Joe’s
Special Blend
By Joe DeAngelis, NPC Bodybuilder & Powerlifter
While visiting Universal Nutrition's R&D Department in New Brunswick, NJ,
the staff immediately commented about the gains I had made since they last saw
me. Indeed, my competitive weight at the 1998 NPC Ironman Championships in
December was 241 on the day of the contest. Eight months later, my contest day
weight at the 1999 IFBB North American Championships, held in August, was an
official 254 lbs.
A lean thirteen pound gain in less than a year would be fantastic for anyone
just starting a training program, but it is pretty astonishing for someone who's
been in the iron game for fifteen years and who already has a high degree of
muscle mass. So how did it happen?
After the Ironman, I was faced with the problem of needing more size in a
relatively short period of time. I knew that eating all the junk food in sight
would only add tons of bodyfat, but I needed enough calories for energy and
nutrients to fuel muscle growth. Being part of Team Universal, I had access to
what I can confidently say are the best supplements in the world. But using the
right tool for the right job is always important. And it's not always obvious.
Which tools would I use? Here they are: Animal Pak, Animal Stak, Ripped Fast 2,
A.M.P., Anti-Catabolic Complex, BCAA 2000 , Advanced Soy Pro, Egg Pro Ultra,
Super Whey Pro, and Glutamine Powder.
I took the Animal Pak three times a day with meals to provide maximum
vitamin/mineral support, along with key anabolic nutrients and glandulars. I did
not want to shortchange myself of any nutrient, let alone vitamins and
minerals. Animal Stak was taken after breakfast but before training to maximize
my anabolic environment and my thermogenic potential, and to provide vital
herbal support for related systems. Thirty minutes after taking one packet, I
was a raging bull going into the gym! During the middle of the day and after my
workouts, I took A.M.P., Anti-Catabolic Complex, and BCAA 2000. For all three of
hours) and I'll show you someone who will never reach his full muscular
potential.
Aside from my combination of supplements, the real "secret" to my
whole nutritional program was (and still is) my special protein powder blends.
As with vegetables, I thought to myself, "Why should eat only one type of
protein all day?" This kind of thinking led me to formulate my super protein
mixes.
Supplements offer convenience...
these supplements, I took 4-6 of each. I wanted the key aminos and
anti-catabolic nutrients to do their work right away.
In my own experience and based upon my conversations with some of the best
bodybuilders and powerlifters in the world, I've learned that protein builds
muscle. The more protein you eat, the bigger and more muscular you become. There
is no real evidence that high protein diets cause problems in healthy
individuals, and the thinking that the human body can only absorb 30 grams of
protein at one sitting is ludicrous. Show me someone who eats 30 grams of
protein every three hours (totaling 240g in 24 I began mixing different types of
protein powders. One scoop of Advanced Soy Pro (which has the missing aminos
added to form a complete protein), one scoop of Egg Pro Ultra, two scoops of
Super Whey Pro, and two teaspoons of Glutamine Powder. For the record, I used
Vanilla Super Whey and Egg Pro Ultra and Apple-Cinnamon Advanced Soy Protein.
The flavor was absolutely INCREDIBLE! The combination also satisfied my sweet
tooth completely. Each shake gave more than 80 grams of first-rate protein from
three unique sources plus 10 extra grams of pure glutamine. I had enough amino
acids in my system until my next scheduled meal.
Every morning I prepared four mixer bottles of my "special blend', and kept
them in my gym bag all day, to use as needed. I'd take each one between my four
daily meals, and always immediately after training. Also, I would leave the
powder dry until I was ready to use it, then just add water and shake. The
consistency, in addition to the taste, was excellent as well. As an added trick,
I would sometimes reduce the amount of water I added until the shake became a
rich pudding, one I could eat with a spoon!
By bodybuilding standards, my meals are quite small. I don't have the largest
appetite in the world. A typical breakfast consists of twelve egg whites and one
cup of oatmeal. An average lunch includes 3/4 pounds of shrimp with rice and
vegetables. Dinner is made up of chicken and a large salad. My bedtime meal
resembles my breakfast in that I eat another 12 egg whites plus a large serving
of my favorite watermelon! Throughout the day, I drink up to two gallons of
water. All told, my protein intake exceeds 500 grams on a daily basis.
This nutritional program really worked well for me. Due to the frequency of my
meals, the high amount of insulin-stabilizing protein I consumed, and the great
tasting protein shakes, I never had cravings for junk food. Thus I was able to
stay lean while adding quality muscle mass.
Whenever people ask me for advice, I always stress the importance of
consistency. While some people have the necessary discipline to be consistent
with training and diets, many do not. That's where supplements come in. I
occasionally struggle with consistency. During the past year, I would never have
been able to eat that much protein from whole foods–it only became possible
with protein powders. Supplements offer convenience, especially during hectic
times. Even on vacation, the shakes were easily stored on my carry-on luggage.
If I knew there was a chance I'd miss a meal, I'd add a scoop or two of Gain
Fast (to add more calories and carbohydrates).
Think of supplements as convenience foods that make meeting your nutritional
needs easier and simpler. Had the gains been slower, I would have added Gain
Fast to more drinks. Had I been gaining bodyfat too quickly, I would have cut
back on the total number of protein grams I consumed from the drinks and eyed my
carbs more closely.
I hope my off-season supplement program gives you some ideas about how to make
supplements work harder for you and give you that extra edge. Remember, nothing
takes the place
of training, rest, nutrition and
dedication. Supplements only make
it easier for you to reach your goals more quickly.
ADDENDUM
Since I began mixing my own protein blends, Universal Nutrition has come out
with their own pre-mixed proteins in SPECIALIZED PROTEINS (great minds think
alike!). Specialized Proteins take all the guesswork out of blending proteins by
doing it for you. They make one for dieting athletes as well as one for
individuals looking to gain lean mass. As above, the mixing quality and taste
are first rate. I would definitely check them out if I were you.