Full Spectrum Preparation

[Ironman8]

Your protein intake and high and your carb intake is even higher, if your figures are accurate. Barry Sears' Zone Diet formula is as follows:

Lean body mass X 0.5gm/per pound (sedentary) up to 1.0gm/per pound (logger/MMA fighter). Then add four grams complex carbs for every three grams of protein as determined above.

IE, 194# @ 18%body fat = 159# lean body mass. Most crossfitters who don't have a really physical job use 0.7 for a multiplier, so 0.7x159=112 grams of protein daily. Tens of thousands of crossfitters have empirically proven this to be accurate. Sear's 30/30/40 protein/carbs/fat macro-nutrient ratio is the same as that long advocated by bodybuilders for about four decades now. Sears' book "Mastering the Zone", is the second book someone should read after they get Rippetoe's "Starting Strength", if they want to take charge of their health and wellness.

I know you have very strong convictions with what you believe to be true in fitness, so I won't try to change your mind. Like I've said before regarding other topics, Zone diet is "A" way and not "THE" way. There is no one way for much of anything...especially when it comes to diets since everybody has a different metabolism and different caloric needs and different goals. My goal is performance, and based on the numbers you gave me, there's no way that diet would provide what I need to reach the levels of performance I'm after. As "empirical proof" goes, well I don't know of any competitive Crossfitters or bodybuilders doing zone diet. In fact, I'm sure if I asked my uncle (who was a competitive bb'er) if he only took in .7g/lb lbm of protein, he'd probably just laugh at me

 

[Take-a-knee]

As "empirical proof" goes, well I don't know of any competitive Crossfitters or bodybuilders doing zone diet.

Now you do. Matt Chan. Second fittest on earth in 2012. At 34.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZknRTMX534

 

[jmez]

N of 1?

 

[Ironman8]

Ok, I watched the vid with an open mind, and I do like the premise of eating for performance and activity level, BUT my "baseline" according to the video would be 16 blocks...and unless I got it wrong, a block is 7g/P, 9g/C, and 3g/F. Running the numbers gives me 112g/P, 144g/C, and 48g/F for a total caloric intake of 1456 cals.

Back when I was playing college baseball, I did a diet during the summer that was around 1500 calories at a LBM that was even less than I am now....did I get a mean 6-pack? Yup. But did I lose muscle mass and performance? Oh hell yeah. As a matter of fact, Rice University came out to watch me during that time period and I felt so lethargic and tanked so bad in that game that I lost a chance at possibly playing there. So, in short, I've experimented on both ends of the diet spectrum and have experience to back up what I'm saying (for myself). I'm not just talking theory. I'm glad the Zone Diet works for you, but there's no way I'm droppind down to 1500 calories again.

 

[Eagle]

I know you have very strong convictions with what you believe to be true in fitness, so I won't try to change your mind. Like I've said before regarding other topics, Zone diet is "A" way and not "THE" way. There is no one way for much of anything...especially when it comes to diets since everybody has a different metabolism and different caloric needs and different goals. My goal is performance, and based on the numbers you gave me, there's no way that diet would provide what I need to reach the levels of performance I'm after. As "empirical proof" goes, well I don't know of any competitive Crossfitters or bodybuilders doing zone diet. In fact, I'm sure if I asked my uncle (who was a competitive bb'er) if he only took in .7g/lb lbm of protein, he'd probably just laugh at me

I'll add some n=1 to this, as I followed a zone diet (with paleo) for about six months when I started crossfit in 2010. In those six months, I went from 180 to 166 at 6' tall, started losing strength and realized something wasn't right. Talked to my coaches/trainers and they all said I needed to increase all my blocks and really increase my fat, so essentially, they were telling me to longer follow the zone diet.

I quit crossfit after a couple shoulder issue in early 2012, but continued to coach at my local gym. I also continued to lift and run, which I still do, and I can say that without any doubt at all, the best diet for me, is carb back loading or CBL. I pretty much eat what I want with a mind towards real food and limiting carbs during the day, and then at dinner I'll eat around 60 grams of carbs before having a big bowl (150 grams of carbs worth) of chex mix for my carb load before bed, with a protein shake (almond milk, protein powder) as my milk. I only eat the bowl of cereal on the nights before I'll be lifting the next morning, if I'll be running or have a rest day coming up, I just have a protein shake with some berries blended in.

With CBL, the way I structure it is to workout in the am, usually at 6, have a post workout shake along the CBL guidelines 30 minutes after my workout, have my coffee along the cbl guidelines about 2 hours after my workout, and then eat lunch around noon, dinner around 6 and last meal at 8:30, bed by 9. Macros on CBL nights are roughly 180/200/100 (P/C/F) and then on non CBL nights 180/60/100.

Again, this is what works for me, at now 6' 180-185 and I'd wager 10% BF at the present moment (I've been tested down to 6%, so this is a guess based on experience/mirror) I'm as strong as ever and running as fast as ever (19:30 5K, 350 squat, 450 dead, 250 bench, 170 press) and I recover well for a 30 year old. Run twice a week and lift 4 times a week following a 5/3/1 template with accessory work. I'll start subbing in weighted hikes in the Alabama "mountains" outside my front/back door as my September mule deer hunt draws closer.

 

[Eagle]

N of 1?

