Nutrients for newbie’s

[Ro-Dog]

I am just starting out weight training and have read a lot of internet based guides but struggle to completely understand.

I have joined a gym and have a balanced diet, I drink protein isolate shakes 4 times a day and am feeling ok before and after training.

After I have been training for some time I will obviously pick up knowledge but for a complete beginner is there any thing I need to know straight away or is a good protein source and not over training the best place to start.?

I have friends who are omnivores who train, they take creatines and fat burners and pretty much anything with a muscular man on the packaging, any help will be much appreciated as I am not a good reader and have found the internet a huge information overload.

Thanks

[baldy]

The most important think is to have a good routine, probably more important than nutrition.
What are your goals and what kind of routine are you doing now?

4 shakes a day could be an over kill. What is in the shakes and what do you normally eat?

[Clem Snide]

Eat a balanced diet and take a multivit with B12 in it, and you're covered. A protein shake after lifting will help, 4 seems like a hell of a lot.

No need to overcomplicate anything if you follow the basics.

[flatbushvegan]

I've heard that B12 from multivitamins may not be absorbed as well as sublingual drops or lozenges. I wouldn't fool around with risking eventual B12 deficiency; take a B12 and a multivitamin and otherwise don't worry, as Clem said.

[flatbushvegan]

Oh, one more thing. I'd pick up a copy of a book written by a respected, high-level sports trainer with a medical education. In the US, Nancy Clark is highly respected and trains Olympic athletes, as well as knowing scientific research results rather than the "bro science" that gets passed around web forums and gyms (even though some of it is useful, of course).

"Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook" is my go-to resource for questions about nutrition and training.

[Kohdii]

The most important think is to have a good routine, probably more important than nutrition.

I have to disagree here. While it is very important to have a routine, Nutrition plays the most important role to results.


Yes, 4 shakes a day is definitely too much.

My advice is to mix calisthenics with weight training. Proper form is the most important factor in an exercise, not the weight. So google all the exercises you plan on doing and practice the technique before you start doing them with a decent amount of weight.

Creatine is OK to supplement with as long as it's synthetic and you know how to cycle it. It doesn't necessarily perform miracles, in my experience all it's done for me is reduce soreness during workouts.

[fredrikw]

The most important think is to have a good routine, probably more important than nutrition.

I have to disagree here. While it is very important to have a routine, Nutrition plays the most important role to results.

bad food + bad training = no results
bad food + good training = results
good food + good training = optimal results

but

good food + bad training = results ?

I don't know about that... I've heard of and know tons of people performing from moderate to quite successful by training the right way but don't care at all about nutrition, but I've never heard of anyone doing the opposite, training bad but eating right and therefore performing good, that usually leads to terrible or a total lack of results.

I'm not saying nutrition is unimportant, but you can get a long way before it's crucial, unless of course you eat like an idiot

[Kohdii]

Strength wise or mass wise that is true. But 90% of the people that come to me for help want to know how to get a body fat % that is below 5% and when it comes to that aspect its all about nutrition.

[beforewisdom]

Read one good book on general vegan nutrition ( see my sig ).

Then
- follow JP's advice on getting a good routine
- get disciplined about sleeping 8 hours every night at the same time
- eat enough calories from non-junk food
- repeat

[fredrikw]

Strength wise or mass wise that is true. But 90% of the people that come to me for help want to know how to get a body fat % that is below 5% and when it comes to that aspect its all about nutrition.

Sure, but just lowering the bf% is not something anyone has talked about in this thread, so it's a bit weird to base your recommendations and arguments on it

[baldy]

Strength wise or mass wise that is true. But 90% of the people that come to me for help want to know how to get a body fat % that is below 5% and when it comes to that aspect its all about nutrition.

Hopefully Ro-Dog is more interested in getting strong rather than skinny.

[xrodolfox]

I'm backing Kohdii on this... and Fredrick.

The OP just wasn't clear on goals, and that's the problem. For both the OP, and for the rest of us trying to help.

I am just starting out weight training and have read a lot of internet based guides but struggle to completely understand.
Thanks

MY suggestion.

1) What are your goals? Get strong? Or get skinny? Or get definition? Or get fast? Or win races? Or look awesome?

2) Ask the right question.

3) Follow that routine.

4) profit

If you ask the wrong question, you'll never get to your goal, well, because your question was bad.

I think that Kohdii's advice was brilliant for cutting and loosing weight. From experience, and what I've read, and seen, diet is key to getting cut and low body fat %. However, Fredrik was right on the basis of getting fit for racing and training for most sports. It's the training that's key.

Those are two different approaches for different goals.

However, if you want EVERYTHING (person with no body fat who can also WIN marathons as well as strong person contests), then you'll have to do a lot more work in a much more disciplined method. You'll have to do everything. Even then, I'd suggest you pick one goal, and do that first.

You're unclear goals are probably why the internet has too much info. If you articulate clear goals, you'll get clear answers.

Good luck!

(...and state your goals and you'll get what you want from this board)