BMJ #9
by Steve Colescott
July 18, 2000. My body aches; a deep, dull pain that
feels like a bruise on the surface of the bone. The
muscles are as tight as piano wires, stretched painfully
from origin to insertion point. I trained my legs five days
ago and it seems as if the delayed-onset muscle soreness
has cruelly timed its peak for the very day in which I
was next going to squat. I’m tired — exhausted in fact,
but I stroll over to the power rack anyway, knowing that
once I get going, willpower will drive me through the
required sets.
As I approach the rack, with my cowboy-style gait,
it feels like bending my knees will be an impossible task.
I know that gravity, more reliable than the eternal sunrise,
will take care of that — gravity, and the 365-pound
bar I will be using on my work sets. The real challenge
will be for me to slow my descent, resist the shearing
forces of the kinetic plunge, and drive the bar back up
to a standing position — with my joints screaming the
whole time.
Once accomplished, I get to repeat the process five
to eight more times. Then, after a brief three-minute rest
I get to do it again… and, just for good measure, I do it
again for a total of three heavy sets.
I assume it is the diet that is making me so weak, but
since my body is greedily holding on to a thick cummerbund
of adipose, the caloric restrictions seems cruel and
perplexingly pointless. With a target date 21-days away,
I realistically know I look six-weeks out. If I restrict my
calories any more I doubt I will be able to crawl out of
bed. My brain is already foggy at best. At what point
does it just stop functioning?
It is hard to make improvements in the gym when
you have to drag your butt in the door. It is even harder
to make gains when you haven’t recuperated from your
last workout and your shoulders and knees ache. Is this
level of effort worthwhile when the payoff is mediocre
at best?
January 20, 2004. Leg day and I’m ready. Mark, my
training partner, shows up ten minutes late. I half-expected
it. He seems determined to delay the inevitable.
The extra time on the treadmill is a welcome opportunity
to focus on the mental prep for what I will be accomplishing
soon.
My diet, if you can even call it that, is looser than its
been in the past but the results are coming with much
less effort. My energy levels seem elevated and more
stable than they were in the past. This has served to improve
my training. I have the strong, pliable joints of a
man a decade younger and find that the gym’s sound
system is no longer accompanied by the Rice Krispieslike
popping in my shoulders, elbows and knees.
The difference? The difference in the two leg training
days was a matter of a simple evolution in my diet. I
was well versed in low-carb dieting in the first example.
Because of the fact that I do not tolerate carbs well, I
knew that it was a good eating strategy for my particular
metabolism. I simply kept my carbs low, ate tons of
protein and didn’t worry about the naturally occurring
fats in my foods. It worked for me, but was only half of
the equation.
Dietary fats seem to be the last piece of the puzzle
for most fitness-conscious people. Maybe it is our natural
tendency to think of all fats as the same;
that greasy stuff that adds richness to our diet
and either makes foods roll luxuriously across
our tongue or drips grotesquely down our chin
while eating “road food.”
But by taking things to that next level, and
scientifically adding specific fats into your diet
in precise ratios, you can trigger major changes
in your physique. The best nutritional addition
needed by those who believe they are already
eating well would be the inclusion of EFAs (Essential
Fatty Acids) to their daily diet. This can
have a profound effect on their appearance and
physical performance. As a side effect, EFAs
bring about a multitude of positive health benefits,
and that’s not such a bad thing.
What are EFAs? EFAs are a group of polyunsaturated
fats that cannot be manufactured
by the body. As such, they must be consumed
as part of your eating plan. The two types of
EFAs (differentiated by their chemical structure)
are omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Of
the two, omega-3 fatty acids are more deficient
in the typical diet and this, in addition to their
remarkable benefits; require greater quantities
to be added than omega-6 fats in order to create
an optimal athletic diet. Omega-9 fats are
non-essential (since the body is able to manufacture
them) and more commonly found in
the normal diet, so they can be supplemented
in smaller quantities. Balancing the proportion
of these fats can have rather dramatic effects.
Just to familiarize yourself with some of
the types of omega-3 fats: alpha-linolenic acid
(ALA) is metabolized in the body and converted
to DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) and
EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid). DHA and EPA
can also be directly consumed to bypass the
conversion process. Synthesizing these fats is
an enzyme-dependant function that becomes
less efficient as one ages, which is why it is wise
for bodybuilders older than thirty to supplement
fats directly in these forms.
EFAs as a Macronutrient
The optimal bodybuilding diet is far lower
in carbs than the diet of the average “civilian.”
The typical dieting strategy of gradually replacing
starchy carbs (rice, potatoes, pasta and
breads) with low calorie, fibrous carb sources
(steamed broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, salads)
is a simple and universally-effective tactic. The
next step is to replace some of your carbs with
protein and fat, giving you a slowly-releasing
energy source that does not cause dramatic insulin
fluctuations.
But simply consuming any type of fat can
have negative metabolic consequences. Eating
saturated or transfats can increase insulin sensitivity,
making it easier to gain unwanted bodyfat.
These are also the ugly fats responsible for
all of the negative artery-clogging health problems
that have given fats such a bad name.
On the other hand, EFAs have been shown
to decrease insulin sensitivity, which increases
the tendency of the calories you ingest being
driven into the muscle and liver (in the form
of glycogen to fuel your training) rather than
being driven into fats cells to plump you up.
Controlling insulin sensitivity is one of the best
ways to improve both your physique and your
performance in the gym or in any sport you
should choose.
Health Benefits of EFAs
On a cellular level, lipids are a part of every
cell membrane. Even in extremely ripped individuals,
a three-percent bodyfat level seems
to be about the bare essential needed for survival.
The attempt to be any lower than this
would compromise health with no benefit to
your level of rippedness (or is the proper term
rippedosity?).
