Josh Bryant on Nutrition
Diet is one of the most over looked aspects of exercise. I often hear Powerlifters say such things as, "Who cares about diet, I need to be strong, not pretty." This is completely the wrong notion. Perhaps the aspect of needing to be pretty is irrelevant indeed, but quality of your diet will directly impact both your progress and your health.
Protein.
In August of 1999, when I was 18 years old, I calculated that I was eating about 100-150 grams of protein per day. I decided to increase this amount to 200 grams. It was football season and two-a-days had just begun. I weighed about 250 pounds at this time. I felt great on the slight improvement in protein intake; I did not lose weight or strength during the intense two-a-days.
I also noticed how much better I felt and how my strength levels had increased. This was incredible. It seemed strange that I was getting stronger, even though it was football season. My team-mates and I were amazed. I wondered what would happen if I increased my protein intake to 250 grams a day. I had been doing some research and talking to some body builders, and they recommended I increase my protein intake to minimally 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. Some even suggested as high as 1.5 grams per pound of body weight.
I decided to stay conservative and consume 250 grams of protein per day. At one meet, before the season started, I benched 457 pounds, while weighing 247 pounds. After eating 250 grams of protein a day for the entire months of August and September, I weighed 253 pounds and benched 480 pounds in the gym. By February, I bench pressed 507 pounds officially in a meet. During this time, I had increased my protein intake to 300 grams a day. My body fat stayed under 17 % through out this time, even after gaining 17 pounds. I discovered that the more protein I would eat, the stronger I would get.
I have played around with how much protein is optimal for almost four years now. I found that no matter what time of the year it is, you should eat one gram of protein per pound of body weight. This is the absolute bare minimum for an athlete in a physique or strength sport. In the end, what has worked best for me is from 1.25-1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. When your body works hard, the muscles break down and they need protein to repair and recover.
When it comes to protein, I have found that a high protein diet yields superior results, no matter what a person's goals are. However, when I go beyond 1.5 grams per pound of bodyweight, I reach a point of diminishing returns. Everyone has different goals and a different metabolism, which means the amount of protein that people require may vary. My experience with increased protein intake at 18 years old motivated me to become certified by ISSA as a Specialist in Performance Nutrition (SPN).
- Protein is essential for growth and recovery.
- Branch Chained Amino Acids are required to keep muscle breakdown to a minimum. A good example of branched chained amino acids
- Eat high quality protein such as grass fed beef, fish and free range natural eggs with 350 mg of Omega 3 fats minimally per egg.
- Protein should be consumed with every meal; the only exception is sometimes before an athletic event.
- High quality protein supplements can be used, but remember the real thing is always better than a synthetic product. The keyword is supplement not substitute. Consider natural foods as a supplementation option whenever they are available.
- Not all protein is created equal! Protein in whole dairy products and fatty meats is very difficult to digest, if your body even digests it. Stick to lean natural sources of protein.
Carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates are the primary fuel source! The Glycemic Index (GI) is the blood glucose response for two hours after food is eaten, compared to a two-hour response of the equivalent amount of glucose eaten. It is important to eat primary low glycemic carbohydrates. The lower the GI, the smaller the glucose response. By eating foods with a lower GI, your body will maintain more stable blood glucose levels. High glycemic carbohydrates that are easily converted to adipose tissue should be avoided. The exception is during a workout and/or immediately after.
Most fruits and vegetables are a great low Glycemic Index carbohydrate choice. Although, there are some exceptions, potatoes and watermelon would be some. Choose barely ripe fruits and vegetables for a lower glycemic index. Anything with glycemic index over 70, I would consider high, medium is 55 to 70 and low would be under 55. Do your best to stay on the low end. Carbohydrates are very important in keeping stable blood sugar levels, which not only effect health but peak performance.
Fiber.
