As we begin another edition of The MuscleTalker, we enter a new era in bodybuilding: The Jay Cutler Era. As most of you will no doubt already know, Jay won the Mr Olympia title last weekend, bringing to an end Big Ronnie Coleman's reign of a massive eight years. As always, it has been labelled a controversial decision, but well done to Jay and we can certainly look forward to a tough battle next year!
Recently added articles to the MT articles section include Recovery: A Primer, where Healthy Action Nutrition Consultant, Drew Price, looks at the factors which are the key to performance and injury avoidance.
Two new steroid profiles are:
Testosterone as an Anabolic Steroid
Masteron Information
There's a few MT members competing in some bodybuilding shows this month, so all the best to them, and we look forward to reading about them on the board.
And a huge 'well done' to Terry Hollands' who has just returned from the World's Strongest Man event where he placed seventh. Terry was disappointed with his placing, but, let's be honest, it is excellent, and great to have an MT member competing in such a high profile event. You can read Terry's own report here
*** All the best from James Collier and The MuscleTalk team! ***
See you at www.MuscleTalk.co.uk
*** Basic Basics on Diet ***
By youngitalianbabe, MuscleTalk Moderator
So you want to start eating like a bodybuilder...? The following article is pretty much designed for someone doing exercise regularly, and these basic rules can also be applied to a regular non-exercising person (i.e. inactive, sedentary, lazy, couch potato, etc - kidding!). There would only be a couple differences in terms of food quantity and pre- and post workout nutrition. The key is to adjust things according to the individual's needs i.e. their goals and lifestyle.
First of all, most of the population is a little confused about the word 'diet'. A diet isn't something a person 'follows' for 3 days, 1 week or 3 weeks. Diet is the way you eat. It is a lifestyle and supposed to come about naturally. Diet is the usual food and drink you consume on a daily basis. For most bodybuilders, there are two sides to their diet. There is cutting and there is bulking (see Cutting V Bulking: Losing Body Fat whilst Gaining Quality Muscle); both, especially the 'cut', can get complicated if the individual is competing. Competing is a different game altogether.
So what if you're not a bodybuilder? Maybe you're just someone that trains to fine tune or even just 'maintain' a certain type of body? That's fine. The same basic rules can apply. The thing that changes is that your food intake will stay more or less the same.
And now for some basic basics:
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Cutting/Bulking/Maintaining - What are these and what do they mean?
The cutting phase of a diet is the phase that aims to lose weight. When your diet is sorted out properly the goal to be achieved in the end is mainly fat loss and minimal loss of muscle mass. The severity of a cut may vary depending on how much fat has to be lost and in how much time the weight loss has to be achieved. Note that cutting requires a calorie deficit.
The bulking phase of a diet aims to put on or gain weight. There is the option to bulk like a madman (eat anything in sight) or go for a 'clean bulk', i.e. add mass with not too much fat gain. A lean bulk can be accompanied with some cardio or interval training to help with minimal fat gains. Note, bulking requires a calorie surplus.
Maintaining is pretty much eating enough food to maintain your desired bodyweight. Note, maintaining requires a maintenance of calories.
A calorie (abbreviated to kcal) in diet terms is a measurement of energy in food. There are three basic categories of food, not including alcohol (7 kcal/g); Protein, Carbohydrates, and Fats:
1g of Protein = 4 calories
1g of Carbohydrates = 4 calories
1g of Fat = 9 calories
Let's get in a little deeper and let's discuss P/C/Fs shall we? Again, the following will simply cover the basic basics... nothing too complicated or intense so don't fret!
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Protein
Protein plays a major role in the diet and in the body. The amount of protein one should aim to obtain depends on the person. Overall protein intake should be at 1-2g of protein per pound of bodyweight depending on a number of factors. Vegetarians and vegans might not have as much choice as meat-eaters, but can still achieve the 1-2g/lb on a daily basis, as other foods with a fair amount of protein do exist and will help.
Sources: Meats: tuna, oily fish, chicken, turkey, lean beef, etc.
Others: eggs, milk*, cottage cheese*, quark*, casein*, whey, soya/tofu, TVP, etc.
* more slowly digested proteins typical for before bedtime; whey in milk is another.
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Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates (carbs/CHO) also play a major role in the diet and in the body. Carbs basically fall into two categories, 'simple' and 'complex'. In general we need around 2g per lb of bodyweight, but this requirement can vary considerably and really depends on the individual's goals, lifestyle, and their reaction to different amounts.
Complex Carbs break down more slowly and release a constant amount of energy over a longer period of time. The general idea is to get most of your carb intake from complex carbs. Sources: Brown rice, sweet potatoes, yams, oats, high fibre cereals, wholemeal bread and pasta, vegetables, pulses/legumes (beans, lentils, chick peas), etc.
Simple Carbs tend to create an insulin spike because they are absorbed and broken down quickly by the body. This results in a quick boost of energy followed by a sudden drop in energy levels. A good time to use simple carbs could be post workout (PWO). Simple carbs are also useful as 'easy calories' for those having trouble gaining weight. Sources: glucose, dextrose, other -ose words, honey, molasses, cakes, sweets, sugary kid's cereals, chocolate, cookies, etc.
