To Supp or not to Supp

Would appreciate any help as to how vital it is to supplement in the beginning stages of working out. I have only begun to take this more seriously in the last 2-3 months, and as a beginner, therefore, not sure what role supplements should play in my diet at my current workout levels. I work out hard, I follow a very clean diet, but I don’t have a lot of experience behind me…and from reading t-mag forum, I get the impression that supplements are better for people with a fair bit of training under their belt. Should I be supplementing with creatine now? Or doing some kind of post workout replacement, like SURGE? If not what should I be doing after a workout? If I’m still too “new” to the workout lifestyle to be using supplements, then when would be a good time to start them? I know these questions may seem pretty basic, but I hope someone with more experience can offer some advice. Thanks very much.

The most imortant thing you need to supplement with is a post workout drink. This will shorten your recovery time, and help you grow. Next, fix your diet, read all of the great articles on this site including Heirarchy of Needs by Chris Shugart, and all of the articles on the FAQ page. But be careful. Using this site to make major changes to your body shape is addictive!

Surge wouldn’t hurt, but honestly, at this stage it’s probably not necessary. I doubt that you’ve got enough experience under your belt yet to really tax your recovery systems.


My suggestions would be (a) a decent protein powder to make sure that you’re getting anough protein in your diet and (b) ensuring that you’re eating a high-GI meal shortly after your workout. That should do it for the first year or so. When you start to see your gains slow down, then add in the Surge.