Whether you are trying to lose weight, bodybuilding, or just want to stay fit, a healthy diet is extremely necessary. While you may exercise regularly to shed calories, it is the diet that supports you in effectively working out. Experts mention that exercise alone cannot help you achieve your target. It is a proper meal plan that does 70% of the work in keeping you fit and healthy. While other people only knew about one type of diet plan, modern experts have come up with various options, such as anabolic cooking.
Anabolic cooking is one such modern-day diet that is offering a challenge to the traditional meal plan. While an anabolic diet is a strategic diet plan, the traditional method is all about a steady program. Anabolic cooking is more about creating a cycle of low carbohydrates and high carbohydrates, unlike a traditional diet, where the focus is on consistent diet elements. Understanding the proper differences between the programs will help in picking the right one for your weight loss or bodybuilding journey.
How Anabolic Cooking Differs from Traditional Bodybuilding Diets?
Before delving into the major differences, it is better to understand each term separately. Having a proper idea about both diets will allow a better understanding of how they differ from each other.
Understanding the Concept
It was Dr. Mauro Dipasquale who designed Anabolic Cooking or the Anabolic diet. This particular bodybuilding diet involves a cycle of low-carbohydrate and high-carbohydrate diets in alternation. This can mean that you have to stick to a low-carb diet on weekdays while you can indulge in a high-carb diet on weekends. For example, on weekdays when you have a low-carb diet, the nutrient ratio must be somewhere like this:
- Carbohydrates – 5% – 10%
- Protein – 30% – 35%
- Healthy Fats – 60% – 65%
This particular system helps in changing the body’s mechanism so that maximum fat burning takes place without hampering the muscles. It is a scientific process that helps in weight loss and bodybuilding.
Now, when it comes to traditional diet, there is a consistent bodybuilding nutrition diet that you have to take in every day. Basically, this diet consists of a high amount of protein, moderate carbohydrates, and healthy fats. So, the nutrient ratio can be something like this:
- Carbohydrates – 40% – 60%
- Protein – 25% – 35%
- Healthy Fats – 15% – 25%
Now, the ratio of these nutrients can change depending on the phase you are in, such as weight loss or bodybuilding.
Difference in Meal Plan
Similar to the structure, there is a noticeable difference in the bodybuilding meal plan when you compare both of these diets. An anabolic diet plan consists of three stages of phases in which the first stage is Induction, in which you need to adapt to the intake of low carbohydrates. In the next phase of Bulk, an increase in calorie intake leads to proper muscle gain. Finally, it is the Cutting stage in which again low carbohydrates and calories help in reducing fat loss.
Now, in case of the traditional diet, the nutritional portion depends upon your requirement, such as weight reduction or bodybuilding. Whatever nutritional ratio you take in, there are around 4-6 small meals throughout the day. Most commonly, the meals include items such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, lean meat, and some healthy fats.
Benefits of a Bodybuilding Meal Plan
Both the diet plans have their distinctive benefits.
- Anabolic cooking cuts fat and preserves muscles, while a traditional diet manages fat well with steady muscle growth.
- You can access several dietary choices, and it helps in improving adherence. However, you can always customize a traditional diet based on your requirements, culture, and choices.
- While an anabolic diet promotes better hormonal health, leading to muscle growth, a traditional diet can actually improve hormonal health for the entire body.
- Lastly, a traditional diet is widely known and accepted.
Are there any Possible Concerns?
While both diets have their individual benefits, there can also be some challenges to take care of.
- As the schedule and phases in an anabolic diet are strict, it can get difficult for many people to sustain it. On the other hand, though a traditional diet can also get monotonous but it is still manageable.
- Sometimes, the phase of low-carb intake may lead to nutrient deficiencies if planning is not proper. Unlikely, in the case of a traditional diet, there are chances of gaining extra fat if calories are in surplus.
- While a traditional diet is accepted globally, there is limited research in the case of anabolic cooking or diet.
Anabolic Cooking vs Traditional Bodybuilding Diets: Which is Better?
The details above showcase that there are some distinctive differences between an anabolic and a traditional bodybuilding diet plan. Mostly, individuals can choose a plan depending on their requirements and capacity. However, certain insights can shed light on the potential of both diets.
- Insight 1: Anabolic diet claims that it follows carbohydrate cycling to target the hormones for muscle gain. However, a traditional diet specifically indulges in macronutrient management for this purpose.
- Insight 2: Following a traditional diet is much easier as it has options for customization and provides balanced resources. However, in the case of an anabolic diet, some people may find it difficult to sustain the phases, such as low-carb intake through the weekdays.
- Insight 3: Most experts support a traditional diet because of theories on nutrient timing, energy balance, and protein synthesis. However, anabolic cooking is a new concept.
So, if you go by a strict critical analysis, you will see that while anabolic cooking seems promising with its unique approach, it is the traditional diet that is still in a win-win situation. As there are no proper scientific justifications yet about anabolic diet, most athletes and bodybuilders still stick to the traditional bodybuilding diet. Of course, with the introduction of this new diet program, some athletes may have tried it for its hormonal benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is anabolic diet efficient in bodybuilding?
Although Dr. Mauro Dipasquale claims anabolic diet to be efficient with its carbohydrate cycling, which burns fat and builds muscle.
2. Which is better, an anabolic diet or a traditional diet?
Both diets have their own set of benefits in bodybuilding. Anabolic claims its benefits in hormonal health, while a traditional diet directly works on protein synthesis. However, as an anabolic diet still does not have any long-term research, most experts still prefer a traditional diet.
3. Are bodybuilding supplements necessary for muscle building?
If you intake a sufficient amount of nutrients necessary for your body, you do not require any add-ons. However, in case of deficiencies, taking bodybuilding supplements under proper guidance can help.
4. Is anabolic diet in use?
There are still debates over this diet program, and so, it is not clearly known whether anyone has succeeded with this type of diet or not.
