Poliquin-style Diet Support Group

I’m taking in 9 meals per day on training days (including my mid/post training shake and two other shakes). Also, I should include my supplement regimen:


Tribex on a 5-on, 2-off schedule. The two off days are also off days from training.


Generic ol’ Vitex: 1 cap


Fish oil softgels: at least 3 caps per meal (excluding mid/post training) and a total of ~30 per day


ALA: 300 mg before training, 300mg with second half of high carb shake at end of training session


CLA: 5g per day (7 softgels)


Protein powder, flaxseed oil, olive oil, multi, calcium, creatine, 1200 IU Vitamin E, 500mg vitamin C at all meals


Lots of BCAA (before/during training only) and glutamine (mostly before/during training, but also another 10 throughout the day)


Myostat: 2 caps per day (was already using it)

I would recommend incorporating some kind of post-grappling nutrition. It doesn’t have to be very high carb. You can either tone the carb: protein ratio down to 1:1, or just replace the carbs with glutamine. Try both, and monitor your body comp throughout.

I believe that the caloric requirements would come down if dieting via subtraction of some carbs (fewer greens) and even some healthy fats. Protein should stay at AT LEAST 1.5g/lb. And, yes, the frequency of carb-up changes. I’m starting at every 7th day, but I’ll be going to every 5th once I’m more acclimated to the diet. Here are Poliquin’s thoughts from a previous “Ask the Guru:”


“. I have plenty of clients who fare better on the international sporting scene using a low carb diet. However, you must also know that these athletes use a four-one ratio of low carb days to high carb days. That is four days low carb, one day high carb.
The high carb day can have as much as 70% of the caloric needs met through carbohydrate intake. We use the percentage of bodyfat, and the athlete’s state of well being as the gauge for carb intake. If the athlete is for example 5% bodyfat, is having a day off from training, we may use such a high carbohydrate intake. If he is at 9%, as is not at optimal speed for his speed, we may use only half a day of carbing up.
Also sudden drops in bodyweight may warrant changes in that ratio. All in all, it is something that needs fine tuning over time, and the athlete is educated on when to carb up or not. But again, some athletes do best on very low fat diet, high complex carbs, moderate protein. It is a very individual thing, and certainly is worth experimenting with.”

monty-with only 5-6 meals, just out of curiosity, how often are you eating? i get 8 every day, and i eat between every 2-2.5 hours. i was advised to NEVER go more than 3 hours without eating, and i RARELY go more than 2.5. heres an example of my time split up for my meals. #1-6:30am, #2-9:00am, #3-11:00am, #4-1:00pm, #5-3:00pm (this is postworkout), #6-4:30pm, #7-7:00pm, #8-9:30pm.

My meals are split up anywhere from 3-4 hours apart. As I said earlier, this is about right for weight loss for me (on approx. 2400 cal/day give or take). I totally believe in the diet plan; however, I cannot see myself eating 19-20x bw in cals and losing fat. I’m dropping approx. 1 lb. per week on the plan I’m on now, so wouldn’t adding 2-3 more meals and roughly 1000 more calories be detrimental to fat loss? Keep in mind I’m on a higher fat intake than what I have seen posted on most people’s diets (roughly 25-30 g per meal from fish, flax, walnuts/almonds etc.), so I’m guessing this is why I have been able to minimize muscle loss. Not really disagreeing, but I’d like to know what benefit upping my meals and cals is going to do to accelerate fat loss. I don’t have too much farther to go as I’m at 7-8 percent right now.

One more question: if one had to choose between Mag-10 and a BCAA/glutamine combo such as Xtreme Formulations’ ICE or Glutacene, which would you choose? Finances prohibit both right now.

I think 6 would be the minimum that I’d use. I think it would be best to keep calories around 15 per lb, and just decrease your portion size a bit at each. I’m eating every 2-2.5 hours, too.

