Atkins diet prior to AS cycle

I have been training for 4 years now. I have always been a "big guy", never really cut (played Off line in college) About six months ago I lost 35 lbs on a modified version of the Atkins diet...I had one carb meal a day. I ate a ton of protein and had two whey shakes a day...I mixed them with water to keep down the carbs...

I am 6'3", 260 lbs with 20% body fat. I want to try to cut my bf to 10% before doing my first AS cycle. I do cardio 4 - 5 times a week. What is your guys take on the one carb meal a day diet? I didn't have a lot of energy the first week I was on it, but my energy level skyrocketed the next week. I felt great and I knew I was burning the fat away.

I have a diet plan that I got off of this site to use during my cycle of 400 Deca and 250 Sust. I have been researching AS for almost a year now...

Any suggestions? Any advice is appreciated.

you might want to add a thermogenic with your diet like phen-free by EAS or DIET FUEL by TWINLAB or Thermonol XS by GEN these should really speed up the fat burning. im not sure about only one carb meal a day. are you still getting enough calories for energy and protien to stop muscle tissuse breakdown.

I do take a thermogenic...I take Xenadrine two times a day along with a multi-vitamin.

You seem as if you have the cardio right and you are taking an ECA and keeping the carbs low.

Try cutting the total number of cals

Work out what you are consuming in an avg day and reduce this number by 10% do this for a week and see if you drop any weight continue to do this until you see a drop.

Good Luck
Billy

Hey bro,
I'd be careful of that Atkins diet,
I have heard alot of bad things about it. I know that you said you did a "different" version, however, restricting your caloric intake like that can really kill any lean muscle mass that you have obtained in the gym.

Later,
Tobey

Actually, how many calories am I actually restricting? I eat all the meat, cheese and eggs I want...I am just restricting my carb intake to around 75 to 100 grams a day since I am eating one carb meal. I know there is no "quick answer" to fat loss and it does take some time and a proper diet. I just know that this diet has worked for me and I don't feel like I am starving myself. I appreciate all of you guys responding.

Woodsy,
Congrats on your recent progress!
I too used to play football in high school here in Ct.
I was a lineman as well, however, not as big as you!
I'm about 6'1",245.
Anywayz, I'd like to see a small sample of your diet plan cuz I'm looking to get down to around 220 before I start a cycle myself.
Could you do that for me?
I'd appreciate it.
Later, you big bastard!!!!

Sorry, I have just now gotten back to you guys...The Atkins diet did drain me quite a bit before workouts...I didn't have enough stamina to even finish a complete workout. Well, when I modified it an added in one carb meal a day, I did have more energy, but didn't seem to be making any gains. So, I totally switched to a different diet plan. I am currently in my 6th week of the Body for Life program...This diet ROCKS! I have plenty of energy and I make it through those tough workouts...I still haven't started my AS cycle yet, but when I do I will post my results. I am 6'3", 238 lbs and my waist has shrunk from a 40" to 36". Bill Phillips definitely knows his stuff!!! I will start my AS cycle after the 1st of the year and will let you guys know my progress!

I think that having one meal a day that has carbs is completely counterproductive. Make the choice 1)restrict carbs or 2) restrict calories and fat. By trying this hybrid I doubt you are getting the benefit of either.

As far as being sluggish, I think the carbs you are eatiing it are causing it. I have been on a diet of under 10 grams of carb/day for 2.5 years and I never feel sluggish. I go to the gym two days on 1 off and consistently do between 60 and 90 minutes of cardio in addition to lifting (trying to reduce bf% to single digits), if I had no energy this would not be possible.

Remember, your body converts carbs to sugar. That give you energy, right? No carbs in your system, it converts your fat to sugar. That gives you energy too, right?

And, if carbs are so great why is it that when people eat them, they always get tired and want to go to sleep? Some food for thought (pardon the pun).

