Best diet to gain muscle while staying lean?

[DanielBishop]

Yes, I know.... Trying to gain muscle while trying not to gain fat is a losing battle. It's like putting the cart before the horse. It's futile. You have to bulk/cut/bulk/cut/bulk/cut.... when you're trying to gain muscle, you have to eat everything and anything in sight and you absolutely HAVE to, absolutely, positively.... become a big fat lardball or you won't gain any muscle. I know this, because I read something by Lee Priest in FLEX magazine once.

Heard it all before. Not interested. I don't like being fat, and so I'm not gunna do the bulk/cut/bulk/cut thing anymore.... I understand that in any bulking phase there will be some inevitable loss of definition due to some water and fat.... but I'm looking for a bulking diet which will minimise it as much as possible.

I've worked really hard on my own custom pseudo-keto diet, and more recently Mr. X's CKD.... and considering I've used NO supplements of any kind (aside from protein powder) I think I've done pretty well. I'm not finished yet.... probably a couple more weeks, though and I should be happy. But I don't want to gain it all back again. I've done that too many times in the past and it just depresses me.... I've dieted like crazy, done pretty well, picked my imaginary "contest date", ate like a pig and gained it all back soon after. So no more....

Anyway, I just wanted to start preparing a bulking diet and training regime for when I finish CKD and start whatever diet is best for building muscle while keeping fat off. I don't know what that diet would be yet, but I'm hoping Mr X and some other informed members will be able to help me.

I understand that to make optimum gains, you need a lot of protein and calories.... and that usually goes hand-in-hand with the accompanying fat. But I don't mind making muscle gains SLOWER.... it's important for me not to gain too much fat.

I've read through most of the diets that Mr X has posted on his STICKY.... I'm just not sure which one is best suited to my situation.

So.... what would be the best diet for it?

 

[cleverlandshark2001]

I'm also interested...my feelings exactly.
Good post.
Hopefully we'll get a response to solve the problem!
-Bash

 

[Mr.X]

Daniel,

The unfortunate thing is that there is NO optimum diet that works well for everyone, no matter if it's bulking up or cutting down. I know people that can gain muscle on 2000 cal a day (no AS) and they are 240lbs., but they are truly genetically gifted. As you can see, genetics is another big part. Over my years I have noticed that when people come off a CKD they do very well at putting on muscle by increasing calories w/ a PROTEIN/CARB cycling style diet (I'm sure you read that manual ) ...
Another way, which you seem to be willing to do, is just to take your weightx16, 40%protein/30%carbs/30%fat, who said you can't gain muscle on a balaned diet......these are some predestined guidelines, I would like to hear your thoughts on BodyOpus where you can make the carb-up 3 days instead of two, creating more anabolism (muscle gains) while keep the bodyfat off (bodyopus is basically the same as CKD but the carb up is longer).

Mr.X

 

[DanielBishop]

BodyOpus sounds okay in theory to me if I understand it correctly. Am I right in assuming you kinda "bulk up" in a state of anabolism with high protein and carbs in the first half of the week and then "cut down" again in the second half to shed some of the fat you gained.... and hope that the anti-catabolic effect of the anabolic period will remain while cutting?

Something like that anyway.

Mr. X, I was just wondering if one of your specific diets that you've posted at MassMonsters is designed for this purpose.... gaining muscle while minimising fat gain.

I was quite intrigued by one of the Bulking Up Basics articles, where you spoke of an improved insulin response on calorie deficient diets.... and subsequently, better muscle gains through better insulin reponse etc.

I'm well aware that no one diet works for everyone. It's just that in the next few weeks, I'd like to decide on a bulking diet for myself and begin to prepare so I'm right and ready to go....

But something to keep in mind about me: I can't afford supplements. I live with my parents, and they buy my food for me. However, they won't buy supplements for me. So I can eat most kinds of natural foods which are found at the grocery store (I just add it to the shopping list) but not supplements. Protein powder alone (and only using 2lbs every 10 days or so) really hurts my budget.... so a diet that requires all kinds of crazy supplements and drugs, won't really be practical for me.

If you could post more about BodyOpus, Mr X.... or any other diet which you think might suit me, I'd be very interested to do further reading. I'd also be very grateful. Thanks a lot.

 

[Mr.X]

BodyOpus, is basically a CKD, there is no real difference, but here is the trick, the carb up is longer:
BODYOPUS:

M-Thursday-> low/no carb diet w/ the usual ckd workout/cardio, friday after noon you start eating carbs and this goes through until sunday night. That is what creates the anabolic effect, but it works well in doing both: the fat stabilization and muscle gain. However, I would think (after doing CKD) that bodyopus would not be your answer.

Since you looked at bulking up basics part 2, I would suggest for that to be your next diet. You will be able to keep the fat off by cycling calories and muscle gains should increase when insulin sensitivity improves.

Mr.X

 

[DanielBishop]

Thanks for the speedy response.

What would the workout situation look like on either diet?

See, I'm fine to train on the weekdays.... but I drive a truck on Saturdays (and leave at 2am, which means I try to get to bed VERY early on Friday night.... meaning I don't usually like to train on Friday afternoons)....

So Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are okay for working out.... but not really the rest of the week. How would this affect things?

Gotta go to work now. Thanks again!

 

[Mr.X]

Thanks for the speedy response.

What would the workout situation look like on either diet?

See, I'm fine to train on the weekdays.... but I drive a truck on Saturdays (and leave at 2am, which means I try to get to bed VERY early on Friday night.... meaning I don't usually like to train on Friday afternoons)....

So Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are okay for working out.... but not really the rest of the week. How would this affect things?

Gotta go to work now. Thanks again!

Yes, the M-Thur workouts would be fine....
I would do a workout that is heavy and moderate volume...
Monday: Chest, Shoulders
Tuesday: Back, abdominals
Wed: legs, calfs
Thursday: arms, abdominals

EXAMPLE: - chest-
Bench press:
225x10 -drop set- 135x15
300x6
325x4 -drop set- 135x15

dumbell Flys:
60sx10
80sx8
100x4

Cable crossovers; (downward motion)
150x8
170x6
220x3 -drop- 90x 15

Mr.X

 

[collegiateLifter]

i really like the anabolic diet, which is very similar to a ckd in most ways (although you are only supposed to be "near" ketosis during the weekdays). if you don't tolerate carbs that well, you might want to give it a try.

 

[DanielBishop]

Sounds like BodyOpus might be what I'm looking for....

.... where can I find more info? Like calorie counts, ratios, timing, general advice and recommendations?

 

[Mr.X]

Sounds like BodyOpus might be what I'm looking for....

.... where can I find more info? Like calorie counts, ratios, timing, general advice and recommendations?

Use the ratios from CKD for M-Thursday
on friday - sunday it's very close to what I have in the manual.

Basically, on friday you have a 50g carb meal at 1pm, then 2 hours later you eat 2 fruits and do 4-5 circuit workouts, the immediately you drink 50g protein/50g dextrose (however, I remember that you cannot get supplements, so I'm not sure if this diet will work) you'll absolutely need liquid carbs. The next best thing would be to get corn strach and mix it w/ protein (nasty, but your supplement situation is not the best)....then you will take that shake 3 more times every 2-3 hours, you will have to wake up at night to take in the carbs 2-3 times, you can make a bowl of sugary cereal w/ fat free milk everytime. Then on sat follow my carbup recommendations from the manual, and on sunday only eat LOW gi carbs like pasta/beans/yams/etc...

Mr.X