The Velocity Diet I and II

[Adonis]

The Velocity Diet
A Radical Experiment in Rapid Fat Loss
by Chris Shugart


Warning: The diet outlined below is experimental. If you're looking to lose fat slowly but surely in a comfortable manner, there are several proven plans available in the T-Nation Diet Program section. If, however, you're looking for a way to quickly rip fat off your body, regardless of difficulty, the Velocity Diet may be for you. It's certainly not for everybody.


Do the Opposite

I see fat people. Everywhere I look, gluttony, excess and sluggishness. We are a nation suffocating from body fat. It makes me sick.

Fat has become the norm. Look around. "Normal" people are largely unhappy, overweight and unsuccessful. Screw. That. The last thing I want to be is average, especially if "average" means being obese.

Successful people make a habit of doing the opposite. If normal people don't lift weights, then do the opposite and lift weights. If normal people don't take risks, then take risks. If they're afraid to say certain things, then scream those things at the top of your lungs. And finally, if normal people are fat, rise above and be lean.


Bring the Pain

I know what it's like to be really fat. After being a chubby kid most of my life, I got downright rotund in college. I got sick of it and dropped the weight with a stupid plan consisting of starvation and running. By the time I was done I weighed a puny 159 pounds. I started lifting weights and learned how to eat properly. I even tried steroids once to see what that was like. Now it's 13 years later and I've learned enough and experienced enough to make a living in the body business.

But one thing has always evaded me: a state of extreme leanness combined with decent muscularity. Sure, I got up to the 230's when on steroids, but I was far from shredded. And sure, I was "thin" when I weighed 159 but I didn't have an ounce of muscle on me. I wasn't hard. These days I keep it around 200 with a decent muscular base. I'm not fat, but I'm not ripped to the bone either.

That's about to change.

I still find it tough to get really, really lean and shockingly easy to gain the fat back. So I'm going to war. I'm going to crack down, push it to extremes and experiment a little. Some things can only be learned through experience, and I want to learn what it takes for a person with "fat guy genetics" to get ripped to fucking shreds.

I may mess up. I may lose muscle. I may go crazy and eat a box of Krispy Kremes, box and all. I don't care. If I fail, I'll still learn something along the way, and maybe you will too. If I succeed, I'll have the leanest summer ever!


The Fat Fast: A Five Year Perspective

Five years ago a T-Nation contributor pen-named Brock Strasser came up with something called the Fat Fast Diet. This was based roughly on a diet given to morbidly obese patients in medical emergencies, like when they needed to lose 100 pounds as fast as possible so they could safely have surgery. In Brock's version, you basically drank flax seed oil and whey protein shakes all day.

The original Fat Fast was very low in calories and very low in carbs (ketogenic). Brock consumed only 1300 calories per day and used prohormones and ephedrine to help him retain muscle and speed the fat loss process. The results? Well, Brock's plan was to drop 25 pounds. He lost 14. He planned to stay on the diet 28 days, but fell off the wagon after 24 and ate donuts. However, he did retain all his muscle and quickly dropped two inches from his waist.

The Fat Fast became very popular. Everyone loved the simplicity of it. No keeping a food log, no reading labels, no cooking. Just drink your shakes, suffer and drop fat quickly. But as you can imagine, the failure rate was very high. The diet was brutal.

Fast forward five years. Prohormones and ephedrine are now banned, but at least we've accumulated five year's worth of nutrition, training and supplement science. All this time I've been thinking about the Fat Fast, what worked, what didn't, and how it could be improved. I think I now know how to make it easier (at least a little), healthier and perhaps even faster and more effective.

I'm calling the updated version of this plan The Velocity Diet. I'll be guinea pigging it for the next 28 days.


The Velocity Diet: 7 Improvements

The original Fat Fast has been improved several ways with the Velocity Diet:

1) Increased fiber intake. Adequate fiber intake is not only healthy, but it may help speed up the fat loss process and provide a feeling of fullness, making it easier to stick with the diet. In the original Fat Fast, Brock used some Metamucil but it wasn't enough. He said he'd use a prescription laxative if he did the diet again. Not necessary!

I'll be using milled flax seeds as a fiber source with perhaps some guar gum, or additional supplemental fiber thrown in if needed. I don't need a drug to poop.

2) More calories and protein. Most people consumed only around 1300 calories per day on the original diet. I don't think it's necessary to go that low. The risk of muscle loss is too great. Remember, we want to lose fat, not muscle weight.

Also, the first diet allowed for only around 160 grams of protein. I'm going to get at least a gram per pound of bodyweight per day, probably more.

3) More carbs. You don't have to eat only ten grams of carbs per day to lose fat. It's unnecessarily harsh, makes getting adequate fiber nearly impossible, and doesn't allow for proper post-workout nutrition (which requires some carbohydrates).

My new version of the diet allows for more carbs, but this is still a low carb plan. I'll never go over 100 grams of carbs per day.

4) High quality, better tasting protein blend. Brock said he had to gag down his protein shakes. No need to do that these days, as there are some really tasty low carb protein powders available. I also think it's silly to use a whey-only supplement. We know now that a blend of proteins is far superior for use as a meal replacement shake.

5) Legal, cutting edge supplements. Prohormones are being banned as I type this and will be illegal by late January 2005. Ephedrine is already gone. That's okay though. To speed up the fat burning and aide in the retention and building of muscle, I'll be using the latest wave of nutritional supplements. This will be a great "trial by fire" for them.

6) A blend of healthy fats. I hate the taste of flax oil, plus I think salmon oil is superior. Instead of using only flax oil, I'll be using fish oil capsules and milled flax seeds (which are less harsh than pure oil and contain fiber) to get my healthy fats.

7) A once-per-week solid meal. I've found that eating one "cheat" meal per week on a regular diet makes the dieter feel better and gives him or her the willpower needed to stick with the plan. The Velocity Diet, however, is no regular diet. Sorry, there will be no cheat meals.

Instead, I'm going to have a nice bowl of natural oatmeal with blueberries once per week, probably on Saturday morning. This "real food" break will help me retain sanity and willpower, plus it'll provide a nice shot of healthy nutrients. The rest of the day though, it's back to protein shakes.


The Nitty-Gritty Details

Calories

First I need to decide how many calories to consume per day. I may adjust this number as I go along, but I need to have a place to start. I know for sure I want to get more than 1300 calories per day.

Here's how I'll get my starting numbers. First plug total bodyweight into this equation:

(10.2 x bodyweight + 879) x .50 = _____

Now do it again with this equation:

(10.2 x bodyweight + 879) x .60 = _____ (Only the .60 is different.)

So, let's say a guy weighs 193 pounds and wants to see what his physique would look like at a ridiculously shredded 180:

(10.2 x 193 + 879) x .50 = 1424 calories

(10.2 x 193 + 879) x .60 = 1709 calories

Now, let's round those numbers to the nearest hundred for the sake of simplicity: 1400 and 1700. What our sample guy has now is the absolute minimal and maximal amount of calories he's going to consume while on the Velocity Diet.

My plan is to get close to the first number on non-training days and close to the second number on training days, but as long as I don't fall above or below this range I think I'll do fine.


Protein

I'll consume, at the very least, one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight, most likely more, but not so much that I exceed my upper calorie limit.


Carbs

I'll consume more carbs on weight training days and less on non-weight-training days, but I'll never exceed 100 grams per day.


Fat

I'll get my healthy fats from flax and fish oil and not sweat the details.


Supplements



Low-Carb Grow!: There's no better protein supplement for this plan. First, Low-Carb Grow! tastes like dessert, which will be nice since I'll be living off of it. A protein shake I actually look forward to drinking will increase compliance.

Second, Low-Carb Grow! contains the blend of protein sources I'm looking for, including whey and micellar casein, scads of it. Micellar casein's amino acids are intact, unprocessed and unaltered, with increased nutrient absorption. Most importantly, nitrogen retention — the physiological condition you gotta have for muscle growth — is amplified by micellar casein. Add the fact that it's absorbed slowly and uniformly, and you have the perfect dieter's protein. I'd be a nut to use anything else.

Maximum Strength HOT-ROX: This is a superior thermogenic compared to ephedrine, plus it has the ability to help you retain and perhaps even build muscle. I must avoid catabolism at all cost and HOT-ROX will help me do it.

Surge: Since I'm allowing myself more carbs for training days, the best way to "spend" them would be on post-workout nutrition. Hardcore low-carb dieters (read weak and mentally foggy) might scoff at this, but I don't care.

The advantages of using Surge after weight workouts far outweigh any slight disadvantage. I think superior workouts, increased muscle building, anabolic and anti-catabolic effects, less soreness, increased cognitive function, and perhaps even faster fat loss as a secondary effect are worth it.

Fiber and Fats: I'll be using a lot of milled flax seeds from GNC for the healthy fats and fiber. I may also use Benefiber (a guar gum supplement) and some chewable fiber tablets if needed or for convenience when away from home.

For the other fat sources, I'll use yucky flax oil if I need it, plus salmon oil capsules. I also bought some flax oil capsules to use when away from the house.




My Sample Velocity Diet Plan

To make all this easier to grasp, I'll outline my plan below. Basically, I'll be having five Low-Carb Grow! shakes a day on non-training days with added fiber and/or healthy fats. On training days, I'll simply add a serving of Surge right after my workout. To make the calories better match up with my goals, I'll be skipping the salmon capsules on weight training days.


Tuesday / Thursday / Sunday

5 Low-Carb Grow! shakes made with ice cold water, spread evenly throughout the day

4 servings of milled flax seeds, added evenly over several shakes

21 salmon oil capsules


Monday / Wednesday / Friday

5 Low-Carb Grow! shakes, spread evenly throughout the day

4 servings of milled flax seeds, added evenly over several shakes

1 serving of Surge after weight workouts. (Half can also be sipped throughout the workout, with the other half slammed right after.)

No salmon capsules on this day.


Saturday

1-2 servings of old fashioned oatmeal with 1-2 servings of blueberries.

3-4 Low-Carb Grow! shakes, spread evenly throughout the day.


On top of this, I'll drink a ton of ice water every day, green tea as desired, and allow myself one morning cup of coffee.

On non-training days, I'll be getting around 1510 calories, 208 grams of protein and 42 grams of carbs. On weight training days, I'll get 1650 calories, 233 grams of protein and 67 grams of carbs. That puts me just above my minimal caloric goal for non-training days and just below my maximal caloric goal for weight training days. I know I don't need to be exact to lose fat quickly, so I won't sweat the minor details.

On Saturday I'm going to eat my oatmeal and berries, then simply have three or four shakes for the rest of the day. I'm not worried about the exact calories on this day, but I won't eat any more than what I listed, except for maybe some sunflower seeds while seeing a movie on Saturday night.

Note: Yes, that's a lot of supplements. Four weeks or so on such a plan is going to be fairly pricey, but think about this: the normal grocery bill is going to all but disappear.

My grocery bill for the next month is going to be around $7 (tea, coffee, and four solid meals of oatmeal and berries.) If you look at it that way, it's a pretty inexpensive way to drop some adipose tissue.


Training

Resistance Training: The Heavy Stuff

I don't think a person needs a specific "fat loss training program" when it comes to the weight lifting side of exercise. The reduced calories are going to do most of the work anyway. Any non-wussy weight training consisting of compound movements such as squats, deadlifts, dips, bench presses, rows and pull-ups will do the trick.

That being said, I know people will ask if I don't include my personal program, so here it is. This program fits my needs and equipment availability at the moment, and it may change as I go along. I'll perform this full-body program three times per week with at least one day between each session.

Day #1: Monday

Pull-up: 10 x 3 weighted
Bench Press: 10 x 3
Squat: 3 x 8
Hamstring Curl: 3 x 6
Calf/Biceps/Triceps exercises: 1 set each 6-10 reps
Ab exercise: anything goes

Day #2: Wednesday

Deadlift: 10 x 3
Rack Pull: 3 x 3-5
Flyes: 3 x 8
Overhead Press: 10 x 3 standing, cleaned from floor
Calf/Biceps/Triceps exercises: 1 set each 6-10 reps
Ab exercise: anything goes, but different than previous session

Day #3: Friday

Dips: 10 x 3
Rows: 10 x 3
Lateral Raises: 3 x 8
Lunge variations: 3 x 6-8
Calf/Biceps/Triceps exercises: 1 set each 6-10 reps
Ab exercise: anything goes, but different than previous session

I'll blast through the concentric (lifting) portion of each lift and control the negative. The only thing I'll do to make it fat-loss specific is take shorter rest periods.

