Thread: Intensity!

I have a goal for the next 7 months to eat an awesome diet and weight train consistently!

I'm just about 6 ft and weigh 160 now.. and have a base of muscle to work with.. im not that big but just a base


What do you experts think i could get to by the end of 7 months?

my goal... i'd love to be 180 and decent size, nice little cut

Ok, I just got your PM and have decided to give a good breakdown on dietary needs. This is not going to include supplementation, this is the basic nutrition that you MUST have, no matter what you are taking. This is coming from my experience training myself, many many shipmates in the Navy, several friends at home, and most importantly it comes directly from the text issued by the International Sports Science Association in the Performance Nutrition Specialist program, which I am completing here in the next week or so. Just got a few things to type that are handwritten, and then it will be off in the mail. The ISSA was founded by world-class athletes who wanted a true education for fitness professionals, and is the standard for certification. ISSA is the #1 desired certification. Every one of the people making the curriculum has advanced degrees, mostly PH.D. They are relaying the practical aspects of what they have learned and what is at the forefront of exercise science. So you are getting the best information there is. Ready for the good stuff? Thought so

I. Basics
A) Number of meals per day
As humans, our bodys cannot absorb more than 40 grams of protein in one sitting. Therefore, to get adequate protein for muscle repair and growth, we MUST eat more than three or four meals per day. These meals will be sized to deliver the right amount of nutrients for optimal growth and repair, without contributing excess calories. This will minimize any fat gain.

B) How the body uses protein and how to take advantage of this.

Our bodies need energy all the time. The first choice is carbohydrates. They are easy to break down and convert to cellular fuels. If carbohydrates are not available, proteins are the next nutrient on the list for energy. READ THAT AGAIN. Proteins in our bodies will be torn apart and reassembled into sugars to provide energy. This means, very simply, that if our meals do not provide enough carbohydrates, all the protein we eat will be torn apart and burned for energy, instead of repairing our bodies. DO NOT skimp on your carbs, or your progress will suffer. Any time you take protein, whether it is a shake, or real food, you must have carbohydrates with it. If you do not, you are wasting a lot of that protein.

C) Fats & Cholesterol

If you are eating natural foods, and cooking them with olive oil, you'll never really have to worry about taking in too many fats. Your body NEEDS fats to make and repair cellular membranes. It needs 250-450 mg of cholesterol over the course of the day to produce testosterone. More than this isn't great, but it is easy to stay in those guidelines. If you are eating your meats and keeping yourself to one or two egg yolks a day, you are going to be fine. The exception is if you have a genetic history of bad cholesterol. THen you need to follow your doctor's recommendations. Omega 3 fatty acids do help, but you need around 9 grams a day, so taking a capsule a day isn't going to do you the good you think it will. Flax seed oil is also very good, it has essential fatty acids you need as well. Any other source of fat is going to result in excess calories. It is VERY easy for your body to turn excess dietary fat into bodyfat, and IT WILL. Stick to your good foods and you will not have problems.

II. Any time besides pre- or post-workout,

You want balanced meals with protein, carbs, and fats. Most of your protein should come from real food, not powders or protein bars. They will help you reach your needs for the protein, but they are not to be what you rely upon. Guides for each meal are that you want not more than 40 grams of protein. So a 4-ish oz steak or chicken breast will pretty much do you there. They'll average around 30-35 grams of protein. You can substitute fish as well.

Carbohydrates: The carbohydrate portion should be between 50-80 grams of carbs, depending on your personal caloric needs. These should be low-glycemic. This is a fancy way of saying that your body takes a long time to process them into energy it can use. Examples are yams, sweet potatos, pasta(YUMMY! Anything made from semolina, which is most all of it, is to be preferred), whole grain rices(NOT sushi rice or white rices, Bismati is a great one, so is Jasmine and long grain), oats, and whole grains in general. Fruits and vegetables also fall into this category. So, there are a ton of tasty thing syou can have for your carbs! Be creative You need these carbs to be processed slowly for two reasons. Reason 1: If your body runs out of carbs before it gets more protein, it will start using protein for energy. Reason 2: Carbs that get processed quickly will raise your blood sugar. When your blood has more sugar in it than your body can use, it releases Insulin. Insulin causes all the nutrients in your blood to be sucked into body tissues, because sugar in your blood thickens it and thick blood can cause strokes and heart attacks. So instead of letting you die, your body uses the insulin to suck it all into your tissues. If you suck out more than your body needs, the extra goes to FAT.

Fats: Follow the general guidelines.

III Pre- and Post-Workout Meals:

Pay attention, this is different. It is very important to follow this as closely as possible. The further off you are, the further you are from achieving your maximum potential.

a) Pre-Workout
Pre-workout meals should be fairly low protein and low fat, and high in complex carbs. Protein and fat slow down digestion, and we want these carbs to be totally ready and in the blood at full force so that you have MAXIMUM energy in the gym. Do this right, and you will actually perform better than if you use those pre-workout drinks. We're looking at as little fat as possible, so definitely chicken or fish on this one, some very lean beef is ok. Only a 20 gram protein portion, and a full 70-80 grams of carbs. The carbs must be low-glycemic, the slow ones. You want to have this meal one hour before you start your first set. Right before your workout, if you want to take your protein and whatever else, go for it. Your stomach will be ready for it.

Post-workout: This one is totally different. After your workout your body is STARVING for carbs. Carbs? That's right. Your body is designed for SURVIVAL. What does it need to do first, fix some muscle damage or run away from potential danger? RUN AWAY is correct. Survival is more important to our bodies than repair. Survival requires ENERGY, not protein. You MUST flood your body with simple, high-glycemic carbs after your workout. Your post-workout shake should be 80 grams of carbs and 20-30 grams protein. Your first meal afterwards should be high glycemic carbs, like baked potatos, sushi rice, white bread, stuff like that. You DO also need your protein, but this will also be a lower fat meal. Full serving of protein on this one, 40 grams. After that, go back to your normal meals until it's time for the next pre-workout meal.

I hope this opens a lot of eyes, and helps a lot of people who are struggling to find out what really works. If you follow this, you will not believe your progress. My friend Andrew went from 6'3" @ 135 lbs to 177 lbs, staying at 11% bodyfat the whole time, in 6 months doing this. Bryan was made to be a beast, I guess, he went from 5'8" @ 155lbs to 200 lbs. His bodyfat went from 16% to 18%, but he insisted on eating some crazy stuff sometimes Guy loves his bacon and whiskey waffles. *shakes head in disgust* I personally went from 6'2" @205lbs to 220lbs and my body fat went from 13% to 10 %. This was without any hormonal supplements on anyone. Just the food, some creatine, protein, and sleep.