Warrior Diet Experiment

[fatdaddy67]

The Warrior Diet Experiment, Part 1

http://warriordiet.muscleandbrawn.com/

12/31/2008

Goal. My goal is to lose 100 pounds of bodyfat using the Warrior Diet.

The experiment. To see how much lean muscle mass I can retain while losing 100 pounds of fat on the Warrior Diet.

Beginning weight. 307 pounds, 12/31/2008

Beginning lean mass. 180 pounds.

Beginning bodyfat. 127 pounds.

Beginning bodyfat %. 41.37%

Eating. The Warrior Diet is vastly different from a standard bodybuilding diet. I will be eating only minimal calories during the day, and one huge meal at night. My nightly meal will occur sometime between 5 - 6:30 p.m. each night.

During the day, I will eat only the following?1 can tomato juice, 1 apple, 2 pieces string cheese. Total calories = 290.

At night, during my single large meal, I will consume 1,800 calories. These calories will consist of healthy food?chicken, tuna, almonds, black beans, rice, quinoa, beef, salsa, broccoli, peas, corn, milk, cheese, etc. I will eat as healthy as possible, but may occasionally ?cheat? and have a couple hundred calories of popcorn, ice cream, etc.

I may, depending on how the weight loss progression is going, include one cheat day a month where I allow myself to eat an additional 1,000 - 2,000 calories on a single day.

The average calories I will intake daily = 2,100.

Background. I started lifting in 2007 after a 10 year layoff. I was 310 pounds at the time. In 4 months I gained muscle and strength while getting my weight down to 228 pounds. My lean mass at that time was 178 pounds. Also, my lifts were?bench press 300, squat 405, deadlift 505. I lost the weight during this period using a standard bodybuilding style cutting diet. I gained at least 10 pounds of muscle mass while losing the fat, mostly because of muscle memory.

But, by Thanksgiving and Christmas 2007, I was quickly back up to 255-260 pounds.

In early 2008, I tore my left shoulder at work and couldn?t lift for 8 months. My diet slowly went to hell, and my weight crept back up to 290. After another round of Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc, I find myself back up to 307 pounds.

Why? Why experiment with the Warrior Diet?

* Because I can. I have 100 pounds of fat to spare, so who better to experiment with the Warrior Diet?s viability.
* I am a big eater. Standard bodybuilding diets drive me mad. I like a big meal after working out (which is right after work). When not training, I have almost always resorted to eating little during the day. So, the Warrior Diet is more instinctive for me.
* For others. I want to document my muscle loss during the fat loss process so that others can determine if the Warrior Diet is a viable option for their goals.
* Muscle memory. If the program is a failure, I still have muscle memory in my favor. I can up the caloric ante slightly after the experiment, and know that the mass will come back relatively quickly.

Training. I have never trained on an empty stomach. To be honest, this is the hardest part of the Warrior Diet for me. I am afraid that my workouts, and strength, will suffer.

I am altering my training during this experiment to a workout I call Bulldozer training. It is a melding of Doggcrapp and Max-stim. Here it is in a nutshell?

Day 1?Back.

Deadlift, 20 reps. Using approximately 70-75% of my 1RM, I will perform singles, with only enough rest between reps to regain my sanity. I will perform the rep, stand, shake out my hands, take a few deep breaths, work out the kinks, and then perform another rep. Generally, a 20 rep set performed in this manner will take 10-15 minutes.

T-bar rows and/or DB Rows, 20 reps. Using a weight I can perform 8-10 reps with, I will perform 6 reps, and then rack the weight. I will then take 10-15 deep breaths, and perform more reps. I will continue this ?rest-pause? cycle until I hit 20 total reps. I will NOT train to failure.

Day 2?off

Day 3?Chest, shoulders.

Bench press, 20 reps. Same set style as T-bar Rows.

Overhead press, 20 reps. Same set style as T-bar Rows.

Day 4?off

Day 5?Legs

Squats, 20 reps. Same set style as T-bar Rows.

Ham Curls, 20 reps. Same set style as T-bar Rows.

Day 6?off

Day 7?repeat cycle or take the day off?.

As you can see, I am training primarily with heavy compound lifts, and will not be directly training biceps, triceps, calves, abs, traps, forearms, etc. I want to keep my workouts short, intense, and heavy.

Success. The following list shows how I will view the success/failure of this Warrior Diet experiment?

