This is a diet one of my clients has been following for about 14 weeks now which he didn't mind me sharing. He's offseason, has competed before (training for 9 years now), and started a new cycle at the start of this diet, having been off-cycle for the previous 3 months.
He wanted a diet that had no protein shakes and minimal supplements and that was only 3 meals, to fit around his current lifestyle and mood. I kinda twisted it a bit because the final snack is basically a meal (but he hasn't noticed lol). He wanted a 'recovery diet' as physically he was feeling exhausted.
For a bulk, it's modestly low carb (200g), with no rice, pasta, bread or grains. The only 'staple' carb source is quinoa (with ecdysteroids), and the rest is made up of fruit and veg, so very low GI. We've upped his calories on a few occasions over the cycle, but on the whole it's stayed around 4000 calories mark, so pretty restrained by some standards.
The quantity of fruit and veg in this diet is exceptionally high. This was partly for fibre, but also to prolong digestion and provide a steady release of aminos, to lower the glycaemic load, increase satiety, and to flood the body with diverse biologically active micronutrients.
He was feeling very tired/lethargic and worn down before the diet. According to him his energy levels are now the highest they've been in years, his sleep and training has improved, and some niggling injuries have also healed up. He feels much healthier.
I would say this has been reflected in his body. He's been gaining a steady and consistent 1kg (2.2lb) per week, and still growing at the same pace. His bodyfat % (DEXA) has declined from 11.1% to 9.5% (basically his fat mass has stayed roughly the same, with a small loss of visceral fat). His LBM has increased almost 14kg (30lbs).
Anyway I'm posting it for several reasons: first, many guys struggle to understand how to get enough real food and protein without resorting to shakes. Others believe you need to eat 5-6 meals a day to grow. Most include very little veg, and some are actively paranoid about the (tiny amounts) of fructose in fruit. This diet includes 5 portions of fruit and over 1kg (2.2lb) mixed veggies, as well as good oils from fish, avocado and mixed nuts.
When he still wants something extra, I encourage him to have an extra snack of cheese and a piece of fruit, so that there are never really any unnecessary empty calories going in, but obviously the odd cookie or two gets sunk now and then
He does take a few supplements not listed (eg beta-alanine, zinc, evening primrose oil, vit D, glucosamine etc) but really not much at all compared to most.
***
BULK DIET
Breakfast
5
25g (1oz)
80g (3oz)
80g (3oz)
125g (5oz)
1
1
125g (5oz)
5ml
Calories 890 Protein 52g Carbs 49g
Snack
25g (1oz)
25g (1oz)
6
Calories 280 Protein 11g Carbs 4g
Lunch (one-pot)
300g (12oz)
400g (16oz)
½
Calories 860 Protein 73g Carbs 27g
Pre-workout
1
10g
600mg
3g
10g
5g
Calories 180 Protein 26g Carbs 25g
PWO Dinner (one-pot)
300g (12oz)
400g (16oz)
Sauce (butter (oil), yoghurt, herbs, spices etc)
40g (1.5oz)
1
Calories 890 Protein 78g Carbs 62g
Late snack
25g (1oz)
2 tins
1
Large Hot chocolate (10g honey, cinnamon, 10g cocoa, 400ml full-fat milk)
Calories 900 Protein 55g Carbs 45g
Approx Macros:
Calories 4000 Protein 300g Carbs 200g Fats 220g
***
CYCLE
His cycle has been thus far:
Weeks 1-2 150mg Test Enanthate (split twice a week)
Weeks 3-4 175mg Test Enanthate
Weeks 5-6 200mg Test Enanthate
Weeks 7-8 225mg Test Enanthate
Weeks 9-10 250mg Test Enanthate
Weeks 11-12 275mg Test Enanthate
Weeks 13-14 300mg Test Enanthate
Weeks 1-8: 0.25mg anastrazole
Weeks 9-?: 0.50mg anastrazole
DHT control: 1mg finasteride/day
He has a bit of gyno that responds well to reduced prolactin, so at the moment he's on 0.5mg prami.
No GH, no GHRPs - he's tired of injecting and taking stuff, so we're doing as minimal as possible at the moment.
The cycle will carry on tapering up and slightly adapting the calories up until either: (a) he stops growing over a 2 week period, or (b) we hit 20 weeks.
His training intensity has also been ramping up as the weeks go by, both in terms of total volume of training, frequency, and weight used.
***
Anyway, I hope this is useful reading for some of you.
He wanted a diet that had no protein shakes and minimal supplements and that was only 3 meals, to fit around his current lifestyle and mood. I kinda twisted it a bit because the final snack is basically a meal (but he hasn't noticed lol). He wanted a 'recovery diet' as physically he was feeling exhausted.
