Sunday Cheat Meals

February 4, 2010

Reggie Wayne Sunday Cheat Meals There’s never a day that passes when I don’t get several emails about my diet. So today I’m going to share with you some of the stuff I eat on a normal football Sunday. That’s my big cheat day and we start it off early with the ESPN pre-game show going on at 10am while we fire up the kitchen. During the fall, this day often starts even earlier with a trip to the farmers market. Even though it’s a cheat day we still like to keep some healthy, fresh produce on the menu.

Since I eat pretty clean throughout the week my goal on this day is to jam down as many junk food calories as possible. But even at that, I try not to get into too much deep fried, saturated fat, heart attack food.

Breakfast will often be something like blueberry buckwheat quinoa pancakes. Yup, all that in one cake. We smother that in maple syrup and top it with some more fresh blueberries. This will be followed up by a bowl of fresh fruit topped with shredded coconut.

Since pizza and football go so well together we always make a few pizzas throughout the day with crusts that we buy at Whole Foods and some home made or jarred, organic tomato sauce. On one of them we’ll throw an olive tapenade with some onions. On another we will put some fake ground beef and peppers and onions. Sometime’s we’ll get fake meatballs or sausage and put this on a pie as well. Depending on the day or mood we’re in we may or may not add soy cheese to the pies. Or some days we’ll mix and match. I don’t eat these fake meat or cheese products during the week at all and avoid all soy and wheat, in fact. But on cheat days all the rules get broken.

One of my favorite pizzas is the beet and sweet potato pizza. We bake the beets and diced sweet potatoes first, and then put them on top of the pizza before putting it in the oven. It’s incredible.

We almost always make homemade hummus and have a huge tray of vegetables to counterbalance the junk food. Along with the veggies I will also go through an entire bag of Lundberg rice chips. Sometimes two. And a sleeve of some type of vegan cookie. Oh, and a bag of dark chocolate covered almonds from Whole Foods. Honestly, I could get through the day just on those. Give me a sack of those and I’m a happy man.

Then we get to the four o’clock game…

Around half time of this game is when we are looking at “dinner.” This could be fake riblets, kale slaw, baked beans, rolls and a big salad. Another favorite is veggie burgers and dogs on fresh rolls with sautéed onions, sliced avocadoes, homemade fries and ketchup.

Dinner could also be eggplant parm with brown rice pasta like we had last Sunday, compliments of my good friend and master chef, Michael DeSanti. Mike makes an incredible assortment of vegetable based dishes that always make up a large part of Sunday’s menu. One of my favorite green dishes is sautéed rainbow chard.

Other times dinner will just be some kind of lentil stew with onions, celery, carrots, kale, garlic, spices and potatoes. If we don’t have potatoes we might just pour this over brown rice pasta.

On days we don’t want to put too much effort in to dinner we will just make fake sausage and peppers sandwiches. There’s also an assortment of quinoa and brown rice dishes we make as well that I will cover another time.

By the time the eight o’clock game rolls around we are getting ready for dessert (as if I hadn’t had enough already). I’ll always whack down a pint or two of Purely Decadent coconut milk ice cream. This will be accompanied by some home made cookies or brownies and a glass of almond milk.

Recently we made a raw chocolate pudding consisting of avocadoes, carob powder and maple syrup. Combine all the ingredients in the food processor, chill for about 10-15 minutes and then shovel it down. Really good stuff.

At that point of the night I’m done and will be lucky if I can keep my eyes open to see the fourth quarter. On Monday morning it’s back to clean eating for the next six days. And a much needed visit with the Prowler.

Please leave your comments below.

Written by jasonferruggia · Filed Under Nutrition | 14 Comments

UFC Fighter Mac Danzig’s Vegan Diet

January 20, 2010

12274 UFC Fighter Mac Danzigs Vegan Diet By Mac Danzig

Although there are other people at the controls, manning and updating my websites, I do read all of the mail, and the questions I get asked most often (hundreds upon hundreds of times now) are about my diet. All of the emails and letters are so hard to keep up with, so I finally sat down and decided to write a comprehensive look at my diet. I’m writing this on the fly, so even though it’s long, I will most certainly leave some important things out.. ‘Sorry’ about that in advance.

This is not going to be political or preachy. I am not here to push my beliefs on anybody. This is a chance for all of you who have asked for diet advice from me, to get some ideas and hopefully gain a better understanding of how easy it is for me to maintain athletic performance with the foods I consume. In the mean time, I will simply lead by example.

I noticed that a lot of fighters write down what they may generically eat on a given day and simply post that as their “diet”. I’m sure this leads to confusion with most readers and still leaves many questions unanswered. My diet, in particular is extremely varied and also very specialized.

As you will see, I eat completely differently when I am cutting to 155, than when I am simply in training without having a weight-cut… And even more differently than when I am lazying around, eating whatever I want and getting fat…

By no means whatsoever, is this ‘the gospel’ of vegan eating… I am just sharing what I do… It may work for you, it may not… Take what works and discard the rest.

I can tell you right now, I don’t spend nearly as much time doting over my diet as most people think.. I know what to eat and what not to, and following those guidelines, I’m looking to get it done with and get on with my day…

I usually don’t have the time to cook, so unless my girlfriend is cooking for me (she’s great), or I am eating at a restaurant, I am usually looking for something quick and easy…

A few articles on me have gone into detail on what my daily diet is like… This one in particular stands out: MMA digest article

Also, Mike Mahler happens to be the one person whose diet I followed in the beginning of my change to a vegan diet. He inspired me and I hope I can do the same for some of you… I urge you to check out his diet if you’re interested in mine.

Before I get into specifics, I’d like to address something that ties into the same discussion…

For the record, I cut dairy completely out of my diet in 1999 (over 5 years before I ever committed to a full-Vegan diet)… This was due to an allergy that I developed in my adolescent years to dairy that affected my sinuses and everything connecting to them. For a good part of my teenage years, I suffered from severe ear infections and chronic Vertigo (which is completely miserable). It took me a few years of to finally realize that the antibiotics were only temporarily subduing a much bigger problem. I did my research and finally found the source. A lot of people don’t realize how hard milk, whey, and other dairy products are on the sinuses and respiratory system, and the dairy industry would like you to believe that you need milk to get calcium. That notion is as oxymoronic as you can get. Although not everybody has as severe an allergy to dairy products as I did, I just wanted to point out that after years of battling with ear and sinus infections, eliminating dairy completely cured my problems. Anyone with similar problems may want to try it for a while.

