My Experience On the Anabolic Diet

Nutrition
7342

[quote]Bizmark wrote:
Hey guys, thought I’d drop in this Christmas eve and say hello as I haven’t posted in a long ass time. Good to see that some of the other people who have been on the diet for a while are still posting, like Pauli D and ovalpline. But when did you jump back on the diet Stu?

Also, check this out. Hearst Magazines

That’s a link to the Men’s Health TNT Diet forums which is the EXACT same thing as the AD, except they are touting that they came up with it themselves. Well, they obviously didn’t, and may even come under copyright infringement from Dr. DiPasquale.

Though they may not have anything that he wrote in their book, called “The TNT Diet”, they did copy and paste something straight from the original “Anabolic Diet” book on their faqs page. Just go to the link above and type in Anabolic Diet in your browsers search page function.

Just thought I’d point that out for anybody interested. And just to show that the AD has become mainstream, just under a different name.

Merry Christmas
-Biz[/quote]

And here it is…
If I maintain a standard high-carb/low-fat diet on workout days and then the high-protein/low-carb plan for the rest of the week will TNT still work for me? The temptation may be big to mix diets combining aspects of both the high carb and high fat diets and putting them together in your own personal Frankenstein stew. Don’t.

Many people will go on the high fat 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 those foods may be quite nutritious and beneficial, even when used in the high fat diet, they can’t be used as a replacement for good, old fashioned red meat. They ain’t fat.

What you end up doing by taking on the turkey/chicken/fish holy trinity is going on a high protein, low carb, MEDIUM FAT diet. Along with being even harder to stay on than the ANABOLIC DIET, this diet won’t get you the advantages you’re looking for from the high fat diet. You won’t burn the fat like you should. You won’t have the energy. You won’t build the mass.

You need red meat. You need the fat it provides. Don’t shortchange yourself by trying to avoid it in some mislead effort to stay true to forces in society who have labeled meat some kind of monster. This is simply not true.

7343

[quote]Pauli D wrote:
LiveFromThe781 wrote:
i actually eat no veggies whatsoever even on weekends. i really hope Biotest releases that greens+ supplement soon lol.

i just dont see the point in eating them for my goals. im trying to put on weight so i just want everything that goes into my body to be of the highest calorie content possible (withen the diet’s limits).

The benefits and nutritional value of vegetables are irreplaceable IMHO.
Greens supplements are great and all…but they’re still only supplements. The very best supplements for growth are whole foods. Nothing beats them.

Increasing your vegetable intake will increase your gains.
Green veggies are a bit of a necessity on the AD. They help neutralize the slight metabolic acidosis we undergo while breaking down FFA’s for energy.

Also in addition to balancing out our blood profile…the vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients found in green veggies are just plain Good For You! They’re proven anti-inflamatory agents and have been shown to improve general health as well as ward of various carcinogenic maladies.

Green veggies are a staple…really. Eat 'em up!

…just say’n

:wink:

peace[/quote]

meh, i cant really imagine going crazy on vegetables b/c of the carb thing. plus i seriously doubt im going to add mass by eating broccoli and such.

so far im gaining at a rate of about 1 pound per week but im tryin a different type of training because it made my growth skyrocket while i did it so hopefully itll have the same effects. if not then im going to experiment bulking without the anabolic diet and if i like it ill stick with it until cutting season and if i feel the growth rate is the same or lower ill obviously come back to the AD.

7344

[quote]LiveFromThe781 wrote:
Pauli D wrote:
LiveFromThe781 wrote:
i actually eat no veggies whatsoever even on weekends. i really hope Biotest releases that greens+ supplement soon lol.

i just dont see the point in eating them for my goals. im trying to put on weight so i just want everything that goes into my body to be of the highest calorie content possible (withen the diet’s limits).

The benefits and nutritional value of vegetables are irreplaceable IMHO.
Greens supplements are great and all…but they’re still only supplements. The very best supplements for growth are whole foods. Nothing beats them.

