When it comes to building a lean muscular physique there are times when you need to tip the scales in favor of building maximum muscle mass. And other times when you need to change focus and tip the scales in favor of burning maximum bodyfat.
It’s a delicate balance, but when done properly the end result is a BIGGER & LEANER physique.
(Which is what we are all striving for.)
As for tipping the scales in favor of maximum fat burning, one of the best approaches is following a “Low Carb” diet plan.
However, the thought of eating low carbs is one that scares many people. They fear that they’ll lose all their hard earned muscle, have low energy, and just feel like a piece of crap…
But this is just not the case. In fact there was a study done by Australian researchers with 60 overweight people. The subjects were divided into 2 groups. Half were following the typical high carb / low fat eating plan. And the other half followed a low carb / high fat eating plan. The interesting thing was that the test subjects ability to exercise, energy levels, perceptions of fatigue and exertion – were consistent for both groups.
However, the big difference was that the low carb group lost more weight and burned a higher percentage of bodyfat during exercise than the high carb group.
When I’m training for a bodybuilding competition and maximum fat loss is my main goal, I follow a low carb diet plan and it works really well. Now the key point here is that I said “Low Carb” not “NO Carb”. There is a huge difference.
The Atkins diet and other similar type diet plans generally recommend drastically cutting carbs to virtually zero. They even go to the point of dropping healthy carbs like vegetables in order to get your carbohydrate intake down as low as possible. It’s this ridiculous approach to cutting carbs that often leaves people feeling low energy, constipated, and just down right miserable when following such a drastic diet plan.
However, I DO NOT do this when I’m following a low carb eating plan.
My version of a low carb diet plan consists of:
- Lots of lean protein foods such as; poultry, fish, beef, eggs, and protein supplements.
- Lots of veggies such as; fresh garden salads, broccoli, celery, spinach, lettuce, cucumber, cauliflower, zucchini, mushrooms, onions, peas, carrots, bean sprouts, etc.
- I also include moderate amounts of healthy fats in the form of almonds, olives, fish oil, flax seed oil, natural peanut butter, almond butter, etc.
The key trick that allows me to stick to such a diet plan, satisfy my appetite, and maintain my energy levels is consuming high amounts of veggies.
Veggies are pure sources of nutrition. They are loaded with phytonutrients such as chlorophyll, polyphenols, carotenoids and other antioxidants help protect and nourish the body. By filling up on veggies you are getting all the good stuff you need, without all the empty calories that are often associated with typical high carbohydrate foods. When it comes to veggies the more the better. After all nobody ever got fat from eating veggies.
A little trick that I use to help me consume veggies with every single meal is to combine them with healthy fats. So I’ll keep a big veggie tray in my refrigerator consisting of chopped broccoli, celery sticks, carrot sticks, etc. and I’ll dip these veggies in natural peanut butter or natural almond butter and chomp away. The peanut butter / almond butter makes the veggies taste better and it also satisfies my appetite more and fills me up.
So even if you don’t have time to sit down to the table for a full meal, you could simply have some chopped veggies dipped in natural peanut butter, and wash it all down with a protein shake. Presto! a super quick, high nutrient, healthy low carb meal / snack.
Another trick that I use when trying to sneak extra veggies in my diet is to use blender smoothies. You are probably familiar with mixing up things like protein shakes and frozen berries in the blender now. But what you could use in place of the frozen berries, is add in frozen vegetables.
I know it probably sounds gross, but it’s not. The protein powder masks the taste of the veggies and it’s actually pretty good. You could even add in some artificial sweeteners like stevia if you want to make it taste a little sweeter.
| The secret to successfully following any diet plan is enjoying the foods you eat. No one can stick to an eating plan if they have to force down foods they don’t like. However, if you get creative and find ways to make healthy eating more enjoyable, you’ll be able to stick to an eating plan over the long term and actually reap the results you are looking for.
In my Extreme Fat Loss Program I cover in detail the exact meal by meal low carb diet plan that both myself and my wife Patricia follow while training for Bodybuilding competitions. Following this kind of low starchy carb – high veggie eating plan is the key that allow us both to get our bodyfat levels super low for that lean ripped look. |
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Our pictures below show what’s possible with this style of “healthy” low carb eating…
If you’d like more information on how you can apply this type of eating plan into your own routine, just click on the link to find out how you can get your own copy of the Extreme Fat Loss Program – for FREE!
