"Dieting into a competitive Weightclass"

**DJSTARER** · 10-06-2006, 03:56 AM

To: Ironmass. I made an article for the guys on PSU Powerlifting. I thought I'd post it here too.

"Dieting Down to a Weightclass"

A friend asked me to make a diet to help them get down in weight, so I figured I’d make it somewhat interactive. I don’t normally do these things online, but it is for a good cause, and, although nutrition is not AS important in Powerlifting, I am sure Steve Mann, Nick, Dan and many other experienced muscle-heads will agree what you eat can make or break results (strength, body composition, or both).
I will discuss, for Jared’s sake, leaning up, for my sake, adding weight, and for many, how to properly maintain weight while fueling one’s self for maximum results squatting, pushing or pulling.

Before anything can be done, one must accurately guess their body’s natural metabolic rate. Note* I said “Guess.” The fact is, everyone is different and there is no magic formula to predict what one’s body uses (energy-wise) during a given day. Activity level, body type, and composition are the three largest variables, and WILL have huge impacts on one’s caloric needs during the day. Here are some helpful links:

Activity Level Calculator: http://stevenscreek.com/goodies/calories.shtml
Metabolic Rate Calculator: http://michaelandkendra.com/BMRCALC/bmrcalc.htm

All this talk makes me feel like I am on White Building Staff (with a brain), so let’s get down to food, food, food.

Understanding Supplementation:
Advancements in sports nutrition have been significant, but heavily over-rated. There are a few supps which are a good idea to have, some which are debatable, and many which are a waste of time. The argument can be made that supps aren’t needed and a waste of money all together, but I would disagree.

MUST HAVE: The staple supplement of Whey Protein, for instance, seems expensive (~5$/pound), but upon comparison to other sources of protein, is far more efficient, cheap and convenient.

MIGHT WANT: Among those debated, are NO products (NO explode, pump tech… etc.), creatine, ZMA, digestive enzymes (Animal Pak), BCAA, casein and dextrose

DON’T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON: Well, I could go on for hours… just ask someone who knows what is up.

UNDERSTANDING CARBOHYDRATES(CHO):
I’ll try to keep this short, because a ton of information exists about CHO. In my opinion, there are three types of CHOs. Sugars, Starches, and Fibrous Sources. NOTE* these are not scientific classifications. They are based on how they react in your body, not their true composition. For our purpose, you will want to comprise the majority of your total CHO intake from Starches and Fibrous sources. Why? Simple. These are CHO sources that digest slowly, keeping your insulin under control, leaving you anabolic (controlled catabolic in Jared’s case) for longer. Just ask yourself: Does it occur naturally? If the answer is yes, then eat it.

Starches:
-Pastas
-Rice
-Potato
-Oatmeal
-Quality breads
-Quality Cereals

Fibrous Sources:-All veggies
-All fruits
-All Legumes

Sugars:
Crappy foods… you know them, just limit them.

UNDERSTANDING PROTEIN:
Word that comes to my mind first is “OVERATED.” Don’t get me wrong… consuming a complete amino acid profile throughout the day is essential for quality results, but far too much emphasis is put on it (mostly by the supp companies and media). Really, no one should consume more than 30% of their total caloric intake from protein (I’ll explain that later). The fact is, the body cannot really store protein for use when it needs it (like CHO in the form of glycogen and fat in the form of adipose). Instead, if you are in need, and it is not readily available… it turns to your championship quality lean mass for it’s next snack. Clearly, this is not optimal. This is where supplementation is a good idea. Pounding down a bar or shake with a couple apples is much easier than having an animal product such as dairy or meat. We are students. Students are active. It is important to keep it real.

Protein sources:-Turkey
-Chicken
-Beef
-Pork
-Egg
-Dairy
-Supplement

FAT (Don’t forget it):
Fat has many VERY important qualities. I personally use it very liberally. What can quality dietary fat do for me? A) Its high calorie content makes achieving great daily caloric needs possible, B) There is a direct connection between fat intake and Testosterone level… and if you didn’t know… Test is the king of anabolic chemicals, C) Fat actually slows the digestion of CHO, making the insulin response even smaller.

