Nutrition #3 - Q&A with the Bodybuilding forums

"Ask me anything with respect to nutrition"

I decided to make a thread over on forum.bodybuilding.com, and some of the questions I got were great. 

Bulking on protein & fruit only:

Originally Posted by MalRhoden 

Can you bulk on ONLY protein & FRUITS (fructose-based carbohydrates)?

Poll: FRUIT & FRUCTOSE : Has anyone ever bulked eating protein & ONLY fruit?
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=162718441

Are you talking pure whey protein and fruit? Because you most definitely would gain weight based on your caloric intake, although you would wreak serious havoc on your liver. Fructose is very difficult for the liver to metabolize efficiently, especially if you taking in a diet very high in the combination of protein and fructose. 

You would also not be able to absorb and assimilate a wide variety of fat-soluble vitamins and nutrients considering you are consuming zero fat. This would lead to more health complications down the road, probably including but not limited to a hormonal crash/ circadian rhythm disruption/ broken metabolism.

Restricted dietary fat intake:

Originally Posted by BusterBluth 
What will happen if I only get ~50 g fat per day?

What kind of fat? Polyunsaturated? Saturated? Medium chain triglycerides? 

Likely scenario is you will be extremely deficient in a wide variety of vitamins and nutrients. Much of these are fat soluble, meaning they require fatty acids for proper absorption. Also, fat (ketone bodies, specifically) tends to be the preferred fuel source for the brain. Humans evolved to be humans by consuming more fat, which helped our brains develop. Specifically fatty acids such as DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) which is present in seafood, and sea plants.

tl;dr - you would feel pretty crappy, your brain would not function as optimally, your hormones would likely down-regulate, and fat burning pathways would shut down to conserve the fat you consume. 

The "Anabolic Window":

Originally Posted by PrehistoricUFO 

Is the anabolic window - the short window of time right after a workout to ingest your supplements - real? 
Some say it doesn't matter, others swear you must do it asap or lose some of your hard work.

Thanks.

A few trains of thought on this. 

1) No, your gains will not be lost provided you fuel your body with the sufficient sources necessary to promote tissue repair between weight training session 1 and session 2. 

2) No, your gains will not be lost provided proper refueling... except you could probably maximize your gains by an increased portion if you take advantage of the post workout window. Reason for this is that resistance training activates GLUT-4 receptors, which basically allow glucose uptake into the muscle cells independent of insulin. Although studies show that GLUT-4 activation with the combination of insulin, there is even better glucose uptake. Here are a few studies on this:
http://jp.physoc.org/content/469/1/615.short 
and
http://ajpheart.physiology.org/content/277/2/H643.short

3) When you are finished working out, your body has undergone a simulated physical stress. The brain is going to be competing with the muscles that have just been stressed. Glucose, your bodies stored simple sugar and energy, will be in high demand. If you don't eat or refuel properly post workout, you might find yourself under recovered through the rest of the day, and might feel a bit of brain fog or lack of clarity/ sharpness. 


I hope this is making sense. Please let me know if you are interested to get more science-y and pull out more studies.

Negative effects from bad diet/ caffeine:

Originally Posted by peppertitan 

I drink like 2-3 monsters a day for a good year now. and also almost only eat pizza on weekends 
for dinner from little ceasars for 2-3 days straight for the last couple weeks. 
but other then that I have a mostly fat and protien diet with little carbs, how will this effect my build 
energy in the day and gains as a whole

Over time, depending on your other lifestyle choices and how well you respond to stress, it is likely you will deplete your adrenal glands, which will also affect your hormone levels downstream. The pizza on the weekends as your only meal for the day will not help you recover in an optimal manner and will also cause problems. These are a combination of factors that will slowly deteriorate your health. I am sure if you kept it up for years you would not feel the signs of this until it is too late, and then you would be fighting an uphill battle. Preventative medicine is the best cure. 

As to your last question - how it effect your build, energy levels, etc - you will never see the actual gains your body is capable of if you are living a lifestyle like this. People are amazed by what they can do with proper nutrition and lifestyle changes. 

Creatine and milk:

Originally Posted by amostofi1999 

can i mix my creatine with milk?