Regarding Monty’s inquiry - I feel that the reason the calories can be so high is that the plan is based predominantly on whole foods. Many of my bodybuilder friends “diet” on liquid meal replacements and powders. Whole food has a much higher thermic effect, and I can vouch for that by my increased energy levels and profuse sweating (you should’ve seen me at the gym today - what a goddamn pig!). Anyway, that’s my two cents, this “diet” kicks ass, there’s no doubt in my mind that it’s right for ME. My advice is to give it a go when you’ve hit a plateau elsewhere. It’s healthy, it’s real, and it works. Word.

Yet another question: if most are sitting at 19-20 cal/lb for cutting, then what do you set the cals at for a mass phase? For me personally, the 20x bw would be just about right for a normal mass phase. When I did Massive Eating my recommended cal level was 4200, and through trial and error I had to adjust it down to approx. 3400-3500.

Ok, I’ve been doing this diet within a modified T-dawg style (50-70 carbs on non w/o days 100 on training days) w/ Massive Eating protos. Gosh fuckity damn, after two weeks I’ve already seen noticeable fat loss and increased definition in my arms and legs, even a bit in my abs. I started Ian King’s 12 weeks to Super Strength upper and lower body programs this week, and will be doing them in conjunction with the diet, though I have so much energy now I may not deviate too much from it. Question, are any of you doing the carb up days while cutting? Thanks. Lata.

MBE: “Will flex for Flaz since 1122. JADABB founder, 2002.”

-Eric

What kind of post workout are you using? Is it surge or just a homemade post-workout?

Monty-I forgot to respond to your post about the reish mushroom extract. Steve, Jason Norcross, Podge, and I were discussing this via email the other day. Basically, like a lot of people on this forum, we’ve all wondered about whether or not stress has negatively impacted our gains, and were wondering how to use reishi extract to blunt cortisol. Although I know where to get Planetary Formulas (CP’s brand) pretty cheaply, I just don’t know enough about how to use it properly to make the investment worthwhile at this point. CP has mentioned that dosages and timing of intake are extremely individualized, but that it is a very precise and confusing process to determine these needs. I would assume that the ideal times would be pre and post-training, before bed, and in the middle of the night. I just don’t feel like shelling out the dough just so that I can use myself as a guinea pig:)

The recommendation is to do the carb-up every 7th day while cutting. Depending on BF%, it might only be a 1/2 day. I know that Steve will be doing it while cutting.

Homemade. Today’s was 35g maltodextrin, 35g dextrose, 50g hydrolyzed whey, 8g creatine, 10g glutamine, 10g bcaas, and 1/2 scoops ribose (I had some old stuff kicking around; figured it was worth a try), and 1 packet Equal.

i think cressey has pretty much answered everyones q’s. poliquin has stated before that glutamine and bcaa’s are pretty much essential on this diet, so i would make that your #1 supplement. and monty, i dont take the glyciene, but i have a buddy that does and i have only heard good things about that, so you might want to give that a try. other than that, i think cressey pretty much touched up on everything. oh and by the way, LETS GO BRONCOS!!!

could u legitimatley swap the carb up day with a cheat meal? or maybe a carb up on the fourth day, and a cheat day on the 7th.

is this diet at 20-21x bodyweight designed for maintenence?

and carbs only come from greens?, besides pre\postworkout?

Thanks a lot, Eric and JC for answering my questions. I will be giving it a try in 3-4 weeks. I know I am pretty carb intolerant and I definitely store fat in the abdomen area. So this diet might help me a lot.

I plan to start the diet either tomorrow or Monday or next week. Still trying to get the right numbers on the Glutamine and BCAA’s. Does Boston use this diet during the season as well?

number now more than ever, multivit. number 2 vit c, 3) bcaa glutamin

This isn’t the diet that David Boston uses. He is one of the lucky 20-25% of the population who doesn’t need to watch carb intake carefully. Lucky bastard eats carb every day, all day. I don’t know where people got the idea that he cycles 'em. What I do know, however, is that CP has said that he is the most genetically gifted and carb tolerant athlete with whom he has ever worked.