Note that there are usually two primary lifts with some secondary exercises added in with fewer sets. Note that these rotate. Note that although I'm hitting chest three times a week (as well as most other muscle groups), the exercise is different each day and usually focuses on a different muscle function. Note that the program revolves around big, compound exercises with little focus on smaller muscle groups like arms and calves.


Cardio: The Light Stuff

Given the low carbs and low calories, hardcore energy systems work like I normally prefer (sprinting, running bleachers, etc.) might lead to overtraining or muscle loss. Low to moderate intensity cardio, on the other hand, will drain calories efficiently and not interfere with training load.

My plan is to perform fast walks every morning after coffee and before the first shake of the day. I'll wear a weighted vest to increase intensity as needed or simply walk on uneven, semi-rough terrain. I'll shoot for two to four miles daily depending on whether I'm wearing the weighted vest or not. Since the intensity is relatively low, I'll do this seven days a week, rain or shine.


It Begins

Four weeks. Only four solid meals. Dozens of protein shakes. If I don’t go mad I'll achieve a state of leanness I once thought was impossible. At least that's the plan. I'll write a follow-up article letting you know my final results and outlining some maintenance and "coming off" tips.

If you'd like to follow the progress of this diet and hear my musings (or cursings), take a look at my web log. I'll be recounting my daily experiences there. Should be interesting and perhaps even entertaining if you're a sadist.

Is this an extreme diet? Yes, it is. Is it necessary to diet this way for fat loss? No, of course not. But I'm ready to get down and dirty in the trenches and see what I find there. Hopefully, I'll find a rock-hard summer six-pack and a new way for T-Nation readers to get lean in record time.

And so it begins.


Original article available at T-Nation.com

[Adonis]

The Velocity Diet, Part II
Results, Modifications and Options
by Chris Shugart


My Body is my Laboratory

For over a decade I've been involved in the science of physique augmentation. The past 13 years have been a series of experiments on myself: What happens if I train like this? What happens if I eat like that? What happens if I take this drug or that supplement?

I admit it. I suffer from the disease of B.A.A.D.: Bodybuilding Attention Deficient Disorder. I have no desire to stick to one method of training or one physique style. Goateed powerlifter type? Been there. Shaven bodybuilder type? Done that. Strong fat guy? Fast skinny guy? Check and check.

Well, 28 days ago I got the itch to try something new. After gaining a little too much winter fat, I decided to see how fast I could rip it off without sacrificing muscle. And while I was at it, why not do something I haven't done in a while: achieve a state of ridiculous leanness.

I took the idea of a "fat fast" and turned it into what I called The Velocity Diet. Here's what happened.


28 Days Later

For a month I consumed almost nothing but low-carb protein shakes, healthy fats and fiber supplements. Once a week I ate a solid, healthy meal. I lifted weights three times per week using a full-body workout. I did no traditional "cardio," but I did go for fast, daily walks. My main supplements were Maximum Strength HOT-ROX, Low-Carb Grow!, and Surge.

The results? In only 28 days I dropped 16 pounds and over two inches off my waist! I lost no visible muscle and even added strength in a couple of exercises. My abs are more visible than they ever have been, but because I retained my muscle mass, I'm not skinny looking; rather, I look hard and athletic. Last weekend, I had to buy several pair of new pants. In other words, the crazy diet was a huge success!


Lessons Learned

One reason I did this diet was to test out a few ideas. Here are a few things I learned:

1) It's possible to lose a lot of fat rapidly while retaining strength and muscle. It takes the right kind of nutrition, the right kind of training, and the right kind of supplements. But it is doable. And it can be done without prohormones, ephedrine or steroids.

2) It's possible to take care of proper post-workout nutrition (basically a high carb drink) and still drop fat rapidly. Some people skip the post-training drink during fat loss diets in fear of it slowing down results. If anything, it improves results because it's anti-catabolic and allows for productive workouts even while in a dieted state.

