184 pound gain plan: 5 top bodybuilders share the nutritional strategies they used during the year they packed on the most muscle mass—a cumulative total of 184 pounds

Muscle & Fitness, August, 2004 by Ian Spanier

What are the best mass-building foods? How much protein is enough? Should you reduce your carbohydrate intake? To help clarify the confusion, we spoke to five amateur and pro bodybuilders about the single year in which they gained the most mass. Here are their secrets to size.

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MIKE DRAGNA

YEAR 2000

POUNDS GAINED 41

START WEIGHT 224 pounds

END WEIGHT 265 pounds

NUTRITIONAL PROFILE

Protein  55%-65%
Carbs    25%-35%
Fat      10%-20%

MIKE DRAGNA CONCEDES that cutting back his training volume was chiefly responsible for his big gains of 2000. "Previously, I was on a high-volume system, working each bodypart twice a week and taking only one day off from the gym," says the 31-year-old. "I was overtraining and standing still in terms of progress." So Mike pared down his schedule, working each part once a week and scheduling two full days of rest. "I was finally able to recover from workouts and increase the amount of weight I was lifting because I wasn't always tired and sore," he adds.

In contrast to his abridged training schedule, Mike, who won his pro card at last year's USA Championships, gradually increased his meal frequency from four a day to seven. "I took the calories I was already eating and split them into smaller, more frequent meals so it wasn't too much of a shock for my body," he notes. "I also began using meal-replacement shakes for three of those meals, mostly out of convenience--who has time to cook and package all that food?--but also because it's difficult to eat seven meals of solid food a day."

Each of Mike's shakes contained 50 grams of protein and 25 grams of carbs; solid meals included such items as baked and sweet potatoes, chicken, sashimi and steak. "I recommend steak once a day for regular guys and twice a day for hardgainers," he says. "It seems to provide the additional calories you need if you're having trouble gaining weight."

Apparently, Mike's strategy worked like a charm, and the then-amateur packed on an astounding 41 pounds in one short year. "Sure, some of that 41 was fluids and bodyfat, but come contest time, once I dieted down, I was still up 25 pounds from my previous weight," he remarks. "Not too shabby, huh?"

Most Massive FAQ: Staying strict on your diet week after week is tough, even for guys who make their living from bodybuilding. How do you approach cheating in your diet?

"I'm not a big junk-food eater, but I still schedule an entire day when I allow myself to cheat. Mostly, I use this day as a mental break so I can relax and not worry about when and what to eat, which typically takes a lot of time, planning and foresight. Giving myself the leeway to cheat and have foods I'm craving helps me stick to my diet the rest of the week, allowing me to focus on eating clean and fueling my body properly the other six days."

MARK DUGDALE

YEAR 2003

POUNDS GAINED 40

START WEIGHT 195 pounds

END WEIGHT 235 pounds

NUTRITIONAL PROFILE

Protein  29%
Carbs    55%
Fat      16%

BEFORE 2003, 29-year-old amateur bodybuilder Mark Dugdale followed a see-food diet: You see it, you eat it. While that strategy worked for a while, Mark needed to change his approach, beginning with an increase in meal frequency from four to six a day. "Train your body to eat like you train it to lift--slowly and steadily," he says. "Adding a few extra meals a day is like going from 225 to 500 on the squat rack--impossible. Add a small meal here and there until you get up to six a day, then increase the volume of each of the new meals." Sounds easy, but he admits he frequently had to force-feed in the beginning. "There were days when I didn't want to eat my next meal," he says. "But I began to look at eating more as a job than an enjoyment, sucked it up and put it down."

In addition, Mark, who last year nabbed the Oregon State and Los Angeles bodybuilding titles, also changed his nutritional profile, replacing fast-acting carbs and fatty off-season fare with clean, whole foods such as chicken, lean steak, brown rice and lots of veggies. "I'm not a big fish eater, so I'll have an omega-3 oil capsule with each of my meals to make sure I'm getting my essential fatty acids," he says.

The result? Less bodyfat, improved conditioning and an additional 40 pounds. "Anyone can go to the gym and move weights around, but without the nutrition to back up that training, you'll never get bigger," notes Mark.

Most Massive FAQ: How much protein is enough, and is there such a thing as too much?

"Overeating any macronutrient--including protein--can contribute to fat gain and won't necessarily make you bigger in the right places. I get exactly 316 grams of protein a day, a bit more than 1 gram per pound of bodyweight off-season. I don't think you need more than that. In fact, carbs are just as important for gaining size because they provide the energy you need to train hard. I eat a slow-releasing carb like brown rice or oatmeal with every meal, with the exception of post-workout, when I have a drink of creatine, glutamine and 70 grams of dextrose that goes straight into my muscles to replenish glycogen and keep me from becoming catabolic."