Increasing your vegetable intake will increase your gains.
Green veggies are a bit of a necessity on the AD. They help neutralize the slight metabolic acidosis we undergo while breaking down FFA’s for energy.

Also in addition to balancing out our blood profile…the vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients found in green veggies are just plain Good For You! They’re proven anti-inflamatory agents and have been shown to improve general health as well as ward of various carcinogenic maladies.

Green veggies are a staple…really. Eat 'em up!

…just say’n

:wink:

peace

meh, i cant really imagine going crazy on vegetables b/c of the carb thing. plus i seriously doubt im going to add mass by eating broccoli and such.

so far im gaining at a rate of about 1 pound per week but im tryin a different type of training because it made my growth skyrocket while i did it so hopefully itll have the same effects. if not then im going to experiment bulking without the anabolic diet and if i like it ill stick with it until cutting season and if i feel the growth rate is the same or lower ill obviously come back to the AD.
[/quote]

If your naturally insulin sensitive you may do better on a “see food” diet rather than the AD. Do you gain love handles easily? That’s one way to atleast partly tell if your insulin sensitive or not. But it’s good that your going to try different things to see how they work.

Also, eat your vegetables. A recent study showed that men who ate broccoli and cauliflower during the day rather than no vegetables at all felt that their workouts were less strenuous that others who didn’t eat them. They think its from the antioxidants.

Or maybe the ones who weren’t eating their vegetables just worked harder in the gym =), the study wasn’t very in-depth. But it’s pretty much common sense that vegetables are good for you.

7345

Hey all…First, happy holidays to all! I’ve been on this diet for 2 months, and seems some great results! HOwever, this week, I’ve recovering from surgery and stray off (2 real carb loads and 2 eating way more than 30g carbs). How should I get back on track? Should I start the whole process over and restart the reinitial phase? ( 12 days then 13-14 carblaod, then 5 days on, 2 days carbload?

7346

Thinking about starting the AD, my biggest fear is losing strength/muscle. I’m 320 lb. SHW, pretty lean for a SHW :wink: One of my main concerns is that on my workout days I follow the Nutrient Timing System and have had good success with it, but this puts me at 60 carbs. I think about 40 pre, 20 post.

At my bodyweight, will it be ok to take this many carbs? If not, what about taking 3/4 serving or even half and getting 45 or 30 for my workouts. Is it ok for this to be adjusted for my bodyweight, seen as I take alot more calories than the 200 lb. fellas? Thanks

7347

[quote]bluebullet wrote:
Hey all…First, happy holidays to all! I’ve been on this diet for 2 months, and seems some great results! HOwever, this week, I’ve recovering from surgery and stray off (2 real carb loads and 2 eating way more than 30g carbs). How should I get back on track? Should I start the whole process over and restart the reinitial phase? ( 12 days then 13-14 carblaod, then 5 days on, 2 days carbload?[/quote]

At “2 months” in you’re not completely adapted.
But off the top of my head, I’d say the 5/2 plan would get you back on track.

Honestly though… only YOU know your true condition. Do what you think you need to do.

First, get back on track with your carb intake; get that under control.
Then as your regularly scheduled carb-up approaches you’re going to have to assess your condition:
Have you been training hard?
Are your glycogen stores depleted?
Can you go another few days or do you “need” to carb-up?

Only you can know what your body needs to succeed.

:wink:

peace

7348

[quote]FE_FrEaK wrote:
Thinking about starting the AD, my biggest fear is losing strength/muscle. I’m 320 lb. SHW, pretty lean for a SHW :wink: One of my main concerns is that on my workout days I follow the Nutrient Timing System and have had good success with it, but this puts me at 60 carbs. I think about 40 pre, 20 post.

At my bodyweight, will it be ok to take this many carbs? If not, what about taking 3/4 serving or even half and getting 45 or 30 for my workouts. Is it ok for this to be adjusted for my bodyweight, seen as I take alot more calories than the 200 lb. fellas? Thanks[/quote]

I suppose your success on the AD will depend upon what it is you’re trying to accomplish with it.

