Questions on Diet and Training

[Guest guest]

Hi Jim,

I'll try to answer your questions just from my experience while training like

this since I am not a researcher or expert on diet by any means.

Diet: I am continuing with the same diet in order to keep my bodyfat low at

this time. Right now I weigh around 176-180 and by calipers I am at 8.5%

bodyfat. I still am eating close to the 50-30-20 per cent ratios of protein,

carbs and fat. Actually, I have to supplement with fats a little since I seldom

eat more than 30 grams a day. I usually just eat some peanut butter or take in

some flax seed oil if I am not getting enough. I eat low glycemic carbs usually

fresh fruits and vegetables and try to eat them earlier in the day. I

particularly like brown rice, baked potatoes or yams, apples, bananas,

cantaloupe, oatmeal, whole grain pancakes on Saturdays with protein powder in

them, and Adkins low carb bagels and bread. My protein comes mainly from

chicken, turkey and Tuna with very little red meat and of course protein

supplements (get mine from Protein Factory). When I began the diet I cut my

calories to 1600 a day and kept them there for a couple of months. As I became

leaner I slowly increased the calories to slow down the weight loss and seemed

to have leveled off at around 2000-2200 a day on average. On Saturdays I eat

more carbs since I do more running on weekends. This is usually pancake and ice

cream day. Sometimes I will eat as much as 3000 calories on this day but I am

also running 9 miles of hill running type terrain on Saturdays plus all my other

training in preparation for an upcoming race.

Training: I am not carb restricted as I see it just selective. I take in at

least 150 grams of carbs a day and they are still my energy source. I don't try

to serve two masters at once. When I am training for running I focus on that

and increase the mileage and intensity while decreasing the volume and intensity

of my weight lifting. The opposite is true when I train for powerlifting. I

also do a lot of speed work which probably helps keep my anaerobic

strength-level. To put it simply it is very hard to train for running and be a

powerlifter. My feeling is that I am a powerlifter who runs not vice versa.

The yoga and pilates classes have greatly helped both my running and lifting.

At 198 I ran and lifted pretty much as I do now. The only thing different now

is my diet. I expect to eventually get back to 198 as I would like to achieve a

few more things at that body weight but I do plan to be a lot more muscular when

I get there.

Finally, I read a lot of things and Dr. Siff and I often argued about this.

That is the generally accepted theory that one gets weaker and can really not

get stronger or build muscle as you approach a certain age. Of course I accept

this but I think that age is often put much too early in life. I have gotten a

little stronger almost every year since I started training for powerlifting

which was at age eighteen with a four year background in weight training from

age fourteen. At 25 I was totaling around 1200 pounds at 181 and now at age 54

I am well into the 1500 range at 181. Consistent training, good health and good

health habits are responsible for that. I have drank alcohol in moderation,

don't smoke, always took good multiple vitamins and stayed away from drugs. In

the past few years I have spurned most supplements feeling they are either

worthless or contaminated. I really have become a convert to eating right.

The only negative thing I have experienced is that recently when my abs became

visible so also did a small lump in the upper center of my abdomen. My doctor

tells me this is a small hernia and needs to be fixed although he does not

specifically state it is the result of heavy lifting. I plan to have the

surgery which is relatively routine and then return to training in two weeks

which he stated is enough time for the procedure to heal. (Seems remarkable to

me). Again to anyone who actively weight trains, runs, or practices the martial

arts I recommend pilates for the core and yoga for flexibility. A good deep

tissue massage once a month really helps also. At least this stuff works for me

and I hope it helps someone else also.

Eddie White

Blue Springs, Mo.