Your Best Training Plan Is In Your Genes

No progress? Bored with training? Need a change? Then it's time to start a new training program. But how do you know what training program is the best for you? There are thousands of training programs out there; high rep, low rep, high intensity, low intensity, body part split, whole body workouts - you name it.

When completely lost in the training program sump people tend to choose the workouts that gave others great results reasoning like that:

"My buddy did this program and he got super ripped and strong!" or

"I will train like Arnold Schwarzenegger, his training program obviously made him to a legend!"

Now the intriguing question is, if a program was great for your buddy, will it be necessarily good for you? Or will training like a professional bodybuilder automatically make you looking like one? Or do other factors, such as genetics, for example, play a role for training progress?  

Just recently a very interesting research paper on genetic differences between individuals and how they influence the success of training programs was published. The scientist distinguished between two genetic traits; the endurance trait and the power trait. Research study participants with the power trait achieved more progress in power and endurance performance by following a power-oriented resistance training program (high set number, low rep number, higher intensity) and those with endurance trait improved more in endurance and power following an endurance-oriented resistance training program (low set number, high rep number, lower intensity). This finding is very intriguing, considering that the latter group experienced a higher increase in power (which is on the opposite side of the spectrum than endurance) doing endurance training and not power training (yeahh...pink dumbbell gains!!! :D ). As strength is closer related to power when it comes to adaptations to training, it is likely that higher repetition training results in higher strength gains in endurance genotype and low repetition (higher intensity) training in power genotype. But what exactly is this genotype you speak about?

Well, genetic heritage may influence muscle and strength gains one experiences as the result of resistance training. Muscle fiber composition, consisting of slow-twitch (endurance) and fast-twitch (power and strength) muscle fibers, also is a genetic heritage. The endurance-oriented slow-twitch muscle fiber content of quadriceps can range from 5 to 90%, depending on the individual.(ref) This difference may also influence the response to resistance training. For slow-twitch dominant trainees, it is likely to be more beneficial to train with high reps - even when strength and power increase is the goal - and for fast-twitch dominant lifters using low rep numbers. If you aren't fancy doing genetic testing to get a clue about your own muscle fiber composition, you can do the 80% test.

This is how it works:

Take 80% of your 1 RM for the exercise of your interest and after you warm up try to do as many reps as possible.

• If you do less than 8 reps, then the muscle group you targeted is fast-twitch dominant and it makes sense for you to choose a program with low reps and high intensity.
• If you do more than 8 reps, then a program that implements high reps makes sense for you.
• If you do about 8 reps, then your muscle fiber types are mixed and you should try to implement both, high and low reps.

Speaking from my own experience as mixed fiber type, I made the most progress when I followed a program that implemented both, high-rep-lower-intensity and low-rep-higher-intensity type of training.

Another thing that is important to mention is that the muscle fiber composition of different muscle groups varies. For this reason, you can't do the 80% test for squat and apply the numbers to bench press, for example. You need to do the test for each exercise you are interested in.

(If you want to become an expert in program individualization and programs design, I highly recommend taking part in the Bayesian PT Course).

Also, there is a difference between men and women. In general, resistance-trained women are more slow-twitch muscle fiber dominant, thus it makes sense for most women to train with higher reps and higher volume.

Ready for gains? -  Here is what you need to do:

• Do the 80% test to determine what rep ranges you should focus on to build muscle and strength.
• If you don't know what are the best exercises for muscle gain, read this article.
• If technique issue with squat, bench or deadlift is the limiting factor for your strength progress, read this.
• If you don't know if whole body workout or body part split is appropriate for your training stage, read this post.

Good luck! :) If you still don't know what to do, ask me  :) ...and don't even think of using pink dumbbells!

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Explosiveless & Success - Boris Sheiko's Powerful Advice (part 3)

EXPLODE!!! - That's how my friend cheered me on. I did it; lifted more explosively and it worked. I spent many training sessions practicing speed deadlifts. I focused on lifting with power, speed and explosiveness. Do you know what happened? The bar started flying off the ground. Even on my 1 RM attempts the speed off the floor was incredible! Some time later, while interpreting at Boris Sheiko's seminars I had to think of my explosiveness experience. Boris Sheiko stressed several times that powerlifting isn't about explosiveness and that the weight should be lifted slowly. I couldn't wrap my brain around it. Why is it wrong to be explosive? Explosiveness helped me to lift at least 10 kg more off the floor after all (to be fair I should mention that it was much more weight than I could ever lock out :P ).

As you may know, I am scientist, analytical thinker, problem solver…I put on my thinking cap and thought about explosiveness for a while.

It seems to me that there is a difference between explosiveness and speed the maximal force a lifter applies when going for the maximal attempt. Imagine, you apply your maximal force to your 1RM lift. The bar will move slowly, because it is heavy as hell. If you apply the same force to 50% of your 1RM, you will get speed and explosiveness. The bar will fly off the ground, because you apply your maximal strength to a sissy weight. The point is that you don't need to put your maximal strength into a 50% lift. Apply just as much force as needed for a particular lift. Anything above is waste of energy. Boris Sheiko pointed out that experienced lifters put just as much energy into a lift, as it is required to move the weight, no matter if 50% or 100% are on the bar.

My personal conclusion from the explosiveness confusion is that a lifter needs to learn how to apply maximal force in order to lift more. Doing speed lifts with light weight might be helpful for getting the feeling how to apply maximal force. However, it is not necessarily optimal. Explosive movements have the tendency to be fast, chaotic and imprecise. When you go for your maximal attempt; however, you should aim for perfect technique and optimal bar path. Rushing (= being fast and explosive) at the beginning of the movement increases the risk of getting into a suboptimal position and missing the lift. Does it make sense?

All good things must come to an end, so does my Boris Sheiko UK seminar series. I would like to complete it with Boris Sheikos powerful (but not explosive ;) ) advice for successful training:

"In my opinion, some of the most important factors are the ability to work hard and self-belief. I tell my students: "Hard work never goes to waste." In other words, hard work always yields good results. If an athlete doesn't believe in himself, doesn't believe in his abilities and that he can reach his goal, then he won't achieve anything."

