My Experience On the Anabolic Diet

Nutrition
7362

[quote]rainsofcastamere wrote:
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![/quote]

Pasquale recommends calorie level at 15-18 X bodyweight. Unless you weigh 120 lbs, 1800 calories is low (1800 calories / 15 = 120lbs). Here is a snippet of Jen Heath’s “The Anabolic Diet: It’s a Lifestyle” article on T-Nation.

Jen Heath quote: "One of the secrets to making the induction phase a smooth one is to eat lots of calories. Eat as often as you feel you need to whether that’s three times a day or six times a day.

You might consume anywhere from 15-18 calories per pound of bodyweight. Consuming sufficient calories will help you avoid some of the aforementioned side effects that can occur in the induction phase. Once you’ve adapted fully to the diet you can begin to fluctuate your intake to drop fat faster or gain more muscle. If getting rid of body fat is your ultimate goal, the low-carb phase is where you can really take advantage of caloric deficits.

Remember not to be afraid of eating fat! If you don’t give the body fat, you’ll be extremely tired and hungry, and protein will get eaten up as energy rather than supporting the muscles. There’s safety and protection in consuming fats, as the amino acids within the muscle are only protected if fat intake is sufficient."

As for when to start, why not let this week pass as you study and prepare, then start fresh next Monday so you can do 12 days. The induction phase is no piece of cake, so why extend it needlessly or shorten it and jeopardise your adaptation?

To prevent constipation I highly recommend a heaping tablespoon Psyllium husk (0 carbs, 0 nutrition value) twice a day with a generous glass of water and/or in shakes. Also frequent servings of ground flaxseed throughout the day in eggs, salads, mixed with broccoli & meat, in shakes, etc. In addition to the extremely high fiber content, it is an excellent source of fat. Each of us will react differently to the AD. Some of us are blessed with frequent bowel movements, for others it is always a concern. Below are some recommendations by experts:

Poliquin: “Constipation is often an issue too with low-carb dieters. That can be off-set by taking in a mixture of ground flax seed hulls and ground fenugreek seeds first thing in the morning. Besides providing the body with many forms of fibers, it detoxifies xenoestrogens and improves insulin sensitivity.”

Il Cazzo: “To anyone having trouble with fiber…take 1/2 tsp of xanthan gum with one of your shakes…do NOT stray too far from the bathroom. Seriously.”

Beware hidden carbs: sugarless gum 2 g each stick, splenda packets 1 g each, protein powder (aim for 0 carb brand), milk (use 25% heavy cream = 0 CHO), stick to green fibrous veggies, not carrots, peas, limit bell peppers, and tomatoes. Be careful of cole slaw (often prepared with sugar), any sauces, any restaurant food that you do not explicitly know the ingredients. Stick with simple meats and green fibrous veggies. Narrow your restaurant choices to a trusted few. Trying new restaurants often results in unfortunate surpassing of max carbs.

With a little discipline your experience should be a pleasant surprise.

7363

[quote]Black Cat wrote:
Pasquale recommends calorie level at 15-18 X bodyweight. Unless you weigh 120 lbs, 1800 calories is low (1800 calories / 15 = 120lbs).[/quote]

The scale is showing 165 lbs with 22% (!) body fat. As high as that body fat number is, I suspect it’s close to accurate, although on any sensible diet, I usually “whoosh” out about 5 lbs of water weight in the first few days.

I was running rather than lifting for a while, and I stopped doing even that about six weeks ago, so my body looks about ruined. Long story, but I’m over it, I have no excuses, and I’m ready to start putting things back together.

165 lbs with 22% bf gives me about 130 lbs of lean body mass. 130*15 = 1950 kcal … does that sound better? I honestly think I do better on diets (and training) when I’m a little hungry, angry, and edgy. Maybe I just have a mental block about calories while trying to get lean.

Sounds reasonable to me. I’ll try to be patient. I’m an impulsive person, though, and it’s difficult for me not to jump headlong into new enterprises.

I really appreciate the advice. I’m absolutely determined to get my body back to a nice lean state, because right now I want to spit on the mirror. My first goal is 10% body fat, and then I’ll pick another goal (probably a small clean bulk).

7364

[quote]rainsofcastamere wrote:
Black Cat wrote:
Pasquale recommends calorie level at 15-18 X bodyweight. Unless you weigh 120 lbs, 1800 calories is low (1800 calories / 15 = 120lbs).

The scale is showing 165 lbs with 22% (!) body fat. As high as that body fat number is, I suspect it’s close to accurate, although on any sensible diet, I usually “whoosh” out about 5 lbs of water weight in the first few days.

I was running rather than lifting for a while, and I stopped doing even that about six weeks ago, so my body looks about ruined. Long story, but I’m over it, I have no excuses, and I’m ready to start putting things back together.

165 lbs with 22% bf gives me about 130 lbs of lean body mass. 130*15 = 1950 kcal … does that sound better? I honestly think I do better on diets (and training) when I’m a little hungry, angry, and edgy. Maybe I just have a mental block about calories while trying to get lean.

As for when to start, why not let this week pass as you study and prepare, then start fresh next Monday so you can do 12 days.

Sounds reasonable to me. I’ll try to be patient. I’m an impulsive person, though, and it’s difficult for me not to jump headlong into new enterprises.

I really appreciate the advice. I’m absolutely determined to get my body back to a nice lean state, because right now I want to spit on the mirror. My first goal is 10% body fat, and then I’ll pick another goal (probably a small clean bulk).[/quote]

Excerpt from Anabolic Diet by Dr. Mauro DiPasquale:

The �??Start-up�?? or �??Maintenance�?? Phase

During most of the Anabolic Diet, you won�??t find yourself restricting calories much. In fact, some people may find they have a problem getting enough. Others may find that, with increased training and exercise, they can take in a huge amount without suffering any consequences. At the beginning, though, we don�??t want you feeling bloated and suffering too much from the diarrhea that can come from switching metabolisms.

That�??s why your STARTING POINT
FOR DAILY CALORIES ON THIS DIET SHOULD BE 18 TIMES YOUR BODYWEIGHT. If you�??re 200 pounds, this would call for 200 �? 18 or 3,600 calories a day during the weekday portion of the diet. This makes for a �??static�?? phase where you lose some body fat, gain some muscle mass, and maintain about the same weight.

This is a phase where you�??ll be changing the ratio of internal masses to some degree, but most of what you�??re doing is allowing your body its easiest path toward adapting to the diet.

7365

I have some La Tortilla Factory multigrain wraps that have 17g total carbs and 12g fiber (!) for a “net” of 5g carbs. They also have 8g protein each, and are only 100 calories.

Will having two of these throughout the day throw me off as long as my total carbs minus fiber come in under 30g? I figured having two wraps, quesadillas, etc. would be a good way to get a jump on my fiber. I assume that as long as I’m eating fiber-rich complex carbs, it doesn’t matter exactly what they are, and I don’t want to over-complicate things, but I’d like to do it right.

Thanks as always!

7366

[quote]rainsofcastamere wrote:
165 lbs with 22% bf gives me about 130 lbs of lean body mass. 130*15 = 1950 kcal … does that sound better? I honestly think I do better on diets (and training) when I’m a little hungry, angry, and edgy. Maybe I just have a mental block about calories while trying to get lean.
[/quote]

I’m sorry but 130 LBM is horrible and makes you look like a stick. I suggest you start mass gaining now. AD is a good diet to gain mass. I’m doing it right now and are taking in 4,500 calories a day.

And I started out at 3,000 calories during induction phase. Result? Lost couple notches on my belt.

7367

[quote]rainsofcastamere wrote:
I have some La Tortilla Factory multigrain wraps that have 17g total carbs and 12g fiber (!) for a “net” of 5g carbs. They also have 8g protein each, and are only 100 calories.

Will having two of these throughout the day throw me off as long as my total carbs minus fiber come in under 30g? I figured having two wraps, quesadillas, etc. would be a good way to get a jump on my fiber. I assume that as long as I’m eating fiber-rich complex carbs, it doesn’t matter exactly what they are, and I don’t want to over-complicate things, but I’d like to do it right.

Thanks as always![/quote]

Personally, I stay away from any bread product. It simply is counter intuitive to what the AD is all about. Your focus should be on the vast list of what the AD is about: eggs, beef, pork, chicken, salmon, veal, EVOO (extra virgin olive oil - first cold pressed in dark bottle or tin if possible), ground flaxseed, raw walnuts, raw almonds, natural almond butter, broccoli, asparagus, spinach, some cheese depending on how you react to it, Omega-3 fish oil. These foods are the rocket fuel of the AD. Five grams is a lot to allocate at one time. Save those for your green fibrous veggies. Also, it is not always simple math of carbs less fiber equals net carbs. There was some debate way back in this thread as to how soluble vs non-soluble fiber should be calculated. Suffice to say that CHO’s are insidious little bastards and their “raison d’etre” is to seduce you into going over the 30g/day quota. As for fiber, you�??ll have plenty with psyllium husks, ground flaxseed, and green fibrous veggies �?? especially non-overcooked broccoli.