68 Comments
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don
i really enjoy reading your articles. and for the most part, everything you suggest is very correct. however i have followed thwe atkins eating plan for close to 10 years and he always suggests 20 carbs for induction. from veggies. in fact he promotes eating veggies. photonutrients are in veggies. he says no sugars or bad carbs like white bread. u r correct that other low carb diets say 0 carbs, however not atkins. ps. here’s a laugh. when i eat peanut butter it settles on my waiste. go figure. happy holidays lee. looking forward to reading your next article
John W.
Lee, I am a professional student studying law and have been limiting my carbs for a long time now as i try to stay pretty ripped year round. my question is how does the low carbs effect cognitive function? Back in my undergraduate days I didnt really work out much and didnt have a strict diet and did awsome in school almost all a’s for 4 years straight. I have been training for the last 3 yrs and following a low carb diet the whole time. I started law school last fall, and it just seems that my memory and ability to think critically have fallen off drastically since my days as an undergrad. The only major difference in my life is training and my diet, and a lot less beer now a days haha. Any insight?
Alex
I think that following this kind of diet can even work all year round.. that is if you dont want to bulk too much.. growing but still staying as lean as possible, around 10% bodyfat.
The only difference is that i eat the other kinds of carbs only prior and after my workout in order to get energy and refill my muscles.
Of course it is difficult to keep on a calorie surplus this way, but its just a matter of finding ways to transform your veggie and protein meals into tasty ones so you can eat enough of it..
Jon W
Hey John W, I like your name :p
The amount of studying required for Law school is really demanding for your brain, and you`ll need more energy to balence both. Eat more carbs to make up the difference. Or you can begin to meditate 30 min daily, to relax(rest) you thought frequency and increace your clarity and concentration aswell. Or just drink more beer…
Btw, I`ve done a year in Law School myself. From what I understand, it is one of those things where your understanding start off “slow”, and gradually rise. This as laws often interconnect, and understanding one field widen your perspective in another. In comparison to many other studies, law school don`t start off slow, you`re in the deep end of the pool from day one. š
leehayward
Even 20 grams of carbs per day as Atkins suggests is not much.
2 cups of mixed veggies would equal 20 grams of carbs or more.
I personally average about 100 grams of carbs per day from veggies when I’m following a “Low Carb” diet.
As for the peanut butter it has to be eating in moderation (like anything). But most people eat peanut butter on bread, which is a fattening combination. How many people do you know eat their peanut butter on vegetables? Probably not that many š
leehayward
It could be a combination of everything. Your training is taking up energy, your school is taking up energy, along with what ever other things you have going on in your life right now. So it could be just burning yourself out.
From the sounds of it when you were younger you had a lot less responsibilities and never worked out. So in essence the only thing you had to really focus on was your school.
What you could try doing is scale your workouts back to a less demanding routine. Probably 3 days per week or every second day. This should allow for more rest, recovery, and study time and prevent you from feeling like you are burning out.
Crazy Bear
I tried the lo carb diet and was barely getting any carbs. when i started feeling tired and got massive constipaton too! I put back in the carbs and now i feel better and my bowel movements are moving along the way they should be.thanks lee for your informative tips!
John W.
thanks for the reply guys!
xenastar
please can u explain the concept of high carbs in detail and how does it help to reduce the body fat…
Will
Outstanding article! Your results really justify what you’re preaching, which is awesome to see. My question to you Lee is how often do you ‘carb-up’ (every 3rd or 4th day for example) and what is your take on macronutrient ratios on lower and higher days?
Kind regards, Will
jairo hernandez
Dear mr I need for help for a low carb dieet plan if you can help me with that
leehayward
This is a short and sweet answer to a big question, but basically when you consume high carbs it elevates your insulin levels and it makes it harder to burn bodyfat. However, following a low carb diet makes it easier to tap into stored bodyfat for fuel because it keeps your insulin levels lower.
leehayward
It depends on the type of diet you are following. But in the my Extreme Fat Loss DVD I suggest having a high carb re-feed meal every 3rd night.
leehayward
In my Extreme Fat Loss DVD program I go into great detail how to structure out a low carb meal plan, along with strategic high carb re-feed meals. I outline an entire weeks diet plan, meal by meal, it also includes printable charts that you can use as low carb meal plan “cheat sheets”, just print them off and stick’em on your fridge as a reference guide.
