Maximal progress conflicts with deprivation, especially in the context of dieting. It tends to be unsustainable. It’s fine if you’re a younger guy with zero liabilities, but not if you have other areas of life that require constant attention. But yes it’s a difficult balance to strike, and in reality it takes years of experience and self-awareness.

I agree that supplements can help with SPEED of progress. This could be the ECA stack, or the weight-gainer for the skinny kid. But neither are required to get to the end goal. Also, what happens when you stop taking these supplements? We both know that guys aren’t taking weight-gainers for the rest of their lives, nor the ECA stack. It breeds dependency. Guys need to learn how to get results consistently (i.e. eat the appropriate amount of food) without that crap.