My Feeding Regimen (for TJ)

[N1K]

OK...

This is what my eating has evolved into from 7 years of bodybuilding.

7 am: Morning Shake: (blended 48 OZ shake including 1 banana, 1 pear, about a cup of blueberries, 100% whey protein (44grams) and milk)

8 am: a BIG 100% whole wheat bagel...

10 am: an 'egg sandwich' (3 jumbo eggs including yokes on 2 pieces of wheat bread) and about 1.5 cups of milk

noon: A blended drink that contains 6oz of tuna 11oz of boiled chicken breast, a cup of whole wheat pasta, and about 2/3 a cup of frozen spinach/squash combination ALL blended up with milk (probably a good 32oz of milk (whatever it takes to fill the rest of teh blender) and I blend that up and drink it for lunch.

3:30: I have a turkey sandwich with 1/2 the package of deli turkey and 2 pieces of wheat bread,and a glass of milk (skim) All my milk is skim FWIW good or bad...

5:00 - 6:45 workout

7:00 I have a pro-complex protein shake with milk in the truck on the way home

7:30 I drink an IDENTICAL shake to what I had at lunch

10:30 I have a frozen burrito, 1 piece of toast, and a jennie-o turkey burger. (and a glass of milk)

I eat this EXACT same thing EVERY day at the EXACT same time in the exact same quantities (monday thru Friday) weekends I eat 'normal'.

Oh, and I forgot to add that I drink about a gallon of water thruought the day.

Making marginal tweaks over the years, I've played with my protein intake and I'm pretty set with the ammount of protein I take in being 'right' for me.

I truly believe that all the milk is really the cause of my nose/breathing problems as well as giving me f'n gas like a landfill.

So I'd love to get rid of the milk.

The easiest thing would be to just replace the milk with water, and supplement the protein I got from the milk with a scoop of powder. (egg protein?)

What else am I NOT getting if I drop the milk that I might want to replace???

Keep in mind that anything I do, I only make tiny tiny adjustments to what I eat, so just dropping the milk would be a HUGE deal for me...

(P.S. what was with teh grapejuice after working out?)

[spEEdfrEEk]

Hey Bud!

Now that I have a bit more time, I can address this more

fully.

OK...

This is what my eating has evolved into from 7 years of bodybuilding.

Isn't it amazing how easy it becomes to eat the same stuff day

after day? I am the same way when I am specifically cutting or

on a gain cycle. I usually make a targeted menu plan with

a full weeks worth of recipes and then run with it until I've hit

my goal for the cycle. People think I'm crazy for doing it, but

it works well for me.

7 am:  Morning Shake:  (blended 48 OZ shake including 1 banana, 1 pear, about a cup of blueberries, 100% whey protein (44grams) and milk)

First of all, I'm not a huge fan of high-carb/sugar diets. However,

if you want to train under a low-fat regime then try to get most

of your carbs in the first meal. This will cut off muscle catabolism

due to fasting all night long (while you sleep).

The best fruits for replentishing muscle glycogen (and liver glycogen)

are those that are high in glucose and low in fructose. Hence,

keep the blueberries and add strawberries and grapes. If that

gets boring, throw in some melons.

Chunk the banana and pear, they are way too high in fructose to

be useable. Their fructose has to first be converted to glucose by

the liver and are highly cholesterogenic. Berries and melons are the

best, because they are "older" fruits and have been in the human

diet longer. (evolution has a major role to play in human health

and fitness.. I could talk on this subject for hours as I've researched

it for years..)

8 am:  a BIG 100% whole wheat bagel...  

Big no-no in my opinion. Wheat is monoploidal (duplicate copy

of the same chromosome), highly esterogenic, and loaded with

gluten which is extremly allergenic. The estrogen will jack with

your testosterone levels. The gluten will impede your immune

response -- slowing muscle tissue recovery. And, above all,

it will make it very difficult for you to get enough calories in to

grow without putting on too much adipose.. Think about it bud,

we fatten our livestock with grains. They have the same effect

on us..

10 am:  an 'egg sandwich' (3 jumbo eggs including yokes on 2 pieces of wheat bread) and about 1.5 cups of milk

Eggs are VERY good. They have the highest bioavailable protein

you can get. If you eat them raw or boil them they will be the

most useable. (excessive heat denatures proteins in the egg..)

Again, wheat bread is something I avoid, for the reasons listed

above. If you _have_ to have grains, use rice. Rice has minimal

gluten if any at all..

Skip the milk. It's just as allergenic as the gluten and far more

unhealthy. The fats are too long chain to be used for immediate

energy, and the sugars (galactose) must be broken down in the

liver in a similar manner to fructose.

If you get sick of rice, try various beans. They are also complex

carbohydrates and gluten free. Above all, avoid starches like

potatos. They produce massive insulin secretions with the net

effect of lipogenesis and not increased muscle/liver glycogen

storage.

noon:  A blended drink that contains 6oz of tuna 11oz of boiled chicken breast, a cup of whole wheat pasta, and about 2/3 a cup of frozen spinach/squash combination ALL blended up with milk (probably a good 32oz of milk  (whatever it takes to fill the rest of teh blender) and I blend that up and drink it for lunch.  

