Anabolic Diet Questions

Diet and Nutrition
1

Hey, I posted this over on the monster thread, but it quickly got lost (although I thank RealPeanutButter for his help). I have read quite a bit of the monster thread, and I ordered the original AD ebook from ebay. Here are my questions:

  1. Would it be worth buying the Anabolic Solution or Metabolic Diet ebooks?

  2. How does the diet differ for powerlifters vs. bodybuilders vs. athletes? This isn’t really covered in the ebook. I play rugby and soccer (but am currently injured and out for several months), and am interested in gaining strength/power while also looking better.

  3. Would meltdown training work with this diet? I know the training prescription in the ebook emphasizes high reps and short rest periods, which sounds just like meltdown…but meltdown also incorporates several HIIT workouts/week-- would this be OK?

  4. I know the premise of the book is “all fats go” but I would like to say as healthy as possible. How can I best balance my fat intake to stay healthy, or even improve my health?

  5. How many calories should be consumed on carb up days? I know it depends on goals, but in the book it isn’t very clear on this. It mentions some lifters eating up to 10,000 but then the carb up day menus follow the same caloric guidelines as the week.

  6. Nothing is really said about post/pre workout nutrition. In fact, he claims that you can even workout first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. What about post workout nutrition?

  7. Are the supplement stacks he covers worth it? They’re quite extensive… What do you guys take?

  8. Are there any long term health problems associated with the carb up periods? It seems like heavily spiking insulin levels every weekend and swinging from one extreme to the other must take its toll on the endocrine system…could R-ALA or something similar be utilized to control effects on blood sugar? I suppose this would negate the anabolic effects of the diet, though.

How does this daily food intake look?

I’m around 195. 195x18 is around 3500cals. This translates to 235gm fat, 317gm protein, and obviously <30gm carbs.

Here’s what I’ll be eating daily:

10 eggs (found 30 eggs for $1.80 at Kroger!)
1lb lean ground beef (can substitute with real steak if i have cooking time)
6oz cheese
2tbsp flax oil
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 handful nuts (almonds, walnuts)
1 can salmon (can sub with grilled salmon)
3-6gm fish oil
1-2 spinach salads with other high fiber, lower GI veggies, apple cider vinegar, and 1-2tbsp olive oil

This makes up 260gm fat, 260gm protein, and less than 30 gm carbs.

The other 50-60gm carbs I would get through liver tabs and PWO whey shake.

How does this look?

Other supps would include:
SuperNutrition OptiPack multi
ZMA
Greens supplement
Maybe extra fiber
Maybe Tribulus

I thought you guys said this diet was expensive? The core calories come from the eggs, meat, and cheese. Actually, I could do 12 eggs, 1lb meat, 10oz cheese and get almost perfect macros (minus the healthier fats), for about $10 a day!

I am also a college student, and will be drinking on this diet. Should I avoid alcohol completely during the startup period, and then just limit it to the carb ups after that? I’m pledging this semester, so avoiding alcohol altogether is hard…should I just wait until next semester to begin? I know drinking is unhealthy, and have been lectured several times, but how does it physiologically interfere with this diet?

Thanks

2

spend the big 20 bucks and judge for yourself

3

[quote]brunottfn wrote:
spend the big 20 bucks and judge for yourself[/quote]

What do you mean?

4

I don’t know if there could be a more authoritative voice on these things than Disc Hoss who told someone who asked this exact question in the thread that if you have the original it’s not worth the extra purchase for the newer versions.

5

you asked would it be worth it to purchase the book,so buy it

6

[quote]brunottfn wrote:
you asked would it be worth it to purchase the book,so buy it[/quote]

In the original post I said that I had ordered and read the original AD ebook. The question was whether or not it was worth me buying either the “Anabolic Solution” or the “Metabolic Diet”. Would it?

Thanks

7

No it really wouldn’t be worth it, the principles of the diet are covered well enough in the original.

For your other questions

Meltdown would be doable but as the week goes on and you deplete in carbs your workouts may suffer. After you’ve adapted and if you choose to go for a small midweek carb spike it would help I think.

I try to get extra mono’s and poly’s to balance out the unavoidable saturated fats you’ll get. Just put some olive oil on your food and eat some nuts, also take your fish oil.

Most people like to eat a little more than they are during the week on the carbups. I normally eat around 3000 calroies a day during the week but bump it up to 4000 or so Saturday and Sunday. You don’t have to but I eat as clean as I can on weekends and feel I get more out of it if I bump the calories.

Disc Hoss had a great post about pre and post workout nutrition in the thread somewhere. So honestly just run some searches and you’ll find it.

The supplements are designed for this type of diet, but really beyond some Metabolic Drive and fish oil/Flameout supplements aren’t needed.

Honestly I don’t have a answer for you on the health effects of the carb up beyond that if you eat cupcakes and soda for your carbup yes it will be harmful, but eating whole wheat pasta or the like should be just fine. And if you think about it, it’s much healthier than the average person would eat anyways.

Your sample diet looks pretty spot on for what you should be eating so good luck.

8
  1. How does the diet differ for powerlifters vs. bodybuilders vs. athletes? This isn’t really covered in the ebook. I play rugby and soccer (but am currently injured and out for several months), and am interested in gaining strength/power while also looking better.

I play soccer and lift and I feel much better playing on this diet, I’ve mentioned that on the big thread more in depth.

  1. Would meltdown training work with this diet? I know the training prescription in the ebook emphasizes high reps and short rest periods, which sounds just like meltdown…but meltdown also incorporates several HIIT workouts/week-- would this be OK?

Again, I guess it depends on how well you adapt, but I’ve felt some of my best energy for playing on a friday, not having loaded since the sat before and completely depleted. Also I’ve noticed my lifts are the same whether it is Mon and a Sun load or Fri since the same Sun load.

  1. I know the premise of the book is “all fats go” but I would like to say as healthy as possible. How can I best balance my fat intake to stay healthy, or even improve my health?

All fats don’t go, trans fat is bad, but that’s more of an issue probably on loads if your’re eating donouts, cake etc… don’t be too worried or anal about other fats,sat fat on this type of diet doesn’t need to be feared, but it never hurts to have a salad or nuts, your menu looks fine.

  1. How many calories should be consumed on carb up days? I know it depends on goals, but in the book it isn’t very clear on this. It mentions some lifters eating up to 10,000 but then the carb up day menus follow the same caloric guidelines as the week.

Goals and body make a differnce. I gonna take an guess and say the lifter eating 10,000 on the load was prob a big bodybuilder with low body fat, 220 lbs. 7% BF or something, obviously they can handle more carbs than someone smaller or with higher bodyfat. I know i cound’t do that without putting on heaps of fat.

  1. Nothing is really said about post/pre workout nutrition. In fact, he claims that you can even workout first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. What about post workout nutrition?

Ya, pretty well covered in the thread. Whey (pref hydrolyzed), then extras if you can (glutamine, BCAA’s, here’s what Thib recommend for low carb

1 to 1 1/2 scoop of whey isolate
10g BCAAs
10-20g glutamine
5-10g creatine
5g taurine

That’s my “basic” stack. Adding isolated leucine and glycine (5g each) would make it even more effective.

  1. Are there any long term health problems associated with the carb up periods? It seems like heavily spiking insulin levels every weekend and swinging from one extreme to the other must take its toll on the endocrine system…could R-ALA or something similar be utilized to control effects on blood sugar? I suppose this would negate the anabolic effects of the diet, though.

A lot of the problems people have with heavy insulin is their eating carbs 24/7 and obese, here its a limited time and you’ll be able to handle them much better than fatty who eats cake for breakfast every day. Kinda like the fat issue, eat what you want on the carbups, but it doesn’t hurt to have some oatmeal and potatoes too.
How does this daily food intake look?

Diet looks good and well rounded.

The other 50-60gm carbs I would get through liver tabs and PWO whey shake.

I don’t get this part, the other food you mentioned is under 30 grams carbs and good, what this extra 50-60gms carbs?

9

[quote]YoungGunner wrote:

The other 50-60gm carbs I would get through liver tabs and PWO whey shake.

I don’t get this part, the other food you mentioned is under 30 grams carbs and good, what this extra 50-60gms carbs?
[/quote]

Oops! “other 50-60gm protein.” Thanks for your detailed response.

That workout mix you mentioned…is that just post, or could you do one pre/during, and one post?

What are your thoughts on drinking? I’m guessing you’re in college, YoungGunner, how do you combine the diet and drinking?

Thanks again! I have a very hard week this week with several exams, and am planning to jump in to this diet the week after…