Has anyone heard of or tired Reverse Dieting to build muscle and stay fit? I had someone ask me about it.
Hi Deanna,
I never actually heard the term “reverse dieting” before but I checked it out, and it is definitely not a new concept. As competitive bodybuilders, we were all pretty much doing it in the ’80’s before it had a name. The basic premise is a very gradual increase in daily calorie intake to promote the increase of lean muscle mass. The key is to take in an adequate amount protein (2 grams/kilo of bodyweight worked well for me) and don’t go overboard with your total calorie intake – 100 – 200/day above you total energy expenditure. I never worried about carb & fat grams – getting my protein in & watching my total calorie intake kept those in check. You can go nuts tracking every gram of nutrients that goes in your mouth – it’s not necessary. If you go overboard with calories, you’ll start adding body fat – that’s what you want to avoid. Keep the protein up and the calories just a little above the break even point & train hard – good recipe for building muscle.
Paul Thomas
www.homeworkoutguy.com