I’ve always loved food and have never been picky except when it came to stinky tofu in Asia. 

Luckily for me, this love of different foods is tempered by my love for exercise and staying fit. Nutrition and exercise go hand in hand although I believe some may over-emphasize certain aspects from time to time. 

You can follow the best program in all of human history but if you don’t put in any fuel, or the right fuel your adaption and improvement will be hindered. In addition to this, if the nutrients aren’t absorbed by your body then you are out of luck. Therefore, how efficiently our digestive system works is of great importance. 

Earle

In Earle Liederman’s, “Secrets of Strength” he has a chapter titled, “Strength From Perfect Digestion.” In this chapter, he draws a connection between the strongmen performers he has met and their large appetite, as well as their ability to digest the large amounts of food they eat and extract the needed nutrients. He does admit that he’s not sure what came first their capable musculature or their efficient stomachs. However, for new trainees, he does believe their levels of digestion will influence their progress.

“A man who has perfect digestion to start with, will put on muscle more rapidly than another man whose digestion has to be improved as he goes along; and a man who starts with a strong heart and big lung-capacity will stand a lot more work than the man who has to develop heart-and-lung power.” (p 145 Liedeman Secrets of Strength)

He also takes note of manual laborers and the appetite that they can generate. Having done some manual labor in the past I can definitely prove that this is a thing to a certain degree. 

Maxick 

Contrast this with Maxick and his crew who were not heavy eaters. To them, from the lens of energy conservation/ distribution, too much food slowed you down and took energy away from you doing other things. I’m pretty sure this is something most of us have experienced after a huge Thanksgiving dinner. For him, strength didn’t come from calories as much as it came from one’s mind. 

“It must therefore be made clear to everyone that strength in its essence is a condition of consciousness and that all exercise are mere means” (p 10)

In addition to this, the control of one’s muscles allows for the proper release of energy. No unnecessary contractions from muscles not taking part in the specific action. This proper muscle activation could in theory allow one to pursue strength without loading down the stomach for every meal. 

“Probably the fallacy most accepted by those not actually acquainted with the working of the human machine, is, that the more food one takes the more strength one gains.” (p 11 Maxick How to become a great athlete)

Vince Gironda

Another piece we can use to finish this puzzle was from a bodybuilder/trainer of bodybuilders Vince Gironda. I recall, and I can’t find it for the life of me right now, but it was a quote from him that said it’s not how much you eat but how much you digest. 

Putting It Together 

Over the past few years, I’ve found a need to combine the above perspectives and principles into an approach. Here are the main points. 

1 - Chew 

“Allow yourself time to eat slowly, and by masticating the food well, lighten the labours of the stomach.” (p 13 Maxick How to become a great athlete)

This may sound like a no-brainer but I believe most of us would be surprised at how much we can continue to break down our food before it goes down the pipe. The greater the breakdown the easier it will be for your digestion to do its job and the less energy will be required. 

2 - Relax

Our thoughts affect the things around us and ourselves more than we think. In terms of fitness the more anabolic(rest and digest) we are between times of training the better our results will be. Being in a state of relaxation will not take away needed blood flow and energy. Being in a state of fight or flight will not help one to digest their food and extract the proper nutrients. 

Therefore, I find it important to avoid the news(Things will continue to get worse, sorry for the spoilers) and listen to some calming music or a program/video that’s comedic. Set your stomach up for success.

3 - The Right Fuel

“There are food products now in the conventional American's regular diet which do not deserve the name of food. They are not only sadly deficient in nutriment, but the meagre supply they do contain cannot be extracted b}^ the digestive organs without an effort far greater than should be required.” (p91, Mcfadden) 

The right food is also important. I basically avoid most things that are processed especially those that have the wonderful “Vegetable” oils in them. I also know that some plant-based foods wreak havoc on my stomach so I avoid those but it’s up to you. Eat foods that don’t give you stomach problems and have a tiny list of ingredients. 

4 - Walking 

A short stroll enjoyed leisurely, or any pleasurable, light occupation is of decided benefit immediately after eating, though exercises requiring much energy, either mental or physical, should be strictly avoided. (p97, Mcfadden) 

Walking after a meal is a big one and one of the most important of this list. It gets the blood flowing and it relaxes you. 

5 - Apple Cider Vinegar

A cheap but effective product you can find at the grocery store. It is a great aid to digestion and I’ll usually mix a tablespoon or two with a cup of water. Drinking it straight is difficult…

6 - Fasting 

Just like any other part of our body, it’s important to provide rest occasionally. An overburdened stomach is an ineffective stomach. There are several ways to go about this I like decreasing my eating window each day and on some days I’ll make that eating window smaller. This is intermittent fasting and has a host of other benefits. The other option is to eliminate one’s intake of food for a day or for days at a time though I’m not up to this yet and can’t recommend it. 

Pitfalls/Things To Avoid 

The more I experiment the more I realize I don’t need as much food as I thought I did. The more food one eats the more they could be hindering their digestion.

“It is a good general principle that you should feel, after a meal, as though you could still go on eating.” (p 13 Maxick How to become a great athlete)

We also need to be aware of false hunger. This is hunger brought about mainly by stress and you eat as a coping mechanism. I find myself doing this from time to time but in order to fix this one needs to either 

• Work on their issues

• or use a bridge. Something to keep you occupied until the next meal like a drink. I’ll just sip coffee and that usually stops me from binging.

Getting faster and stronger is more than just sets, reps, and calorie counting but also our outlook. 

Thank you for making it to the end and comments are below.

Until Next Time…