what diet to start with??

Q: Whats the best diet plan to start with?? I’m a 42yo male and trying to get into better shape and at the same time increase my muscle size, i’m carrying alot of body fat so should i start with a fat burning diet or a bulking diet?? Also is there a set length of time you should bulk or cut for and when should you switch

Cheers

A: Hello,

Unless you are very experienced and are looking to compete, I do not recommend bulking and cutting diets as they are hard on your system. The best short and long term approach is for you to be on an eating plan that promotes muscle gain and limits fat storage, which over time allows you to get bigger and leaner. The simple plan limits the amount of bodyfat you store by reducing the amount of carbohydrates in your daily diet from the “Chip & Chad” norm of 65% of energy to around 35%. Your everyday diet should be around 40% protein, 35% carbs and 25% essential fats that are mostly polyunsaturated (like fish oils, walnuts etc). When you get an equal or greater amount of high quality protein (to carbs) in your daily diet, you’ll get a greater response towards lean muscle growth and strength, plus you’ll begin using increasing amounts of stored bodyfat for energy.

Your question brings up the issue of training, so I’ve put some ideas for you to consider as it relates to your nutrition plan. Truth is, if you learn how to plan your training to achieve muscle size, you’ll also gain considerable strength and get leaner at the same time. This is because muscle; not only burns more energy at rest, but more importantly, it greatly increases your bodies ability to preferentially store glucose (from any carbs you eat) into your muscle cells, and not your fat cells.

The key to gaining muscle size in a manner that offers size, strength and leanness requires setting up your training program so that you are guided by the amount of work you do for a given bodypart. This is different than gauging a workout by how much weight you lifted for 2-3 reps in your “max set”. So, instead of going to the gym to “lift weights with your muscles”, you’ll be “training your muscles by using resistance”. In short, the goal is to stress your muscles with a careful eye on resistance that covers the right rep ranges AND you perform for an adequate amount of sets so enough total work is done. The result will cause your muscle fibers to adapt, while it increases muscle protein synthesis so you can get bigger, stronger and leaner.

Here are my key concepts for building lean, strong muscle, that burns fat.

1. Gauge your training by the tonnage you lift––if you do barbell curls with 3 sets of 6 reps with 100-lbs of resistance your tonnage number is:
2. 3 sets x 6 reps x 100–lbs or 1800-lbs
3. In contrast; 4 sets of 10 reps with only 50-lbs is, 2000-lbs
4. Limit your use of sets with 4-6 reps and focus on sets of 8-15 reps, but mix it up. The age old “pyramid” method is still the best which is:
5. After a warm-up set of 20 reps, pick a weight for your work sets where 12-15 reps are possible, no more.
6. Use the same weight in up to 5 work sets, adding weight in small increments if you can go over 15 reps on set 2, and limit the rest between sets to less than one-minute.
7. On your 4th and 5th sets it should be hard to get 8-10 reps.
8. Use a 2 up, 4 down cadence with a slight pause at the top and bottom of the movement––control the weight.
9. General rule of thumb is to shoot for 50-60 reps per muscle group, which done in the fashion above will trigger the growth response, while also making your lifts stronger and causing a metabolic shift towards more muscle and less fat.
10. Progress by doing more work, calculated by tonnage
11. Give each muscle group 48-72 hours rest before training it again.
12. A good split is;
13. Day 1––Back/Chest
14. Day 2––Legs
15. Day 3––Arms/Delts
16. Day 4––Rest or Cardio
17. Cardio—Hi Intensity/15 minutes only, every other day or 3 times per week max

Regards,

Vince Andrich

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