Nutrition for Powerlifting/Strength Training

[paulosantos0922]

Get enough protein, eat enough fruits and vegetables to get enough fiber and make sure you're getting all your micronutrients. Meal timing doesn't matter unless it affects your energy levels/performance in the gym, it will not affect your body composition. There's a reason IF, CBL, Paleo and all those stupid fads "work" even though they're all on different ends of the spectrum, it's because what matters is your weekly and monthly macros/calories matter and not these very tiny area of nutrition people fixate on that don't mean anything. You can't sell too many books about using common sense and moderation though, people want some sexy plan that they think is the key to all of their problems.

I agree with this, but there are so many people that just don't get it and they need diets like the Paleo or Zone to teach them how to eat properly.

[Bench905]

A powerlifter counting calories? Unless you are cutting weight for a weigh-in, I don't see the point. Counting calories sucks. As someone with a FT job, hobbies, kids, and lifting, I will never count calories unless I want to go mad.

[jaxasaurus]

This +rice, beef...lots of beef, cheese,fish, oats, peanut butter, and almonds.

Pretty much what I eat almost everyday. Except add a loaf of french bread to that and remove cottage cheese, cannot stand the taste for some reason lol

[ParsonBrown]

A powerlifter counting calories? Unless you are cutting weight for a weigh-in, I don't see the point. Counting calories sucks. As someone with a FT job, hobbies, kids, and lifting, I will never count calories unless I want to go mad.

I count calories because I can over eat by a lot without even trying. I am making progress eating 3500 cals with the occasional up/down day. If I don't watch it I will have eaten 4500 cals without thinking about it. What's wrong with that you say...personal preference is to not be a fatty on purpose (want to tie shoes and not have a heart attack etc etc)...

[hammerfelt]

I really hope you aren't serious. People are fat because they eat too many calories, period. The cheapest/easiest available foods are extremely calorie dense.

I'll also add that CarbNite is a pretty terrible diet plan; there's a reason why guys with no nutritional knowledge follow it.

Completely serious. How did people not get fat before we even knew what a calorie was?

[Mitch666]

I really hope you aren't serious. People are fat because they eat too many calories, period. The cheapest/easiest available foods are extremely calorie dense.

I'll also add that CarbNite is a pretty terrible diet plan; there's a reason why guys with no nutritional knowledge follow it.

I agree, you can get just as good (in most cases better) results with a moderate calorie deficit and eating a balanced diet.


But if people are really opposed to counting calories and carb backloading or whatever helps them get stronger and stay at a decent body comp... Well to each his own I guess.

[Mitch666]

Completely serious. How did people not get fat before we even knew what a calorie is?

I really hope you're trolling.


A huge percentage of the population had physical labor jobs and calorie dense food like mcdonalds and other fast food places weren't readily available. now even though that's "junk food" it doesn't make you fat, over eating does.
And if you're going back even farther to hunter/gatherer times, people sprinted, chased and killed their food, it's a little hard to imagine that not burning a helluva lot more calories than the average 9-5 office worker.

Your logic is really flawed, no one is saying you'll automatically get fat if you don't count calories, but it makes it much easier to track what's going on with your weight. I think it was zmcole that said you keep track of your training, why wouldn't you keep track of your nutrition?

[hammerfelt]

I really hope you're trolling.


A huge percentage of the population had physical labor jobs and calorie dense food like mcdonalds and other fast food places weren't readily available. now even though that's "junk food" it doesn't make you fat, over eating does.
And if you're going back even farther to hunter/gatherer times, people sprinted, chased and killed their food, it's a little hard to imagine that not burning a helluva lot more calories than the average 9-5 office worker.

Your logic is really flawed, no one is saying you'll automatically get fat if you don't count calories, but it makes it much easier to track what's going on with your weight. I think it was zmcole that said you keep track of your training, why wouldn't you keep track of your nutrition?

How many calories did you burn yesterday?

How many calories did I burn with these squats?



I weighed 390 in April, 357 at last Thursday check in. Not a single calorie was counted.

[Mitch666]

How many calories did you burn yesterday?

How many calories did I burn with these squats?



I weighed 390 in April, 357 at last Thursday check in. Not a single calorie was counted.

Congratulations on the weightloss 30+ pounds is no joke to lose. I don't try to specifically worry about what I burn in a given day, that really would drive someone crazy. All I'm saying is try to figure out a maintenance calorie level and add or subtract calories from there based on what your goals are.

[hammerfelt]

Congratulations on the weightloss 30+ pounds is no joke to lose. I don't try to specifically worry about what I burn in a given day, that really would drive someone crazy. All I'm saying is try to figure out a maintenance calorie level and add or subtract calories from there based on what your goals are.

Thanks! I have also lost weight counting calories, but I am happier with low carbs and not counting calories.

[tom11]

A powerlifter counting calories? Unless you are cutting weight for a weigh-in, I don't see the point. Counting calories sucks. As someone with a FT job, hobbies, kids, and lifting, I will never count calories unless I want to go mad.

