Get it in Ya: are you tired of bland-tasting supplements? Here are 9 creative ways to make them tastier and more effective

Muscle & Fitness, Sept, 2004 by Chris Aceto

Visit the home of any top athlete or bodybuilder and you'll find vitamins and protein powders blanketing the kitchen countertops, spilling out of cupboards and filling drawers. That's just par for the course in the world of hardcore bodybuilding and professional sports. So it's no surprise that supplement fatigue--dreading the thought of having to take all those powders and pills--is a common complaint. Heck, prepping, scheduling and eating 5-6 meals a day is time-consuming enough!

There are other ways to get the supplements you need when you need them, and we offer nine convenient shortcuts that'll also help you add mass and sculpt a better body.

MASS-GAINING

POWER PUDDING

Need a creative--and delicious--way to increase your protein intake? Check out Jay Cutler's creation: "I make sugar-free, fat-free pudding using water instead of milk, then I add Nitro-Tech protein powder to it. It takes about a half-hour to chill in the fridge, but it's worth the wait."

FIX IT: Prepare fat-free, sugar-free instant pudding according to package directions, mixing in 40 grams whey protein powder.

THE FACTS: 227 calories, 40 g protein, 10 g carbohydrate, 3 g fat

KELLY'S QUICKIE

Saving time is one of the biggest challenges in building a killer body, as work, travel and family obligations often impede hardcore training and superstrict nutrition. An admitted "terrible cook," fitness pro Kelly Ryan offers this shortcut, a quick meal prepared in a shaker and a great way to get fast-absorbing carbs post-workout: "I use Gerber Baby dry formula cereal--the rice cereal in a box--and add it to my protein shakes." The cereal's consistency is so fine, it mixes instantly with water and protein powder. When six nutrient-rich meals a day are a must, this bloat-free combo is just what the athlete ordered.

FIX IT: Kelly mixes 2 scoops Pinnacle Juiced Protein, 1/2 cup dry baby cereal and 8-10 ounces cold water in a shaker cup. "Voila!" she says. "A complete meal."

THE FACTS: 362 calories, 43 g protein, 34 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat

BALL-OPROTEIN

IFBB pro Troy Alves will be one of the first to tell you that it's not what the food looks like that's important, but rather what it's made of. "My wife makes protein balls for me, mixing chocolate protein powder with dry oatmeal, a bit of honey and peanut butter. I can eat them while working instead of trying to make a shake." Since body-builders often fall short in the calcium department, you can add calcium magnesium powder, which is virtually tasteless and readily mixes with whey protein. Besides supporting muscle contraction, calcium also supports hormones that facilitate the fat-burning process. What you end up with is a less-expensive alternative to protein bars that you can prepare to fit your nutritional needs by increasing or decreasing the amount of protein and other nutrients.

FIX IT: Mix 4-5 scoops chocolate protein powder, 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1/2 cup quick oats (uncooked), 2 tablespoons honey (or to taste) and 1 tablespoon calcium magnesium powder (optional), then add 1/4-1/2 cup water to achieve a doughy texture, Measure balls using 2 tablespoons or a cookie scoop, then roll the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls with your hands. No baking necessary; just store balls in the refrigerator in resealable plastic bags and eat them as snacks or dessert over several days (as opposed to eating them all in one sitting).

THE FACTS: Makes 16 balls. Per ball: 100 calories, 8 g protein, 8 g carbohydrate, 5 g fat; approximately 62 mg calcium, 31 mg magnesium

FAT-BURNING

SLICED TEA

The fat-burning effects of drinking three cups of green tea a day has made it a favorite beverage among dieters. Here's a souped-up version using medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which are rarely stored as bodyfat, especially when calories and/or carbs are reduced or at maintenance levels. In fact, with lower-calorie dieting, they can actually prevent muscle loss.

FIX IT: Brew 2 quarts of tea using to bags of green tea. Mix with 1/2 cup Splenda to sweeten and add 4 table-spoons MCT oil (SciFit, Twinlab and Ultimate Nutrition all offer MCT products). Store in the refrigerator and blend with crushed ice to prepare (this helps keep the oil and tea thoroughly mixed).

THE FACTS: 7 g MCTs per cup

WHEY & OATS

Here's a perfect pretraining snack for the hardcore athlete who's trying to drop bodyfat while holding on to muscle mass. Whey is a fast-digesting source of amino acids and a backup fuel source during training, while oats, in addition to adding fiber, provide energy without significantly spiking levels of insulin, a fat-storing hormone that needs to be moderated when you're in a cutting phase. Nutrition consultant Neal Spruce made the duo a pretraining staple for clients and successful IFBB pros like Flex Wheeler, Mike Quinn and Rich Gaspari.

FIX IT: Prepare 1 cup quick-cooking oats mixed with water as directed on the package. Add 20 grams whey protein and consume within one hour of your workout.

THE FACTS: 382 calories, 28 g protein, 54 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat