Strongman/Powerlifting Diet help

[RGRthat]

I am not new to nutrition and the weight room but have never done much powerlifting or strongman training. I have decided to shrug off the whole looking ripped to favor the raw power that I have always wanted. My goal is to compete in the Scottish games in Tulsa and maybe go to an am powerlifting meet. I have found many bodybuilding diets and lost some weight but want to amp up my gains. If someone has some knowledge on the subject please let me know the basics, here are some examples of questions I am struggling with:

1 How many carbs should I be taking in
2 Role of insulin (I know it helps the body absorb but just fat or nutrients as well)
3 Meal timing
4 Mass gainer or protien shakes
5 Supplements (mostly preworkout)
6 How does weight gain help with lifts

Anything will be helpful.

[Greu]

I am not a professional but from all I have read I will give you my opinions.

1. As many as your body needs in order to have enough energy, to increase your strength and to recover. Nutrition is the same basically. Get your 1g of protein, your 0.5g of fat (per pound of bodyweight) and fill the gap with carbs in order to be at a caloric surplus to have enough energy and to fuel. How many? Depends on how much weight you wanna gain. The more carbs, the more the caloric surplus will end up, the more weight you will gain (some muscle, some fat)

2. If you are healthy and do not have insulin resistance or diabetes do not worry about insulin. Usually the more fat you gain the more your insulin sensitivity decreases, but it's not a must.

3. Meal timing isn't really relevant with respect to your goals in the weight room. Though it is helpful to eat some carbs before you train, it is not necessary as it will not hinder your gains.

4. Food. If you're having a hard time eating enough food you could try mass gainers. Don't expect mass gainers or protein powders to give un-expected results. They are basically processed foods. Either you eat 4000 calories from foods or 4000 calories from foods and mass gainers or/and protein shakes, as long as the macronutrient "ratios" are the same you will have the same results.

5. For performance I recommend creatine and beta alanine taken whenever. Pre-workout supplementation is how everybody preferes. I don't take anything pre-workout, just 200mg of caffeine and that's all. I take my creatine (5g) and beta alanine (2-3g) whenever as their timing don't matter; your body will become saturated with creatine and beta alanine at one point and you just need to take them to maintain that saturation, therefore either you take it in the morning, pre workout, post or before sleep it doesn't matter

6. Gaining weight means you are at a caloric surplus, therefore you offer your body more energy than it needs and therefore if your training is really intense it will burn more calories to sustain (carbs generally). Being on a caloric surplus (therefore gaining weight) will make it easier for you to progress in the weight room compared to being on maintenance or on a caloric deficit.



Hope this helps. These are my opinions.

[Fazc]

1. Get your protein intake in, minimum 1g per 1lbs of bodyweight will do. Get your fat intake to around 60g per day. Get the rest of your calories from carbs. To simplify even further, get your protein and hit your calories. Just make up the rest!

2. Irrelevant.

3. Largely irrelevant. Eat with your family and sitting down if at all possible.

4. Personally I don't mind if my protein comes from shakes or real food anymore. I used to, but I eat a lot more protein now, so it's not practical. Mass gainers are useless junk.

5. Cup of tea? Take one if it helps you.

6. Weight gain helps massively. As they say... gluttony is the last refuge of the weak.

But don't get fat just for the sake of it, false economy.

[leefarley]

instead of a mass gainer try whole milk mixed with milk powder then add any milk shake flavor you like.

[RGRthat]

Thanks everyone. I haven't been on a board yet that I haven't gotten great advice from. Basically just do what bodybuilders do plus 1000 cal. Sounds great to me.

[RGRthat]

I have also put a couple of workouts that I am debating between on a seprerate thread if anyone has any feed back

[bruteforce]

What Faz said. As a competitive strongman, I approve his message. And his sexy mustache.