My Experience On the Anabolic Diet

Nutrition
5222

[quote]jaj wrote:
Titan,

have you followed the AD before or just starting it?

I’m curious about gaining muscle on this diet. I am about 5’4" and 175 and would like to get as close as possible to the 200 mark while staying fairly lean.

Is this the diet to use for those goals?

Any comments are appreciated.[/quote]

JaJ,

Yes I have used the AD diet before with great success. Actually, the only reason I went off the diet was for a more traditional contest prep period of about 16 weeks. Since I am more comfortable now with the AD diet, I’m going to run it as a contest phase as well. But thats not going to be for at least a year.

To answer your question, yes the AD diet can be used to gain mass while staying lean. After running the 12 day “shift phase” I would start my calories at around 18-20 per pound of bodyweight. After a few weeks you can up the calories based on what you see. The beauty of the AD diet is that you can set it to suit your needs.

If gaining muscle and maintaining leaness is your goal I would make my food choices basic. I do. I’m going to get slammed for this but bacon, cheese, ect. is out. Stick with whole eggs, beef, chicken, flax and olive oil. They will yield best results. Also, the weekend carb loads are so important.

Don’t be afraid to eat! I usually consume anywhere from 800-1000 carbs Sat and Sun, the majority being clean(2 cheat meals). This will be a little less at your weight. More like 500-700. Any other questions just ask.

5223

Wow, I just finished reading all (so far) 212 pages of this thread.

This thread totally rocks. I started the AD exactly one week ago, and have been doing pretty well so far. The only days I had trouble were when my fat % was at or below 60%, but since then I’ve worked on just getting an extra tablespoon of oil a couple times a day + more cream and butter.

Haven’t noticed too many problems up to this point, except that I seem to be really hot all the time… maybe its my metabolism ramping up.

Anyway, I originally was looking into this diet for fat loss. I would like to be down to about 180 lbs from 202 lbs by mid-summer. I understand the importance of becoming fat adapted, etc… and I plan on following the 18xbw recommendation for the first few weeks until I begin to fat adapt.(as an aside, now I think I’m totally digging this diet, and hope to continue it after my fat loss).

This leads to the question: What have others done that was most effective for fat loss, while not deviating from the principles of the AD? I’ve seen that some people have been working in low-calorie RD-like days into their AD. Is this working well? What other strategies have worked well for people?

5224

Hey guys,

I’ve read the first 100 or so pages of the anabolic diet and have seen a few posts about the effects of this diet on cholesterol. In the book it says that cholesterol profiles are stellar while on this diet, but he only gives and example of a patient who was losing weight.

Also he says all of his clients who are losing weight also yield similar results. He however only briefly talks about the gaining phase and blood profiles. Has anyone gotten there blood tested while gaining on this diet with good news back from the blood tests. I make sure I get in 3-4 tbsp’s of olive oil a day, some fish caps thrown in here and there, and a tablespoon of flax oil every/everyother day.

The rest of my fats come from steak, chicken, and eggs. Does what I eat look good. BTW I weigh roughly 140 right now and am obviously in the gaining phase (first carb up went great, kept it mainly clean, only “cheat” thing I had was 2 or 3 blueberry muffins, but they were whole grain and the ingredients said the 10g of sugar in them came from grape juice. Never crashed from saturday morning to sunday night or after, prolly due to takin in some fat with every meal)

5225

Also, it seems saturated fats make up about 25% of my total fat intake, 65% mono, and the rest poly, to give you guys an idea of my daily fat breakdown (with minor deviations daily obviously).

5226

[quote]titan strength wrote:

If gaining muscle and maintaining leaness is your goal I would make my food choices basic. I do. I’m going to get slammed for this but bacon, cheese, ect. is out. Stick with whole eggs, beef, chicken, flax and olive oil. They will yield best results. Also, the weekend carb loads are so important.

Don’t be afraid to eat! I usually consume anywhere from 800-1000 carbs Sat and Sun, the majority being clean(2 cheat meals). This will be a little less at your weight. More like 500-700. Any other questions just ask.[/quote]

Its good to see some other guys gaining muscle on this diet. 215-225lbs at 5’9 after four years of training is really damn good I hope to get there. I think your right about the cheese and bacon. From my own experience, cutting down on animal fats and upping the healthier ones has yielded leaner gains. How many calories do you take in on the non carb days?

5227

Also, is it worth purchasing the Radical Diet book if you already own any of the others (I own the Metabolic Diet hardcover)?

I am aware that it is essentially a low calorie version of the MD or AD. Are there any major differences (other than less than half the calories per day)?

5228

[quote]Hagar wrote:
titan strength wrote:

If gaining muscle and maintaining leaness is your goal I would make my food choices basic. I do. I’m going to get slammed for this but bacon, cheese, ect. is out. Stick with whole eggs, beef, chicken, flax and olive oil. They will yield best results. Also, the weekend carb loads are so important.

Don’t be afraid to eat! I usually consume anywhere from 800-1000 carbs Sat and Sun, the majority being clean(2 cheat meals). This will be a little less at your weight. More like 500-700. Any other questions just ask.

