Diet to gain size and defeintion.(LONG)

[Man2]

Hello,

Can someone help me with a diet plan to build muscle while keeping fat to a minimum? My goals are to be like a old time strongman and have the build of a Eugene Sandow. I need to gain a few pounds to do this though I'm 150 now would like to build up to 175. My routine is currently Al Kavaldo's Raising the Bar workout with pullups muscle ups and hand balancing. So anyone have any diet tip for me to help me achieve the look I want. Also I know this the wrongforum to ask but, does anyone know what Sandow or any other strongman did for their arms and stomach muscles?
Just a few other things I'm 17 years old now and am in good shape and healthy with no allergies. I usually eat Protein Pancakes in the morning with grapes for breakfast, and Turkey sandwhich with grapes and orange for lunch at school, and salmon and potato and salad for dinner. One problem I have is I keep eating lots extra in between 2 or 3 greek yogurts at once or lots of cashews. IN tips to stop this crave eating most time I'm not even really hungry I just eat.

Thanks

[DLS]

Kudos for searching out information at such a young age Man2! If you get good advice and follow it you will be miles ahead throughout your life. Having said this I'l like to make a few general statements before I speak to your diet.

1. Be careful of Internet "information". There are about as many opinions as there are people using the Internet and very few of these opinions are based on fact. Just look through this forum and note how many folks make blanket statements without one shred of evidence (such as a citation to a peer-reviewed study or an authoritative source).

At 17 I'm sure you are still in school ... I would highly recommend you take a basic nutrition course. If your HS does not provide it search out a course at your local community college. This will answer many questions you don't even yet know you have! It will also well equip you to know what doesn't make sense or what it most likely marketing hype.

You state you want to be on the level of Eugene Sandow. Excellent! To get to this level you will need to become a 'student of strength' (nutrition, training methods, physiology etc.) Don't let this statement scare you off ... see it as a challenge, train your body and mind and become the next Sandow!

2. At 17 your body is still developing in many ways ... don't be too anxious to push to your ultimate goals. You may permanently injure yourself. Take it from one who has dealt with life-long problems due to trauma ... you DO NOT want to go there. You will "grow" into many of your goals over the next few years.

Since you are already at your local community college (for your nutrition class) drop by the Health & PE division and search out the advice of a good strength coach. There is probably someone with at least a Master's degree in physiology on the campus staff. If not they can direct you to a credible mentor. At this stage in your development you want to ensure general development focusing on balance strength and form. This mentor will give you general guidance, you can then seek out experts on more focused areas as your general fitness is made solid.

Don't hesitate to visit the strength and condition forum here. There are many who are well versed in their skills and are willing to help. Let them know where you are (age, training level etc.) and listen to what they have to say. Question everything, especially if you get contradictory advice or it sounds too good to be true (because it will be).

As to a particular diet ... be careful. Eat a broad range of all elements (protein, fats, carbs) and follow the info you get from your nutrition class. Until you are reaching elite levels of performance most of the "diet tweaking" and "supplementing" athletes do is wasted effort. Once you get to an elite level search out credible sources and figure out what works for you. Remember you are becoming a student of strength! For sports / strength specific information hit the US Olympic Training Center web site. There is a ton of good basic info there for the grabbing.

Keep your diet varied and balanced so that you do not shortchange your necessary amino acids, vitamins or other essential nutrients. Keep learning, be moderate in your approaches until your body matures a bit more and you will find your goals not only met ... but superseded!

The diet you mention eating seems a bit constrained to me ... mix it up! Remember that different foods have differing amounts of nutrients and you don't want to short yourself here, especially as your body finishes maturing. Are you non-muscle based weight? If not don't worry about he yogurt snacks as they are not a problem. If you are gaining non-muscle based weight then you need to look at your entire diet / training to determine the best course of action. The fact that you "just eat" at 17 is really not that much of a surprise to anyone even a few years older (or like me who has two teen-aged athletic boys ... man does the food fly out of my house!).

Keep in touch here ... let us know more specifics and how you are progressing. Before long we will be calling you Eugene!

[Man2]

Hello DLS,

Thank You very much for all of your advice. I am in a nutrition class right now at my high school and, learning quite a nit about nutrition. As for learninig from a strength coach Im learning from Gavin Rulon a old time stongman performer right here in Indiana and learning alot from him. I will take your advice on mixing up my diet and beware other Internet resources. I never thought much of the internet sources I go to I thought anything was good when it comes to training. Well any way thank you for all your advice. Don't worry one day you guys will be calling me Eugene .

Thanks.
PS: Here's a link to my strength teacher
http://www.rulonstrength.com/

[DLS]

Excellent! You are on your way Eugene! An apprentice student of strength soon to be a journeyman! Keep it up! You still might like to connect w/ a strength coach at a university ... they will have a broader view of the subject (I'm not saying that Mr. Rulon is going to steer you wrong here) and be more in tune with current knowledge. You might be able to improve your training with the additional information.

As I'm sure you learning in your nutrition class, you need to ensure you receive all the necessary nutrients. With the exception of water soluble vitamins, this does not have to occur each and every day ... the nutrients can be ingested over the course of several days, but you do need to ensure you get them all. The best and easiest way is to vary your food. Different meats provide different amino acids for instance.

Only use supplements, as there name states, as supplements. You supplement when your normal diet is lacking in a certain nutrient. Folks who "go to" the supplements as their primary source of the nutrient pay huge amounts of money for less than ideal results. Most supplements are not very pure (not regulated by the FDA), have "riders" (ingredients not on the label because they come along for the ride on the ingredients the vendor buys to mix their potions) and are less bio-available compared to the nutrients when eaten in their natural state.

For example ... I just cannot bring myself to eat the fatty fish that are high in Omega 3's. It's a shame, as I live in Washington State, and fish regularly for salmon. My friends like it though, as I give much of it away. I just DO NOT like the taste or mouth feel of these fish. So I take a fish oil capsule each day to provide me with the EPA and DHA that my normal diet lacks. If I could stomach the fish (I try really I do!) I would choke it down and skip the supplement.

Okay enough preaching ... you seem to have a good handle on your methods ... keep up the excellent work. Post a video and let us see your work!

[Man2]

Thank You DLS for your your replies I really appriecate it. I will be sure to get some classes with a University Strength Coach. Again Thank You.

I have a video of me doing a 12 foot rope climb with a 20 pound vest on. It's on the Jasper Benincasa Birthday Celebration page. The name next to it is Samatha Clark.