The Chemist, the Chef, and the Natural Amateur Bodybuilder

By Brady Brewer

Meat-head. Gym rat. Muscleman. In my life these are no antics of name-calling, but complements to what some call their hobby. They are badges of honor. Some don’t just lift weights, it isn’t a just a hobby). Therefore, I am not simply a meathead. I am a biochemist. I am not simply a muscleman. I am a top chef. I am not the average gym rat. I am a champion.  I am an all-natural amateur bodybuilder.

It’s 4:45 a.m. and the alarm is screaming from across the room. Get up! Get up! Snooze. Fifteen minutes feel like fifteen seconds, and as each foot hits the floor a growling stomach becomes louder, louder.  The tiles of the kitchen floor are cold! The lights bright to my unadjusted eyes, but reaching in the fridge I can already taste the pumpkin protein pancakes. Thank you, oh giver of food modification, for this delightfully tasty version of a pancake that is choc-full of protein, and tastes just like mother’s pumpkin bread.

Pumping iron is only part of the equation when it comes to chiseling a magazine-worthy physique that is vital to a bodybuilder, nor is the diet. It is controversial in today’s society which is more important, diet or exercise. Both sides could be argued logically while keeping health, weight loss, and general well-being into context. However, in my world, they are equally important.

What I fuel my body with and when, affects the overall outcome of my appearance, just as much as the countless hours I spend in the gym. In an interview with Precision Nutrition, Carter Schoffer summed up the necessity and equality of both pieces. “Nutrition is 100 percent important just as exercise is 100 percent important. They both are necessary, and there is no room for fractions of importance, it’s an absolute.”

With this mindset, I realize that to achieve my goal I must surrender to my alarm clock in order to fuel the day’s workout, and consequently my progress.  I’ve now covered the importance of nutrition, but there is still a piece to the puzzle that is ever so important, nutrient timing. Nutrient timing is just as pertinent as what you eat in the hierarchy of nutrition. This is where the biochemist in me comes out. 

Optimizing workouts, and building the greatest amount of lean muscle mass, requires obedience to certain rules when it comes to what I eat and when. For example, when cutting for competition the majority of my carbohydrate are consumed around my workout, and they’re all complex. Complex carbohydrates come from sources such as oats (1/2 cup = 27 g), sweet potatoes (1/2 of a medium = 25 g), and brown rice (1 cup = 46 g) to name a few.

For example, the allotted amount of carbohydrate for the day is 75 grams, and the workout is scheduled for 3 p.m. It is optimal to eat 25 g by two hours pre-workout with a source of protein, and consume the other 50 g intra (during), or post workout. On the other hand, the workout is at 6:30 or 7 a.m. so it’s fitting to wake up at 5, eat the pancakes, digest, and be ready to rock-and-roll. Obtaining carbohydrate from any one of those sources allows muscle glycogen to fill up, thereby fueling the machine and facilitating the best workout possible.

While complex carbs are an absolute staple, they must be consumed with adequate protein to take full advantage of their power 

On a muscle building diet “adequate protein” is one and a half grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. For some, this will total up to 250-300 grams or more of protein! To name a few protein sources:  chicken (4 oz = 25 g), fish (3 oz = 21 g), lean meat (variable), and egg whites (6 whites = 25 g) are the best. In the body, protein is broken down into amino acids, and amino acids are utilized by the body in its anabolic state to build muscle.

Now, with optimal fuel, how is that fuel being used? In the body, glycogen is converted back to glucose, which is then used for fuel.  It makes the body more anabolic, and ready and able to pack on slabs of lean muscle with minimal fat gain. However, if the carb source is sugary cereal, cream puffs, or mom’s pumpkin bread fat gain may be in excess.  Instead, enjoy a bowl of oatmeal dressed with chopped almonds or walnuts, and fruit. Instead of cream puffs, enjoy a homemade protein peanut butter truffle. That should lay any sweet craving to rest.

Once again, instead of mom’s pumpkin bread, throw eight egg whites, a scoop of vanilla protein powder, 1/3 cup pumpkin, and cinnamon/pumpkin pie spice in a blender with a shake or two of baking powder and blend. Twenty minutes later 3-5 scrumptious pumpkin protein pancakes in all their low-carb glory will be ready to enjoy.

With the right outlook, the day in the life of an amateur natural bodybuilder is much less about dry, bland chicken and veggies than believed. At the end of the day the biochemist, the top chef, and the gym rat come together to create tastefully healthy foods, deliver them correctly, and use them optimally. To match, each one offers the ethic, the will, and the power to wrestle with iron, and feed the machine day in and day out. Is the top chef, the gym rat, the biochemist in you?

The NANBF: Building a Better All-Natural Physique

By Brady Brewer

Spanning across the Kansas and Missouri border, Kansas City has become the melting pot for the sport of natural bodybuilding. Natural bodybuilding is a physique sport with a core value on being drug-free, i.e. steroid free. In its beginnings, natural bodybuilding in Kan. was sparse with no shows beyond Liberty, Mo, which was a small show to boot. Everyone thought the sport would fail. However, the sport is now far from failure, and growing with each passing year as the appeal to any average Joe continues to sweep across gyms and fitness studios everywhere.