Its good to see some other guys gaining muscle on this diet. 215-225lbs at 5’9 after four years of training is really damn good I hope to get there. I think your right about the cheese and bacon. From my own experience, cutting down on animal fats and upping the healthier ones has yielded leaner gains. How many calories do you take in on the non carb days? [/quote]

Hagar,

Thanks for the compliments. Right now my calories during the week are at 3500-3600 per day over 6 meals. The breakdown is around 54%fat, 45%protein ,1%carb. 400 g protein, 200 fat, 40 carb. A list of my meals is located in this thread a few posts back. With the high carb count I get on weekends I don’t feel the need to take the weekday calories higher than around 18 per pound.

5229

[quote]graphicsMan wrote:
I am aware that it is essentially a low calorie version of the MD or AD. Are there any major differences (other than less than half the calories per day)?[/quote]

Well there is mentioning of fruit in it actually :slight_smile:

It might be interesting for you to see the actual details, idunno …

5230

Thanks for the response and information.

I will give it a shot and see how it works for me, I always seem to hit a plateau at about 175-180.

Thanks again.

5231

Well…
I’ve decided to - temporarily? - cycle off off the AD in favor of more ‘regular eating’ - regular macronutrient breakdowns. Carb cycling, as promoted by CT, sounds like fun. And fitting to my needs.
I have lately been having the feeling that my recuperation after workouts is insufficient.

Maybe I’m biased because I caught a flu the last few days - and it’s my off-week also … but I just don’t feel right. Sore too often, pain in my joints - had stingin aches in my foot today, havent squatted/deadlifted since friday.

I’m still in doubt. I’ve loved the AD but the last few weeks, the last month, my progress kinda halted, I gained some fat, etc.

So, the plan for now is to slowly lower the fat intake while increasing the intake of some more carbs - mostly from fruit and veggies, and adding more traditional carb sources like rice and oatmeal later on (for PWO). I’ll stretch this out over say 3 to 4 weeks so I don’t spill over too much. It’ll allow me some more flexibility in what I eat, and maybe it’s just for the best.

I’m still pondering, so any suggestions are welcome - if there are other people who have been on/off the AD, their reasons behind it, etc.

Thanks to all, and even when I’m off the AD, I’ll still check this thread to see what everyone here is up to :slight_smile:

5232

[quote]LVZzed wrote:
Well…
I’ve decided to - temporarily? - cycle off off the AD in favor of more ‘regular eating’ - regular macronutrient breakdowns. Carb cycling, as promoted by CT, sounds like fun. And fitting to my needs.
I have lately been having the feeling that my recuperation after workouts is insufficient.

Maybe I’m biased because I caught a flu the last few days - and it’s my off-week also … but I just don’t feel right. Sore too often, pain in my joints - had stingin aches in my foot today, havent squatted/deadlifted since friday.

I’m still in doubt. I’ve loved the AD but the last few weeks, the last month, my progress kinda halted, I gained some fat, etc.

So, the plan for now is to slowly lower the fat intake while increasing the intake of some more carbs - mostly from fruit and veggies, and adding more traditional carb sources like rice and oatmeal later on (for PWO). I’ll stretch this out over say 3 to 4 weeks so I don’t spill over too much. It’ll allow me some more flexibility in what I eat, and maybe it’s just for the best.

I’m still pondering, so any suggestions are welcome - if there are other people who have been on/off the AD, their reasons behind it, etc.

Thanks to all, and even when I’m off the AD, I’ll still check this thread to see what everyone here is up to :)[/quote]

Be very careful when reintroducing carbs back in to your diet. I’m currently cycling them back in as per Berardi’s Getting Unshredded Diet.

In respect of this forum, I’ll simply tell you that if you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

5233

Any thoughts/comments about my posts just above would be appreciated (and while lifting to gain is running 4 times a week for 25-30 mins too much?)

5234

[quote]titan strength wrote:
Hagar wrote:
titan strength wrote:

Hagar,

Thanks for the compliments. Right now my calories during the week are at 3500-3600 per day over 6 meals. The breakdown is around 54%fat, 45%protein ,1%carb. 400 g protein, 200 fat, 40 carb. A list of my meals is located in this thread a few posts back. With the high carb count I get on weekends I don’t feel the need to take the weekday calories higher than around 18 per pound.[/quote]

Thanks Titan, Those look like good ratios. Just saw your photos good work.

5235

[quote]CaliforniaLaw wrote:
Train_smart wrote:
that is because what you are eating in that 24 hour period is all garbage, that is what is making you feel like you are getting fat and feel super bloated.

Quite the ASSumption. I have experimented with carb-ups (one and two days “clean,” 12 hours, and one and two “cheat” carbs). Bar none, 12-24 hours of “cheat” carbs work best for me. If I go 48 (or even 36) hours of “clean” foods, I feel bloated and disgusting.

In fact, I’ve been experimenting with mid-week carb-ups. Tonight I had chips and guacamole, an enchilada, and about a dozen pralines.