If you’re having good success with NTS and you’re already fairly lean -you may just need to tighten up what’s already working quite well for you.

What do you think?

:wink:

7349

Merry Christmas to everyone. I know there has been some talk about the similarity of the TNT diet and the AD diet. They have a plan on there which allows pre and post workout carbs along with your protein, my question is does anyone have any experience as to if this will confuse your body in stopping to utilize fat as your primary energy fuel source? Any feedback will really be appreciated.

7350

Just more wondering if it is going to throw things off if I’m taking upwards of 60g carbs, or how should I manage my pre post?

7351

[quote]FE_FrEaK wrote:
Just more wondering if it is going to throw things off if I’m taking upwards of 60g carbs, or how should I manage my pre post?[/quote]

Well we’re talking about two completely different protocols now aren’t we?

The Nutrient Timing System is designed with the idea that spiking insulin post workout is the goal -and THAT is the anabolic timeframe that is to be taken advantage of.

The Anabolic Diet protocol, on the other hand, is designed to create a steady-state anabolic environment.
In other words…we’re anabolic all the time -or at least that’s the goal.

On the AD there really isn’t a need for any particular pre/post training nutrition strategy. A little whey protein with some heavy cream is enough, but again…whole foods are where it’s at!

The Anabolic Diet is designed to optimize our hormonal profiles for the most anabolic environment possible at all times.

If you’re havng success with NTS -stick with it…dial it in.

If you’ve read the AD book and you understand what it attempts to accomplish -and believe that this protocol is the best for you…then give it a diligent go.

Mixing systems will yield less than optimal results.

peace

7352

[quote]Bizmark wrote:
LiveFromThe781 wrote:
Pauli D wrote:
LiveFromThe781 wrote:
i actually eat no veggies whatsoever even on weekends. i really hope Biotest releases that greens+ supplement soon lol.

i just dont see the point in eating them for my goals. im trying to put on weight so i just want everything that goes into my body to be of the highest calorie content possible (withen the diet’s limits).

The benefits and nutritional value of vegetables are irreplaceable IMHO.
Greens supplements are great and all…but they’re still only supplements. The very best supplements for growth are whole foods. Nothing beats them.

Increasing your vegetable intake will increase your gains.
Green veggies are a bit of a necessity on the AD. They help neutralize the slight metabolic acidosis we undergo while breaking down FFA’s for energy.

Also in addition to balancing out our blood profile…the vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients found in green veggies are just plain Good For You! They’re proven anti-inflamatory agents and have been shown to improve general health as well as ward of various carcinogenic maladies.

Green veggies are a staple…really. Eat 'em up!

…just say’n

:wink:

peace

meh, i cant really imagine going crazy on vegetables b/c of the carb thing. plus i seriously doubt im going to add mass by eating broccoli and such.

so far im gaining at a rate of about 1 pound per week but im tryin a different type of training because it made my growth skyrocket while i did it so hopefully itll have the same effects. if not then im going to experiment bulking without the anabolic diet and if i like it ill stick with it until cutting season and if i feel the growth rate is the same or lower ill obviously come back to the AD.

If your naturally insulin sensitive you may do better on a “see food” diet rather than the AD. Do you gain love handles easily? That’s one way to atleast partly tell if your insulin sensitive or not. But it’s good that your going to try different things to see how they work.

Also, eat your vegetables. A recent study showed that men who ate broccoli and cauliflower during the day rather than no vegetables at all felt that their workouts were less strenuous that others who didn’t eat them. They think its from the antioxidants.

Or maybe the ones who weren’t eating their vegetables just worked harder in the gym =), the study wasn’t very in-depth. But it’s pretty much common sense that vegetables are good for you.[/quote]

no i wouldnt say i gain love handles easily since im an ecto…so its kinda hard for me to gain anything easily lol.

7353

Although this thread is still going strong, its somewhat apparent that its hard assed unorthodox persona has started to dwindle.