Also, let me just say that although protein intake is important, especially for athletes, I find the usual listed “requirements” for protein are blown completely out of proportion, and the thought of consuming “1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight” during down time seems ridiculous to me… I truly feel that all the articles telling people to eat that way are written by people who copied the diets of fanatical body-builders and tried to present them to the general public. If you ingest that much protein a day, you’re taxing your liver and kidneys big-time… For example, I walk at 168lbs and I usually eat between 100 and 140 grams of protein per day when I’m in grueling, peak training… When I’m taking time off, I don’t pay attention to it and I’d say it’s usually around 70 grams a day, give or take…

One thing I consciously try and do is eat a higher amount of Alkaline-forming foods than acid-forming foods throughout each day… I don’t have time to get into the whole “alkaline foods” discussion, but I’ll just leave it out there, that there is plenty of info about it on ‘teh interweb’…

Ok, first here, I’m going to list some regular foods that I eat a lot of, along with an explanation on each one. Essentially these are of some basics that really make up a large portion of my weekly caloric intake…

Afterwards, I’ll list some broader ideas of diet, some supplements, then list some junk foods I eat and finally some daily examples…

Brown Rice: One of my main sources of complex carbs along with Oatmeal… I buy the ‘microwave in the bag’ frozen brown rice from Trader Joe’s… It’s pretty easy to make and can be added to almost any meal.
Wild Rice (actually a grass seed) is even better if you can get ahold of it.

Portobello mushrooms: These are great. Good protein source, low calories, low sodium… Can be sauteed or stir-fried with vegetables. I eat many of these when cutting weight.

Tempeh: This is a Tofu-based food and a good source of protein and fiber… Although a little bitter when eaten plain, I find that some flavorings can really make this good…

Quinoa: This grain is sometimes a chore to cook, and if you live in the middle of nowhere, it might be hard to find, but it’s a great source of not only carbs and protein, but fiber as well. This is one of the most nutritionally complete foods out there with a full, balanced set of amino acids…

Black Beans, lentils, etc: Really, many Mexican foods I find to be pretty substantial as long as there’s some beans and rice in it… Lentils are great in soup and have some decent protein and fiber… My girlfriend makes some really good lentil soup as well as squash soup.

Now, here are some things I will simply list and then explain how they work with my system.

Drinks: I drink water 99.9% of the time… Rarely do I ever feel the need for soft drinks or juices, although I might add some orange juice to a protein shake to make it taste better…
I drink in excess of 1.5 gallons of H2O per day when I’m training hard and about 1 gallon per day on the regular.

Wheat: My diet is not “wheat-free” but I do my best to avoid it… It’s an allergen (mild for most people) and not as easily digested you might think… Every now and then I have something that has wheat gluten in it as well… I’m not really into sandwiches, so bread is easy to avoid. I do eat pasta every once in a while and I might have some wheat tortillas, but if I had my choice of carbs, it’d be brown rice or quinoa. On a side note, they have come out with some good rice-based pastas that are identical to normal wheat pastas in every way.

Fake meat products: These are usually geared towards people making the change to vegetarianism and are made to mimic various meat products… I usually don’t mess with these all that much, with the exception of “riblets” made by Gardenburger brand… Most of the stuff out there doesn’t taste anything like meat to me (unless it’s seitan) and I don’t need my food to. Unfortunately, if you live in the midwest, or any place who’s stores haven’t adapted to vegetarian diets, you may find that these are the only things sold in the frozen section without meat or dairy… On the other side of this, many vegan restaurants have great fake meat products that are much more palatable than the stuff sold in the stores.

Vegetables: These are very necessary. I don’t eat them as much as I should, but when I do, it’s broccoli, peas, corn, green beans and spinach most of the time. Whenever I have a salad, I do my best to use organic kale or baby spinach as the main source rather than romain or iceberg lettuce. The leafy greens like collards, spinach and kale are extremely good for you.. Don’t sleep on them.

Nuts & seeds: I find almonds are the best for me. Some articles have stated that they boost testosterone… I can’t say that’s true or false, but I do find almonds to be superior to most of the other nuts and seeds out there…
Trader Joes sells raw, sliced almond flakes that can be turned into powder (if you have a chopper) and put into a protein shake.

I do eat peanuts sometimes, and natural peanut butter, but too many peanuts can be bad for you because of the naturally-occurring toxins in them. I eat cashews in moderation, and I usually stay away from Macadamias when I’m cutting weight because of their high fat content. I don’t eat as much seeds as I probably should, but Pumpkin seeds are definitely recommended… They are high in iron, which is important, because as an athlete, iron can be lost rapidly through sweat. Sunflower seeds are also pretty good and are a decent source of protein and vitamin E…

Seitan: although this stuff is delicious and has the most meat-like texture, it is essentially just wheat gluten and is pretty hard to digest… I stay away from it when I’m in hard training, but during the off-season, it’s fair play. Many restaurants have good meals with seitan.

Soy milk, almond milk, etc: I don’t eat cereal all that much, but when I do, I prefer almond milk and rice milk over soy milk… Just a personal preference. These can be added to protein shakes too. Rice milk is a little thinner that almond and soy usually…

Sodium: Many of the foods I really enjoy have a lot of sodium in them. I have no problem eating moderately sodium-rich foods until I get close to cutting to lightweight… Sodium causes you to retain water, so it’s pointless to consume if you want to drop water weight. 3 weeks before a fight, I start watching my sodium intake, and by the week of the fight, I’m down to less than 100 grams per day.

Supplements:
Vega : This is awesome. It has everything I need and it’s quick and easy. Although not ideal, I could really live off of this with no problems. Full nutrition. Vega makes powdered whole food meal replacements and energy bars that I eat pretty much every day. Their meal replacement uses hemp protein and pea protein as a base. When I’m taking this and/or The Ultimate Meal (see below) I find there’s no reason for a multi-vitamin.

The Ultimate Meal : I swear by this stuff, it’s a whole meal and has made up a huge part of my diet for 3 years now. It’s a bit of an acquired taste, but I truly notice myself feeling better when I use it daily. Remember to follow the directions and add the apple and banana. (This is not your normal “add powder to water” supplement)

Organic food bar : These are great for cutting weight… there is some fat but it’s good fat, and there’s hardly any sodium. Made of mostly almond butter and date paste.