Happy lifting and PRing :)

What? You would like to know more ? Ok, if you are hardcore powerlifter,  I have a special bonus for you:

Powerlifting competition preparation - 5 things Boris Sheiko recommends

Click here to get Boris Sheiko's competition tips into your inbox!

Enjoy :-)

Epic Programs for Epic Lifters - Boris Sheiko's Secret Weapons (part 2)

Why are Boris Sheiko's athletes so successful? What outstanding training strategies does one of world's best coaches use?

Let's dig deep and get the answer to these questions.

1. Program format - healthy athletes are happy athletes

One key point of Boris Sheiko's training programs is to vary training load every week (image below). His ideas is to create a solid foundation an athlete can maintain, even if one or two training sessions have to be skipped, for example due to illness. The variation principle aims to prevent overtraining and limit the risk of injury that can easier occur following a program that increases the load in a linear manner.

This is only an example how the training load can vary over time. Many different combinations of load distributions (small, medium and large load) are possible.

2. Training structure - save reps, double sets and lifts

Compared to Boris Sheiko's programs, the popular 5 x 5 scheme looks like cardio. On most training days the number of repetitions for the main lifts is kept fairly low, even for sets below the targeted working weight. The low rep number allows the lifter to focus on each singe rep and do it with a perfect form. This strategy clearly counteracts the "Screw the form, I just want to be done"- effect that often kicks in after 2-3 reps with a heavy weight. The high set number makes up for the "lost reps".

A unique characteristic of Sheiko programs are the  double lift session. Boris Sheiko is the first coach who came up with this idea. Here is how it works: in the same training session, one of the main lifts is trained twice. However, different variations of the competition lift are used. For example, the training session starts with deficit deadlifts, followed by bench press and then the lifter goes back to another deadlift variation (e.g. rack pulls). The bench press block between two deadlift variations gives time to recover and improves the efficiency of the second deadlift session. This example shows how Boris Sheiko's training sessions are structured:

This is a training section from Boris Sheiko's 4 day program.

Another interesting characteristic of Sheiko's programs is the high amount of 'half movements'. For example, deadlifts up to the knees. The idea behind it is to split the lift into two parts. Performing only one half of the movement allows the lifter focusing on this particular part to practice a difficult technique sequences until perfection.

 3. Exercise choice - focus on muscle you need the most

Boris Sheiko's recommendations on most important assistance exercises may surprise some of us: hyperextensions, exercises for abdominal muscle and box jumps.

Indeed, his programs have an exceptionally high number of lower back exercises, such as hyperextensions and good mornings. In contrast, other popular back exercises, such as lat pulldown or row, are rare or even not nonexistent in his programs. Give it deep thought. It really makes sense. A strong lower back is much more important for a powerlifter than big lats. Big lats aren't too bad for benching, but a strong lower back is crucial for squat AND deadlift. These are the exercises you pull the most weight with in a competition (except you are Jennifer Thompson).

Now answer the question: How many times a week do you train your lower back? I am totally with you, hyperextensions are as boring as hell and good morning is the weird exercise, especially when done seated. However, both exercises are crucial for powerlifters.

Let's move on. Training abs to increase core stability makes sense. But why the hell box jumps? - Well, box jumps are a good exercise to develop power in the preparatory period. Power development is beneficial for strength, despite the fact that powerlifting is not about power, but strength. Strength and power are not the same. Explosive power - you see in Olympic weightlifting - has no place in powerlifting.

I know, some of you are confused now. The opinion that a lift, especially deadlift, has to be explosive is widespread. Don't worry, I will discuss the 'explosiveness controversy' in the third part of the Sheiko blog post series ;)

Hey you,  hardcore powerlifter,  I have a special bonus for you:

Powerlifting competition preparation - 5 things Boris Sheiko recommends

Click here to get Boris Sheiko's competition tips into your inbox!

Powerlifting Professor Sheiko - from Russia with Strength (part 1)

What fits better to the name of my blog, than writing about the only professor of powerlifting who came from Russia with strength? I had the amazing opportunity to accompany Boris Sheiko on his 2016 UK tour and acting as his interpreter. Professor Sheiko was the head coach of the Russian national powerlifting team for 7 years. At that time, his team was undefeated and his athletes won 39 gold medals and 22 silver medals at world championships. Spending three days with Boris Sheiko I got a great insight into his training strategies, ideas and coaching principles. I would like to start with his most important advice:

"It is never too late to fix technique!"

                                                 Photo taken from Boris Sheiko's Instagram page

At the seminars participants had the chance to lift in front of Boris Sheiko and got individually tailored advice on how to improve their technique. I realised that some technical inaccuracies appeared throughout the board, actually the same I make. Here is an overview of the most common mistakes and Boris Sheiko's suggestions how to fix these.

Squat

Depth: If you can't get deep enough and break parallel, do pause squats. When you pause, the weight on the bar will push you down and bring you into the right position. If your squat is too low (weightlifter-style) then you waste your energy. Do box squats using a slightly below parallel box (in height) in order to get used to the right depth. However, don't sit down, just touch the box and go straight back up. The important thing is to keep tight and not to relax the back.

Knees go in: If your knees go in on the way up, most likely your adductors are weak. You can strengthen them by using adductor machine or doing exercises with rubber bands.

'Squat morning' If you 'good morning' your squat (butt shoots up first) on the the way up, then your legs are probably too weak. Implementing front squats in your training routine and doing squats holding a 8-10 kg kettlebell in front of you when you warm up, can help you to fix your 'squat morning'.

Bench press It is important to note that there two 'types' of competition bench press: 1. narrow grip - targeting more the triceps 2. wide grip - targeting more the chest muscles

Every time, when a novice lifter comes to Boris Sheiko's gym, he has to show how he does close grip bench press. If the lifter pulls his elbows in, then narrow grip is more suitable for him. In contrast, if the lifter flares his elbows out, then he should widen his grip and use the more chest-dominant technique in the future. For those who do wide grip bench press, dumbbell fly and pec deck are useful assistance exercises. They stretch and strengthen chest muscle, tendons and ligaments.

Most lifters were encouraged to work on their arch, especially those, who compete in the lighter weight classes. Light lifters do not have any reason not to arch (except an injury prevent them from doing it). Both, arching and wider grip, shorten the range of motion and allow powerlifters to lift more weight. In this case, the shorter the better, especially if it is about winning a championship.