Tuna is excellent. Other oily fish are just as good if you get

bored and want to substitute {salmon, halibut, sardines, etc.}

I never do pasta. It's very heavily processed wheat and full

of gluten. Let me put it this way, paleo humans were large boned

folks who could lift more over their heads than you or I could

bench Nik. They were big and powerful and ate tons of free range

meats and little grains with absolutely no dairy.

Renaissance man, on the contrary, ate primarily grains and dairy

and was lucky to achieve a height of 5'7". They were frail and

had high infant mortality rates.. See whutta mean?

Spinach and squash are fantastic. Consider mixing in other

healthy veggies: tomatos, carrots, cucumber, etc. You would

be amazed how well they taste juiced and the additional veggies

will provide a much wider range of nutrients. Your diet appears

pretty deficient in unsaturated fats and anti-oxidants, so I would

supplement with vitamins C, E and beta-carotene and try

to suck down atleast 1 tbs of flax oil/day.

I'm really surprised you haven't had any resperatory issues

with as much milk as you drink.. I've got studies that demonstrate

that dairy creates mucus formation in the lungs (in addition to

it's many other negative side effects). In fact, some of my

documentation indicates that the strongest evidence is that

Flo-Jo (Joyner) most likely died from effects related to excess

dairy consumption..

3:30:  I have a turkey sandwich with 1/2 the package of deli turkey and 2 pieces of wheat bread,and a glass of milk (skim)  All my milk is skim FWIW good or bad...

Again, I'm not a fan of wheat products or dairy. Turkey is

EXCELLENT, as is other fowl and fish. However, I would be

cautious of eating turkey right before training. Turkey meat is high

in the amino acid tryptophan, which is the active ingredient

in Prozac. In essence, if you eat enough turkey, you're giving

yourself a pre-workout sedative.

My pre-workout meal consists of:

1) 20 g pure egg protein -- basically pure branch-chained amino

acids to aid in post-workout recovery

2) 1 tbsp flax seed oil -- to prevent diseases of degeneration and

fight off cancer, virus, etc.. It's best to take this with the egg/whey protein

and that's why I put it here..

3) 1/4 cup pure coconut milk -- a good source of medium chain

saturated fats which metabolize like glucose/sugars but INCREASE

testosterone output and not decrease it.. This gives you a big

boost of energy about two hours later..

I drink this 2 hrs. before training for maximum effect. (always

train on an empty stomach, or you will not have the maximum

level of blood flow to the working muscles..)

5:00 - 6:45 workout

I always keep my lifting sessions short too.. It prevents me from

overtraining.

7:00 I have a pro-complex protein shake with milk in the truck on the way home

The best time for the body to uptake muscle glycogen is within

30 minutes of training. Basically, under anaerobic activity, the

working muscle can load blood glucose WITHOUT insulin. For instance,

if you are doing concentration curls, your bicep may uptake glucose

from the blood stream that was released earlier by the quadricep,

which was inactive.

You can take advantage of this anabolic effect by loading branched

chained aminos (egg/whey protein) and pure glucose (100%

real grape juice) into the active tissue cells. This promotes very

enhanced recovery and leaves the working tissue with enough

stored glycogen to satisfy your next workout.

Remember, human muscle tissue does not hyperplasia (cells

splitting into two new cells), it can only hypertrophy (expand).

You can get maximum hypertrophy by storing as much muscle

glycogen (and hence water/cellular fluid) as possible by using

the method I described.

7:30 I drink an IDENTICAL shake to what I had at lunch

You truly have a more cast iron gut than I do.. hee hee hee

10:30 I have a frozen burrito, 1 piece of toast, and a jennie-o turkey burger.  (and a glass of milk)

I always avoid processed stuff when I am in a gain cycle.

(like the burrito). There's no telling what all of the preservatives

and additives are doing to your anabolic response. I prefer

to keep things simple: whole meats, fish, fowl and eggs. whole

nuts, seeds, etc. raw veggies.. You know, stuff that paleo-humans

would eat.

Above all, avoid consuming any kind of carbohydrate or starch

with your final meal. You see, these foods create an insulin

response which _blunts_ testosterone levels.

Testosterone is not the most important hormone when size, or

power is important. HgH is. Testosterone only controls the

level of HgH response. More test = more HgH.

Your biggest secretion of HgH is 30 minutes after you have fallen

asleep at night. If you eat a bunch of carbs, you will secrete a

ton of insulin, supress testosterone, and ultimately supress your

biggest secretion of HgH.

If anything, eat natural, healthy (non-manmade) saturated fats

in your last meal. This will enhance your test level which in

turn will cause a great HgH response when you go to bed..

I eat this EXACT same thing EVERY day at the EXACT same time in the exact same quantities (monday thru Friday)  weekends I eat 'normal'.

Ok Nik, let me share something I discovered in my research

a year or two ago. The human body is VERY homeostatic. In

essence, it fights VERY hard not to change. If you are trying

to gain mass (or strength, which is my goal) you absolutely cannot

see the optimal results with a set pattern.

You are trying to force the body to change, and it is trying not to.

So you have to mix things up to keep it guessing. If not, it will

become very good at operating on a set schedule and you'll

have difficulty achieving your goals.