Fat Sources:-Oils
-Nuts
-Avacado
-Animal
-Supp

Macronutrient Ratios for GOALS:
1g of Fat= 9 kcal (calories)
1g of CHO= 4 kcal
1g of Protein= 4 kcal

RATIO: C/P/F

Looking to drop some weight? Here is your ratio (shown as a percentage): 40/30/25
Looking to gain some weight or maintain? Here is your ratio: 55/30/15

The clear difference here is the distribution of calories from fat to carbohydrate. In a weight loss setting, one can optimize their results by replacing carbs with fat. Fat will keep your fat burners on longer throughout the day. In the weight gain setting, carbs act as anabolic stimulants and coax your body into adding mass. NOTE* that is an extremely simple way of explaining the whole ratio thing… if you have questions… just ask me, maybe I can draw it out better.

Here we are. It is time to make an example diet. Jared, based on your weight (240lbs), composition (about 19-22% bf), activity level (moderate-very active) and body type (Meso-Endo), I would estimate your caloric MAINTENANCE to site around 3500 total kcals/day. To lose weight at a sensible rate, you would want to eat around 3000 kcals. You told me you wake up around 8am, so I will assume you go to bed around midnight. That would be you are awake roughly 16 hours during the day. This equates to 6-8 meals. To achieve a caloric deficit of 500kcals (3000 total), you will be eating roughly 450 kcals at each meal. Based on all that jargin, those 450 kcals will be split with 180 going to carbs, 135 going to protein, and 65 going to fat.
180/4= 45g CHO
135/4= 34g Protein
65/9= 7g Fat

Those are your numbers. Each meal you eat should contain 45g carbs, 34g protein and 7g fat. You don’t even have to count calories now over the entire day. You only have to worry about eating every 2 to 3 hours and eating meals which ROUGHLY equal those numbers.

Exceptions:
-Breakfast AND Before Training: drop the fat and replace it with another 20g of carbs
-Before bed: Drop all the carbs, and replace it with another 10g of fat (1 tbls oil) and 10g protein.

-A Breakfast example: 2 bananas, 1 large apple, 6 egg whites
-An examples of this meal: 1c (dry) oatmeal, 1 can of tuna and a small hand of almonds.
-Another example: 200g (medium sized) potato, 4oz chicken breast, 1 tsp olive oil.
-Yet another example (on the run): 3 apples, 1 scoop of whey, 1tbls peanut butter or nuts.
-Before Bed: 1.5 cup Cottage Cheese, 2tlbs olive oil
Another Before bed: 1 can of tuna, large glob of mayo.

Get is Jared? And all the other Readers? Post any questions you may have.

If you are not losing weight or have stalled, slowly drop the total kcals by another 300-500. Also, doing cardio is a good idea. Don’t overdo it, and make sure it is NOT on an empty stomach.

Conclusion: This is not gospel, only a very simplified compilation of information I have read and practiced. I do NOT follow a diet this strict for 75% of the year. I eat pizza, Chinese food and hoagies regularly. It is important to do so when it is needed. The real key is to make sure you are eating often with more than enough total kcals. It takes some planning to pull of a quality diet, but it done well, Jared should increase his strength while dropping to a more competitive bodyweight. Jared, I wouldn’t go any lower than 14 or 15% bodyfat. There is no reason.

Mass gain is very similar. You do all the same math with the “Mass Gain ratios” and a caloric SURPLUS of 500 instead. In a mass gain mentality, eat smart, but eat whatever you want at the same time. The key, once again, is eating often. If someone has specific questions to gaining, just post them, and I’ll respond.

Note* see my posts on Post-Training Shakes for the uses of sugar.
Enjoy and lift heavy.

PS: Jared, cheating is encouraged at least once/week. Make it smart and in moderation. It will keep you mentally sound and metabolically active.

Dustin Starer

**powerman2000** · 10-06-2006, 02:25 PM

Great post there brutha

**A.FreeRadical** · 10-06-2006, 03:45 PM

Well done, Dustin.

*

wildman1717 · 10-06-2006, 03:58 PM

Good info., thanks.