Cliff Builders Bar : As far as protein bars go, these are the best tasting and pretty addictive… There’s a decent amount of sodium and calories, so they’re not ideal when you’re cutting weight.

Protein powders: I stay away from soy as a powdered protein supplement, and not because of the idiotic claim that it is “bad for men because it boosts estrogen” (which is complete nonsense), but because it doesn’t have a full amino acid spectrum and has less protein content percentage… Instead of soy powder, I use brown rice protein from Nutri-Biotic brand when I’m looking for plain protein supplement. Nutri-Biotic Rice protein has an 80% protein content and all the amino acids. I also find that Rice protein is digested a lot easire than soy.

Junk Food:

I eat a ton of soy ice cream and vegan cookies when I’m not dieting… This is my weakness, but my metabolism burns most of it off…

Also, I eat a lot of Thai food from vegan restaurants that, although normally not considered ‘junk-food’, certainly has a lot of fat and sodium. Example: Yellow Curry (made with coconut milk) with tofu and deep fried soy “chicken”… Oh yeah, I’m a potato chip fiend too…

Even with all the sugary stuff I indulge in, I do my best to completely avoid high fructose corn syrup.

Examples:

Ok, here is an example of just one day of my diet leading up to a lightweight fight that I posted on a blog a while back…

You must remember that this week and next are atypical of what I’d normally eat calorie-wise daily compared to, say, a month or more out… There is no way I could sustain this low-calorie diet for long periods of time… I love vegan cookies and Thai Food too much.

Morning: woke up at 166lbs and after a short 35 minute run and some calisthenics, I had The Ultimate Meal, which is a pulverized meal replacement. I swear by this stuff. There isn’t a single other product out there that comes close to this as far as recovery goes in training. Put it in a blender, add some water, an extra scoop of rice protein powder, an apple and a banana and I’m good to go. 400 cal

Noon time: Organic food bar 300 cal

Afternoon: Low-carb tortilla chips with Salsa. Soy yogurt with Fresh Pinapple. 350 cal

Mid Day: After working a private lesson at 3pm, and then at 4:00 sparring, consisting of five 5-minute rounds with 30 seconds rest and finishing with jump-rope interval training, I had a Clif Bar immediately to replace glycogen and help speed up recovery so I can function in my third workout. 250 cal

Evening: Rice Noodle mushroom soup with sautéed high-protein tofu added. Fresh pineapple. 300 cal

Night: After my Night workout in west LA, which consisted of 45 mins grappling, followed by ab work, I had a Clif Builders Bar and a rice protein shake. 350 cal

Last meal: Salad w/ baby greens, artichoke, olives, mushrooms, high-protein grilled tofu and light goddess dressing. Fresh strawberries and grapes for dessert. 300 cal

So that’s 2250 calories total, which is fine since I’m training 3x a day. The next week I’ll start to taper off my training and cut out all the sodium, so that I’m not retaining water.

_______________________________________________

Here’s an example of a typical (non-weight cutting) training day:

Breakfast: Oatmeal and soy yogurt with fruit.

Snack: almonds and dried cranberries

Lunch:
Barley salad
Sauteed zucchini and mushroom and ‘garden’ flavor tempeh with curry dipping sauce.

Midday:
Vega shake, Clif Builder Bar.

Snack: Tortilla chips and Guacamole

Dinner:
Brown rice pasta with fresh portabello’s and eggplant and marinara sauce.

Late night:
Coconut sorbet with pineapples.

Ok… well, I hope this answers at least a few of the diet questions some of you may have, and if not, I don’t know what to say… It took me almost 7 months to get around to writing this, so who knows when my lazy ass might get around to writing more…

Thanks for all the feedback and positive emails, you guys… Even though I can’t always write back, I hope all of you understand that I’m grateful to have such loyal and intelligent fans!

Take care,

Mac

For more information on Mac check out www.MacDanzig.net.

Written by jasonferruggia · Filed Under Nutrition | 10 Comments

The High Protein Myth- Exposed Again

October 12, 2009

proteinsbs The High Protein Myth Exposed Again I hate to say “I told you so.”

But… I told you so.

For years now I have been getting a lot of flak from other fitness industry insiders and so called experts because I exposed the great protein myth at every chance I got.

They all either thought I was insane or were upset that I was blowing the whistle on their scam and costing them tons of money every year.

But now, due to a recent study that everyone is talking about, people are starting to change their tune and realize what I have been telling you all along…

You DON’T need 2-3 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight to build muscle. It’s a lie promoted by the supplement and meat and dairy industry. That’s it.

Just another way to make money.

But hardly a scientific fact.

Recently Tarnopolsky performed a study in which weight trained individuals consumed a drink containing either: 5, 10, 20 or 40 grams of protein immediately after their workout. Each of the groups increased protein synthesis, but their results were dose dependant.

Up to 20 grams, that is. While the 20 gram group significantly increased protein synthesis over the 10 gram group, the 40 gram group did not significantly increase protein synthesis over the 20 gram group.

So any more than 20-30 grams of protein at one sitting isn’t necessarily going to benefit you in any significant way.

The conclusion to be drawn from this most recent study is what I have been saying all along… You don’t need all that protein. In fact, eating too much will force your body to burn protein instead of fat for energy and can make getting leaner a more difficult process.

Twenty to thirty grams of protein, every few hours is all that’s needed to build muscle. For most people that will be no more than about 150 grams per day.

Before I ever recommended a lower protein intake to you guys I tried several experiments on myself and my clients for years. Back in the early 90’s I slowly increased my protein intake all the way up to 450 grams per day. I also recruited a few training partners and clients for the experiment.

And after eight weeks nothing happened.

Then I tried experimenting with protein cycling and went on low protein for a while, thinking that if I desensitized my body to protein I would grow like a week upon reintroducing it.

Well, that never happened.

But during the low protein phase I actually gained muscle and lost fat. I even remember my brother commenting one day, about three weeks into it that he had never seen me in better shape.

Even after experiencing better results with less protein it shames me to admit that there were several times during the 90’s where someone would make a convincing enough argument to make me try super high protein again.

And all I ever did was end up fatter and poorer.