I never rely on the exact same schedule day after day. In fact,

during cutting, I'll actually use coin flips to determine certain

meal times or caloric inputs.

You will have much better luck in getting your body to grow if you

mix things up a bit from time to time. Try skipping a meal one

day and adding it to the next day.. Or, try clumping two meals

together. Or, vary the times you eat by up to 30 minutes. Mark

my words, you'll see better results. (think in a Darwin way..)

Oh, and I forgot to add that I drink about a gallon of water thruought the day.

Water is crucial when you are aiming for mass gains.

Each gram of carbohydrate carries with it 3 grams of H20

(hence the "hydrate" part of carbohydrate..) So, if you are

trying to load muscle glycogen, you'll need lots of water to do it.

In fact, after a deep stint in mega-low-carb high fat cutting if I

eat any sugars I immediately dehydrate.. I have to drink gallons

of water to load the sugars, or I just end up passing them in my

urine stream.. (a natural adaptation for low-carbers and hunter

gatherer types..)

Making marginal tweaks over the years, I've played with my protein intake and I'm pretty set with the ammount of protein I take in being 'right' for me.

In general, people who lift for size or power need to consume

about 30% of their calories from good proteins (eggs, meats, etc.)

If you know what your calorie needs are to grow, then finding

your protein needs are automatic. (nitrogen balance is not nearly

as hard as people make it out to be..)

I truly believe that all the milk is really the cause of my nose/breathing problems as well as giving me f'n gas like a landfill.

I believe you're right about the breathing problems. As far as gas

goes, any carbohydrate that makes it into the intestine will feed the

bacteria that produce gasses. The more sugars/carbs you eat,

the more gassy you get.. However, not all of those bacteria are bad,

so don't sweat the gas too much..

So I'd love to get rid of the milk.  

I think it would be a good idea too.

The easiest thing would be to just replace the milk with water, and supplement the protein I got from the milk with a scoop of powder.  (egg protein?)

Egg is the highest bioavailable protein. However, just remember

that you can always eat meats too. Meats are, in general, better

than protein powders because all of the other macronutrients and

minerals are present (like saturated fats, etc.)

What else am I NOT getting if I drop the milk that I might want to replace???

To be honest, the milk isn't really giving you anything you're not

getting elsehwere.. If you're afraid of calcium deficiency, just eat

some sardines each week. The bones in sardines provide much

better calcium than dairy ever has.. (bones are where paleo humans

primarily got their calcium.. and it's the reason we still produce the

enzyme that breaks up bone in our digestive system..)

Keep in mind that anything I do, I only make tiny tiny adjustments to what I eat, so just dropping the milk would be a HUGE deal for me...

I'm not telling you your diet is bad Nik, I am just trying to help

you fine tune it -- as a friend. The dairy stuff is a bad idea, and I

always tell my buds about it. After all, I wanna keep you healthy

so that I could potentially ride with you some day! :grin:

(P.S.  what was with teh grapejuice after working out?)

Consider it like an anabolic cocktail -- it's provides an optimal

way to aid in muscle recovery and store extra glycogen for your next

workout..

:cool: TJ :cool:

[N1K]

I'm really surprised you haven't had any resperatory issues  

with as much milk as you drink..

I have...

Thanks for the ideas. Like I said, I absolutely cannot change a whole bunch of things at once. I need to do one thing at a time to see what works, and what effect what has.

So I think I'll start with the milk first.

I guess I'll try using water in place of milk, and adding a little egg protein to compensate for the loss of the protein from the milk.

I need to do that for a few weeks before I can change something else.

Next I could mess with the pastas/bagel, but I need carbs or I have no energy to workout??

THe fruit stuff I could change now...

[Redd]

Speed......I must tell you, you are absolutely Brilliant!

[spEEdfrEEk]

Thanks for the ideas.

No sweat bud.. You may want to read that post again, because

I was answering it piecemeal and you replied to it before I

had finished it..

Like I said, I absolutely cannot change a whole bunch of

things at once.

Nobody can, and neither could I..

I need to do one thing at a time to see what works, and what effect what has.

So I think I'll start with the milk first.

That's the safest place to start. My hunch is that you may see

some positive results in regard to things like resperatory issues

and even a benefit with other allergies you may have..

I guess I'll try using water in place of milk, and adding a little egg protein to compensate for the loss of the protein from the milk.

Egg protein, eggs, or even other meats. They're all much better

than dairy. Consider mixing in some healthy oils for the extra

calories too: flax, olive, and coconut are great choices to

round out the calorie needs while offering MANY other health

benefits.

Next I could mess with the pastas/bagel, but I need carbs or I have no energy to workout??

I used to believe that too. Believe it or not, after enough adaptation

time, your body can generate all of the stored muscle glycogen

it needs via gluconeogenesis (converting extra dietary proteins

into stored muscle sugar..)

However, if you are having no issues with diabetic symptoms, and

are also not having trouble with excess adipose gain then I think

you'll be alright.

Just opt for the better complex carbohydrates over the grains:

rice, beans, corn and peas over wheat and oats.

THe fruit stuff I could change now...

Some fruits are very valuable post-workout.. These include berries,

melons and some citrus.

