I was wondering what your opinion was of eggs. I eat them a couple times a week but was thinking of incorporating them more often. What would you say about that? I am eating the whole egg but I have heard a lot of people say that there is too much fat and cholesterol in them. Please let me know how I can put them in my diet.
John Wilson
A: Eggs are no doubt one of the best foods powerlifters can eat. This is because of many different reasons. First off they are high in protein. One large egg contains about 75 calories, 7 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat and 0 grams of carbs. The next thing that is great about eggs is the Biological Value. They have a BV score of 100.
Until whey made it to the scene they had the highest rating of any protein food source. Yes, they are higher than chicken, steak and fish. The quality of the protein in eggs is no doubt of the highest quality available. Next eggs are pretty cheap as well. For those striving students out there or those on a budget, eggs can be very helpful in getting your protein in without having to mortgage your house just to pay the grocery bill.
The only thing we have to watch with eggs is the cholesterol content in the yolk. One egg yolk contains about 212mg of cholesterol. The good thing is that all the fat and cholesterol content is only found in the yolk. This means that you can eat all the egg whites you want without it affecting your blood profile. I personally eat egg whites on a daily basis.
I usually have 12-16 for breakfast or sometimes I will do them at night as my nighttime meal. I will usually throw in a couple yolks for the nighttime meal, as the saturated fat in the yolk will slow down the absorption of the protein during my sleep. Thereby keeping me in an anti-catabolic state during the night. Egg whites should be a part of every powerlifter's meal plan.
The main thing to remember is to make sure that you limit the number of yolks if you have a cholesterol problem. Another thing that you have to watch out for is cooking them properly. Salmonella poisoning is something I am sure that many of you have had in the past and you all know this is not a fun scenario in the least. This is one reason why drinking raw eggs is not a good idea.
I know you all want to be like Rocky and drink down the raw eggs but it won't be a good idea. Now a lot of people use the pasteurized egg and egg whites that are found in the egg section of your grocery store. These are very good for those making egg white omelets because you don't have to break any shells and then separate the yolk from the white. No mess, and no headaches.
Now some people have asked me can they drink the pasteurized whites since this would neutralize the salmonella. The answer is yes but what you have to watch out for here is that when you consume raw eggs, they will actually leach out one very important vitamin and this is Biotin. This vitamin plays an important role in many functions in the body so drinking raw eggs can lead to a deficiency. The next thing is that drinking your eggs instead of cooking them actually prevents the body from fully absorbing all the protein from the egg.
Only about half of the protein actually gets absorbed. So this is another thing that you have to look out for when drinking them. The last thing you have to watch out for is the foul disgusting stench that will follow you around like you were concealing a New York sewer in your back pocket.
The gas that you will get from doing raw eggs will keep you lonely many a nights, that is a guarantee. Your wives will be kicking you out of bed and you will be spending the night with your dog but even he won't be able to stay with you for long. Believe me it will be so bad you won't know what happened.
To make things worse because of the sulfur content in the eggs the gas you have will not only be among the foulest things you have ever smelled, but it will linger forever. You will lay one on and twenty minutes later you will go back in the room and it will still be there.
Believe me, your wife will leave you, your kids will disown you and even Fido will not want your companionship anymore. Not only that but in high doses the sulfur smell will even come out in your sweat. All around it's not a pretty scene especially for all your loved ones. Hey, you may like your own brand like Fat Bastard said in Austin Powers but believe me no one else will. So to keep the marriage in tact, and your kids still wanting you to show up at their baseball games, cook your eggs don't drink them.
Q: I first would like to say that I loved your column in the last issue (April). I first off want to commend you on answering the question about the gentleman with the elevated liver enzymes in a very appropriate and professional manner. I am also a chemically enhanced lifter and it was nice to see that there is someone out there that is looking out for our health.
Most of the time all you get from people is snide remarks about the performance enhancement side of our sport. I would really like to thank you for going out of your way and answering such an important question. I have used gear for over ten years off and on, and my health is always of top concern.
I am very interested in becoming one of your clients for not only the nutritional consultations but also for my health maintenance and cleansing programs that you offer. I know that you have a very busy schedule but if you have any openings please let me know how I can get in touch with you.
I will have one thing to say and that we as powerlifters are very lucky to have someone like you. Not only to help educate us on the finer points of sports nutrition, but for the sincere fact that you are watching out for us instead of just criticizing our choice to be enhanced lifters.
