Comments on: Best Bodybuilding Diet Plan Revealed!

By: MuscleHack Reader Loses 13.8lbs Of Fat & Gains 6.43lbs Of Muscle | MuscleHack

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:49:37 +0000

[...] Gabriel actually sent me 2 updates i.e. in April he sent me some results after being on the MANS bodybuilding diet for 1 month. Just recently, he sent me another email after 4 months of implementing this [...]

By: Eating Raw - Update (Blog) - Page 2

Eating Raw - Update (Blog) - Page 2 — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 04:30:16 +0000

[...] strength building was inspired by an Anabolic Nutrition Strategy detailed at the Muscle Hack blog Best Bodybuilding Diet Plan Revealed! | MuscleHack This strategy promotes the intake of fat and protein over carbs for all but 24-36 hours each week [...]

By: Build Muscle - How To Build Muscle Mass Fast - Complete Guide | MuscleHack

Build Muscle - How To Build Muscle Mass Fast - Complete Guide | MuscleHack — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:19:00 +0000

[...] that you want to stay lean while you build muscle but this is best accomplished with a carb-cycling bodybuilding diet. Leave cardio until you want to prioritize [...]

By: Pazl

Pazl — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 01:52:30 +0000

Thanks for the honest reply, Mark. I actually started TNT about a year ago and I really like this approach to low carb nutrition with bodybuilding as far as the true health benefits. My only problem I found with the low carb in the diet is that hypertrophy becomes much more difficult. For one thing, I am small to begin with, and losing all that water and glycogen from my muscles makes me look even smaller (more cut, but definitely smaller). I should also point out that I am a true hard-gainer, with a small frame, thin bones, and small veins working against me. Even on high carbs it is difficult for me to grow in muscle size (except for visceral fat — that I can grow!), but am I doing something wrong with low-carbs if I am not seeing hypertrophc gains? I see strength gains but thats all on paper, not in slabs of new muscle that anyone can see. I look like a healthy runner who doesn’t lift even though I work hard in the gym (my best incline bench is 200 lbs - squat 345 - I weigh 162lbs). Is it just hopeless for a guy like me? Does it have to be this way? I keep experimenting but haven’t found the answers yet.

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:12:44 +0000

Hi Pazl,
I discovered TNT about a month ago, got the book and thoroughly enjoyed it! To my mind Di Pasquale was there first. I like Volek’s take on saturated fat though, great stuff. Volek doesn’t recommend counting carbs but just eating from an acceptable foods list to keep carbs down and has varying levels of carb-up times depending on your goals. Yes it’s very similar though and I’m glad Discovering TNT was great validation for me that I am right on the best bodybuilding diet - Campbell and Volek were saying the same thing.
Thanks,
Mark

By: Pazl

Pazl — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 18:51:53 +0000

How is this different from the TNT diet by Adam Campbell and Jeff Volek over at Men’s Health? It sounds exactly the same. Is it the same plan? If not, then how does it differ?

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 23:50:15 +0000

Hi Mark, your diet is really intriguing to me as I am in week 17 of a “cutting phase”…yes I am one of those guys who bulked, got fat, and then realized I needed to cut. I’ve been doing this vicious cycle for the past 10 years! I’m currently consuming about 95 grams of carbs, 1/2 cup of oats, 3/4 cup brown rice, and 2 rice cakes. Protein is about 200 grams and my fat is 57 grams. I thought this diet would help me get shredded but my strength is dropping every week, I’m constantly hungry, and my stomach is still bloated! I want to switch over to the MANS diet but I’m wondering if I should ease into so I don’t lose any muscle? What ratio do you recommend for cutting? i.e 40/30/30. Also, for post workout can you use dextrose or maltodextrin instead of glucose? Thanks in advance.

By: Simon

Simon — Sat, 31 May 2008 00:20:07 +0000

Hi Mark,

I have been on this diet for only a week. I am about to enter into my first carb up window (looking forward to it!!!). First a little background on me and then my points.

I have been working out for about three yearsI have met with intermittent success. I started out at 6′ and 145lbs (even had a little pot belly). So yes I was extremely skinny. At my heaviest I got up to 203lbs but again my bodyfat was too high. No surprise there because I was eating may too many high glycemic carbs in an effort to bulk up.After cleaning up my diet and sorting out a reasonable routine. I have settled at about 185lbs.

Since starting your diet (working out 4X a week, 30-50gr. carbs on rest days, 75gr. on work out days) I have felt terrific!! SO my points:

1. Contrary to previous experiements with low carb diets I am not low on energy at all. I’ve been having 3 xl eggs (scrambled), a muscle milk and an apple for breakfast (700 odd cals). A 300gr round top steak w/ two thick slices of melted cheddar cheese on top for lunch (800 odd cals), 3xl eggs, a chicken breast and a piece of very pure dark chocolate for dinner. (800 odd cals again) for dinner. A muscle milk right before bed (350 cals) and if I feel the need to snack almonds, peanuts, beef jerky or cubes of cheddar cheese have done me nicely. Another great substitute I found was tuna mixed with lots of mayo!! Yummy. Anyway all the steak, fast etc have me already looking leaner than ever and feeling fantastic in terms of constant energy. No highs or lows. The only other thing I do is sip on some gatorade (35grams carbs) whilst I am lifting (straight to the muscles?)

2. In the last week I have dropped from about 185 to 177.5. In the past this would have freaked me out but I am assuming this is merely water weight being dropped as I have gone from 200-300 grams of carbs per day to 50. Either way I look more muscular than ever. Anyone who doubts this diet should really try it first.

3. You reminded me a few things in your various posts that i had long forgotten to do. i. Keep a journal. (I have been varying my workouts a lot so it is hard to track progress. Although I think variety is important I have been way too all over the place looking for that magic boost) ii. Focus on the simple (I have been doing a lot of super sets, drop sets, super slow etc. The benefit of the later is that my form is now nearly always perfect and I have long left behind the propensity to lift heavier weights than required just for ego sake….but I need to get back to basics and ensure progressive overload…something I have always been awful at.)

Anyway apologies for the really long post but I really wanted to thank you for this and to alos encourage others to try this sort of approach. It’s been amazing how I feel much less bloated and have better energy then ever before without all those carbs. I have also stopped all that eating 6 times a day rubbish…..Three or four well planned meals seems to be working wonderfully well.

I’ll let you know how my progress goes.

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Wed, 28 May 2008 04:45:51 +0000

Hi Tom,
No you don’t have to do anything different at your age. However, this bodybuilding diet takes some planning and getting used to. Get your GCSE’s out of the way first before you start planning how to eat this way,
Mark

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 27 May 2008 09:12:44 +0000

Hey Mark,
I’ve read over this article a few times now and wondered if this would be suitable for a 16 year old? I mean I thought to myself why wouldn’t it be, I go down to the gym quite often and as I’ve come up to the age of 16 (weight lifting machines can now be used) I’ve been looking for what my diet should consist of etc. So at first I’m lead to believe a high carb diet is what you want basically, but reading this really has changed what I should include in my diet and what not. I haven’t really started a ‘proper’ diet yet due to currently sitting my GCSE’s but I’m looking forward to trying at this diet, just wondered if there was anything I should do differently because I’m a 16 year old?

Thanks for providing this ‘food strategy’!,
and thanks for any help.
Tom.