Part 1: Nutrition Made Simple
Below there are example meal plan and some simple calorie dense recipes, however an athlete needs to make things ease, efficient and effective and have a holistic understand of nutrition for muscle mass or weight loss. Technology has made learning easier if one knows where to looks and what to look for, so I made this technology friendly.
Gaining Mass :
If you follow this you will force your muscles to grow don't worry about gaining a little fat, this can also be shredded off later.
Apps: My Fitness Pal (Required)/ Any app with title Home Workout App (Required) Extras I have used: Nike Training, Strong, Daily Strength and Catalyft, Squats app, Home Workout for Men ( and many more).
1. Understand how many calories you need: First calculate how many calories you need to force your body to gain mass.
Here's the hidden secret of knowing his without having an app calculate it for you because apps aren't as accurate.
Step 1: (Your Weight in Pounds) X (11) = Your basic calorie needs.
Step 2: (Your Basic calorie needs) X (Caloric Cost of your Activity Level in % from the chart below) = (Your metabolic Rate)
Step 3: (Your Basic Calorie Needs) + (Your Metabolic Rate) = (Your Maintenance Total)
Step 4: (Maintenance Total) + 500 = (To Gain Muscle)
Step 5: (Maintenance Total – 500 = (To lose Fat)
Math Tip: Change Percent Below into Decimals when mutliplying so 30% would be .3)
2. Understanding a meal and certain foods calorie content. (Coming Soon)
3. An easy way to keep a Journal to learn from. (Coming Soon
Gaining Mass :
If you follow this you will force your muscles to grow don't worry about gaining a little fat, this can also be shredded off later.
Apps: My Fitness Pal (Required)/ Any app with title Home Workout App (Required) Extras I have used: Nike Training, Strong, Daily Strength and Catalyft, Squats app, Home Workout for Men ( and many more).
1. Understand how many calories you need: First calculate how many calories you need to force your body to gain mass.
Here's the hidden secret of knowing his without having an app calculate it for you because apps aren't as accurate.
Step 1: (Your Weight in Pounds) X (11) = Your basic calorie needs.
Step 2: (Your Basic calorie needs) X (Caloric Cost of your Activity Level in % from the chart below) = (Your metabolic Rate)
Step 3: (Your Basic Calorie Needs) + (Your Metabolic Rate) = (Your Maintenance Total)
Step 4: (Maintenance Total) + 500 = (To Gain Muscle)
Step 5: (Maintenance Total – 500 = (To lose Fat)
Math Tip: Change Percent Below into Decimals when mutliplying so 30% would be .3)
2. Understanding a meal and certain foods calorie content. (Coming Soon)
3. An easy way to keep a Journal to learn from. (Coming Soon
Part 2: Inexpensive/Quick Calorie Dense Snack Ideas
Introductions: To gain muscle you need calorie dense snacks to munch on throughout the day, these are some great options:
1. The Protein Pancake: Muscle Building Staple.
Cook like a pancake and bring along however many you need to get your carbs and protein in for the day. Tips: (Walmart 8 dollar 70 pack of eggs in a big box).
2. The Rice Patty: Cardio Conditioning staple.
Watch this video to make these: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bslh-cJnGzs
This is from: The Feed Zone Cook Book: Fast food for Athletes
3. Homemade Protein bar – Energy and Muscle
Wet ingredients
(Try this once you perfected the above: add another ¼ honey, ¼ applesauce, 4 teaspoons spirulina, ¼ milk, cup of oat flour, ¼ cup protein powder; this is what I did with the bar I gave you; the recipe above is perfected; sometimes I mess with it when adding things.)
1. The Protein Pancake: Muscle Building Staple.
- Three eggs (If losing weight use the whites)
- 1 cup of quick oats.
- Maple Syrup or Brown Sugar(start with ¼ cup for first batch; add more/less next time if you like.)
Cook like a pancake and bring along however many you need to get your carbs and protein in for the day. Tips: (Walmart 8 dollar 70 pack of eggs in a big box).
2. The Rice Patty: Cardio Conditioning staple.
- Calrose OR Medium or Short Grain Rice (Basically Sushi Rice; “Sticky Rice”)
- Bragg’s Amino’s (You can use Soy Sauce as well.)
- Maple Syrup
- Cooked Bacon (2 Per patty)
- Balsamic Vinegar.
Watch this video to make these: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bslh-cJnGzs
This is from: The Feed Zone Cook Book: Fast food for Athletes
3. Homemade Protein bar – Energy and Muscle
Wet ingredients
- 1 cup of peanut butter
- ¼ cup applesauce
- ¼ cup honey.
- ¼ cup of milk
- ¼ cup of chia seeds (Walmart)
- ¼ chocolate chips.
- 2 cups of quick oats
- Optional - 1 cup of chocolate protein powder OR unflavored whey powder ½ cup.
(Try this once you perfected the above: add another ¼ honey, ¼ applesauce, 4 teaspoons spirulina, ¼ milk, cup of oat flour, ¼ cup protein powder; this is what I did with the bar I gave you; the recipe above is perfected; sometimes I mess with it when adding things.)
Example Meal Plan
Even if you are cutting weight you still NEED to get three meals and three smaller snacks in everyday! If you can’t make weight or you are not mentally and physically strong enough for competition; it is because you are not getting meals in OR you are not running the required number or miles every day; your are not flow wrestling to lose weight; or you’re not tracking your anaerobic capacity.) Remember below is just a idea; make sure you get the necessary food groups in at each point during the day is the more important part about this. Remember if you are cutting weight; cut down on carbs and use fat for energy; butter in coffee with honey before a workout, dairy, sugar only before working out intensely.)
