Fiber and the Bodybuilder
By Chad Coy
Jimmy is a top-level amateur bodybuilder and he is dieting for a competition. His diet
will last for 16 weeks and in the past he has come on stage at
around 5% body fat but wants to come in at about 3.5% body fat. Jimmy
has had problems with constipation throughout his entire body building career.
Years and years of chicken, rice, vegetables,
potatoes, and protein powder have done wonders for his leanness,
but the constipation has literally become just another workout.
Jimmy has subsequently searched for advice on this matter and some
how he found his way to the doorstep of HDT looking for answers.
Here are some of the questions that we asked Jimmy to help him
dial in his physique and relieve his problem.
Chad: Jimmy how much fiber do you eat every day?
Jimmy: I really could not tell you!
Chad: Do you know how many calories, grams of protein-carbs-and fat you eat...how about the water and supplements you take?
Jimmy: Of course I know that stuff! I have to know that to get into shape.
Chad: What if I told you that fiber is just as important to getting shredded as anything else.
Jimmy: At this point I will try anything to pull off those last few pounds of FAT!
Chad: Jimmy did you know that by having enough fiber in your diet you could alleviate the constipation that you have always had,
decrease your body fat, enhance protein absorption, detox the digestive tract, decrease your chances for heart disease, and help your
body better utilize the carbohydrates that you eat?
Jimmy: Fiber does all that? Why doesn't everyone eat more fiber?
Chad: Yes. Fiber helps with all those things! Most people just don't eat
enough of the right foods that contain soluble fiber. You see,
there are two types of fiber; soluble and insoluble. We get insoluble from
cellulose in the vegetables we eat, and although it is a fiber,
it does not attract water to it like soluble fiber does. You see,
soluble fiber comes from foods like oatmeal, legumes and other whole
grains. As most bodybuilders get close to a show they cut down on
the amount of whole grains they are eating so they can keep
getting leaner and this works, but by doing this most bodybuilders end up constipated.
Jimmy: I know. I have been there and there is nothing worse than not being able to use the bathroom. I usually end up with
hemorrhoids the last month or so before a show!
Chad: Jimmy that is a visual that I really did not need, but I think it will get the point across. You see Jimmy, soluble fiber attracts water
and then absorbs it making the soluble fiber expand. When this happens the fiber then scrapes the colon and collects the undigested
food that is in the gut and passes it! Just a little fact, the average adult in the western world is carrying at least 5 pounds of
undigested food in their digestive tract! Just think how much better your abs will look once you clean yourself out! You could
achieve the above by just eating the whole grains, but then you might not be so ripped. There are several commercial products on the
market that would get you the fiber that you need, but they either taste like sawdust or they are
loaded with sugar so that you can get
them down.
Jimmy: I can eat just about anything if I know it will help, but I can't afford to take in too many calories and after eating 16 weeks of
dry chicken and no sweets I would want something that tastes good!
Chad: I have been there. That is why HDT developed the
FIBER-PSYLL
product. I used to just use the straight Psyllium, but that is like
eating cardboard. After awhile I just say "forget it!".
HDT started
their research into fiber about a year ago and after some digging found a
product named Fibersol II made by a Japanese firm known as MATSUTANI.
Fibersol II is a spray-dried powder produced by the pyrolysis and controlled enzymatic hydrolosis
of cornstarch.
Although this stuff comes from corn and has to be labeled as
maltodextrin, it is a 90% soluble fiber which means that it has much
fewer calories as a normal maltodextrin has! In fact, HDT's
product has 14 grams of total carbohydrates and only 25 calories thanks to
the Fibersol II.
Fibersol II is tasteless, dissolves
instantly in water and helps maintain healthy intestinal
regularity.
With over ten years of research Fibersol II has been shown to:
maintain normal, healthy levels of serum cholesterol and blood triglycerides,
help maintain normal, healthy blood glucose levels, and
help maintain normal, healthy intestinal regularity.
One serving of FiberPsyll has a whopping
12 grams of dietary fiber... that is roughly 50% of what doctors recommend
for a healthy colon! This fiber is split between Fibersol
II and an extremely fine ground Psyllium husk seed.
While passing through the intestines, psyllium swells, acting like
a sponge to gather and remove intestinal matter. This stimulates
and lubricates the bowels and helps move waste through the
colon.
Fiber-Psyll
tastes like a light and pulpy lemonade. My wife won't
use hardly any product - and she even likes this stuff!
Like I had said before,
eating enough fiber can alleviate the constipation that you have
always had, decrease your body fat, enhance protein absorption,
detox the digestive tract, decrease your chances for heart disease,
and help your body better utilize the carbohydrates that you eat!
These are not just some claims made up to hype the product.
These have been proven through University research!
So Jimmy, in
essence, you need to take at least one serving of HDT
Fiber-Psyll daily. Better yet, take 2 servings!
Chad Coy is a graduate from Purdue University with extensive studies in
exercise physiology and nutrition. From 1991-1992 Chad was the
Undergraduate Strength and Conditioning Coach for Purdue, as he pursued
his semipro Football career from 1991-1998. Chad spent his early years
in the Dietary Supplement Industry working for a Natural Products
Distributor while writing for many health and sports nutrition magazines
and professional journals. Chad played a key role in developing the
Human Development Technologies line and is currently employed as their
head of Research and Development. Owning his own Powerhouse Gym in
Kokomo Indiana, Chad is a member of the US Strength Team, the 2001
Alternate for the WORLD'S STRONGEST MAN held in Zambia, Africa and is
training to qualify for the 2002 World Strongman Competition. Chad has
competed in and placed at many power lifting competitions and strongman
events, and he uses this forum to lecture throughout the country on
training, nutrition and motivational topics.
ON CYCLE and OFF CYCLE
ZonePerfect Bars
McCann's Irish Oatmeal
Pro42 Bar
EAS Myoplex
ThickenThin not/Starch thickener
HairAway Hair Remover and Inhibitor
EAS Myoplex Plus Deluxe Bar
FIBER-Psyll
Printer-friendly format