Th e HEALTH | MARCH, 2019
28
FITNESS
Eat like a
Strong Man
Many of my fellow
athletes are way
above 6 feet tall,
and as a strong
man sport that
involves a lot of
sheer strength,
you usually are
tall. However I
myself am barely
5’9, which that
makes me a ‘baby’
in comparison.”
S
TRONG Man competition is a popular form of
weightlifting sports, with more Malaysians going
into it than ever. For the ones walking the path
towards becoming a Strong Man, going through intense
and long hours of training is only a part of it.
Most of it is actually determined by your nutrition.
Being a Strong Man does not necessarily mean eating
whatever, whenever and how many you want. If you are
truly determined to get into the sport, you should be
eating about fi ve or more meals a day.
When you eat in order to enhance performance,
you should consume more protein, carbohydrates, and
avoid as much fatty foods as possible.
Protein
Zarol Alfi yan ‘Baby Ox’, Malaysia’s Strongman, fl exing for the camera.
Lifting his
way forward
Th e best types of protein that can be taken is lean meats
such as beef or veal. Other sources of protein can be
obtained in chicken, turkey, fi sh, egg whites and low
fat milk products.
Supplemental protein that is high in quality works
just as well, and a lot faster too. You should avoid meats
like bacon, sausages and hamburgers as these are
processed meats and would take a long time to digest
as there are huge amounts of fat that can be found in
those meats.
LEAN AND MEAN:
Lean meats provide
protein for muscle
building and
reconstruction.
Malaysia’s Strongest Man in his category, Zarol Alfi yan talks
about eliminating his doubts and succeeding in life
BY CHRISTINE ZOE STA MARIA
Z
AROL is not a tall man, especially when
we compare it to other athletes dab-
bling in his interest. He lifts weights
and enter strong man competition, and
he is the ‘Baby Ox’.
“Many of my fellow athletes are way
above 6 feet tall, and as a strong man sport that
involves a lot of sheer strength, you usually are tall.
However I myself am barely 5’9, which that makes
me a ‘baby’ in comparison,” Zarol shares.
“However, I train myself to be strong, and people
start calling me ‘baby ox’. It was around 6 years ago
when I got that name. It kind of stuck now,” he
jokingly adds.
Zarol’s starting point
He started going to the gym after he broke his wrist
from playing rugby at the age of 13. “I went to the
gym because my doctor told me that as a young
man, my recovery rate is high and going to the gym
helps with my wrist recovery. I just started lifting
whatever I could in the gym and I liked it.”
He then discovered something he felt he was des-
tined to do. “I turned on the television on day and
saw a strongman competition. I was star-strucked,
because some of the people who was on TV I have
actually met before.”
Later on, with his grandmother’s assurance, he
was set on becoming a strong man himself. “Th at
moment motivated me to explore the sport at the
age of 14. Two years later, I earned the name, ‘Baby
Ox’.”
Second guessing
As with any type of competitive sports, setbacks
and doubts creep in to even the best of the best.
Zarol managed to stay positive and curb his doubts
while working to become a strong man.
“I’ve learned that whether its sports, studies
or other commitments, you need to eliminate the
doubts, no matter how scary things may seem.
What makes a champion is when you can eliminate
those doubts. I’ve had a lot of injuries as a setback.
Even now, I’m still recovering. It’s part of being an
athlete.”
“People think that once you go to the gym, it’s
all about lifting weights, taking supplements and
eating more. Th at is just 30 percent of the process.
People need to understand that as you get bigger,
your muscles get more tired and you need to have
your rehabilitation period to do stretching exercises
and mobilization training or you might end up
injuring yourself,” he advises.
Eat to lift, lift to eat
As with lifting weights and exercise, Zarol also
spends time in adjusting his diet to match his
training.
“When I’m on my off season, which is when I
have no upcoming competitions, I would train four
times a week. When I do have competitions, I would
train about fi ve to six times a week. Each time I train
would take up to three to four hours. On my off
season, I would be about 115kg and my diet would
be around 3000 calories a day. When I come close
to competitions, however, I would eat about 5000
to 6000 calories a day. I would reach up to 130kg.”
Juggling life and passion
Being Malaysia’s Strongest Man doesn’t actually get
you paid much, and Zarol needs to juggle between
responsibilities so that he could pursue his passion
with ease.
“One of my jobs is a strength coach at QLS Fit-
ness & Nutrition. While training for powerlifting
meets and Strongman competitions both local and
abroad, I am also pursuing a bachelor’s degree. So I
have a very fi xed and tight schedule,” he explains.
“In the morning, I would give my grandmother
a bath and feed her. Th en I would attend my classes
and after classes, I would go to the gym. I am very
grateful that my clients are quite understanding
about my circumstances.”
Zarol currently lives with his grandmother and
attends college for his Bachelor’s degree. — Th e
Health
Fats
Fats are needed for joint health and brain function
among others. Avocados, for example, are great source
of vitamin E. Avocados make an excellent addition to
any meal. Th e avocado has an oil that has a very high
turning point that makes it great for cooking. It is also
a more delicious and healthier alternative for fat.
Besides avocados, salmon are also high in fat. Fortu-
nately, this is good fat. Th e oils such as omega-3, which
can be found in fatty fi shes like salmon, can actually
help your body turn white fat cells into healthy, fat-
burning beige ones. Also, when the salmon’s ability to
“melt fat” gets paired with its extreme boost of protein
can become a weight loss ally.
Carbs
Carbohydrates are another basic need for every Strong
Man in the making. In fact, every athlete benefi ts
from carbohydrates. However, one should keep note
that there are processed carbohydrates to avoid such
as sugar-sweetened beverages, white bread, pastries,
white rice, white pasta, and fruit juices. Processed
carbohydrates can cause the habit of overeating because
these types of carbohydrates give you extreme fl uctua-
tions in blood sugar levels.
Your body basically loves carbohydrates. It’s the
body’s preferred choice of fuel for energy. Examples
of whole carbohydrates that are good for the body
are whole grains, fruits, vegetables and potatoes. You
should eat about three to fi ve fruits or vegetables a
day, not just for your diet plan towards becoming a
strongman, but also for health reasons.
Water
Lastly, avoid drinking your calories. One of the best and
most overlooked nutrient is water. Water is depended
on by both fat metabolism and protein. Carbohydrates
are unable to be stored well without the body receiving
enough water. For a Strong Man, or any intense athlete,
eight to ten glasses of water a day may not be enough.
You would need about 15 glasses or more a day to stay
well hydrated. — Th e Health