Well, I am just letting everyone know how I felt when I restricted my carbs to less than 10 grams a day. Everyone's body reacts differently to each diet, they just have to find the right one for them...Obviously you have found yours. The Body for Life program allows me to each 6 meals a day, which include carbs and I am never at a loss for energy or feel sluggish. I lift three days and do cardio almost every day of the week. Somedays I do cardio twice during the day...this diet plan really seems to be working for me, so I will stick with it. You can add a variety of foods to your meals, instead of the same tuna or chicken that low carbs diets call for. I was on the Atkins diet for 6 months and I did lose weight, but I couldn't stomach the thought of eating another egg or can of tuna. I have since gotten over my sickness to these foods, so I do still eat them, but there is more to my meal than just eggs or tuna. I am also trying to get my bf% to single digits, since I have never been there before. I have always been "overweight", which didn't bother me because I was an offensive lineman. My coach would gripe at me if I lost any weight...So, I am 29 years old now and want to look good for myself, so I will get as big and lean as I want!

Actually that will work too. I am not a big Body for Life fan, but I admit Philips has some good stuff in there about diet and exersize. My recolection is that his diet uses a low calery low fat model. I know this to be very effective and agree that as long as you stick with it it will be effective. And as for eating another egg or can of tuna, I know what you mean. Sometimes I feel that way too (although I have a couple of things I can do low carb that might surprise you- such as cookies and pizza (made in an unusual way)).

I may even try to reintroduce carbs back into my diet at some point. Several people made very compelling arguments to me in another thread.

Well it is rare but I pretty much agree with everyone on this board even Toby (can you believe it)? Ha just messing with ya bro.. Yeah Xenedrine will give you energy and curve your appetite some, but keep that watch out for loosing muscle mass if that is what you want to achieve. Do what everyone else says here, watch your carbs. I have said it once and I'll say it again, I got on this carb diet, where I stop eating 95% of my carbs for the day before 12:00 noon. After that time, I would eat minimum, and I do mean minimum, and I shreaded my body fat from 15-8% in just alittle over a month. Course I was doing cardio like a mad man, and working out almost every single day, but fat just fell off.

OMG....Dr Atkins SUCKS! I cant believe anyone follows that shit. It may be working for you outside but have you seen your insides? Especially with your stats you may want to go get your cholestoral and blood lipids checked. You have no business eating a lot of fat on AS especially with a bf of 20%! You are asking for problems. I cant seem to post it enough.....
LOW CARB DIETS ARE STUPID.
Moderation people.

Quote:

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Originally posted by bufchic
OMG....Dr Atkins SUCKS! I cant believe anyone follows that shit.

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BC....don't hold back. Tell us how you really feel about Dr. Atkins ;)

You know I'm just pullin your chain :)

Pete....Ive had it. Im just going to tell it like it is babe. :wg:

What Woodsy did inadvertently was called a TKD... a targeted ketogenic diet. This is where you restrict carbs for a majority of the day, targeting your one carb meal around workout times. The energy spike he experienced was no coincidence.

Atkins alone is not a good fit in bodybuilding. But there is some encouraging research on Ketogenic diets where carbs are added during precise times during the training week. The TKD mentioned above and CKD where carbs are restricted days 1-5.5 and carbs are taken in on days 5.5-7.

It's not a mass building program, but the research does suggest some muscle sparing effects while one is cutting. Nitrogen/Cortisol levels stay relatively balanced when doing a CKD or TKD.

Both these plans have a time and place in bodybuilding and may be worth a try for those that are stuck at a particular weight. It's not suggested for long term usage.

A good diet is a lifestyle of BALANCE. These fad type diets....do this one day and do this the next week and cycle this, eat a lot of that... is crap. You people try to get too technical. And it is sooooo simple. Your daily diet should be common sense. You need fat, protein and carbs all in moderation EVERYDAY. BB puts your body through enough stress, your diet doesnt need to freak it out more if you are honestly trying to be healthy and do what is best for your body.
Balance of nutrients is what makes your body work. Its basic science.

Well, here are my results (pre-cycle) for my one year weight loss program...Sort of divided it up between Atkins diet and the Body for Life...I lost the initial weight from the Atkins diet, then lost the majority from the Body for Life...I went from 305 lbs to 215 lbs...I am now on the same diet plan, except I added one meal to my diet and upped the protein about 100 - 150 grams...I am trying to pack on some muscle before I start my cycle, which should be in the next month or two...Anyway, here are my pics!!

One more time...