So ya wanna be a Powerlifter, Part 2
Last month we talked about training for the beginner. This months installment we will discuss nutrition. Now, I know what you are thinking, but I said nutrition, not “diet”. Being a powerlifter allows you more lee-way in your nutritional plan than say, a bodybuilder, but getting the right amount of calories and nutrients is just as important. Just try to eat a balanced diet: that means VEGGIES and meat. In order to achieve this balance, I have come up with a system I call the “pie diet”. NO, NO, NO! That does not mean we get to eat pie all day long. The word pie refers to a pie chart. The plan consists of a 40/30/30 mix. 40% protein; 30% fat; and 30% carbs. Try to get your carbs in the form of leafy greens, beans, corn and natural starches, such as brown rice and yams (not french fries and wonder bread). Get your protein from leans cuts of red meat , lean pork, chicken (easy on the skin) and try to get in some fish at least 1x a week (twice would be better). For your fats, cook with olive oil, or use it as a salad dressing. I will use a non/low fat salad dressing, but add olive oil to it. If you must, use real butter, none of that margarine crap. Rule of thumb for a balanced meal: protein source, the size and thickness of your hand, veggies, the size of 2-3 fists (depends on the type of veggie), 1 fist of rice or potato, and 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil (a 200 lb lifter gets 2spoons and a 300 lb lifter get 3 spoonfuls)
If you want to be a little more scientific about things, here is an easy way to figure caloric needs: take your bodyweight, double it, multiply by 10. The average Joe who does not train, would multiply by 1.7 and then times 10.
Example: Lifter: 220x2=440x10=4400 calories.
Joe: 220x1.7=374x10=3740
The preceding example is for a lifer comfortable with their current weight. To gain wt, add 250 cal per day, mostly of protein and fats. This should lead to a ½ lb increase in lean bodyweight per week. If in a hurry to gain weight, one could go to 500 cal per day, this would yield 1 lb per week, but you increase your chances of gaining fat along with that muscle. On the flip-side, if you are trying to go down in weight, take out 250-500 cal per day (depending on how long you have to lose the weight). Try to cut the calories by consuming less fat (take out more egg yolks and choose leaner cuts of meat), and starchy (rice, yams and potato) carbs. Now, I am not saying one cannot enjoy the pleasures of the “all you can eat buffets” every once and a while. Just start with a salad, eat as much clean protein as you can, and keep the fried crap to a minimum. I would like to touch on supplements for a moment. They can make or break a nutritional program. Due to rules and regulations in different organizations, I am only gonna recommend products, that I don’t think are banned, but check the rules and regs of your organization before trying any of the following. I know that some of you are on a fixed budget, so these are listed in order of importance. If you cannot afford all that I have listed just go as far down the list as you can afford.
Multivitamin: sorry folks, “one a day “ aint gonna cut it, The best product on the market, hands down, is Animal Pak. I have been using the pak for around 10 years. There had been times I would run out and not buy any, and my training would go to crap in a matter of weeks. After getting back on the Pak, my strength levels would return and continue upward. Look, I recover from training 1-1.5 days faster when I am taking the Pak.
Protein: I like a plain whey protein. I take it with whole milk, between meals. If you are trying to lose weight, use skim or 1% milk (1% has the same fat as skim and more protein.)
Meal replacements: For when you don’t have time to eat right. Get one with a proper protein/fat/carb ratio that you like the taste. I like Muscle Milk.
Creatine: Once again, no special brand, just 98-99% pure. Don’t fall for the marketing, and buy the micronized, or liquid crap ( Pepsi spend millions trying to get creatine to stabilize in a liquid form so they could put it in Gatoraide, if they can’t do it, how can you trust a company with the word “marketing” in it’s name)
Testosterone boosters: this one is border line, not sure if any organization bans the ingredients, but M-Stack, by Universal Nutrition, works well to boost ones own test, which should make you stronger. Be careful with the andro products,. you are playing with fire.
Branch Chain Amino Acids: These are good to drink right before or while training, to keep the body in a anabolic state during and right after training. It can also can speed recovery time. Universal Nutrition has a new BCAA Stack, that should do the trick.
A typical day should look like this:
7am Breakfast (eggs, oatmeal, turkey bacon or muscle milk) and animal pak
10am Snack; Protein shack
1pm lunch; salad with chicken, or steak
4pm snack; protein shake and M-stack
5.30pm train; and B.C.A.A.
7pm snack; shake within 30 minutes of training
8.30-9pm dinner; steak or chicken, veggies, rice, olive oil….
Well folks that’s all for this months edition. I hope this helps. Trust me, I don’t eat perfectly, and I do not expect you to, but knowledge is Power. If you use ½ or even a ¼ of what you read here today, and you get stronger, then it was worth my time to write this down, and worth your time to read it. Next month, I will touch on program design and discuss Maximum Force lower body training, (that is training for the squat and the deadlift).
Until next month….
Stay strong,
Ox