Challenging Classic Nutrition Ideas

Hello all;

Long time lurker, first time poster. One thing I keep coming across in my readings about body weight exercises is that I need challenge the classical ideas about exercising and nutrition since most of it was developed by / made for isometric 8 – 12 rep weight lifting types (i.e. how I’ve use to train). So along those lines I was thinking about protein one day and wondered if instead of a protein and carb boost after a workout (or even just in general), if perhaps there’s something that might be better suited to someone who’s looking for strength gains instead of size gains. The reason I ask is because almost everything I read about nutrition talks about how “Protein makes you huge !!!111!!â€

Hi jerky101,

I'm not an expert, but I like to try and answer unanswered posts in some fashion if I feel vaguely able.

I would say that it mostly depends a lot on what kind of strength training you do. Work in the 1-5 rep range will be mostly gains in strength/power, while at the 10-15 range you'll be getting a lot more strength-endurance work, which tends to build more size. Anywhere in between would be ...well, in between.

Eating protein alone won't make you big, but not getting enough will hinder your body's ability to heal itself. I wouldn't advocate eating carbs post-workout, since protein alone will elevate insulin levels (and glucagon, which carbs won't) enough to help assimilate it into the muscles. There are many other factors/hormones at play besides insulin which are also benefitted by reduced carb intake.

Your body will/can learn to replenish glycogen stores from fat if you don't keep adding the PWO carbs. This takes a while to adjust to, but is much more healthful, and improves your body's ability to utilise fat as an energy source, which has benefits on many levels. Having your glycogen stores reduced for periods of time (I have read recently) will switch off muscle atrogenes (preventing muscle atrophy/catabolism) and prioritise the growth of fast-twitch fibres during repair/regrowth.

However, you might need to up your carb intake to replenish glycogen more quickly (which I believe some Crossfitters require with their 3 days on, 1 day off schedule) if you don't have the luxury of letting your body recover naturally. Same with some competing athletes.

I believe that if you need to 'cheat' the mechanisms we evolved with in order to perform, it's not optimally healthy for you.

Hope that helps?

George.

So protein it is.

Thanks for the reply

jerky101 said:

Hello all;

Long time lurker, first time poster. One thing I keep coming across in my readings about body weight exercises is that I need challenge the classical ideas about exercising and nutrition since most of it was developed by / made for isometric 8 – 12 rep weight lifting types (i.e. how I’ve use to train). So along those lines I was thinking about protein one day and wondered if instead of a protein and carb boost after a workout (or even just in general), if perhaps there’s something that might be better suited to someone who’s looking for strength gains instead of size gains. The reason I ask is because almost everything I read about nutrition talks about how “Protein makes you huge !!!111!!â€