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I have been writing the Sports Nutrition column for PLUSA for almost 2 years now. My nutrition column has gotten its fair share of positive feedback over this time. Let ‘s not forget some not so positive comments from some of the mullet heads that I have had to deal with as well. All and all it has been a very enjoyable experience educating powerlifters on how they should meal plan so that they can get the best bang for their buck when it comes to their training and competing. Over the last couple of years I have provided you with an abundant amount of usable info that can be used by you to help you achieve new heights in your powerlifting ambitions. One thing that I have always tried to do with my column was to take scientific nutritional information and break it down into layman’s terms that anyone can understand and can apply these nutrition principles in their quest for a bigger total. Now the only way you are going to be able to apply all these principles is if you learn them and make them part of your new Power Nutrition lifestyle. So what I have laid out here is a nice little quiz for all you iron freaks to see if you have learned anything from all my articles. So get yourself a pencil and sit down and take the Power Nutrition Quiz.


1 - What 3 food items are predominantly protein sources?

1. Bananas, Oranges, Apples
2. Bread, Oatmeal, Cereal
3. Fish, Chicken, Steak

2 - How many times per day should a powerlifter eat?

1. 1-2 Times
2. 3 Times
3. 5-6 Times
4. None of the above

3 - How many teaspoons of sugar does one “Major Brand” of soda contain?

1. 3 Teaspoons
2. 6 Teaspoons
3. 10 Teaspoons
4. 13 Teaspoons

4 - What are the 2 Natural Supplements all Powerlifters should take?

1. ZMA and HMB
2. Protein Powder and Multivitamins
3. Ecdyvone and Liquid creatine
4. Protein bars and Ice cream

5 - How many grams of protein should the powerlifter take in on a daily basis?

1. As much as he or she wants
2. 0.5 grams per pound of weight
3. less than O.5 grams per pound of weight
4. At least 1 gram per pound of weight

6 - What are the best carbohydrate choices for the powerlifting looking to go down a weight class?

1. Apples, Grapefruits and Bananas
2. Oatmeal, Yams and Brown Rice
3. Potato chips, Chocolate tacos and Fudge Brownies
4. Bagels, White Rice and Potatoes

7 - What type of protein has the highest BV or Biological Value of all proteins?

1. Casein
2. Egg
3. Whey
4. Chicken
5. Steak
6. Gopher Meat

8 - How much water should you drink daily?

1. Only when you are very thirsty
2. 4 glasses
3. 8 glasses
4. 12-16 glasses
5. None

9 - What type of tea has many health benefits and can even help you burn fat?

1. Camomille Tea
2. Orange Blossom Tea
3. Green Tea
4. Iced Tea

10 - What is the worst type of fat?

1. Saturated Fat
2. Trans Fatty Acids
3. Omega 3’s
4. Omega 6’s
5. Monounsaturated Fat
6. The fat that is currently on your hips and waist causing you to look like you are nine months pregnant.

11 - What is the best fat?

1. Saturated Fat
2. Trans Fatty Acids
3. Omega 3’s
4. Omega 6’s
5. Monounsaturated Fat
6. The kind that jiggles in the right places

12 - Should you eat a meal before retiring for the night?

1. True
2. False

13 - Post Workout Nutrition is one of the most important meals of the day?

1. True
2. False
3. Who Cares!

14 - How does skipping meals affect your performance?

1. It can decrease your strength
2. It can decrease your volume workload
3. It can cause your metabolism to slow down
4. It can cause you to lose valuable muscle
5. All of the above

15 - How important is getting a proper fiber intake for your health and performance?

1. Not important at all
2. Somewhat important
3. Very Important
4. I have no clue; I haven’t been paying attention to your articles I just look at it for the pictures.

16 - How many grams of fiber should the powerlifter consume on a daily basis?

1. 5-10 grams
2. Less than 5 grams
3. 15 grams
4. 30-50 grams
5. It doesn’t matter as long as you are not constipated

17 - What is an incomplete protein source?

1. One that contains all the essential amino acids
2. One that is deficient in one or more of the essential amino acids
3. One that comes from a can
4. A source that is not properly cooked

18 - What does G.I. stand for?

1. General Inquiry
2. Goofball Idiot
3. Glycemic Index
4. Gravitational Index

19 - What was the name of the first article that I penned for PL USA?

1. The Carbohydrate Manifesto
2. Fatten Up your Total
3. The Power of Protein
4. Powerful Nutritional Tactics for Meet Day
5. Top 10 Reasons Why Male Powerlifters Should not Wear Garter Belts on the Platform

20 - Where does Insulin come from?

1. The Liver
2. The Islets of Langerhans
3. The Gallbladder
4. Who the hell knows, I fell asleep that day in biology class!

21 - What are Macronutrients?

1. Proteins
2. Carbohydrates
3. Fats
4. All of the above

22 - Who is the “Godfather” of the High Fat Diet?