Counting calories and macros is too easy, takes up literally 1 minute. I spend 10 hours a week in the gym, why not spend an extra 7 minutes to maximize results? And by the way, have you ever been to a powerlifting meet? Not all powerlifters are fat, most are ripped I would say and many of them of course count their macros. Seems you are lazy I would say.

[bmontgomery87]

Completely serious. How did people not get fat before we even knew what a calorie was?

cause food was of a better quality back then, and took work to prepare.

people started getting fat when they got easy access to ****ty foods.

[invain]

Completely serious. How did people not get fat before we even knew what a calorie was?

I can already tell there's absolutely no point in trying to reason with you. I did get a good laugh at your response however.

[MasterBench]

Thanks! I have also lost weight counting calories, but I am happier with low carbs and not counting calories.

All you are doing is inadvertently creating a caloric deficit by eating the way you are. I always lol when people say you shouldn't count calories and then go and do some fad diet. All you are doing is following some broscience method to create a deficit without actually tracking your intake.

[paulosantos0922]

All you are doing is inadvertently creating a caloric deficit by eating the way you are. I always lol when people say you shouldn't count calories and then go and do some fad diet. All you are doing is following some broscience method to create a deficit without actually tracking your intake.

That is what a lot of these diets do. They trick you/manipulate your calories so that you don't have to count your calories. And honestly, there is nothing wrong with that as long as you understand that is what is happenening.

However, there are some people do Paleo and think that it is a miraculous diet and think that they are loosing weight because they are eating like a caveman, when in reality, they are loosing weight because they are on a deficit.

[hammerfelt]

All you are doing is inadvertently creating a caloric deficit by eating the way you are. I always lol when people say you shouldn't count calories and then go and do some fad diet. All you are doing is following some broscience method to create a deficit without actually tracking your intake.

http://discovermagazine.com/2004/oct...x#.UhO2dZJwqgY

What the diet of the Far North illustrates, says Harold Draper, a biochemist and expert in Eskimo nutrition, is that there are no essential foods—only essential nutrients. And humans can get those nutrients from diverse and eye-opening sources.

[mattdajani]

It's pretty silly to say that powerlifters shouldn't count their macros, it's like saying bodybuilders shouldn't track the weights they lift. Sure you don't have to go all anal and do some super strict rigid plan year round but to act like having more information is a somehow beneath a strength athlete is just dumb meat head logic. I don't personally track my macros unless I'm trying to lose weight but I have a general idea of where I'm at and my diet is so consistent I know what I need to do to put myself in a small or large caloric surplus. I think most people would benefit from tracking their foods for a few days to see where they're at and see if they should make any tweaks. We spend all this time training and reading about training it's stupid to not pay at least some attention to nutrition.

[MasterBench]

http://discovermagazine.com/2004/oct...x#.UhO2dZJwqgY

Lol I'm not going to argue with you as you clearly do not have any background in research/the scientific method f you think discover magazine is a source.
What I will say is that one scientist also does not equal a credible source.

Finally the quote to listed essentially supports flexible dieting. Specific foods shouldn't be avoided, you should eat what you enjoy that fits your calorie/macro/micronutrient intake goals. There is nothing wrong with specific foods.

If you think fad diets are superior to moderate eating you have a right to base your ignorance on the lack of empirical evidence that has been produce by proponents of said dieting protocols. Enjoy your broscience goals for 2013.

[paulosantos0922]

It's pretty silly to say that powerlifters shouldn't count their macros, it's like saying bodybuilders shouldn't track the weights they lift. Sure you don't have to go all anal and do some super strict rigid plan year round but to act like having more information is a somehow beneath a strength athlete is just dumb meat head logic. I don't personally track my macros unless I'm trying to lose weight but I have a general idea of where I'm at and my diet is so consistent I know what I need to do to put myself in a small or large caloric surplus. I think most people would benefit from tracking their foods for a few days to see where they're at and see if they should make any tweaks. We spend all this time training and reading about training it's stupid to not pay at least some attention to nutrition.

Great point.

[hammerfelt]

Lol I'm not going to argue with you as you clearly do not have any background in research/the scientific method f you think discover magazine is a source.
What I will say is that one scientist also does not equal a credible source.

Finally the quote to listed essentially supports flexible dieting. Specific foods shouldn't be avoided, you should eat what you enjoy that fits your calorie/macro/micronutrient intake goals. There is nothing wrong with specific foods.

If you think fad diets are superior to moderate eating you have a right to base your ignorance on the lack of empirical evidence that has been produce by proponents of said dieting protocols. Enjoy your broscience goals for 2013.

Show me a scientific article that comes to a different conclusion about the Inuit diet.

[FenderElectrics]

What point are you trying to make itt hammerfelt?

I'm confused because it sounds like initially you are saying calories don't matter (since we used to weigh less when we didn't know about calories?)