Another great advice from Boris was decreasing the speed of the bar before touching the chest. For competitive lifters it may significantly decrease the time the bar has to be hold on the chest before getting the 'press command'. Actually, Boris Sheiko makes all his athletes pausing the first rep of each set, no matter if they have a 'one rep set' or 'five reps set' planned in their training. The aim is to automate the performance of competition lifts. The competitor has to lift automatically, as competitions are usually very stressful and the time to think about one's technique is lacking. The same applies for locking out the elbows. Dear competitive lifters, please, lock out your elbows at each single rep in training.

Deadlift

Deadlift practice was most most entertaining part of the seminar. 90% of the lifters made the same 'mistake' (me included): Jerking the bar. Boris Sheiko stressed multiple times that powerlifting - in contrast to olympic weightlifting - is not about explosiveness, but strength. The lifts have to be performed slowly and not jerkily. Even when a lifter warms up using light weight, it isn't a reason to make the bar fly off the ground. It is an useless waste of energy. Experienced lifters put just as much energy into a lift, as it is required to move the weight, no matter if 100% of 1 RM are on the bar or just 50%.

Another inaccuracy is that many lifters look down, instead of looking straight or keeping the head neutral. Boris wondered: "What are you looking for? There is no money on the floor."

The technique coaching part allowed me to understood why many of Boris Sheiko's programs include deadlifts with pause. Many lifters lock out their knees too early or keep the bar too far away from the body during the lift. This takes the legs out of the movement. The back has to do most of the work. When pausing it is hard to keep the bar far away from the body. For this reason, most lifters will pull in the bar automatically when doing pause deadlifts and get used to keeping the bar closer to the body.

Last but not least, the Powerlifting Professor was very surprised finding out that most participants do conventional deadlift and not sumo deadlift. Although, sumo deadlift is not ideal for everyone, many lifters could benefit from the shorter range of motion and the fact that two of the biggest and strongest muscle groups; leg and back muscle; work simultaneously when pulling sumo. Boris highly encouraged the participants to give sumo deadlift a try. One should practice sumo deadlift for at least one month before deciding which deadlift version to use. As all good things go by three, also I am back to pulling sumo. I tried switching to sumo two times already, but went back to conventional every time. Now, I am looking forward to repeat this challenge.

For more info on Boris Sheiko and his programs check out his web page and his facebook page.

Part 2 of the series: Epic Programs for Epic Lifters – Boris Sheiko’s Secret Weapons

If you are hardcore powerlifter,  I have a special bonus for you:

Powerlifting competition preparation - 5 things Boris Sheiko recommends

Click here to get Boris Sheiko's competition tips into your inbox!

The best training routine

“What is the best training routine?” – I heard this question so many times. Usually, my answer to this question is another question…Well, to be honest, other questions  

What is your goal?

What is your training status?

What is your current training routine?

Most of the time ‘the best routine’ type of question is asked by beginners or intermediate lifters who want to get stronger.

If you don’t know what category you belong to and how many times a week you should train, check out is the NSCA classification and guidelines below.¹

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Ok, now let’s have a look at the ‘I want to get stronger’ part. Do you want to get stronger to get better in a particular sport (e.g. football) or just because you want to be badass? If it is the first, then consult a strength and conditioning coach to get advice what training routing makes sense for you. If you are one of those who want to hulk up, then read on…(for most women probably tone up ;-) )

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If you just started resistance training,

… you have to learn proper technique first, before you start lifting heavy. I mean powerlifter-type of heavy. Your workouts should be challenging, use the black dumbbells, not pink ones ;-)

… you will see progress, even with low training frequencies (2-3 times a week).¹

… you should give yourself enough time for recovery.¹

Once you become more advanced, you

… can increase your training frequency to ≥ 3 times a week.¹

… can start implementing a split routine type of training. This means you will train different muscle groups on different days. Some examples for split routines are given in the table below.¹

… should plan your training sessions so that there is at least one, but not more than 3 rest days between sessions targeting the SAME muscle groups.¹

… can start following programs like 5x5 if you want to get ‘powerlifter-type’ of stronger. Such programs are often described as beginner programs, however, in my opinion, these programs are good for ‘beginners with resistance training experience’. If you have never lifted before and start doing heavy sets of 5 without even knowing what you’re doing, then snap city may become your next destination.

Table adapted from ref. 1.

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Tips based on my personal experience:

Exercise selection

Free weight compound (multi-joint) exercises rule. My strength and size progressed a lot when I started powerlifting training doing heavy squats, deadlifts, bench, overhead press, rows, dips and pull-ups. I had one year resistance-training experience at that point and have seen some progress, however, it was nothing compared to the results I got after I decided to stop toning up and start hulking up… it took me 1.5 years to get my squat from sets of 5 at 40 kg to sets of 5 at 105 kg.

...not sure if you will get such a beautiful, radiant skin though...it's the result of a unique combination of heavy lifting, vegan lifestyle and all the GMO work for my PhD :P

Also, machine exercises have their place in the program. I usually do them at the end of a training session, when I am more tired. It allows me to focus on particular muscle groups and reduces the risk of injury.

Isolation exercises are good to work on particular weaknesses that are the limiting factor for your strength development (e.g. if you get stuck with your bench progress because of your weak triceps) or if your goal is to increase the size of a particular muscles for esthetical appearance…for instance, if you think that it is super badass to have a huge biceps, but don’t care about your chicken legs.

Exercise order

Do compound exercises or the exercises where the risk of injury is higher first. Basically, the exercises you need the most focus and the most power for. Many machine and isolation exercises can be done at the end of a training session.

Form

Work on your form! It will never be perfect. If you are not sure if you lift with a good form and you don’t have anyone to check on it, then record yourself on video. Analyze your videos and do your own research on how proper technique looks like. In the emergency case, if you are not sure if you perform an exercise correctly, upload your videos to the internet and ask for advice. However, be cautious about the advice you get. Many people on social media love giving advice, no matter if they are knowledgeable or have no clue. Thus, screen for competence.

Also, never forget: different people have different opinions, different strategies and approaches to techniques. Stay open-minded and think about tips you get. Find what applies to you and works for you. There is no one-size-fits-all solution.

