Any authoritative references for strength training nutrition requirements?
Following the Starting Strength workout and reading Ripptoe's "Clarification" follow-up article, I'm realizing that nutrition is a very crucial component to weightlifting. However, the Starting Strength book dedicates only a single page to this topic, where he recommends that kids drink one gallon of milk a day. As an adult, I can barely drink two cups of milk without destroying my stomach; his treatment of the topic is hardly a good resource for most adult amateur weightlifters. I've seen sporadic postings across the internet on how to properly eat for bodybuilding, but nothing particularly comprehensive. In my mind, a "comprehensive" discussion would entail:
The role of various dietary components in strength training - proteins, vitamins, carbs, oils, etc.
Distinctions between dietary requirements for different age groups
Differences between different nutrition sources (e.g., for protein, meat vs fish vs egg vs protein shakes), if any
Does anyone know of a resource which would provide at least most of the above, specific to weightlifting?
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"Weightlifting" just caught my eye. Simply put:
plenty of protein, at least 1g per pound of body mass: red meat, fish, eggs, poultry (chicken), farmer cheese(!) --> especially after workouts.
complex carbohydrates: grains such as rice, buckwheat (which might be exotic, but is insanely amazing, at about 12 grams of protein and 60+ grams of carbs per 100g of product), starchy foods (potatoes); carbs are for energy throughout the day, but make sure you stock up on them after workouts. The same goes for protein.
fats are usually kept to a minimum.
Overall breakdown: 60% carbs, 30% protein. And plenty of water, about a glass every hour.
You get a lot more dietary information in the book Practical Programming for Strength Training by Dr. Kilgore and Rippetoe. However, you don't ever have a diet prescribed for you. The bottom line is that so many different approaches to diet and training produce good results that it's a matter of finding what works for you. There are some commonalities:
Eat plenty of protein--ranges listed are anywhere between .8g per pound to 2.5g per pound lean body weight
Eat carbs post workout to restore glycogen
Fill the rest of your dietary requirements with fat
Supplement your vitamins
In general, between the training and the food you eat, you are attempting to manipulate your hormones. While I'm not a bodybuilder, this reference provides a nice overview of the hormones that play a predominant role in strength training. Those same hormones are also covered in the Practical Programming book.
If you are trying to bulk cleanly (i.e. not gain a lot of extra fat), then there are several anabolic diets to choose from, including LeanGains, several on bodybuilding web sites, etc. They all have plenty of protein, an emphasis on less starchy vegetables on rest day, and more starchy vegetables and fruit on training day (bulk of it post training).
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