Refined or processed carbs (empty calories) are still complex carbohydrates as such in structure, but it's the removal of fibre that makes it easier for them to be broken down. A lot of the nutrients are lost as well. Refining the carb does also tend increase its GI (glycaemic index) score; this can lead to an impact on blood sugar levels. The more a food is processed the further it is from its original state. Examples: white bread, white rice, pasta, refined breakfast cereals, etc.
It is important to get an adequate amount of fibre in one's diet. Fruit and Vegetables are a must in a person's diet. Aim for about 2-3 pieces of fruit and 5-10 servings of vegetables a day. Fibre supplements are also available and have to be taken with a lot of water.
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Fats
Fats also play a major role in the diet and in the body. Fats can get a little tricky. Eating fat won't make you fat. An excess of calories, beyond your needs, will pile on the fat lbs. To make things simple, you need good fats in your diet. The amount does vary according to your goals. Some people's fat intake can amount to: 30g; some 50g; some 100g; some 100g +; play with amounts and see how you react.
I generally recommend getting 20-30% of your overall calories from fats. Up to 10% of your fat intake can be from saturated fats. Foods that contain a high amount of fat are more than likely also high in calories. Fats make a food dense in calories. Try to spread out your intake evenly throughout the day.
Sources: Olive oil, flax, flaxseed (linseed) oil/supplements, oily fish, fish oil supplements, nuts, nut oils/butters, natural peanut butter, avocado, coconut oil, Udo's oil blend, etc.
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Key Rules
- Eat at least every 3 hours with protein at each sitting
- Bulk of diet should come from whole solid foods
- Use protein supplements to 'supplement' the diet; not as the 'main ingredient'
- Have a slow release/slow-digesting meal before bed (ideal time to have some fat)
- Have something as soon as you wake up, or as soon as you can, to stop any muscle tissue breakdown and to help rev up your metabolism after a long night's fast.
- Sort out proper pre- and post workout nutrition according to your goals and your lifestyle
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** Tailored Nutrition Advice from Experts!
Healthy Action is the Nutrition Consultancy headed up by James Collier BSc (Hons), Registered Nutritionist. A team of consultants are available to provide on line nutrition advice completely tailored to suit you and your goals. For more information email info@healthyaction.co.uk
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*** Buckle Up? ***
By Cheshire Cat - MuscleTalk Pro-Member
Over the years there has been much debate on the effectiveness and usefulness of wearing weightlifting belts, and this article summarises my observations of their use.
It's 8am; I programme the cross-trainer and begin my dreaded early morning cardio. As a youth I used to suffer from panic attacks, usually in the morning. Mouth goes dry, chest tightens, breathing becomes difficult, not a nice thing for anyone. The only real way of me conquering these horrible attacks is to focus on something else, for example I would listen to the radio on my phone on the way to school in the morning. I still haven't completely conquered the attacks, and to be honest I don't think I ever will. Early morning cardio has the correct recipe for an attack, so I try to focus on something else, usually people's behaviour in the gym. Yes, I am quite nosey!
One thing I have always been interested in is people's opinions and attitude to weightlifting belts. I saw no clear pattern in my observations at the gym; some people wore no belt at all and some had them tightly bucked around their waists even while performing biceps curls, never taking them off during the session. There have been many posts on MuscleTalk about this issue, and the usual attitude of the more experienced members of the board is to avoid the belts, and to try to build core strength. I'm sure everyone can see the logic in this approach, after all core strength is needed for nearly every bodybuilding movement under the sun. Does this anti-belt approach not apply for the more extreme athletic lifting however? 1 rep maxes, doubles, triples? If so where do we draw the line?
My view is that a weightlifting belt has a purpose. It is up to the user to see where its benefits are needed and where the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. Let's look at the advantages and disadvantages of using a weightlifting belt:
Advantages
- Increase abdominal pressure therefore stiffening the spine
- Range of motion of the lumbar motion is decreased which could decrease the risk of lower back injury
Disadvantages
- A belt can alter ones perception of stability and strength; therefore there is the possibility of higher risk of injury
- Belts can alter one's lifting style and range of motion, risking putting an increase of load onto the spinal area leading to a possibility of injury
I think many would agree with me that the underlining factor therefore is the type of lifting one is performing. The need for a belt becomes advantageous when extreme lifting using big loads is the lifting style, as the belt helps increase stability of the torso and assists the user with the lift. For other lifts where lumber motion is limited and where the rep range is higher I would follow the sound advice of the guru members of MuscleTalk; avoiding belts and increasing core stability will help in all lifts and is beneficial for overall health and injury prevention.
