The Anabolic Diet – Maximizing Muscle Growth and Fat Burning! | Hardworkout Magazine

Key takeaways

- The anabolic diet, developed by Canadian physician and former powerlifting world champion Dr Mauro Di Pasquale in the early 1990s, alternates low-carb weekdays with high-carb weekends.

- On the diet's low-carb days (Monday to Friday) carbohydrate intake stays under 30 g per day, with protein at 30-35% and fat at 60-65% of energy intake.

- On high-carb weekend days, carbohydrates make up 60-70% of total energy intake to refill glycogen stores and support training intensity.

- The diet suits strength athletes rather than endurance athletes, who the article says get better results from an even carbohydrate intake.

The anabolic diet is a cyclical low-carb diet developed by Dr. Mauro Di Pasquale in the early 1990s, who was a Canadian physician, nutrition expert, and former world champion in powerlifting. The diet was specifically designed for bodybuilders and strength athletes, aiming to provide maximum muscle growth and fat burning by manipulating macronutrients.

The diet alternates between low-carb on weekdays and high-carb on weekends, allowing one to reap the benefits of both worlds. During the weekdays, the body learns to use fat as its primary energy source, and on weekends, carbohydrates are replenished, supporting good training performance and muscle growth.

How the Anabolic Diet Works

The anabolic diet helps you build muscle and burn fat at the same time.

The idea behind the diet is that the body should burn more fat during the weekdays by using fat as the primary energy source. This will make it easier to reduce body fat percentage.

When the weekend comes, carbohydrates should be replenished, which fills up glycogen stores, increases insulin secretion, and stimulates protein synthesis and muscle growth. This will also help improve training performance and support hormonal balance.

The diet follows a specific cycle throughout the week:

Monday-Friday: Low Carb

Low intake of carbohydrates (under 30 g/day), moderate/high protein intake (30-35%) and high fat intake (60-65%). Saturday and Sunday: High Carb

High intake of carbohydrates (between 60-70% of total energy intake), moderate protein intake, and low fat intake.


Who is the Diet Suitable For?

The diet is suitable for those who strength train and want to reduce body fat percentage without losing muscle mass.

It is suitable for those who do not want to follow an extreme diet but still want more defined muscles and good hormonal balance.

The anabolic diet provides structure to your diet while also allowing a bit more freedom on weekends, which positively affects motivation.

The diet is best suited for those who strength train and want to shape their body. For those who do a lot of endurance training, you will get better results from a diet with a more even carbohydrate intake.

Benefits of the Anabolic Diet

You burn fat without losing muscle mass A low intake of carbohydrates during the weekdays causes the body to enter fat-burning mode.

Additionally, the high protein intake helps to preserve and build muscle mass.

You can eat varied and indulge a little extra on the weekend Some diets completely cut out carbohydrates, while this diet allows you to eat more normally and replenish your stores on the weekends.

This makes it easier to stick to the diet over time and will help with motivation.

Energy levels remain stable The combination of proteins and fats provides a steady and long-lasting energy, and you avoid large fluctuations in blood sugar that one can experience when consuming a lot of carbohydrates.

You don't need to count calories slavishly You don't need to weigh all your food to achieve good results, as long as you follow the structure of the diet and eat within the recommended food items.

The weekends will give you extra intensity in training When you have sufficiently filled your glycogen stores, you will notice that you can lift more explosively and that you have a noticeably better intensity when you train. This will also signal to the body about muscle growth and recovery.

When you follow this diet, it is wise to schedule some of your training days on the weekend, so that you can fully benefit from the extra carbohydrates.

A [study](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32947920/) from 2020 showed that this type of diet resulted in better preservation of muscle mass and a lower body fat percentage for those who trained with weights.


What are the drawbacks of the anabolic diet?

The diet requires both planning and awareness It is important to keep track of which days are low-carb and which are high-carb. You must also adjust food items and quantities accordingly.

The effect of low-carb is reduced if you slack off on carbohydrate intake on these days.

Low-carb can be tough at the beginning The first few days of low-carb can be difficult as the body adjusts to using fat as an energy source. You may experience low energy levels, headaches, and mood swings, but this usually passes after a few days.

Not suitable for all types of training The diet is best suited for those who engage in strength training and bodybuilding.

For those who do a lot of HIIT or endurance training, low-carb days may result in reduced performance.

Cravings can become strong when the weekend comes It can be tempting to indulge in unhealthy and fatty foods when the weekend arrives, after several days of low carbohydrates.

The focus should still be on filling up with healthy carbohydrates that nourish the muscles.

It may therefore be wise to plan weekend meals and not shop impulsively.

Recommended Foods for the Anabolic Diet

Low-Carb Days

- Protein Sources: Fish, meat, eggs, poultry, cottage cheese, and protein powder.

- Fat Sources: Fatty fish, avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, seeds, nuts (check carbohydrate content).

- Vegetables: Leafy greens, cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, bell pepper, tomato.

- Drinks: Water, coffee, tea, sparkling water, sugar-free soda.

High-Carb Days

- Lean Protein Sources: Ground beef, chicken breast, cod, low-fat yogurt, eggs.

- Carbohydrate Sources: Whole grain pasta and rice, oats, whole grain bread, sweet potato, quinoa, and fruit.

- Vegetables: Eat plenty and varied, to ensure sufficient fiber, vitamins, and minerals.


How many meals should you eat, and when?

Meals should be tailored to individual needs and should be scheduled according to when you train.

- Breakfast: Meal based on proteins and fats (e.g., omelet with avocado).

- Lunch: Salad with proteins and some healthy fat.

- Dinner: Hot dish based on proteins and vegetables.

- Snack: A small and simple meal, such as cottage cheese with nuts or a protein shake.

How many calories does the weekly menu contain per day?

This meal plan consists of 4 meals and 2200-2500 calories per day.