Most people, regardless of goals, do not eat enough fiber. Fiber is found in various plants, fruits, leaves, grains, nuts, seeds and legumes. Fruits and vegetables are your best choices for sources of fiber. There are many functional benefits from eating a high fiber diet, and numerous studies confirm high fiber diets reduce the rate of cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, and diabetes.
Fiber is not an energy source; in fact, the human gut cannot digest it. However, it has protective qualities. It helps promote efficient intestinal function such as regulation and absorption of sugars into the blood stream. Also, fiber helps soften the stool and promotes normal defecation patterns. Many health agencies recommend 20-30 grams of fiber a day. This may be sufficient for a person with a low calorie diet, but for someone attempting to add muscle bulk on a high calorie diet, 50 to 80 grams of fiber maybe needed.
Fats.
For along time, especially in the 80's and 90's, low fat diets were the fad. This did not yield better physiques or better health, actually, the opposite happened as the obesity level sky rocketed. The rate of obesity in America has doubled in the last 20 years. In the 1960's, fat made up around 45% of the average American's diets– and less than 15% of the US population was obese. The average American now gets less than 1/3 of all of their calories from fat, and approximately 34% of Americans are obese. Therefore, this is more to the obesity epidemic than an increase in dietary fats.
Your body uses fatty acids to do things such as building cell membranes to performing key functions in the brain, eyes, and lungs. Some other functions of fats include: the fuel source during exercise, providing insulation, aid in absorbing fat soluble vitamins, supplying essential fatty acids, providing protective padding for body structures, protecting your nerves, is essential to your lungs and eyes working properly, and fats also help your immune system and metabolism function properly.
Not all fats are created equally. I would recommend avoiding trans fatty acids at all costs. Monounsaturated fats found in olive oil, nuts, and avocados have definite health benefits. The verdict is not in completely on saturated fats. Numerous studies have attempted to show a link between heart disease and saturated fat intake; the majority of these studies have failed to show any sort of correlation whatsoever. The studies that have shown such a correlation usually have some flaw in them. An example of flawed studies would be ones that lump together artificial trans fat consumption with saturated fat consumption, which the body absorbs completely differently.
Processed meats and trans fatty acids are bad for you, even most hardcore Atkins low-carb diet advocates will admit that. Today, most people in Western societies eat approximately a 15:1 omega 6 to omega 3 ratio. Ideally, people should consume more Omega 3's and less Omega 6's, with a ratio at around 3:1. Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids can be found in foods including walnuts, some fruits and vegetables, cold-water fish, game meats and the best source being Grassfed Beef. I recommend Grassfed beef over salmon simply because it has the same Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio, with out the risk of mercury, and the added benefit of CLA!
Hydration.
Maintaining proper hydration is very important! ISSA gives the following hydration guidelines:| Daily Energy Expenditure | Minimum Daily Water Intake |
| 2,000 calories | 64-80 ounces |
| 3,000 calories | 102-118 ounces |
| 4,000 calories | 138-154 ounces |
| 5,000 calories | 170-186 ounces |
| 6,000 calories | 204-220 ounces |
This chart us intended for a healthy and active individual who exercises regularly. Obviously, this chart can vary due to external factors such as weather and illness.
Vitamins and Minerals.
Vitamins and Minerals are needed for the body to function properly and to achieve peak performance. If you are active, you need to look beyond the RDA (recommended daily allowance) and look at the PDI (performance daily intake).
Nutrition is essential to life and it is critical to peak performance in athletics. Most guidelines put out by the FDA are simply for sedentary individuals whose only dietary goal is to sustain life. If your goal is survival, just keep doing what you are doing and you will probably be fine. But, if your goal is to achieve peak performance, it is crucial that seek out someone with nutritional knowledge. Josh Bryant has done custom diet consultations with world-class athletes as well as with every day people. The athletes who eat properly will not only perform better, but enjoy greater health and a higher quality of life. If your lifestyle is more sedentary, such as that of a businessman or office clerk, applying proper nutrition will also help you enjoy greater success. Contact us if you need assistance with your diet, we can help.