Yes of course. Although most supermarket bought milk is less than good quality. That milk has been homogenized and pasteurized - pumped through tiny, super heated tubes and spun extremely rapidly, which will break the fat globules into small lipids that are less recognizable by the body, as they are no longer in their natural state. This heating and spinning process destroys all the beneficial bacteria and enzymes in the milk. 

Creatine is an excellent supplement and is one of the only sports supplements proven to be effective at what it says. 

Intermittent Fasting:

Originally Posted by BishopStriation 

How does IF work?

If I eat 2k cal on a cut with IF or without IF would there be a difference?

Intermittent Fasting, or IF, promotes autophagy and lipolysis in the body. Autophagy is the process of "cell clean out" or basically, cells eating the garbage and getting rid of the byproducts and other craps within and around cell membranes. Lipolysis is the breakdown of adipose tissue into free fatty acids (FFAs), and these FFAs get utilized for energy and fuel in the body. Both of these things happen when you go hours between meals, and in most sources over 12 hours postprandial (after feeding) is typically when this is really ramped up. 


So - to answer your question, it is likely (although yet exactly proven, to my knowledge) that a compressed eating window will promote a bit more lipid oxidation (fat burning) during fasting periods.

Originally Posted by rnod 

I am very interested in this thread.


What is your take on gluten? For someone without Celiac's disease, is it still worth avoiding?


Also, what about grass fed cow butter, and grass fed cow beef, are they better than grain fed?



Basically a more general question, what do you make of the "bulletproof" diet from the BulletproofExec guy?

Gluten

Great question. Gluten is the combination of a protein common in wheat: gliadin and glutenin. For all humans, gluten is indigestible. Think of a house as a food source. We chew up the house, and swallow brick walls. Brick walls then have their mortar dissolved by our stomach acid and the little bricks (individual nutrients) are easily absorbed through the intestine. When we try to digest gluten, we can break it down into little bricks so our body just tries to break the whole wall with a hammer into pieces. These pieces get stuck in the highly permeable intestinal membranes and prevent the absorption of other nutrients. Our body also does not recognize these chunks of foreign protein molecules and we create antibodies to attack it as if it is an invader. So our immune system is flaring up as a result of gluten creating a leaky gut. Gluten will also bind to opiate receptors in our brain, causing "feel good" chemicals like dopamine to be released similar to an actual drug high. This is also why we crave gluten containing products. 

So - in short, gluten is indigestible by ALL humans (even non-Celiacs), it prevents the absorption of other nutrients (Zinc is one example), it creates an immune response, and has an addictive response from the brain.
I think Dave Asprey is a very smart dude who puts out a lot of good information. The bulletproof diet is essentially a diet in as low of toxins/ inflammatory foods as possible, in order to optimize brain health and hormone development. Although, that being said - I think it is important to analyze diet in the context of the individual and believe that there is truly "no one size fits all" approach and our genes / ancestry play a big role in how our metabolism works. I also think that he does not know enough about the intense, physical fitness side of the coin and how it relates to nutrition which is a key component for people like us. 

Grass-fed beef/ butter:

Absolutely. Cows should be fed grass 100% - they are ruminants and have an extra stomach designed to digest grass. The problem with feeding them corn, soy, and other grains is that it fattens them up. Combined with the problem that the feed they get is laden with toxins and pesticides, and that these toxins and pesticides are STORED in adipose (fat) tissue, and we have a big issue on our hands. So, now we have fat cows fed crap they did not evolve to eat, storing more crap on the fat they are forced to put on, and now they are injected with antibiotics and hormones as a crutch because they've become so fat and weak that its difficult to sustain their poor cow lifestyles. When you eat pastured cows who are fed 100% grass, you can almost guarantee that they are living on free range ranches, eating food as nature intended, and living healthier cow lifestyles. In addition to these facts, there is a much more omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acid ratio is grassfed beef. Omega-3 = anti-inflammatory , Omega-6 = pro-inflammatory. We want more omega-3s in our diet. It is also higher in CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), which is a fatty acid highly prevalent in dairy and beef, and has been shown to decrease body fat. Not only that, but by supporting this CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations) we are supporting massive corporations that lobby for their monopolized interests. Do you really think our individual health is in their best interest? I believe only to the degree that they can continue raking in profits. To that regard, by supporting your local grass-fed beef rancher and dairy, you can invest back into happy and healthy cows who help the environment and being natures "man-made" grass trimmers and fertilizers.

