Good Article written by Jack London.
"Feeding the Animal
by Rhino
Eating has always been and will always be a hotly debated topic in bodybuilding circles. How much do I eat? How many carbs? How much protein? Is fat good for me or bad? Some say it’s all a mystery whereas some say it is plain and simple. I say… It depends. Your body type, your lifestyle and most importantly your goals should dictate your diet.
Anytime you set out to create a program, the first thing to look at is your physique goal. Am I trying to add more mass or get leaner? Am I trying to get stronger for a powerlifting meet? Do I want to compete in a bodybuilding contest? This question is the first that needs to be answered when considering your individual eating targets. For me, it’s about growth, and so, I eat for growth. But what does this mean?
Since your muscle is made of protein, I always make sure to eat plenty of it: 1.5-2.0 grams per pound of bodyweight. I eat this amount because my goal is to continue to grow and keep my muscles in an anabolic state. I also eat carbs on top of the protein, but always making sure that the protein requirements are fulfilled first.
Carbs change in amounts and types depending on my contest schedule. Again, simple guy, simple rules--the closer I am to a contest, the lower my carbs, and the lower on the glycemic index they fall. Carbs that are higher on this index tend to break down in the body faster, causing much of those carbs to be converted to fat. You see, your body cannot utilize carbs as fast as they are broken down. The slower acting carbs, such as brown rice, sweet potatoes, and oatmeal, are better, as they are broken down slower and give the body more time to use them, instead of storing them as fat.
You see, carbs and fats are really the same thing: sources of energy. Some people store fat as fat and use carbs as energy. Other people use fat as energy, and store carbs as fat. This is what the current high fat diet craze has arisen from. You need to find out, through trial and error, what type of body you have. Are you carb efficient? Or are you carb sensitive? Once you know where you fall, then you can proceed to eat for your body type. I generally eat about 500-1000 grams of carbs in the off-season, but go as low as 150 grams precontest. This type of cycling works for my body, and because I weigh 275 lb, I can handle that many carbs. You need to figure out through experimentation what works for you.
Now that you know what to eat and how much, you need to address portion size and meal timing. Can I eat carbs at night? Before I workout? What are the rules? Well, just like everything else attached to diet and nutrition, everybody is different, but there are some general rules you can live by. First, make sure you eat many small meals versus a few large ones. This will keep your metabolism fired up and will help you burn fat. I mean shit, no matter what your goal might be, I doubt getting fatter is in the plans.
Also, make sure you eat protein and carbohydrates together, in every meal. Don’t eat a meal consisting only of one or the other alternately. It won’t work as well. Remember, you can eat all the way up until you go to sleep, as long as you follow these guidelines. Now, for bodybuilders, the later in the day, the less carbs you need, so you can eat as much as you want before bed. Just make sure it is mainly protein.
Okay, so what forms of protein you ask? Simple, lean forms. Again, there is no need for extra fat--you will get enough fat in your diet from the meat. My favorite protein sources are as follows: Flank steak, fish, eggs, chicken, turkey, whey protein. Carbs are as follow: rice, sweet potatoes, oatmeal. For the off-season, when trying to put on mass, I include pasta, fruit, some bread--usually some form of seven grain, or wheat. I do try to stay away from flour though, as it stores as fat in my body, and I am allergic to it. If you eat bread and it makes you hold excessive amounts of water, you are very likely to be allergic to it, so check it out.
People really overlook the power of food allergies, and their effects on the body, so be informed and be aware. As far as fats go, I have experimented with high fat diets and have found them to work for me to a point. I have gotten gains from the high fat, low to zero carb type of eating, but have found that the moderate carb, high protein diet works best with my body type. Most people do not work well on the high fat diet, so when experimenting, try the moderate carb diet first and see how your physique reacts.
Now, what about supplements? Well, they are exactly that, to supplement your food, not replace it. Generally, I get 200-300 grams of protein from whey powder. It is an easy, convenient, and efficient way to get in the protein you need. When trying to hit 500 grams a day, it makes it a little easier with protein powder. I also use creatine, glutamine, Animal Pak and Animal Nitro, for obvious reasons. The proper supplements will definitely help with growth and recovery. I swear by protein powder, as it has all the amino acids and such that you need. I never supplement carbs, as I don’t see that as a necessity. You can get enough carbs through food. It is getting down 500 grams of protein that is a feat.
Eating is like lifting, you need to work at it. You need to be consistent, diligent, and focused. You need to know exactly what your goals are. You need to eat at least 6 times per day, every 2-3 hours. Eating is the most important component to growth and recovery and building solid muscle. You can lift all day, take all the supplements in the world, but without proper nutrition and enough protein, you will never build the body you really want. So make sure you eat up, like any true Animal would, and remember--bring it and bring it hard."
