Often, you’ll see some results after beginning to use these supplements. The only problem is,
the results don’t come from the supplements. They come from the athlete himself.
He’s enthusiastic again after a down period and finds himself with renewed dedication. He
sets out to improve his nutrition, but at the same time kicks up his training and adjusts his
lifestyle. He gets results thanks to changes in training, lifestyle, and attitude. But instead of taking
the credit himself, he’ll start singing the praises of some absolutely worthless supplement.
This brings to the forefront the #1 rule when dealing with any supplement: Be critical. Before
announcing to the world how good a supplement is, take a long look at the benefits you think
you’ve received from the supplement. Study your progress to see if you’ve really gone beyond
what you would ordinarily expect from the diet and training you’re on. Are you really getting
stronger than you would normally expect? Gaining stamina? Are you increasing lean body mass
as a result of the supplement, or increased training intensity and enthusiasm?
The supplement manufacturers make enough ungrounded claims all by themselves. There’s
no need for you to help them out. Be critical. Study your overall progress and training situation.
Then, if it’s proven to you that the supplements are giving you an edge, you’ll know you’ve got
something that really works.
It’s also important to say up front that supplements don’t work of and by themselves. They
do not take the place of proper training, diet, and lifestyle. What they do is work together with
training, diet, and lifestyle to maximize growth. They also must be targeted for specific diets
and training conditions, and they must be taken at the right time and in the right dosages.
The supplements that I recommend be used with the Anabolic Diet are targeted specifically
for use with this diet. Many would have little effect if they were to be used with the high carb
diet. But here, when used correctly, they’ll work synergistically with the Anabolic Diet, your
training, and lifestyle to maximize anabolic drive, limit catabolism and burn fat.
LIFESTYLE
In order to manipulate the body’s endogenous hormones to insure that maximum growth
takes place, the bodybuilder has to first bring his lifestyle under control. Reducing stress is a big
factor since it can result in decreased testosterone and increased cortisol levels. Stated most simply,
stress makes it more difficult to build mass and easier to break it down.
You’ll also need sleep. When training hard, you should allow for 9–10 hours a day. This can
be done either straight through at night or with an 8 hour stretch at night and a 1–2 hour nap
in the afternoon. Sleep deprivation adversely affects testicular function and this leads to lower
levels of serum testosterone.^1 This isn’t good for bodybuilding.
Recreational drug use must also be curtailed. Marijuana2,3 and cocaine4,5 have been shown to
decrease serum testosterone. And though I allow for a beer or two during carb loading sessions
of the diet, it’s best not to overdo it. Alcohol also lowers testosterone6,7,8 and growth hormone.^9
50 CHAPTER 4