What you said about keeping it simple is right on track. Simple is the list above and others within those groups. During the low-carb days it is best to forget about bread and milk (sugar based foods) and concentrate on protein and fat based foods. That will give you best results and focus you like a laser beam on your mission.

Going back to your prior post, I meant 35% cream = 0 CHO (typo wrote 25%). I also wanted to remind you that this is a low carb diet and you can afford to eat more calories when eating low carb. You will still lose fat slowly but surely at 15 - 18 x bodyweight (not lean body mass, but total body mass). Eating enough calories during the induction/adaptation phase will boost your strength and facilitates adaptation. It is key not to overdo your CHO refeeds and keep them clean to avoid fat buildup. That is to say eat your fill (don’t stuff yourself) of complex CHOs at frequent intervals as opposed to gorging at fewer sittings. Oatmeal, sweet potatoes, whole wheat pasta, multi-grain / whole wheat bread, complex rice should be the core. Add fat & protein to balance macros at the recommended 30-40% fat, 10-15% protein, and 45-60% CHO. I would stay at the high end of CHO (60%) and the lower end of fat and protein personally. Remember the AD is very protein sparing so you don�??t have to go berserk on protein shakes or other sources of protein during CHO refeeds. Don�??t make the mistake of completely eliminating fat however as that is counter productive. Just don�??t overdo it. CHO refeeds can be relaxed times to eat out with friends and not be anal retentive as we can sometimes be accused of by our non AD friends during low carb days. If you are out and have white pasta at a restaurant or white rice or pizza, it�??s ok. Of course everything is easier to control at home and that should be the lion�??s share of your nutrition.

7368

Sounds reasonable, will stick to the basics!

7369

Has anyone here used this diet to cut up substantially? If so, what worked well for you (e.g., only one carb-up? fewer calories consumed on the carb up? clean carbs?)

I read the entire thread 1-2 months back, but I wasn’t cutting then, so my knowledge needs have changed.

Finally, someone said, and I’m paraphrasing: “I find that my metabolism follows my food consumption”. I agree with this. I have been using this diet to cut for the past few weeks, and when I go huge on the calories/carbs on the weekend, I get increasingly lean.

Keep up the good work.

7370

Hey guys. A concern about flax seed lignans and lignans in general (eg. sesame seed) was just brought to my attention on the HRT thread (bottom P6):

http://www.T-Nation.com/tmagnum/readTopic.do?id=1200966&pageNo=5#1871517

I assume we are ingesting flax lignans when we sprinkle ground flax seeds generously on the foods we consume. There are some studies indicating that this can reduce Testosterone levels. Maybe some of you can weigh in. See the link above and some of the studies commented on.

7371

[quote]the2pin wrote:

Has anyone here used this diet to cut up substantially? If so, what worked well for you (e.g., only one carb-up? fewer calories consumed on the carb up? clean carbs?)[/quote]

This is the only diet that could push me below 7%. I was using a one day clean carb-up. Found it remarkably easy… minimal cravings, very good energy, continued to make progress in the gym.

7372

[quote]Nutso wrote:
Whey Man wrote:
I decided today that I’m bumping up my carb intake to 50 grams. 20 grams worth of green veggies, and 30 grams of whey, nuts, and whatever else may have some (like eggs and hummus). And I’m contemplating including a half serving of Surge after a workout…which simply means I would only be allowed to have whey or eggs once or twice more that day (making for a total of 30 grams still), and then green veggies for the rest.

Mmmm maybe you might want to ask AD to chime in. I think I saw a couple posts at Coach Thib’s locker, telling AD to add more fruits in the morning. [/quote]

Been MIA for a few days or whatever. I guess we could say that this old couch needed to be sent out for cleaning or something. :wink:

Anyway:

Yeah, CT told me to alter the AD to be more of a Ketogenic approach by adding 2 cups of berries or 1 piece of fruit (because berries are very hard/expensive to get out here) for breakfast then 30-50g PWO Cho.

It would be targeted CHO for the AM and PWO (when most of them would be used asap).

AD

EDIT: Now, he told me this because I’m doing a Westside Conjugate training regimen these days. Perhaps it’s not such a good idea for other methods of training? Just something to think about.