Admit it; you’ve tried it too. You added another steak or protein shake to your diet and thought, “this will be just what I need to really start growing.” And nothing happens.

Then you increased the size of your daily omelet from 3 eggs to 10. Still nothing.

Stop the insanity.

great outdoors The High Protein Myth Exposed Again From now on instead of ordering 3 chicken breasts, save the money and just get one. Or order an extra baked potato or two for the extra calories and throw down a few tablespoons of olive oil when you’re done.

Instead of ordering “The Old 96′er” (“There’s nothing but gristle and fat on that plate.”) settle for a more human sized 8 ounce steak.

Instead of 4 scoops in your protein shake use one or two.

Instead of a dozen eggs I think you’ll be just fine with 3-5, depending on the size.

The first time I ate breakfast with Jim Wendler, Dave Tate and CJ Murphy, all of whom were around 300lbs at the time, I ordered extra eggs in my omelet while they simply ordered theirs as is.

I thought, “Man, what a douche, I am. These guys all outweigh me by 80 pounds. What’s wrong with you?”

I have been fooled many times. But like The Who, I won’t get fooled again.

I hope you don’t either.

An educated man is a dangerous man,
Jason Ferruggia

PS. For smarter muscle buidling meal plans visit MuscleGainingSecrets.com

Written by jasonferruggia · Filed Under Muscle Building, Nutrition | 28 Comments

Healthier Eating

October 1, 2009

Healthier Eating Before getting started I have to thank everyone for their support and for all the well wishes, flowers and thoughtful gifts and cards. The last few months have been some of the worst of my life. Watching my step dad suffer all summer in the hospital and dealing with his passing have been brutally hard to deal with.

I will never forget what people did for me during that time and will be forever indebted to them. Small gestures from true friends like multiple time cancer survivor Alwyn Cosgrove, who called or texted every day of the summer and did something incredibly thoughtful for my mom, Craig Ballantyne, John Alvino and many others sending flowers, Dave Tate taking the time to write an incredibly uplifting email, or Patrick Beith taking the time to go out and fill up a box of Pearl Jam and old school WWF DVD’s to send me were appreciated more than words could ever aptly describe. Like every industry we have our share of lowlifes, but these guys are the salt of the earth and I’m proud to call them friends.

In Ed’s memory I have decided that I not only want to help people get bigger, stronger and faster, but also healthier as well. Not that I haven’t emphasized that in the past but it has moved up quite a bit on my priority list. The fact is you can accomplish all three of those goals and even get leaner while not improving your health in the least. In fact, you can do all of those things while actually becoming unhealthier. I know; I’ve done it.

To help other families avoid the pain and suffering that we have endured I would like to do my best to help people get healthy while they are also achieving their strength and physique goals…something that is a foreign concept to many of us.

A body becomes diseased based on what you put into it and what you do to it. When someone who eats junk food on regular basis is diagnosed with cancer or heart disease it’s not some odd, other worldly mystery without an explanation. It’s as obvious as the nose on your face.

At Ed’s wake and funeral many well intentioned people hoping to ease my pain said they wondered why this happened and told me that bad things happen to good people. While wiping away tears I told them I knew exactly why this happened and that bad things happen to people who don’t watch what they put into their bodies. It’s as simple as that. Ed was not a very healthy eater and exercised a lot less than he should have. There is no great mystery as to why he got cancer. I know exactly why he got cancer and know that many cases like his could be prevented.

Before I offend anyone I have to say that I know some diseases are, in fact, a mystery, such as cases where children are diagnosed with rare conditions. I would never ignore or dispute that fact. All I’m saying is that the writing is on the wall for many people as it was for Ed. Eat and live healthy and your chances are greatly reduced.

I will forever live with the regret that I didn’t do more to get Ed to change his diet until it was too late. Believe me I tried, but I should have done more. I could have done more. And that’s why I want to try to help educate others.

As far as physique changes go (which is, of course, what many of you are interested in) you may be able to lose a ton of body fat eating nothing but steak all day but the fact is that it’s not remotely healthy. And you can gain a ton of muscle by drinking a gallon of milk a day, but at what price to your body? It’s time we started looking at healthier options and realizing that true health and the appearance of fitness are two entirely different things. This has to change.

The first thing I would like to do is recommend that everyone read The China Study. It’s definitely one of the most important books ever written on the topic of health and disease. It’s an eye opener and will cause you to at least rethink your current dietary path. After reading this book it’s not uncommon to have a very strong urge to buy a copy for everyone you love.

For those who want a little easier reading and a more performance oriented guide to plant based nutrition I highly recommend Thrive by Brendan Brazier.

At the recommendation of my friend Chad Waterbury I recently picked up The Enzyme Factor and have enjoyed what I’ve read so far and believe that there’s a lot of good information to be garnered in there.

A recurring theme throughout these books is the need to eliminate dairy from your diet. Through my research and with my own personal experience and experiments on clients, I have come to the conclusion that very few things are as damaging to the body as the consumption of dairy. It crushes your immune system, wreaks havoc on your digestive system and causes inflammation throughout.

That’s why it’s imperative to throw out your whey and casein protein powders immediately and switch to something like Sun Warrior or some other type of non dairy protein.

In The China Study, Dr. Campbell says that the food that caused the fastest growth of cancerous tumors was casein! By eliminating it from the diet they could actually stop the growth of tumors dead in their tracks. This is not something you will hear from your average doctor because cancer is big business and treating it with drugs is much more lucrative than teaching people how to eat properly. But the information is out there for those interested in seeking it.

I’ll cover more of this in the future but for now I have a few months worth of eating and training to catch up on starting today, which I couldn’t be more amped up for. And I will be getting back to work updating the site on a regular basis.

But don’t worry; I’ll still be bringing you hardcore training info about getting bigger, stronger and faster; I’ll just be sprinkling in a little bit more info about how to improve your overall health here and there as well.

It’s good to be back.

Until next time; train hard, eat healthy and live well…

Jason

PS. In honor of World Vegetarian Day today and in going along with the theme of this post, my buddy Craig Ballantyne is having a 50% off sale on his Easy Veggie Meal Plans. Check it out HERE.