"Feeding the Animal
by Rhino
Eating has always been and will always be a hotly debated topic in bodybuilding circles. How much do I eat? How many carbs? How much protein? Is fat good for me or bad? Some say it’s all a mystery whereas some say it is plain and simple. I say… It depends. Your body type, your lifestyle and most importantly your goals should dictate your diet.
Anytime you set out to create a program, the first thing to look at is your physique goal. Am I trying to add more mass or get leaner? Am I trying to get stronger for a powerlifting meet? Do I want to compete in a bodybuilding contest? This question is the first that needs to be answered when considering your individual eating targets. For me, it’s about growth, and so, I eat for growth. But what does this mean?
Since your muscle is made of protein, I always make sure to eat plenty of it: 1.5-2.0 grams per pound of bodyweight. I eat this amount because my goal is to continue to grow and keep my muscles in an anabolic state. I also eat carbs on top of the protein, but always making sure that the protein requirements are fulfilled first.
Carbs change in amounts and types depending on my contest schedule. Again, simple guy, simple rules--the closer I am to a contest, the lower my carbs, and the lower on the glycemic index they fall. Carbs that are higher on this index tend to break down in the body faster, causing much of those carbs to be converted to fat. You see, your body cannot utilize carbs as fast as they are broken down. The slower acting carbs, such as brown rice, sweet potatoes, and oatmeal, are better, as they are broken down slower and give the body more time to use them, instead of storing them as fat.
You see, carbs and fats are really the same thing: sources of energy. Some people store fat as fat and use carbs as energy. Other people use fat as energy, and store carbs as fat. This is what the current high fat diet craze has arisen from. You need to find out, through trial and error, what type of body you have. Are you carb efficient? Or are you carb sensitive? Once you know where you fall, then you can proceed to eat for your body type. I generally eat about 500-1000 grams of carbs in the off-season, but go as low as 150 grams precontest. This type of cycling works for my body, and because I weigh 275 lb, I can handle that many carbs. You need to figure out through experimentation what works for you.
Now that you know what to eat and how much, you need to address portion size and meal timing. Can I eat carbs at night? Before I workout? What are the rules? Well, just like everything else attached to diet and nutrition, everybody is different, but there are some general rules you can live by. First, make sure you eat many small meals versus a few large ones. This will keep your metabolism fired up and will help you burn fat. I mean shit, no matter what your goal might be, I doubt getting fatter is in the plans.
Also, make sure you eat protein and carbohydrates together, in every meal. Don’t eat a meal consisting only of one or the other alternately. It won’t work as well. Remember, you can eat all the way up until you go to sleep, as long as you follow these guidelines. Now, for bodybuilders, the later in the day, the less carbs you need, so you can eat as much as you want before bed. Just make sure it is mainly protein.
Okay, so what forms of protein you ask? Simple, lean forms. Again, there is no need for extra fat--you will get enough fat in your diet from the meat. My favorite protein sources are as follows: Flank steak, fish, eggs, chicken, turkey, whey protein. Carbs are as follow: rice, sweet potatoes, oatmeal. For the off-season, when trying to put on mass, I include pasta, fruit, some bread--usually some form of seven grain, or wheat. I do try to stay away from flour though, as it stores as fat in my body, and I am allergic to it. If you eat bread and it makes you hold excessive amounts of water, you are very likely to be allergic to it, so check it out.
People really overlook the power of food allergies, and their effects on the body, so be informed and be aware. As far as fats go, I have experimented with high fat diets and have found them to work for me to a point. I have gotten gains from the high fat, low to zero carb type of eating, but have found that the moderate carb, high protein diet works best with my body type. Most people do not work well on the high fat diet, so when experimenting, try the moderate carb diet first and see how your physique reacts.
Now, what about supplements? Well, they are exactly that, to supplement your food, not replace it. Generally, I get 200-300 grams of protein from whey powder. It is an easy, convenient, and efficient way to get in the protein you need. When trying to hit 500 grams a day, it makes it a little easier with protein powder. I also use creatine, glutamine, Animal Pak and Animal Nitro, for obvious reasons. The proper supplements will definitely help with growth and recovery. I swear by protein powder, as it has all the amino acids and such that you need. I never supplement carbs, as I don’t see that as a necessity. You can get enough carbs through food. It is getting down 500 grams of protein that is a feat.
Eating is like lifting, you need to work at it. You need to be consistent, diligent, and focused. You need to know exactly what your goals are. You need to eat at least 6 times per day, every 2-3 hours. Eating is the most important component to growth and recovery and building solid muscle. You can lift all day, take all the supplements in the world, but without proper nutrition and enough protein, you will never build the body you really want. So make sure you eat up, like any true Animal would, and remember--bring it and bring it hard."