3) It's possible to consume low calories and low carbs without suffering too much.

4) If the average recreational bodybuilder would lose some fat, he'd actually look bigger. Although I'm 16 pounds lighter, the brand new V-taper makes my upper body look larger. And who wants "big" arms if they're shapeless and flabby? Because the fat is gone, my arms look more muscular because the muscles are visible and defined.

5) It's possible for a diet to modify behavior. After a month on the Velocity Diet, I've killed some bad habits, like snacking too much when bored or going overboard on the weekend cheat meal. I have no desire to snack unnecessarily now and a "cheat" meal to me is grilled chicken and veggies.


Triple Your Fat Loss!

The main reason the diet was a success is speed. You see, there are some "rules" to how fast a person can lose fat without losing muscle. Basically, the fatter a person is, the faster he or she can drop fat.

According to Dr. John Berardi, a very fat person can lose four pounds a week without risking muscle loss. A leaner person who just needs to drop a little fat shouldn't expect fat loss to occur that rapidly. A better expectation would be about a pound of fat loss per week. This is the category I fell into. I wasn't fat, but I needed to drop some winter flubber.

With a normal diet, I should've lost around four pounds in 28 days. Instead I lost 16 pounds! Let's take off a few pounds for the natural fluid losses that accompany any low carb diet. Let's say I lost only 13 pounds of fat and retained all previous muscle mass. Fine, then with the Velocity Diet I still tripled the normal rate of fat loss!

Is this an extreme diet? Yes. But the results are extreme too: triple the typical rate of body fat reduction!


Changes and Modifications

The diet worked great and I don't recommend many changes now that I've gone through the whole thing. But here are a few:

• I probably overbought fat and fiber supplements. The fish oil capsules and milled flax seeds provided plenty of healthy fats. I never used the flax seed oil. The milled flax also provided adequate fiber. With the addition of a few chewable fiber tablets, I was able to get at least 20 grams of fiber per day while keeping carbs within the planned ranges.

• In Part I, I outlined the basic plan: protein shakes all week, post-workout drink after training, one solid meal per week consisting of oatmeal and berries. I thought oatmeal and berries would be ideal. Oatmeal is one of the healthiest carb choices out there, berries provide tons of healthy nutrients, and both contain a lot of fiber, something usually lacking in a low carb diet. I've modified this recommendation.

Oatmeal and berries for a weekly solid meal is still a wise choice, but the milled flax seeds and other fiber supplements I suggested take care of fiber needs. I didn’t need the big shot of fiber like I thought I would

Plus, I found that eating yet another meal at home was socially restricting. I don't mind being a social leper to drop fat quickly, but scheduling one healthy restaurant meal per week was convenient. So instead of only oatmeal and berries at home, I had three restaurant meals during this diet. They weren't cheat meals, but they were a nice treat anyway. Here's what my weekly solid meals looked like:

Week One: Lean steak, plain sweet potato, steamed veggies

Week Two: Oatmeal and blueberries with scoop of protein powder

Week Three: Turkey burger, salad, steamed broccoli

Week Four: Huge spinach salad with double order of grilled chicken

The three restaurant meals were healthy, but higher in calories than a normal protein shake. To make up for this, I simply drank one or two less shakes on this solid-meal day. The solid meals were tasty and healthy, they steeled my will power for the rest of the week, and they allowed me to have a "date" with my wife on Saturdays.


Coming Off and Maintaining

One of the drawbacks of an extreme low carb diet is gaining fat back quickly when it's over. Two things:

• Remember that "water weight" lost in the first few days of the diet is going to come back once you reintroduce some additional carbs. Don't panic. This is expected.

In fact, this is a good thing. Often during a low carb diet the dieter notices a loss of "pump" in the gym. This wasn't bad during the Velocity Diet because I sipped Surge during the workout. Still, there were no skin popping pumps. These will come back quickly once additional carbohydrates are reintroduced. Also, sometimes a person's face looks a little "drawn" when low-carbing. When the water weight is gained back, however, features will fill back in.

In short, expect to put on a few pounds of fluids after the Velocity Diet. This is expected and positive.

