Diet of seventies BB

[Kozak UPA]

I was re watching Pumping Iron yesterday, and something struck me as strange. Apparently, they were all preparing themselves for the Olympia, but they didn't seem to be dieting properly for it - not in today's standards at least.
I mean, there is that scene in which Lou is having lunch/dinner with his family, and the table looks like the typical all Italian meal.
Then there is Columbu with his relatives back in Sicily, and I don't think they were eating BB food...
Of course this could be all shots for the movie, no more than that, and I don't remember they actually EATING the food. Ok, but then in the morning which seemed like the competition's day, Arnold sit's with the Ferrigno's and the breakfast doesn't seem too fitting for the morning you are going on stage for the Olympia.
Any input?

[mudbug45]

I was re watching Pumping Iron yesterday, and something struck me as strange. Apparently, they were all preparing themselves for the Olympia, but they didn't seem to be dieting properly for it - not in today's standards at least.
I mean, there is that scene in which Lou is having lunch/dinner with his family, and the table looks like the typical all Italian meal.
Then there is Columbu with his relatives back in Sicily, and I don't think they were eating BB food...
Of course this could be all shots for the movie, no more than that, and I don't remember they actually EATING the food. Ok, but then in the morning which seemed like the competition's day, Arnold sit's with the Ferrigno's and the breakfast doesn't seem too fitting for the morning you are going on stage for the Olympia.
Any input?

LoL.... First off.... What is BB (bodybuilding) Food?

[Kozak UPA]

I mean food you eat when getting ready for a competition (Pre-contest). I thought that was self explanatory...
Sweet potatos, chicken breast... you know, Bodybuilders actually eat differently from the average coaching potato.

[TheNaturalTank]

I think arnold was having toast,eggwhites and orange juice. I guess on the day of the contest now they wouldn't be eating the toast and drinking OJ but back then they got big for contests, I don't really think anyone changed their diet because it was the same year round. I think arnold said something in the breakfast scene like "Well they could've had the contest next month so you(referring to Lou) could've come in shape, but then I would've got bigger so it doesn't really matter". Levrone did the same sorta thing, except he stopped training entirely when he wasn't preparing for a show.

[LUKEDEICHER]

i think you are reading a little to into the show and details. its not like arnold and lou were doing the o the next day either, its a movie.
notice doctor meds were left out of the show also.

sack lunches and boxes were the norm in the 70s. arnie would carry 6 chicken
breasts,water,and plain
bland rice in a lunch box daily for protein intake and clean meals.

if anything older bbers had to work harder with their diets and food then todays standards.

they didn't have protein bars at gas stations on the road or have supplements that tasted like deserts. arnold in his book gave his homemade protein shake recipes. didn't sound the most apetizing.

[Kozak UPA]

I see, good input. Thanks.

[johnnyironboard]

Arnold was eating eggs with Lou's parents- doesn't get anymore bbing diet than that.

[jerusalem_Beef]

i looked into this often and it seems they just ate aload of clean food but lots of it they used alot of whole milk, eggs in their diet as a staple but they ate tons of red meat, chicken, tuna they also had alot of bread either toast or wholegrains which is much different to nowadays. I got tom platz old book you should see his diet its realli strange not much protein at all but alot of milk, bread, cheese and fruit i could post his off season diet and pre-contest diet if anyone intrested

[wanabeebig]

i looked into this often and it seems they just ate aload of clean food but lots of it they used alot of whole milk, eggs in their diet as a staple but they ate tons of red meat, chicken, tuna they also had alot of bread either toast or wholegrains which is much different to nowadays. I got tom platz old book you should see his diet its realli strange not much protein at all but alot of milk, bread, cheese and fruit i could post his off season diet and pre-contest diet if anyone intrested

Yeah post it or PM me, interested

[TheNaturalTank]

i looked into this often and it seems they just ate aload of clean food but lots of it they used alot of whole milk, eggs in their diet as a staple but they ate tons of red meat, chicken, tuna they also had alot of bread either toast or wholegrains which is much different to nowadays. I got tom platz old book you should see his diet its realli strange not much protein at all but alot of milk, bread, cheese and fruit i could post his off season diet and pre-contest diet if anyone intrested

Yeah i'd be interested in that, post it up.

[APBTOwner]

i looked into this often and it seems they just ate aload of clean food but lots of it they used alot of whole milk, eggs in their diet as a staple but they ate tons of red meat, chicken, tuna they also had alot of bread either toast or wholegrains which is much different to nowadays. I got tom platz old book you should see his diet its realli strange not much protein at all but alot of milk, bread, cheese and fruit i could post his off season diet and pre-contest diet if anyone intrested

Ide like to see also.

Im sure the diets were differnt back in the 60s and 70s. But, so was every thing.