Time & Intensity

If you are short on time or want to increase the intensity of your workouts try to do supersets. Alternate exercises for different muscle groups, so that one muscle group can rest while you’re training the other (e.g. lat-pull down & leg curls superset).

If you want to increase your workout intensity to the ‘YOU ARE A MACHINE’ level, then you can add plyometrics to your supersets. Box jumps and burpees are great.

However, know what your workout goal is. If your workout focus is strength progress, then keep your rest periods longer (3-5 min) and do NOT superset. Heavy deadlifts and burpees superset is a no-go! In contrast, if your goal is to do a workout that keeps your heart rate up and increases your energy expenditure, then jump the hell out of it.

Everything is about balance

Guys, even if a big chest is your number one goal, please, train your back with the same volume as you bench.

And, ‘I want abs ladies’ – if you do 500 crunches every session, please, don’t forget to do 500 back extensions as well ;-)

For more, more advanced crowd (>> 1 year training experience)

A further increase in training frequency and volume, training each muscle group every day, may be actually beneficial at this stage.^2,3,4

Do you think it will cause overtraining? Then try Smolov and tell me your opinion after you completed the program. Smolov won’t make you necessarily stronger or technically better, but will show you how adaptable the human body is. Often the limitation is not a person’s physical strength, but mental strength. Of course, when running a very intense training program, recovery is incredibly important. Eating right, sleeping well and reducing stress, all of these factors are crucial if you want to train with high volume and frequency and see progress.

For updates on nutrition, training and science subscribe to my list 

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References

1. Baechle TR, Earle RW. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning. 2008.
2. Kim PL, Staron RS, Phillips SM. Fasted-state skeletal muscle protein synthesis after resistance exercise is altered with training. J Physiol. 2005; 568(Pt 1): 283–90.
3. Raastad T., Kirketeig, A., Wolf, D., Paulsen G. Powerlifters improved strength and muscular adaptations to a greater extent when equal total training volume was divided into 6 compared to 3 training sessions per week. Book of abstracts, 17th annual conference of the ECSS, Brugge 4-7 July 2012.
4. Häkkinen K, Kallinen M. Distribution of strength training volume into one or two daily sessions and neuromuscular adaptations in female athletes. Electromyography and Clinical Neurophysiology. 1994; 34(2): 117-124.

Let's Overeat Protein To Lose Fat

  Yes, I know the protein topic can be confusing. Some guys on YouTube say that you can’t gain fat by overeating protein and others, like me, say that it is possible. Actually, the fact that it is not only possible, but in certain cases pretty likely is the content of the science- and evidence-based Bayesian Personal Trainer Course. If you want to learn how to distinguish real science from bro-science and maximize your muscle gains, check out this course!

Let's get back to the protein overeating issue. The best way to look at it is to separate theory from practice.

Theory

A person CAN gain fat if he/she eats too much protein. Some amino acids, aka glucogenic amino acids, can be converted to glucose and glucose can used to produce fat. Other amino acids, aka ketogenic amino acids, can be converted to a molecule called acetyl-CoA. Acetyl-CoA can be used either for fatty acid synthesis or transformed into ketone bodies, which are used as fuel. Thus, if there is enough energy available coming from over-consumed amino acids then a person doesn’t burn the stored fat. One may even end up storing fat if glucose and acetyl-CoA - made out of excessive amino acids - are used for fatty acid synthesis.

If you are one of the biochem nerds check out my video

Reality

It is difficult to overeat protein because of its satiating effect.(1–3) Also, protein has a higher thermic effect (~30%) than carbs (~5-10%) and fat (0-5%). This means 30% of the energy you get from protein is used for its own digestion.

Now, let's have a look at some research - in both of these studies resistance trained individuals over-consumed protein (4.4g/kg and 3.5g/kg) in isolation.(4,5) Other nutrients were kept nearly the same in the study group and in the control group. The subjects in both groups didn't gain fat on average, also those who were overeating protein and consequently consuming more total calories (500 – 800 kcal/day).

Interestingly, according to my calculations the subjects in both studies weren't in caloric surplus. Most of them ate a maintenance diet or maybe even slightly more or less energy than they required. Why should they have gained fat? Gaining lots of fat without an excessive calorie intake doesn't really make sense.

Thus, let's have a look at two different studies, in which the subjects were actually overeating (19-20.6 kcal per lb body weight compared to 12-17 kcal/lb in the studies above). One of the studies examined the effects of carbohydrates and protein overeating in comparison to carbohydrate over-consumption (214 g P + 495 g C vs. 90 g P + 597 g C).(6) The energy and fat intake was nearly the same for both groups. And surprise, surprise, there was no significant difference in fat gain. Both groups gained a similar amount of fat. Why didn’t the high protein group gain less?

In the second study, the subjects overate fat and protein in different ratios (45%C/15%P/40%F vs. 45%C/25%P/30%F) consuming basically an isoenergetic diet.(7) Again, also in this study both groups experienced an identical level of weight / fat gain.

Wrap up

It is important to look at the total energy intake and not only at protein intake. Studies conducted in energy surplus, over-consuming both, protein and another macronutrient, suggest that it is possible to gain fat from protein over-consumption. If protein is over-consumed in energy balance or energy deficit, then fat gain is less likely. Why the hell should one gain fat not eating ‘enough’?

How to get a ‘real’ answer to the ‘excess-protein-causes-weight-gain question’?

