I guess i'm confused. You are recommended to take 5 g of creatine per day wheater your working out or not...thats what I do.

As far as not throwing whey into the morning blended shake, I'm just trying to conserve it a little bit since on those days I will be taking a couple scoops post-workout anyways. My focus is getting the rest of the protein through actual foods. I shoot for around 1g/lb of bodyweight.

I blame supplement company marketing.

Silock... You playing JoCo O30 this spring?

Haven't decided. Those fields kill my knees. And I'm still not sure I like my team.

It's something.

Let me break this down real simple.

Be strong. Be in shape.

That's it. That's the whole ****ing show.

You get stronger by adding more plates to the bar, or adding more reps with that weight.

You get in shape by doing shit from walking to sprinting to car pushing to bag work. Whatever.

You get the adipose off by dropping some food out. Usually carbs. I rarely eat carbs anymore and I feel great. I pulled 675 from below the knee last night easily and did shrugged it for a triple. Then did 585x11. This is on like 20 grams of carbs all day. I feel great and have never been this big and this lean at the same time.

It's not about vitamins or whey or creatine or shit like that. It's about consistency over a long period of time, busting ass, and doing basic shit. This stuff is very uncomplicated.

Obviously consistency is key. I've lifted 4 times a week for over the past year never missing a workout except for a recovery week here and there.

Now i've still been plateaud out on bench at 260 for quite some time. Which is in my context impressive being 100 lbs over my bodyweight. I'm now focusing on the nutrition aspect more as I stated earlier today with an emphasis in adding 10-15 lbs. Most everything I read says nutrition is probably 70-80% of lifting. You have some very impressive lifts what is your take on nutrition?

Who came up with 80%? How does one even quantify that?

As long as you're getting adequate protein and calories, it doesn't really matter.

fats and carbs aren't important? A can of pop and bowl of rice (carbs) have the same effect on building muscle?
A handful of almonds and a crispy cream (fats) assuming the same number of calories have the same effect on building muscle?

70-80% is general consensus from what I've read. I'm sure I could find claims out there.

My questions btw are honest questions not trying to contradict your beliefs. I don't think anyone has the exact formula for building muscle.

You answered your own question, get proper amounts of protein. How much? No one really knows but supplement companies sure would like you to think it is high. I have seen a mixture of high fat/low fat and high carbs/low carbs work with adequate protein intake. Depends on your bodies ability to utilize or not utilize those nutrients.

I am like "the guardian." I can get 50 grams of carbs or less everyday, for weeks on end and I feel stronger and leaner than doing any other diet.

If you are gaining too much weight or want to lose weight, cut out some calories from some where. It isn't rocket science. This is more simple than people make. Bust ass in the gym and you don't need to worry in the slightest about trying to always eat perfect and counting every single calorie you put in your body. Make smart food choices, get stronger and quite being lazy in and out of the gym....your body will change.

Make smart food choices you say. As in?

I bust my ass plenty, one of my jobs involves running up and down a playing field. And my hobby involves throwing weights around.

I never have counted calories or will. I try to make as you said smart food choices.
protein: tilipia, chicken breasts, eggs...
carbs:ww bread, rice, oatmeal...
fats: almonds, fish oil, eggs...

I believe the quality of your food choices matter and thats why I'm focusing more on the nutrition aspect to break through a plateau and bulk up.

Sorry, hope my post didn't come off as being a dick. I see you are honestly trying to learn.

I think you have it right as I was saying, make smart food choices but you don't have to count calories and measure stuff out like so many people do.

Bulking up comes down to lifting and being in a calorie surplus, for simplicity sake. Too many guys make the mistake of trying to eat too healthy when bulking up and somehow think they will get to a calorie surplus by eating chicken and rice for every meal. Healthy?....sure, but it won't help you reach your goals of added muscle or strenth. When bulking eat until you are full and then eat a little more. You don't have to be super strict and can even eat a few dirty meals if you like. Gotta eat to get big though.

Thats pretty much spot on to what I do. I realize many of the "healthy" things I eat packed with micronutrients are low calorie. I just got home from eating a burger, fries, and soda.

Sounds like you have it down then. Too many think eating burgers/fries is bad but it you are bulking up and wanting to gain strength, a few meals like that a week aren't a problem, especially for guys with fast metabolisms.

Curious what routine you are running to gain strength and bust through a plateau? I was going to private message you instead of clogging up this thread but I don't see that an an option for you?

No idea must be cause I'm new or something.

My routine is simple:
Chest/Triceps and Back/Biceps on average about twice a week.

I go to a couple different gyms and one of them you can't squat in.. so when I go to the other one (15 miles aways/ I go there atleast once a week) I throw legs in with whichever workout I'm on.

I also do abs once a week as well. I'll throw in shoulders with a chest/tri workout once a week.

It may look pathetic but it's what works out for me. Tonight I'm planning on doing some concentric bench press at 50% of my 1RM. Working in more incline and dumbell presses. Limiting to benching heavy once a week.