When it comes to strength training, many people assume that diet is neglected due to the physique of a lot of athletes. Sure, most strength athletes are ‘larger than life’ guys and gals, but that doesn't mean that they don’t watch what they eat.
Take the UK’s very own Eddie Hall for example, weighing in at around 170kg and standing tall at 6 ft 2 ½ inches, he may not have a tiny waist and shredded abs but he is one of the strongest men on the planet, and although he came 4th in ‘The World’s Strongest Man 2015’ he is still currently holding the deadlift world record at 462kg (1018lbs) and he didn’t do that by eating crisps and drinking sugary drinks.
Plenty of healthy natural foods would have played a big part in making him the athlete he is today. So we will talk about 3 foods, the relation between them and testosterone (a key factor to improving strength) and how they help boost strength and improve overall performance.
Pomegranate Seeds/Juice
Pomegranate has long been called a ‘Super Food’, this is due it being full of antioxidants which improve the circulation of your blood, decrease the risk of heart disease and decrease inflammation just to name a few. One of the more interesting studies made was based on what effect it has on the testosterone levels in your body. Testosterone in known to help improve strength, so surely eating a natural food rather than taking all sorts of supplements is a much better way of improving your performance, is it not?
Recent research at the Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh investigated the effect pomegranate juice had on testosterone, blood pressure and mood and found that testosterone on average increased by 24%. So although it may not have an immediate direct effect on your strength, by including pomegranate juice/seeds in your diet you are far more likely to get stronger without having to take supplements.
Organic Eggs
The fact is Eggs are one of the best foods you can eat while training regardless of the type of exercise/sport you take part in. Benefit number 1, they contain protein which is fundamental to helping the body repair and build muscle which in strength training is important. Strength training will not cause too much hypertrophy (muscle building) but the muscle will still get damaged while lifting heavy weights. The protein in organic eggs will help you recover, allowing you to train more efficiently each day.
They also contain Omega 3 (a healthy fat) which reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke and also do things such as help the brain to function more efficiently. We have all seen the iconic scene in Rocky, and although I wouldn't recommend drinking raw eggs there is a method to this madness. As well as fighters and fitness enthusiasts like Rocky, old school strong men would also drink raw eggs because Studies have suggested that higher fat and cholesterol intake results in increased testosterone levels. I know it’s becoming a reoccurring thing but testosterone is important in improving strength. But now you are probably asking ‘Isn't cholesterol bad for you?’
The answer… ‘Bad cholesterol’ is bad for you. But there is such a thing as ‘Good cholesterol’ which you get from animal fats such as Oily fish, red meats and wait for it… Eggs.
Red Meat
Truth is that humans are Omnivores; we function best eating both Meat and Vegetables.
One of the best Meats to eat is Beef; this red meat is full of protein and healthy fats. Generally beef is pound for pound more nutrient rich than chicken and in my opinion far more tasty. A 100 gram portion (3.5 ounces) of raw ground beef contains large amounts of Vitamin B12, B3 (Niacin), B6, Iron, Zinc, Selenium and plenty of other vitamins and minerals. Again, the healthy fats in Beef help boost strength in the same way Eggs do, increasing the amounts of ‘Good cholesterol’ in your body will increase testosterone.
Conclusion
Just eating foods like this alone will not get you strong, correct training/programming is also important.
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