Gaining 10 pounds of muscle is substantial, as is losing 10 pounds of bodyfat, and four weeks isn't exactly a lot of time to accomplish either goal. But make no mistake: It is possible, as long as your diligence and discipline at the kitchen table is as consistent as your intensity in the weight room. [paragraph] Just as we mapped out your training regimen for the next four weeks, whether you aspire to bulk up or trim down, we've designed two distinct, scientifically engineered meal plans to ensure that you'll reach your lofty goal in one month's time. Let's start with the mass-gain plan.
GAINING GROUND
It takes ample calories to add 10 pounds of muscle: 20-22 per pound of bodyweight per day, or about 3,600 daily calories for a 180-pound man.
Not just any calories will do; you'll need the proper balance of protein, carbs and even fat. In our "Gain 10 Pounds" sample nutrition plan below, you'll see that on training days we suggest you eat about 2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight daily (360 grams for the 180-pounder), which is double our typical minimum recommendation. The reason for this is, when you're slogging your way through intense training sessions, you need to have a large amount of protein to help you recover and promote hypertrophy.
Research confirms that simply supplying your muscles with adequate amino acids from protein prompts muscle growth (even in the absence of training). So giving your muscles extra protein in addition to following the "Gain 10 Pounds" training plan (page 104) will surely push your growth to new levels.
While protein is critical, so are carbohydrates. We suggest you take in more than 2 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight per day (that's more than 360 grams for the 180-pound guy). Carbs not only provide your muscles with the energy to endure the grueling training but also keep them full and large.
Even fat, including saturated fat in moderate amounts, is vital for boosting muscle growth because it enhances testosterone production. Healthy fats from peanuts, walnuts and avocados will promote muscle recovery and growth and joint health. Shoot for 0.5 gram of dietary fat per pound of bodyweight per day (90 grams for the 180-pounder).
You'll notice that on every day of our mass-gain meal plan we recommend you eat two breakfasts. The first comprises fast-absorbing protein and carbs, and should be eaten within minutes of waking up to prevent further breakdown of your muscle for fuel, which occurs while you sleep. A little while later you'll eat a second breakfast that provides slower-digesting protein and carbs for long-lasting muscle fuel, and nutrient supply.
As usual, we suggest eating a meal of slow-digesting protein such as a casein shake before bed. Casein supplies a steady stream of aminos to your muscles for up to seven hours, which will help stave off the nightly onset of catabolism.
On rest days calories are a bit lower, mostly due to a significant decrease in carbs, since you won't be burning as many carbs and calories as you do on training days. Drop to about 19 calories per pound of bodyweight (3,400 per day) and 1 gram of carbs. Protein remains close to 2 grams per pound, and fat can rise slightly to 0.75 gram (135 grams for the 180-pounder), with an emphasis on healthy fats for greater joint and muscle recovery.
To cap it all off, you'll take six supplements that are sure to put you over the top (see "Gain-10 Supps" at right). Indeed, what you end up with is the perfect combination of training, diet and supplement intake. The result: 10 pounds of hard-earned muscle after just one month.
LEAVE YOUR BLUBBER BEHIND
Losing 10 pounds in a month--2.5 pounds per week--isn't easy. Even more difficult is making sure that weight is purely fat, not muscle.
To achieve this lofty goal, we suggest you drop to 13-14 calories per pound of bodyweight per day (about 2,500 for a 180-pound man). You'll need to reduce your carbs to about 0.5 gram per pound, which you can accomplish by limiting your carbohydrate intake to break fast and postworkout. Your other meals will be light on carbs to help peel off the fat. To keep your muscle intact and even gain some with the help of the "Lose 10 Pounds" training program, keep your protein intake at just more than 1.5 grams per pound of bodyweight, or about 270 grams per day for the 180-pounder.
One problem with low-carb diets is that your metabolism may slow after awhile, which will impede fat loss. To counteract this, toss in a high-carb day on Sunday of Week 3 (see menu at bottom) when you increase carbs to just more than 2 grams per pound of bodyweight, boosting calories to about 17 per pound (360 grams of carbs and 3,000 calories per day). With carbs so high, be sure to keep your fat intake low: about 0.25 gram per pound of bodyweight, or roughly 15% of your total daily calories. This high-carb day will amp up your metabolism to enhance fat-burning.