Written by jasonferruggia · Filed Under Nutrition | 19 Comments

Eating for Maximal Strength, Health, Energy & Muscle

September 14, 2009

sn586 Eating for Maximal Strength, Health, Energy & Muscle Today I have a great article for you by Ryan D. Andrews of Precision Nutrition. I couldn’t agree more with everything Ryan has to say here and really thought that everyone needed to read this article.

By Ryan Andrews
I have good news and bad news.

The good news is that you probably know what foods to eat for optimal health and body composition.

The bad news is that you probably aren’t eating those healthy foods at regular intervals.

Every time we sit down to eat, decisions are made that will impact our strength, health, energy and muscle mass. This article will help you to maximize those variables by outlining what to eat and when to eat it.

Legumes
Yes, I just typed the word legumes. No, I’m not a nutrition loser.

Legumes are a great source of protein and fiber. Protein is the raw material for structural and functional components in the body. Legumes also provide B vitamins, vitamin K, iron, zinc, magnesium and other trace elements.

Heck, if legumes could spot me on pull-ups I’d take them with me to the gym.

Legumes can be purchased dried and prepared at home for minimal expense. Or, for the ultimate quick meal, buy them canned. The canned varieties can be immediately added to nearly any recipe.

Consuming legumes at most meals throughout the day is a good goal. Options include black beans, pinto beans, refried beans, kidney beans, lima beans, hummus, tempeh, tofu, peas, edamame, lentils, bean burgers, soy burgers, etc.

Soy milk is a fine option; just remember that many people consume plenty of soy from foods. If you are looking for a beverage to mix with a protein powder or pour on your morning oats, try nut “milks” (see below).

Seitan is another dense source of protein. Technically, it’s not a legume. Seitan is actually derived from grain. Seitan is better known as wheat gluten. I’m not a huge fan of recommending high amounts of seitan, as it’s not a whole food, but having it a few times per week can help to boost protein intake. Plus, when seitan is prepared well, it tastes seitan-ilicious.

Legume Ideas:

Legumes are great straight out of the can, added to a salad, in a burrito, in chili, in soup, in a stir-fry, in a scramble, formed into a burger or blended as a dip. Tofu and tempeh can be grilled, baked, broiled, steamed, or crumbled and added to sauces.

Vegetables
Even nutritional degenerates know that vegetables are healthy. Aim for veggie and/or fruit consumption with every feeding of the day. Raw or cooked, frozen or canned, whatever you prefer.

I am continually amazed at how much nutrition power vegetables provide. Eating a wide variety of vegetables will provide every vitamin and mineral except vitamin B12 and D. Dark colored vegetables will provide you with pretty much everything but a bigger house.

Vegetables are alkaline once digested and absorbed in the body. This helps to counteract the acidity of legumes and grains. Balancing your acid/base load can preserve muscle mass and promote bone health.

If you are struggling to get enough veggies in each day, greens supplements can be helpful. Try adding greens powder to a nutrition shake as a healthy addition. I always encourage clients to keep several bags of frozen vegetables at home. They can serve as back up when the fresh supply is low.

Now, I’m going to share with you the most important vegetable tip ever released in print.

Ready?

HAVE VEGETABLES ON HAND AND READY TO EAT.

Don’t leave them full of dirt, stuffed in the back of your fridge behind the six-pack of lager.

Vegetable Ideas:

Vegetables are great plain, cooked, raw, with hummus, steamed, roasted, in large salads, in wraps, in soups, in stir-fry’s, in scrambles, added to nutrition shakes (good shake additions are pumpkin, beets, and spinach).

Fruits
Like I just mentioned above, get those vegetables and/or fruits in with every feeding if possible. Just like vegetables, fruits are loaded with fiber, vitamins, minerals and are alkaline once digested and absorbed in the body. Whole fruits are always preferable to the dried and juiced varieties. I recommend that most clients keep frozen fruits at home in case they run out of fresh.

Fruit Ideas:

Enjoy fruits plain, with nuts, with nut butters, added to whole grain cereals or blended in nutrition shakes.

Whole Grains
Whole grains are about as well understood as astrophysics. And ever since Lucky Charms touted its whole-grain goodness, I can’t dispute the confusion.

Whole Grain Rule Numero Uno: Keep them real.

Whole grains should not be refined. Refined means being stripped of ANY component.

Wheat flour is refined. This is found in many crackers, chips and snack foods. Even oat bran, wheat bran, and wheat germ are refined.

Also, try to keep whole grains in their unprocessed form whenever possible. This means whole quinoa, oats, brown rice, barley, amaranth, millet, corn, sprouted wheat, etc. Most whole grain crackers, breads and snack foods contain PROCESSED whole grains. Obviously, this is much better than the REFINED variety, but still not optimal. Sprouted whole grains would be the best option for breads and tortillas.

Consuming a majority of whole grains first thing in the AM and after workout sessions is a great idea for recovery and body composition. The body will use dense carbohydrate sources very well at those times. Keep in mind that everyone is different and you should adjust your whole grain intake accordingly.

Whole Grain Ideas:

Whole grains are great when cooked plain, with water. They can also be combined with your favorite vegetables, legumes and spices. Some of the best whole grains are quinoa, oatmeal, barley, brown rice, millet, amaranth, sprouted grain breads and sprouted grain tortillas. Nuts and nut butters are an easy high protein addition to whole grains.

Nuts/Seeds
Don’t be afraid of the big bad nut. Adding in healthy fats during the day is very important for health and body composition. I am talking unsalted raw nuts (e.g., walnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, peanuts, etc.), seeds (e.g., flax, hemp, chia, sesame, pumpkin, etc.), oils (e.g., canola, walnut, flax, olive, etc.), nut butters, coconut, and so on.
Avocado is a good fat source too, but it’s technically a fruit. One of the most important factors with fat intake is balancing your omega-3 to omega-6 ratio! Between 1:2 & 1:4 is a good goal.

Give it up for nut “milks.” Almond and hemp beverages (“milks”) are nutritious drinks with tons of flavor. Plus, they don’t have a lot of useless carbs from sweeteners (only true for the unsweetened and original varieties).

Nut/Seed Ideas:

Nuts and seeds can be added to just about everything. Some options include salads, whole grain cereals, sprouted grain breads, with fruits, and with legumes. Dried fruits and nuts can be a good combination as well. And don’t forget nut “milks.”

Beyond The Food Groups
Having the know-how, enlisting social support and building habits are essential for good long-term nutrition. Successful nutrition is more than just reading an article and following a meal plan. It constantly evolves and needs troubleshooting.