Later bud!

:cool: TJ :cool:

[spEEdfrEEk]

Speed......I must tell you, you are absolutely Brilliant!

{blush} Thanks Redd! :grin:

I can tell that you, too, are quite adept and knowledgable

when it comes to the low-carb lifestyle. (love your posts

and recipes!)

I think it's great that you and others on here are so sharp

when it comes to your own health and staying

on top of what's healthy and what's not..

:cool: TJ :cool:

[N1K]

No sweat bud.. You may want to read that post again, because  

I was answering it piecemeal and you replied to it before I  

had finished it..

You're right, you've added more since I read it...

I need some time to re-read and analyze it and I'm sure I'll have more questions... But first...

However, if you are having no issues with diabetic symptoms, and  

are also not having trouble with excess adipose gain then I think  

you'll be alright.

I'll go do some research, but what would 'diabetic symptoms' be?

I don't feel like I have any health issues EXCEPT for my resperatory issues. (nose and bronchial problems) I always have a dry nose, and problems with breating, and stuff. Dry air REALLY fucks me up. I suspect the mucus issues with the milk might affect my bodies ability to maintain the proper balance of moisture on the respiratory membranes.

And what is adipose gain?

Just opt for the better complex carbohydrates over the grains:  

rice, beans, corn and peas over wheat and oats

I use to use white pasta and white bread bagels... That was why I switched to whole wheat pasta and whole wheat bagels, to try to switch my carb sources to complex over simple...

[spEEdfrEEk]

I'll go do some research, but what would 'diabetic symptoms' be?

1) Lethargy/sleep after each meal

2) Slow healing, difficulty healing from wounds

3) Unsatiable craving for water/chronic thirst

I suspect the mucus issues with the milk might affect my bodies ability to maintain the proper balance of moisture on the respiratory membranes.

Could very well be true..

And what is adipose gain?

Put simply, fat gain.. If you put on fat really fast (and very

easily) when you're on a gain/growth cycle then look to remove

the dairy, grains and other simple carbs.

WAT (white adipose tissue) is the bad stuff, and BAT (brown

adipose tissue) is the good stuff.. You can add BAT by exposing

yourself to the elements during the winter (or supplementing

with ephedrine and xanthines..)

I use to use white pasta and white bread bagels... That was why I switched to whole wheat pasta and whole wheat bagels, to try to switch my carb sources to complex over simple...

To be honest, there's very little difference in the two. They're

both simple starches and both will jack up your estrogen levels

to a degree.

Better complex carb choices are the veggies and fruits I mentioned

above..

Good luck cuttin' out the dairy bud!

:cool: TJ :cool:

[spEEdfrEEk]

One of these days I plan to write something up about

using the low-carb/high-fat lifestyle as a means for

athletic performance enhancement.. (You know, using

it for mass gain, or strength gain, endurance gain, etc..)

I've already read tons of articles about the use of cyclical

keto diets by professional athletes geared toward key

sports. (and just as many research papers..)

However, Nik, I wanted to take this opportunity to ask you

a question. I've been lifting now for about 8 years, and

you've been clearly doing it for longer. Our motivations

are different (size vs. power/weight), however I think I

could gain some valuable insight by comparing notes with

you.

One thing I've always been curious about is this:

For me to improve my impulse strength and anaerobic power,

I generally have to hit a muscle group to the point where

I have enough tissue damage to feel "sore" the next

day or so.

Have you noticed this in your years of experience? Seems

like I get the best consistent improvements when I work to

a sort of "damaged" state.

If I just go " to failure" (which is the wonderful catch phrase

of the decade :roll: ) I tend to stagnate. The low carb/high-fat

thing actually helps me recover more quickly -- due to the

increased testosterone output of being ketogenic.

However, I was just curious to see if you noticed a similarity

in your efforts to gain mass..

:cool: TJ :cool:

[N1K]

Couple things..

First... I tried to drop the milk and add whey protein (cause that's what I had on hand)

Can't do that... The whey taste without something sharp to cut the aftertaste makes me gag...

I'll try the egg protein, hopefullly it won't be as hard to stomach.

Another idea. You mentioned I could use more poly unsaturated fats..

How about nuts? I love nuts. I was thinking I could drop my dairy, substitute a cup of nuts which would replace the protein lost from dropping the dairy, and also give me some poly unsaturated fats?

Your thoughts?

I have had alergy tests done, and I do not have any allergic issues with nuts.

As far as fat gain. I don't put on fat very easily... It took me 2 or 3 years of eating like a maniac just to put on enough bodyfat to get my body to a point of actually being willing to build muscle instead of just getting cut up...

anyway...

On the lifting subject. (ah, something I can actually contribute)

First. I've only been lifting for 7 years. Started when I was 21, I'm 28 now.

I can tell you with absolute, positive, unequivocable certainty that to make strength gains, its absolutely essential to force reps. (ie, go past failure)

working to failure will keep you toned, keep the muscle tissue you have pumped, but to replicate muscle tissue you MUST break down the tissue thru your set, and I personally have never seen ANYONE do it without forcing reps. (roid pussies excluded)

If you are not sore the next day, you didn't tear it up hard enough.

There are 2 types of muscle growth. Cell growth, and cell replication.