AD

7373

I’ve had the strangest thing happen to me lately on the High CHO days:

I’m NEVER hungry…don’t want to eat…

Not an issue on Low CHO days, though.

ANyone else feeling this these days?

AD

7374

[quote]AlphaDragon wrote:
I’ve had the strangest thing happen to me lately on the High CHO days:

I’m NEVER hungry…don’t want to eat…

Not an issue on Low CHO days, though.

ANyone else feeling this these days?

AD[/quote]

Definitely had that syndrome -whatever it is…

Eventually I figured out I was just thinking too hard (imagine!) and just needed to relax.

Actually, after I made this discovery the whole lifestyle became much easier. The carb-loads do not need to be a chore. Things go much smoother when I don’t set ‘eating goals.’ I mean for the sake of sanity…aren’t we driven enough?

Perhaps you could benefit by a simple change of perspective…I know I certainly found benefit in it.

I just stopped setting goals for the load -stopped thinking much about it altogether really. If I felt like a F&P meal I had it! I just let the carbs take care of themselves…and ya know what? They did.

The load isn’t a “Load” for me anymore…just an opportunity to let loose the rigor.

peace and happiness in the new year

7375

So I just started the diet after reading the ENTIRE book! I’ve only heard good things and can’t wait for a few months. My main concern is harnessing the body’s natural output of HGH and Test, I really just want to get bigger and stronger. But I am having a hell of a time with the nutrients. I have a relatively lean BWT of 320 so is it okay if I go above the carb limit?

Today I am sitting at 15 carbs and 1850 cals. Needing to get over 6000 cals it will be VERY difficult to stay under 30 carbs. What are the best high caloric dense foods with 0 carbs? I guess what I’m asking is how golden is that 30g of carbs? If I get up to 45-50 is that okay at my BWT? Doesen’t seem like the 150 lbers should have the same roof as me? Thanks, LOVE the forum!

7376

[quote]FE_FrEaK wrote:
So I just started the diet after reading the ENTIRE book! I’ve only heard good things and can’t wait for a few months. My main concern is harnessing the body’s natural output of HGH and Test, I really just want to get bigger and stronger. But I am having a hell of a time with the nutrients. I have a relatively lean BWT of 320 so is it okay if I go above the carb limit?

Today I am sitting at 15 carbs and 1850 cals. Needing to get over 6000 cals it will be VERY difficult to stay under 30 carbs. What are the best high caloric dense foods with 0 carbs? I guess what I’m asking is how golden is that 30g of carbs? If I get up to 45-50 is that okay at my BWT? Doesen’t seem like the 150 lbers should have the same roof as me? Thanks, LOVE the forum![/quote]

Best calorie dense foods with 0 CHO:

  • EVOO (extra virgin olive oil - first cold pressed in dark bottle or tin if possible)
  • Fish Oil: liquid concentrate is often more cost effective than caps. Look for high EPA & DHA content. 4 to 3 ratio epa/dha respectively is best
  • Cheese: check labels (may be constipating depends on your metabolism)
  • heavy cream (35%)
  • Nuts: Raw walnuts, pecans, almonds are best and have few carbs after fibre (try and keep track of carbs on these)
  • Natural Almond Butter: Very few CHOs and delicious
  • Fibrous veggies: Lots of broccoli to fill a big guy up. There are different opinions on how many carbs to count but I don’t think it is really a problem unless you eat more than 5 medium size heads a day.
  • Flaxseed for fat & fiber (not many carbs, but I am currently investigating whether flax lignans contribute to reduced T levels as some studies indicate. Poliquin recommends ground flax. Maybe not a good idea to overdo.)
  • All meats

Try to stay at the 30 CHO limit as much as possible especially during the 12 day induction phase. If you get 0 cho protein powder, don’t chew sugarless gum, don’t use any milk, don’t overdo foods with marginal CHO’s, avoid restaurants and their unknown ingrediants, stay away from protein bars, stay away from non green fibrous veggies and fruit - you should be OK.

Remember: Carbs are insideous little bastards that will constantly try and beat you. Stay strong and show them who’s boss!!

7377

[quote]ovalpline wrote:
the2pin wrote:

Has anyone here used this diet to cut up substantially? If so, what worked well for you (e.g., only one carb-up? fewer calories consumed on the carb up? clean carbs?)