**DJSTARER** · 10-13-2006, 03:36 PM

glad u all like. it's a hit with the team. i'm now the "go-to" guy for any nutrition related quesiton.

**davtown** · 10-13-2006, 07:23 PM

Great write up... I'm sure it will help out some confused people on this board.

**NYCmitch25** · 10-14-2006, 02:01 PM

**davtown** · 03-20-2007, 11:27 PM

DJ, you should post this up in 'articles' section of the board, it would make a great addition.

http://www.ironmass.com/vbarticles.php

**DJSTARER** · 03-21-2007, 01:29 AM

**bigDman** · 03-21-2007, 01:25 PM

Nice article DJ

10-06-2006, 03:56 AM	#1
DJSTARER eating more folate... Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: State College, PA Posts: 3,983 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 113	"Dieting into a competitive Weightclass" To: Ironmass. I made an article for the guys on PSU Powerlifting. I thought I'd post it here too. "Dieting Down to a Weightclass" A friend asked me to make a diet to help them get down in weight, so I figured I’d make it somewhat interactive. I don’t normally do these things online, but it is for a good cause, and, although nutrition is not AS important in Powerlifting, I am sure Steve Mann, Nick, Dan and many other experienced muscle-heads will agree what you eat can make or break results (strength, body composition, or both). I will discuss, for Jared’s sake, leaning up, for my sake, adding weight, and for many, how to properly maintain weight while fueling one’s self for maximum results squatting, pushing or pulling. Before anything can be done, one must accurately guess their body’s natural metabolic rate. Note* I said “Guess.” The fact is, everyone is different and there is no magic formula to predict what one’s body uses (energy-wise) during a given day. Activity level, body type, and composition are the three largest variables, and WILL have huge impacts on one’s caloric needs during the day. Here are some helpful links: Activity Level Calculator: http://stevenscreek.com/goodies/calories.shtml Metabolic Rate Calculator: http://michaelandkendra.com/BMRCALC/bmrcalc.htm All this talk makes me feel like I am on White Building Staff (with a brain), so let’s get down to food, food, food. Understanding Supplementation: Advancements in sports nutrition have been significant, but heavily over-rated. There are a few supps which are a good idea to have, some which are debatable, and many which are a waste of time. The argument can be made that supps aren’t needed and a waste of money all together, but I would disagree. MUST HAVE: The staple supplement of Whey Protein, for instance, seems expensive (~5$/pound), but upon comparison to other sources of protein, is far more efficient, cheap and convenient. MIGHT WANT: Among those debated, are NO products (NO explode, pump tech… etc.), creatine, ZMA, digestive enzymes (Animal Pak), BCAA, casein and dextrose DON’T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON: Well, I could go on for hours… just ask someone who knows what is up. UNDERSTANDING CARBOHYDRATES(CHO): I’ll try to keep this short, because a ton of information exists about CHO. In my opinion, there are three types of CHOs. Sugars, Starches, and Fibrous Sources. NOTE* these are not scientific classifications. They are based on how they react in your body, not their true composition. For our purpose, you will want to comprise the majority of your total CHO intake from Starches and Fibrous sources. Why? Simple. These are CHO sources that digest slowly, keeping your insulin under control, leaving you anabolic (controlled catabolic in Jared’s case) for longer. Just ask yourself: Does it occur naturally? If the answer is yes, then eat it. Starches: -Pastas -Rice -Potato -Oatmeal -Quality breads -Quality Cereals Fibrous Sources:-All veggies -All fruits -All Legumes Sugars: Crappy foods… you know them, just limit them. UNDERSTANDING PROTEIN: Word that comes to my mind first is “OVERATED.” Don’t get me wrong… consuming a complete amino acid profile throughout the day is essential for quality results, but far too much emphasis is put on it (mostly by the supp companies and media). Really, no one should consume more than 30% of their total caloric intake from protein (I’ll explain that later). The fact is, the body cannot really store protein for use when it needs it (like CHO in the form of glycogen and fat in the form of adipose). Instead, if you are in need, and it is not readily available… it turns to your championship quality lean mass for it’s next snack. Clearly, this is not optimal. This is where supplementation is a good idea. Pounding down a bar or shake with a couple apples is much easier than having an animal product such as dairy or meat. We are students. Students are active. It is important to