Cell growth will happen from any lifting. Cell replication doesn't happen unless you tear the microfiber significantly, and that only happens (for me) when I go past failure.

Cell growth (getting the cells you have too get bigger) can be maximized in about a month. After that, the only way to grow MORE is to get your cells to replicate (make more cells).

I hate to make generalizations because SOOO much of muscle gain is specific to each individual person, but I've never seen anyone make gains other then the cell growth variety without pushing past failure.

Also.. I have gotten to the point of being able to recognize when my body is replicating muscle cells, and when my body is enlarging the new cells.

For a long time, I thought that both happened simultaneously, but especially over the last 2 years, I've been able to make a correlation between how I feel and my workout acheivements that coorelates to a cycle of size gains VS strength gains.

I'm hoping that by doing some more research I might be able to time my eating to eat more effectively to maximize the growth cycle vs the replication cycle.

ah... its late, gotta hit the hay... will write more tomorrow, or clarify what I wrote here. I wrote it in a rush.

talk soon,

nik

[spEEdfrEEk]

First... I tried to drop the milk and add whey protein (cause that's what I had on hand) Can't do that... The whey taste without something sharp to cut the aftertaste makes me gag...

In general' date=' protein powders make me gag. That's why I usually cut them

with something to spice up the flavor. One of my favorite things to do is

mix in some coconut milk, flax oil and stevia powder.

1) Coconut milk is full of medium chain triglycerides, which metabolize

like sugars (ang give you tons of energy) but are saturated fats and,

hence, increase serum testosterone.

2) Flax oil is essentially pure omega-3 fatty acid which prevents cancer,

viral infection, and diseases of degeneration. It is best when consumed

with saturated fats and proteins (hence, good in a protein shake..)

3) Stevia will sweeten the whole concoction up and make it taste like

a pina colada, but is completely carbohydrate free and will prevent

fat gain and all of the other negative side effects of sugars..

I'll try the egg protein, hopefullly it won't be as hard to stomach.

To be honest, I only use egg. It's less allergenic than whey and is also

more bio-available. (trouble is, it's more expensive too..)

Another idea. You mentioned I could use more poly unsaturated fats..

Yep, and mono-unsaturates too! (avocados, olives, and their virgin oils)

How about nuts? I love nuts.

An excellent source! I eat nuts with just about every meal. (usually a 1/4

cup to 1/2 cup). Not only are they fantastic for you, healthwise, but they

also increase your healthy dietary fiber intake. If I'm trying to grow and I

don't get enough fiber, I can get pretty clogged up on those mega-calorie

diet plans I had to eat to put on weight.

Here are some good nut choices

1) pumpkin seeds, raw/unsalted - almost as much omega-3 EFA as flax

seed oil

2) walnuts, raw/unsalted - similar nutrient content to flax, but with a

much better taste

3) almonds, raw/unsalted - great fiber content, and the trace levels of

arsenic enhance immune response in the human body

4) pecans, raw/unsalted - great fiber content and is my personal favorite

from a taste point of view.. (we grow some beauties down here in

Texas :grin: )

I was thinking I could drop my dairy, substitute a cup of nuts which would replace the protein lost from dropping the dairy, and also give me some poly unsaturated fats?

Absolutely. Nuts and seeds are far better for you than dairy, and will

provide large amounts of the nutrients that are deficient in your current

diet.

I have had alergy tests done, and I do not have any allergic issues with nuts.

What's funny is that very FEW people are actually allergic to nuts. This is

because, as humans, we have evolved on them for millions of years.

What most people are allergic to are things like peanuts -- which are

actually not even nuts (they are legumes!)

As far as fat gain. I don't put on fat very easily... It took me 2 or 3 years of eating like a maniac just to put on enough bodyfat to get my body to a point of actually being willing to build muscle instead of just getting cut up...

You sound like me.. When I started lifting, I weighed 158 lbs. (not exactly bulky at 6'0" tall, ya know? )

On the lifting subject. (ah, something I can actually contribute)

Don't sell yourself short Nik, you have alot to contribute in many other

ways.

First. I've only been lifting for 7 years. Started when I was 21, I'm 28 now.

Youngster! ha ha. You have had some fantastic results my friend! To

reach 300 lbs. in such a short time is amazing. I can only average about

10 lbs/year when I'm actually trying to add mass and gain weight.

I can tell you with absolute, positive, unequivocable certainty that to make strength gains, its absolutely essential to force reps. (ie, go past failure)

This is exactly what I've found in my years of experience as well. And,

that's why it burns me up to see the "personal trainers" at my gym giving

out such bunk advice. (both on diet and training). This is precisely why I

want to put together some concise material on training and nutrition to

help others. So that they won't have to do all of the footwork or go

through all of the trial and error that I have had to do.

working to failure will keep you toned, keep the muscle tissue you have pumped, but to replicate muscle tissue you MUST break down the tissue thru your set, and I personally have never seen ANYONE do it without forcing reps. (roid pussies excluded)

One of these days I will share a JAMA study with you that proved, beyond

a shadow of a doubt, that roid rangers need not even lift to gain muscle

mass. I had to laugh when I read it, and have used it to ridicule some of

my "cheating" buddies in the gym...