Joe Wallace
A: Hey Joe its good to hear from you. I am glad you liked last month's column. I always try to provide new and interesting ideas to the magazine. I know that the question in regards to reducing his liver enzyme level was one that was quite serious in nature. This is the reason why I thought it would be a good idea to include it in my column.
Yes its true that I do my best to get you guys to squat and deadlift a lot more from my nutritional methodology, but I have always emphasized that your health is even more important. I know a lot of hardcore guys may think of that as the last thing, but in reality it should be priority number one.
When you are young and strong you feel like you can take on the world. Combine that with a jacked up testosterone level and the ability to throw around 800 pounds on your back like it was a broomstick can sometimes make you fell indestructible. But the sad reality of life is that all it takes is one small mistake or sickness and all your empire of strength and power can be brought down in an instant.
This is why that I always reinforce with my athletes that you have to look out for number one and that is your long-term health. In regards to the whole drug free or chemical enhanced situation in powerlifting I feel that our sport is the best out there. IF you are drug free then you compete with the drug-tested organizations.
IF you decide to use gear then you can compete with those organizations that don't test. Its not like a lot of other sports that are just purely hypocritical trying to say they are drug free when you know like hell they are just lying and getting around the test by using masking drugs and different methods to pass the test. Professional football, baseball and the Olympics come to mind.
This is just a media scam to help their sport get more accepted in the mainstream. The whole drug testing thing that went on with the pro bodybuilders in the early 90's was just that. Everyone knew they were still gassed to the max but it just made a mockery of the sport in the hopes that they would get some Olympic recognition.
Which as you can see failed miserably since I don't see bodybuilding in the Olympics. This is why I respect the sport of powerlifting a lot more than other sports. I believe we are realists and know that there are two different areas of our sport. I don't get caught up in the politics of drug free or assisted as in my opinion everyone has a choice to do as they please. I am not one of those guys that goes around bashing people because they are assisted or drug free. IT makes no difference to me and I don't look at anyone or judge anyone because the choice they have made when it comes to this topic.
In regards to working with you for private nutritional design please contact me so we can discuss exactly what you are looking to do. As you probably already know I just launched my exclusive Nutrition XP3 Kit geared for powerlifters.
Another new plan that I will be launching is my new Power Cleanse XP3 program. This is a complete program that is focused on cleansing the body of impurities and toxins that have built up over time. This is due to such factors of not eating improperly and chemical enhancement. The combination of this can build up a boatload of toxins and carcinogens in the body.
This down the road will set you up for a variety of nice health ailments that can lead to some serious diseases. The Power Cleanse XP3 program will focus on improving the quality of your health and protect different organs of the body from the strain that you have put on it over the years.
This program is a must for all chemically enhanced lifters that care about keeping their body working like a fine-tuned machine on the inside and out. I can't stress enough how important it is to take care of your health especially those that are using pharmaceuticals to increase their performance.
My unique system will help detoxify the body and cleanse out impurities you never even knew you had in you. IF you read last month's column about the gentlemen that performed one of my cleanses then you will know what I am talking about. Get back to me ASAP so we can get started on your nutrition plan and then organize your specific cleansing protocols around your training and pharmaceutical cycles to keep you running like a freight train.
Q: Hey nutrition man I just wanted to drop you a line to let you know that I think your column sucks! This is powerlifting, not some journal of dietetics. IF I wanted to learn more about nutrition I would stop by Weight Watchers. You mentioned that you have some doubters out there so I will let you know that I am your number one doubter.
Come on, this whole nutrition thing is so bodybuilder like it makes me want to go and throw up. Next you will be telling us to shave off our body hair and rub oil all over ourselves. I included a picture of myself here for you to take a look at. I am not any ripped up bodybuilder but I am not a slob either.
I don't know what my body fat percentage is but it can't be much over 14 or 15% I would guess. IF all the powerlifting heroes of the past ate what they wanted to without following a customized plan then you can forget about me trying out one of your wuss-ass celery stick and rice cake diets. I am a real man and I eat like one so you can stuff all your new age "Cleanse This", Pilates style yuppie programs where the sun doesn't shine.
Up Yours!
A: Hey hold on here little buddy. I think you might have gotten your thong bikini tied in a knot so before you have a stroke, take a few deep breaths and step away from the pint of Hagen Daz that you have your furry knuckles wrapped around. So you don't like my column. Do you think it hurts my feelings? Do you think that I will lose some sleep tonight because a "Mr. Nobody" like you thinks differently then me. I could care less if you like my writing or not.