You can get more info at: http://www.leehayward.com/dvd
David ROCK Nelson
Thanks, Lee, that sounds mighty tasty, celery sticks or veggies dipped in peanut butter, I think i’ll try that! My Mom once made a tray for church that had celery & veggies with a cheeze dip & I think she had peanut butter for dip, too, it’s tasty. Speaking of that, I had a big spoon of peanut butter on rhy toast this morning w/my morning “java”(coffee) after my hearty breakfast of 2 over-easy eggs, a helping of canned salmon, toast & “java”. I did my military presses & pull-downs late lastnight, got good pump & feel “Grr”eat! Thanks for all your nutritional snack/meal tips & recipes, to help me “bulk up” naturally. I just bought a bag of barley with snap peas & carrots with olive oil lastnight on sale for .99 cents. I got broccoli w/cheeze sauce last time, but I love plain veggies, too. Take care, your “fiend”(friend), “ROCK”! David ROCK Nelson- 53 years young all-Natural bodybuilder(always have been natural) & B-Monster movie maker/actor/comic. I turn 54 on Bruce Lee’s & Jimi Hendrix’ birthdays, Nov. 27th! See me on youtube & facebook: David ROCK Nelson Here’s link to my most recent tv appearance Oct. 29th:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQXtdwEJQsA
leehayward
Classic ware wolf video… I liked the part where you were trying to scare granny on the couch š
gareth
hi lee i tried your xfld a few months ago. it is amazing. i went from 15% bf to 8 in roughly 6 weeks. ive never seen my abs look so good before. cheers
TinyTim
When I was on my fat loss diet for a competition, the veggies were a power food and gave me incredible energy and I never felt better. I ate peanut butter because it has only 6 grams carbs per serving (2 T). When dieting low carb, eating good fats and tons of veggies are extremely important. Unfortunately most vegetables aren’t high in fiber–spinach is–but they are great for vitamins and minerals.
leehayward
That’s awesome, good for you!
leehayward
I agree, most bodybuilders don’t realize the power of adding lots of veggies and healthy fats to their diets. They just focus on protein and starchy carbs. But once you start focusing on “complete” nutrition the results are dramatic.
Jeremy
leehayward,
Peanut Butter in Veggies? Gotta try that one Lee! š
Sam
Hey lee what’s the purpose of a re-carb day can you please explain it? ATM I am on a low carb high protein diet and I try to consume a small amount of carbs with every meal eg less than 1/2 brown rice. I have lost about 6kg. Should I change anything and should I do a re-carb day?
adrian johnson
What about rice or potatoes? I will die without them.
Suneet
Great post Lee
Keep em coming
Chris
Lee, I just read your blog so if you already answered this question sorry! lol But What is your combination of frozen veggies (and how much) did you use for your shakes? And yeah that does sound gross but being carb sensitive I think it would definately be a great alternative for me. I found that when I used Dave Ruel’s cook book with the high protein, low carb and fat meals my strength actually went up. When I put the carbs back in such as oatmeal, brown rice and sweet potato I started gaining weight. Not much but enough to go what the hell?!?
Lee Clark
John W.,
Sup dude, I’m a student too, you can do this algood without decreased cognitive function so long as you get adequate carbs post-workout (I don’t know if it’s the case with this diet but when i do low carb/ high fat, i still eat high gi carbs post workout). This way you don’t get that blank head feeling ya know..
Lee Clark
Can you create accounts on here??
Mike
Did the low carb thing when doing Jeff Andersons Optimum Anabolics course.
Thought I was gonna faint when I was on the super low carb part of it. I certainly do not agree with you. This was so bad i went had a check for chronic fatigue. Might be ok for some people, but low carbs certainly isn’t for everyone.
Mike.
Ron
It’s because your testosterone has gone up!
John W.,
Omar
Hi,
I heard that the brain requires sugar energy more than anything else in your body. So what about people who have computer jobs for example, that need alot of concentration for long periods of the day? It’s different from an athletes typical day. When I go low carbs when I’m working, I start craving candies and chocolate like crazy. When I quit work and go on holiday, I can pretty much follow any diet plan I want. But when I’m working – I need that sugar! Any comments on this?
GuĆ°mundur PĆ©tursson
Hi Lee
Great article
Where in the menu on this page is the BLOG ?