If you are not sore the next day, you didn't tear it up hard enough.

Yep.. That's what I've noticed. You know, Nik, I think if we work

together, we can create some guidelines that could really help the young

athlete/novice-lifter out. At the same time, our wonderful friends here on

the forum could benefit as well.

There are 2 types of muscle growth. Cell growth, and cell replication. Cell growth will happen from any lifting. Cell replication doesn't happen unless you tear the microfiber significantly, and that only happens (for me) when I go past failure.

Believe it or not, I've spent about 2-3 years studying exercise kinesiology

and neuro/musculo/skeletal science. In that time, I've learned some

really interesting things about the human body, and it's helped me

immensly when it comes to making strength and power gains in the

gym.

Here are some of the most interesting things I've found:

1) Muscle cells are like light switches. They are either on or off.

There is no fine control built into the human body that allows a

muscle cell to exert subtle forces. It's an all or nothing thing.

When a particular muscle exerts more force at time A vs. time B

it's because there is greater "recruitment" at time A than B.

2) There is only one way to improve recruitment, and that is through

innervation. Simply put, if you use a muscle enough (like train

it weekly) the body will grow more nerve tissue in it and this increases

the ability of your nervous system to "recruit" more of the cells

in the muscle. Innervation is the primary system at play when a lifter

increases his power without size/mass increases and is also key to things

like improved balance, and finer muscle control, and better leverage.

3) Growing a muscle cell happens in 2 primary ways. The first is multi

nucleation and the second is increased myofibril growth. Muscle cells are

somewhat unique in the sense that they can have more than one

nucleus. In fact, as a muscle cell gets used repeatedly an adaptation the

body will make is to add more nuclei to it. Myofibrils are the filimaments

that actually give the muscle tensile/contractile strength. The more

myofibril a cell has, the more of a pull it can exert when it is recruited.

Recruiting a cell constantly (as in training it) will cause it to grow more

myofibrils. (or increase the length of the myofibril is has). When a muscle

atrophies, it can lose myofibril and cellular fluid. However, it does not

lose the extra nuclei. This effect can be seen as "muscle memory" when

people take a layoff from the gym and manage to get back up to full

strength in a much shorter time than it took to build the muscle initially.

4) Increased cellular size (like what bodybuilders are seeking) is more a

function of cellular fluid than myofibril or multi-nucleation. Of course, as

a bodybuilder gains strength with his/her size, he/she will also multi

nucleate and add myofibril. However, the key for size is to increase the

cellular fluid at the same time. Power lifters, on the other hand, should

attempt to keep cell size to a minimum, so that they can compete in a

lower weight class. (obviously, ha ha) -- By the way increased cellular

size is best acheived by loading glucose/protein post workout (with water)

when cell walls are permeable and will allow very rapid uptake, as I

mentioned to you a bit earlier.

5) There are 3 primary types of muscle cells/fibers. Type-I "fast-twitch",

Type-II "medium-twitch", and Type-III "slow-twitch". Type-I fibers are

the primary fibers at play for "impulse strength", like 1-2 reps at max

power. They fatigue very quickly. Type-II fibers are anaerobic fibers

which are recruited for powerful exertion but over a longer period of time.

Type-III fibers are aerobic fibers, that are primarily low force but high

endurance. Put simply: powerlifters use more Type-I fibers, bodybuilders

rely more on Type-II fibers, and marathon runners use Type-III fibers

almost exclusively. I always encourage people to train all 3 types of

fibers whether they are powerlifters, bodybuilders, or endurance athletes.

6) All 3 fiber types can grow, multi-nucleate, and add myofibrils. In

general, though, type-II fibers are the ones that tend to carry more

cellular fluid. Type-III fibers (also called red-cells) tend to store more

triglyceride (cellular fats) for fuel. This is why chicken breast is "white

meat" and lean, while chicken legs are "dark meat" and fatty. A chicken

will only fly when threatened (impusle movement) versus walking around

constantly (aerobic movement). The program I have designed over the

years for myself actually targets all 3 types.

7) Human muscle cells primarily Hypertrophy and only Hyperplasia when

injured. Basically Hypertophy is "Muscle cell expansion", and Hyperplasia

is "Muscle cells splitting into two". So, in general, people (unlike rats,

etc.) actually have all of the muscle tissue they will ever have in their

bodies by the time they have reached adulthood. (this is the effect we

call "genetics", since people who naturally have more muscle cells to

start with will get stronger and larger faster than those that don't).

The only exception to the hyperplasia rule is when injury forces the

repair of lost muscle tissue -- like a laceration, dog bite, whatever..

#7 above is the main reason I asked about your successes lifting to

the point of soreness. Post-lifting muscle soreness can be attributed to

damaged cell membranes (they burst and dump the cellular fluid and

contents) or unflushed lactic acid. I believe the reason I (and you) see

better results lifting to the "damage point" (and hence soreness) is

because we are tapping into the hyperplasia system of the human body

to repair damaged or lost cells.

I hate to make generalizations because SOOO much of muscle gain is specific to each individual person, but I've never seen anyone make gains other then the cell growth variety without pushing past failure.

