Comments on: The Best Bodybuilding Diet Revealed

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 18:00:50 +0000

@Robert. Yes, you should buy a new bag. It’s not very expensive anyway 🙂
@Antonio. Everything you need to get started is in this article. Thanks.

By: Robert

Robert — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 15:48:27 +0000

Thank you so much man, I just have one more question….it’s about creatine….can it go bad after awhile, like after a year…I got some old creatine, don’t know If I should use it or just buy another one…

By: Antonio Lourenco

Antonio Lourenco — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 14:45:47 +0000

Hi i would love to try your MANS diet, i have tried everything else with little or no real results, and i like your approach.

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 11:30:15 +0000

@Paul. This is your personal preference. Since you’ve already been cutting, you might want to continue that until you reach your goal. However, this does not mean that you cannot still gain while cutting.
To do this successfully, you need the proper diet in combination with weight training. And yes you can keep building mass.
That’s what my Total Six Pack Abs program is all about. I’d like you to go this page and scroll down a little bit to the part that says “I WANT TO BURN FAT, GET A SIX-PACK, BUT KEEP ALL MY MUSCLE”. You’ll get your answer here…
https://musclehack.com/musclehack-programs-overview/
Hope that helps.

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 11:28:13 +0000

@Michael. Even during the low carb portion of the diet, you get an insulin spike after training by taking 40g whey protein. Whey causes an insulin spike, most people don’t realize this. You don’t need carbs in a post-workout shake as I show in this article…
https://musclehack.com/post-workout-carbs-crucial-or-counter-productive/
Additionally, we carb up at the weekends to refill or glycogen stores in the muscle (this comes from carbs) and create an insulin increase.

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 11:20:20 +0000

@Peter. First, fat is not as high during the weekend carb-up. Also, it’s important to recognise that these carbs will be treated differently inside the body during this period. Since your muscle glycogen stores were depleted during the week, these carbs will mostly go to refilling lost glycogen and not be metabolized for energy.

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 11:18:02 +0000

@Robert. If you want to eat these carb foods, I would recommend you opt for my GLAD diet instead. You can read more here https://musclehack.com/the-new-bodybuilding-diet-glad/
However, if you want to do MANS, then it’s 30g total net carbs. It doesn’t matter where they come from, so oats and bananas are out until the weekend carb-up.

By: Paul Behan

Paul Behan — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 08:52:53 +0000

Hi Mark
Quick question. I’m 38, about 18%bf and weigh 75kg. I’ve dropped 5%bf and 10kgs but still I don’t have a lot of muscle definition, even tho I’ve been going to the gym for over a year .I’d like to get bigger and build alot more muscle. My question is, shud I lower my bf before trying to bulk up?

Thanks

Paul

By: Michael

Michael — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 02:06:44 +0000

Mark,
Great site I have been following for about 18 months and made tremendous improvements in my diet and athletic performance. My question is around timing of a workout around the insulin spike? What is the best time to really make the most of this once a week spike?
Thanks again for all your advice, it is really appreciated.

By: Peter

Peter — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 19:00:29 +0000

I realize it has been quite a few years since the last comment but I went searching for studies on LCHF diets to supplement this article and while most of what I found was good news and agreed with your points, one thing stuck out to me. I couldn’t find an actual study behind this but the idea of carb loading on the weekends sounds like it would clash with #3 here:

https://blog.wellnessfx.com/2014/01/07/ben-greenfield-4-dangers-low-carb-high-fat-diet/

Is that not the case because you limit fats during the high carb period? I’m not sure how long cholesterol/glucose stay in the blood stream so maybe they aren’t overlapping enough to cause problems. Or maybe that guy is flat out wrong? Any info you have on Glucose/HBA1C would be helpful.

Thanks,
Peter

By: Robert

Robert — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 18:01:24 +0000

Hey Mark I’m eating 2 bananas a day and an oatmeal in the morning…..and I also drink 1 L of milk a day……I think that’s a lot more than 30 g of carbs 😀 should I stop eating those or did you mean like 30 dirty carbs cause oatmeal is healthy and also bananas are healthy, so please help me man, tell me what should I do 😀

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.

By: Simon

Simon — Mon, 19 May 2008 09:14:20 +0000

Great answers Mark. Very interesting stuff. I will give your diet a go. After the 2 weeks of Atkins I certainly enjoyed the 36 hours of having some carbs at the weekend. The 2 weeks have been a mad realisation of how many unneeded carbs most people eat on a daily basis. Your diet seems to give the best of both worlds as the carbs at the weekend gives you something to look forward to and the benefits of doing this with the possible release of growth hormone sounds excellent. Thanks for you time replying. Simon

By: Ted from Argentina

Ted from Argentina — Fri, 16 May 2008 20:29:45 +0000

You’re great Mark… you did answer right away. I’ll do as you say. Many thanks! Ted

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Fri, 16 May 2008 19:15:12 +0000

@Simon. No, you never come out of the fat metabolism. You need to eat carbs for around 3 days to start burning carbs for fuel again. You simply refill glycogen stores while staying in fat burning mode all the time. This has been shown in studies.
I don’t take 15g of glucose every day, some days 0, some 5 and some 10. The low carb wraps are only 3 grams per tortilla (4 with my filling) and veggies 8-10 grams with my dinner. When you add my total for 5.5 days and divide by 5.5 it comes to 27grams on average.
@ Ted. Go for it, if your main goal is muscle building, eat like it’s going out of fashion and don’t fear fat.
Mark

By: Ted from Argentina

Ted from Argentina — Fri, 16 May 2008 18:29:46 +0000

Excellent article very clear and easygoing Mark.
Though I’m 49, and have been training for somewhat 3 years, to get into relatively good shape, I’m trying to build muscle as far as I can.
I-ll try your diet with my workouts and see what happens.
All the best bro & thanks a lot.

By: Simon

Simon — Fri, 16 May 2008 14:17:13 +0000

I have just finished the 2 weeks induction phase of the Atkins diet and this diet looks very tempting as a carry on. Couple of questions though:
1) If it can take up to 5 days to deplete glycogen stores in the body and get the body into Ketosis (a fat burning state) surely by loading with carbs after 5 1/2 days it defeats the object of getting into ketosis – as just as you are getting into it, you stop??
2) You state that you eat around 27g of carbs on your diet, but I dont see how that is possible looking at your average days food consumption – ie. (approx) 2x low carb wraps are about total 20 g’s Veggies around 10g, 15g glucose is 15g’s, protein shakes even whey and mixed with water have around 2g’s per shake and the nuts around 5gs. In total I make that around 56-60 grams in a day??????????????????

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Mon, 12 May 2008 13:25:46 +0000

Matt, the product packaging should display all protein, carb and fat levels even on vegetables.
Then you just weigh out your amounts using scales. However, after a few weeks you’ll know how much you can have without scales.
Remember, all meat & seafood has no carbs. Cheese and eggs are virtually no carbs. Butter – zero, cream about 2% carbs, mayo – zero – 3% or so.
Also, use these resources to check carb, protein and fat grams
https://www.low-carbdiet.co.uk/
https://www.carb-counter.org/
Hope that helps,
Mark

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 12 May 2008 13:14:26 +0000

How do you work out how much carb protein and fats are in the
foods you are cooking and eating. How are you calculating it?

I want to be as precise as I can so I don’t go over my daily limits. Are you weighing all the foods and working it out that way, even down to the mayonaise and butter etc. I wouldn’t know how to find the carb amount in steak or veg?

Dying to get started on this program, Ive worked out my daily calorie expendature etc, its just afew things that I can’t get my head round

Many thanks mark