Sample size equals 1, N=1

 

[Poser]

I'm not much of a numbers guy. This past Fall, I was eating fairly strict Paleo (with cheat meals/days, of course) and slimmed down to my lowest weight in 10 years, dipping down into the high 160s. I could move fast and felt "light", but strength was completely stagnated and possibly even lost in a few areas. Back in late January, I started experimenting with adding more carbs back in my meals. I often eat at least 1 sweet potato a day, if not 2 with the second being 1.5-2 hours before my late afternoon workout. On the weekends, I eat HUGE (usually about as much as I can eat) bowls of steel cut oats with 40 grams of protein added. I also have been more casual in general about eating carbs. While I don't go out of my way to eat them on a day to day basis, Pizza and Cheeseburger fixes have been a little more frequent than in the past.

With that change, strength and power has been going up considerably. Clean has gone up 20 pounds, front squat has gone up 30 pounds in the last couple of months and I suspect my Deadlift has gone up 30-40+ pounds, though haven't maxed out yet. I have thickened up quite a bit gaining close to 20 pounds from when I was at my leanest back in November and ~10 pounds just in the last 6 weeks. Granted, I've been on Creatine this Spring, so a few of those pounds are inflated bodyweight. Body fat is 9.5-10%.

Overall, I feel better, more athletic and more fueled. I have noticed that I have slowed down a bit in certain movements. We were doing some over the box burpees this past Sunday and I just didn't feel like I had the ability to move my body as fast as my cardiovascular system was capable of providing the wattage for. When I run, I can tell that my body feels "heavier."
So, there is a bit of a tradeoff there, but, with my body type, I need the strength more than I need the speed and agility.

I don't ever foresee myself counting grams, calories, weighing food etc. Protein? I just eat as much of it as I can get while moderating carbs and limiting processed carbs and sugar as much as possible. I work out 5 days a week with usually a recovery workout and one full rest day. I figure I need a lot of protein -not sure how much exactly, so I just eat a lot of it to be sure.
I try to eat a lot of vegetables, fiber and nutrient dense foods. Fat? I put butter in my coffee, but otherwise don't go out of my way to eat it nor avoid it.

 

[Jason Snyder]

"Every Day is Game Day" is a pretty good read as far as nutrition, rest, supplements, etc.

 

[Take-a-knee]

N of 1?

Well, N=2 because you forgot about Camille Bazinet, the fitest woman on earth.

If you are going to do the Zone Diet, you need to READ THE BOOK. When you do, you'll figure out that the "block" method of counting protein/carb blocks does not account for all of the calories you are consuming. 30/30/40 is the BASELINE. There is no rule that says you can't tailor it to suit YOU, and if you are still controlling your insulin level, you ARE IN THE ZONE. If you loose strength, you are probably not consuming enough fat, most hormones are mostly fat. Instead of upping your blocks, just add more fat to your current number calculated off of your LBM. If you are still losing, or not gaining, muscle, then you need to add blocks. Fat is the ONLY macronutrient that doesn't rapidly raise or lower a hormone that has a profound/immeadiate effect on your metabolism. IE insulin and glucagon.

25% of the population has a "muted" insulin response to carbs. These folks may need more than Zone parameters. Its all in the book.

 

[Take-a-knee]

I don't ever foresee myself counting grams, calories, weighing food etc. Protein?

Once you get the Zone sorted out, you don't have to. One pot meals like the Zone turkey chili/lasagna etc do this automatically. The palm of your hand equals the volume of meat you should consume per meal, add two equal sized servings of non-starchy vegetables of color and you're set. This is "Paleo-Zone". Learning the info in the book gives you a survival strategy for those times you can't access such a meal.

 

[Jason Snyder]

If you loose strength, you are probably not consuming enough fat, most hormones are mostly fat.

Most hormones are peptide chains, except steroids which are carbon rings.

 

[Dan M]

Dan,

This is the weight workout I do:

http://superhumancoach.com/strength-training-endurance-athletes/

I try to avoid protein bars because of the added sugars, although some aren't too bad. It's more of a motivation to try and eat as few processed foods as possible.

Sometimes I will have an average HR of 150+ on a two hour mountain bike ride. I'll usually max out at around 178 or so at least once during a ride.

I am also planning on doing a TTH even this year. Good luck in your training.

Jason,

I checked out that workout. It's definitely more oriented towards the endurance athlete. I train a little differently but I do like that. I understand what you're saying about the sugars, I too try to avoid the processed foods. We have starting do meal prep for breakfast and lunch a week or more ahead of time to prevent eating processed foods.

Maybe I'll see you at a TTH event,

Dan

 

[Jason Snyder]

I'm planning on the North Idaho event, although I'm really wrestling with the fact that it's over Father's Day weekend.

How does your weight lifting differ? I'm a huge believer in periodization of training, and may look at emphasizing strength more in the late fall/winter on the days I'm not chasing my wirehair around after birds.

For breakfast I use Shakeology and mix it with 8 oz whole milk, 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt, a couple TBSP of peanut butter, and 1 cup of frozen fruit.

 

[jmez]

Sample size equals 1, N=1

I was making a statement.

 

[Dan M]

I'm planning on the North Idaho event, although I'm really wrestling with the fact that it's over Father's Day weekend.

How does your weight lifting differ? I'm a huge believer in periodization of training, and may look at emphasizing strength more in the late fall/winter on the days I'm not chasing my wirehair around after birds.

For breakfast I use Shakeology and mix it with 8 oz whole milk, 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt, a couple TBSP of peanut butter, and 1 cup of frozen fruit.

Jason,

My weightlifting routine varies between isolation days, CrossFit and heavy pack events. I still isolate most major body parts between Monday and Friday, hit a an extended CrossFit WOD (Hero WOD, etc.) on Saturday and mix in a heavy pack event once or twice during the week. I prefer to keep my Sunday as an off day to focus on family.

Thanks,

Dan