For a bulk, it's modestly low carb (200g), with no rice, pasta, bread or grains. The only 'staple' carb source is quinoa (with ecdysteroids), and the rest is made up of fruit and veg, so very low GI. We've upped his calories on a few occasions over the cycle, but on the whole it's stayed around 4000 calories mark, so pretty restrained by some standards.
The quantity of fruit and veg in this diet is exceptionally high. This was partly for fibre, but also to prolong digestion and provide a steady release of aminos, to lower the glycaemic load, increase satiety, and to flood the body with diverse biologically active micronutrients.
He was feeling very tired/lethargic and worn down before the diet. According to him his energy levels are now the highest they've been in years, his sleep and training has improved, and some niggling injuries have also healed up. He feels much healthier.
I would say this has been reflected in his body. He's been gaining a steady and consistent 1kg (2.2lb) per week, and still growing at the same pace. His bodyfat % (DEXA) has declined from 11.1% to 9.5% (basically his fat mass has stayed roughly the same, with a small loss of visceral fat). His LBM has increased almost 14kg (30lbs).
Anyway I'm posting it for several reasons: first, many guys struggle to understand how to get enough real food and protein without resorting to shakes. Others believe you need to eat 5-6 meals a day to grow. Most include very little veg, and some are actively paranoid about the (tiny amounts) of fructose in fruit. This diet includes 5 portions of fruit and over 1kg (2.2lb) mixed veggies, as well as good oils from fish, avocado and mixed nuts.
When he still wants something extra, I encourage him to have an extra snack of cheese and a piece of fruit, so that there are never really any unnecessary empty calories going in, but obviously the odd cookie or two gets sunk now and then
He does take a few supplements not listed (eg beta-alanine, zinc, evening primrose oil, vit D, glucosamine etc) but really not much at all compared to most.
***
BULK DIET
Breakfast
5
Large Whole Eggs25g (1oz)
wild smoked salmon80g (3oz)
Spinach (cooked)80g (3oz)
Mushrooms (cooked)125g (5oz)
Roasted Veg (courgette, onion, red & yellow pepper, aubergine)1
small orange/satsuma1
Gala apple125g (5oz)
Greek Yoghurt + 10g honey5ml
Fish Oils (DHA/EPA)Calories 890 Protein 52g Carbs 49g
Snack
25g (1oz)
Cheese25g (1oz)
Mixed nuts6
cherry tomatoes (50g/2oz)Calories 280 Protein 11g Carbs 4g
Lunch (one-pot)
300g (12oz)
Beef & Pork mince400g (16oz)
mixed vegetables (broccoli, peppers, onions, spinach, courgette, aubergine)
Sauce (butter (oil), yoghurt, herbs, spices etc)½
Avocado (80g/3oz)Calories 860 Protein 73g Carbs 27g
Pre-workout
1
banana10g
EAAs600mg
Phosphatidylserine3g
Taurine10g
Glutamine5g
CreatineCalories 180 Protein 26g Carbs 25g
PWO Dinner (one-pot)
300g (12oz)
Chicken (breast and thigh)400g (16oz)
mixed vegetables (broccoli, peppers, onions, spinach, courgette, aubergine)Sauce (butter (oil), yoghurt, herbs, spices etc)
40g (1.5oz)
Quinoa (raw weight)1
small orange/satsumaCalories 890 Protein 78g Carbs 62g
Late snack
25g (1oz)
Cheese2 tins
mackerel/sardines in tomato1
small orange/satsumaLarge Hot chocolate (10g honey, cinnamon, 10g cocoa, 400ml full-fat milk)
Calories 900 Protein 55g Carbs 45g
Approx Macros:
Calories 4000 Protein 300g Carbs 200g Fats 220g
***
CYCLE
His cycle has been thus far:
Weeks 1-2 150mg Test Enanthate (split twice a week)
Weeks 3-4 175mg Test Enanthate
Weeks 5-6 200mg Test Enanthate
Weeks 7-8 225mg Test Enanthate
Weeks 9-10 250mg Test Enanthate
Weeks 11-12 275mg Test Enanthate
Weeks 13-14 300mg Test Enanthate
Weeks 1-8: 0.25mg anastrazole
Weeks 9-?: 0.50mg anastrazole
DHT control: 1mg finasteride/day
He has a bit of gyno that responds well to reduced prolactin, so at the moment he's on 0.5mg prami.
No GH, no GHRPs - he's tired of injecting and taking stuff, so we're doing as minimal as possible at the moment.
The cycle will carry on tapering up and slightly adapting the calories up until either: (a) he stops growing over a 2 week period, or (b) we hit 20 weeks.
His training intensity has also been ramping up as the weeks go by, both in terms of total volume of training, frequency, and weight used.
***
Anyway, I hope this is useful reading for some of you.