* Complete Success. No muscle loss. 180 lean mass, 27 pounds fat. 13.0% BF
* Quality Success. 5 pounds muscle loss. 175 pounds lean mass, 27 pounds fat. 13.4% BF
* Success. 10 pounds muscle loss. 170 pounds lean mass, 27 pounds fat. 13.7% BF
* Failure. 20 pounds muscle loss. 160 pounds lean mass, 27 pounds fat. 14.4% BF
* Complete failure. 30 pounds muscle loss. 150 pounds lean mass, 27 pounds fat. 15.3% BF

I will also consider it a minor failure if I lose any strength over the course of this experiment.

Updates. I will be weighing in and taking bodyfat levels every 2 weeks, and posting the results here. I will also note general observations. Video logs will come as I feel necessary, and when I have the time.

Notes. I am in no way affiliated with the Warrior Diet, or Ori Hofmekler. I am not a Warrior Diet jedi. nor do I believe one way or the other if the Warrior Diet is a valid muscle-retaining, fat loss option for weight trainers. Ori Hofmekler states that it is, and my experiment exists merely to take a look at the Warrior Diet?s viability. For more info on the Warrior Diet, visit the WD site.

Questions. It is best to reach me with questions via my blog. My email address is a few lines down on this page.

[fatdaddy67]

[fatdaddy67]

[Felonist]

FIRST!

Subb'd

GO GET EM!!

[fatdaddy67]

FIRST!

Subb'd

GO GET EM!!

Thanks Felonist.

[fatdaddy67]

My first day lifting on the Warrior Diet. I was afraid my energy level was going to be zip. I felt darn good physically, and hammered out my workout without any light-headedness or dizziness.

Deadlifts, 365 x 20 reps

T-Bar Rows, 125 x 6/4/3/3/2/2

T-bar set was rest-paused, and not trained to failure. Deadlifts were rest-paused singles, with slight rest in between to gain my sanity.

[Felonist]

Questions:

1. What are you using to get an accurate BMI? I think this would be crucial before staring this experiment - the scales electronic BMIS are worthless.

2. Are you going to continue this routine the whole way through or change it up? I understand trying to maintain the Strength levels and Many of your excersizes are full body type - but are you going to add any "isolations" later on?

EI: Bicep Curls, Forearms, Reverse Lat Raises, etc.

[Kion]

I'll be following you. I just started the WD myself and my first workout went pretty well. Here's to a new year and a new body.

[fatdaddy67]

Questions:

1. What are you using to get an accurate BMI? I think this would be crucial before staring this experiment - the scales electronic BMIS are worthless.

2. Are you going to continue this routine the whole way through or change it up? I understand trying to maintain the Strength levels and Many of your excersizes are full body type - but are you going to add any "isolations" later on?

EI: Bicep Curls, Forearms, Reverse Lat Raises, etc.

1) I am using a skinfold caliper and taking readings at multiple locations (chest, belly, upper thigh). I have a quality and reliable skinfold caliper, and punch the numbers into a page on BB.com's site...don't have the page link handy at this moment. I never rely on BMI/bodyfat scales....they always think I have a lot less muscle than I do. Last year I took my caliper readings every week, and my lean mass was consistently around 178-179.

2) I may add a triceps movements, another chest movement, leg extensions, and a bicep movement down the road as I start gaining confidence with training while on an empty stomach.

My biceps and triceps have always grown easily with little work, as do my calves and forearms. So my routine is one based more on experience than it is driven by a minimalist style.

[fatdaddy67]

I'll be following you. I just started the WD myself and my first workout went pretty well. Here's to a new year and a new body.

Best of luck Kion. Keep in touch, and let me know if you are experiencing any major muscle loss...

[KJR246]

I'll be reading this thread. This is what the Warrior Diet need. A real make or break.

[fatdaddy67]

I'll be reading this thread. This is what the Warrior Diet need. A real make or break.

Glad to have you on board KJR.

And even though this is a journal, I open it up to any random thoughts and input along the way...

[fatdaddy67]

My second workout while on the Warrior Diet, and my second go around with Bulldozer training. My shoulders are ab-so-freakin-lutely fried. I have never had a workout blast my shoulders this hard. My front and side delts feel like they are about to explode. My chest and triceps feel gorged, and hit hard.

My "empty stomach" training is going much better then I expected. My stomach grumbled a bit after the bench press set, but I wasn't feeling weak or dizzy.

My third day on the Warrior Diet, and no noticeable problems or side effects. I am handling daytime hunger much more easily than I handled nighttime cravings. On a standard bodybuilding diet, I would eat my last meal post-workout, and feel hungry as a bear the rest of the night. Not to mention that I would be so grumpy, that I had to really monitor myself so that I didn't say something out of place to my wife and children.