Believe it or not, you're the only person I've talked to about this. I

usually give out loads of advice to my gym buddies, but never really ask

them about these sorts of things. Unfortunately, alot of the people in my

gym cheat with performance enhancing substances, so they would throw

off my data if I were to use them as candidates. You, on the other hand,

are more like me in this regard. The more natural, the better!

For a long time, I thought that both happened simultaneously, but especially over the last 2 years, I've been able to make a correlation between how I feel and my workout acheivements that coorelates to a cycle of size gains VS strength gains.

It gets to be almost a sixth sense, doesn't it.. I've been low carb so long

that I can actually feel the difference when I am able to load muscle

glycogen post-workout. It feels like a shot of nitrous.. (figuratively

speaking of course.. ha ha)

I'm hoping that by doing some more research I might be able to time my eating to eat more effectively to maximize the growth cycle vs the replication cycle.

If you have any nutrition questions I'll do my best to field them for you

bud! My whole point in this effort is to help others so they don't have

to make the same initial mistakes I made. To be honest, what I've found

is that the power-lifter diet is the best one for bodybuilding too. The only

true difference between acheiving power and acheiving size and definition

is the amount of calories you have to take in. If you're looking for mass,

you REALLY have to feed it.. The same foods and timing apply though.

ah... its late, gotta hit the hay... will write more tomorrow, or clarify what I wrote here. I wrote it in a rush.

No sweat bud.. Get some sleep. You know how important rest is when it

comes to success in the gym.. :grin:

L8R G8R,

:cool: TJ :cool:

[sprack]

What about soy milks like Silk as a replacement for milk? High in protein and it tends to have less of a reaction for the lactose intolerant.

[spEEdfrEEk]

What about soy milks like Silk as a replacement for milk? High in protein and it tends to have less of a reaction for the lactose intolerant.

In my opinion, Soy is a no-no. It has a protein in it which inhibits

the enzyme (proteatase, if I remember correctly) which is responsible

for breaking down proteins into amino acids for transport from the

digestive tract into the blood stream.

Basically if you eat a steak with soy, you not only miss out on the

protein from the soy -- but from the steak too. Nitrogen balance is

very important for anyone training, so I would avoid anything that

inhibits protein uptake.

Incidentally, this is why Asians in Asia are physically smaller than Asians

in America. We eat less soy here than they do there..

:cool: TJ :cool:

[sprack]

But that only happens if the soy is not cooked. Cooking soy will destroy all but 5-10% of the protease inhibitor while leaving the inherent protein and benefits. And the inhibitor's effects aren't all bad, they also inhibit cancer growth. Something Asians also have less cases of than Americans, except for those in Hiroshima and Nagasaki...

In my opinion, Soy is a no-no. It has a protein in it which inhibits the enzyme (proteatase, if I remember correctly) which is responsible for breaking down proteins into amino acids for transport from the digestive tract into the blood stream.

[spEEdfrEEk]

But that only happens if the soy is not cooked. Cooking soy will destroy all but 5-10% of the protease inhibitor while leaving the inherent protein and benefits.

Not from the research I've seen bud. In fact, the only safe way to

consume soy in the research I've read is distilled (as in soy sauce..)

* The protease inhibitors found in soy foods are also a concern, in that they may inhibit normal growth and repair functions in children. At first the soy industry claimed that these inhibitors were destroyed by cooking, but that has been disproved. Protease inhibitors have been shown to survive cooking and processing to a small but significant degree.[viii] Certainly significant for a small child.

viii] Miyagi Y, Shinjo S, Nishida R, Miyagi C, Takamatsu K, Yamamoto T, Yamamoto S. Trypsin inhibitor activity in commercial soybean products in Japan. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol. 1997 Oct;43(5):575-80

:cool: TJ :cool:

[N1K]

I heard that soy in MASS quantities increases estrogen levels. That's one of the reasons I avoid it like the plaugue.

Since I drink milk in MASS, replacing it with soy would in my mind definitely be considered mass quantities.

Anyway...

When a muscle

atrophies, it can lose myofibril and cellular fluid. However, it does not

lose the extra nuclei. This effect can be seen as "muscle memory" when

people take a layoff from the gym and manage to get back up to full

strength in a much shorter time than it took to build the muscle initially.

Ah... I didnt' know the science behind that, i just knew of the effect. Interesting. I assumed it was cell replication, sounds like what I'm thinking is cell replication is just the extra nuclei.

If there is 2 things I wished I would have had more time in college to study, it would be kineisiology and nutrition.

The nutrition you get in health class or whatever is SOOO surface. ie, what's a carb, what's protein, what are vitamins. :roll:

I wish I had time to study it more back then, I could really use that knowledge now.

Unfortunately, I had to learn everything by trial and error, which wasted a good 2-3 years of lifting with minimal gains.

You sound like me.. When I started lifting, I weighed 158 lbs. (not exactly bulky at 6'0" tall, ya know? )

Yeah, I was 6'02" 160# 7 years ago.. I remember when my GOAL was to hit 200 pounds.... LOL

This is exactly what I've found in my years of experience as well. And,

that's why it burns me up to see the "personal trainers" at my gym giving

out such bunk advice. (both on diet and training).