This post is for those who may enter this thread on an off chance or have been an onlooker for some time but never gave the diet a shot. This post is meant to give alittle insight on the basics of the diet and some FAQ’s that have been cropping up for some time…

firstly the diet utilises a cyclical approach where days are split up into high fat/protein days and high carbohydrate days.

The AD’s fundamental elements are that it adjusts the body to becoming a fat burning carb storing machine, instead of a fat stroing carb burning machine.

how do we do that? by eating fats!
By changing what energy source we give our body (from carbohydrates to fats) we can change the fuel source we use predominantly in all situations, making us fat burning machines. Another huge aspect of eating a high fat diet is the hormonal advantage it gives us. A diet high in fats (mainly monunsaturated and saturated fats) increases testosterone and growth hormone production.

the other portion of the diet (high carb days) are utilised to stuff the muscles full of glycogen for anaerobic activity, this allows more than adequate fuel for weight sessions and other intense activites.

so how do we put this into practice?

well lets break it down into 3 stages.

  1. break in phase - 12 days high fat/high protein are used to force the body into the process of converting into a fat burner. at this time miniam carbs are to be ingested. maximum of 30g a day.

  2. 5/2 approach - after the 12 days, 2 days high carb/low protein/ medium fat are done. this is to refil the muscles with glycogen.

  3. 5/2 approach - after this time the high fat approach is used for 5 days before having the 2 days high carb again. this becomes the cycle.

Answers to questions -

calories should be started at 18 X BW

macros should be fat 60-75% protein 35%> and carbs at 30g or less.

on high carb days macros at 60-70% CHO 30> fat and 10% protein

Fibre is not to be counted. get your vegetables. deduct the fibre from the food from the total carbs in the food.

eat broccoli, spinach and any other green fibrous veg, limit more CHO dense veg.

Peri workout nutrition isnt needed as such. but whey and bcaa’s are a good addition.

EAT Fat like its going out of fashion. IT IS YOUR FRIEND!

sample high fat day

eggs
bacon
spinach
EVOO

Chicken
EVOO
Brocolli
Fish oil

Beef
Avocado Salad
fish oil

High Carb Day
Oats
Potatoes
pasta
WM bread

You can have some of your cravings to e.g. ice ream, pizza but keep it clean as possible.

so here is just a little insight into the diet, but if your at all intrigued in giving it a go i highly suggest you get the book, it can be found for free on the internet as a PDF document.

The AD has been a success for many Vets (Dischoss being one of the most famous on the site) disreguarding goal. many people have got huge, strong, ripped, increased endurance and even increased their standard of living from this diet, and by looking through the thread you will see many inspriational accounts of transformations.

Sorry for the rambling, but i love this diet and love seeing the transformations it brings. i did this to spark a little excitement for the diet as it truly is an enjoyable experience with phenominal results.

Lets take this thread back up to the level it once was at and get another 300 pages!!!

Oh yea… Buy the book, read it, digest it, and get ready for some of the best gains (or losses) of your life.

7354

Just wanted to add this section to Ad B’s post.

From DH…

Peri-workout nutrition.

I have a few protocols that I think will work well. We’ll call them “economy”, “middle class”, “theoretical bliss”, and “Doc D’s Bomb”. There are a few others that I may throw out for specific purpose should the need arise.

Economy:

45 mins prior to training:
Some whey concentrate (say 25-40g)
Some caseinate (say 10g or so)

Post workout(immediately or soon after)
Same as above with 10-20g of heavy whipping cream.

This should allow the aminos to be in the blood stream during the workout, signaling the body not to cannibalize muscle but rather use an easily utilized supply already. Then another hit after the workout for more protein synthesis.

Middle Class:
Whey isolate about 30 mins before (say 20g). Can add a little Milk Isolate or Micellar Caseinate too.

Whey isolate during (say 20g)

Post:
Whey isolate (20g)
Milk isolate or Micellar Caseinate(20g)
with 10-20g of heavy whipping cream.