So - if that is not enough information on why to go grass-fed over grain-fed, then keep doing whatever you're doing. 

Top fat loss/ muscle retention tips:

Originally Posted by GooNBoT 

what is the best way to lose weight and retain muscle mass

If by 'lose weight' you mean LOSE FAT, then my top tips:

1. Get your micronutrient levels up to optimum amounts. Aim for over one pound of green veggies a day.
2. Sleep 8-9 hours a night and have a perfect circadian rhythm, in tune with the natural sunrise and sunset (bed no more than 3 hours after the sun goes down, preferably out of bed around the time that it comes up - depending on your location)
3.  Lift heavy weights with extreme intensity at least 3x a week, and sprint at least 1x a week. 
4. Eat in a small caloric deficit. 
5. Carbs ~100g a day, preferably at night time around dinner or after your workout. Zero carbs before training. Once a week consume 400g+ carbs

Eating candy and acute testosterone levels:

Originally Posted by smbrown3706 

what happens to test levels if you eat a jumbo bag of M&Ms in less than 30 minutes?

If you did it consistently, like on a daily basis, I am sure you would see your test levels fall over time. However acute symptoms would probably just be a short dip in test levels and massive increase in cortisol from a stress response because you would see insulin spike. Lots of fat storage. 

Excess calories before bed (especially carbs/ sugar):

Originally Posted by JagB247 

Any downsides to getting most macros in before bed (alot of carbs/sugar)

Disruption of the circadian rhythm is a big one. Do not underestimate your sleep quality. Improving sleep quality is one the biggest and fastest ways to hack the entire quality of your life - and has a huge impact on your bodies ability to synthesize new tissue and burn fat. I am not a fan, to say the least. Lately I've been experimenting with 5 hours between my last meal and bed-time, and it has shown significant improvements. I'm talking eyes snap open wide awake filled with energy at 530 AM every morning no alarm.

Ideal carbohydrate sources:

Originally Posted by BeastMode101 

What are you favorite carb sources?

From this thread-http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=162736301 wheat is apparently poison

not nutrition related, but what is your favorite prehab/rehab work for healthy shoulders/rotator cuffs?
My right shoulder makes a clicking sound whenever my arms are raised
doing an ohp, lateral raises, and throwing punches) .
I am going to see a pt sometime but I just want to improve my shoulder health in the mean time

Favorite carb sources - sweet potatoes, butternut squash, carrots, white rice, and berries (raspberries and blueberries specifically). These are all extremely nutrient dense carb sources and highest glucose content which means every cell in my body can benefit from the consumption. Glucose can be used as fuel everywhere in the body, stored in muscles, used as fuel immediately, whereas fructose can only be immediately used as fuel, stored in the liver, or stored in fat. These are also low toxin/ low inflammatory carb sources.

See my above post on gluten.

Shoulder prehab:
My favorite shoulder prehab ... Daily prescription of:
4 sets of 25 rep banded shoulder dislocation with a resistance band
4 sets of 25 rep 'scarecrows' with 2.5 lb or 5 lb dumbells or mini plates

Which semen is better?

Originally Posted by ftwrestler 

higher quality protein from blackbear or brownbear semen?





srs

If I could analyze the amino acid composition of both I could tell you (srs)

Originally Posted by theriftable 

How come mushrooms can be magic

The active component, psilocybin. 

Branch Chain Amino Acids:

Originally Posted by indatzone 

should i take bcaas? no keto, no IF

BCAAs have been shown to improve muscle protein synthesis during exercise, although if you have a complete diet filled with animal proteins you should have sufficient BCAAs circulating the blood from previous meals. If you were fasting or working out early morning it may be wise to take them. If you took an organic acid urinalysis test you would be able to determine your protein absorption as well from food sources, and this would help with making the right decision whether or not to supplement BCAAs, what amount, and what type.