Follow the meal plan below even on your rest day (except during Week 3, of course). On your day off from the gym your preworkout snack will become your midday snack, and you'll lose the postworkout meal altogether. This reduces your calories to about 12 per pound (2,160 per day) and carbs to 0.5 gram per pound per day, or 90 grams.
So there you have it: two meal plans, one for building 10 pounds of lean mass and one for torching 10 pounds of fat to uncover your six-pack and striations throughout your physique. All you have to do now is pick one. What a difference a month can make.
GAIN-10-POUNDS MEAL PLAN | WORKOUT DAY
Breakfast 1
1 Scoop whey protein
2 slices white bread
2 Tbsp. jelly
Breakfast 2
3 whole eggs 3 egg whites
2 cups oatmeal
Late-Morning Snack
2 scoops casein protein
2 slices whole-wheat bread
1 Tbsp. jelly
1 Tbsp. peanut butter
Lunch
6 oz. deli turkey
2 slices whole-wheat bread
1 Tbsp. mustard
2 cups mixed green salad
1/2 avocado
1 Tbsp. olive oil/vinegar dressing
Preworkout
1 scoop whey protein
1 large apple
Postworkout
2 scoops whey protein 1 scoop casein protein 2 scoops Vitargo S2
Dinner
8 oz. top sirloin
1 large sweet potato
1 cup chopped broccoli
2 cups mixed green salad
1 Tbsp. olive oil/vinegar dressing
Nighttime Snack
2 scoops casein protein
1 cup oatmeal
1 oz. walnuts (14 halves)
NOTE: Mix all protein shakes according to the label.
NUTRITION FACTS:
3,930 calories,
363 g protein,
402 g carbs,
97 g fat
GAIN-10-POUNDS MEAL PLAN | REST DAY
Breakfast 1
1 scoop whey protein
2 slices white bread
2 Tbsp. jelly
Breakfast 2
3 whole eggs 3 egg whites
1 cup oatmeal
1 oz. walnuts (14 halves)
Late-Morning Snack
2 scoops casein protein
1 cup oatmeal
Lunch
1 can white albacore tuna (in water)
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup granola
Snack
2 scoops casein protein
1 Tbsp. peanut butter
Dinner
9 oz. salmon
2 cups chopped broccoli
1/2 avocado
2 cups mixed green salad
1 Tbsp. olive oil/vinegar dressing
Nighttime Snack
2 scoops casein protein
1 oz. mixed nuts
NOTE: Mix all protein shakes according to the label.
NUTRITION FACTS:
3,433 calories,
340 g protein,
208 g carbs,
136 g fat
LOSE-10-POUNDS MEAL PLAN | TYPICAL DAY
Breakfast
2 whole eggs 4 egg whites
1 whole-wheat English muffin
1 Tbsp. peanut butter
Late-Morning Snack
2 scoops whey protein
Lunch
1 can white albacore tuna (in water)
1/2 cup cottage cheese
2 cups mixed green salad
1 Tbsp. olive oil/vinegar dressing
Midday Snack
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/4 avocado
Preworkout Snack
1 scoop whey protein
Postworkout Snack
1 scoop whey protein 1 scoop casein protein
2 slices white bread
1 Tbsp. jelly
Dinner
9 oz. salmon
1 cup sliced zucchini
Nighttime Snack
1 scoop casein
NOTE: Mix all protein shakes according to the label.
NUTRITION FACTS:
2,456 calories,
311 g protein,
114 g carbs,
80 g fat
LOSE-10-POUNDS MEAL PLAN | HIGH-CARB DAY (SUNDAY OF WEEK 3)
Breakfast
2 whole eggs 4 egg whites
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup blue-berries
Late-Morning Snack
2 scoops whey protein
2 slices whole-wheat bread
1 Tbsp. jelly
1 Tbsp. peanut butter
1 medium banana
Lunch
6 oz. deli turkey
2 slices whole-wheat bread
1 large apple
Midday Snack
2 scoops whey protein
2 large sweet potatoes
Dinner
8 oz. chicken breast
1 cup brown rice
1 cup black beans
1 cup chopped broccoli
2 cups mixed green salad
1 Tbsp. olive oil/ vinegar dressing
Nighttime Snack
1 scoop casein protein
1 cup oatmeal
NOTE: Mix all protein shakes according to the label.