• With most low carb diets, fat is gained back because the dieter made several mistakes. Calories were too low, muscle was lost (and hence metabolism inhibited), no weight training was performed, no muscle-retaining supplements were used, etc. I'm confident that if a person follows the Velocity Diet to the letter, he or she won't gain back the fat unless they simply return to their bad dietary habits.

So, how do you come off the diet and make sure you stay in your newly ripped condition? Mainly, don't binge and don't make a rapid transition into a "bulking" diet.

1) The first two weeks after the diet, begin adding back in solid meals. My plan is to consume a mixture of healthy solid meals and shakes. If you're eating at least five meals a day (and you should be), then make 2-3 of those solid and 2-3 liquid. Ease back into normal, healthy eating.

2) During this two week period, add 200-300 calories to your daily caloric totals. No cheat meals. Yes, this still looks like a "diet" but it's a smart transition that'll allow you to maintain the fat loss.

3) When coming off a low carb diet, cardio helps increase insulin sensitivity and improve carbohydrate tolerance. Instead of daily walks, perform three 30-minute cardio sessions a week. I plan to do these on non-weight training days.

4) During the diet you consumed fish oil capsules. Keep doing it. Take in at least six grams of DHA and EPA per day. You probably won't need the fiber supplements anymore if you're making wise solid meal choices, but a serving or two of milled flax seeds is always part of a healthy diet for me.

5) You have a lot of options when it comes to other supplements. Since calories are still relatively low in the two week transition period, you may want to keep taking HOT-ROX. You could also add in something like Methoxy-7 or even the new Carbolin-19 (when Biotest releases it), which is my plan. I'll still be using Surge post-training too, but that's a year 'round staple for me.

6) After a two week "bridge," you'll again want to add in some calories and carbs. Shakes and MRPs are still convenient as protein intake should still be at least a gram per pound of bodyweight, but most meals should be coming from solid foods.

There are too many individual variables and personal goals to write a long term plan here, but the transition period outlined should get you on your way.

My plan is to evaluate weekly (scale weight, measurements, what I see in the mirror, etc.) and adjust accordingly. I plan to remain this lean at least through summer. I'll treat myself to pizza every once in a while, but I'll be keeping the diet "tight" 98% of the time. Of course, I'll still be hitting the weights and trying to add muscle and strength, but I won't be going on a "bulking diet" anytime soon.

If I see myself starting to gain fat back, I'm going to intervene immediately. I may do a one or two-week Velocity Diet before any trips to the beach or water parks.


The Solid-Meal-Per-Day Option

The most frequently asked question I'm getting is, "Can I eat one solid meal a day and still lose fat quickly?" Those asking have a variety of motives. Some say they'll just stick to the diet better with a solid meal option; others want a solid meal because they want to eat dinner with their families. And of course a few think the diet is just plain nuts, but they believe it'll be okay with a single solid meal a day.

Yes, a single solid meal Velocity Diet can work, just be aware of the drawbacks:

• The Velocity Diet is appealing because of its simplicity. Once you figure our your daily calories, you just drink shakes all day. No food log, no reading labels, no choices to make. If you add a solid meal in every day, you'll have to count the calories and adjust your shake intake. This will take a little extra time and require you to keep a food log.

• The Velocity Diet is strict, but that very severity makes it successful. Again, there are no choices to make. You either do it or you don't. Many dieters thrive under stringent rules. Adding a solid meal lessens this strictness. Some people may not be able to handle the freedom of a solid meal. Their discipline could wane and the single healthy meal could turn into an all-you-can-eat buffet.

But if you think the positives outweigh the negatives, then here are my recommendations for the single solid meal option:

1) You've figured out your calorie ranges by using the formula in Part I. Let's say your non-training day limit is 1500 calories. You'll need to figure out how many total meals you're going to consume per day.

Now, two scoops of Low-Carb Grow! plus a serving of milled flax seeds is 310 calories. Drink three of those per day and that totals 930 calories. But you'll also be consuming some fish oil capsules on this day, probably around 200 calories' worth. So that's 1130 total, leaving you 370 calories to go for your solid meal.