This is the only diet that could push me below 7%. I was using a one day clean carb-up. Found it remarkably easy… minimal cravings, very good energy, continued to make progress in the gym.
[/quote]

Ovalpine: Just wondering as to how your pumps have been since you only do 1 carb up day? Are you doing the low carb days clean as well?

7378

Dang I am having so much trouble getting 6000+ cals and staying under 30g carbs! If one of you master minds out there has a minute, could you write me a sample day for a 320 lber?

7379

[quote]labikes wrote:
Ovalpine: Just wondering as to how your pumps have been since you only do 1 carb up day? [/quote]

The pumps are good. Of course, as the week goes on and my glycogen becomes increasingly drained, the pumps do decrease.

As a side note, I caution you about putting your faith in the pump. The key is always progressive overload; I have hit personal bests in near depleted states and without wicked pumps.

Not sure I understand this question. If you are asking if I stay below 30 grams of carbohydrate everyday, the answer is no. On training days I am usually between 50-60 grams (about 30 grams post workout). On non-training days, I stay very low carb (30 grams and below).

7380

…aaaaand we’re done. I got to page 168 over the course of the months after I started, and then decided to do a marathon session to get through the remaining 130 today. Took about 14-16 straight hours of reading.

Anyway, I’ve been on the AD since around August-September. I did a redo of the induction phase after Thanksgiving because I had a fairly unfortunate set of events prevent me from maintaining the AD properly in late october, followed by two weeks of doing fairly well, and then a forced week off.

My mental clarity has drastically improved, I have vastly more energy, and I sleep more easily. I’ve not experienced the pumps some people have, but, on the other hand, that’s probably more a result of my program and the fact that I’ve only ever gotten a pump about four times in my life than it is a result of the diet. It might also have something to do with the fact that I’m sort of stuck going on what really seems like a crap-carb binge on my carb-ups (which tend to last from right after my Friday workout to right before bed on Saturday), because my parents really don’t have that much in the way of clean carbs around the house.

I buy most of my own food, but I’m not, unfortunately, allowed to buy beef, and despite eating seven meals a day, I’m pretty restricted on options for all but one of them, since the others are Breakfast, at school, at school, in the car on the way home from school, about 45 minutes post-workout, and about an hour pre-bed.

Breakfast tends to be Italian sausage; it seems as though it doesn’t have any nitrates, nitrites, etc. (short ingredients list, no MSG, no preservatives; the only thing that’s ambiguous is the ‘flavorings’ entry, which for some reason apparently doesn’t include paprika). I usually have two, but I’m strongly considering replacing one with a blend of olive and fish oils.

The two at-school meals are currently one ounce pepperoni/hard salami, plus two ounces of sharp cheddar cheese. I’m going to look into switching one of these out for something involving avocados.

Meal on the way home from school (~45 minutes pre-workout) is a mix of almonds and walnuts. Pretty easy.

Post-workout I mix together a 90-cal serving of ground dry-roasted flax seed, three tablespoons heavy cream, a serving of ON Double Chocolate Whey, and some water. Kicks ass.

Pre-bed I’m currently having about 170g small-curd cottage cheese and about 20g almond butter. I’m considering switching to the ON Casein Isolate, though apparently there is some anabolic benefit to a pre-bed insulin spike (such as the one provided by the sugars in the CC/AB mix) due to a rise in GH about a half hour after you fall asleep.
Alternately to the casein isolate, I could try the notion of taking the cottage cheese ‘dry’, which apparently increases the Protein:Carb ratio per gram. It seems the carbs are largely in the liquid portion.

From the looks of things, I’m currently down by about 6g of carbs per day, which are occasionally taken up by the one unplanned meal between post-workout and pre-bed. Having a salad in the morning while I drive to school would probably be a good idea, which is part of why I’m considering finding a lower-carb pre-bed meal. I’m not opposed to eliminating the Almond Butter (used as a calorie booster) and just upping the calories in the other meals, too.

I’m 17, highly ectomorphic, and…well, yeah. I’m here, and I don’t plan on going away any time soon.

7381

Hey everyone,

I started the AD recently, and it’s working fantastically. Christmas led to a 3 day “carbup” for me so I’m doing the transition phase again, and am so far on day 7.

My body seems to be handling low carbs fairly well - my only complaint is that my mind seems a little “foggy” (although this is only slight).

I have seen a huge decrease in bodyfat so far and I am much more vascular, even when eating around 4500kcals a day!

I had a short run with the AD a couple of years ago, and I felt awful. This time around I’ve found that lots of steak makes all the difference :wink: