Any other builders out there who diet with the old fashioned "high carb" diet?

[cleverlandshark2001]

I want to first acknowledge that everyone is different and has their own way of doing things.
The way I like to diet, and has worked for me, is to:
1.Eat below maintenance calories
2.Change the ratio of Carbs to Proteins so that I'm eating an even greater percentage of Carbs, maybe even 70%! (Let's not forget that Carbs are "protein sparing" and that on a low calorie diet you're gonna need sugars present for intense muscular contractions.)
3.Keep pushing your strength, even though you'll be a bit weaker at times.
4.Moderate cardio in the mornings on empty stomach

When I go on a building diet it's basically the same, I just:
1.Eat more protein, calories.
2.Cut back on cardio
3.And as always, push your strength

If you guys haven't researched Mike Mentzer's training philosophies you owe it to yourself to consider it. It'll make a world of difference.

 

[diamonddiceclay]

you must realize that if one is on gear(like mentzer was), you can eat a ton of carbs and still look good as long as you lift properly-without the gear, you must lower carbs

 

[cleverlandshark2001]

I kindly disagree, but thanx for the reply!
My track record has proven that this works for me.
Later bros

 

[MS]

I had a client that got really ripped on a diet similar to that. She had kidney probs, so we cycled her protein intake, but she averaged around 30% protein, 65% carbs. Although it worked well, it was a bitch of a diet to stick to for her (and lots of other people have commented on this too). She found appetite difficult to control, especially on the lower protein days. But yes, if appetite is not a problem and you can stick to it, then it works fine.

 

[MohawkMuscle]

markus reinhardt follows that diet as well... and he is ripped as hell. but he did eat 1600calories per day to rip up.

 

[Gotmilk?]

I am starting to believe that protein isn't a big factor when cutting you just need to burn more calories that you consume.
My little brother who is drug free cut down from 229 to 217 in two weeks and he probably didn't eat no more than 100 grams of protein per day and he maintained all of his lifts.

 

[MohawkMuscle]

I have been training with MarcusReinhardt. I started at 240lbs around xmas. I am now 225lbs. My diet the firt 2 weeks was low carb. 100-150, low fat, higher protein.
I am now incresing my carbs and trying to reduce protein. 250carbs maybe 150 protein. I feel great!

PS. I endorse Isocaloric diets, but I am experimenting with something new...

 

[6 Pack Man]

I am starting to believe that protein isn't a big factor when cutting you just need to burn more calories that you consume.
My little brother who is drug free cut down from 229 to 217 in two weeks and he probably didn't eat no more than 100 grams of protein per day and he maintained all of his lifts.

LOL, first of all, if he lost that much weight in two weeks, it is mostly water.. If he keeps up with only 100 grams of protein per day, he'll lose muscle.. You are right about protein isn't needed to cut.. If you want to be a little skinny as hell, then by all means go with this diet..

 

[MS]

100 grams of protein is not enough for most people to cut on while maintaining muscle in the long term. I wouldn't go below 30% protein unless you're on a CKD. However, when "bulking" there is no need to eat a shit load of protein. I think a lot of BBs are habituated to high protein diets....they never cycle their protein so their bodies become very inefficient at using the protein they give it. Protein is like anything else you put in your body. If you take a lot of anything all the time, your body adapts and becomes less efficient/more resistant to it.

 

[baldbeefman]

I've used it..

For my first contest I ordered the "get lean" book by Lee Labrada. 60/30/10 type diet. A lot of people don't think you can get lean on high-carbs, but he (Labrada) was always like 2.5% bodyfat in contests with this type of diet. You have to weigh all your food and carry it around in a cooler. Every 2 weeks you drop 200 cal while adding aerobics. I have to tell you I think I looked better that year than any other. I may not have been quite as cut or I guess you could say "flat". But I was very full and vascular. With good cuts too. I will probably use it again.

Positive: makes it easy to keep up with progress and can adjust as needed. Lots of energy for workouts and great pumps. You eat lots of food. I think it has to be healthier. No high-powered PROTEIN FARTS, like you get on a high protein diet! I'm about to run everyone out of my house right now. And my co-workers arn't too happy either.

Negative: sucks eating cold food that you carry around in cooler. Can't hardly eat out. I've taken trips before contest and had my food spoil! I would prepar all my meals for the next day (except for my egg white and oatmeal meals) the night before because chicken to me gets a funny taste if it is more than a day or two old. Have to weigh all your food. Easier to eat out or on the run with high protein diet.

CKD is probably the easiest diet for me. The only thing is my workouts suck! I get light headed the first couple days which also sucks and by the time I'm adjusted, its time to carb load again. The diet works so good the first month that I don't want to do anything else, but for me it quits working after the first 4-5 weeks. Easy to put a tablespoon of flax with protein or get a couple McDonald patties with cheese if on the run. Also a lot cheaper to eat this way.

Well, hope this helps...

 

[baldbeefman]

1 more thing

With most any diet you will lose more weight in the first two weeks than any other time. Usually due to water loss. However, in a bodybuilding type diet we should strive to lose as much fat as possible while maintaining muscle. The best way to do this, regardless of type of diet, is to lose 1-2 lbs per week. I know this is possible with a high carb or any other diet IF you do it as it was meant to be done. If your losing more than this you need to up your calories. The BEST kind of diet is the one you can stick to.

I guess the real point I'm trying to make is you need to do weekly bodyfat tests using the same method preferably first thing in the morning and keep track of your progress. The scale can lie beacause of the water loss in most diets. So again if you are weighing, do it the same time, same day, same everything.

Start your diet early enough, its always better to take a break to jump start your metabolism anyway. Most diets will work for anybody to a point, or atleast they do for me. I've tried them all.

 

[KISAWA]

What about the zone diet?
You must adjust calories to your needs because if you follow the book it is WAY too low, but 40,30,30 has always seemed like a good combination to me.

 

[riskybizz007]

100 grams of protein is not enough for most people to cut on while maintaining muscle in the long term. I wouldn't go below 30% protein unless you're on a CKD. However, when "bulking" there is no need to eat a shit load of protein. I think a lot of BBs are habituated to high protein diets....they never cycle their protein so their bodies become very inefficient at using the protein they give it. Protein is like anything else you put in your body. If you take a lot of anything all the time, your body adapts and becomes less efficient/more resistant to it.

MS i completely agree. I read countless posts of people taking in 400-500g of protein a day when bulking, and the same when cutting. Basically that's their intake every day. But I completely agree w/ you. First time I mentioned here to "cycle your protein" i think everyone thought i was nuts. It makes sense to me...

 

[skinnyfat]

I don't think that it is all that important to go way low with the carbs. The way to lose fat is to eat less calories than you burn. It is up to the dieter to decide what way is best to do this without suffering TOO much. For me, protein is one of the most satisfying foods, so I eat a lot of it. I also eat a decent amount of carbs from vegetables and high-fiber starches like oatmeal or beans. This sort of diet is pretty satisfying and tolerable, which allows me to feel satisfied on less food. High carbs becomes a problem when people think that as long as the food doesn't have fat, they won't get fat, and they fill up on un-satisfying foods like white bread or sugary stuff, and end up eating too many calories.