*** Food of the Month - The Tomato ***
By Big Les MuscleTalk Moderator
Let's answer the ultimate question first; the tomato is actually a fruit, not a vegetable! However, we use it like a vegetable because of its taste. It seems to have originated in South America with eight different species still being found the Andes of Peru. The humble tomato is a staple of the western diet, forming the basis of many a rich and tasty sauce. For this reason alone many of the more health conscious often only invite the tomato in for their salads or as a dab of ketchup now and again. However, we should not shun the tomato, as it is the main source of the carotenoid lycopene. The pigment lycopene has received some recent media attention and rightly so, as studies have linked this powerful antioxidant to some very beneficial effects. Among these are a lowering of the risk of heart disease and prostrate cancer, and further research reveals that lycopene and other carotenoids have a host of further health benefits.
In addition to this the tomato is a good source of zinc, which for any athlete is good news because zinc is lost through sweat. We also find in our tomato good amounts of calcium and vitamin C, which again are great things to be taking on board. In fact if we look at the tomato we find it has traces of a number of amino acids and minerals, which while not earth shattering to read at levels of 0.015mg per 100g, are amounts which our bodies can use to help us achieve our goals.
These health benefits don't come easy, to get the best from our tomato, especially in terms of lycopene, ideally it has to be heated and combined with a fat, because lycopene is fat soluble. Just downing juice and eating raw tomatoes are not the best way to have our little red friend. Instead, making an olive oil and tomato sauce will give us the best nutritional benefit, so there has never been a better time to experiment with homemade tomato based sauces.
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*** MT Powerlifting Totals Competition ***
By Jonnywildboar - MuscleTalk Pro-Member
See: http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/fb.asp?m=1083082
It's been a fairly quiet month as far as the top of the powerlifting tables go. However, both myself and tony1blue managed to clock up the magical 600kg totals - with Tony achieving a fantastic 210/150/240 and myself 210/155/235. I performed these lifts at the BPC UK open powerlifting competition in Birmingham; also competing were members Chris Jenkins, meathead1987 and Cornelius Parkin, with many MTers turning up to support: fatpete, purplepaul, RobT, Justin Hurley, little lee and my chief photographer Mr Jingles - it was a fantastic day.
Wogihao has made some super video additions to our gallery including an excellent 160kg deadlift, so get pounding the iron guys and chip away at your totals.
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Recipe - High Protein Strawberry Fudge Bars ***
By OoOGazOoO - MuscleTalk Pro-Member
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Ingredients100g quark
50g natural peanut butter
50g chopped almonds
115g low fat spread
2 packets sugar free strawberry jelly/jello
150g whey protein
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MethodPut the low fat spread, peanut butter and quark, in a microwavable dish, and microwave until they melt nicely. Remove from microwave; stir until the mixture is slightly runny; this should be a fairly thick consistency.
Place the sugar free jelly in bottom of a bowl, and then place chopped almonds on top. Add some of the peanut butter, low fat spread and quark mix into the bowl then add some of the whey, and stir in well. Then add the rest of the mix and then the rest of the whey and mix in using a wooden spoon.
Place in a tray or bowl in fridge to set and cut into eight pink coloured bars.
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InformationServes 8. Per bar: 114kcal, 19.8g protein, 3.3g carbs, 8.5g fat.
More great bodybuilding recipes can be found in the eBooks 'Muscle Menus', 'Muscle Menus 2', 'Muscle Menus Vegetarian' and Muscle Menus Shakes, Bars and Smoothies
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*** Book Review - Sly Moves by Sylvester Stallone ***
Review by James Collier MuscleTalk Moderator and Co-Owner
Available here
I purchased this book from Amazon months ago, but only recently got round to reading it, and it was surprisingly quite an enjoyable read. It is subtitled 'My proven program to lose weight, build strength, gain will power and live your dream' and is divided into two main sections. The book is principally a healthy exercise and lifestyle program, with a short account of Sly's life, merely as a way of setting the scene for his program.
The first section is a brief autobiography, and to my knowledge, Sly's first autobiography. This section is only about 40 pages including large photos, so, is just a quick summary of his life and career, and focuses mainly on Sly's approaches to training for films. It is enjoyable, and left me, as an avid autobiography reader, wanting to learn more about Stallone's life; I hope he releases a proper autobiography sometime.
The second section is his workout routine and healthy living tips. Sly goes through a full body workout for men, with exercises clearly described accompanied by pictures (with the main man modelling of course!), and for the women his wife, Jennifer, models. Undoubtedly both are in excellent shape for anyone at any age, but considering their age, their look is remarkable. The exercises are very conventional, as are the nutrition and lifestyle tips; which is a breath of fresh air considering some of the faddy approaches many stars adopt. Indeed Sly advocates sensible and practical advice for beginners to more advanced athletes, and from an information point of view, there's little I'd criticise.
Therefore, this book gets the thumbs up from me, as a concise exercise and lifestyle program, written by someone with huge credibility in an easy to read and practical way. However there is nothing revolutionary and probably nothing you won't have heard before. A worthwhile read though, especially with the section on Sly's life.
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The articles in The MuscleTalker are for information purposes only and are the sole expressions of the individual authors opinion and are those not necessarily shared by the owners of www.MuscleTalk.co.uk