Eat more or less than that for your solid meal and you'll have to adjust everything else. And if that solid meal contains a lot of fiber or healthy fats, then maybe you won't need all those fish and flax supplements, meaning you'll again have to recalculate your shakes and their content. (See, gets tricky, huh?)

2) The solid meal can be had any time of the day, whatever fits your needs and schedule. However, breakfast is the ideal time because a larger, solid breakfast makes many people more satiated throughout the day and lessens the desire to overeat at night.

I'd also be a little wary of making the last meal of the day your solid meal. After drinking shakes all day, even satiating ones, the temptation to overdo this solid meal could be great. It could be psychologically helpful to know your last meal of the day is a pre-planned shake, no choice about it.

3) Here are some solid meal ideas:

Vegetable omelet

Grilled chicken breast and small salad

Grilled salmon and small serving of broccoli

Small fajita made with lean steak and low carb tortilla

Tuna in lettuce wraps with a couple of strawberries

In short, eat some protein and keep the carbs fibrous and under control. The daily solid meal option can be a success if you keep your caloric intake within the range provided and keep the carbs under 100 grams per day. It'll take a little more thought and work compared to the one-solid-meal-per-week option, but you can still lose fat rapidly. Many are already trying it and hopefully they'll keep us updated on the forum.


The Future

I've never been this shredded in my life. But that doesn't mean the B.A.A.D. won't kick in and give me the desire to try a new mass diet in the future. But the Velocity Diet can even have a role in bulking phases.

You see, it's always more effective to lose any excess body fat before you get on a bulking diet. A person who's already too fat can gain up to four pounds of fat for every one pound of muscle gained on a mass phase! In the past I've abandoned bulking plans because the fat just came on too quickly. This left me in a state of diet purgatory: stuck between wanting to gain massive amounts of muscle and freaking out when the fat accumulated at a scary rate.

I just wasn't lean enough to bulk! I am now. Lean individuals gain less fat and more muscle when overfeeding when compared to their fatter counterparts. Next winter if I decide to do a mass diet, I'll be gaining mostly muscle this time around thanks to the Velocity Diet. If you've had trouble adding fat-free mass before, maybe this is your solution too.


I'd wish you luck, but luck has nothing to do with it. Prepare, follow the plan, modify smartly if needed, and get ready to experience leanness that you once thought was impossible!


Original article available at T-Nation

Supplements available at Biotest

[slpz28]

Thanks for sharing this diet with everyone. I did this diet for about 2weeks and it's the hardest diet I've ever done! I did lose 16lbs of fat, but gained back 8lbs afterwards. The weight gain was my fault. I had so issue in my life and just didn't give a flying &^%$$. But for me this diet took about 3-4 days before my body would just let the fat lose. I'm starting over again but started adding solid foods but keeping the calories the same, but this is a big mistake because it doesn't work as well so I will be changing that today. On the milled flax seeds, I started using this also but I enjoy my flaxseed oil because it makes the MRS tast bettter IMO. I still add milled flax into my shake also. good luck..

[jadedragon]

I appreciate ur honesty adonis...but one question...I do not know if u have read the atkins diet....I think if u havent that it would shed alot of light on alot of things...especially where ketogenics are concerned......I am a proponent of a lower carb intake for every body...most of us consume waaaayyyyyy more than is necessary..just a thought and wondered if u had any experience with atkins...and just a note...I lost 50 pounds on the diet....and have kept it off for more than a year and half.....

[Ngo_35]

I got a question
After doing my calculations I should be hitting 1164 calories per no workout day and 1397 for workout days. (Im a small guy 5"3)

Right now Im only hitting 600ish calories from protein and 120 from omega 369 oils which totals 720.

How can I up my caloric intake to 1164? Milled flax seeds? isnt that the same as omega 3 6 9? since they have nearly identical properties?

Thanks.

[forbodybuilders]

add proteins man!

[bucketheadtf]

How much more protein? Is one gram per pound of body weight not sufficient?

