Jim Stoppani, PhD
THE FORTHCOMING analogy is simplistic but equally apt: The food you eat fuels your training engine. When you fill your tank with a thin, watered-down gruel, you’ll get an underpowered performance complete with bonking, stalling and declarations of mercy. Shovel in the proper foods at the right times and you’ll have the energy to train like a combustion-engine beast. The mix is important, and this meal plan has been calibrated to give you all the nutrients you need for muscle mass, strength and endurance without adding bodyfat. There’s nothing complicated here; it’s just a solid meal plan designed to keep you on the fast track.
FAT CARBOHYDRATES PROTEIN
SLOW CARBS
To ensure you have sufficient energy to blast through your workouts and recover properly, you’ll consume about 1.5 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight on rest days and 2 grams on workout days. The focus is mainly on slow digesting carbs, which keep insulin levels low for long-lasting energy. Research studies confirm that when athletes ate slow-digesting carbs such as fruit and whole grains at breakfast and lunch, they had more energy for workouts, and could train longer and harder. They also burned more fat during exercise and at rest.
FAST CARBS
These are best when you wake and right after workouts. Consuming simple carbs and whey protein upon waking tells your body to stop burning muscle protein for fuel. Cantaloupe and watermelon are ideal fast-carb sources. Immediately postworkout, fast carbs quickly replenish the glycogen you burned while training and spike insulin levels. The anabolic hormone insulin drives amino acids and carbs in the form of glucose into muscles to help them recover and grow.
TIMING YOUR CARBS
Eat the majority of your carbs at breakfast and lunch, and as a morning snack. For dinner, stick with vegetables as your sides; skip the bread, pasta, potatoes and rice. Make sure your nighttime snack consists of only protein and healthy fats.
* Ample protein is the order of the day. The basic plan for rest days will provide about 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight to keep you anabolic and primed for muscle growth. On workout days, the addition of pre – and postworkout shakes will push your daily protein intake closer to 2 grams per pound.
* You’ll need to eat plenty of fat, especially healthy fats like omega-3s. They aren’t stored as bodyfat as easily as other fats and are readily used for fuel during exercise. Choose egg yolks, olive oil, peanut butter, salmon and other fatty fish. On this diet your daily fat intake will be about 0.5 gram per pound of body-weight, or about 30% of your total daily calories.
MIND-CONDITION SUPPLEMENTS
THIS PLAN WILL NOT ONLY GIVE YOU AN ENERGY BOOST BUT ALSO ENHANCE RECOVERY, AND IMPROVE MUSCLE MASS, STRENGTH, POWER AND ENDURANCE
* BETA-ALANINE In the body this amino acid and the amino histidine combine to form carnosine. Research confirms that muscles with higher levels of carnosine can generate stronger contractions for longer periods, which means better gains in size, strength and endurance. Take 1.5-3 grams with your pre- and postworkout shakes.
* CAFFEINE There’s much more to this naturally occurring plant chemical than a morning buzz. Dozens of studies show that when subjects took caffeine about one hour before workouts, they experienced increased strength, endurance, speed, fat-burning and pain tolerance. Take 200-500 mg an hour before training.
* CITRULUNEMALATEThe amino acid citrulline is known as a potent nitric-oxide booster because it can convert to arginine in the body. It also aids in the removal of ammonia, which causes fatigue during exercise, and helps the body use lactate to produce energy. Citrulline malate has been shown to elevate adenosine triphosphate (ATP, the key energy molecule) by more than 30%. Take 2-6 grams with your preworkout shake.
* COENZYME Q10 CoQ10 is particularly concentrated in the mitochondria–the powerplants of muscle cells–where the majority of the ATP your body needs is produced. CoQ10 also assists in reactions that produce ATP. Research shows that CoQ10 can decrease fatigue during exercise and speed recovery between exercise bouts. Take 100-200 mg with breakfast plus 200 mg with your preworkout shake.
* CREATINE More than just helping build muscle, creatine is a critical energy supplement that helps you lift weights with more speed, power and strength. Creatine works in the body by holding high-energy phosphate molecules inside muscle cells until the body needs more ATR The more creatine your muscles have, the more ATP they can produce and the longer you can train. Take 2-5 grams before and after workouts. Choose creatine monohydrate, creatine hydrochloride, creatine citrate, creatine pyruvate, creatine ethyl ester or creatine alpha-ketoglutarate.
* RESVERATROL Research shows that this compound enhances endurance by increasing the number of mitochondria in muscle cells. Since mitochondria produce the majority of ATP, more mitochondria means more energy. The mitochondria are also important for longevity, so this may be how resveratrol can lengthen your life span. Take 200-500 mg in the morning and before workouts.
MIND HYDRATION
* The analogy of your body as a car is probably as old as the very first fitness magazine, or maybe even the first car. So forgive us when we compare the water you drink to the oil you put in your automobile, as it correlates so perfectly that no other parallel will do.
Nearly every system in your body glides along the lubricated rails of proper hydration. Digestion, temperature regulation, cognition, waste removal and the transportation of nutrients to cells are just a few of the processes that rely on adequate hydration. And when it comes to athletic performance, studies show that just a slight decrease in body water levels can significantly compromise athletic performance and impair muscle strength.
Recent research has shown that carefully monitoring your hydration levels isn’t important for just triathletes and basketball players. A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology showed that dehydration among weightlifters can hamper gains. Scientists discovered that compromised hydration status negatively impacts the post-training hormonal environment by increasing the concentration of the muscle-trashing stress hormone Cortisol and blunting testosterone response (a postworkout increase in testosterone is one key to muscle growth).
To have an intense and effective workout, make sure to drink at least 1 gallon of fluid a day. By making your pre – and postworkout protein shakes with 16 ounces of water each, you’re well on your way.
MIND-CONDITION MEAL PLAN
* This meal plan was designed for a typical 180-pound lifter but will work for trainees between 160 and 200 pounds. If your bodyweight is outside this range, adjust your macronutrient intake accordingly. On workout days add pre – and postworkout protein shakes. If you train close to a meal, simply replace it with a preworkout shake and eat the whole-food meal about one hour after your postworkout shake.
* UPON WAKING
1 scoop whey protein
1/2 medium cantaloupe
* BREAKFAST
(30-60 minutes later)
Scramble:
3 whole eggs
3 egg whites
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 slice low-fat cheese
2 cups oatmeal
* LATE-MORNING SNACK
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1 cup pineapple
1 Clif bar (any flavor)
* LUNCH
6 oz. canned albacore tuna
2 slices whole-wheat bread
1 Tbsp. light mayo
1 large piece of fruit
* AFTERNOON SNACK
Sandwich:
1 Tbsp. peanut butter
1 Tbsp. jam
2 slices whole-wheat bread
1 scoop whey protein
* DINNER
8 oz. salmon
1 cup broccoli
2 cups mixed green salad
2 Tbsp. olive oil/vinegar dressing
* NIGHTTIME SNACK
1 scoop casein protein
1 Tbsp. peanut butter
TOTALS: 3,100 calories, 265 g protein, 260 g carbs, 110 g fat
ON WORKOUT DAYS ADD:
* PREWORKOUT
(within 30 minutes)
1 scoop whey protein
1 large apple
* POSTWORKOUT
(within 30 minutes)
2 scoops whey protein
1/2 cup low-fat milk
30 Gummi bears
TOTALS: 3,800 calories, 340 g protein, 360 g carbs, 110 g fat
NOTE: Blend all protein powders according to directions on label, mixing with 12-16 ounces of water.
Jim Stoppani, PhD
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