To get some solid evidence if excess protein causes weight gain, we would need a study, in which both study groups would consume only protein and nothing else (to exclude other effects, such as hormonal effects). Hypothetical study design: one group consumes an excessive amount of protein eating a calorie surplus diet. The other group (control group) eats the amount of protein that is needed to cover the daily energy requirements. What we want to see is if the group with excessive protein AND energy intake gained more fat than the control group. However, who would like to take part in such a study drinking only protein shakes for weeks? ;)

References

1. Veldhorst M a. B, Westerterp KR, Westerterp-Plantenga MS. Gluconeogenesis and protein-induced satiety. Br J Nutr. 2012;107(04):595–600.
2. Leidy HJ, Todd CB, Zino AZ, Immel JE, Mukherjea R, Shafer RS, et al. Consuming High-Protein Soy Snacks Affects Appetite Control , Satiety , and Diet Quality in Young People and Influences Select Aspects of Mood and Cognition. 2015;145(7):1614-1622.
3. Ortinau LC, Hoertel H a, Douglas SM, Leidy HJ. Effects of high-protein vs. high- fat snacks on appetite control, satiety, and eating initiation in healthy women. Nutr J. 2014;13(1):97. 
4. Antonio J, Peacock C a, Ellerbroek A, Fromhoff B, Silver T. The effects of consuming a high protein diet (4.4 g/kg/d) on body composition in resistance-trained individuals. J Int Soc Sports Nutr [Internet]. 2014;11(1):19. 
5. Antonio J, Ellerbroek A, Silver T, Orris S, Scheiner M, Gonzalez A, et al. A high protein diet (3.4 g/kg/d) combined with a heavy resistance training program improves body composition in healthy trained men and women – a follow-up investigation. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition; 2015;12(1):39.
6. Spillane M, Willoughby DS. Daily Overfeeding from Protein and / or Carbohydrate Supplementation for Eight Weeks in Conjunction with Resistance Training Does not Improve Body Composition and Muscle Strength or Increase Markers Indicative of Muscle Protein Synthesis and Myogenesis in. 2016;(November 2015):17–25.
7. Bray G a, Redman LM, de Jonge L, Covington J, Rood J, Brock C, et al. Effect of protein overfeeding on energy expenditure measured in a metabolic chamber. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015 Mar;101(3):496–505. 

The complete 'incomplete protein' story

Are you confused which plant protein sources to eat to get a complete amino acid profile? What is a complete amino acid composition? Isn’t it sufficient to eat ‘just enough’ protein?

Actually, we don’t need protein, what we need are particular amino acids. Although most recommendations speak about the protein requirement, the actual requirement is for amino acids, not for protein.¹ Amino acids are building blocks for proteins. There are 20 different amino acids that are crucial for protein synthesis. You can imagine a protein as a long chain composed of different amino acids. All organisms - no matter if bacteria, plants or animals - contain proteins. Proteins have not only structural function (e.g. muscle), but also a variety of vital functions for all organisms. Enzymes, antibodies, ribosomes, all of these are proteins. The only difference between proteins found in different species is the amino acid composition, thus the ratio of individual amino acids. To apply the chain analogy: it means that all chains (proteins found in different species) contain all of the 20 different amino acids. However, not all chains have the same number of single amino acids.

Why is the amino acid composition important?

Humans cannot produce all of the 20 biologically important amino acids. Some of the amino acids, aka essential amino acids (EAA), we have to get from food. In general, most plant foods have a lower content of at least one of the essential amino acids compared to animal protein sources. This is the reason why plant protein is often considered to be incomplete. However, not all plant foods are low in the same essential amino acid. For instance, cereal grains are low in lysine, which is the limiting amino acid for many plant protein sources. On the contrary, legumes have significantly higher lysine content, but are lower in sulfur containing amino acids (Fig. 1). For this reason, it often is not enough just to get “only” enough protein, if the protein source is low in one of the essential amino acids.

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Figure 1. Content (in milligrams) of essential amino acids lysine and sulfur containing amino acids per 100 g of the selected foods. Cereal grains have relatively high sulfur containing amino acid content compared to their lysine content. For legumes applies the opposite.

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Although, it is in theory possible to obtain the recommended daily allowance on essential amino acid from one food source, in most cases an enormous food volume has to be consumed to hit the recommended target.² For instance, for a 70 kg (154 lb) person it would require the consumption of 1.75 kg (3.85 lb) bread or 3.6 kg (7.92 lb) cooked rice to ensure an adequate intake of the limiting amino acid lysine (as shown in Figure 2). In this case, in order to obtain an adequate amount of the limiting amino acid, other amino acids are over consumed. As you can see in the Figure 2, sulfur-containing amino acids exceed the theoretical requirement (indicated by the red dashed line). For high carbohydrate fruit-based diets it is even more difficult to meet essential amino acid requirements. Let’s take bananas as an example. To reach the recommended lysine intake a daily consumption of 7 kg (15.4 lb) bananas is required. Getting enough of sulfur containing amino acids would require the consumption of 10 kg (22 lb) bananas a day! This huge food quantity is needed just to get the MINIMUM requirement of these essential amino acids. To what extent the human body can adapt to a very low essential amino acid diet is not entirely clear. However, I am very skeptical about the idea that most people (genetic freaks excluded) can thrive on such a diet.

Through a combination of different plant protein sources it is possible to meet the targeted daily allowance of essential amino acids and to obtain a more balanced amino acid distribution. An example for a suitable food combination is the ‘300 g tofu and 400 g rice’ meal shown in Figure 2. This food amount can be easily divided into 2 main meals and is sufficient to meet the requirement for a sedentary 70 kg person.

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Figure 2. The amount of different foods necessary to meet the estimated daily requirement for a 70 kg (152 lb) person. The dashed red lines highlight the theoretically required amino acid quantity. The meal consisting of ‘300 g tofu and 400 g rice’ provides the required amino acid quantity in contrast to the same foods when consumed in isolation when not overconsumed.

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Using only one protein source to meet essential amino acids requirement can have additional disadvantages. Overconsumption of a certain macronutrient is one of them. Just to give an example: the use of a high carbohydrate and lower protein source, such as bread, to meet essential amino acid requirements drastically increases the amount of carbohydrates in the diet. Getting most of the dietary protein from nuts would lead to very high fat content. Carbohydrate or fat overconsumption is likely to increase the energy intake above the required level and lead to undesired fat gain for most individuals.

If you need ideas how to combine food sources efficiently to get the desired macronutrient distribution following a balanced diet, check this out.

Even if a food source with a higher protein content, such as tofu is chosen, relying on it as a major protein source may have some disadvantages. Although legumes, such as soy, contain compounds that are in general associated with health benefits,³ eating too much of them can also cause micronutrient deficiencies (iron, zinc and calcium) with unbalanced nutrition or undernourishment.⁴

Do we really need to track all essential amino acids individually to prevent a possible deficiency?