keep it real. Protein sources:-Turkey -Chicken -Beef -Pork -Egg -Dairy -Supplement FAT (Don’t forget it): Fat has many VERY important qualities. I personally use it very liberally. What can quality dietary fat do for me? A) Its high calorie content makes achieving great daily caloric needs possible, B) There is a direct connection between fat intake and Testosterone level… and if you didn’t know… Test is the king of anabolic chemicals, C) Fat actually slows the digestion of CHO, making the insulin response even smaller. Fat Sources:-Oils -Nuts -Avacado -Animal -Supp Macronutrient Ratios for GOALS: 1g of Fat= 9 kcal (calories) 1g of CHO= 4 kcal 1g of Protein= 4 kcal RATIO: C/P/F Looking to drop some weight? Here is your ratio (shown as a percentage): 40/30/25 Looking to gain some weight or maintain? Here is your ratio: 55/30/15 The clear difference here is the distribution of calories from fat to carbohydrate. In a weight loss setting, one can optimize their results by replacing carbs with fat. Fat will keep your fat burners on longer throughout the day. In the weight gain setting, carbs act as anabolic stimulants and coax your body into adding mass. NOTE* that is an extremely simple way of explaining the whole ratio thing… if you have questions… just ask me, maybe I can draw it out better. Here we are. It is time to make an example diet. Jared, based on your weight (240lbs), composition (about 19-22% bf), activity level (moderate-very active) and body type (Meso-Endo), I would estimate your caloric MAINTENANCE to site around 3500 total kcals/day. To lose weight at a sensible rate, you would want to eat around 3000 kcals. You told me you wake up around 8am, so I will assume you go to bed around midnight. That would be you are awake roughly 16 hours during the day. This equates to 6-8 meals. To achieve a caloric deficit of 500kcals (3000 total), you will be eating roughly 450 kcals at each meal. Based on all that jargin, those 450 kcals will be split with 180 going to carbs, 135 going to protein, and 65 going to fat. 180/4= 45g CHO 135/4= 34g Protein 65/9= 7g Fat Those are your numbers. Each meal you eat should contain 45g carbs, 34g protein and 7g fat. You don’t even have to count calories now over the entire day. You only have to worry about eating every 2 to 3 hours and eating meals which ROUGHLY equal those numbers. Exceptions: -Breakfast AND Before Training: drop the fat and replace it with another 20g of carbs -Before bed: Drop all the carbs, and replace it with another 10g of fat (1 tbls oil) and 10g protein. -A Breakfast example: 2 bananas, 1 large apple, 6 egg whites -An examples of this meal: 1c (dry) oatmeal, 1 can of tuna and a small hand of almonds. -Another example: 200g (medium sized) potato, 4oz chicken breast, 1 tsp olive oil. -Yet another example (on the run): 3 apples, 1 scoop of whey, 1tbls peanut butter or nuts. -Before Bed: 1.5 cup Cottage Cheese, 2tlbs olive oil Another Before bed: 1 can of tuna, large glob of mayo. Get is Jared? And all the other Readers? Post any questions you may have. If you are not losing weight or have stalled, slowly drop the total kcals by another 300-500. Also, doing cardio is a good idea. Don’t overdo it, and make sure it is NOT on an empty stomach. Conclusion: This is not gospel, only a very simplified compilation of information I have read and practiced. I do NOT follow a diet this strict for 75% of the year. I eat pizza, Chinese food and hoagies regularly. It is important to do so when it is needed. The real key is to make sure you are eating often with more than enough total kcals. It takes some planning to pull of a quality diet, but it done well, Jared should increase his strength while dropping to a more competitive bodyweight. Jared, I wouldn’t go any lower than 14 or 15% bodyfat. There is no reason. Mass gain is very similar. You do all the same math with the “Mass Gain ratios” and a caloric SURPLUS of 500 instead. In a mass gain mentality, eat smart, but eat whatever you want at the same time. The key, once again, is eating often. If someone has specific questions to gaining, just post them, and I’ll respond. Note* see my posts on Post-Training Shakes for the uses of sugar. Enjoy and lift heavy. PS: Jared, cheating is encouraged at least once/week. Make it smart and in moderation. It will keep you mentally sound and metabolically active. Dustin Starer __________________ My philosophies on training: "Extreme training yields extreme results" "Just because you can, does not mean you should" "The best program is the one you are not doing" Penn State Powerlifting-181 lb weightclass PGA Professional of America Current Stats: 474 Squat 601 Deadlift 320 Bench Goals for next training cycle: 500lbs squat and a total over 1400 in competition

