NUTRITION

1
Month To maximize your Rock-Hard
gym efforts, sticking to
the right diet is essential
By Jim Stoppani, PhD

Rock
PHOTOS BY IAN LOGAN

Hard
diet 89
Over the next three months of the Rock-Hard
Rock
1
>> Simply rotate through
Month
these sample meal plans

Challenge, your diet will be as critical to your for your high-calorie,

Hard
medium-calorie and
success as your training. A well-thought-out nutrition program low-calorie days every day
throughout the course of
helps you recover more quickly from workouts and build muscle
Challenge
the month. Keep in mind,

faster. So to achieve your goal of getting in the best shape of your

DIET
these menus are designed
for a 180-pound individual,

life, you need to be just as dedicated in the kitchen as you are in the so adjust portion sizes
accordingly for your
weight room. If you can do this, the sky’s the limit. ❡ Protein is key bodyweight.

to getting lean while maximizing muscle growth because it sup-

plies critical amino acids that are used as the building blocks of High-Calorie Day
Cal Pro (g) Carb (g) Fat (g)
muscle. So when you drop your calories to lose fat, you must main- Breakfast
tain dietary protein levels at all costs. That’s why your protein intake 2 whole large eggs
3 large egg whites
148
50
12
12
1
0
10
0
holds steady through all three months of the Rock-Hard Challenge 1 cup cooked oatmeal 147 6 25 2

h
at 1.5 grams per pound of bodyweight
1 banana 120 2 31 1

Late-Morning Snack
per day, which helps preserve your 1
/2 can light tuna in water 95 21 0 0
muscle mass. If you follow a lower-fat 2 slices whole-wheat bread 140 6 26 2
diet (as you do here, especially in 1 Tbsp. fat-free mayonnaise 11 0 2 0
Month 1), that means the only source
from which you can significantly drop Lunch
calories is carbohydrates. 6 oz. chicken breast 200 40 0 2
Each month brings a reduction in 1 medium sweet potato 103 2 24 0
carb intake, from 50%–55% of your 1 cup mixed fruit (in light syrup) 145 1 37 0

daily calories in Month 1 to only 20%

Midday Snack
or so in Month 3, which maximizes
8 oz. fat-free fruit yogurt 213 10 43 0
the amount of bodyfat you’ll lose.
Preworkout Snack
Get intimate 1 scoop whey protein
1 banana
85
120
20
2
1
31
0
1
with your
blender: Postworkout Snack
2 scoops whey protein 170 40 2 0
Protein shakes

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1 medium plain bagel 289 11 56 2

are critical 2 Tbsp. jelly 112 0 28 0

before and

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Dinner
after workouts 6 oz. chicken breast
2 cups cooked spaghetti
200
442
40
16
0
86
2
2
1 can green beans 52 3 12 0
Within each month, however, your 1
/2 cup marinara sauce 92 2 14 3
carb intake varies to accommodate
three different calorie disciplines: Nighttime Snack
a high-calorie day, a medium-calorie 8 oz. 1% cottage cheese 163 28 6 2
day and a low-calorie day. These days 1 cup cooked oatmeal 147 6 25 2
rotate throughout the Challenge to
more or less keep your body guessing; Daily Totals 3,244 280 450 31
the body can’t set its metabolism at
a lower level due to the constant change Note: Mix all protein shakes in water per directions on label.
in calories consumed each day.
The high-, medium- and low-calorie
meal plans rotate every day — think of

90 MUSCLE & FITNESS July 2008

 it as a three-day split with no rest days,
only in terms of nutrition rather than
training. For example, if you start the
Rock-Hard Challenge on a Monday,
that will be a high-calorie day, Tues-
day will be medium-calorie and
Wednesday will be a low-calorie day.
Then the cycle simply repeats itself
over the entire three months (though
the macronutrient guidelines change
slightly each month). Once every
week or two, feel free to have a cheat
day where you veer from this meal
plan if it helps curb cravings.

Medium-Calorie Day Regardless

Cal Pro (g) Carb (g) Fat (g) of the day,
Breakfast protein intake
remains at
2 whole large eggs 148 12 1 10
3 large egg whites 50 12 0 0
1 cup cooked oatmeal 147 6 25 2 1.5 grams per
pound of
1 banana 120 2 31 1

Late-Morning Snack
1
/2 can light tuna in water 95 21 0 0
bodyweight
2 slices whole-wheat bread 140 6 26 2
1 Tbsp. fat-free mayonnaise 11 0 2 0
A Great Start
1 large orange 86 2 22 0 The first month of the Challenge eases
you into the diet to a certain extent.
Lunch Many novice bodybuilders make the
6 oz. chicken breast 200 40 0 2 mistake of cutting calories too drasti-
1 medium sweet potato 103 2 24 0 cally in the early stages of a program.
Yet when calories are too low for too
Midday Snack

by ha rd ta il; t his pa ge: (on him) shir t and pants by nike; ( on her) dre s s by new balance
long (say, three months), your metab-
8 oz. fat-free fruit yogurt 213 10 43 0
olism can slow down, causing you to