Isolate is a little “cleaner” and faster and should be easy enough on the gut to ingest during. This should saturate your system with AA’s during the “hot times”. Milk Isolate gives a lttle casein which is very anticatabolic and at this small level shouldn’t slow down the overall effect too much. You’ll be covering the anabolic and anti-catabolic zones nicely.

Theoretical Bliss:

20-30 minutes prior
Hydrolyzed Whey (10g)
Whey Isolate (10g) for taste

Same during training

Post:
Hydrolyzed Whey (25g)
Whey Isolate (25g)
with 10-20g of heavy whipping cream.

Doc D’s Bomb:
Same as “theoretical bliss” but use the “Amino” product after for what Mauro says is the best “square wave” increase in the hyperaminoacidemia effect.

Now, before I set off a rabid argument over all this, remember that we are in an entirely different metabolic set than others. We will be using hyperaminoacidemia to stimulate insulin to an acceptable level to increase protein synthesis. You only need CHO if you are a CHO burner. Unnecessary for us.

IF you must, after 3 solid months on the diet WITHOUT post workout CHO, you may try using about 20g of glucose/maltodextrin or even plain old sugar ONLY on post workout. Never on pre or you’ll halt fat loss in it’s tracks. I really prefer to allow the body to continue to burn fat after the workout, and to have it get it’s glycogen from gluconeogeneisis from the breakdown of triglycerides. This is optimal.

I do not, and personally don’t suggest using any more than 20g of simple fast CHO to assist in insulin response after the workout. You DO NOT need it. You really don’t. The experts, many of whom I respect, are telling you what is necessary for the carb burners. It is a conditional observation. This is NOT your condition so it does not pan out the same for you. If you saturate the system with aminos from properly timed protein sources, you’ll get enough of an insulin response to get the protein synthesis we are looking for AND keep burning fat.

Best,
DH

Oh and in my honest opinion, you might only see a 10-20% improvement from the “least” to the “best” of the above scenarios. What that might mean is 2lbs more muscle in a years time. Don’t sweat it if you can only afford economy. You’re still doing great. The dietary structure of the AD is vastly more important.

To get a better understanding of this check out Dave Barr’s Top 10 Myths article. Protein synthesis is elevated for 24-48 hours after a workout. The famous “window” is not nearly as important as continuous feeding of the proper foods. That is what we are doing on the AD. The real focus should be on the anabolic effects of the AD. This is why frequent training augments the AD. You are in a state of perpetual protein synthesis stimulation, and are constantly giving the body the right macros for growth and fat loss. Post workout nutrition is no more important than breakfast and not much more so than standard meals.

REMEMBER THIS: (and forget all else if you want. Really.)

The big picture is MUCH more important than this one “meal” window of opportunity. Never forget that. Our CHO load, which works ONLY when we follow the AD with the bare minimum of CHO intake, is the monster insulin surge for growth that others don’t get. Then the bare bones CHO allows the week to set our T, GH, insulin, etc.. in both a growth AND fat loss mode. Don’t screw this up for a “myth” that we’ve been fed.

7355

Pure Gold

:wink:

7356

So correct me if I am wrong, since we are using fat as our primary source of energy, fats combined with protein will do the same job as carbs does on a regular balanced diet? We will still get those pumps, because thats what I miss, I would have a regular coke or some dexrose post workout and I was blowing up.

7357

yes, because CHO are kept to below 30g a day, the body adapts to use fat as its energy source. once your adapted, you’ll have more than enough energy whilst eating the AD way. the pumps, especially the first few days after the CHO up are amazing. you literally see yourself blow up all over.

FAO Nutso - great post man.

7358

I’m deciding between T-Dawg 2.0 and the Anabolic Diet, as I’ve bloated up from holiday piggery and would like to cut back down.

I’m 5’9", light build, and I weighed in at 165 lbs this morning after my holiday rampage. A lot of that is water weight … my body “likes” to be about 155 lbs, which includes a little belly these days. I know this is “does your husband know you’re posting here, Sally?” territory for y’all, but there it is. :frowning:

My goal is to add a bit of muscle mass and cut to about 10% body fat. Getting much bigger would mess up my other hobbies/sports. I’m more concerned with cutting right now, and I’m willing to gain muscle more slowly to avoid gaining fat.

