When one thinks of effective training methods, the high-intensity training that Mike Mentzer championed will always come to mind. The late bodybuilder was an innovator in the field, with various logical approaches to fitness goals. However, he didn’t just focus solely on exercise but also branched out to share tips and advice on diet plans.
Being a holistic trainer who looks after every fitness-related aspect of his clients, Mentzer mentioned how he almost always took over meal planning for them. In a recently resurfaced lecture, the veteran spoke about the phenomenon of losing or gaining weight while training and how he tackled it.
Mentzer’s first task for his clients was to maintain a food diary and a calorie-counting book. These two tools helped document the fitness enthusiast’s diet. And in turn, the records helped Mentzer curate a plan according to their goals and expectations.
“I have them keep a five-day food diary. They write down everything they eat for five days, including the quantity. Then at the end of each day, they sit down with a good calorie counting book and add up the daily total.”
For Mentzer, a well-balanced diet includes about 60% carbohydrates, 25% proteins, and 15% fats. While he maintains that a good diet is only efficient when combined with intense training stress, every case is unique.
The goal is to perform high-intensity exercises and curate a diet plan such that the individual sees a change in their lean muscle mass. This group of muscles aids metabolic activity, thereby assisting one’s weight goals.
“Neither conventional weight-training nor traditional aerobics are very effective as calorie burners in the first place…the point here is don’t count on exercise activity itself as a meaningful way of burning calories and staying lean.”
However, Mentzer also had a lot to mull over regarding caloric intake pertaining to maintaining muscles. In a previously resurfaced lecture, the late icon talked about the amount of calories one actually needed to maintain the bulk.
Mike Mentzer talks about calories for a good bulk
Ideally, a nutrition plan must compensate for the intensity exerted for muscle building. This means that the amount of calories one consumes must be adjusted according to the high-intensity plan. Mentzer had his two cents on this subject.
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The late bodybuilder advised going above the maintenance level to ensure the growth mechanism in the muscles is replenished properly. This is because consuming just the right amount of calories doesn’t guarantee growth or shrinkage. It only contributes to the existing size. Mentzer pioneered such ideas that encouraged a whole wave of fitness enthusiasts to receive appropriate training.
