Nutrition & Supplement Spotlight: Coach Blaine’s “Loaded” Daily Nutrition & Supplement Plan

In my nutrition meetings with Actualize clients–after we’ve talked about goals and reviewed the 3-day dietary record we have new clients fill out to learn what their nutrition and supplementation looks like–they’ll often ask, “What does your nutrition and supplementation look like to stay lean and muscular?”

While most people’s health and fitness goals vary, most people’s body composition goals are three-fold: 1) Increase or maintain lean functional muscle 2) Decrease body fat (although some need to add body fat or maintain) 3) Feel confident and good about their self.

My reply to their “what do you do” body composition question goes something like, “That’s a loaded question. I will share the fundamentals of what I do today because that’s what you should be doing too. And when you begin practicing more often the principles that support your goals the majority of the time, and start actualizing your body composition goals, we can talk about what I mean by loaded. Let’s start with you making better choices more often first, and with your success over time through each step of the journey, we’ll evaluate the cost and discern if your picture of what you want is actually a lifestyle you can sustain and enjoy.”

Click here to learn about Actualize Nutrition Coaching.

What I’m really saying is, “I see what you want but you have no clue the cost, and it’s very possible when you learn the cost you will need to re-think your goals. So let’s start working toward your goals and learn what you really want as we go.”

In my experience of over 20 years of working with athletes and fitness enthusiasts, when it comes to body composition goals, most people have a distorted idea of what their goals are because they are basing them on the air-brushed model or elite athlete that gets glamorized in the media, or the so-called hacks to nutrition and sexy abs peddled by the latest fad diets or magic pill.

Our approach to nutrition coaching at Actualize is to help people disentangle from the junk, educate and equip clients to arrive at their own, unique health, fitness and nutrition goals, empower healthy mindsets and a plan that encourages action to set out on a journey to practice what a healthy and sustainable lifestyle looks like for them. We typically start with people using their hand to align with science for the body type, energy expenditure and age using:

We’ve found 99% of people need to start here before they can even entertain the loaded!

Juxtapose what I’ve shared above with a conversation I had recently with some young men who are very fit, eager and passionate about training and next level nutrition. They are already doing some of what I’ve shared above but can benefit from more intentionality that is rooted in science, but will require more cost, discipline and sacrifice than they are currently implementing. I still had the same conversation above with these guys, but discerned fast-tracking them into the loaded discussion could be helpful for them to discern if they are truly willing to do what is required to pursue their goals. As I journey forward with them, we’ll implement the same plan to evaluate the results and cost each step of journey. We’ll see if this group is the 1% of people who can handle the loaded!

What do I mean by loaded?

To share what I mean by loaded, I thought it would be fun exercise to share my nutrition and supplementation plan. I’ve rarely shared what I do, but when I have, I have been met with a disturbing look and “You do what?!”

To reiterate, for most people to actualize their health and fitness goals, they just need to commit to the 99% example shared above which we encourage through our Actualize Nutrition Coaching . And then there are the 1% who take things to the next level. But to be clear, of that 1%, there are many who do not approach what I’m going to share below in a healthy and sustainable manner–that’s a whole other journey in itself!

First, read this article by Prevision Nutrition, “The Cost of Getting Lean.”

There is no way I can throw up enough information on the page below to share what my daily nutrition and supplementation looks like. This is a high level glimpse.

It will first be helpful to know my goals so the “why” behind what I do makes sense.

Blaine’s Health & Fitness Goals

1. Live the healthiest version of myself re optimal general health, fitness, performance, reduced likelihood of injury, energy and vitality
2. Skeletel Muscle Mass: 97lb to 100lb
3. Body Fat %: 6-8%

I never focus on body weight. As long as I stay with the ranges of lean muscle and body fat above, which I know enables me to accomplish Goal #1, my body weight takes care of itself. I use the Inbody270 at Actualize to periodically quantify if my nutrition is coming alongside my training to actualize my goals. The metrics at the bottom of the report below show my progress over time.

 

I maintain 97lb-100lb of muscle on my skeletal system while ranging between 6-8% body fat. When I do this, my weight ranges between 180lb-187lb. I don’t primarily seek to look good in the mirror–although I do like being lean and want to feel confident in my skivvies too–but more importantly treat my body like the temple it is. I know when my body composition meets these objectives and I fuel myself accordingly, I meet my primary goal of being the  healthiest version of myself re optimal general health, fitness, performance, reduced likelihood of injury, energy and vitality. And at the end of the day, this is why I’m so disciplined, because when I first tasted operating at this level I never wanted to go back. But frankly, I’ve met very few people who can live this lifestyle for the long term.

My wife, Erin, would tell you I’m like clockwork. I never miss a meal or my supplementation. Here’s a look into what many would consider over-the-top but I have built into my lifestyle as a health and fitness professional in a sustainable and healthy manner. When I don’t follow this regimen, I notice a drastic reduction in my ability to align with goal #1 above.