So, I have a few questions, and I waded through 32 pages or so before I realized this is a 300 page thread. I apologize if these have been asked and answered before.

  1. If gaining muscle mass is a secondary goal to cutting body fat and preserving the muscle one already has, is this a suitable diet? I.e., if one wants to cut first, gain second, is this a good choice?

  2. I’ve noticed that a lot of y’all eat a lot of bacon, pepperoni, deli meats, lil smokies, and so on. Have you experienced any water retention or other bloating issues from high sodium, or does the diet’s diuretic effect take care of all that? I seem to be pretty sodium-sensitive, if there is such a thing … if I eat a lot of salty food, my face bloats up so it looks like I’m peeking at the world through a hemorrhoid cushion.

  3. Is there any reason, other than general health, to refrain from aspartame while on the diet? What about Splenda?

  4. I’m concerned about the “yo yo” effect of carbing down/up … do you ever have an issue with losing weight during the week, then gaining it on the carb-up and having to fight the battle to lose the same 5-10 lbs the next week?

Thank you very much for your time and patience … this is a very informative and impressive thread, and I’m hoping to make it through the entire thing. Someday.

7359

[quote]rainsofcastamere wrote:
I’m deciding between T-Dawg 2.0 and the Anabolic Diet, as I’ve bloated up from holiday piggery and would like to cut back down.

I’m 5’9", light build, and I weighed in at 165 lbs this morning after my holiday rampage. A lot of that is water weight … my body “likes” to be about 155 lbs, which includes a little belly these days. I know this is “does your husband know you’re posting here, Sally?” territory for y’all, but there it is. :frowning:

My goal is to add a bit of muscle mass and cut to about 10% body fat. Getting much bigger would mess up my other hobbies/sports. I’m more concerned with cutting right now, and I’m willing to gain muscle more slowly to avoid gaining fat.

So, I have a few questions, and I waded through 32 pages or so before I realized this is a 300 page thread. I apologize if these have been asked and answered before.

  1. If gaining muscle mass is a secondary goal to cutting body fat and preserving the muscle one already has, is this a suitable diet? I.e., if one wants to cut first, gain second, is this a good choice?[/quote]

Eat minimum calories to lose bodyfat and keep muscle - eat more calories to gain muscle without fat - eat most calories to gain muscle and bodyfat. It really is this easy. Find your caloric numbers and within that amount, eat fat, protein, and carbs in the proper ratios.

Processed meat in not a good idea from a health standpoint. You will feel better eating fresh meats and eggs, but talking about simply fats/proteins/carbs… you can eat them. If you’re still bloating on them even without the carbs, then don’t eat them.

Some folks think fake sugars still make you’re think you’re eating real sugar and so insulin surges and so on… this community will say you’re ok unless you’re drinking a case a day.

This has been attended to over and over so I’ll not repost here. Suffice to say, if you’re eating properly, the only up and down bodyweight week wo week, will be the water weight accompanying the weekend carbs. If you’re eating carbs on the weekends longer than needed FOR YOUR BODY, than you will be ‘yo yo’-ing.

Don’t fret too much. The poster a few posts back wrote a quick rundown of the AD. I think some of his intent was to show that this is not rocket science… but wisdom through experience cannot be purchased. Relax and get on with it.

Good luck, glad to have you aboard.

7360

[quote]rainsofcastamere wrote:
I’m deciding between T-Dawg 2.0 and the Anabolic Diet, as I’ve bloated up from holiday piggery and would like to cut back down.

I’m 5’9", light build, and I weighed in at 165 lbs this morning after my holiday rampage. A lot of that is water weight … my body “likes” to be about 155 lbs, which includes a little belly these days. I know this is “does your husband know you’re posting here, Sally?” territory for y’all, but there it is. :frowning:

My goal is to add a bit of muscle mass and cut to about 10% body fat. Getting much bigger would mess up my other hobbies/sports. I’m more concerned with cutting right now, and I’m willing to gain muscle more slowly to avoid gaining fat.

So, I have a few questions, and I waded through 32 pages or so before I realized this is a 300 page thread. I apologize if these have been asked and answered before.

  1. If gaining muscle mass is a secondary goal to cutting body fat and preserving the muscle one already has, is this a suitable diet? I.e., if one wants to cut first, gain second, is this a good choice?

  2. I’ve noticed that a lot of y’all eat a lot of bacon, pepperoni, deli meats, lil smokies, and so on. Have you experienced any water retention or other bloating issues from high sodium, or does the diet’s diuretic effect take care of all that? I seem to be pretty sodium-sensitive, if there is such a thing … if I eat a lot of salty food, my face bloats up so it looks like I’m peeking at the world through a hemorrhoid cushion.

  3. Is there any reason, other than general health, to refrain from aspartame while on the diet? What about Splenda?

  4. I’m concerned about the “yo yo” effect of carbing down/up … do you ever have an issue with losing weight during the week, then gaining it on the carb-up and having to fight the battle to lose the same 5-10 lbs the next week?

Thank you very much for your time and patience … this is a very informative and impressive thread, and I’m hoping to make it through the entire thing. Someday.[/quote]

  1. The AD is a good choice for leaning out while maintaining/adding muscle mass. Stick to the recommended macro protocols and concentrate on complex Cho refeeds with only the odd refined carb treats.

  2. I personally stay away from bacon and other salty foods as they bloat me. I don’t find that the diuretic effect of the AD neutralizes the bloat in my case. I understand many do fine with these foods. I believe it is an individual thing to be gauged by trial and error (like so many other aspects are best judged by).

  3. As far as artificial sweeteners go, I use Stevia since it appears to be a much healthier choice. Even Poliquin recommends Stevia to replenish adrenal function.

  4. You will definitely experience a yo-yo effect in your daily weight at the beginning. After a little trial and error, you will easily dial-in more stability. Find the foods that work for you. For me that entails avoiding salty meats - bloating, most cheese - constipating (I use a litle grated parmigiana on my broccoli as well as grated flaxseed and some raw pistacios), refined carbs on refeeds - induces flabbiness. I use a dollop of natural almond butter with my morning eggs as opposed to bacon. This prevents bloat and gives me a better source of fat. It also helps to feel full. Instead of cheese I munch on raw almonds (no salt) and walnuts during the day. Again better source of fat and not constipating. I use whole grain oatmeal (with berries, 1 scoop protein, and 2% milk), sweet potatoes, whole wheat pasta, complex rice (Lundberg Black Japonica), and the odd treat. I have added multigrain french toast with maple syrup and berries as a treat now since I have reduced my refeed to 1 day. I find adding at least one component of refined Cho gives me a little added supercompensation (read pump and libido boost). I have been on the AD for 6+ months now allowing me to slowly tweak the AD to my own metabolism. It is not recommended to modify the AD as laid out by Di Pasquale and guys like Disc Hoss of this thread before 4+ months of habitualizing your body to maximize benefits.

7361

Thanks for the answers! I’ve located a copy of the AD book and will read it tonight and start the diet tomorrow. I’ll have my wife take a “before” shot and some measurements so I’ll have at least an approximate baseline. Since I’m trying to cut, I think I should be starting off around 1800 calories with 55% fat, and “cheating clean” on the weekends.

Since I’m starting late this week, I’m not sure whether to have my first carb-up weekend next weekend (January 5th and 6th, less than 12 days) or the weekend after (January 12th and 13th, more than 12 days). I’ll probably err on the side of caution and go a little longer before the cheat.

It looks like this diet allows for sufficient fiber. One issue I had with Atkins induction was that it’s very specific about how many vegetables one can eat during the day, and the times I’ve cut on it, my poo was scarcer than plutonium and felt like it had corners. This looks more relaxed as long as I keep under 30g … I like my vegetables.

Thanks again, will post progress/results!