No, not really, provided that a person eats enough protein. In this case, the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of 0.8 g/kg (0.36 g/lb) is definitely not enough. RDA was established using 2/3 animal products with a higher essential amino acid content compared to plant protein sources. Also, RDA characterizes the protein amount at which the risk of becoming protein deficient is very low (<3%) for most sedentary people (as I explain here). To put number on it (YES, I love numbers!), in theory, it is necessary to consume 16% more protein than RDA suggests for people following a well-balanced plant-based diet. This means that a 70 kg person needs to consume 65 g protein (not 56 g as RDA states) to meet the minimal (not optimal!) essential amino acid recommendation.

Take-home message

1. Eat a variety of protein sources if you follow a plant-based diet, e.g. soy products, beans, lentils, grains, nuts and seeds. Supplement with plant-based protein powders if necessary.

2. Eat at least 16% more protein than RDA recommends (for healthy individuals)

Side note

When it comes to muscle building, often the importance of leucine for muscle protein synthesis is emphasized (see my previous post). In this context it is important to note that leucine gives the signal for muscle protein synthesis, however, all amino acids (especially essential) are required as building blocks for muscle. For this reason, supplementation with leucine as the only amino acid is not likely to be a promising strategy.

Interested in vegan, high-protein, guilt-free treats? Get your free recipe ebook by subscribing to my list ;)

References

(1)      Baechle, T. R.; Earle, R. W. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning; 2008.

(2)      Young, V. R.; Pellett, P. L. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1994, 59, 1203S–1212S.

(3)      Threapleton, D. E.; Greenwood, D. C.; Evans, C. E. L.; Cleghorn, C. L.; Nykjaer, C.; Woodhead, C.; Cade, J. E.; Gale, C. P.; Burley, V. J. BMJ 2013, 347, f6879.

(4)      Schlemmer, U.; Frølich, W.; Prieto, R. M.; Grases, F. Mol. Nutr. Food Res. 2009, 53, S330–S375.

(5)         Nutritional information take from: http://nutritiondata.self.com/

Flexible Dieting - the incredible doughnut solution

Flexible dieting or IIFYM (if it fits your macros) – lively discussed, propagated and misunderstood.

Social media is filled with pictures of doughnuts, cakes, pop tarts, pizza and Co. This trend certainly counteracts the entire ‘clean eating movement’ telling us for years that we have to eat only healthy food in order to get a great looking body.

What is IIFYM?

The IIFYM principle is often misunderstood. Certainly, to some extent it is true, that following IIFYM one can eat whatever one wants, as long the total food amount one consumes is within the target calorie and nutrient (carbohydrates, protein and fat) range for the day. This is the point: nobody can eat tons of fast food all the time magically consuming the number of calories, that leads to weight loss, in case this is the desired goal. High calorie food has to be balanced out with low calorie food to hit the desired numbers of calories and macronutrients. Basically, if a person consumes the entire daily “calorie budget” in one meal, all the other meals have to be very low on calories (e.g. lots of veggies) in order not to exceed the daily target. What gives a wrong impression about flexible dieting is the fact, that most people rather prefer to post pictures of a stack of pancakes than a plate full of veggies.

Controversially, the most important principle of flexible dieting is making healthy food to the foundation of one’s diet to support the individual goals. In theory, the desired macronutrient and calorie targets can be met by a combination of sugar, protein powder and oil. Although, this food selection is theoretically possible, it is neither healthy nor recommended. For a healthy diet micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and fiber are crucial, however lacking in the mentioned food combination. Fiber, acting as a prebiotic, is essential for a healthy gut microbiota composition, which is a significant contributor to our health.¹ In most cases, adverse health effects are not caused by eating a certain food type or nutrient, but by not getting enough of other important nutrients. Occasional junk food consumption does not lead to obesity. The same applies to protein, it is most likely that it is not a high protein diet that causes all kind of diseases, but the lack of vegetables.²

Benefits of flexible dieting

For some people, flexible dieting is common sense and regulated by body’s natural mechanisms. In theory, the consumption of a high calorie meal should reduce hunger and increase the preference for eating a lighter, lower calorie meal later the day. However, it doesn’t work for everyone, in particular, because of psychological or psychobiological factors.

People who eat a high calorie diet (mostly high sugar and fat) have an altered hormonal response to food intake.³ Eating junk food on a regular basis has an addictive-like effect.⁴ Overeating on sugar and fat makes us craving even more of these nutrients and increasing our portion sizes. Going cold turkey and cutting out all calorie dense food at once is difficult, because of its addictive-like effect and not absolutely necessary. In this case, flexible dieting approach could help making the diet healthier by increasing the amount of lower calorie foods (such as veggies) and keeping the food one enjoys in the diet plan in reasonable amounts. It is very challenging to stick to a diet one hates.

Flexible dieting also is beneficial for people who follow a strict, calorie reduced diet regime. For instance bodybuilding competitors during contest preparations often feel deprived. This increases the chance of overeating or binge eating, once one is faced an unpredicted situation (e.g. food choice outside home) or when self-control is lacking. Everybody is stressed, tired or has a bad day from time to time challenging the will power to stick to a strict diet. Flexible dieting approach could help to avoid control loss in such situations. It prevents categorizing food into ‘good and bad’ or ‘allowed and forbidden’. By nature, most of the time we want the things we cannot get or are not allowed to have. Removing high calorie food from the ‘forbidden list’ will most likely decrease our desire to consume it whenever possible.

How to apply the flexible dieting principle

I already wrote one blog post on IIFYM some time ago. However, not giving concrete examples, I realized, that some people struggle with the application of this principle. For this reason, I would like to include an application example here. Let’s say, I would like to fit two Oreos into my healthy, balanced diet. Adding something that was not planned requires removing some of the initally planned food from my meal plan for the day.

Two Oreos have the following approxiamate nutritional composition:

106 kcal, 15g carbs, 1g protein and 4.5g fat

As Oreos mostly consist of carbohydrates and fat, I need to remove a carbohydrate source (e.g. fruit) and a fat source (e.g. nuts) from my diet in order to compensate for the consumed Oreos.

For example, four almonds and one small apple could do the job:

4 almonds (8g) – 50 kcal/ 0g carbs/ 1.5g protein/ 5g fat

1 small apple (100g) – 53 kcal/ 13 g carbs/ 0g protein/ 0g fat

total of which (103 kcal/ 13g carbs/ 1.5g protein/ 5g fat) is very similar to the nutrient content of two Oreos.