Then you post that you lost weight counting calories.

Then you post an article and highlight a portion that has nothing to do with calories.

[hammerfelt]

What point are you trying to make itt hammerfelt?

I'm confused because it sounds like initially you are saying calories don't matter (since we used to weigh less when we didn't know about calories?)

Then you post that you lost weight counting calories.

Then you post an article and highlight a portion that has nothing to do with calories.

I never said calories do not matter. They do matter. A diet high in fat/protein and low in carbs/processed food is self limiting. It it very hard to overeat on such a diet. Start introducing foods manufactured by man like Twinky's, anything that contains high fructose corn syrup or sugar, carbs laden with fat/sugar and the salt; then counting calories becomes a necessity because it becomes very easy to overeat with those foods.

As for the Inuit diet you think they are they counting calories?

[ParsonBrown]

I never said calories do not matter. They do matter. A diet high in fat/protein and low in carbs/processed food is self limiting. It it very hard to overeat on such a diet.

I'm not sure I understand your logic here. The source(s) of macro nutrients do not determine if a diet is self limiting.

A dozen eggs + lb of bacon @ bfast...16oz + of chicken....throw in a 20 oz + steak at supper. A lot of us here could easily over eat our maintenance calories with fat and protein. Personally, none of those foods are very satiating to me. Eating them in large quantities is pretty easy.

[tom11]

All you are doing is inadvertently creating a caloric deficit by eating the way you are. I always lol when people say you shouldn't count calories and then go and do some fad diet. All you are doing is following some broscience method to create a deficit without actually tracking your intake.

That is exactly what I have in my mind.

A diet high in fat/protein and low in carbs/processed food is self limiting. It it very hard to overeat on such a diet

I can overeat easily even in low carb diets. Let's say you make a mistake and eat 50g more steak and 10g butter in eat, that could be 300 kcal. That could take your calories from -200 maintenance to +100, in essence ruining your cut for example. This is why counting macros is good.

[FenderElectrics]

I never said calories do not matter. They do matter. A diet high in fat/protein and low in carbs/processed food is self limiting. It it very hard to overeat on such a diet. Start introducing foods manufactured by man like Twinky's, anything that contains high fructose corn syrup or sugar, carbs laden with fat/sugar and the salt; then counting calories becomes a necessity because it becomes very easy to overeat with those foods.

As for the Inuit diet you think they are they counting calories?

Okay gotcha.

I agree there is no reason to count calories for many. I don't do it myself because I did for so long that I know close to what I'm taking in daily (close enough at least I'm not in show prep). I just make sure I'm hitting 200g protein and eyeball everything else. I still understand that my bulks work because of excess calories and my cuts work because of calorie restriction - I thought you were arguing against that earlier itt and was confused.

And no they're not counting calories not sure why that matters? Their high fat/protein diet is fine but many people (especially powerlifters or other athletes) struggle and feel awful on low carbs. So while they aren't essential for health they are for performance and feeling your best for many.

[adamsz]

I count calories and do IIFYM. Doing this I'm able to stay around the 200 mark and remain relatively lean, which is a positive for me. When I don't count calories I generally get up to around the 220 range and don't feel as healthy as I do in the 200 range (holding breath to tie my shoes, getting gassed walking up a set of stairs, etc).

The staples of my diet are
boneless skinless chicken breast
steak
95/5 ground beef
bacon
tuna / salmon
eggs / egg whites
greek yogurt
oats
daves killer bread
rice
beans
bananas
green beans / broccoli / peas

and of course, my main food group: chipotle

I like IIFYM / counting calories because it allows me to fit in "dirty" foods when I crave them and not have to worry about it.

Granted, I'm not that strong, and if I weren't injured and could lift at 100% I would probably be fine gaining more weight and getting stronger, but for now I'm happy staying in the 198s.

[invain]

I think some of you forget there is a difference between literally counting every calorie, and keeping a general ballpark figure of your daily calories. I count my calories, especially when dieting, but I never write **** down or track it on an online program. I keep a running tally in my head and if I'm off by 100 - 200 calories it's not a big deal. It literally takes 5 seconds to weigh out most foods, and pretty much everything has labels now a days. There's really no excuse to have a pretty good idea on how many calories you're eating each day unless you're a lazy ass, in which case you're most likely also a fat ass.

You can make fun of me all you want for tracking my calories, but there's no way I'd be able to maintain 8% bf without it. Some of us are actually competitive powerlifters and try to carry as much mass as possible for the weigh classes we compete in. Dan Green hires a nutritionist when he's prepping for a meet to help him make weight and I'm willing to bet none of you would give him **** for monitoring his diet carefully.

[jaxasaurus]

^

Counting calories literally take less than a few minutes per day and the benefits far exceed not counting them.

[SBHayes]

Can we start a Nutrition Thread to share what our nutrition is like?

No, no we cannot.

[HamburgerTrain]

Why only post workout?

Because everything this website says about nutrient timing is incorrect.