Diet programs are just that, diet programs. They are meant to help non-exercising individuals lose weight. We don’t want to lose weight, we want to burn fat and gain muscle. This program is designed to provide your body with the nutrients it needs to do just that, and not leave you starving and angry like some low carb plans. This diet focuses on good carbs, essential fatty acids, and protein.

The following program is based on a 200 pound male. Scale calories up or down as you see fit (depending on metabolism and lean mass). Aim to lose approximately 1-2 pounds per week. You will be eating approximately every 3 hours.

Your momma was right. Other than your workout meals, this one is the most important. This meal can make or break your results so even if it means setting your alarm for 6:30am instead of 6:45am, you need to make this happen!

1. Eat up to 25% of your daily calories at this meal. Studies show that those who eat a good breakfast eat less during the day. This is key to staving off hunger and it will help you stick with the program.
   
2. Protein is king! If you get 25% of your calories at breakfast and are eating the prescribed 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight per day, you should aim to get between 40 and 60 grams of protein at breakfast from sources such as egg whites, protein powder (whey such as Metabolic Whey by MRM or a whey/ casein mix such as Ultra Peptide by Xtreme Formulations), chicken, lowfat cottage cheese or yogurt.
   
3. Eat complex carbs for long-lasting energy. Other than workout meals, this is the time you can indulge on some carbs—a nice hot, steamy bowl of oats! We recommend getting a majority of your carbs at breakfast so depending on how well you tolerate them, get between 40 and 80 grams of carbs. Oats and whole grains should be your carbs of choice at this meal.
   
4. An apple a day keeps the bodyfat away. Fruit at breakfast is a good thing, and can be part of your total carbohydrate intake. When liver glycogen levels are low, it triggers muscle-protein breakdown to provide energy from amino acids. Fructose, found in fruit, quickly replenishes your liver glycogen stores, halting catabolism. One easy way to get your fruit is adding frozen berries to your hot oatmeal. Not only will they make the oatmeal tastier, it will cool the oatmeal so it’s ready to eat.
   
5. Supplements to start the day include:
   
   • 1 serving Chizled
     
   • Multivitamin/multimineral
     
   • 400 international units (IU) of vitamin E

You honestly think you’ll make it from 7am until noon without food? We need to keep the meals flowing here!

1. This meal should be high in protein—30-50 grams. Fat free or lowfat cottage cheese or a mixed protein shake would fit in well here.
   
2. Complex carbs can be used here. Try making a double serving of oatmeal in the morning and taking half with you to work in a container. Stir in some added liquid and add some protein powder and viola—a quick, easy snack! Shoot for about 20-30 grams of carbs in this meal.

While studies show little difference, we advocate eating every 2-3 hours in this plan to keep catabolism at bay and to stave off hunger.

1. Eat your protein at this meal. Shoot for between 40 and 60 grams (a chicken breast) of protein. You can also get it from fish, lean beef, fat free or lowfat cottage cheese, or egg whites.
   
2. Slow digesting carbs should be your carbs of choice. Try to get 30 grams of carbs from whole, natural sources such as brown rice, yams, or if you haven’t gotten sick of it yet, oatmeal.
   
3. Veggies are needed. You need fiber and nutrients—you need vegetables. Try to get a variety of vegetables—broccoli, spinach, peas, carrots. In fact, some vegetables can be eaten in unlimited amounts (warning: too much fiber CAN cause some issues) such as broccoli, spinach, and lettuce.
   
4. Supplements: 1 serving Chizled 30 minutes before lunch.

If you workout after work, this will be you last meal until preworkout. Try to get in about 20-40 grams of protein from whole foods or a mixed protein powder.

If you workout better with carbs, take in some slow burning carbs at this time. This is up to you.

The most important feeding time of the day. We will address pre and post workout supplementation.

Preworkout (15-30 minutes prior to training)

1. ICE: 1 scoop
   
2. Neurostim: 1 serving
   
3. Water: ½ to 1 liter

Postworkout (immediately post workout)

1. ICE: 1 scoop
   
2. Creatine: 5 grams of quality creatine (such as MRM Creatine)
   
3. Water: ½ to 1 liter
   
4. 1,000 mg Vitamin C
   
5. 400-800 IU of Vitamin E

1. Eat a good amount of protein. We recommend around 40 to 50 grams from sources such as chicken, egg whites, lean steak, or fish.
   