I dont think these guys had a off season where they packed on mass size like Lee, or Ronnie and had to start dropping weight like crazy to make show weight. I think Arnold Looked about the same all year. I think he came to the O at his leanest, but even in his off season from the pictures Ive seen, he was still pretty lean. I think thier diets stays close to the same all year.

Maybe it was all the weed he smoked back then that was giving him the munchies, for a big old bowl of pasta. =)

[Admiral Thrawn]

I bought "The Bodybuilder's Nutrition Book", by Dr Franco Columbu, off Amazon.com.

He wrote it in 1985 so it's pretty oldschool, and gives an insight into what he and Arnold did back in the day. In one section he gives a sample diet leading up to the Olympia, 8-10wks before, 2 weeks before, the day before and the day of the competition.

He also has sample diets for competitive and non-competitive bodybuilders, those who train a certain number of times a week, fast or slow metabolism, macronutrient breakdowns, etc.

[tony404]

If you read the book pumping iron,which I highly recommend. Its actually better than the movie. At the universe they talk about having trouble finding safe food where they were. Im 43 I remember the early protein shakes tasting like crap, you would have to drink it and then sit for a few minutes so you didnt throw it up. It mixed as well as sawdust. lol

[kethnaab]

yes, I remember those protein shakes.

they tasted like flour and chalk mixed in milk.

blah!!!!

[Couldbebigga]

If you read the book pumping iron,which I highly recommend. Its actually better than the movie. At the universe they talk about having trouble finding safe food where they were. Im 43 I remember the early protein shakes tasting like crap, you would have to drink it and then sit for a few minutes so you didnt throw it up. It mixed as well as sawdust. lol

Yeah, I remember those. Even a blender had a hard time mixing them.

[Uriel_da_man]

I think they pretty much ate "normal" for the most, only with a lot of eggs and meat. Come contest time Arnold himself has said he didn't really change what he ate, he just ate less of it.

[jerusalem_Beef]

TOM PLATZ OFF-SEASON DIET (WRITTEN IN HIS BOOK)

MORNING (Prior to trainnin) : Two Pieces of whole grain toast with butter and jelly, juice or milk, coffee Supplements

Lunch : (After Workout) Three to six eggs, Hamburger patty, sliced tomatoes , juice, two pieces of bread

Snack : Cheese (quite abit ) and crackers a glass of milk

Dinner : Very large prime rib salad (with cottage cheese, nuts, ) Bread and butter Piece of pie of ice cream , coffee or milk

Snack : Evening Couple pints of ice cream or bag of nuts

TOM PLATZ PRE-CONTEST DIET

PREWORKOUT MEAL : two pieces of toast , jelly hot cereal, small glass of juice or milk

Post Workout meal : Water packed Tuna Plain bagel, iced tea

Snack : bagel and an apple

Snack : Two pieces of toast and half a grapefruit

Evenning meal : Plain boiled fish , dry baked potatoe, Salad and lemon slices , stemed vegatable, Water or a glass dry white wine



As you can see its a very strange diet much different than todays diets they seem to have alot more fat like cheese and nuts and also still lots of bread

[wala]

arnold in his book gave his homemade protein shake recipes. didn't sound the most apetizing.

yeh man - I remember thinking about making one.. as I was reading it, I got more and more off the idea! lol

[gomez26]

yeh man - I remember thinking about making one.. as I was reading it, I got more and more off the idea! lol

LOL even franco said to arnold once - 'i cant drink that - its like cement'

arnold on the other hand didnt care. in his unathorized biography his old pals in austria said that he claimed if he had to eat a kilo of **** to put on muscle then he would do it. that determination.

[In Flames]

TOM PLATZ OFF-SEASON DIET (WRITTEN IN HIS BOOK)

MORNING (Prior to trainnin) : Two Pieces of whole grain toast with butter and jelly, juice or milk, coffee Supplements

Lunch : (After Workout) Three to six eggs, Hamburger patty, sliced tomatoes , juice, two pieces of bread

Snack : Cheese (quite abit ) and crackers a glass of milk

Dinner : Very large prime rib salad (with cottage cheese, nuts, ) Bread and butter Piece of pie of ice cream , coffee or milk

Snack : Evening Couple pints of ice cream or bag of nuts

TOM PLATZ PRE-CONTEST DIET

PREWORKOUT MEAL : two pieces of toast , jelly hot cereal, small glass of juice or milk

Post Workout meal : Water packed Tuna Plain bagel, iced tea

Snack : bagel and an apple

Snack : Two pieces of toast and half a grapefruit

Evenning meal : Plain boiled fish , dry baked potatoe, Salad and lemon slices , stemed vegatable, Water or a glass dry white wine



As you can see its a very strange diet much different than todays diets they seem to have alot more fat like cheese and nuts and also still lots of bread

thats a crazy diet. its not that much protein at all, compared to today's bodybuilders, but i guess it worked for them i mean you cant argue with their results. i guess they just lifted heavy everyday haha.