When i hit the home menu i dont see this one, …i got here trough email link.
IsĀ“nt there a blog page here with the newest blog at the top ?
I have followed the Blast your bench program , great results, and now i have resently started the 12 week program, very promising and fun.
Keep up the good work
Greetings from Iceland
Regards, Gudmundur š
Owen Cook
Hi Lee, I was wondering where milk and yoghurt fit into any cutting strategy. Milk is circa 5g sugar per 100ml, I usually drink 3 pints a day with my protein shakes. Do you know if the sugar content should be something to concern me regarding getting sub 10% body fat? Many thanks
leehayward
The purpose of carb cycling (i.e. going low for a while, then briefly going high) is to spike your metabolism, re-fill your glycogen stores, and this will help you to burn more fat during the next mini low carb phase.
I actually explain the details of how to do this in my Extreme Fat Loss DVD at: http://www.leehayward.com/dvd/xfatloss.htm
leehayward
No you won’t… Once you get used to eating a protein and veggie diet for fat loss you’ll be amazed at #1 how good you feel and #2 how much bodyfat you can lose. It’s like night and day over eating a high carb diet.
Now to put your mind at ease your can still have high carb re-feed days where you can eat carbs (i.e. rice, potatoes, etc.) I talked a bit about that in my comment above this one.
leehayward
Green veggies are your friend when it comes to “Low Carb” dieting. You can literally eat as much of them as you want.
If I’m feeling extra hungry it’s crazy how much vegetables I’ll consume. I’ve literally had meals with 2 cups of mixed frozen veggies in a shake and then have a large garden salad with about 3 or 4 cups of salad veggies in a single meal.
I’ll average at least a 2-3 cups of veggies per meal, but sometimes I’ll go as high as 5-6 cups if I’m hungry and need to fill my belly… š
This is high volume eating, but you are stuffing your body with super high nutrient foods, anti-oxidants, fiber, vitamins, minerals, etc. it’s like loading up on high octane fuel for the body!
Another point I should make is I do this gradually overtime. Don’t just go from hardly eating any veggies to trying to eat a ton of them like I mentioned here. I gradually built into this over the course of 3-4 months of pre-contest dieting.
Like anything start off slow and build up gradually to let your body adjust.
leehayward
That’s another good strategy that works great. Only to eat your carbs around your workout. So pre and / or post workout you can have a high carb meal. But the rest of your meals during the day are based around protein and veggies.
I’ve used that myself with good results.
leehayward
It’s not really an “account” per say, but you can set up an Avatar to show up next to your comments. Just check out the link below for more info about that:
https://leehayward.com/blog/welcome-to-the-brand-new-total-fitness-bodybuilding-blog/
leehayward
Hey Mike,
You should re-read the post because just below the yellow highlighted part I cover this problem…
===============
When Iām training for a bodybuilding competition and maximum fat loss is my main goal, I follow a low carb diet plan and it works really well. Now the key point here is that I said āLow Carbā not āNO Carbā. There is a huge difference.
The Atkins diet and other similar type diet plans generally recommend drastically cutting carbs to virtually zero. They even go to the point of dropping healthy carbs like vegetables in order to get your carbohydrate intake down as low as possible. Itās this ridiculous approach to cutting carbs that often leaves people feeling low energy, constipated, and just down right miserable when following such a drastic diet plan.
================
Just read the previous few comments I posted, even though I eat “Low Carb” in terms of starch and sugar, I still eat a super healthy diet plan that actually makes you feel strong and energetic.
leehayward
I just shared the same comment with Mike above, but the same info applies to your situation as well:
You should re-read the post because just below the yellow highlighted part I cover this problemā¦
===============
When Iām training for a bodybuilding competition and maximum fat loss is my main goal, I follow a low carb diet plan and it works really well. Now the key point here is that I said āLow Carbā not āNO Carbā. There is a huge difference.
The Atkins diet and other similar type diet plans generally recommend drastically cutting carbs to virtually zero. They even go to the point of dropping healthy carbs like vegetables in order to get your carbohydrate intake down as low as possible. Itās this ridiculous approach to cutting carbs that often leaves people feeling low energy, constipated, and just down right miserable when following such a drastic diet plan.
================
Just read the previous few comments I posted, even though I eat āLow Carbā in terms of starch and sugar, I still eat a super healthy diet plan that actually makes you feel strong and energetic.
leehayward
There are literally hundreds of blog posts here on my blog.
