The Trials of the Anabolic Diet

[brah_of_iron]

I'm sure some/most of you guys haven't heard of the Anabolic Diet, and I'm sure some/most of you will reject it upon hearing what it is, but I figured I'd try my luck anyways. Now I would go and write a big article explaining what the Anabolic Diet consists of, but I'm going to go ahead and take the lazy man's option and just throw down someone else's article, since it lays the diet plan out so nicely.

http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=460968 - Eat Like a Man, Part I
http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=459762 - Eat Like a Man, Part II

Now that you've read those, if you're still interested there's a massive thread about it as well, which would definitely cover every question you may have in it's 250+ pages. I was intrigued by this diet and went and read the whole thread (it took me several days though, and not all in a row), and from what I gathered from the many people who have given this diet a shot thought the results were awesome... and almost all of them are still on it.

So now I'm giving it a go, I'm heading in to week 2, and I've created this thread to spark interest, as well as share my experiences with the diet. Hopefully some of you will come to realize that high carb is NOT the only way, and are brave enough to give this a shot. Reading the thread I linked will give enough proof that this diet does indeed work, and allows you to gain maximum amount of muscle while completely limiting fat gain (some people have even gained muscle while in a cutting phase).. which shows that gaining muscle while losing fat IS possible.

http://www.t-nation.com/tmagnum/readTopic.do?id=658379 - My Experience On the Anabolic Diet (huge thread)

Now who's ready to maximize their growth hormones?!? I know I am!

[bunbury]

so lots of meat and hardly any carbs untill the weekend?

[brah_of_iron]

Did you read the article?


Basically:

Weekdays = high fat 60% of calories coming from fat, less than 30 GRAMS of carbs, and the rest from protein

Weekends = High carb (60% total calories) 30% fat, low protein. But you can eat pretty much anything, keep it about 75% clean, 25% dirty.

So yeah, tons of fattier meats on weekdays, as well as cheeses, eggs, butter, olive oil, fish, etc.

Keep in mind guys, this is NOT a keto diet, Dr. DiPasquale states that very clearly a few times in his book.

[brah_of_iron]

Anyways, tomorrow morning I'm going to my first workout after my carb up *yesterday + most of today being my carb up* and I'll report how it goes.

However I got a pretty big pump just from sitting here eating carbs the past two days (hit me very hard after I ate whole wheat pasta in particular). This is from all the glycogen pouring into your muscles, and apparently it's pretty common. Anyways, it as pretty cool getting pumped while doing nothing.

[sick+tired]

Originally Posted by sheckles

Did you read the article?


Basically:

Weekdays = high fat 60% of calories coming from fat, less than 30 GRAMS of carbs, and the rest from protein

Weekends = High carb (60% total calories) 30% fat, low protein. But you can eat pretty much anything, keep it about 75% clean, 25% dirty.

So yeah, tons of fattier meats on weekdays, as well as cheeses, eggs, butter, olive oil, fish, etc.

Keep in mind guys, this is NOT a keto diet, Dr. DiPasquale states that very clearly a few times in his book.

....That sounds ALOT like keto. Despite what the guy may have said.

[isosceles]

Originally Posted by sick+tired

....That sounds ALOT like keto. Despite what the guy may have said.

yeah but it ISNT. jesus. you know what keto IS, right?

5 weeks in gentlemen and i can finally see abs. after a little longer ill post before/after

[sick+tired]

Originally Posted by isosceles

yeah but it ISNT. jesus. you know what keto IS, right?

5 weeks in gentlemen and i can finally see abs. after a little longer ill post before/after

Cycled Ketogenic diet is basically high fat, moderate protein and very very low carb with a high carb refeed on the weekend.

From what you've said and what I've read, (yes I read the T-nation article) this "anabolic diet" is basically high fat and protein on weekdays with very low carb (30g or less) and then a high carb refeed on weekends.

Seems very very similar to me. Just 'sayin.

Edit: The only difference I can tell between the two is that Keto is for cuting and this is for bulking. But then again, you could go on a Keto stlye diet and then just eat in caloric excess and be bulking.

[Brian2k8]

[QUOTE=sheckles;66432543]Did you read the article?

sounds retarded..

[mikevall]

okay i think im gonna give this ago because i work out like almost everyday with no rest for a few days and i dont think the high carb is working for me plus im getting a gut lol. But for this diet, its good to just eat all fat and protein not for weekdays even a little bit of carb like say a sandwhich cuz thats what i usually get for lunch at school :S

[mapleleafmenace]

@mike,

Please please please please read the book before starting this diet. It's not long- you'll likely knock it out in under an hour and it has everything you'll need info-wise to get started.

If you can find a poster several pages back by the name of BluePass, the link to the book is in his signature or one of us in the thread could e-mail you the .pdf if you'd pm your email address.

[rjodwyer]

Originally Posted by sheckles

Did you read the article?


Basically:

Weekdays = high fat 60% of calories coming from fat, less than 30 GRAMS of carbs, and the rest from protein

Weekends = High carb (60% total calories) 30% fat, low protein. But you can eat pretty much anything, keep it about 75% clean, 25% dirty.

So yeah, tons of fattier meats on weekdays, as well as cheeses, eggs, butter, olive oil, fish, etc.

Keep in mind guys, this is NOT a keto diet, Dr. DiPasquale states that very clearly a few times in his book.

well...it is. The weekdays diet IS a ketosis diet, im on it right now.

edit:

Originally Posted by sheckles

Nope, not at all. You pretty much have to throw away all 'common knowledge' you know about nutrition to accept this diet. But like I keep saying, all the people in the thread I linked have found success with this diet, and even report INCREASED energy with low carbs.

I'm having alot more energy on around 25-30g carbs per day, seems some peoples bodies run better with fat as the primary energy source :P

[narmak5000]

I start the anabolic diet this Monday. I have been bulking since November but I added a lot of fat with the muscle. Anyway, its time to slim down and I will give this a shot. Then hopefully, I can bulk again in July without looking like a pie eating contestant.

I will take in 3800 for maintenance phase. I figure its shouldn?t take too long as I have done the Palumbo diet the last time I cut. Then drop down 1000 cals and if needed another 500 calories the next week. I probably will have to keep it at 2200. Saturday, I will work out the macros for it and go grocery shopping. I really can?t wait to start this.

I plan on using a kettlestack for my cardio every other day. I was wondering if anyone who ran this as a cutting phase kept their strength or if it even went up a little bit?

[mapleleafmenace]

Originally Posted by narmak5000

I plan on using a kettlestack for my cardio every other day. I was wondering if anyone who ran this as a cutting phase kept their strength or if it even went up a little bit?

No idea about the kettlestack, but if you're asking about the AD and cutting then yes - when you do it right your strength will stay where it is. Might even go up a hair or two.

[Klow222]

Originally Posted by sheckles

Did you read the article?


Basically:

Weekdays = high fat 60% of calories coming from fat, less than 30 GRAMS of carbs, and the rest from protein

Weekends = High carb (60% total calories) 30% fat, low protein. But you can eat pretty much anything, keep it about 75% clean, 25% dirty.

So yeah, tons of fattier meats on weekdays, as well as cheeses, eggs, butter, olive oil, fish, etc.

Keep in mind guys, this is NOT a keto diet, Dr. DiPasquale states that very clearly a few times in his book.

This sounds like a godsend, because I love red meat and I've been eating eggs, poultry and fish for the past couple weeks. I don't think I have ever such a bad craving for a big ribeye in my life. Haha

[1quick1]

Mmmmm meat.

[bunbury]

i read the article .. so what does your weekday look like? how much meat in a day?

[brah_of_iron]

A typical day of mine looks like this:

5 eggs, shredded cheddar cheese, fried in either butter or olive oil

Ground beef (regular), shredded cheese (spiced so it tastes like tacos)

Fatty steak, mushrooms fried in butter

5 scrambled eggs, shredded cheese

Salmon steak, broccoli and/or cauliflower

(Before bed) Scoop of whey, 5 tbsp heavy cream (this tastes awesome)


That's what I've pretty much ate the past couple days, and it won't get old for a while, it's so tasty.

*Important Note* Fiber in any food does not count towards the 30g carb total. So say if you were eating broccoli and there was 10g of carbs in it, but 5 grams of fiber, you'd count a total of 5g towards your carb total. The reason for this is fiber doesn't affect us as carbs.

So you can eat TONS of these veggies because the fiber count is high:

Broccoli
Cauliflower
Mushrooms
Asparagus
Celery
Spinach
(there's a few more, but I can't remember. Pretty much any dark green leafy vegetable is okay)

[JonRambow721]

Originally Posted by sheckles

A typical day of mine looks like this:

5 eggs, shredded cheddar cheese, fried in either butter or olive oil

Ground beef (regular), shredded cheese (spiced so it tastes like tacos)

Fatty steak, mushrooms fried in butter

5 scrambled eggs, shredded cheese

Salmon steak, broccoli and/or cauliflower

(Before bed) Scoop of whey, 5 tbsp heavy cream (this tastes awesome)


That's what I've pretty much ate the past couple days, and it won't get old for a while, it's so tasty.

*Important Note* Fiber in any food does not count towards the 30g carb total. So say if you were eating broccoli and there was 10g of carbs in it, but 5 grams of fiber, you'd count a total of 5g towards your carb total. The reason for this is fiber doesn't affect us as carbs.

So you can eat TONS of these veggies because the fiber count is high:

Broccoli
Cauliflower
Mushrooms
Asparagus
Celery
Spinach
(there's a few more, but I can't remember. Pretty much any dark green leafy vegetable is okay)

10 eggs a day? wow lol

[SuperTrouper]

Originally Posted by sheckles

A typical day of mine looks like this:

5 eggs, shredded cheddar cheese, fried in either butter or olive oil

Ground beef (regular), shredded cheese (spiced so it tastes like tacos)

Fatty steak, mushrooms fried in butter

5 scrambled eggs, shredded cheese

Salmon steak, broccoli and/or cauliflower

(Before bed) Scoop of whey, 5 tbsp heavy cream (this tastes awesome)


That's what I've pretty much ate the past couple days, and it won't get old for a while, it's so tasty.

*Important Note* Fiber in any food does not count towards the 30g carb total. So say if you were eating broccoli and there was 10g of carbs in it, but 5 grams of fiber, you'd count a total of 5g towards your carb total. The reason for this is fiber doesn't affect us as carbs.

So you can eat TONS of these veggies because the fiber count is high:

Broccoli
Cauliflower
Mushrooms
Asparagus
Celery
Spinach
(there's a few more, but I can't remember. Pretty much any dark green leafy vegetable is okay)

dude thats atkins diet , same thang

[Ascitiesburn96]

Originally Posted by sheckles

A typical day of mine looks like this:

5 eggs, shredded cheddar cheese, fried in either butter or olive oil

Ground beef (regular), shredded cheese (spiced so it tastes like tacos)

Fatty steak, mushrooms fried in butter

5 scrambled eggs, shredded cheese

Salmon steak, broccoli and/or cauliflower

(Before bed) Scoop of whey, 5 tbsp heavy cream (this tastes awesome)


That's what I've pretty much ate the past couple days, and it won't get old for a while, it's so tasty.

*Important Note* Fiber in any food does not count towards the 30g carb total. So say if you were eating broccoli and there was 10g of carbs in it, but 5 grams of fiber, you'd count a total of 5g towards your carb total. The reason for this is fiber doesn't affect us as carbs.

So you can eat TONS of these veggies because the fiber count is high:

Broccoli
Cauliflower
Mushrooms
Asparagus
Celery
Spinach
(there's a few more, but I can't remember. Pretty much any dark green leafy vegetable is okay)

Hey take some before and after pictures and PM ME when your done the program im really interested on how this is gona work out for you.

(i'll rep you too)

[the woo]

Just thought i would share my diet i started today i still need to work out my weekend CARB UP diet but here is my 60%fat/35%protien/5%carbs

its worked out protien/fats/carbs/kcal grand total about 2900 kcal just under 18 times my bodyweight

100g bacon
100g eggs
25g cheese
multi vitamin
total-43/42/0/548

5oz chicken
50g mixed nuts
25g cheese
total-59/46/2.5/676


110g beef sausages
50g cheese
100g eggs
total-43/45/3/587

Scoop of whey
15g carbs

150g beefburger
15g olive oil
total-35/40/1/375


5oz chicken
200g broccoli
20g groundnut oil
total-47/25/5/474

scoop of whey
2 caps fish oil
1 multi vitamin
total-30/7/4/170

GRAND TOTAL---287/205/30.5/around 2900

[bad-boyz]

Originally Posted by bunbury

so lots of meat and hardly any carbs untill the weekend?

yeah i read that b4. complete utter bulls*** i rekon.

[Laszlo]

cardio is good whenever.

281g 51g 50g
carbs sugars fiber

todays the first day that iv ever tracked my carbups...

[AgeRage]

Originally Posted by Laszlo

cardio is good whenever.

I read somewhere that on the AD, cardio is just as effective as it is for people who do cardio on an empty stomach first thing in the a.m? I've been doing mine first thing, but usually it's bc it's the best time for me.

281g 51g 50g
carbs sugars fiber

todays the first day that iv ever tracked my carbups...

really? I always track mine, I'm too obsessive and anal not to
If I eat out, I pick something I know won't be too hard to log, and will overestimate to be safe......yea I'm that anal

I'm only carbing until lunch tomorrow this weekend

I just finished flax granola with bananas and milk....................yum!

[Laszlo]

no, I usually have to work on weekends....which means when I get a chance I eat. lol

but this time Im going el cheapo and trying to budget the money (for the miss)

[mamaj]

Originally Posted by AgeRage

I read somewhere that on the AD, cardio is just as effective as it is for people who do cardio on an empty stomach first thing in the a.m? I've been doing mine first thing, but usually it's bc it's the best time for me.

really? I always track mine, I'm too obsessive and anal not to
If I eat out, I pick something I know won't be too hard to log, and will overestimate to be safe......yea I'm that anal

I'm only carbing until lunch tomorrow this weekend

I just finished flax granola with bananas and milk....................yum!

I usually do that as well on Sunday; what do you eat the rest of the day?

[ThatArmyKid]

Originally Posted by bunbury

so lots of meat and hardly any carbs untill the weekend?

doesn't sound like somethign i would do

[Laszlo]

my totals for yesterday
cal - 6,088 fat - 175g carbs - 978g sugar - 315g fiber - 78g protein - 174g

back on today...feeling way better with just one day carbs.

[AgeRage]

Originally Posted by Laszlo

my totals for yesterday
cal - 6,088 fat - 175g carbs - 978g sugar - 315g fiber - 78g protein - 174g

back on today...feeling way better with just one day carbs.

I like one day also (but for those of you JUST starting, start with 2 days until adjusted!)

Laszlo---are you training today? I'm stuck! Stupid me, I should have waited and done carbs today, as I usually hit the legs heavy on Monday. Plus, dinner tonight may be questionable, but I'll be ok

The thing is, is that I did a leg circuit depletion style on Friday and HIIT yesterday, and not sure if I should do heavy legs today......or just do what I've been doing and do that tomorrow

Question being: is it bad that I'm not training today at all after yesterday's carb up?

[Mlb07]

uh ive done the one day twice and todays the first time ive done two days idk i sorta like one day better but well see if its effected me tommorow bc ive never really gotten a "big pump" from my monday workout but maybe it was only bc i did one day.