In regards to health, EFAs seem to exert
their most remarkable health benefits on the
heart and cardiovascular system. Even a modest
inclusion of fish oils in the diet has been
shown to have a remarkable effect at improving
the HDL/LDL ratio and dramatically decreasing
the risk of heart attacks. By limiting
saturated and transfats and replacing them
with the healthier omega fatty acids, there is a
decrease in the risk of strokes, arthrosclerosis
(clogging of the arteries) and heart attacks. The
incidence of sudden death from heart attacks is
greatly decreased in those that have a greater
level of healthy fats in their diet. High blood
pressure is often dramatically turned around
(without the need for prescription drugs) simply
be adding gram quantities of EFAs. If you
suffer from any of these conditions, discuss
the inclusion of EFAs into your diet with your
chosen health care provider. If you do not suffer
from these conditions, you should consider
EFAs as a possible preemptive deterrent to developing
any of them.
EFAs have been shown to decrease inflammation.
They can help lessen allergic reactions
and protect against inflammatory conditions,
such as rheumatoid arthritis, Krohn’s disease,
lupus and asthma. If joint inflammation is a
particular problem, it is a good idea to try a
product containing Evening Primrose Oil, such
as Beverly’s Joint Care. The fats contained in
this formula (as well as the other active ingredients)
encourage the elimination of inflammation
while lubricating the joints. For those
that have decided to make intense training a
lifetime habit, the importance of this cannot be
overstated. Healthy joints mean less time nursing
injuries and more time pushing big weights.
Fats have an integral function for the brain
and nervous system. The myelin sheath, which
forms the protective coating of nerves and is
responsible for transmitting nerve impulses is
compromised primarily of fat. A whopping 20%
of the dry weight of the brain is made of EFAs,
which is why fish oils are often referred to as
“brain food.” Ample supplies of EFAs have
been shown to assist with the brain’s ability to
properly manufacture neurotransmitters (such
as serotonin which has been shown to reduce
stress). Studies have indicated that omega-3
fatty acid supplementation may have a positive
effect on bipolar disorder (manic depression),
attention deficit disorder, mood, visual function,
pain regulation and feelings of general
well-being (as well as improving cognitive abilities
such as memory and response time).
The omega-3 and omega-6 fats are also
synthesized by the body to create eicosanoids,
which are hormone-like substances that regulate
a variety of body functions. These can affect
blood pressure, recovery and immune function,
blood clotting and a host of other important effects.
A proper balance of omega-3 and omega-
6 is important to ensure a greater production
of “beneficial” eicosanoids. Since omega-3 fatty
acids are the most difficult to obtain in the typical
diet, it is recommended that you supplement
them with a product that biases their formula
towards higher levels of omega-3s.
EFAs for Bodybuilding
Now here are the two benefits that we, as
bodybuilders, REALLY care about —
Essential Fatty Acid’s effects on bodyfat loss and
muscle gain. The good news is that the results
are impressive! The same reduced blood viscosity
that makes fish oils so valuable at preventing
heart attacks also means that they
cause an increase in bloodflow, resulting in
faster recuperation (washing away of waste byproducts
of intense training and replenishing
vital nutrients) and greater endurance (more
oxygen delivered in the bloodstream).
EFAs have been shown to increase metabolic
rate, discourage fat storage and encourage
the burning of stored body fat. Even if you
keep your percentage of calories from fat the
same, but replace saturated fats with EFAs, you
will cause a major shift towards leanness. This
makes EFAs a potent fat-burning facilitator,
metabolic amplifier and fat-storage nullifier.
The effects are almost impossible to believe!
EFAs have positive benefits to all the major
muscle-building hormones. We’ve already discussed
their effect on insulin sensitivity, which
is hugely important in bodybuilding. They also
help with hormone synthesis (including providing
the structural basis of testosterone). If
that wasn’t enough, EFAs have a positive effect
on growth hormone release and are vital
to proper functioning and manufacturing of
eicosanoids and prostaglandins.
If you aren’t hooked on Essential Fatty Acids
by this point, you never will be! The accompanying
sidebar gives you some easy practical suggestions
on how to choose the right oils and work
them into your eating plan. Give it six months
time and I have no doubt you will find that increasing
your EFA intake will improve the way
you look, the way your body feels and may even
keep you from getting as many colds and “down”
days. In addition to all these things, your body will
thank you for the improvement to your health.
BASIC RULES
You don’t need to be a chemist or consult a
reference guide to figure out which fats to add
to your diet. These basic rules will eliminate
the guesswork from your decisions:
1: Allow fat to make up roughly 25-
30% of your calories, but limit saturated
fats to less than 20% of these
fat grams. EFAs are vital nutrients;
you need them in gram (not milligram)
amounts daily. If you are training
hard, you are asking more of your
body’s systems and they are even
more crucial.
2: Try to eat fish two to three times a
week. If you don’t like fish, supplemental
EFAs containing fish oils are
even more important!
3: Flavor salads and vegetables with
healthy oils, such as olive oil. Mix
these with spices, lemon/lime and/
or red wine vinegar. Use three tablespoons
olive oil for every tablespoon
of flaxseed oil for a healthy boost of
omega fatty acids.
7: Avoid cooking with any types of fat.
A light misting of a vegetable or olive
oil spray (such as Pam) to keep items
from sticking to your cooking pans
should be the extent of use in your
regular cooking procedures.
8: Avoid fats that are solid at room
temperature. These are saturated or
hydrogenated (transfatty acid) fats.
9: AVOID overly processed
foods. When
scanning the ingredients
be aware
of partially hydrogenated
oils and
trans-fatty acids.
Even if only found
in small quantities,
they have a potent
negative effect.
