What Rod has to share is free advice regarding supplements, nutrition and motivation that he has found to be effective for him. ___________________________________________________________________

QUALITY PROTEIN POWER: I recommend a mixture of quick release, or quick digesting, like whey, and a slow release like casein. If your goal is the same as mine, to gain lean mass, I recommend Pro Complex by Optimum. It's packed with BCAA's (branch amino acids) and glutamine. If you goal is simply lean up, I still recommend such a mixture but less caloric. At least find a whey protein that you like. Optimum has some of the best deals, but Myoplex is a good one too that I used for years.

When do I have protein shakes? One thing you have to keep in mind is that when you put your body through a lot of stress at the gym like I do, you put your body into an anabolic state, and you need to keep feeding those muscles with quality protein. Every three hours you need to make sure you either eat a meal or have a shake. Otherwise your own body will go into a canabolic mode of eat away at it's muscles!

So, I'll have a shake mid-morning, mid-afternoon, and either my Pro Complex shake at night just before bed, or at least a casein protein. This prevents your body from cannibalizing your hard earned muscles while you sleep. Another way to prevent this is make sure the night time shake is fortified with BCAA's and glutamine.

If not, take the BCAA's and glutamine separately. If I'm not going to be eating right away, I'll have my Pro Complex shake ready to go. THIS IS CRITICAL! The 20 minute window period following the workout is CRITICAL in supplying your body with quality proteins, nutrients and amino acids. Some nutrition articles may say the window period is longer or shorter, but the point is ASAP!

In these tough times in the economy, occasionally I use a whey protein from EAS that you can find at BJ's, Costo, or perhaps Sam's.

Note on Soy Protein: A website visitor brought up his concern that I was recommending a soy protein. My initial thought that he was being ridiculous! Soy is everywhere. Soy is trendy! Upon further research I have learned that soy should be avoided. Why? For one thing, it is a testosterone blocker for men. Check out these articles: AVOID SOY! and Myths/Truths of Soy

TESTOSTERONE BOOSTERS: Boost and maximize your own natural testosterone levels! For maximizing lean mass gains, an adult man should use a testosterone booster. The two I recommend are a great alternatives to steroids and pro hormones. These are both legal and safe! My favorite is ERGOPHARM 6-OXO which boosts a man's natural testosterone. So no shrinkage of the "family jewels," and if anything they grow! Another great thing about 6 Oxo is that it inhibits estrogen in men. I definitely notice a difference in my energy and stamina when I'm on a 6 Oxo cycle. The other great natural testosterone booster that I recommend is Anabolic-Matrix Rx.

PRE-WORKOUT ENERGY SUPPLEMENTS: N.O. (Nitric Oxide) such as NO Shotgun by VPX is what I have been using. Although there are other great NO products that I've sampled and seem to work well, but I love that No Shotgun has Redline, BCAAs, glutamine and protein, as well as creatine.

When I am cycling off of NO Shotgun I use Redline Caps by the same company, VPX, for an energy boost. They also have this is a syrup, and an RTD. Which ever you prefer, this is one thing you do NOT want to overdose! It's critical to assess your tolerance by starting out in smaller doses as the directions say. I've made myself sick from taking too much of the syrup and lost my lunch.

OTHER BASIC STAPLES

GLUCOSAMINE & CHONDROITIN: Got bad knees from running or heavy weights on the squat press? Or maybe you can't run or do squats because of bad knees. This was an issue for me so I listened to my doctor who told me to wear knee braces when I work my quads. I also started using Glucosamine & Chondroitin. This is well known for joint health and flexibility, and it works! Now I'm squatting 400lbs on the Smith Machine and I've done two Sprint Triathlons!

Don't expect Glucosamine & Chondroitin to work overnight. I take the recommended dosage of one, twice a day, and I've been doing this for years. I highly recommend this for anyone who is aggressive in their fitness plan.

FISH OIL: This is as basic these days as taking a daily multivitamin. Just about everyone knows they should be taking Fish Oil pills. Fish Oil pills are a natural source of Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) that help rid your body of bad fats. Omega 3 fats lower cholesterol levels along with many other benefits. You can find Fish Oil at just about anywhere they sell vitamins and supplements. I buy them from BJ's or Costco, and I take 1200 mg three times a day. And I take I take two pills of each (fish and flax) three times a day after a meal.

METAMUCIL: Need something to help suck in that gut? Metamucil can help with that! It's a fiber laxative made from 100% natural Psyllium Husk. I recommend the orange flavored power, although it now comes in a capsule form if you prefer. I use this during cutting cycles and occasionally during my gaining cycles for colon health, and tighten my abs. I take it about 30 minutes before bed time, and first thing in the morning, 30 minutes before breakfast. Avoid taking any supplements or medication within an hour or two before and after taking Metamucil.

GREENS PLUS: This is for colon health among other things, and now there are generic brands of this at The Vitamin Shoppe that I take. I have three teaspoonfuls of in the morning. This is a green power that must be kept in the refrigerator after opening. The testimonials have a wide range of claims.

IMMUNE SYSTEM: I put a lot of stress on my body at the gym. So I need a little extra boost in my immune system. I drink about a gallon of water everyday, as any bodybuilder or fitness junky normally does. I try to get at least 7 ½ hours of sleep each night, and I take extra vitamin C, besides what is already in my daily multivitamin pill. I take 1000 mg at lunch and another 1000 mg after my last meal of the day. If you feel like you're fighting a bug, you can take 1000 mg of C every hour as long as it doesn't give you the runs. I also drink Nuvim which also benefits the joints and muscle flexibility. I buy Nuvim at Walmart.

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All the advice I give on any of the pages of RodStephens.com is my opinion. I advise you to do your own research and check with your doctor to make sure you have no conditions, which may be adversely affected by anything I recommend. If you have questions or comments, I'd love to hear your feedback. TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY!