals) – AST-SS

6.)   Dymetadrine Extreme – AST-SS

7.)   GL3 L-Glutamine – AST-SS

8.)   GABA – AST-SS

9.)   Pro Flex 750 (Glucosamine and Chondroitin) – AST-SS

10.) Complete Whey Protein Concentrate – CytoSport Tech

11.) VYO Pro protein Bars – AST-SS

Supplement Schedule

            In the event that I am able to increase my supplement budget, I will replace the Complete Whey by Cytosport with VP2 so that all of my supplement protein is from VP2.  Then if there is money left over, I will add other supplements that have been proven by science and the literature published.  The supplements on my proverbial “wish list” are.

1.)   C.L.A.

2.)   DHEA and/or Terrestis Tribulis (if it is still available)

3.)   r.A.L.A.