A Novice's Approach To Strength Training: Meats… Fats… Their great!!! A Look into a Weightlifters Diet.

I thought about writing this article after I had a discussion with a former workmate at my past job. The kid (and I can call him that because he wasn’t even twenty yet), asked me how he could basically look like one of the guys off of a Muscle and Health Magazine. When asked about what he eats and how many hours he sleeps, and all the normal questions you would ask anyone who trains I got a quick look at how naïve I use to be. He’s answer were exactly the same as mine once were: I go to bed at about one or two in the morning, I don’t eat breakfast, I normally eat two Sonic burritos and I drink shakes in between the day and I take fourteen different supplements to get my N.O. (Nitric Oxide) levels peaking.

This was a bad time warp for me because I remembered thinking and doing the same thing. So to help with all of those individuals much like my former colleague; I wanted to write an article and shed some light on how a weightlifter eats. Now the first thing and most important thing is that there are three universal truths to nutrition. This does not change within the spectrum of lifters (bodybuilding, power lifting, sports, crossfit, weightlifting, etc.) These three things are: quantity, quality, and macronutrient composition. All three have to be addressed equally to have good performance. Now I will go into more detail about how these affect weightlifters however, you can change these around for any lifter.

Quantity:

Although this idea is rather simple in nature it is probably the most difficult for individuals to fathom. Quantity in a nutshell refers to how much food you are eating at any given point in time. Quantity is typically measured in calories or kilocalories (kcal for short). This measurement gives an amount of energy that is being taken in by the body, as well as a tool for adjustment for personal/training goals.

Quality:

Quality of food is even more unknown to the average individual. People sometimes have a misunderstanding with what foods or quality foods are. The guiding force behind food quality is this: simple natural foods are best. Foods that are regarded as high quality are meats, veggies, fruits, tubers, nuts, and seeds, and certain dairy products. Processed foods which normal contain grain products (even whole grains) are not dense enough compared to natural foods and can have a high risk for potential health risks. High quality foods on the other hand will give your body the required micronutrients to: complete your workouts, recover after training sessions, prevent autoimmune disorders, and support long-term health and aid in athletic performance.

Macronutrient Composition:

Macronutrient Composition is the last thing I will discuss. In a nutshell Macronutrient Composition is simply the quantities of protein, fat, and carbohydrate.

Protein:

Protein should be the most important macro. Protein is very important because it can help in the rebuilding of tissues. A good baseline for protein intake is one gram per pound of body weight. The quality of protein varies with different sources. Meats, Fishes, Eggs, and high-quality egg and whey supplements will all provide the greatest protein and amino acid balance. The protein content of nuts and seeds, grains, and legumes is negligible in terms of both quantity and quality and shouldn't even be considered in the total protein intake.

Now most people will wonder about Soy. Soy has been pushed for years as a source of quality protein but most research on soy products and their effects on health have shown that Soy in any considerable quantity doesn’t belong in the diet. On occasion fermented products such as soy sauce are ok.

Fat:

Fats are the next priority for weightlifters. Fats have been demonized by the media, health gurus, doctors, researchers, and the government. Fats are not a threat to overall health, they are actually necessary to supporting health. There are three different fat types:

1. Mono-unsaturated fats (good guys) - These should be the bulk of fat intake. These fats are supplied by foods such as nuts and seeds, avocado, and olive oil and oil based dressings, and also meats.

2. Poly-unsaturated fats (bad guys) - These are the fats that most promote as healthy but they should be generally avoided. They are especially bad if they are cooked at high heats (i.e. fried foods). The poly-saturated fat a very unstable molecule and are easily damaged, creating extremely unhealthy substance such as trans-fats and lipid peroxides.

3. Saturated fats like those found in animal products shouldn’t be sought in great quantities, but as a stable molecule among other features, it’s very preferable over poly-unsaturated fat. Saturated fats are normally associated with dietary cholesterol. Most know this is associated with heart disease. There is no research that demonstrates any relationship between fat or dietary cholesterol and heart diseases.

Cholesterol:

I felt obligated to write in this section because of the last sentence. Most people believe by fear that cholesterol is bad. However, cholesterol is a structural component of every single cell in the body and is required in the production of steroid hormones (testosterone). It is essential to life and cholesterol in the body is produced by the liver. This is why when people try to lower their cholesterol levels through reduction of dietary cholesterol they tend to fail, and proceed to take medication that their doctors prescribe (that they are getting money off the top for pushing). The reason that people fail is because the body simply manufactures what it needs to take up the slack just as it reduces production in the presence of adequate levels.

Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids:

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fatty acid largely absent from most people diets which the rare consumption of organ meats and common consumption of Omega-3 rich fish. Omega-6 fatty acids are also essential, but their consumption is typically sufficient and often excessive since most consume them through common foods such as meat, eggs, and nuts. Eggs enrich with Omega-3 fatty acids are wise choices to help with the balancing the natural high levels of Omega-6 fatty acids in eggs. Grass fed beef products are also high in Omega-3 fatty acids.

Flaxseed:

I felt obligated to include this in as well because it is often sold as a source of Omega-3 fatty acids, however the body needs an Omega 3-fatty acids comprise of 22-24 carbon atoms. Flaxseed provides 18 carbon Omega-3 fatty acids. The acids can be converted to the necessary form, but the process isn’t efficient and very little DHA and EPA are received. Another problem with Flaxseed is that it can produce inflammation, and lower performance. This is something that we use Omega-3 fatty acids to prevent.

Fats will be used to supply a large quantity of the daily calories for weightlifters.

Carbohydrates:

Carbohydrates or carbs, are the last macronutrient they are intentionally placed last in the list. This is a reversal of what many out there in the health field will promote. The physical demands of weightlifting only require the baseline carbohydrate consumption, the bigs of the superheavyweight division or training cycles using unusually high reps that demand more on muscle glycogen. The normal work of heavy, low rep training (weightlifting we only do at most 5 reps a set) are fueled by the phosphagen metabolic pathway, which is replenished through oxidative metabolism which is powered through fat storage. There is no real demand on the glycolytic pathway, meaning there is very little use of muscle glycogen to do work. So in short, there is no need to refill glycogen storage through dietary carbohydrate. The body can also manufacture glycogen for liver and muscle stores without the use of dietary carbs.

So what are carbohydrates good for? Carbohydrates are a good for micronutrient supply not suppliers. The most nutrient dense carbohydrates are vegetables and fruits, which is why they will make up the majority of carb intake. Tubers such as yams, sweet potatoes, and white potatoes can be considered supplementary during times when carb needs are needed (i.e. high rep training, weight gain, etc.)

Here is a few pictures of some of the dishes that I ate: