The Anabolic Diet and Athletes

[monatu]

Heres the thread: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=3992023

Its basically 95% of calories coming from fat/protein, 5% carbs during the week. And on Weekends its high carbs, medium/low fat/protein.

Its been getting a good write up, and I am going to try it in the holidays coming up (month or so away), and If I like it I will try keep it up during school/rugby season. I need to drop some fat and keep my strength up and this diet (more of a lifestyle they suggest, in that you need to keep it up) works wonders for that.


However, I have read a LOT of things that say that Carb's are absolutely crucial in fueling an athlete (rugby season coming up in a few weekls).

I was wondering if anyone in here has used the Anabolic Diet and how it worked for them? Drop in bodyfat? Gain in lean muscle? Did you have enough energy? etc etc

[tonester]

I follow a half baked version of that style of eating. I keep all my carbs (fruit, veg, grains and simple carbs) before and after exersion. That tends to satisfy my energy needs. Even at my age the effect is one of keeping my bodyfat in check when I notice it trying to creep up.

I like the concept and would use it for off season then crank up the carbs for your in season needs.

At the end of the day (er, week), your intensity will be the deciding factor.

[Veeshmack]

carbs are important for athletes mainly as an energy source i believe.
thats why, even when i'm cutting, i cut with med carbs

[aaaaa55555]

i wouldnt do it inseason


try it out first in the offseason, but i wouldnt experiment with new diets during the season

[TNLB38]

yea im wondering about this also i dont really know much about dieting but i would like to learn about this one and try it for a month and see what happens.

Can some one post a Normal Weekday Food plan and a weekend one too thanks reps for people who do.

[Veeshmack]

yea im wondering about this also i dont really know much about dieting but i would like to learn about this one and try it for a month and see what happens.

Can some one post a Normal Weekday Food plan and a weekend one too thanks reps for people who do.

if you are looking for a specific diet plan, maybe as in the nutrition section. they can really help alot more than most guys here. thats where i learned how to build my diet

[RoPaWrastla]

Don't try using the keto diet during sports season. Gives you headaches when you do intense cardio, I believe. Just reduce your overall cals when cutting and up the cardio a bit. You're an athlete, so your source of energy is carbs, so don't eliminate them from your diet.

[G-mane12]

ur not gonna make it through a season on a low carb diet like that.. your gonna loose weight during the season any way just because of all the practice...

[Mlb07]

i run xc and i was on the ad during winter workouts it was terrible definatly dont do it unless your in the offseason of your sport. i mean it was a great diet apart from that

[monatu]

alright thx

so General Consensus is, if I was going to use it, use it during an offseason but not during inseason - cause I need the carbs for energy during the season.

sound right?

thanks guys, cleared that up

[xKKx7]

alright thx

so General Consensus is, if I was going to use it, use it during an offseason but not during inseason - cause I need the carbs for energy during the season.

sound right?

thanks guys, cleared that up

yep

[Fullback7]

I had to bump this...
Over the past week I just finished reading this book, as well as doing my own research, and I am amazed at how beneficial this diet is. You basically have to take everything you ever thought about nutrition and throw it out the window. You would never think that fat will actually give you more energy than carbs will.

[G-mane12]

is it a keto type diet

[Fullback7]

is it a keto type diet

It's debated on if it is or not, but the author says it isn't.

[N10CT]

Back the original q, I few years back I used a low-carb diet during my rugby season. It wasn't keto or like the AD diet however.

Basically I kept carbs low except for 60-100g about 6pm Tues and Thurs before training. Then on Friday I used the 24 hour carb load protocol to load for the Saturday game. Aside from being an unreal protocol, it worked really well.

In theory you could so something similar with the AD, if you've read the book, you know you can even add carbs mid-week, and carb load fri and sat, so you have glycogen for your weekend games. That said, ALOT of people feel like **** during and after the carb load. Because you are moving from fat adapted to carb adapted it can take a toll on the body.

Remember, glycogen is the second most important fuel source in rugby, so while I can see a cyclical carb diet working, the AD is probably best left to the off season, before any conditioning.

[Fullback7]

Back the original q, I few years back I used a low-carb diet during my rugby season. It wasn't keto or like the AD diet however.

Basically I kept carbs low except for 60-100g about 6pm Tues and Thurs before training. Then on Friday I used the 24 hour carb load protocol to load for the Saturday game. Aside from being an unreal protocol, it worked really well.

In theory you could so something similar with the AD, if you've read the book, you know you can even add carbs mid-week, and carb load fri and sat, so you have glycogen for your weekend games. That said, ALOT of people feel like **** during and after the carb load. Because you are moving from fat adapted to carb adapted it can take a toll on the body.

Remember, glycogen is the second most important fuel source in rugby, so while I can see a cyclical carb diet working, the AD is probably best left to the off season, before any conditioning.

I actually have to disagree with the last part. A lot of the guys that I have seen bulking on the AD, are young football players. The AD has contributed to a lot of guying drastically increasing endurance, as well as strength while on it. Now I tried a very similar diet such as this, but it wasn't a full out AD, because I didn't now what everything about it's effects at the time. My workouts were not only amazing as I was increasingly focused, but I began to have great conditioning sessions. So I have to say that this diet may actually be more beneficial while in-season if you time your carb up correctly.

[aaaaa55555]

I actually have to disagree with the last part. A lot of the guys that I have seen bulking on the AD, are young football players. The AD has contributed to a lot of guying drastically increasing endurance, as well as strength while on it. Now I tried a very similar diet such as this, but it wasn't a full out AD, because I didn't now what everything about it's effects at the time. My workouts were not only amazing as I was increasingly focused, but I began to have great conditioning sessions. So I have to say that this diet may actually be more beneficial while in-season if you time your carb up correctly.

what book is it from?

thanks

[VforVlad]

should i wait till monday to start the maintenance phase, and how long should it last, a month seems kind of long.

[N10CT]

I actually have to disagree with the last part. A lot of the guys that I have seen bulking on the AD, are young football players. The AD has contributed to a lot of guying drastically increasing endurance, as well as strength while on it. Now I tried a very similar diet such as this, but it wasn't a full out AD, because I didn't now what everything about it's effects at the time. My workouts were not only amazing as I was increasingly focused, but I began to have great conditioning sessions. So I have to say that this diet may actually be more beneficial while in-season if you time your carb up correctly.

You are talking about football, montau was asking about rugby. The energy systems required are completely different. The AD doesn't put you in ketosis, protein is to high and it isn't the goal of the diet. So while you are still fat adapted, you will also burn carbs, in particular after the carb load. If you try access the glycogen energy systems without any glycogen the body is gonna have to make some. The result gluconeogenesis. So during a season which is usually a catabolic period at the best of times, you ramp up catabolism.

I agree that it would be suitable for an american footballer or any sport with short phases, but it would not be ideal or probably even suitable for sports such as rugby.

[Fullback7]

You are talking about football, montau was asking about rugby. The energy systems required are completely different. The AD doesn't put you in ketosis, protein is to high and it isn't the goal of the diet. So while you are still fat adapted, you will also burn carbs, in particular after the carb load. If you try access the glycogen energy systems without any glycogen the body is gonna have to make some. The result gluconeogenesis. So during a season which is usually a catabolic period at the best of times, you ramp up catabolism.

I agree that it would be suitable for an american footballer or any sport with short phases, but it would not be ideal or probably even suitable for sports such as rugby.

The body can produce glucose without taking in carbs from glucoeogenesis so I understand what you are saying though since you don't have the large amounts of glycogen or glucose from the carbs in long bouts for rugby. There are endurance athletes on AD currently who have been successful, so I guess it's more of a... if it works for you then go with it.

[SecondSucks]

I was thinking about doing the AD this summer too, but i've decided that i just dont have the will power to eat <30g of carbs a day. Im going to stick with what Tonester does and keep all my carbs for Breakfast, and pre and post workout.

[Agallah Adams]

I had to bump this...
Over the past week I just finished reading this book, as well as doing my own research, and I am amazed at how beneficial this diet is. You basically have to take everything you ever thought about nutrition and throw it out the window. You would never think that fat will actually give you more energy than carbs will.

yup. he says to eat red meat and and fats (saturated included). Can't I just load up on on lean proteins, clean fats, and low complex carbs? Why do my fat and protein sources have to come from red meats and high fats (saturated)?

[Fullback7]

yup. he says to eat red meat and and fats (saturated included). Can't I just load up on on lean proteins, clean fats, and low complex carbs? Why do my fat and protein sources have to come from red meats and high fats (saturated)?

You want to get a mixture of all fats. The point he is trying to stress is that saturated and trans fats aren't bad for you, they are actually proven to be healthy. Low fat diets, are what actually causes Heart Disease, diabetes,etc.. Natural trans fats have been proven to be healthy. So in a sense, those are "clean" fats. The only fat you should stay away from is the bad trans fats. Not all of your protein sources and fat sources have to come from red meat or saturated fat, you should have a mixture of all fats. On this diet you also don't load up on carbs until the 6th or 12th day. Nothing says you can't have complex carbs, I think if you are carb sensitive low GI carbs may actually be better for you.

The study involved 235 older women who were followed for three years. All the women had some plaque buildup when they enrolled in the trial, and X-ray imaging (angiogram) was used to compare arterial plaque progression at entry with that at the end of the trial.

The women completed a detailed questionnaire asking about the foods they ate, and the findings took into account other risk factors for heart disease, such as age and smoking habits.

On average, fats made up about 25% of the women's diets. In addition to having less plaque buildup, women who ate the most saturated fat had a better balance of good to bad cholesterol -- which protects against heart disease.

Replacing saturated fats with other types of fats, such as monounsaturated fats found in plant sources, did not appear to influence disease progression, but replacing fats with highly refined carbohydrates did. Higher carbohydrate intake was associated with more disease progression.

All of what Pasquale mentions in his book basically represents how the FDA has been ****ing up over the last 50 years, and will never admit it.

[G-mane12]

yo boyce

how does this look?

Meal 1
4 Egg Whites
4 Whole DHA eggs
42g protein, 20g fat


Meal 2
6 oz Lean Meat (Fish, Chicken, Beef)
24 Almonds or 8tsp Peanut Butter or 4 oz Avocado or 4tsp Olive/Flax/Enova Oil
42g protein, 20g fat


Meal 3
6 oz Lean Meat (Fish, Chicken, Beef)
24 Almonds or 8tsp Peanut Butter or 4 oz Avocado or 4tsp Olive/Flax oil
42g protein, 20g fat


Meal 4
6 oz Lean Meat (Fish, Chicken, Beef)
24 Almonds or 8tsp Peanut Butter or 4 oz Avocado or 4tsp Olive/Flax/Oil
42g protein, 20g fat

Meal 5
6 oz Lean Meat (Fish, Chicken, Beef)
24 Almonds or 8tsp Peanut Butter or 4 oz Avocado or 4tsp Olive/Flax/
42g protein, 20g fat


Meal 6
4 Egg Whites
4 Whole DHA eggs
42g protein, 20g fat

***You are allowed one carb/cheat meal per week, just don?t go overboard!!!
macros
carbs Protien fats cals
Total 0 252 120 2088

Is this the right idea boyce?

[Fullback7]

yo boyce

how does this look?

Meal 1
4 Egg Whites
4 Whole DHA eggs
42g protein, 20g fat


Meal 2
6 oz Lean Meat (Fish, Chicken, Beef)
24 Almonds or 8tsp Peanut Butter or 4 oz Avocado or 4tsp Olive/Flax/Enova Oil
42g protein, 20g fat


Meal 3
6 oz Lean Meat (Fish, Chicken, Beef)
24 Almonds or 8tsp Peanut Butter or 4 oz Avocado or 4tsp Olive/Flax oil
42g protein, 20g fat


Meal 4
6 oz Lean Meat (Fish, Chicken, Beef)
24 Almonds or 8tsp Peanut Butter or 4 oz Avocado or 4tsp Olive/Flax/Oil
42g protein, 20g fat

Meal 5
6 oz Lean Meat (Fish, Chicken, Beef)
24 Almonds or 8tsp Peanut Butter or 4 oz Avocado or 4tsp Olive/Flax/
42g protein, 20g fat


Meal 6
4 Egg Whites
4 Whole DHA eggs
42g protein, 20g fat

***You are allowed one carb/cheat meal per week, just don?t go overboard!!!
macros
carbs Protien fats cals
Total 0 252 120 2088

Is this the right idea boyce?

No not really. Have you read the book?

[G-mane12]

No not really. Have you read the book?

Naw, thats the cutting diet scivation sent me... I haven't really read into the anabolic diet much past the high fats low carb part

[Fullback7]

Naw, thats the cutting diet scivation sent me... I haven't really read into the anabolic diet much past the high fats low carb part

You probably want to start on the maintenance phase.

Start Up Phase After a lay off or even when just starting out it?s a mistake to get right into it. There?s no place for any routine that immediately concentrates on increasing muscle mass or increasing definition. Both your body and mind have to be conditioned for the more specific phases that follow. It?s important to get your system ready for the stress and strain of the coming programs. In short you need to build a sturdy foundation on top of which you can lay on layers of sculpted muscle. As such, the Start Up training should consist of some progressive circuit type training. At first one set after another of a number of different exercises, using a very light load for the first few sessions, is the way to go. You can gradually increase the weight and resistance but not to the point where you?re ever going all out. As well, keep the repetions in the 12 to 15 range all throughout this phase and the training time under one hour. How long should you stay in this phase. It all depends on how long it?s been since you trained and how burned out you are. Usually two to six weeks is enough with 4 weeks being about right.

Start Up Phase After a lay off or even when just starting out it?s a mistake to get right into it. There?s no place for any routine that immediately concentrates on increasing muscle mass or increasing definition. Both your body and mind have to be conditioned for the more specific phases that follow. It?s important to get your system ready for the stress and strain of the coming programs. In short you need to build a sturdy foundation on top of which you can lay on layers of sculpted muscle. As such, the Start Up training should consist of some progressive circuit type training. At first one set after another of a number of different exercises, using a very light load for the first few sessions, is the way to go. You can gradually increase the weight and resistance but not to the point where you?re ever going all out. As well, keep the repetions in the 12 to 15 range all throughout this phase and the training time under one hour. How long should you stay in this phase. It all depends on how long it?s been since you trained and how burned out you are. Usually two to six weeks is enough with 4 weeks being about right.

