Want to decrease body fat and increase muscle mass? Never want to be hungry again, or wake up tired? Consider the Anabolic Diet; a high protein – high fat diet that cycles carbs by allowing them to be eaten certain days of the week. Sounds interesting, but I warn you… it’s not for everyone, especially vegetarians!
Developed by Dr. Mauro Di Pasquale as a safe and natural alternative to athletes’ steroid and drug use, this diet is designed to force fat loss by switching your body’s energy burning fuel from carbohydrates to fat. Not the first diet to come up with this philosophy; the Anabolic Diet proves to be effective for bodybuilders, athletes, and dieters, alike.
Normally, humans burn carbs for energy…
However, we’re very efficient at burning fat for energy, also. If carbs are present the body will use them, but if not, it will happily burn fat. This diet turns your body into a fat burning machine, while improving cholesterol, triglycerides, and insulin levels. The diet even claims to lessen food allergies and acne. By eating the right kinds of food at the right time, this diet also alleges to stimulate the production of testosterone, which helps drop fat and put on muscle.
This is how it all works.
Before starting the Anabolic Diet, establish your daily caloric need. This is based on the number of daily calories you should consume in order to either maintain or lose weight. The diet recommends using this rule of thumb to determine the amount: BW x 18kcal. So, if your weight is 200 pounds and you want to maintain it, your daily caloric intake should be 3600 calories. If you choose to lose weight, adjust your calories accordingly. By the way, this is not the best diet to gain weight on; however, if that is your goal, add calories to meet your need.
Monday through Friday’s menu consists of meat, fatty fish, eggs, cheese, whey protein, and healthy fats like olive oil, ground flax seeds, butter, etc. The ratio should be 40% protein and 60% fat intake. Veggies are allowed, particularly green leafy ones that are low in carbs, but since only 25 grams of carbohydrates are permitted on these “no-carb” days, make sure you count, since 25g add up quickly. A medium, seven inch banana contains 24 grams, so the carb load can be fulfilled rather fast. I nearly forgot to mention spices and condiments (mayonnaise, mustard, and vinegar) can be freely consumed…fortunately.
The “carb days” are crazy!
Most people choose their two day carb-fest to take place on weekends, which is probably a smart time. The goal is to inhale as many carbs as possible within your caloric allowance, and they don’t have to be healthy. Of course, the unrefined carbs found in whole foods are best, but it’s up to the dieter. If you’d prefer 48 hours of sheer junk food bliss, so be it! Protein and fat consumption should be minimal on these days to the tune of 15% protein and 25% fat, leaving 60% of daily calories to carbs, which the diet claims will fill your carb stores. If you worry the diet may interfere with weekend dinner dates, opt for a nice Italian restaurant where you can get jiggy with a big bowl of spaghetti!
Dieters work their way up to this challenging meal plan by eating completely carb-free for the first twelve days. Days 13 and 14 are carb days, after which the diet kicks into full momentum with the 5/2 day schedule. The point of the first twelve carb-free days is to force the body to burn fat, and to introduce you to the various fibers and laxatives on the market. The last remark was a joke, but, unfortunately, constipation is a downside to this diet, so expect to need and use fiber from the start.
So, is this just another trendy diet that gets our hopes up and puts our health at risk, or is there something honest about this diet?
Well, supporters say there is, and tout this list of benefits:
- Fat loss
- Muscle gain
- Improved health
- More energy
- No hunger
The negative aspects of the diet are:
- Constipation
- Very difficult for weight gain
- Not suitable for some sports that require high carbs for energy
- Complicated
True, counting calories and calculating percentages do make the diet more complicated than just eating certain types of food on certain days, but advocates confirm weight loss, muscle gain, and improved health are easily attained if the diet is followed properly. The diet strongly urges participants to follow directives, or problems can arise. Mainly, carbs should be avoided on ‘no-carb” days or the dieter risks obesity and diabetes.
So, what do I think about the Anabolic Diet?
I believe it works. I have experienced major weight loss and muscle gain while preparing for natural body building competitions by eating similarly. I did not follow the Anabolic Diet, but I saw first hand how dramatically and quickly one can obtain results from high protein – low carb diets, especially when exercising and weight training. Speaking of exercising, this diet is primarily designed for those interested in strength training. The diet can be used for weight loss alone, but the diet, whose objective is to build muscle while dropping fat, really recommends weight lifting in order to achieve ultimate success.
Another point I need to mention is this diet is not recommended for athletes or sports that require a high carb intake for performance and endurance. There just aren’t enough carbs to maintain energy requirements, unless you want to reserve these sports for weekend carb days.
Okay, so I do believe the diet can be effective, but do I think it’s safe?
I don’t know how such extreme eating truly effects us, especially over the long term, but, in general, I lean towards balance and moderation. I appreciate the value this and other extreme diets have, especially when attempting to achieve a goal quickly; however, I’m more comfortable with them being followed for a limited time versus a lifetime, but that’s just my opinion. I suggest you make diet choices based on your own opinion and personal circumstances. Just use commonsense and be smart about it. Research all diets thoroughly, and talk with people who have experience and knowledge, including your doctor – particularly if you have any health issues.
Checkout these two sites for more details and information regarding the Anabolic Diet:
- http://stronglifts.com/the-ultimate-anabolic-diet-food-list-101-foods-you-can-eat/
- http://stronglifts.com/anabolic-diet-101-the-definite-anabolic-diet-guide/
