Skinny Vs Fat:
How To Maximize Your Results Through Supplementation Regardless Of Your Body Type!
The grass is always greener. We all know this saying. Whether it is about your friend's blonde wife when you have a brunette wife, or the guy with the office job who wishes he worked outdoors. What about the greatest screwjob of all? Your body type!
Naturally skinny people (ectomorphs) complain constantly about not being able to gain weight and naturally fatter people (endomorphs) complain about storing fat too easily and/or not being able to lose fat.
Now, while I like big butts and I cannot lie, you other brothers can't deny that being able to maximize your genetics and be lean and MUSCULAR is the goal of 99% of the readers of Bodybuilding.com.
In this article, Team Scivation and Bodybuilding.com will lay out exactly what supplements you need to help build that Greek-God-like physique you have always dreamed of.
The diet and training are the largest part, but these recommendations will give you the edge you need to bring sexy back, and to make your backside sexy. So read on and put a little zoom zoom zoom in your boom boom. It's time to get results!
Let's begin this quest for sexiness by looking at what exactly an ectomorph and endomorph is. The simplistic distinction between these different phenotypes when it comes to body composition changes are:
- Ectomorph: Naturally skinny and has a hard time gaining weight (both muscle and fat).
- Endomorph: Naturally heavy and has an easy time gaining weight (more so fat than muscle) and a hard time losing it.
In most cases, endomorphs need to eat less food than an ectomorph in order to gain weight.
Okay, so that was fast and easy. Diet and training are key. Ectomorphs need to eat more to add lean mass and also benefit from supplements that help deliver nutrients and add calories without making them feel like they have the "itis" (Boondox Reference) and also need to ensure an optimal anabolic state because they will catabolize lean mass and that is not good!
Endomorphs need to eat enough, but also need to watch closely and preferably gain lean mass and not fat. Thus, we have laid out three groups. Everyone takes the CORE supplements. We then add to the stacks by having special add on supplements for ectomorphs and endomorphs. Below, find the key to unlocking your sexy potential!
The Core
This is what everyone takes, period. We recommend that even ugly people take this. Even those who don't train. And yes, even those who square dance. So as we dosey-doe into this article, kick up your spurs and slap on your chaps, here is your base.
Our base addresses the following:
- Daily Nutrition
- Healthy Fats
- Workout Nutrition
- Whey Protein
Without further ado, here is the list of must-haves on ANY program. This includes bulking, cutting, and even just maintaining and staying lean and sexy!
1. Multivitamin
- We recommend a
- no matter what your diet is like just for insurance. It is there just in case your diet that day lacks in one area or another. You do not have to get too fancy with this.
- A simple one-a-day vitamin will do the trick. One per day is all you need! This will ensure the nutrients that you might have missed in your diet are there. Remember, being healthy is anabolic!
View Multivitamins Products Sorted By Top Seller Here. 2. Fish Oil
- The most important
- are Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA), an
- PUFA with 20 carbons and 5 double bonds synthesized from linolenic acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA), an omega-3 PUFA with 22 carbons and 6 double bonds synthesized from linolenic acid.
They are the nutrients responsible for cell flexibility, nerve communications, mood support, and even body fat reduction. Take 3-6 capsules per day. If it is a standard 180 EPA/120 DHA mix, take six. If it is a higher concentration, three is sufficient.
Take all at once or spread throughout the day, it will not matter. Whether a endomorph or ectomorph, this is a must! It helps prevent fat gain for endomorphs and will also help with insulin sensitivity for ectomorphs. It is a MUST for everyone!
3. Workout Nutrition
- If you can afford only one supplement other than a
- and
- ,
- is the supplement that you should choose. In the Supplement Hierarchy of Needs, Team Scivation recommends Workout Nutrition first and foremost. In fact, we think that this is one of the reasons that our diets work so well and so consistently for just about everyone who uses them.
Scivation has made Workout Nutrition a thoughtless endeavor. Imagine if you could fuel your muscles DURING your workout to encourage lean muscle growth and endless energy with enhanced recovery.
- If you're like anyone here at Team Scivation, this is a dream come true. Time to stop dreaming. Xtend is available in FIVE delicious flavors. Refreshing Watermelon, Grape, Apple, Lemonade and Orange.
We have formulated Scivation Xtend to increase protein synthesis, recovery, and performance using a precise blend Branched-Chain-Amino Acids (BCAA), L-Glutamine, and Citrulline Malate. BCAA are a must have for workout nutrition. In summary, the metabolic roles of the BCAA Include:
- Substrate for energy production
- Substrate for protein synthesis
- Precursor for the formation of other amino acids
- Primarily Alanine and Glutamine
- Metabolic signals (Primarily Leucine)
- Stimulates protein synthesis through insulin secretion/activation of the PI3K pathway
- Stimulates protein synthesis through activation of mTOR
- Stimulates leptin expression in adipocytes through activation of mTOR
Xtend was formulated to give the body what it needs during exercise. As you exercise, the body increases the demand for various nutrients and if the body is not fed those nutrients, it must obtain them from other sources (i.e. breakdown of skeletal muscle to obtain amino acids).
Both BCAA and Glutamine oxidation/demand is increased during exercise. In order to meet this increased demand for BCAA and Glutamine, the body breaks down muscle protein.
- The
- of weight training is to increase protein synthesis. In order to gain muscle mass, protein turnover (protein turnover = protein synthesis - protein breakdown) must be positive.
An increase in protein synthesis from weight training can lead to an increase in muscle mass. If we are increasing protein breakdown during training, we are decreasing the training session's overall anabolic effect and limiting muscle growth.
BCAA supplementation has been shown to not only increase protein synthesis, but also to decrease protein breakdown. By supplementing with Xtend during your workouts you are creating an ideal environment for muscle growth.
- What all this means is ingesting BCAA primes your body for growth by increasing protein synthesis and energy production in muscle. All of these actions are beneficial to an athlete and should not be overlooked.
There is endless research backing BCAA supplementation as part of one's workout nutrition. In addition, the citrulline malate found in Xtend increases atp/energy production, delays fatigue, and increase blood flow and amino acid deliver to muscle and the glutamine promotes increased recovery. We recommend 4-8 scoops of Xtend during training depending on bodyweight.
4. Whey Protein
- While I consider this a FOOD and not a supplement, it is sold in a box with a supplement company's label on it, so we will put it here. I recommend one that is LOW in
- and
- with less than three grams of each per serving so that it is as close to
- only as possible and can be used whether bulking or cutting.
If you want more carbs, you can add oats or another source. If you want more fats, add oils, almond butter, peanut butter, or another healthy EFA source. Since missing a meal can hurt your results, this makes the BASE list.
- For ectomorphs, this adds calories and you can add oil and powdered carbs (more on this later) to make it a super calorie shake and for endomorphs,
- has been shown to curb appetite and enhance fat loss! This is fantastic news for both the fat and the unfat!
The Little B@stard Stack
This is what ectomorphs need to take to maximize their results. It is all about calories!
1. Healthy Fat
- Put down the Crisco, little man. It is all about oil. HEALTHY OIL! We are going to rock out the following oils and nuts/nut butters to make you sexy:
- Almonds
- Almond Butter
- Natural Peanut Butter
- Oils
- Olive
- Macadamia Nut
- Enova
- Flax
- Udos
- Other oils with low saturated fat composed of mainly mono and poly unsaturated fat.
- Avocado
- Various Nuts without added oil. Look for "dry roasted" or raw.
- is what you NEED for optimal brain function and
- production and it also helps you build lean mass! Fat is where it is at! But it has to be HEALTHY FAT! It will also make you healthier-a win win situation!
2. High Glycemic Carbs
- We usually steer clear of these, but for the EXTREME hardgainer, a postworkout wallop of
- adds easy
- that will not fill you up!
We recommend consuming a combination of Whey Protein and fast acing carbohydrates immediately after your workout. The carb source should be a fast-acting, high glycemic carb such as waxy maize starch (Primaforce Carb Slam is an example of this).
- Waxy maize starch is relatively new to the general public, but it has been getting great reviews. While there might not be a ton of studies backing its use over dextrose, anecdotal feedback shows that waxy maize starch provides better pumps and muscle fullness over dextrose. Our own personal experience with waxy maize starch agrees with this anecdotal feedback.
3. Creatine
- The granddaddy of them all. We recommend taking 2.5-5g on workout days (assuming 4 or more training days per week). This will have you 100% saturated within a month. You can't beat 100%, so no need to load!
Creatine Monohydrate is one of the most studied supplements and has been shown to cause dramatic increases in muscle size and strength. Creatine can help:
- Build and maintain lean muscle
- Provide more energy during sets and faster recovery between sets when training
- Promote muscle cell hydration
- Increase strength
- Enhance recovery
4. Beta Alanine
What is Beta-Alanine?
- is one of the two amino acids (histidine being the other) that make up the protein
- . Carnosine is found throughout the body, but specifically in skeletal muscle.
Research shows that skeletal muscle carnosine levels are correlated with performance during high-intensity exercise (Suzuki, 2002); higher carnosine levels lead to better performance. Beta-Alanine availability is the limiting factor in muscle carnosine synthesis (Hill, 2007).
Carnosine is an important metabolic buffer in skeletal muscle (Suzuki, 2002), which means it helps maintain the acid-base balance in the presence of high H+ (hydrogen ion) concentrations.
H+ is a byproduct of energy metabolism and lactic acid production, which causes a burning sensation in yours muscles when you workout (such as during high-rep leg extensions).
- During exercise H+ levels increase, which causes fatigue and decreases performance. If one could keep H+ levels down during exercise they could delay fatigue and increase performance; this can be accomplished with Beta-alanine supplementation.
What does Beta-Alanine do?
- According to recent research the following has been found about Beta-Alanine:
- Beta-Alanine availability is the limiting factor in muscle carnosine synthesis.
- Muscle carnosine levels were higher after 10 weeks of beta-alanine supplementation than after 4 weeks, showing that beta-alanine's effects are best experienced over long term supplementation.
- Beta-alanine supplementation increases total work done during aerobic exercise.
- Adding beta-alanine to creatine supplementation leads to greater increases in lean mass than creatine supplementation alone.
- Beta-alanine may increase endurance performance
- Beta-alanine may delay neuromuscular fatigue, which would allow one to workout longer and more intensely.
- Beta-alanine delays fatigue
- Beta-alanine delays onset of reaching ones ventilatory threshold, which is the point where ventilation increases non-linearly due to blood and muscle acidosis
- Beta-alanine increases time to exhaustion
Who should use Beta-Alanine?
- Any athlete or health conscious adult looking to improve
- , performance, or gain muscle will benefit from taking Beta-Alanine.
When/How should I take Beta-Alanine?
- Research studies have dosed Beta-Alanine at 3.2-6.4 grams/day. The most effective way to take Beta-Alanine would be 2 grams prior to exercise and 2 grams 8 hours before or after exercise.
What supplements can I stack with Beta-Alanine to increase results?
- Beta-Alanine has been shown to work synergistically with
- .
- ,
- , and
- would also stack well with Beta-Alanine.
Does Beta-Alanine have any side effects?
- Beta-Alanine is a safe, side effect free supplements when taken by healthy adults with no pre-existing health problems. Supplementing with Beta-Alanine can cause tingling of the skin. This effect usually disappears after 2 weeks of use.
Will Beta-Alanine cause me to fail a drug test for natural bodybuilding competitions?
- No. Beta-Alanine contains all natural ingredients and no
- . It will not cause you to fail a drug test.
One of the biggest obstacles when it comes to gaining weight is eating enough food. If you are not gaining muscle then you need to eat more calories.
- As I said in the introduction, I do not believe in the "eat everything you see" style bulking diet, but rather eating large quantities of healthy foods. You must eat to gain weight! Here are some ways for getting enough calories to grow.
One Method To Eat More - The Power MRP!
You may not have the appetite to eat 6-7 solid food meals a day, so in order to get the calories you need, you can implement shakes.
Now I am not talking about just a whey protein shake, but rather a MEAL in the form of a shake. Here is an ingredient list for a high calorie, nutritious, AFFORDABLE shake:
Once you have the ingredients you can choose how many calories you want the shake to have by choosing from the recipes below. This shake can be used for 2-3 of your daily meals.
The amount of each ingredient can be adjusted to change the total calorie content of the shake. The recipes are listed in 100 calorie increments starting at 500 calories and are close to the often recommended 50:30:20 macronutrient ratio.
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An example daily meal schedule could be:
- Meal 1 = Solid Food
- Meal 2 = Power MRP
- Meal 3 = Solid Food Meal
- Meal 4 = Post Workout Shake
- Meal 5 = Solid Food
- Meal 6 = Power MRP
Boosting The Anabolic Effect Of The Power MRP
- Adding
- /
Leucine
- to meals has been shown to boost the increase in protein synthesis seen from the meal. I recommend adding 1-2 Scoops of
Scivation Xtend
- or 1-2 Scoops of
Primaforce Bulk BCAA
- to your Power MRP for extra anabolism, which is always a good thing!
The Fat Attack
We recommend that the naturally "big boned" individual also takes Creatine and Beta Alanine in addition to the CORE. But here are some tricks that will help keep fat gain to a minimum and enhance fat loss while dieting!
1. Sesamin
- is a lignan isolated from sesame seeds. A lignan is a molecule that combines with another entity acting as an "activator." In the case of sesamin, it binds to and activates a receptor called Peroxisome Proliferator-Activator Receptor Alpha (PPARalpha). Sesamin has been shown to be a potent PPARalpha activator.
The PPAR receptor family is divided into three subgroups: alpha, beta/delta, and gamma. PPARalpha is highly expressed in muscle, the liver, kidneys, and heart and is involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism, specifically the transcription of the genes involved in the beta-oxidation (burning) of fatty acids and lipogenesis.
Activation of PPARalpha increases gene expression of the fatty acid oxidation enzymes and decreases gene expression of lipogenic enzymes.
Of vital importance, Sesamin increases the expression of the mitochondrial enzyme carnitine palmitoyl transferase (CPT), among other enzymes. CPT, the rate-limiting enzyme in beta-oxidation of fatty acids in skeletal muscle and liver cell mitochondria, is found on the outer membrane of mitochondria and carries fatty acids across the membrane into the mitochondria by binding to them.
Increasing the expression of CPT, along with other enzymes involved in beta-oxidation, will allow more fatty acids to be transported into the mitochondria where they can be oxidized.
In addition to increasing the oxidation of fat, Sesamin supplementation has also been shown to decrease lipogenesis (fat storage) by decreasing lipogenic enzymes in the liver.
- Sesamin has been shown to decrease lipogenic the gene expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 (SREBP-1), acetyl-CoA carboxylase, and fatty acid synthase, among other lipogenic enzymes, which means less fat is esterifized in the liver and therefore less fat is stored in adipose tissue (fat cells).
So Sesamin works in two ways to make you lean (and keep you lean): increasing fat oxidation and decreasing fat storage.
2. Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)
- (CLA) is a mix of isomers of linoleic acid (commercially sold as a 50:50 mix of cis-9, trans-11 and trans-10, cis-12 isomers). Studies done on humans have shown decreased body fat and/or increased lean mass (though results are mixed). CLA is believed to influence body composition through regulation of lipid metabolism.
Studies have shown CLA to inhibit transcription of enzymes involved in de novo fatty acid synthesis/lipogenesis, desaturation of fatty acids, and triglyceride synthesis 4. It is believed that CLA decreases the activation of PPARgamma, resulting in the attenuation of fat cell differentiation.
- In mice, CLA supplementation has been shown to decrease adipocyte number and size as well as cause apoptosis (cell death) of adipocytes
4
- and researchers believe CLA to have similar properties in humans.
Bonus Stack:
Sesamin + CLA + Fish Oil Supplmentation
The combination of Sesamin + CLA should prove very potent for fat loss and fat gain prevention. Supplementing with CLA will cause a decrease in triglyceride uptake by adipocytes and lipogenesis/fat storage, but if these fatty acids are not oxidized, they will build up in the blood and liver leading to insulin resistance.
By adding Sesamin into the mix, fat oxidation will be increased (very strongly in the liver), resulting in the oxidation of the elevated fatty acid concentration caused by CLA as well as working synergistically with CLA to decrease fat storage. The combination of Sesamin + CLA attacks fat oxidation and storage from multiple angles, resulting in less stored body fat.
Studies have also showed that Sesamin and Fish Oil work synergistically to increase fat oxidation primarily by increasing the gene expression of enzymes involved in fat oxidation. Common dosages for Sesamin range from 500-150 mg per day. Common dosages for CLA and Fish Oil range from 3-6 grams per day each.
Supplements That Increase Proper Carbohydrate Storage
1. ALA
- is an enzyme naturally produced in the body and functions as a co-factor for energy production and is a potent
- . ALA has many benefits for athletes and health enthusiasts.
ALA is a potent antioxidant. Unlike most antioxidants, which are either fat or water soluble and only have antioxidant properties in some tissues, ALA has antioxidant properties in all tissues. This is because ALA is water soluble and it metabolite dihydrolipoic acid is fat soluble, allowing it to reach all tissues.
In addition to this, ALA recycles itself (Jones, 2002) and vitamin C, works synergistically with vitamin E, and increases glutathione levels (Vitamin C & E and Glutathione are all antioxidants). ALA has been shown to decrease oxidative stress caused by exercise to a greater extent that other antioxidants (Khanna, 1999).
- ALA is believed to increase insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake by increase translocation of the glucose transporter Glut-4. Increasing insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake can lead to beneficial changes in body composition as well as improvement in ones general health.-93
2. ALCAR
- is a non-essential amino acid. Carnitine is acetylated into Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR) in the brain, liver, and kidneys. The amino acid L-Carnitine plays a vital role in energy
- , specifically the transport of fatty acids into mitochondria where they can be oxidized. ALCAR is the most popular form of supplemental carnitine.
ALCAR has a nutrient repartitioning affect, meaning it aids in sending nutrients to skeletal muscle where they can be used for energy over sending nutrients to fat cells where they can be stored.
- What this means is ALCAR has to ability to aid in muscle growth and fat loss by increasing fat oxidation and cellular metabolism (Iossa, 2002). A study done on women found that supplementing with ALCAR increased fat loss and fat oxidation during exercise (Hongu, 2003). Research has shown ALCAR to have a synergistic effect with ALA.
Genetics Against Being Lean And Muscular = Defeated!
Chiggety check yo'self before you riggety wreck yo'self, because being fat and small is bad for your health! We just dropped a huge knowledge bomb right in your kitchen and set you straight on how to use supplements to enhance your diet and training and get the sexy, muscular and attention-grabbing body you have always dreamed of!
As always, diet and training are the keys! We recommend reading Bodybuilding.com daily. Now that you have this knowledge, it is time to put it to use and get results!