[number1point]

haha like he said in the re-evaluation...you can still eat a meal..just stay in your range...so eat a portion of rice....fruits...and alot of tuna...youd be in your range

[snuka-brudda]

do you have insights as to this new study that says eating peanut butter twice a day every day can accelerate weight loss? It's currently posted in an article on MSN's health section

[ubuusg]

Hello all, I am seriously considering this diet and wonder if anyone has suggestions as far as what supplements to get. I am somewhat new to the whole diet experience, mainly because I've never had a problem with what I was eating until the past 1-2 years. I played football and wrestled in high school and was 182 at my leanest(never did a body fat percentage, but I *had* a six pack ), but afterwards I kind of ballooned up and now here i am at 23 years, 5'11", and 230 pounds. The weight has mainly gone to my stomach, sides, back, and face. I am determined to lose at least 40 lbs and fast, mainly because I miss the way I used to look, and the fact that it affects my job to a certain degree. I have started eating healthier and have been doing cardio, but the results are just not coming fast enough for me. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[phatcollegeguy]

Here's a tip that not many ppl know...in order to lose the stomach, running will be more effective than sit-ups and crunches.

[olipyr]

I might have to try this.

[hopefades]

Questions...Im 5'8" between 195 and 199 and like 20% body fat after the winter. if u had to guess how much could I drop doing this diet for a month?? also how many grams of fish/flax oil should be taking daily in grams? and how many grams of fiber. if I do this im going to add in one normal meal per day under 300 calories. and is Low-Carb grow a neccesity or can I use OnWhey low carb protien?? and what the hell is surge!! and where is the best place to order all this?

[JT]

Originally Posted by hopefades

Questions...Im 5'8" between 195 and 199 and like 20% body fat after the winter. if u had to guess how much could I drop doing this diet for a month?? also how many grams of fish/flax oil should be taking daily in grams? and how many grams of fiber. if I do this im going to add in one normal meal per day under 300 calories. and is Low-Carb grow a neccesity or can I use OnWhey low carb protien?? and what the hell is surge!! and where is the best place to order all this?

Surge is a post-workout drink made by biotest (same people as t-nation.com). Click on this link for more info.

http://www.t-nation.com/category.jsp...ID=34&pageNo=1

JT

[ImageDynamix]

Originally Posted by hopefades

Questions...Im 5'8" between 195 and 199 and like 20% body fat after the winter. if u had to guess how much could I drop doing this diet for a month?? also how many grams of fish/flax oil should be taking daily in grams? and how many grams of fiber. if I do this im going to add in one normal meal per day under 300 calories. and is Low-Carb grow a neccesity or can I use OnWhey low carb protien?? and what the hell is surge!! and where is the best place to order all this?

I think your should be getting anywhere from around 20-24 grams of fiber daily. I believe 24 grams of fiber is 114% of the daily suggested allowance if on a 2000 calorie diet.

I think Low-Carb Grow has Casein protein in it, instead of whey (don't take my word for it!). That said, it might be best to just stick with what was used originally, especially if you are just starting out.

[gnasher23]

I could be wrong, but it seems that Low Carb Grow! is not being made at this time, does anyone know if substituting Classic Grow! would have different effects... if that is not a suitable substitute, what would be?

[asbarinyc]

this diet looks crazy, im gonna give it a try i have to lose weight for the summer vacations!!

[Mean Machine]

Well now ive been intending to trim down and love a good challenge, ive been getting ready for this moment and on the 18th of April i will be commencing my 1st day on the Velocity diet for a total of 28 days. I have a tremendous amount of respect for adonis for trying this out and accomplishing the results he got. It will be a journey and a half... probably a very painful one but crikey im so looking forward to it. Ive got some supplements on order as theyre hard to find unless ya get em online round here so thats why ive targeted the 18th. Ill leave some progress posts in here every now and again, wish me luck but i gotta say im kind focused and ready. Seeya soon guys and gals

[mattmatt755]

what about creatine and glutamine while doing this diet this obvious answer would be no but why not?

[Adonis]

Glutamine would be ok, but not neccessary as grow, and suurge both contain this product.

However creatine will cause water storage (makes you gain some weight, which would be very discouraging).

Low carb grow has been changed to Metabolic Drive. Same product, with a new name.

Surge is reccomended post workout always. however if on a tight budget, a 2:1 carb to protein beverage would be ideal. Aim for 20-30 grams of protein with 40-60 grams of simple carbs.