The federation

Reminiscing on the early days of steroid-free bodybuilding, “Non-natural bodybuilders didn’t think we wanted to play with the big boys,” said Fred Rowlett, president of the North American Natural Bodybuilding Federation and International Fitness and Physique Association co-chairman, “We were picked on as skinny natural athletes.” At the time, failure was imminent as the North American Natural Bodybuilding Associated formed in the 1980s, and fell apart within 15 years. Once the NANBF was formed in ‘94, the beginning of a drug—free movement was upon the world of bodybuilding and opened the doors to high level, all-natural competition.“What we created was an avenue for people to compete at a high level and earn their pro card, and a pro show to compete at the highest level,” said Rowlett. He added, “When we were with the World Natural Bodybuilding Federation we were considered the toughest pro show there was. Now, as the NANBF, our show runs on two nights on two stages at the same time. We accomplished a new feat.” Constantly changing and evolving, the NANBF has grown to adapt the ever changing spectrum of natural bodybuilding, figure, fitness, and bikini.

The growth zone

Five years ago Rowlett took the helm as president of the NANBF. At the time, there were seven shows total in Iowa, Kan., Mo., and Ill. Today, there are four professional shows, and about 30 amateur shows in 16 states, coast to coast, and in the south.  “We are only growing more with several more promoters in the wings,” states Rowlett. While the NANBF is continually growing, other organizations seem to be decreasing in numbers, shows, and quality. “Obviously, we have very dedicated athletes and promoters.”

Ironically, dedication is exactly what comes to mind in thinking about what it means to bodybuild. Bodybuilding is tremendous dedication to both training and dieting. However, it is more than the mechanics; bodybuilding is also dedication to maintain strong work ethic, determination, and power of will.  Still, what exactly does it mean? As with most promoters, Rowlett is also a personal trainer. To be more specific, he is a Parrillo “super-trainer” with two decades worth of experience as a fixture in the fitness industry. It’s no wonder he is the top Kan. promoter, let alone the president of the NANBF.

The Parrillo way

The Parrillo training system was created by John Parrillo in an effort to maximize the potential of the human body with diet and exercise.

“You are trained with a chemist with a PhD that you can converse with on situational occurrences about anatomy, physiology, and nutrition. Specifically, this is for endurance, mass building, flexibility, stretching, and technique specific education. You are taught to train to the breaking point of human exhaustion, and are expected to perform among elite trainers. Every imaginable situation or concept is discussed,” said Rowlett about the Parrillo Certification Program. In an interview in John Parrillo’s Performance Press, Rowlett said, “Sure the Parrillo approach is tough and demanding but my clients would rather work hard in a system that gets results, than work easy in a system that never delivers anything.”

Rowlett added that the Parrillo model has stood the test of time while others have fallen by the way side. Regardless, he stated the importance of staying open minded by comparatively reading other models to stay out of a restrictive tunnel.

The average, or not so average

Currently, Rowlett works with anywhere from 100-120 bodybuilders and figure athletes on and off throughout the year, depending on time taken off for the off-season. Interestingly, Rowlett uses the same diet framework for the competitive bodybuilder/figure athlete as he does with the average Joe. The key here is that it is the same framework. Not everyone wants to eat like a bodybuilder/figure athlete, but simply eating clean isn’t eating like a bodybuilder.

“The framework is built around high quality eating,” said Rowlett. “The average Joe does have to clean up their diet or they wouldn’t be seeking help, but there are many quality foods they can have that bodybuilders cannot.” For clarity, look at it this way. The bodybuilder’s diet changes from off-season to on-season, and again two weeks out from show. If the average Joe ate cleaner, like a bodybuilder in the off-season, their goals would be much more attainable. “Doritos never did anything positive for anyone,” Rowlett joked.

Now that the diet is cleaned up, what about training? Many people ask about the percentage of work put into diet and exercise. Is it 50/50? Popular belief is that training is easy! It’s the diet that is most difficult.  Rowlett believes that the two cannot be combined as one. “You give 100% with the diet and 100% with the training intensity, but with educated focus. If your diet is spot on and training intensity is less than 100%, your results will be lacking.” He also firmly believes in constant evaluation of progress.

“If you are spot on with the diet, not cheating, eating timely accurately measured protein-carb choices, combined with constant evaluation of lean mass growth measurements then you are not evaluating your progress and really have no idea what you are doing with your diet.”

In other words, without constant evaluation you’re spinning you’re wheels. If it is getting back into a pair of pants again, getting off blood pressure meds due to being overweight, or getting to stage for that pro card, Rowlett is one of many avenues for achieving those goals without spinning those wheels. “The advantage many have today is that there is recognition for the pioneering of the sport. There used to be little to none who truly understood the diet for natural athletes, or wanted anything to do with it in the first place.”

In closing, Rowlett offered this advice for those interested in the sport of natural bodybuilding: “Know what you want to do, be dedicated, and seek out someone who truly knows all facets of the sport of natural bodybuilding/figure, fitness, and bikini, and training.”

For more information on the NANBF visit: www.nanbf.org
For more information on Parrillo training visit: www.parrilloperformance.com