1. Vito Corleonne
2. Al Pacino
3. Dr. Mauro DiPasquale
4. Ronald McDonald
5. Barney the Purple Dinosaur
6. Dr. Ruth Weistheimer

23 - What is heavier, a pound of muscle or a pound of fat?

1. Fat
2. Muscle
3. Feathers
4. Depends on your weight
5. They are both the same

24 - What is Hypoglycemia?

1. A condition caused by low blood sugar levels
2. A skin condition caused by wearing your knee wraps too tight
3. A condition that can lead to hair loss
4. Hypo-What? Why are you making this damn test so hard? I feel like a damn moron!

25 - What does BCAA’s stand for?

1. Big Canadian Annoying Ass
2. Branch Chain Amino Acids
3. Biological Calculation of Amino Acids

26 - What are the Micronutrients?

1. Vitamins
2. Minerals
3. Electrolytes
4. Proteins
5. A, B, and C
6. All of the above

27 - Healthy Fats can help you:

1. Increase your Testosterone level
2. Help Decrease your cholesterol levels
3. Help keep your arteries supple
4. Can keep your skin soft like a baby’s bottom
5. Help reduce joint and tendon inflammation
6. All of the above

28 - What are the benefits of drinking water?

1. It helps eliminate toxins from the body
2. It increases cell volumization
3. It helps prevent kidney stones
4. It helps you get out of boring meetings every 15 minutes because you have to go to the little boys room for a tinkle
5. All of the above

29 - Glucagon is?

1. A major hormone produced by the liver to increase strength
2. An antagonist hormone to insulin produced in the pancreas
3. The name of the foreign exchange student in your economics class
4. A hormone produced by the pituitary gland that controls growth

30 - How many grams of fat do a McDonald’s Big Mac and a large French Fries contain?

1. 5 grams of fat
2. 15 grams of fat
3. 53 grams of fat
4. I really don’t give a monkey’s red backside. It tastes good and that’s all that matters

31 - What are two of the biggest killers in American males?

1. Colon Cancer and Heart Disease
2. Wife and Kids that don’t listen
3. Mortgage and Shopping expenses
4. Car accidents and Diabetes

32 - What can help prevent the two biggest killers of American males?

1. Insoluble and soluble fiber
2. Birth Control
3. Staying a bachelor
4. Protein and carbohydrates

33 - What can help increase your testosterone level?

1. Essential Fatty Acids
2. Broccoli
3. The latest Christina Aguilera video
4. Fiber

34 - Who helped to bring many of the benefits of Vitamin C to the public?

1. Don Johnson of Miami Vice fame
2. Dr. Paul Linus
3. Elton John
4. Snoop Dog and 50 Cent
5. The little guy that was famous for yelling out, “Da Plane, Da Plane Boss” in Fantasy Island.

35 - Who was one of the leading researchers behind the creatine revolution?

1. Dr. Paul Greenhaff
2. The Olson Twins
3. Anne Landers
4. Tickle Me Elmo

36 - What are some of the benefits of Vitamin C?

1. Has a positive effect on the immune system
2. Helps repair collagen and connective tissues
3. Helps decrease Cortisol
4. Increases Testosterone
5. Can help increase the hair on your head and decrease those nasty hairs coming out of your nose and ears
6. All of the above
7. A, B, C, and D

37 - Name the most essential nutrients for sustaining life.

1. Water, macronutrients and micronutrients
2. Beer, Beer and more Beer
3. Potato chips, Chocolate bars, Ice cream and Pizza
4. Thong bikinis, Beer, and Unemployment insurance

38 - What type of protein source would be best to have post workout?

1. Casein
2. What ever the wife made for supper
3. Whey Hydroslate 520
4. Soy
5. 16 oz steak

39 - What has the highest protein content for an 8 oz serving?

1. Cottage Cheese
2. Yogurt
3. Rice cakes
4. An ice cold Budweiser served at your favorite pub

40 - Who has worked with over 30 World and National Champions Strength athletes looking to revolutionize sports nutrition to the next level?

1. Howard Stern
2. Anthony Ricciuto
3. Justin Timberlake
4. The Back Street Boys

1. This is a simple one and everyone should have gotten it unless you have been incarcerated for the last 50 years or have lived under a rock. The answer is C.
   
   
2. This again is very easy and for anyone that has read my articles over the years should know that I push that powerlifters should eat 5-6 times per day. The answer is C.
   
   
3. Now for all you soda junkies out there this one should be of major concern for you. Yes one major brand of soda contains a whopping 13 teaspoons of sugar. If that isn’t enough to wake you up then maybe Type II Diabetes will. The answer is D.
   
   
4. Natural supplements are all the rage and they have really picked up in powerlifting circles over the last decade. There are many good supplements out there and you also have your snake oils as well. The two supplements that all powerlifters should take would be a protein supplement and multivitamin formula. The answer is B..
   
   
5. Now this one is of debate among scientists and athletes alike but if you are looking to get the most out of your training you will need at least one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. The answer is D.
   
   
6. Now this one may be a little tricky because many of the choices here are still healthy, its just some of them are inappropriate for powerlifters looking to go down a weight class. Complex carbs with a low G.I. score are the best carbs to consume for those looking to lose body fat. The answer is B.
   
   
7. This is simple and all of you should have gotten this one. Whey protein scores the highest rating on the BV Chart. The answer is C.
   
   
8. If you have been a regular reader of my column then you will know that I am big on water. The powerlifter should be consuming at least 3 liters a day, which are 12- 8oz glasses. The answer is D.
   
   
9. For those of you that have read my Power Nutrition Q&A Column the last couple of months, you should have easily remembered this one. Green Tea is one of the best things that you can drink and should be part of all powerlifter’s meal plans. The answer is C.
   
   
10. Now I know most of you will say that the worst fat is the type that is currently taking your body hostage making you look like the “Mr. Stay Puffed Man” from Ghostbusters but in reality the worst kind of fat that you can consume is Trans Fatty Acids. The answer is B.
    
11. I know that all my male powerlifters with jacked up testosterone levels like this one and I am sure that you all chose F as your answer. All fun aside, the best fats that you can consume would be your Omega 3 fats. The answer is C.
    
    
12. Now this one was tricky as I didn’t say if the meal before retiring before bed was for those looking to gain or lose weight. Either way I believe no matter what your goals, eating a well-balanced meal or protein shake before bed is a good idea. The main thing here to remember is that the meal has to be constructed according to your goals so your macronutrient ratios will be laid out in the appropriate manner.
    
    
13. The way most powerlifters eat you would think that the answer would be C. But I am sorry this is not the case. Post workout nutrition is one of the most overlooked aspects of the powerlifting nutrition plan and it can lead to you not getting the results that you deserve. The answer is A.
    
    
14. It wouldn’t take a genius to figure out this one. All you would have to do is skip your breakfast and lunch for a couple of days to see what the answer is. The answer is E.
    
    
15. Fiber is still one of the most overlooked nutrients but it doesn’t mean that it isn’t of grave importance. Getting enough grams of fiber in everyday is very important for the powerlifter. The answer is C.
    
    
16. Since we now know that getting in enough fiber is very important, how much is the next question? The answer is D.
    
    
17. I was a little tricky on this one but those that read my article, “The Power of Protein” should find this one to be easy. Any protein source that does not contain all the essential amino acids is considered to be incomplete. The answer is B.
    
    
18. G.I. in relation to the nutritional sciences refers to Glycemic Index. This refers to how quickly a carbohydrate source is converted to blood sugar once you have consumed it. The answer is C.
    
    
19. I am truly hoping that none of you picked E as your answer because I wrote that article for another publication… Just joking! The first article that I wrote for PL USA was about how powerlifters were ruining all their hard work from their improper nutritional habits come contest day. The answer is D.
    
    
20. Here I am getting a little tough on you but you should still know this one from your high school biology class. No, insulin is not made in the gallbladder or liver but in the area of the pancreas known as the Islets of Langerhans. The answer is B.
    
    
21. If you got this one wrong go to the closet pull out the shoe horn and bang yourself across the forehead a dozen times. This one couldn’t be any easier. The answer is D.
    
    
22. Ok, this one is a little tough but if you are a loyal reader of PL USA than this one should be a joke. No Barney the Purple Dinosaur and Dr. Ruth Westheimer are not the answer. Yes she did help us men get in touch with our softer side and push us to cuddle with our wives more often, but she didn’t have anything to do with the high fat diet. The answer to this question is no other than Dr. Mauro DiPasquale. He has greatly contributed to the strength science scene in more areas than one. His excellent books are best sellers and for good reason. Many of the great breakthroughs that we have seen in recent years have come from Dr. DiPasquale. He is not only a legend in the medical field but was also a multiple world champion powerlifter. I don’t know where we all would be without his innovative and educational contributions to our sport.
    
    
23. Ok, if you got this one wrong go back to the closet and repeat the steps outlined in # 21. This is the same old trick you probably fell for before. What’s heavier a pound of feathers or a pound of stone? It’s all the same. But what you have to realize here with this joke question is that a pound of muscle or a pound of fat on your body will have a major performance difference so in this case they are much different.
    
    
24. No, Hypoglycemia will not cause you to lose your hair and it is definitely not a skin condition. It is when you cause your blood sugar to drop to an unacceptable level that will cause a major decrement in your strength and performance. The answer is A.
    
    
25. BCAA’s stands for Branch Chain Amino Acids and these are very important in your nutrition plan. I just hope that you weren’t referring to me as what I outlined in answer A of this question!
    
