I've only met two powerlifters before: one in my gym, one from myspace. Both compete but they would always tell me how awful their diet was. They both said they would eat 7000 calories a day, and usually fast food about 10x a week. Needless to say, they weren't too lean but they were still pretty strong and I've seen videos of both. So even if you're a top tier powerlifter, how important is diet? Eating enough calories is a must, but can you essentially just eat any crap you want as long as you get all the nutrients?
Was just curious.
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08-20-2007, 11:25 AM #1
What's the diet like for most powerlifters?
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08-20-2007, 11:30 AM #2
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08-20-2007, 11:50 AM #3
It depends ...
For example, look at 2 top level powerlifters (Matt Kroczaleski and Dave Tate). Matt advocates eating very healthy and that has gotten his strength up and he is one of the top competitors in the 220s. Dave Tate also got crazy strong eating junk food (read his posts about oreos/hostess products to bulk up).
Its easier to get more calories from junk food than from healthy foods and depending on what you weigh/how many calories you need will somewhat determine the types of food you take in.
You'll also most likely be more healthy eating a healthy diet than a diet full of junk food. It will also depend on if you care what you look like, if you want to be a lean mean fighting machine then eating McD's is not going to give you that look. But if you dont care and just want to get as strong as you can no matter what then a combination of the two (healthy and junk) will probably put weight on faster and help your lifts go up.
My personal stance is that the majority of my meals are healthy (healthy meats/vegetables/fruits/carbs) but I also have cookies after lunch and ice cream/cake after dinner. I see no reason to cut out the "luxuries" of life unless I dont like my appearance. If I want to get slimmer I'll cut down on some of the junk food but I figure at this point (at least for me) as long as the weight in the gym is going up and I can live the lifestyle I want I dont need to change how I eat.
P.S. I am no expert in nutrition (Chemical Engineering Student :-))my knowledge comes from articles I've read and from my own experience.Total ... what else matters?
6/10/06 - 665lb
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08-20-2007, 12:37 PM #4
It is a myth that all powerlifters eat like crap. Ideally I like to go 40/40/20 getting about 1.5 gms protein/lb. I base everything off my protein intake and adjust my carb count up if not enough energy. At 220 I get (try) 330 gms protein/day in 7 meals, it still take alot of effort to intake that much. Anyway 1320 cal in protein, 1320 cal in carbs, 660 in fat for 3300/day. That works for me at my weight, if I feel lethargic I take in more carbs..maybe fat. Honestly it is TOUGH for me to get that much protein but it is a target. I am usually above 300. Don't be fooled into believing powerlifters are fat asses, most are not. Hey look I LOVE this sport but if it meant I was embarassed to take my shirt off at the beach or risk dying prematurally of CAD I wouldn't do it. I also want to look good. I mean I can't do anything about my mug, unfortunatley, it is what it is but I want a decent physique and I can do something about that. Good luck
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08-20-2007, 01:35 PM #5
- Join Date: Apr 2005
- Location: United States
- Age: 37
- Posts: 1,450
- Rep Power: 301
I eat everything I can get.
I'm not lean, but I'm not fat by any means.
My abs are obscured but that's about it.
And I'm putting on strength pretty well.
Leaning up isn't hard and I plan on doing it come competition season.I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor. -- Thoreau
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08-20-2007, 02:02 PM #6
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08-20-2007, 03:06 PM #7
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08-20-2007, 04:36 PM #8
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08-20-2007, 08:13 PM #9
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08-20-2007, 08:23 PM #10
- Join Date: Jul 2007
- Location: San Jose, California, United States
- Age: 58
- Posts: 369
- Rep Power: 248
The only junk food I eat is pizza or in&Out burgers ... Cookies are ginger snaps, and werther's hard butterscotch candies.
150-200g protien per day, 4 liters of water.
after that I eat most everything I feel like.
I weigh 180 @ about 15% BF
the only bad spot in my diet is veggies, I don't much care for em but I try.
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08-20-2007, 09:11 PM #11
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