NUTRITION BASICS PART FIVE

In the early to mid 1970's charismatic sports figures were the norm. Shaq is the king today, but people like Mohammed Ali, Julius Erving, Reggie Jackson, and others drew sports fans to their various sports. In bodybuilding, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the governor of Caly fornia (it is hard to believe he is our governor!), was the man in bodybuilding. He was a marketing machine that drew the attention of everyone. Obviously people in Hollywood eventually took this dynamo, and ran with it.
I was one of many people who wanted to have the physical size that "Ahnold" had. In 1977 the movie Pumping Iron was released, and many of us were able to see the "behind the scenes" in this sport. I still remember the scene were Lou Ferrigno's father Matt said to Lou "never feel sorry for yourself, if you are training hard, he may be training twice as hard. You gotta keep coming back stronger." I've heard coaches use variations of that line in many different sports. But how could I get as big as Arnold and "Louie"?
In the book "Arnold: The Education of a Body Builder", printed in 1977, I was first exposed to the idea that there was a strong relationship between protein intake and muscle development. The examples in the book are crude by today's standard, but lay the groundwork. This concept of muscular development or "hypertrophy training" has gotten way over blown. I recently read an article where 30 different diets were examined. Yes, 30!! Give me a break!!
Much of the controversy stems from the fact on how much protein should be ingested per meal, and per day. High levels of protein intake can place a burden on the Kidneys, and produce problems like chemically induced gout (a form of arthritis), heart disease, arteriosclerosis, and a variety of other problems. Just take a look at some of the early passing of World Strongest Man competitors, passing of some huge bodybuilders (Trevor Smith of Nuclear Nutrition), and the quality of life of some NFL lineman.
Generally speaking 35 to 50 grams per meal is within an acceptable range. This can vary from individual to individual. If an athlete who weighs 145 pounds compares his diet to someone weighing 245, there is no comparison. The ability to digest food, and properly brake it down is also another major area of concern. I've read and met people who ingest over 400 grams of protein per day. If they have 7 meals a day, that is still 57 grams per meal.
What can one do to increase and safeguard against the excesses. If you compete in a predominantly aerobic or long distance type sport or endeavor, why do you need to put on this muscle mass? Maybe 5 to 10 pounds, but all that weight will slow you down and increase the potential for joint injuries. If you start to suffer from loose stool immediately after eating a meal, it might be that your protein intake is to high. Spread those meals out every two and a half hours so you are giving your body a chance to digest the previous meal.
What I do recommend is examine your present levels. Progressively add three to five grams of protein in your meals if you are presently below the 25-35 grams per meal mark. If you were ingesting roughly 20 grams in three meals per day, then increase to 23-25 in each meal, for at least one week. If you start to experience a bloaty or full feeling in the stomach, that is gas. Your body is unable to digest that much protein. You could also have a poor to fair digestive system. You could not be drinking enough liquids, and be partially dehydrated. You could be working hard in your training and not replacing enough of the lost fluids. You may have a food allergy. You may have to much stress in your life. Hey, this is not a simple issue. It goes without saying, please take into consideration your present weight, your bodyfat levels, health history, and discuss this with an experienced professional.
If you compete in a power dominant sport, then additional muscle mass is an important issue. If you are already in the 35-50 range per meal, you need to be consistent on your meals, and vary your protein sources. If you are a red meat person, or a chicken only person, you are both equally guilty of breaking that rule. Go to the store and look at all the choices you have. Sometimes picky eaters need to be hit in the head with a baseball bat. Athletes need to understand eating for enjoyment, typically in a social setting, and eating to improve should be looked at as separate situations. Unfortunately, all humans use eating as a form of socialization, just about all the time, instead of a form of refueling. I am not exempt from that either.
How much protein per day is another area in question. Under 1 gram of protein per kilogram of bodyweight is way to low. Over 7.7 grams per kilogram of bodyweight ( 3.5 grams of protein per 1 pound of bodyweight) is to high. A healthy athlete should be in the 1.25 to 2.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight is an ultimate goal. By the way, six meals or more are the only way this can be achieved. An intelligently designed eating tempelate must be developed.
In ending, I've had some good success with athletes, that are primarily ectomorph in stature, wanting to add weight. I have developed a program for individual parties. This includes teaching you how to shop, and simplified preparation. This also includes recommended supplementation. If you are an athlete or parent of an athlete interested in this area, I can be contacted at acudave@yahoo.com