Tag: Eating

Resources by Conor HeffernanJun 3, 20191:22 pm

Before the Carnivore Diet? Rheo H. Blair’s Meat and Water Diet (1960s)

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The Carnivore Diet – the practice of solely consuming meat products – has grown exponentially in the past few years. As someone who has experimented with a range of diets, everything from all fruit to raw meat, it’s remarkable to see an all meat diet gain traction for the lifting community and the general populace. While Vilhjamur Stefannsson popularised the Inuit’s meat dominated diet in the early 1900s, an all meat diet for athletes or lifters appears to be a new development.

So being the type of individual that I am, I decided to go through the annals of bodybuilding and see if anyone had dabbled with a carnivore-esque diet in the past. Echoing the wonderful ‘nothing new under the sun series‘ produced by Chaos and Pain (definitely not safe for work!), we have a precedent for the current carnivore diet in the form of Vince Gironda and Rheo H. Blair’s ‘meat and water’ diet, a short term weight loss diet used by bodybuilders prior to a competition.

With that in mind today’s post examines the reasons behind Blair’s experiment, the bodybuilders he used it on and what lessons, if any, his meat and water diet holds for present day lifters.

Triple H, ‘Eating on the Road’, Triple H’s Approach to a Better Body (New York, 2000)

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Thanks to a schedule that keeps me on the road over two hundred days out of the year, this area has become my specialty. Charles Glass and one of his partners, noted nutritionist Mike Watson, have given me so much valuable guidance related to eating, but none may have been more important for me than their ability to get me over my fear of fast food. The fact is, you should always go with real food over supplements. So if you have to choose between another protein bar or a stop at Wendy’s … pull over at Wendy’s. Just be careful of what you order.

Resources by Conor HeffernanFeb 13, 20194:14 pm

Irvin Johnson’s Scientific Body Building and Nutrition Course (1951)

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Better known as Rheo H. Blair, Irvin Johnson was one of the foremost bodybuilding nutritionists of the 1950s and 60s. Producing one of the most sought after protein powders in the Iron Game, Blair was lauded for his nutritional knowhow and ability to achieve seemingly unbelievable weight gain amongst his clients.

Bearing that in mind, today’s short post details a sample eating plan from Johnson’s ‘Scientific Bodybuilding and Nutrition Course’, a mail order course produced in 1951 which promised to increase reader’s weight and muscle mass if followed correctly.

Similar to the ‘Get Big Drink‘ previously covered, the diet acts as a timely reminder that calories are needed for muscle gain. And that a systemised eating plan is often the easiest method of going about this. Enjoy!

Nutrition by Conor HeffernanOct 18, 20181:15 am

Eat like a Saxon!

Those acquainted with the history of Physical Culture will no doubt recall the Saxon brothers, a travelling troupe of German strongmen who performed at the turn of the twentieth century. Blessed with remarkable physiques, the trio’s mighty strength was undoubtedly aided by their healthy appetite for food and drink. In fact, as today’s brief post shows, the trio consumed a gargantuan amount of food even by today’s standards.

According to Kurt Saxon, who acted as the trio’s chef on the road, a normal day’s consumption for each individual man was as follows:

Resources by Conor HeffernanMay 30, 20187:07 am

Irvin Johnson’s Scientific Body Building and Nutrition Course (1951)

rheoblair

Resources by Conor HeffernanApr 2, 20188:48 am

Guest Post: Four Ancient Diets that Work Even Today

5 Craziest diet ancient diet that people have forgotten-1

What are the first thoughts that run through your head when you hear the word “diet”? The cravings, the hunger, the New Year’s resolution, maybe? Mainly, people tend to think about their efforts to shed some weight and the struggle that accompanies such endeavors.

However, on second thought, you may realize that the word “diet” has many more meanings and associations that go beyond the trying to lose weight. Simply put, diet is the way you eat. This can be influenced by your preferences, but can also be influenced by your health, religion, or even your ethics.

Nutrition by Conor HeffernanSep 26, 20171:04 pm

Eat like a Saxon!

According to Kurt Saxon, who acted as the trio’s chef on the road, a normal day’s consumption for each individual man was as follows:

Resources by Conor HeffernanAug 30, 20174:27 pm

Irvin Johnson’s Scientific Body Building and Nutrition Course (1951)

rheoblair

Nutrition by Conor HeffernanJul 21, 20173:37 pm

Your Body Is An Engine, Give It The Right Fuel

If you put diesel into a petrol engine, your car isn’t going to run properly. Your body is exactly the same. If you want it to run at peak performance, you need to put the right fuel into it. We all know the benefits of cutting fat out of your diet, but too often, we focus on what we shouldn’t be putting in our bodies instead of what we should. It isn’t always about calories and protein; there are so many different parts of your body that all have their own specific requirements, and they all contribute to the overall state of your health. Building muscle and burning fat is only part of the battle, you need to start eating these foods to make sure everything else is in perfect working order.

Resources by Conor HeffernanMay 9, 201712:55 am

Guest Post: Cutting the Fat: Does Restrictive Dieting Work

There are countless restrictive diets on the market and more are being created each and every day. These diets claim to drop pounds in a short space of time so that people can shed any excess fat without having to follow an exercise regimen.

What is a Restrictive Diet?

Restrictive diets are defined as diets with a calorie restriction, which can be achieved through following a strict diet plan or cutting out an entire food group. Diets, like people, come in all shapes and sizes. Crash diets cause rapid weight-loss over a few weeks but the daily calorie intake is dangerously low and unsustainable.