Over the past week I have met with a number of men (human beings of the male gender) on a quest to become stronger and leaner over a given period of time. To quote one of my newest trainees that came to the studio for this very concern “I need arms like yours” (flattering, really :-D)
I’m not sure how I became this sort of a she-devil-monkey-beast woman, but what I do know is that I have experimented with a number of nutritional thingies over the years that have lead to me to truly “get” this whole beef cake equation. That being said, I have some super strange genetics that allow me to see sizable changes in my own tiny frame, and to be honest, I think it’s effing awesome! If you’re on the quest for packing strength and are looking for that solid looking self, keep reading. We’re about to pump you up ;)!
First, let me recommend a title that truly changed my life on whole food nutrition. I am a HUGE HUGE FAN of Nate Miyaki, author of the book “The Samauri Diet”. First up, don’t confuse this title with “The Warrior Diet” by Ori Hofmekler. While Nate Miyaki does follow a sort of intermittent fasting regimen himself, he does not require that all people do intermittent fasting. I’m a big fan of eating mindfully and when I am truly hungry, which is something I learned to be aware of through my coaching from Precision Nutrition. Miyaki is just as adamant about being in tune with when you’re truly feeling hungry like no other. I dig it. I dig it a lot! That being said, he does make some serious recommendations for those that are training hard and want to see an increase in muscle definition. Here’s three things you need to consider when working hard towards muscle gain. Please note, these are baseline calculations for the average person. Individual modifications may need to be made for your particular body.
Protein
We all know that protein helps facilitate lean muscle growth, but you don’t need massive amounts of protein to feed your muscles. I normally set protein at a 1:1 ratio for my clients who are looking to get the good beef. That means you are going to eat 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. So, if you are a 160 pound dude, you’re going to take in about 160 grams of protein spread out throughout the day.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates seem to get some sort of evil reputation anymore for being inflammatory. True, REFINED carbs in the form of flours and sugars in high quantities can really destroy your physique goals, but complex carbs are your best friends. If you’re going to gain, make sure you get a solid ration of 2:1 set it stone for your carbohydrate intake. What an easy way to calculate that is to simply double this number from your protein load. Again, if you’re 160 pound man eating 160 grams of protein, you’d eat 320 grams of carbs to facilitate adequate recovery and muscle growth.
Fats
According to Nate Miyaki, fats should be set at about 20% of your overall caloric intake for the day. In my own professional and personal experience, I have had great success with my clients when they are given a range of fats between 20-40% for serious gainers. I generally see more sustainable success with the muscle builders around 30%-40%. For me personally, I feel “funky in the head” if I go below a 30% mark for my fat intake. I start to get angry, frustrated more often, and just overall more anxious. I honestly believe that is because I am female, and females generally need a higher body fat percentage than men for hormonal reasons (women aren’t biologically meant to be as lean as men. Sorry ladies but that’s just fact. Here’s why). Also, with the demanding weight training routines we do here at Primal Fitness Pittsburgh, dropping fats too low can lead to too large of a caloric deficit for most of my trainees. I prefer a bit of a range to be more user friendly depending on who I am dealing with. In terms of grams of fat per day to consume, you’re looking at roughly 50-80 grams per day depending on your particular body type.
I decided to track my nutritional macros so-to-speak for a few days and the below graph shows my typical break down during any day of the week I am training hard.
Oh and along side this eating style with some solid training, here’s the physique enhancements thus far.
Not too shabby ;). I still have a way to go through my own coaching program, but so far, I am digging the results. Case in point? Eat up folks! If you need help structuring your own eating plan, please feel free to see me at the studio or email janelle@primalfitnesspittsburgh.com to set up a consultation. We here at Primal Fitness Pittsburgh are dedicated to making sure you get the results you’re looking for in the most sustainable way possible. Let’s get you to more awesome!
That’s it for today folks! Until next time. . .
Master your instincts!