The grumpiness is non-existent so far on the Warrior Diet. The big meal at night is leaving me satisfied. I can honestly say that I look forward to the night meal, but I do not feel like the need for food is in any way controlling my daytime thoughts. In fact, I am finding that I think about food less now during the day, now that I don't have another bodybuilding meal coming up in 2.5 hours.

Weekends on a bodybuilding cutting diet were always hell. I would count the minutes until I could eat again. I feel as if a burden has been lifted.

Anyway, post-workout piece of string cheese down the hatch!

Chest/Shoudlers

Workout time: 29:04

On each set today, I took 10 deep breaths after racking the weight, and then got under the bar and lifted again. I did NOT train to failure. On overhead presses, I had to pull some weight off the bar after 8 reps. I experienced the same phenomenon while using German Volume Training. My shoulders lose strength quickly under rest-pause duress. As far as I can tell, this weakness is not related to the Warrior Diet.

Bench Press

225 x 7/3/2/2/2/2/1/1

Overhead BB Press

155 x 6/2
135 x 3/2/2/2/2/1

[fatdaddy67]

Some WD success images...

Hoping I can look like this

[fatdaddy67]

For anyone who's curious, my deadlift sets are like the video below, except that I am only performing 20 reps, and my rest is slightly longer between reps.

[jdmalm123]

Awesome, awesome journal!

Very realistic expectations and goals!

Great results so far...keep going!

[fatdaddy67]

Awesome, awesome journal!

Very realistic expectations and goals!

Great results so far...keep going!

Thanks jdmalm.

So far, so good.

[fatdaddy67]

In my first video log I stated that - believe it or not - there is really muscle under my fat. I have attached a video from last year. It was taken during a standard bodybuilding-cut diet.

I wanted to show everyone...

A) That I truly in fact have a solid muscle base

B) What the standard is to compare my Warrior Diet results with

[shadefx]

subb'ed

[fatdaddy67]

subb'ed

Welcome aboard Shadefx.

[RippedFamMan]

Good luck. Looking forward to following your progress.

[crusher777]

Looks like you have a good plan set out. Can't wait to see your progress.

[fatdaddy67]

Good luck. Looking forward to following your progress.

Thanks for the encouragement. Lost 5 pounds so far.

[fatdaddy67]

Looks like you have a good plan set out. Can't wait to see your progress.

Thanks Crusher.

[vipervin]

I just started to read the Warrior Diet book and can't wait to try it out. Will be following your progress as well. Good luck!

[jdmalm123]

I like the video reports...much more telling than plain notes! The muscle mass is apparent even in the vid in post#2. It's also obvious you have good muscle based on the poundages you move.

I think you'll be much leaner and proportioned after some extended time with the WD and heavy training.

Just realize that the path from now to a year from now may not be a straight line. You may unintentionally or even intentionally have to plateau or even mini-bulk depending on your strength and energy levels.

Looks like you are thinking long-term already though so, looking forward to your ultimate success!

[fatdaddy67]

I just started to read the Warrior Diet book and can't wait to try it out. Will be following your progress as well. Good luck!

Thanks for the encouragement. The book is a fairly easy read, and I am liking it so far...

[fatdaddy67]

I like the video reports...much more telling than plain notes! The muscle mass is apparent even in the vid in post#2. It's also obvious you have good muscle based on the poundages you move.

I think you'll be much leaner and proportioned after some extended time with the WD and heavy training.

Just realize that the path from now to a year from now may not be a straight line. You may unintentionally or even intentionally have to plateau or even mini-bulk depending on your strength and energy levels.

Looks like you are thinking long-term already though so, looking forward to your ultimate success!

I am definitely thinking longterm. I hit a plateau last year on my bodybuilding cut diet, about the time I made that video. One of the challenges I faced on a bodybuilding diet was that I was trying to be too fine. I was so anal about retaining every pound of muscle that I think I kept my calories too high.

I lost about 5 pounds a month the last 2 months on that cut, and hit major burnout. Another major burnout point was the fact that a bodybuilding diet is so restrictive, and it doesn't have much flexibility built into it for a huge meal ala Thanksgiving, etc).

With the WD, I have room to eat a big meal. I am also allowing myself more food flexibility...the dreaded, "allowing myself to eat SOME food for pleasure."

I want weight training to be a balanced lifestyle more than a neurotic pain in the ass strict diet every day, if that makes sense.

Thanks again for the wisdom and encouragement.

[jdmalm123]

I want weight training to be a balanced lifestyle more than a neurotic pain in the ass strict diet every day, if that makes sense.

Totally.

[fatdaddy67]

Totally.

I'm glad. I was starting to confuse myself there for a moment