2. Carbs are good. You are still in that critical postworkout window where carbs are good. We recommend 40 to 60 grams of carbs from complex sources listed previously (yams, brown rice, whole grain bread).
   
3. Veggies should be eaten. Broccoli, spinach, green beans—eat these until you are satiated!
   

Unless you hit the hay right after dinner, eat something before bed.

1. Take in 30-50 grams of a slow digesting protein source such as Ultra Peptide by Xtreme Formulations, fat free or lowfat cottage cheese, lean beef, or salmon.
   
2. Sleepy Supplements
   
   • Supplement with 3-6 grams of fish oil.

If you train in the morning and you are like us, you cannot even force food down without it coming back up during training. If this sounds familiar, you can get by with just ICE. We recommend taking 1 scoop of ICE and Neurostim along with a fast digesting carbohydrate source—a piece of fruit such as a banana or apple should do the trick (remember, we are also halting the catabolism brought on by that 8 hour fast known as sleep). Post workout, get in 1 scoop of ICE and within an hour, eat breakfast.

Keep all meals the same as the previously outlined diet program except dinner, where you should get no more than 20-40 grams of carbohydrates from vegetables and slow burning carbohydrates.

Here is a sample meal plan for someone who trains around 5pm:

For you early birds…

On non-workout days, we will omit the pre and post workout meals.

One day per week, have a “cheat day” if you’d like. Don’t do overboard and eat the entire Chinese buffet, but if you’re craving a slice of cheesecake, have it! In fact, this can even help you by replenishing your glycogen stores and stimulating your metabolism.

If you have no cravings but just have that hungry feeling, take in more good carbohydrates throughout the day and eat until you feel full. Good examples include yams, brown rice, and oatmeal.

Continue with your diet as outlined, but in the last week you want to perform carb depletion/loading and water depletion/loading. While this is optional and you’ll probably look fantastic anyway, this may be the edge you need to win the whole thing!

Let’s say your photo shoot is Saturday. Continue with your regular diet up until Tuesday then…

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday: Drop carbs down close to zero (at least less than 80 grams), and if you do take in any carbs get them in the morning and early afternoon. Drink plenty of water - at least 1 1/2 gallons per day, but shoot for 2 gallons. Don't go past 2 gallons as it is possible to get water intoxication. Eat plenty of veggies (broccoli, asparagus and salads, are good choices) - this will help you stay regular and avoid constipation. Do full body workouts on Tuesday and Wednesday - light weight, 1-2 exercises per bodypart, 6-8 sets total for each body part. This will help you deplete your muscle glycogen. Do not do any exercise on Thursday and Friday although you can do some light cardio on Thursday if you’re up for it to keep fat burning and to deplete any last glycogen from your muscle and liver.

Friday: Time to start carbing up as soon as you wake. Your goal (depending on your size) is to get about 300-600 grams of carbs. Go for complex type carbs, as some individuals find that faster carbs like baked potatoes, white bread, and dextrose drinks cause them to hold water under the skin. If you're a traditional eater - you can start your day off with a huge bowl of oatmeal (2-3 cups) and or whole grain toast. Otherwise, just go straight for the sweet potatoes, as this will be your main carb source the rest of the day. One large sweet potato has about 40 grams of carbs, so eat one every 2 hours or so, so at the end of the day your total carbs is 300 grams if you're under 150lbs, 400 if you're 150-180lbs, 500 if you're 180-200lbs, and 600 if you're over 200lbs pounds. As far as protein goes, still try to get in at least 1 gram per pound of bodyweight. A lot depends on how successful you depleted your body of glycogen—the more you got rid of the more you'll need to supercompensate and vice versa. Water intake on this day and the day of the photo shoot should be as close to zero as possible. Some ice cubes or a sip here or there won't hurt too much. The water depletion should actually start Thursday night.