If you want to find a particular post you can search for it by name in the search box that’s in the right hand side bar menu.
Or you can search for topics by category in the category list.
And you can also search older blog posts by date as well.
Just skim down through the right hand side bar and you’ll see these options.
Shawn
Hi Lee,
Great write up!! I always learn a lot from these posts related to nutrition, however I am a lacto-vegetarian so actually using this stuff in my diet gets very challenging. I eat a lot of veggies aready but for my protein I always lean towards soy products like tofu, soy beans, etc. I also get protein from sources like lentils, and beans but at the same time I end up taking in a high amount of carbs as well. I sent Dave over at anabolic cooking an email about whether it would be worth it to purchase his book, but he said no. So is there any advise that you may have other leave vegetarianism behind. LOL
Lance
There has been quite a bit of work done in this area due to Alzheimer research. One of the causes of Alzheimer’s has been found to be glucose sensitivity similar to insulin sensitivity in diabetics. In other words people that have been eating High Carb diets all their lives have a problem with the receptors in the brain accepting Glucose and hence the brain dysfunction.
The solution to this appears to be a low carb diet that includes plenty of Coconut Oil. The low carb diet forces the brain to use ketones instead of Glucose for food. The coconut oil amplifies this effect sending a flood of keytones to the brain. So far this protocol has been responsible stopping and even reversing brain function due to Alzheimer’s.
If your brain function seems to be declining I would try supplementing with coconut oil which is easily found in your local health food store.
Leon
Lee i wanted to ask if you think consuming low carb diet is good for me.
The reason i ask this is because i am 18, i workout 6 times per week(ABC),i also wrestle few times a week and without oatmeal or black bread i feel exhausted even if i consume veggies.
I also dont understand how can you grow with LOW carb diet: insulin is anabolic hormone right? if i workout and my insulin stays low, how can i add muscle over the long term?
As i understand you must eat hugee amounts of veggies to fill your glycogen in the muscles, and as i know the more glycogen your muscles store-the more effective is the workout.
NJ power
Hey Lee I was wondering when u r on ur Low Carb do u still hav like ur oatmeal in the morning???
Tai
John W.,
I’m 40 now, and I supplement with 1200mg enteric coated fish oil for cognitive functions, twice a day. Omega 3 is not only for heart health. It’s also the primary chemical that links the two halves of your brain together, which this type of communication is critical for intellectual endeavors. I also recommend getting off of caffeine. Caffeine is a neurotransmitter inhibitor, which means it blocks the re-uptake of neurotransmitters that stimulate the mind, allowing them to keep stimulating the end neuron instead of going back in the trigger neuron. Since the body tries to maintain homeostasis, it will prevent the creation of the stimulating neurotransmitter (it assumes it created too much), leaving you with less each time, impacting cognitive function and energy levels. Removing caffeine and adding in Omega 3 has made a big difference for me. Best of luck!
kool rock steady
How’s going Lee, i was wondering if i can dip my veggies in some lo fat cheeses or yogurt instead since i’m not a big peanut butter fan?
Owen Cook
Lee, regarding my above post on sugar content in milk, people always refer to dairy as a protein source, however it has slightly more sugar than protein in it. Is this sugar content something that needs to be considered in a low carb phase? We all mention protein shakes, but it is not clear as to whether they are being made with milk or water. What’s your strategy, milk or water? Thanks
Leon
Good question Owen, I drink minimum of 1.5liter of milk per day,i know the glycemic index of cow milk is low but i get minimum of 80 carbs from milk, and i dont include other dairy products.
Lee,can you write about the pro’s and con’s of dairy consumation? Estrogen within it, or sugar content ?
Mark
I use a food steamer and a food saver for my weekly meals. I steam a lot of mixed veggies and put 1 or 2 cups worht in a food saver bag. I also do this with chicken or turkey breast i have grilled. put them in the freezer. I take them out when I leave for work and they are thawed a read y for the microwave. You can heat the foor right in the bag just make sure you cut a vent hole first. a bit of prep keeps you on the right eating track
Leon
Mark, you think you are eating healty but the problem is when you heat your food in the microwave,the food molecules change(and researchers found that long term food with changed molecules can cause different types of cancer disease. +The more you cut your veggies or the more time passes since you made your salat:the less nutrition value your veggies will have.
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