Why fats are good:

Originally Posted by lukaku 

why are fats good?

Fats are essential to brain development in humans (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24975625) . They are also crucial for hormone regulation, vitamin absorption, providing clean and long last energy to the body. They help thousands of processes in the body with enzyme creation and transportation (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24976764). When you understand the biology of a cell, you start to see why fat is so important. Literally every cell in our body is structured with a phospholipid bilayer - this means that all of our cellular walls are made up from fat! Ever heard the phrase - we are what we eat? It is much more scientific truth than you think!

The Paleo Diet:

Originally Posted by American_Maniac 

I just started the Paleo diet. What is your opinion of this diet? and are there any things I should know?

The paleo diet is an excellent starting place. I advocate a whole food diet which more or less follows the same principles as 'paleo', although in my opinion the term has become so convoluted, as is expected when any new extreme methodology appears. 

The paleo diet pros:
- anti-inflammatory
- nutrient dense
- difficult to eat in excess
- excellent energy levels throughout the day
- helps regulate circadian rhythm, especially when eating in season fruits/ veggies from your area (very important)
- optimizes hormones and brain function

Cons
- May limit calories and food choices for some people
- Easy to get carried away in 'paleo' mindsight
- Some food that you avoid on paleo is not bad for all people - too general

Overall the pros far outweigh the cons. Just make sure you have a good idea of what you should be eating daily to satisfy all your needs. I recommend using cronometer.com to get an idea for what you are deficient in, and try to incorporate a variety of whole foods to satisfy those deficiencies. Tracking your food and how you feel/ perform is one of the best ways to hack your body.

Tracking Micronutrients - why or why not:

Originally Posted by accounts 

Just started utilizing your lower back rounding squat thread from 2011. Good **** man thanks.

What micros would you say are worth tracking.

So far I'm thinking cholesterol, sodium/potas ratio, zinc, sugar and not really a micro fiber. What else?

Ehhh.. tough question. IMO, no micros are really worth tracking... you should track them all holistically. All of these things function and interact with each other. While they do have their independent role, it is my belief that if you consume something rich in Vitamin A (for example), it is likely to contain other micronutrients that will not only help Vitamin A do it's job once in your body, but also function together synergistically to produce other affects. Does that makes sense? 

I guess if you really wanted to track, the most important ones would be:
- Zinc
- Vitamin D
- Magnesium
- DHA/ EPA
- Cholesterol 
- Omega 3 and Omega 6

That's just off the top of my head. Although, even though you are tracking these things you cannot be sure your body is actually utilizing and assimilating the nutrients properly, so I'd recommend and organic acid pee test which will test for many of these items and actually what % they are being absorbed by the body. I also recommend a Vitamin D blood test.

Was going to log out for the night but saw this and had to answer...

Why should you listen to me???

Originally Posted by amills2015 

Not challenging you but just for my own comfort at following your advice.. What are your credentials?

It seems every ~2 years something that is "research based" gets completely re-hauled with new 
evidence and changes what is ideal in-take/practices. 

Do you feel that research is becoming more consistent and its becoming less and less likely that 
"evidence" or "research" based practice will change?

My credentials:
- Lifting weights for 8 years, serious for 6. 
- Tried and applied almost every lifting/ fitness/ diet principle in the book during that time
- Thousands of dollars invested in bloodwork done through multiple labs, consulted with different experts on these results
- Interpreted my own results and successfully hacked different areas of my own health through applying principles I've researched
- Experimented on myself with all these different ideas and methods

- Believe in an individual-based plan when it comes to training/ nutrition. Everyone is different. We have to draw back on basic biochemical processes and reactions, and have a deeper understanding of how the body works and cellular metabolism etc to know what truly is efficient. Yes this is a learning process and no one way is the right way. I profess to having tried and failed many different ways, and also tried and succeeded many others. I've tweaked with and altered plans, adding my own twist, all based on science combined with the intuition that comes with the territory. I love this ****. I love learning about the body and how it works at the very basic level. And I'm excited to share what I've learned. Yes we will learn as we go but I think we should start questioning and learning now, and adjust course as time goes on. This is how success happens.