Since we already talked about the healthy food groups, let’s touch on a few more nutrition concepts.

• Hopefully it’s no surprise that frequent feedings and plenty of protein are important for strength, health, energy and muscle mass. Listen to your body. Eat when hungry, stop when full. This can mean anywhere from 3 to 8 times per day. Be smart.

• Yes, you are going to eat healthy. No, caloric beverages aren’t a good idea. Save recovery drinks/coconut water/juices for intense training cycles or as minor additions to nutrition shakes. The only exceptions to the caloric beverage habit are unsweetened (or lightly sweetened) non-dairy beverages and nutrition shakes.

• Never forget how important “real food” is. People usually don’t overindulge on real foods. Heck, many people don’t eat enough of it.

• Protein powders can be a tasty and nutritious addition to someone’s nutrition plan. Rice protein, hemp protein and pea protein are great options. You may want to try focusing on non-soy protein powders since we tend to get plenty of soy from other foods (as I mentioned earlier). A supplement I recommend to many people is Vega®. This stuff is loaded with protein, fiber, essential fats and is free of soy. But I caution, be on full alert for delici-gasm’s when you consume it. In other words, it tastes good.

• Remember not to skimp on the vitamin B12. Supplementing with this vitamin is an essential component of good nutrition.

beach volleyball Eating for Maximal Strength, Health, Energy & Muscle • Get out in the sun a few times per week to soak in some vitamin D.

• If you are struggling to balance the omega-3 to omega-6 ratio, consider an algae supplement that provides DHA & EPA.

• What you put into your body before and after your workout can greatly influence your performance and body composition. Taking advantage of this window of opportunity around workout time can be of benefit to any athlete/exerciser. Eating too much food so close to exercise can leave you feeling weighed down and bloated.

Summary
• Eat a vegetable and/or fruit with each feeding

• Eat a higher protein food (legumes, nuts, seeds, supplement) with most feedings

• Build in healthy fats during the day, focus on those higher in omega-3’s

• Focus on consuming a majority of your whole grains first thing in the AM and after exercise/workouts

• Aim for regular meal intervals – every 2-4 hours or so

• Ensure your beverages are non-caloric (exceptions are for athletes, intense training cycles, unsweetened “milks,” and protein shakes)

• Find a peri-workout nutrition strategy that maximizes recovery

Always remember to keep an open mind and use outcome based decision making with nutrition. If things aren’t working and you are down in the dumps with your current routine, then try a different approach. Even the most “perfect” nutrition template isn’t so “perfect” when you can’t adhere to it.

About Ryan Andrews
Ryan Andrews trained and worked at The Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center. He is trained in Exercise Physiology, Nutrition, and Dietetics, Ryan is also the Director of Research at Precision Nutrition – a world leader in nutritional programming for athletes and recreational exercisers.

To get your copy of the Precision Nutrition system click HERE now.

Please leave your comments below.

Written by jasonferruggia · Filed Under Nutrition | 7 Comments

My 3 Favorite Meat & Dairy Free Recipes

July 30, 2009

lettuce lingerie 01 My 3 Favorite Meat & Dairy Free Recipes People often ask me how I have so much time to prepare meals for myself all day and the answer is… I don’t. I’m super busy, and when it comes to food preparation I’m super lazy. That’s why I’ve become a master of quick, healthy, plant based meals that anyone can make in no time.

Today I want to share three of my favorite recipes with you that I eat on a regular basis. All of you that want to eliminate or at least minimize the practice of consuming unhealthy meat and dairy products are going to love these.

Muscle Building Shake:
16oz sugar free almond milk
30-50gms (depending on bodyweight) of Sun Warrior Protein
1 cup organic mixed frozen berries
½ cup frozen spinach (sounds gross but you can’t taste it)
1 banana
1 cup raw oats
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cacao nibs
Blend all ingredients until smooth. Add more water if thinner consistency is desired.
Pour and top with one tbsp goji berries.

I usually start every day with that.

==> Easy Veggie Meal Plans

Lentil Stew: this is incredibly easy to make, healthy and packed with protein.
1 carton veggie broth
1 carton of soup starter fresh from the grocery store (or just dice up a 2/3 cup each of carrots, celery and onions)
1 bag lentils
1-2 cups sliced mushrooms
3 cups of finely chopped kale
Diced garlic to taste (I usually go light with the garlic)
Sea salt to taste
Red pepper (better for you than black pepper)
Bring all ingredients to boil in large pot then reduce heat, cover and let simmer for 90-120 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more water if necessary to achieve desired consistency. Personally, I prefer mine to be thick and not thin and soupy.

If you’re in a rush, just throw in the broth, soup starter veggies, lentils and spices and cook it for an hour. Easy as could be.

If you need more carbs you can dice up some potatoes and add it to the stew or simply pour the lentils over some brown rice pasta when they’re done.

==> Easy Veggie Meal Plans
Mexican Beans & Rice
2 cups organic brown rice
2 cans organic black beans
2 cups frozen mixed peppers
1 sliced avocado
½ cup frozen diced onions
Sea salt to taste
Red pepper to taste
Organic salsa
Cook rice in a pot by itself or if you’re pressed for time get the frozen pre cooked bags of brown rice from Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods. That’s what I usually use when I’m too lazy to cook. Put beans, frozen peppers in onions in a pan and heat them to desired temperature. Combine all ingredients into one big bowl when hot. Add spices and top with sliced avocado and organic salsa.

This is another staple in my diet and is incredibly fast and easy to make.

For even more great meat free, vegetarian recipes that will help improve your energy levels, reduce the stress on your digestive system and help you burn bodyfat get your copy of Craig Ballantyne and Kardena Pauza’s Easy Veggie Meal Plans right now by clicking HERE.

Written by jasonferruggia · Filed Under Nutrition | 15 Comments

Yams, Squats, Sleep & Freebies

July 8, 2009

Question: Coach,
If you had to pick one best carb for lean bulking what would it be?
Jonathan

Answer: Jonathan, this one’s too easy; yams (essentially the exact same as sweet potatoes) win hands down. It’s been argued that the human body hasn’t adapted to eating grains like oats and brown rice. This is debatable and may or may not be true. Some people may have issues with grains, others may not. But I have never known anyone to have a problem with a root vegetable like sweet potatoes or yams. This is the ultimate “clean” carb and should be a staple in any muscle building diet. There is a place for white potatoes immediately after training but most of the time you should be focusing on sweet potatoes. Many of my clients follow a carb rotation diet and sometimes I have them eat nothing but lean protein and sweet potatoes at every meal on their carb days. They always wake up lean, full and vascular the next day. My colleague, nutrition expert, Tom Venuto, is a huge fan of yams and routinely walks around at low single digit body fat percentage.