Morning: 3 eggs Jimmy’s Dean sausage and hot sauce, 2 pieces of bread or a bagel, a banana OR protein pancake. A protein shake.
(1 egg= 6 grams of protein.) (1 Bagel or bowl of oatmeal = 48g of carbs.) (1 Banana = 27g carbs)
Brunch: Homemade Protein bar OR fruit/shake.
(11 gram protein bar and about 50g of carbs.) (About 27g carbs in serving of fruit)
Lunch: Cold Cut Sandwich OR protein pancake OR 6oz chicken breast, salad. Rice or pasta.. Protein Shake.
(6oz slice of chicken breast = 52g of protein) (1 bowl of rice = 45g of carbs) (Protein shake 30g of protein. . . more carbs if you buy a protein shake with carbs)
Snack: Protein Bar. (50g of carbs and 10 grams of protein.) or shake/fruit.
Dinner: Meat, Rice or pasta, potatoes. (Other: fried chicken, taco’s, fish, fried or cooked liver should be eaten at least once a week, fish should be eaten once a week.)
(Steak: 42g of protein for 6 oz, 1 cup of pasta = 40g of carbs)
Depending on how you set this up; this protein meal has ROUGHLY:
This meal plan has about: 150grams of protein
Carbs: 197g
Fat: Don’t worry; Eat Fat.
Tips: Always eat fish one day out of every week. Always drink chicken broth at least once a week. Always make enough dinner to save for lunch the next day for time efficiency.
Morning: 3 eggs Jimmy’s Dean sausage and hot sauce, 2 pieces of bread or a bagel, a banana OR protein pancake. A protein shake.
(1 egg= 6 grams of protein.) (1 Bagel or bowl of oatmeal = 48g of carbs.) (1 Banana = 27g carbs)
Brunch: Homemade Protein bar OR fruit/shake.
(11 gram protein bar and about 50g of carbs.) (About 27g carbs in serving of fruit)
Lunch: Cold Cut Sandwich OR protein pancake OR 6oz chicken breast, salad. Rice or pasta.. Protein Shake.
(6oz slice of chicken breast = 52g of protein) (1 bowl of rice = 45g of carbs) (Protein shake 30g of protein. . . more carbs if you buy a protein shake with carbs)
Snack: Protein Bar. (50g of carbs and 10 grams of protein.) or shake/fruit.
Dinner: Meat, Rice or pasta, potatoes. (Other: fried chicken, taco’s, fish, fried or cooked liver should be eaten at least once a week, fish should be eaten once a week.)
(Steak: 42g of protein for 6 oz, 1 cup of pasta = 40g of carbs)
Depending on how you set this up; this protein meal has ROUGHLY:
This meal plan has about: 150grams of protein
Carbs: 197g
Fat: Don’t worry; Eat Fat.
Tips: Always eat fish one day out of every week. Always drink chicken broth at least once a week. Always make enough dinner to save for lunch the next day for time efficiency.
Using Food/Supplements to Manage Stress and Energy Levels
Aloha Medicinals Cordyceps pills before practice or high intensity exercise are a great and safe way to always have a strong workout. Mix consistent doses of Rhodiola Rosea (mild herbal stimulant) with Cordyceps for a nice synergistic effect.
Creatine is fine to use, but make sure you are consistent with it and do not take more than the recommended dose ever.
Turmeric Golden Milk is a great drink to take before bed or when eating carbs that will not bog you down in the morning and stop you from getting tired from eating carbs.
Another safe herb that can be used after practice to relax and relieve moderate pain is called Ashwaganda or White Willow bark (herbal form of ibuprofen) for more severe pain and swelling, don't take for more than a couple days. Rest injured muscles.
Creatine is fine to use, but make sure you are consistent with it and do not take more than the recommended dose ever.
Turmeric Golden Milk is a great drink to take before bed or when eating carbs that will not bog you down in the morning and stop you from getting tired from eating carbs.
Another safe herb that can be used after practice to relax and relieve moderate pain is called Ashwaganda or White Willow bark (herbal form of ibuprofen) for more severe pain and swelling, don't take for more than a couple days. Rest injured muscles.
Protecting the Skin
During the season we are more prone to acne and skin infections of all kinds to prevent this we need to take some precautions.
1. If you have cut or skin abrasion keep a bottle of Hibiclens in your shower. This should also be used on your entire body when a team member or opposing team has had a recent break out of some bacterial infection. Hibiclens can also be used to cure acne (Other acne specific treatments in include: Epsom salt and warm water on acne area and for a big bad pimple cotton swab with alcohol and triple antibiotic ointment applied afterwards.
2. Since Hibiclens can dry out the skin rub coconut oil on the skin after practice before bed to prevent bacteria from growing. Add a couple drop of tea tree oil to the coconut oil to make it more powerful. A couple of drops of Tea tree oil can also be added to your daily shampoo to clean your hair of bacteria.
1. If you have cut or skin abrasion keep a bottle of Hibiclens in your shower. This should also be used on your entire body when a team member or opposing team has had a recent break out of some bacterial infection. Hibiclens can also be used to cure acne (Other acne specific treatments in include: Epsom salt and warm water on acne area and for a big bad pimple cotton swab with alcohol and triple antibiotic ointment applied afterwards.
2. Since Hibiclens can dry out the skin rub coconut oil on the skin after practice before bed to prevent bacteria from growing. Add a couple drop of tea tree oil to the coconut oil to make it more powerful. A couple of drops of Tea tree oil can also be added to your daily shampoo to clean your hair of bacteria.