Within 30 minutes I had the sickest vascularity in my biceps and forearms. I do not get anything like this from “clean” carbs. Tomorrow I am pretty sure the skin around my abs will be tights and that I will be notably vascular. We’ll see.

It could be that the sodium from the “cheat” foods are playing a role in the carb-ups. (I kept running to the drinking fountain and could not drink enough water.) In any event, I both look better and feel better after carbing up with junk.

Your body might be different. That’s cool. But don’t assume that because you do something a certain way, that everyone else needs to do the same thing.

In fact, the entire attraction of the AD is that it can be modified to suit the needs of most carb intolerant people.[/quote]

I too agree that cheat carbs are better and more economical, eating wise. Plus, its fun and keeps me sane. I’m eating no carbs during the week, so eating all the bullshit that most people eat for 1 day on the weekend keeps me sane.

I tried clean carb loading and it sucks. It still feels like I’m dieting, I don’t get as big of pumps, and the amount of food seems too much.

Either way, I cut it at about 10 hrs. max. There is no way I could carb load 2 full days clean carbs or not.

I feel the best strategy for me is junk carbs for 1 day or half a day as much. Doing it like this, I don’t put on fat and I don’t really get bloated.

I workout monday, tues, thurs, and fri and sprint wed and saturday mornings. Carb up saturday and on sunday I wake up with crazy pump and vascularity.

5236

[quote]titan strength wrote:
I have posted contest pics in the performance photos section for anyone who wishes to look. I am going to be updating my progress from here throughout my offseason using the AD diet. I have also posted my base plan for the diet which will begin on 5/21 with the 12 day shift phase. [/quote]

I saw your pics. You are in great shape. You have been on the AD exclusively? People talk alot of shit on how you can’t gain mass on the AD as with a carb based diet, so it would be interesting to know your background.

Edit: I just saw you had posted another post talking about your training and diet background.

5237

I just wanted to say also (this is my little rant) that this thread seems to be the only shining light on the forums right now.

I will be probably hanging out in here and spending most of my time in here.

It seems the rest of the forums has gone pretty much downhill and lacks and real contribution or worth reading. The same newbie-types post the same questions or same beginning pics or people are arguing the same boring arguments for pages and pages about bullshit like functional strength or genetics, etc. Nothing really worth reading. Hardly what I would call “bodybuilding’s think-tank.”

I think this thread however is by far the most valueable on the site and has tons of great info packed in it. I’ve read through it a few times. Just wanted to say thanks for everyone keeping it going.

I will be posting more in here and I will be posting some pics in here in a couple weeks when I finish cutting.

I think more ADers should post pics, it would be good to see the fruits of everyone’'s labor. Peace.

5238

Here’s another one of my favorite recipes.

Chicken Alfredo or Chicken Pesto.
You make the chicken how you want. A super easy way is to get a couple rotisserie chickens from Costco, etc. shred them and them mix in the sauce. Instead of serving over noodles or pasta I eat it on top of broccoli or green beans. Its great.

Also, heads up to all the big meat eaters, Costco is rapidly turning into my favorite place to shop. They now have orgranic grasfed ground beef, organic nitrate free bacon, omega 3 organic eggs, and even grassfed organc nitrate free hotdogs!

Needless to say, I’m pretty stocked up and have been eating good.

5239

[quote]greekdawg wrote:
Here’s another one of my favorite recipes.

Chicken Alfredo or Chicken Pesto.
You make the chicken how you want. A super easy way is to get a couple rotisserie chickens from Costco, etc. shred them and them mix in the sauce. Instead of serving over noodles or pasta I eat it on top of broccoli or green beans. Its great.

Also, heads up to all the big meat eaters, Costco is rapidly turning into my favorite place to shop. They now have orgranic grasfed ground beef, organic nitrate free bacon, omega 3 organic eggs, and even grassfed organc nitrate free hotdogs!

Needless to say, I’m pretty stocked up and have been eating good.[/quote]

greekdawg,

It’s good to hear you’ll be posting here more often. The idea of serving the chicken dish on top of broccoli is a great one. I have a couple cornish game hens and a bag of frozen broccoli just waiting on this idea.

Wish I had a costco in the area. As it is, I have to drive 35 miles just to get groceries. Oh well, nobody ever accused me of starving to death.

On a side note, the past 3 weeks, I’ve gotten shitty sleep the night before a carb up. It’s like at about 4 am, I start to get restless like a kid on Christmas eve. I proceed to spend the first few hours gorging myself with kids cereal and a ton of milk. By 3 pm, I feel so sick to my stomach that I can really slow it down.
I have no problems at all going down to RD calories the day after.

5240

Hey guys, during the carb ups, for your macro breakdowns, do you include the protein from the carb sources such as oatmeall, rice, pasta, etc., in your percentage. Would the 10g of protein in 1 cup of oats contribute to your 10-20% protein (seems like it would have to to get your percentages right and adding up to 100).

5241

What kinda ratios do you guys cutting in the sub 2000 mark eat?

the book says keep protein high, so im trying to keep my protein high…but im worried that having so little fat will mean my body wont shift back into fat burning mode after a carb up???

what ya think?