Despite the exaggerated claim of "steroid-like" results, introduced by Dr. Mauro Di Pasquale in 1995, the idea of the Anabolic Diet seems sound. Just like Keto, it followed the same principle: low-carb, high-fat, high-protein structure. The only difference? Planned carb loading. But the question is, can it build muscle?

Yes, if applied correctly. There are three main components of an Anabolic Diet: Maintaining, Bulking, and Cutting. Confused? Let’s take a detailed look at them.

The Phases of the Anabolic Diet

The maintenance or induction phase: This sets the foundation upon which you will build your muscle-building journey. For the first four weeks, the calories are capped at 18 calories per pound of bodyweight. Why? Well, this practice will adjust the body for a low-carb, high-fat diet, which will stabilize the weight. This is a non-negotiable phase as it conditions the metabolism and prepares you for aggressive manipulation later.

The Bulk or the mid phase: This is the phase where the mass is earned, and well, it takes time. calories scale to 20–25 calories per pound of target bodyweight, aiming for an intentional 15% overshoot of ideal body weight. Any weight gain is monitored closely; if the weight gain is more than 2 lbs per week, then this signals excess fat. This phase continues until either the overshoot is reached or body fat crosses 10%.

The cutting phase: Think of it as damage control. The caloric consumption is similar to the induction phase with a 500–1,000-calorie deficit. The goal is to decrease fat as much as possible, roughly 1–1.5 lbs per week, while preserving muscle. Faster losses are counterproductive and risk lean mass.

Food Choices

What foods do you take during the diet? As per Dr. Di Pasquale, saturated fats are a good fuel source and essential for optimal hormone production. Thus, it’s better to take low-carb and high-saturated-fat foods.

• Fatty cuts of animal proteins (especially red meats)
• Whole eggs
• Full-fat dairy products like cheese, cream, butter, etc.
• Oils, preferably canola, peanut, flax, macadamia, olive, and coconut varieties
• Nuts and nut spreads
• Fibrous vegetables, especially greens like lettuce, broccoli, celery, etc.

Ensure a daily intake of at least 2,800 calories, comprising approximately 165 g of fat (around 40 g from saturated sources), 265 g of protein, and roughly 30 g of net carbohydrates.

Well, now that you have the understanding of how the diet works, when are you going to start your own Anabolic Diet journey?

Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Joyita Das