Question: Hi Jason…

Thanks for sharing all your wealth of information. 2 Quick questions:

1.) Is it possible to lean out without losing weight?

2.) How gentle is Sun Warrior Protein on the stomach?

Thanks a lot….
John Garrozo

Answer: John, it’s possible but that would mean you were gaining muscle at the same time you were losing fat. The more advanced you are the harder this is to do. It’s usually best to pick one goal or the other if you want the fastest results.

Sun Warrior is incredibly easy on the stomach. That is one of the best things about it; no bloating or digestion problems of any sort. It’s one of the many reasons it’s the only protein I use or recommend.

Question: What’s the best way to develop the inner chest? I feel like that area is lacking compared to the rest of my chest. My training partner has the same issue.
Enzo

Answer: Put down Flex Magazine.

Question: In your article eliminate the useless crap you have for legs,squat, squat and more squat..

How would you set up the workout….3 sets of 5 reps and then a few sets of high reps??

Free Squat or box squat?

Thanks
Danny Martel

Answer: Danny, it depends on the level of the trainee. Beginners and weak guys would probably squat three times a week for a few sets of 5-8. When they get more experienced we would add some more variety to the loading parameters. Eventually I would reduce the squatting frequency to twice a week, and then once every 5-9 days over the course of a few years. Advanced guys would do heavy sets and high rep sets. Beginners would steer clear of high reps.

Free squats are the exercise of choice but box squats are good for variety.

Question: Hey, I’m finding it hard to get eight hours sleep, six if I’m lucky. With my job and my body clocks all over the place. I have’nt been able to progress these last couple of weeks. Do you think lack of sleep plays a big role in not progressing as my diet and training could’nt be anymore solid. I would appreciate it if you could get back to me as this is the one thing I’m desperate to acheive. Cheers
John Brodie

Answer: John, lack of sleep will kill your progress faster than just about anything else. You will not recover, your testosterone levels will drop, your cortisol will rise, your insulin sensitivity will go to shit and you will just be an absolute mess. Now, six hours isn’t horrible but the reality is that almost no one can make maximal progress on only six hours per night. I would try to get at least one more hour. Go to bed at the same time every day, don’t eat or drink too much at night, keep the lights low during the hour or two before bed, get rid of all electronics from the bedroom (TV, cell phone, radio, iPod, etc.), and keep your room cool (68 degrees is optimal) and as dark as possible.

Question: Hey Jay..another Yes No Question and answer as I know you’re a busy guy…Do you use and/or recommend the TRX?
Doug Willick

Answer: Doug, I love the TRX and we use it a lot at Renegade Gym. My philosophy is to go heavy on the big barbell lifts and then do your assistance work with dumbbells, strongman implements and bodyweight as much as possible. We use it for pushups, flyes, ab work, rows, curls, face pulls, assisted pistol squats, stretching, etc. I highly recommend that everyone get a TRX and add it to their workouts.

Question: Hello Jason,

Could you recommend a similar gym to your Renegade Gym in the Philadelphia area?

Thanks,

Ankit Shah

Answer: Ankit, I don’t know of one, unfortunately but perhaps one of our readers could chime in and help you out.

Question: Hey, I looked over the website that has your book and other muscle building guides on it but I can’ afford the $ 77.00 that it costs to buy your book, is there anyway to get that for free, please send me a message back.
John Bryer

Answer: “You want me to trash your lights? You want me to fucking trash ‘em?! Christ, you’re amateur… Me and you are done professionally, man…”

Kidding, kidding. I just love to reenact the Christian Bale rant. Of course you can have it for free. What size t-shirt do you wear? I will send you a dozen of those as well. And I have an entire collection of Air Jordan 1’s, size ten and a half. If they fit, they’re yours too. And if you’re really nice, there’s a handjob with your name on it.

Please leave your comments below.

Written by jasonferruggia · Filed Under Fat Loss, Muscle Building, Nutrition, Supplements | 21 Comments

Vegan Muscle Building: Is it Possible?

June 1, 2009

charles coster People always ask me how the heck they could possibly gain muscle on a vegan diet. That’s because they have been brainwashed to believe that without eating a billion grams of protein per day their muscles will shrink faster than their wang in a cold pool. This simply isn’t true. Not even close.

The body can only assimilate so much protein on a daily basis and you can only build muscle so fast. If protein were really the key to building muscle you would see tons of 250 pound behemoths every where you went. They would be sitting next to you at the movies, serving you in restaurants and rubbing elbows with you in the waiting room of the dentists’ office. Because, let’s face it; everyone and their mother drinks protein shakes these days. And if that’s all it took to build muscle there would be a lot more huge dudes walking around.

I’m sure plenty of you have tried this before. You decided to start drinking an extra protein shake or two per day in the hopes of packing on new size. Or you decided to really jack up your protein intake by adding an extra three eggs to your morning omelet and another two chicken breasts to both lunch and dinner. And what happened after a month or two of this? Absolutely nothing. It’s protein, not steroids.

I only wish it were that easy. But as we have all found out the hard (and expensive) way; it isn’t. Total calories are more important than grams of protein when it comes to packing on muscle.

Having said that I will point out that some protein is necessary for those that want to build lean muscle. But this is far less than what the muscle mags and supplement companies would have you believe. Most people will need about .7 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight, daily, to build muscle. More than that doesn’t seem to offer much benefit. So a 180 pound guy looking to gain size would need about 126 grams of protein per day.

Now, you’re telling me you can’t get that on a vegan diet? Lentils, beans and peas are loaded with protein. Almonds and pistachios have 7 grams of protein per serving and both pumpkin and hemp seeds have 11 grams per serving. People usually only count protein grams from animal sources but this is a huge mistake. Vegetables have protein, brown rice has protein and even your morning bowl of oatmeal has 10 grams per cup.