A few things first:

• I don’t worry about calories or fat, I only focus on protein and carbs.
• I know for me to meet my lean muscle goal, I need to consume 1g-1.25g of protein per pound of body weight (depending on the type of training I’m doing). Right now I’m 180lbs and conducting an elite level of training, so I consume roughly 225g of protein per day. My protein always stays the same on training days and non-training days.
• I also know to attain my ideal body fat percentage and stay energized throughout the day–given what I’ve learned over my journey re my body type, energy expenditure and age–I should consume roughly the same amount of carbs as protein on training days (225g), and 50-100g less carbs per day on non-training days. I won’t share how I cycle carbs on non-training days.
• I also give myself one day per week where I forget everything shared below (typically Saturday), and another day where I eat only protein and veggies (typically Sunday). I omit the pre, intra and post training nutrition on non-training days.

Training Day Nutrition

30min Before Meal 1

• 1 scoop Athletic Greens Superfood. Vitamins, minerals, superfoods, adaptogens, antioxidants, probiotics, probiotics, digestive enzymes and more.s
• 1 scoop Ambrosia Nectar. Cellular support, liver and kidney cleansing & support, anti-aging anti-oxidant, LDL cholesterol reducer, improve insulin sensitivity, fight free radicals, support circulation, support urinary tract, omega-3 & omega-6 fatty acids, heart health, vascular health and more.
• 1 scoop Golden Era EAA/BCAA OR Golden Era BCAA. I’m going to eat in 30 minutes, but because I just fasted since my last meal the evening before, I want EAAs (Essential Amino Acids) and BCAAs (Branched Chain Amino Acids)–AKA the “building blocks of protein”–in me as fast as possible upon rising.
• 1 tablet R-ALA (Alpha Lipoic Acid). Helps control and support blood sugar levels and cholesterol, reduces inflammation by lowering C-reactive protein, reduces oxidative stress (primary cause of heart disease and memory loss) and more.

Meal 1

• 1 cup egg whites & 2 whole eggs w/salsa (~25g protein)
• Low fat cottage cheese or Salmon lox (~25g protein)
• 1/2 cup (training days) to 1/4 cup (non-training days) oatmeal (~35g carbs)
• 1 cup veggie of choice (~30g carbs)
• 2 large handfuls of spinach
• 1 Fish Oil. Omega-3 fatty acid
• 1 CLA (Congugated Lineolic Acid). Omega-6 fatty acid
• 3 Golden Era Joint Support. Glucosamine HCI, MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane), Collagen Type I&II, White Willow Bark Extract, Chondroitin Sulfate

Meal 2: 1-1.5hr Before Pre-Training Nutrition

• ~45g Lean Protein. Meat, poultry, fish, seafood
• ~40g Carbs. Veggies, starchy carbs, whole grains, legumes, fruit

Pre-Training Nutrition: 30min Before Workout

• 1 scoop Golden Era Protein Compound (~25g protein)
• 1/2 scoop Golden Era Creatine Monohydrate (2.5g) OR 1 scoop Golden Era Pre-Workout (if feeling the need for extra energy and performance; includes 3g Creatine Monohydrate).
• Highly branched cyclic dextrin or waxy maize starch (~25g carbs). Quick hitting sugar to provide energy for training and delivery system for the Creatine.

 

Intra-Training Nutrition: Sip During Workout

• If took Golden Era Creatine Monohydrate above: 1 scoop Golden Era EAA/BCAA
• If took Golden Era Pre-Workout above: 1 scoop Golden Era BCAA

 

 

 

 

Post-Training Nutrition: Immediately Following Workout

• 1 scoop Golden Era Protein Compound (~25g protein)
• Highly branched cyclic dextrin (~25g carbs)
• 1/2 scoop Golden Era Creatine Monohydrate (2.5g)
• 1 Actualize Foundation Pack. This once daily pack is your nutritional insurance card created by Actualize that includes a pharmaceutical grade and therpeutic dosed multi-vitamin and mineral complex, fish oil, probiotic, COQ10 and more.
• 1 tablet R-ALA (Alpha Lipoic Acid). Helps control and support blood sugar levels and cholesterol, reduces inflammation by lowering C-reactive protein, reduces oxidative stress (primary cause of heart disease and memory loss) and more.

Meal 3: 1-1.5hr After Post-Training Nutrition

• ~45g Lean Protein. Meat, poultry, fish, seafood
• ~40g Carbs. Veggies, starchy carbs, whole grains, legumes, fruit

Meal 4: 1.5hr Before Bed

• 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese (~13g protein, ~7g carb)
• 1 scoop Casein chocolate protein (~25g)
• 1/4 cup oats (~17g)
• splash of milk to add moisture
• 1-2 TBSP organize peanut or almond butter (~8g protein, ~7g carb)
• 1 packet Stevia
• 1 Fish Oil. Omega-3 fatty acid
• 1 CLA (Congugated Lineolic Acid). Omega-6 fatty acid

Before Bed:

• 3 ZMA. Zinc, Magnesium, Vitamin B6

Notes

• I reduce and cycle carbs on my non-training days
• All supplements mentioned are available at Actualize

Chances are what I’m doing is way too loaded for you–the cost is real and not for everybody, and that’s ok. You might be like 99% of the people pursuing their health and fitness goals, and our approach to nutrition at Actualize for most people may be more up your alley. Actualize would love to join you on your journey to explore, discover and actualize your purposes and potential in health, fitness and life–whether you’re the 99% or 1%!

Coach Blaine

PS – Stay tuned for Coach Jenny’s Daily Nutrition & Supplement Plan coming soon!

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