NUTRITION FACTS:
3,119 calories,
279 g protein,
388 g carbs,
50 g fat
GOOD TRAINING AND NUTRITION PLANS ARE CRITICAL TO ADDING MASS. YET SUPPLEMENTS, IF CHOSEN WISELY, CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN PUSHING YOU TO THE 10-POUND MARK
* WHEY Research shows that taking this fast-digesting protein before and after workouts boosts muscle growth further than most other proteins. Another time to take whey is first thing in the morning so you can avoid entering a catabolic (muscle-wasting) state following hours of fasting. Go with 20 grams of whey protein per shake.
* BCAAs Branched-chain amino acids are comprised of the aminos leucine, isoleucine and valine and are critical for kick-starting muscle growth. Anytime you down a whey or casein shake, we suggest you include 5-10 grams of BCAAs.
* CASEIN While whey is critical for boosting muscle growth around workout time, research shows it can drive even more growth when casein is added to the postworkout mix. Then there's before bed, when you need slow--digesting casein to prevent muscle breakdown during the night. Postworkout, include 10-20 grams of casein (in addition to whey) in your protein shake. Your bedtime casein shake should be 40-50 grams.
* CREATINE This thoroughbred supplement has been proven effective via hundreds of research studies at boosting muscle growth better than almost any other supplement ever manufactured. Take 3-5 grams of creatine with your pre-and postworkout shakes.
* VITARGO S2 Research shows this patented carbohydrate supplement moves through the stomach more than twice as fast as typical sugars, resulting in a spike in the anabolic hormone insulin, which will help deliver those carbs to your muscle fibers. Add 70 grams of Vitargo S2 to your postworkout shake.
* BETA--ALANINE Creatine is one of the most effective supplements on the market, but it can be made even better when coupled with beta-alanine. Studies have shown that this amino acid boosts hypertrophy when taken with creatine. Take 1-2 grams of beta-alanine with your pre-and postworkout shakes.
WITH OUR "LOSE 10 POUNDS" TRAINING AND DIET PLANS, YOU'LL HAVE NO PROBLEM SHEDDING THE WEIGHT YOU WANT. BUT WHY NOT DROP A FEW EXTRA POUNDS BY ENLISTING THE HELP OF THESE FAT-BURNING SUPPLEMENTS?
* FISH OIL Fish oil provides the essential omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, which not only provide health benefits but also help boost metabolic rate to enhance fat-burning. Take 1-2 grams of fish oil with 2-3 meals per day.
* GREEN TEA Green tea contains an active polyphenol compound known as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG aids fat loss by inhibiting the enzyme that breaks down norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter involved in regulating metabolic rate and fat-burning. Take about 500 mg of green tea extract standardized for EGCG three times per day between meals.
* CAFFEINE Caffeine boosts fat-burning due to its ability to bind to receptors on fat cells. This prevents certain compounds that inhibit fat removal from binding to those same receptors. Caffeine also burns extra fat during exercise. Take 200-400 mg of a caffeine supplement in the morning, as well as an hour preworkout.
* CARNITINE Carnitine is an essential supplement for those seeking to get leaner via low-carb diets. Eating fewer carbs forces your body to burn more fat for fuel, yet fat needs carnitine to carry it into the mitochondria of the cells where fat-burning occurs. Without adequate carnitine, fat-burning is slowed. Take 1.5-3 grams of carnitine, such as L-carnitine, acetyl-L-carnitine, L-carnitine L-tartrate and propionyl-L-carnitine, with breakfast, pre-and postworkout, and with your last meal of the day.
Your daily meal plan is the ideal mix of protein, carbs and fat, tailored to your specific goals.
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