Bodybuilding and Nutrition Advice

Ask the Nutritionist a Question

I have been weight lifting for over 20 years. I have competed in power lifting and natural bodybuilding for a long time. During that time, I have gained a ton of knowledge that I would love to share.

This website contains some information that I've collected over the years that I find to be incredibly helpful for athletes looking to get stronger, leaner, or healthier. I have drawn upon my past experiences and Degree in Clinical Dietetics and Nutrition as well as my ongoing passion to learn more about health, nutrition, longevity, and bodybuilding. My main goal is to provide useful information that may help you in your quest of health and fitness.

OK... Let's get started!

Admin 12/25/08

Check out the Food, Nutrition, Training, and Supplement Questions

Latest Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

Do bodybuilders need to take one gram of protein per pound of body weight to bulk up?

I don't like the term "bulk up" because it tends to imply that you will be adding a large amount of both lean and non-lean weight which I don't recommend. It is true that you will need more protein than a typical person because of the type of training you are performing. I would tend to agree that a gram per pound of body weight is a good place to start, but everyone is different. I certainly don't see any need to go insane with your protein intake but as long as the meals are frequent and contain 40-50 grams of protein each you should do well.

What would your cardio recommendations be for off season bodybuilding?

Off season cardio should be limited but is probably worthwhile a couple times a week for 15-20 minutes. Don't go crazy with off season cardio. You will be tracking your body composition so you will know if you start to get overfat. I do absolutely no cardio and I eat a ton of clean foods. I stay relatively lean because of my muscle mass. Muscle mass will allow you to burn more calories without doing any/much cardio. Focus on building muscle for at least a few months and see where your body goes! You could probably get away with 3-4 days per week in the gym for weight training. There is a ton of individual variability here. I take forever to recover and train bodyparts only once per week. I recovered a little faster in my 20's. As a rule of thumb - don't focus just on muscle soreness as a gauge of your recovery from a weight training session. Also use the amount of mental focus you are able to muster during your workouts. Your neurological system is just as stressed if not more stressed than your musculoskeletal system during intense training. Your neurological system takes longer to recover. If you are having trouble with intensity and focus during your training sessions, and your strength is faltering, then you are training too frequently. Use all the feedback your body gives you to determine your ideal training frequency for the type of training you are doing.

I have been reading about strict dieting with a weekly refeed. What are your thoughts on that?

During your intense workouts in the off-season, you will need more calories. Using a conventional diet plan, gradually adjust your calories. Over time, track your body composition changes by using 3 or 4 site caliper measurements and the scale. Biweekly measurements will keep you on track. If you can keep yourself within 3-4% of your contest fat levels while consistently gaining mass that would be ideal. If you start to get over-fat, cut the calories in increments of 100. If your progress is slow and you are not adding fat rapidly, increase the calories in increments of 100. Weekly refeeding is definitely worth a try as well. Some people do great with that method even in the off season. If you plan on trying this method first, I would still suggest you bring the calories up in the off season. You can play with the numbers however you choose, but I still think it's a good idea to track your body composition biweekly. Your muscles need both protein and carbohydrates so don't become obsessed with low carbs in the off season.

I just started taking body building supplements. I am taking creatine, glutamine, whey protein, and ALA. What's the best way to take these to get the best results?

You have selected supplements that I personally use and that have withstood the test of time. These basic supplements have been around for years and have provided consistent results for thousands of bodybuilders like you.

The glutamine is an all-purpose bodybuilding supplement. If your budget allows you to take 5 grams of glutamine two to three times a day, that should help significantly with your growth and recovery.

The creatine works very well, in my opinion, when taken immediately after weight training. On non-training days, I take 5 grams of creatine in the morning with some carbs.

I take the ALA every morning with my other supplements. I also take an additional dose with my post workout drink.

In addition to the suggestions offered above, I would recommend using the creatine, glutamine, whey protein, and ALA within 15 minutes of the end of your weight training session. I am not sure of your exact goals, but if your goals include adding lean muscle then you might consider combining the creatine, glutamine, whey protein, and ALA into a post workout drink mix. The post workout drink mix I use contains the following ingredients:

2 cups of water mixed with a 'no calorie' flavored drink mix
40-50g Whey Protein
50-70g Dextrose
5g Glutamine
5g Creatine Monohydrate
300mg Alpha Lipoic Acid

The dextrose can be purchased from a number of websites and you may also find a bag at a specialty health food store. A bag of the dextrose costs about $3.

I am not sure what type of whey protein you have, but I use whey protein concentrate. I use the whey protein concentrate because it is very rapidly digested and amino acids are quickly delivered to the blood stream. I use the dextrose rather than table sugar because dextrose causes a strong insulin response. The alpha-lipoic acid assists with the insulin response. The glutamine and creatine help with recovery and strength gains.

A supplement program like this may not be recommended depending on your overall health and any diseases you may have. Please check with your doctor before trying any supplement program.

Do you have to take whey protien on non training days?

No. The only time I recommend taking whey protein would be right after a workout. This is because of the rapid absorption and utilization of the amino acids following consumption of a whey protein drink. On non-training days, the spike in amino acids is simply not necessary, in my opinion. I prefer to use whole foods including cottage cheese, skinless chicken breast, skinless turkey breast, tuna, lean top round beef, and eggs - to name a few. Foods generally provide a long slow release of amino acids into the blood stream, which is desirable when attempting to maintain an 'anabolic' metabolism. Consuming protein from a variety of sources throughout the day ensures overlap in the delivery of amino acids to the blood stream (and muscles). Because of the rapid spike in amino acids that consumption of whey protein causes, I recommend consuming a whole food meal one-hour after your post workout drink. This will provide a longer, more sustainable stream of amino acids and level off the initial spike and drop-off caused by the whey protein drink. Some products contain either a combination of proteins (whey combined with casein, soy, egg albumin, etc) which deliver a slower more sustainable amino acid stream. Other products contain some type of ingredient that is meant to slow the absorption of the whey protein and provide slower absorption. These products may have some value and I must admit I have used them in the past. In my opinion, however, I still favor whole food whenever possible. After all, why drink your meals when you can eat them? Whole food meals provide more satiety (and variety) so you don't become hungry again so quickly.

Top Supplement Picks

Can you get all the proper nutrition you need from foods? Well, mostly. But not always. And proper diet is something that eludes many of us.

So, how do you choose the best nutrition supplements for your diet? There are so many types and categories of supplements. What works? What doesn't? The answer may not be the same for everyone. I discuss in this article the best supplements for my goals and I provide my reasons for using them.

Hope you find this website helpful!

Please feel free to contact us if you have a question or comment. Let's all learn together!

Admin 12/25/08

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Admin 12/25/08