10-06-2006, 02:25 PM	#2
powerman2000 The Old Moderator Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 4,288 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 199	Great post there brutha __________________ Don't forget to periodize Best BP 507 lbs competitive Best Squat 705 lbs competitive Best DL 650 lbs competitive Guns don't kill people, men who come home early do. My workout log http://www.ironmass.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6247

10-06-2006, 03:45 PM	#3
A.FreeRadical the Epicurean Bodybuilder Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 2,245 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 57	Well done, Dustin. * __________________ "Is it going to be the red pill or the blue pill, Neo? The red pill will answer the question 'What is the Matrix?' Choose carefully. Remember, all I'm offering is the truth. Nothing more." Ron Paul for President, 2008 A.FreeRadical ...the Epicurean bodybuilder Height: 5'9", Age: 62, My last high on 2/1/2006 was 196 lbs. My last low on 8/08/2006 was 167.5 lbs. Cutting until I am lean Starting weight: 190 lbs. bodyfat: 19.7% November 27th: 183 lbs. bodyfat: 18.3% bodyfat Goal Weight: 176 lbs with no more than 10% bodyfat My recipe collection

10-13-2006, 03:36 PM	#5
DJSTARER eating more folate... Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: State College, PA Posts: 3,983 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 113	glad u all like. it's a hit with the team. i'm now the "go-to" guy for any nutrition related quesiton. __________________ My philosophies on training: "Extreme training yields extreme results" "Just because you can, does not mean you should" "The best program is the one you are not doing" Penn State Powerlifting-181 lb weightclass PGA Professional of America Current Stats: 474 Squat 601 Deadlift 320 Bench Goals for next training cycle: 500lbs squat and a total over 1400 in competition

10-13-2006, 07:23 PM	#6
davtown OM NOM NOM NOM Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Francisco Posts: 2,351 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 128	Great write up... I'm sure it will help out some confused people on this board. __________________ --Training Journal-- current/goal D: 350/380 S: 280/300 B: 235/260

10-06-2006, 03:58 PM	#4
wildman1717 Pro Stature Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 107 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 3	Good info., thanks.

10-14-2006, 02:01 PM	#7
NYCmitch25 Silver Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: New York Posts: 1,088 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 49	amen

03-20-2007, 11:27 PM	#8
davtown OM NOM NOM NOM Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Francisco Posts: 2,351 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 128	DJ, you should post this up in 'articles' section of the board, it would make a great addition. http://www.ironmass.com/vbarticles.php __________________ --Training Journal-- current/goal D: 350/380 S: 280/300 B: 235/260

03-21-2007, 01:29 AM	#9
DJSTARER eating more folate... Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: State College, PA Posts: 3,983 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 113	done __________________ My philosophies on training: "Extreme training yields extreme results" "Just because you can, does not mean you should" "The best program is the one you are not doing" Penn State Powerlifting-181 lb weightclass PGA Professional of America Current Stats: 474 Squat 601 Deadlift 320 Bench Goals for next training cycle: 500lbs squat and a total over 1400 in competition

03-21-2007, 01:25 PM	#10
bigDman is missing heavy pulls Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 4,619 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 186	Nice article DJ __________________ COME CHECK OUT MY JOURNAL

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

LinkBacks (?) LinkBack to this Thread: http://www.ironmass.com/f6/dieting-into-competitive-weightclass-8820.html
Posted By	For	Type	Date
IronMass Forums	This thread	Refback	03-21-2007 03:11 PM
IronMass Forums	This thread	Refback	03-21-2007 01:28 AM