During my time here, I have gotten tons of positive response from lifters all over the world that are now incorporating my nutritional ideas into their powerlifting plans. If you think my theories are stupid then maybe you are the one who needs to get educated a little.
I am not here trying to force my ideas down your throat but I am here to help those who want to educate themselves on how to improve their performance through proper nutritional practices. Hey if you don't like my column don't read it. I am not holding a Mack 10 to your head making you read it every month.
Now from the picture that you sent me I will let you know you are not 14% bodyfat. I think your second chin is holding more than 14% body fat alone. You have more rolls than a bakery. I am telling you my good man you should put stock in WonderBra. From the sight of the photo you look like you are at least a D cup. Hey what's with those striped spandex you are wearing in the photo?
If that's what you wear out in public I am surprised you haven't been picked up for indecent exposure. You are just plain nasty at best and I haven't even started describing your attitude. No I don't want powerlifters to get all shaved down like bodybuilders. From the look of the picture, you look like you could put Sasquatch to shame with the amount of body hair you have.
At first I thought you were wearing a wool sweater, but when I looked closer it was just that you were covered in that nasty hair funk like it was some type of rug. I don't think you could use a razor on all that "Hair Moss" that you have covering your body. You would probably need a blowtorch just to get through the first few layers. Next I got to ask my self, why did you send a photo of yourself into me?
Was I supposed to look at it like you were some type of Greek Adonis and be so thankful a genetic specimen like yourself sent me in a nice color glossy photo? Did you think I was going to put it up on my fridge? I am only sad you didn't autograph it for me so I could pass it down generation after generation like some type of family heirloom. I will forever cherish your beautiful photo.
Please send me a couple wallet size photos so I can carry them with me at all times… NOT! Hey Mr. Tough Guy why didn't you include a name? Instead you just signed it with a foul remark. IF you are so proud of yourself "Mr. Furball" why didn't you include a name and phone number so we can discuss your theories on the nutritional sciences?
If you are such a "Scholar of Knowledge" let me know what your beliefs are on the application of nutrients for strength athletes. I would love to talk with you one on one but since I don't think your IQ is much higher than your shoe size then I don't think it would be worth much from an intellectual point of view. I will say that if you had as many brain cells as you do fat cells, you would put Albert Einstein to shame.
I don't know how you came up with the conclusion that my nutritional plans are based around eating foods that won't increase your performance. All I can say is you are way off my friend. Now, if you have read my column you will know that the way I construct nutritional programs for my elite athletes is much different then some type of bodybuilding plan. If that were the case, none of my athletes would be getting any results at all. They would be digressing not progressing.
Just talk with any of my star clients and they will tell you what type of impact I have made on their training and performance. Many of my clients have hit all time bests in the gym and in competitions. Just ask one of my newer clients World Record Holder and Champion - Phil Harrington. He has hit some unreal numbers as of late under my nutritional guidance.
If you ask him he will tell you that since he started with me his numbers have been improving like never before. His recovery is better, his volume workload has increased, his body fat is lower, his endurance is up, and his strength has gone through the roof.
Give him a call or any of my other stars and they will let you know the 411 on how I have helped them reach new heights with their powerlifting careers. Just to let you know the types of plans that I have them on aren't rice cakes and celery sticks like you implied. Their meal plans are nutrient dense and power packed so that they will run like a Mack Truck. Your ignorance never seems to amaze me. If you knew anything about what I do then you would know that I am not some yuppie "Pilates" type geek who can't relate to the hardcore powerlifting scene.
I am not here trying to preach to you but all I will say is that if you open your eyes you will see that my theories can make a drastic improvement in your powerlifting total. I usually don't waste my time with questions like this because I know you are just trying to aggravate me.
I have had a few idiots like you write into me in the past, but I will say you are the biggest of them all so far. I am going to end it here because I know I will be just wasting my time with someone who is as ignorant as he looks. I would give you a few more put downs but I have figured Mother Nature has already done enough to you.
Your friend in Strength,
Anthony
Conclusion
Just to give you the heads up for the Nutrition XP3 Contest things are in full swing. Your time is almost up so keep training hard and get in your entry packages to me before they are due. Those of you are that are interested in the Nutrition XP3 Kit please feel free to contact me and I will let you know about availability. You can find out more at my website at www.NutritionXP3.com So until next month keep eating clean, train hard and if you see "Mr. Furball" give him a slap across the back of his head with your lever belt for me.