In some cases, it makes sense not only replacing some food, but also adding a certain nutrient. For example, when food with high protein content (e.g. tofu) was replaced by food with a different macronutrient distribution (e.g. pasta - high carb), it may become difficult to hit the desired protein target for the day. Here, the easiest option to ‘regain’ the removed protein without adding many extra calories is to consume a protein shake. Protein powder, as isolated macronutrient, is very convenient to make up for the missing protein.

Bottom line

Flexible dieting is not about eating cookies, cakes, pizza & Co. all the time and getting the body you want this way, except,

• you have serious problems to gain weight and this is your goal or
• you are a genetic freak who doesn’t gain weight or
• have a serious illness that prevents weight gain.

Everything is about balance and moderation. Demonizing entire food groups and eating only ‘super healthy foods’ is not particularly healthy for the mental health. Smart, not strict, is the motto here.

 Interested in vegan, high-protein, guilt-free treats that fit your macos? Get your free recipe ebook by subscribing to my list ;-) 

References

1. Arora, T., Sharma, R. & Frost, G. Propionate. Anti-obesity and satiety enhancing factor? Appetite 56, 511–5 (2011).
2. Schwalfenberg, G. K. The alkaline diet: is there evidence that an alkaline pH diet benefits health? J. Environ. Public Health 2012, 727630 (2012).
3. Singh, M. Mood, food, and obesity. Front. Psychol. 5, 1–20 (2014).
4. Schulte, E. M., Avena, N. M. & Gearhardt, A. N. Which foods may be addictive? The roles of processing, fat content, and glycemic load. PLoS One 10, e0117959 (2015).

If you 'don’t lose weight' then your fat loss diet is successful - Dieting plateaus and weight fluctuations

Plateaus and weight fluctuations while dieting - Who doesn’t know that?

Almost everyone who diets hits a plateau after some time. This often leads to frustration. Then sudden weight fluctuations (gains or drops) happen overnight. With this article I would like to shed light on the mysterious weight loss process.

Often, when we start dieting we see a significant weight drop (a few kilograms) in the first days. Then, the number on scale gets stuck and doesn’t decrease for a long time until a sudden drop occurs.

The weight loss seen at the beginning of a diet is primary due to water loss and the loss of food volume/weight from our gastrointestinal tract, as usually we reduce our food intake.

Why does water loss occur?

Processed foods. Reduction of processed food intake can lead to water loss. Processed foods often contain a high amount of salt and high glycemic index (GI) carbohydrates, such as sugar and starch. Salt retains water in the body. High GI carbohydrates increase insulin, which leads to salt retention that in turn results in water retention.1 For this reason, cutting out processed food naturally reduces sodium intake and induces the loss of retained water.

Glycogen depletion. Additionally, calorie and carbohydrate reduction also results in water loss. A significant amount of glycogen (carbohydrate reserves) is stored in our muscles.2 One gram of glycogen binds 4 grams of water. In the first days of dieting, when we deplete glycogen stores, we not only lose our carbohydrate stores but also lots of water. One study put numbers on it and measured weight loss (not fat loss) of 11 women after 4 days of a highly calorie restricted diet (energy intake of ~400 kcal/d).2 On average, the subjects lost 4 kg, whereas a weight loss of 2 kg was observed at the lower end of the spectrum and 7.4 kg in the extreme case. Indeed, one of the subjects lost entire 7.4 kg in 4 days. Clearly, this weight was not fat but probably mostly water (7.4 kg fat loss would theoretically require an energy expenditure of over 63,000 kcal, which cannot be achieved in 4 days).

After the first week, when the body adjusted to the new diet and no drastic changes happen any more, often a weight loss plateau occurs. The number on scale decreases very slowly, if at all. During this mentally challenging time, when we don’t see any progress and doubt the efficiency of the weight loss diet, only one high salt and/or high carbohydrate meal can lead to drastic “weight gain”. It seems like we gained all the weight we lost overnight, just from a single meal (see image). However, as you already suspect it isn’t the case, at least not for fat gain. High salt/carbohydrate intake leads to water retention (exactly the opposite of what happened in the first days when we reduced those nutrients) and the number on scale increases. Here, the most important thing is not to panic and keep dieting. The gained water weight disappears again after a few days.

All these effects I have experienced myself when I was cutting weight to get into the descried weight class for a powerlifting completion. The image above presents the data of my own “case study”

However, during long weight loss diets, a high carbohydrate meal can be beneficial to drop water weight. During long periods of caloric restriction, especially when accompanied by high exercises volume, the cortisol level (stress hormone) increases. Too much cortisol is associated with muscle degradation, decreased immune function, impeded recovery6 and water retention (see Minnesota Starvation Experiment). One of cortisol’s physiological roles is to guarantee energy availability in times of energy deficit (to keep blood sugar high enough for essential functions). For this reason, we have the highest cortisol levels in the morning after an overnight fast.3 A carbohydrate rich meal increases blood sugar and decreases the need for cortisol secretion. This decreases cortisol level and leads to the “magic” water loss overnight.

Theoretical considerations about weight loss

Often, when we diet and see only slow weight loss (less than one pound per week) we feel as if our diet doesn’t work. However, one pound for week is a good number, considering that the general recommendation is not losing more than 0.5-1% of body weight per week.4 A reasonable calorie deficit of 500 kcal per day results in approx. 400 g fat loss (1g fat = 9kcal) per week, in theory (although biological system, such a human bodies, don't necessarily follow theories). Sadly, 400 g per week we often don’t even consider as weight loss and are disappointed about the results.

What should we do - increase calorie deficit and exercise volume?

Well, a high calorie deficit (such as ~ 800kcal/ day) is very likely to lead to significant muscle loss, as seen in a recent study on a competitive bodybuilder.5 The weight he lost dieting for a competition consisted of 43% lean body mass. This is definitely not ideal, as most people would like to lose fat and not muscle.

Additionally, high training volume and short rest periods result in increased cortisol secretion, which can lead to problems mentioned above (such as catabolic effects).6

For this reason, drastic calorie restrictions and very high training volumes are not an optimal dieting strategy in my opinion.