Oh god, don't get me started on personal trainers.. :roll:

Sometimes I can't help but laugh when I overhear stuff they say to people.

On a side note... Here's what REALLY cracks me up... When some skinny dude at the gym who I've NEVER seen in there before comes up and tries to give me lifting advice. I'm not kidding... I happens like 2 or 3 times a year.

Some dude who goes about a buck 50 soaking wet will come up and tell me what I'm doing WRONG! LOL.... (usually like because I end on a heavy set not a pyramid system)

I usually just give him a serious interested look and say "REALLY"!!!

and then add "I'll have to try that, cause what I'm doing obviously isn't working"

OR my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE...

When some kid comes in the gym with a few pages RIPPED OUT OF A MAGAZINE!

LOL

And tries to do that... I just watch him for a month or so, and then sometimes they'll come up and ask me why what they are doing 'isn't working'...

This one kid... I looked at his magazine article (some pro-roid head's routine)... looked at him, and said "you on roids" He said "no"

"What works for a guy on roids won't work for you?"

There is this guy Art Atwood www.artatwood.com (12th at Mr. Universe last year) that works out at my gym occasionally. I talk to him here and there, and he's got a WAY different routine then me. And of course, he's on roids.

I wish I had a dollar for ever time some kid at the gym asked me about something and then after I gave them my opinion said "well but Art does this, or Art does that..." just makes me laugh.

I think the problem is that all these kids get their inspiration from magazines, but don't realize that ALL those guys are either on roids, or have been on roids in the past. Its so 'hush hush' unless you are involved in bodybuilding.

So all the High Schoolers buying the muscle magazines read what those guys do, and think that's what will work for them. They don't realize that 1, those guys are on roids, and what works for them WILL NOT work for someone not on them. and 2, they don't consider the nutrition and rest aspects of working out.

Sure, there are 'natural bodybuilding mag's' out there, but they don't sell. Plus, those dudes are tiny anyway. They spend too much time cutting and never really put any mass on.

[spEEdfrEEk]

I heard that soy in MASS quantities increases estrogen levels. That's one of the reasons I avoid it like the plaugue.

Hey Nik, I'll reply to this post more completely tomorrow. You've

said some things in here that I have experienced as well (we've

all had those hilarious experiences..)

Right now, though, I'm gonna hit the hay. I've been battling the worst

case of food poisoning I've ever had. Been fighting severe cramps, and

vomiting since 8 am. :sad:

L8r Bud!

:cool: TJ :cool:

[N1K]

OH, another thing that REALLY works for me TJ.

Deep Tissue Massage. Its AWESOME. If I could afford to go every week, I'd be so much stronger/more cut.

I only go about once a month but I wish I could go every week.

Gets all the old juices out of the muscle and lets new juice in.

(ok, so that's not the scientific explanation.) I just know it works amazing. Painful but amazing.

[RodeRash]

You're right, it's not a very scientific description, but that is pretty much how it works. The guy I go to is also a certified Rolf. He uses both deep tissue massage and Rolfing techniques on me. He is really good at getting my muscles relaxed, and my entire body back into proper alignment. I go about every 4 weeks. I went to him yesterday, and I feel great.

It's really wierd how your muscles start to loosen up, and then just flow.

[DaveK]

Speed......I must tell you, you are absolutely Brilliant!

REDD..PLease don't fill that pricks head even more !

NIK...Blended up TUNA with all that other shit....How do you keep that shit down ?

One serious Q....Why are you doing all of this....are you planning on competing ? Just want to...or just continue to look like you could lift a car with one hand ?

[spEEdfrEEk]

REDD..PLease don't fill that pricks head even more !

Thanks for sharing the love bud! :razz:

TJ

[DaveK]

Hey TJ....you're the one always insisting I blow in your mouth....Ya know...all that beneficial protein. I just prefer to save it for Mac...He likes using it in his beautiful blonde hair :oops:

[N1K]

NIK...Blended up TUNA with all that other shit....How do you keep that shit down ?

It does make me gag sometimes...

One time I drank it too fast because I was in a hurry. I had JUST finished the last bit, started to gag... Grabbed the blender pitcher, and puked into that, then drank it again. (it was still cold, hadn't been in my stomach for more then a minute or two. )

One serious Q....Why are you doing all of this....are you planning on competing ? Just want to...or just continue to look like you could lift a car with one hand ?

hmmm

Well, I never want to compete. If I wanted to compete with the intent of actually going somewhere I'd have to do roids, and I won't do that.

I like being big. Although I'm to the point where I don't want to get any bigger. I want to stay the same size and gradually get a little leaner.

I'm 297 right now. I want to stay that weight, maybe get a little leaner and in turn, add a tiny bit of muscle to make up the weight loss.

Outside of that... Its just a hobby. Something to do... Something to structure my life a little more.

For all the other things I could do to occupy my time, bodybuilding is the healthiest, so...

I just enjoy it, and the results.

[DaveK]

Another curious question ????

When you get really OLD....Like VERN or JOE or XXCHARLIE

and we assume that you stop or drastically cut down on everything you are doing...what will happen to your body ?

What will you look like at 80 years old ?

[N1K]

Muscle atrophies without use... So it will just shrink up.

I'll look 'normal'