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Preworkout Snack
burn fewer calories per day and mak-
1 scoop whey protein 85 20 1 0
ing it that much harder to drop fat.
1 banana 120 2 31 1 The last thing you want when trying
to get lean is a slower metabolism.
Postworkout Snack You’ll require roughly 18 calories per
2 scoops whey protein 170 40 2 0 pound of bodyweight per day to main-
3 slices white bread 198 6 39 3 tain your current weight on the Rock-
2 Tbsp. jelly 112 0 28 0 Hard training plan. That’s just more
than 3,200 calories a day for a 180-pound
Dinner person. On high-calorie days, take in
9 oz. sole or flounder 230 48 0 3
this maintenance-level number of cal-
2 cups cooked brown rice 436 10 92 4
2 cups green salad 44 3 8 0
ories. On medium-calorie days, take
1 Tbsp. fat-free Italian dressing 10 0 2 0 in about 17 calories per pound a day,
or about 3,000 total calories for the
Nighttime Snack 180-pounder. On low-calorie days,
8 oz. 1% cottage cheese 163 28 6 2 intake drops to 16 calories per pound,
1 cup cooked oatmeal 147 6 25 2 or about 2,800 daily calories.
Regardless of the day, protein intake
Daily Totals 3,028 276 408 32 remains at 1.5 grams per pound of
bodyweight since, as mentioned ear­
Note: Mix all protein shakes in water per directions on label. lier, any drop in calories comes from

92 MUSCLE & FITNESS July 2008

Low-Calorie Day
Cal Pro (g) Carb (g) Fat (g)
Breakfast
1 whole large egg 74 6 0 8 a decrease in carbohydrates. On high-
3 large egg whites 50 12 0 0 calorie days, take in about 2.5 grams of
1 cup cooked oatmeal 147 6 25 2 carbs per pound of bodyweight. Take
1 large orange 86 2 22 0 in roughly 2.25 grams per pound on
medium-calorie days, and on low-cal-
Late-Morning Snack orie days drop it to an even 2 grams per
4 oz. deli-style turkey breast 104 22 2 0
pound. On a percentage basis, this
2 slices whole-wheat bread 140 6 26 2
keeps protein at 35%–40% of your total
1 tsp. or packet mustard 3 0 0 0
daily calories, carbs at 50%–55% and
Lunch fats at about 10%. In the subsequent
two months these percentages will

a ppare l : shirt by n ik e
6 oz. chicken breast 200 40 0 2
1 medium sweet potato 103 2 24 0 change significantly, but first things
first. By the end of Month 1, you’ll be
Midday Snack well on your way to transforming your
8 oz. fat-free fruit yogurt 213 10 43 0 physique into something it has never
been before. M&F
Preworkout Snack
1 scoop whey protein 85 20 1 0
1 banana 120 2 31 1

Postworkout Snack
2 scoops whey protein 170 40 2 0
3 slices white bread 198 6 39 3
2 Tbsp. jelly 112 0 28 0

Dinner
9 oz. sole or flounder 230 48 0 3
2 cups cooked spaghetti 442 16 86 2
1 can green beans 52 3 12 0

Nighttime Snack
8 oz. 1% cottage cheese 163 28 6 2
1 cup cooked oatmeal 147 6 25 2

Daily Totals 2,839 275 372 27

Note: Mix all protein shakes in water per directions on label.

Rock-Hard Supplement Stack

>> Training and diet comprise the basis of the Rock-Hard Challenge, but a solid supplement regimen will help put
you over the top. Take the following supplements in addition to your regularly scheduled meals throughout the day.

Time of Day Supplement Dosage

First thing in Leucine —or— branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) 5–10 g
the morning Green tea extract1 250–500 mg
Caffeine1 200–400 mg

30–45 minutes GAKIC —or— 10.2 g

preworkout Arginine 5–10 g

Immediately Whey protein 20–30 g

preworkout Leucine —or— BCAAs 5–10 g
Green tea extract1 250–500 mg
Caffeine1 200–400 mg

Immediately Creatine 3–5 g

postworkout Whey protein 40–60 g
Leucine 7.2 g

Before bedtime Casein protein2 20–50 g

1 2
can be taken separately or together in a fat-burner instead of cottage cheese

94 MUSCLE & FITNESS July 2008