Macro stands for Macaroni right?
An Interview with California Strength Soldier Wes Kitts: Covering nutrition, training and supplements for an in-depth look into what makes the podium difference.
Photograph by @liftstudios
Wes has reached the podium early and often over the course of his brief Olympic weightlifting career (keep in mind Wes has only been training competitively for two years). With a 1st Place finish at the 2016 USAW National Championships this past year, Wes came close to setting an American Record in the Snatch and placed himself in contention for the coveted 2016 Olympic spot. Nutrition has played a critical role in assisting Wes in recovering between sessions and has allowed him to make body weight when it counts. We sat down with Wes to help illuminate what works, how to cut through the bullsh*t and setup a path for success when it comes to supplementation and nutrition for athletes.
What supplements do you take on a regular basis?
With supplements you should always keep it simple. They only play a small roll in your athletic potential. I take a basic whey protein (Monster Milk by CytoSport) regularly to assist in reaching the protein I need every day as well as Monster Creatine and a high dose of fish oil. Cytosport offers everything I need and are certified to be free of any banned substances which is critical to my reputation!
Any supplements specific to recovery?
Creatine, Glutamine, Fish Oil, and Chondroitin.
What is your preferred pre-workout?
Occasionally a pre-workout is nice, but I frequently crush Caffeine & Kilos coffee to keep it simple. You have to be careful with pre-workout, there are many options available that contain ingredients that are not legal for competition within USA Weightlifting or that use “proprietary blends” that I can't risk my career on. If I need to take my training up a notch, Fast Twitch by Cytosport is great and always gets me going on those really tough days. Monster Energy Drinks have also been a staple of my pre-workout routine for a long time so you can never go wrong there!
What are your training macros?
Approximately - Protein 340g | Carbohydrates 365g | Fats 105g
This won’t be the same for everyone or even every day that I'm training. Personally I have found that I am sensitive to Saturated Fats so I try to keep those as low as I can.
How many times a day do you eat and how many calories total on regular training days?
I eat five or six times a day and around 3600 calories but that depends on the training cycle from Cal Strength and season.
What’s your favorite home cooked meal?
Have to go with baked spaghetti for my number one choice, otherwise steak with mac and cheese!
Any recommendations for those of us who are falling short of excitement in food prepping all of our meals?
Nope. Food isn’t always supposed to taste good. It is however always for fueling your body. That being said, if you meal prep bland and healthy food, then treat yourself on the weekends where you can go out to eat. I know that healthy cook books exist, but I'll be the first to admit that I am no chef and my meal prep is very, very plain.
Let's talk PED's for a moment, you have a long history of competing the right way as a clean athlete. Any advice to those who are up and coming in the sport?
Breaks down to this... if you don’t take drugs, you won’t fail a test, simple as that. Keep it simple when it comes to supplements, TRAIN HARD, eat like you should, and you WILL get stronger. Always look at your training first if you aren’t seeing the results you want. Odds are you could be working harder…