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 dont 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
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