Likewise, watch out in restaurants. They'll sometimes use a watery sugar on the vegetables that will wreak havoc. Our society has got a sweet tooth and you're going to run into it at every turn during the weekdays. You'll have to be especially careful during this "start-up" phase as you get used to the diet and learn where the trouble spots may be. Don't Mix Diets Again, the temptation may be big to mix diets combining the Metabolic Diet with aspects of other diets including the high carb and low fat diets, and putting them together in your own personal Frankenstein stew. Don't.
113
Many people will go on the Metabolic Diet but try to be true to their old high carb master. They'll eat meat but it's all fish, chicken and turkey. While these foods may be quite nutritious and beneficial, even when used in the Metabolic Diet, they can't be used as a total replacement for good, old-fashioned red meat. They just don?t have enough fat. What you end up doing by taking on the turkey/chicken/fish holy trinity is going on a high protein, low carb, low FAT diet. Along with being even harder to stay on than the Metabolic Diet, this diet won't get you the advantages you're looking for from the Metabolic Diet. You won't burn the fat like you should. You won't have the energy. You won't build the mass. You need some red meat, and the more the better. You need the fat it provides. And you need to supplement your diet with other fats, such as the healthy omega-3 fatty acids including flax and fish oil. Don't shortchange yourself by trying to avoid fat (and certainly don?t cut out healthy amounts of the essential fatty acids ? like many do when on low fat diets) in some misled effort to stay true to forces in society who have labeled meat some kind of monster. This is simply not true. KEYS TO SUCCESS IN THE START UP Phase 1. -Find the "maintenance" level were calories maintain your body weight (18 X Your Present Body Weight A Good Starting Point) 2. -Take a fiber supplement 3. -Watch for hidden carbs 4. -Don't mix diets 5. -The first week is the toughest-Stick It Out 6. -Usually lasts 3-4 weeks The First Week Is The Toughest In the first week of the diet you'll be going through the "metabolic shift" from being a carb and muscle-burning machine to being a fat burner and it can be difficult. While some people will suffer few symptoms, others will be very affected. The bowel irregularities we discussed above will come into play. You'll also experience some fatigue and get foul or fruity smelling breath caused by an increase in the production of ketones, compounds that result from the initial steps of fat oxidation. Emotionally, you could feel irritable and mentally foggy in the first week. You may suffer some very mild disorientation.
114
You can also experience pre-flu like symptoms where you feel like "something's coming on" or you're "fighting something off". Energy can drop and you can feel frequently hungry. Don't be alarmed. Basically, your body is just going through a readjustment phase. It will soon pass. Unfortunately, many people will experience these difficulties and give up on the diet or increase their carbs too soon. They try it for a couple days and don't feel good and conclude "it doesn't work for me". They never break through the barrier to experience the "metabolic shift" and the increased energy and sense of well being it can bring. That's why we urge you to STICK WITH IT DURING THE FIRST WEEK. Once you get through that first week, it's all downhill. You'll start to feel better and better and the diet will be easier and easier. You'll get to the point where you'll feel so good the Metabolic Diet will seem like a revelation. You won't suffer those insulin ups and downs anymore. Energy will return. You'll feel strong and lean and, in most cases, you won't be tempted to go back to the old, inferior way of eating. BUT YOU'VE GOT TO GET THROUGH THAT FIRST WEEK AND PAY SOME DUES TO EXPERIENCE THE BENEFITS. Generally you'll continue with the "start-up" phase of the diet until you've got all your energy back and have no other symptoms. This will usually take 3-4 weeks and you'll know when it's time. You'll be feeling very, very good. At this point you can move on to the next phase, the "mass phase" of the diet. But if you find you've got enough mass, you can stay at this phase for a while and then move on to a "cutting" phase as needed. The "start up" phase, without all the introductory facets, can be returned to when needed as a transition between the "mass" and "cutting" phases of the diet. As such, it can also properly be called the "maintenance" phase of the Metabolic Diet. If you have problems getting things going and experience fatigue then make the necessary changes by going through the troubleshooting chart and guide on pages 81-83 in the Metabolic Diet book. Once you?ve straightened things out you can continue with the Mass Phase or if you?re massive enough, you can go right to the cutting phase and begin to zero in on that weight loss and body shaping you've been dreaming of. Supplements for the Start Up Phase As I mentioned above, in the Start Up Phase you should concentrate on making the metabolic shift and keeping everything else basically the same. As such, besides fiber supplements I usually don?t suggest much else, other than a daily vitamin/mineral tablet, in this phase. If you?re used to taking certain supplements on a regular basis you may want to continue doing so. Again, this phase is to get you into the Metabolic Diet and make that all-important shift from using carbs to using fats as your primary fuel. For this reason it?s best to concentrate on making this shift and keeping other changes to a minimum. Using my line of supplements as examples, supplements you could use include MVM, Antiox and EFA+. Also useful, and in some cases a must, as mentioned above is Regulate.
115
Regulate is an effective blend of natural soluble and insoluble fibers formulated to deal with occasional constipation and frequent bowel movements. The various soluble fibers and other compounds contained in Regulate have also been found useful to: ? Maintain cholesterol levels that are already within normal range; ? Support a healthy heart; and ? Increase natural insulin sensitivity.* If you?re feeling tired and generally having a hard time adjusting to the low carbs, and before you adjust your carb levels, try using Metabolic and Creatine Advantage to help get you through the rough spots.

[Fullback7]

Ill send you a copy of the book if you need it.

[G-mane12]

Ill send you a copy of the book if you need it.

Yeah, its sounds interesting... pm me the link

[BigRed1992]

Yeah, its sounds interesting... pm me the link

fullback can u pm to me too