Bottom line

If you are on your weight loss journey and have the feeling that nothing happens or you lose weight too slowly (around 400g/ 1lbs per week) and you are really sure to be in caloric deficit, then relax and remember, that slow weight loss is consistent weight loss. Rapid weight drop is often caused by water loss and is not sustainable, as the weight will probably increase after the next carbohydrate/salt-rich meal.

If you diet for a long time and nothing happens, then your stress hormones may be elevated. In this case, the better strategy might be to increase your calorie intake (if calories are severely restricted) and reduce your exercise volume (if your exercise volume is too high) instead of cutting calories even more and further increasing exercise volume.

Side note for women: Premenstrual symptom (PMS) can induce water retention of up to 2kg/ ~5 lbs due to hormonal changes. This is an additional factor to consider.

References

1. Osterberg, K. L., Pallardy, S. E., Johnson, R. J. & Horswill, C. a. Carbohydrate exerts a mild influence on fluid retention following exercise-induced dehydration. J. Appl. Physiol. 108, 245–50 (2010).
2. Kreitzman, S. N., Coxon, Y. & Szaz, K. F. Glycogen storage : illusions of easy weight weight regain , and distortions in estimates of body composition3. Am J Clin Nutr 56, 292S–293S (1992).
3. Kaushik, A., Vasudev, A., Arya, S. K., Pasha, S. K. & Bhansali, S. Recent advances in cortisol sensing technologies for point-of-care application. Biosens. Bioelectron. 53, 499–512 (2014).
4. Helms, E. R., Aragon, A. a & Fitschen, P. J. Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: nutrition and supplementation. J. Int. Soc. Sports Nutr. 11, 20 (2014).
5. Robinson, S. L., Lambeth-Mansell, A., Gillibrand, G., Smith-Ryan, A. & Bannock, L. A nutrition and conditioning intervention for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: case study. J. Int. Soc. Sports Nutr. 12, 1–11 (2015).
6. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 3rd Edition, Baechle, T. R. & Earle, R. W.

Let's burn fat and keep muscle

Weight loss - At some point most of us have this goal. There are so many different motivations for it; health, improved body composition, enhanced strength to weight ratio or - what applies to me as a strength athlete - getting into the desired weight for a competition. For most of us the goal is not only losing weight (fat) but also mantaining muscle and strength.

“Which dieting strategy is the best to reach my goals?” - this is a frequently asked question in facebook groups I admin.

There are so many different approaches. Is low carb & high fat (aka keto-diet) really better than high carb & low fat? Or is it the other way round?

First of all, the best dieting strategy is the one that works for you and you feel the most comfortable with. If you hate your diet, then it is very difficult to stick to it and not to rebound (start eating all the food you love, but weren’t allowed to eat while dieting) after you reached your goal.

In my ‘science and evidence-based opinion’, it does not really matter which strategy to follow. Diets that are high/low in carbs/fat can be equally good, as long as enough protein is consumed (≥ 25% calories from protein)¹ and adequate caloric deficit is created.

Caloric deficit

Caloric deficit is crucial for weight loss goals. However, it should not be too high (~ 800kcal/day) not to risk losing too much muscle mass. Studies examining a smaller caloric deficit of ~300 kcal/day showed more muscle retention when calories are restricted.²

Exercise

Steady state cardio increases energy expenditure and may support the weight loss process. However, too much cardio is definitely not ideal, especially for people who are interested in maintaining their strength and muscle.² Structured resistance training is crucial to preserve muscle mass under calorie deficit.¹

Carbohydrate and fat intake

Adequate carbohydrate intake is very important, particularly for individuals who are already lean and want to lose more weight (e.g. competitive bodybuilders or weight class athletes). Weight loss studies in which higher carbohydrate to fat ratio was consumed showed better results regarding muscle mass retention.² This suggests that keeping carbohydrate intake as high as possible is a reasonable strategy. There are several reasons for the importance of carbohydrates during weight loss process.

1. The levels of satiety hormone leptin respond to carbohydrates. Low leptin level results in decreased satiety and increased hunger.¹
2. Low carbohydrate intake may decrease thyroid hormone production and slow down metabolism. When food/energy intake decreases, our bodies try to utilize the available energy as efficient as possible. This leads to a drop in the total daily energy expenditure, increased efficiency in ATP (energy) production and hormonal changes.¹
3. Another possible reason is that low carbohydrate intake may increase cortisol levels (stress hormone).¹ Cortisol is involved in gluconeogenesis, the process in the human body that produces glucose when blood sugar level is low (for example in the morning after overnight fast). High cortisol level leads to muscle breakdown and abdominal fat retention.

However, high carbohydrate diets are not for everyone, some people are carbohydrate sensitive. Often individuals who have a higher body fat percentage respond better to a lower carbohydrate diet. Also, genetics plays an important role. People who have a lower copy number of AMY1 gene (encoding starch digesting enzymes) have 8-fold higher odds to become obese on a starch-rich diet.³ For them a diet high in carbohydrates does not make a lot of sense (at least when starch is used as carbohydrate source). Foods that contain simple sugars, such as fruits, may be a better carbohydrate source.

Bottom line Don’t cut your calorie intake too much. It seems like slower, more careful dieting strategy makes more sense than drastic calorie reduction, as often seen in trendy crash diets.

Don't do too much cardio. Lift weights instead.

Don't remove carbohydrates from your diet, if you don't have a good reason to do so. It is more likely that the success of most low-carb diets is due to reduced caloric intake in combination with increased protein intake. Cutting out carbs often means restricting junk food consumption. Removing calorie dense food with 'addictive potential' is likely to have higher contribution to weight loss than carbohydrate restriction.

References

1. Trexler, E. T., Smith-Ryan, A. E. & Norton, L. E. Metabolic adaptation to weight loss: implications for the athlete. J. Int. Soc. Sports Nutr. 11, 7 (2014).
2. Robinson, S. L., Lambeth-Mansell, A., Gillibrand, G., Smith-Ryan, A. & Bannock, L. A nutrition and conditioning intervention for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: case study. J. Int. Soc. Sports Nutr. 12, 1–11 (2015).
3. Falchi, M. et al. Low copy number of the salivary amylase gene predisposes to obesity. Nat. Genet. 46, 492–7 (2014).