If you eat a decent amount of legumes, nuts, seeds and veggies on a regular basis you should be able to hit your protein mark, no problem. If you can’t, you can always add in a scoop or two of pea, hemp or brown rice protein powder.

After a recent shoulder surgery incapacitated me for a few months I had lost a ton of weight. I gained almost thirty pounds back so far eating nothing but the foods I just mentioned. Although I am still far from my normal I deadlifted 455 for 6 this week. Last night I did heavy military presses, chins, shrugs, face pulls and finished up with 20 Prowler sprints. Some of the meat eating college kids were on the floor after 10, but at almost 35 years old, I just kept on sprinting away long after they had all fallen out.

I’ve had no trouble regaining size or strength on a vegan diet and have never felt better in my life. Trust me; you don’t need meat to succeed and you won’t lose an ounce of size or strength if you decide to go vegan.

Please leave your comments below.

Written by jasonferruggia · Filed Under Muscle Building, Nutrition | 1 Comment

Olive Oil, Supplements & Heavy Arm Work

May 7, 2009

Question: Hey dude…
read on ur blog and twitter about consuming olive oil for extra calories etc….is there a proper way to do it?
I tried one tsp today and came damn close to throwing up and gagging…lol!
Help a brother out…
Matthew Blacker

Answer: Matthew, you gotta man up. Olive oil really isn’t that disgusting. You could always mix it in a shake but the easiest and quickest way is to just take a tablespoon or two straight down the pie hole after each meal. There are other holes that it works in as well, but that’s another story for another day.

Question: Hey Jason, Keep up the good work. I wanted to pick your brain for a second. When I lift weights and train myself I normally mix a scoop of protein with Gatorade while I lift weights and as a post workout drink I mix a scoop of protein with lowfat choclate mik!! Same thing that I tell my clinets. Any thoughts on that? Your book on the Truth About Supplements was spot on by the way!!!!
What is your opinion on all the coaches being on the BCAA, Betaline Kick and Waxy Mazy postworkout drinik kick??
Thanks, Trey Griffith

Answer: Trey, lowfat chocolate milk is a fine post workout although I’m not a big fan of dairy. I might mix some protein powder in with rice milk instead. Gatorade isn’t my favorite thing because of the high fructose corn syrup and other artificial crap. I would get rid of that.

As for most other supplements here is what I recommend… Take quadruple the dose for the first 2-5 days. After that forget about them and stop taking them forever. Well, at least that’s what I do. The few times that I have actually used a “performance enhancing” supplement for longer than that I haven’t noticed anything dramatic enough to make me keep taking it. I basically stick with some essential fats, B12 (because I don’t eat meat), and a few other things that would never claim to add 50lbs to your bench press in two weeks. I tried BCAA’s and creatine about 50 times and never noticed a thing. If people are getting good results with these then by all means keep taking them.

Question: Jason, I know you are a big fan of lifting heavy. What about on direct arm exercises like curls and triceps pushdowns or extension?
Chris

Answer: Chris, I never recommend heavy, low rep sets of curls or pushdowns/extensions. This is a great way to wreck your elbows and, hell, let’s be honest here…curls and pushdowns are whey (thanks to Wendler for that term). No real man gets fired up to go heavy on curls or extensions. The ones that do are usually the same ones that do leg extensions instead of squats or stick with no more than 225 on deads because they don’t want to hurt their backs.

That’s not to say you can’t do direct arm work. But keep the reps above six at least. Nobody should be attempting heavy three rep maxes on barbell curls or dumbbell extensions. Skull crushers usually become elbow fuckers when done for any less than ten reps at the end of the workout when you are thoroughly warmed up and pre exhausted.

As always, I recommend that you go heavy, but for reps that you will get a pump with.

Please leave your comments and questions below.

Written by jasonferruggia · Filed Under Muscle Building, Nutrition | 16 Comments

Email of the Week

May 5, 2009

You fucken anglo saxon piece of white trash shit. Your fucking vitamins and supplements have made whatever is left of your brain soft and mosh. You piece of pathetic English white shit. Your mother and father must have been even more fucken stupid and brainless than you. They were so fucken dumb, they decided to fornicate and have you, as if we needed another rude mother-fuckin retards on this god forsaken planet. May they both rot in hell, where I hope you are headed some time soon.

Take your fucken supplements up your anus you filthy fucken animal.

Nicholas Polyzos
nicholaspolyzos@yahoo.ca

Nicholas, my brain has always been soft and has always liked to mosh. A face like mine is the product of spending way too many hours in a mosh pit as a youth. Thank you very much for reminding me.

I am actually half Scottish, not English. But a very good guess that was though; especially since I have such an Italian last name. Perhaps you saw the lion tattoo and just confused the country. All those United Kingdom fuckers look alike, right? You guessed right on the white part. Although you might think twice about that after seeing me on a dance floor

And do you honestly think that my mom and dad haven’t suffered enough, having to live with me as a son for nearly 35 years, that they need you speaking to them like that? Trust me, it hasn’t been easy dealing with me and I think you should give them a little credit. The years of disappointment I have brought them is more than most people could ever bare. And just wait till I show them my next tattoo….

I know that at least one out of the three of us will rot in hell. Although misery loves company so I am doing my best to drag them down with me.

As for your last suggestion, that is something that I have been doing for years. And I must admit that at first it feels quite good. Eventually, however, it’s like finding a squirter. At first it’s really unique, fun and exciting. Kinda like discovering gold in your back yard. But after having to change the sheets five days a week for a month straight it gets real old, real fast. I am committed, though, because research has proven that supplements taken anally have a 754.678% better absorption rate and I need all the help I can get.

As for the filthy part; you’re right, I could use a shower. Thanks for looking out, buddy.

Written by jasonferruggia · Filed Under Nutrition, Uncategorized | 22 Comments

Recent Posts

Popular Posts

Sunday Cheat Meals

UFC Fighter Mac Danzig’s Vegan Diet

The High Protein Myth- Exposed Again

Healthier Eating

Eating for Maximal Strength, Health, Energy & Muscle

My 3 Favorite Meat & Dairy Free Recipes

Yams, Squats, Sleep & Freebies

Vegan Muscle Building: Is it Possible?

Olive Oil, Supplements & Heavy Arm Work

Email of the Week

Follow/Friend Me

Recommended Sites

Recent Comments

Renegade Approved