ATHLETE DIET PROFILE: JOSH M.
Josh M is up next on our Feed The Beast Athlete Diet Profile. Josh gives us some solid insight on what he eats, how much he takes down daily, a sample of his daily menu and then he signs off with some solid Looney Tunes/Anchor Man style advice. Take a look at how this 2-time Regionals athlete and 4-time River Ruckus champ stays on top of his nutrition game...
How would you classify your diet (Zone, Paleo, Flexible Dieting, Macros, etc.)?
I would classify my diet as a combination of a few of the above diets. Each meal that I eat, I try to incorporate as much whole foods, unprocessed, nutrient-dense foods as possible. I have a general idea of the macros that I need each day, so I try to hit those numbers as best I can. I would say on a daily basis, I shoot to eat approximately 380-400g Carbs, 220-250g Protein, and 80-100g of fat. To hit these numbers, I eat several small meals (probably 6-7) throughout the day.
Would you say your intake is more quantity or quality based?
I would have to say both. The idea of hitting my macros each day is for the intent to sustain my body and give my body the nutrients and energy that it needs to lift hard, and recover day in and day out. So quantity is important. But I believe that quality is just as important. If I want to perform at a high level, I need the right foods; whole, nutrient-dense, nourishing foods that give me the most bang for the buck. For instance, instead of eating simple sugars such as cereal, pop tarts, white bread etc. throughout the day to reach my carbohydrate goal, I choose to eat more dense, slow digesting carbs that will sustain me throughout the day such as sweet potatoes, 100% whole wheat oatmeal, brown rice, etc..
What does a typical day of food look like for you (types of food and/or amounts, timing around workouts...just a typical diet plan for a regular training day)?
A typical day for me looks as follows:
Upon waking; 1 scoop of protein (Approx. 25 g protein), 1 Apple, 10 almonds
Breakfast: 1 Whole Egg, 4 Egg whites, 1 cup of oatmeal, 1 Banana, 1 tbs. Peanut butter
Snack: 1 Can of Tuna, 8-10 ounces of sweet potato, 20 almonds
Lunch: 6 ounces of grilled chicken or chuck steak, 2-3 cups of broccoli, ½ Avocado, Cup of grapes or 1 apple
Snack (approx. 1.5 hrs before training): 1 can of tuna, 10-12 ounces sweet potato, 15 almonds
Post-workout: 1.5 scoops of protein (30-40g), 50-60g of maltodextrin
Dinner: 5 ounces of chicken or steak, approx. 1-2 cups of rice, 1 tbs. peanut butter, 4-6 ounces of milk
Does your diet change depending on the amount of training that day?
Yes. If I train more than once a day, I try to increase my carbohydrates by approximately 40-50g. My protein and fats may increase slightly, but not too much. Also, anytime that I train, I try to up my carbohydrates before and after I lift to ensure that I am giving my body enough energy to lift hard and recover throughout the week.
Do you implement a cheat meal? If so...when, how often and what are you eating?
Oh yeah! In the past, I admit that my cheat meals on the weekends may have gotten a little out of control (approx. 2-3 cartons of ice cream). But here recently, I have tried to cut down on the mount of cheats. I would say right now I may have a ½ pint of ice cream on Saturday night, and usually ½ pint on Sunday. And I usually eat ATLEAST one bowl of cereal on the weekend at some point too. I do eat out a few times on the weekends, but for the most part I try to make pretty good choices that are not going to diminish my good eating throughout the week. For instance, I may get a hamburger Saturday evening for dinner, but instead of French fries, I may get sweet potato fries or just get mixed vegetables.
What are you current diet goals?
I weigh around 185 – 190 lbs. pretty much year around. My diet goals are basically just to maintain my body weight though out the year. If I lose or gain weight throughout the year, I am not overly concerned. My main goal is to be healthy by implementing a healthy diet, workout regime, and getting proper sleep. I think people get too caught up on the scale, when they should be more concerned about their body composition, how they feel, and focusing on being as healthy as possible.
What is your biggest diet challenge (family, time, prep, etc.)?
I would say the biggest challenge in dieting (eating healthy) is discipline. You have to make a conscience decision every week to make good, healthy choices when it comes to what you put in your body. And this starts with prep. Either Saturday or Sunday of every week I go to the store and buy everything that I will need to last me all week. Sunday night I will cook all of the meat that I will need for the following week (chicken, steak, etc.) at work, and I will eat it for lunch each day. I also will boil approx. 30 eggs to take with me to work for snacks throughout the week. And then I will take my sweet potatoes, almonds, peanut butter, fruits etc. with me to work so that I will have foods available at all times throughout the day. If you make the decision to plan ahead and ensure that you always have some healthy foods to eat at least a day in advance, I find it much easier to keep yourself accountable to eating healthier throughout the week.
And that’s all folks. Stay classy CFS!