    
26. This one was also straight forward as the answer is D.
    
    
27. Healthy fats are where it’s at so if you would like to have all these benefits then make sure they are part of your plan. The answer is F.
    
    
28. You were always wondering how to get out of those boring meetings that are held every Friday afternoon and now you have the answer. Drink 2 liters of water about 15 minutes before you go into the boardroom and voila. You will spend more time in he little boy’s room than in that big leather chair listening to some boring pitch on how you could be a much more efficient worker. The answer is E.
    
29. Now this one was a little tough and unless you were paying very good attention most of you probably got this one wrong. The answer is B.
    
    
30. I know that the majority of all you iron freaks are going to choose D as the answer here but I really don’t think that this is the right attitude for a bigger total. This means there are 477 calories of this meal just coming from fat. This is way too much saturated fat to be consumed at one sitting so it would be best to leave meals like this to your cheat day. The answer is C.
    
    
31. Ooh boy! I can see all the powerlifter’s wives all across America wanting my head on a platter for this one but I knew it would have all the men on the ground in laughter. Even though B and C should definitely be considered, the real answer is A.
    
    
32. I came back for a second round with this one, but the answer is A. Fiber can really make a huge difference in your health especially in latter years so make sure that you don’t leave it out of your plan.
    
    
33. Now if you have seen the latest Christina Aguilera video then I know that you all picked C for this one. The only problem here is that her video couldn’t be scientifically classified as a nutrient so the real answer here is A.
    
    
34. Yes I am sure that many of you picked Don Johnson for this one. No matter how cool he looked back in the 80’s, he wasn’t the guy that made some bright discoveries with Vitamin C. I liked Tattoo in Fantasy Island just as much as you but I am sorry to break it to you, he was not the scientist who educated us on this valuable vitamin. The answer is B.
    
    
35. I know that you all loved the Olson Twins on the sitcom Full House but I am truly sorry to let you know they were not the main push behind all the scientific research that has been given to us about the wonder supplement creatine. The answer is A.
    
    
36. For all those super heavyweight master competitors I can see you buying stock in Vitamin C hoping that it will help you to control all those nasty hairs that seem to be disappearing off your head and reappearing themselves like some type of magic show in your nose and ears. Sorry boys, the answer is G.
    
    
37. This is probably the hardest question of them all. Is the answer B, C, or D. This one is even hard for me to figure out? Well all teasing aside the answer is C.Oops I am sorry the real answer is A. My bad!
    
    
38. For those whipped powerlifters out there the answer better be B. But for the boys who still keep their goods out of the wife’s purse then the answer is C.
    
    
39. Before you go down to the pub for a nice cold Bud, I have to let you in on the answer here first. You may not like it but the answer is A.
    
    
40. Ok, this one is in the bag. If you have read my column then this is a no brainer!

This sums up your Power Nutrition Quiz and I hope that you did well on it. I know that this quiz was a little on the humorous side but at the same time educational. What fun is it to remember all types of different nutritional science terms and functions if you can’t throw a little humor in for good measure?

Note abouth the Author: Anthony Ricciuto, B.Phed CFT SPN SWM FT SSC



Anthony is the current Sports Nutrition and Science Editor for Powerlifting USA magazine. He has a monthly column in PL USA as well and has written dozens of articles for numerous other magazines and websites. Anthony currently runs a private Training and Sports Nutrition consulting business in Toronto, Canada working with World Class strength athletes, fitness models, professional athletes, actors and bodybuilders. He has worked and consulted with numerous nutrition and supplementation companies helping them in product design and formulation as well as marketing promotions.

Anthony is the creator of the Nutrition XP3 Customized Nutrition System. He has revolutionized sports nutrition and supplementation for the strength athlete. This unique and one of a kind system has proven itself with numerous World Champion athletes from all over the globe. Their company X-treme Power is a collaboration of Anthony and World renowned strength coach and MuscleMag International Strength Science Editor, Rahim Kassam. He has recently launched his nutrition website at www.NutritionXP3.com . In the coming year Anthony will be releasing a DVD on Power Nutrition as well as a book. Another forthcoming project is his Power Cleanse XP3 which will be a unique and comprehensive system that will focus on cleansing the different organs of the body. This will be a one of a kind system focusing on cleansing and purifying the body from improper nutrition habits, unhealthy lifestyle choices and pharmaceutical enhancement. It will focus on improving the health and quality of life for the strength athlete as well as reduce the chances of health problems and life threatening diseases in latter years. Anthony has brought some very innovative ideas to the strength scene and his ability to dial in his elite athletes contest after contest has given him the nickname of the “Power Nutrition Guru.”

His list of past and current nutritional clientele includes:

For those interested in consulting with him or finding more about his services he can be reached at: Aricciuto@NutritionXP3.com