Any thoughts on leangains.com, specifically the diet methodology?
From what I have researched, it looks like intermittent fasting for 16hrs/day, followed by 8 hours of feeding. In those 8 hours, on rest days, it advocates low carb/high protein/high fat ending the day with a -20% caloric deficit. On training days, it's high carb/high protein/low fat ending the day with a 20% caloric surplus.
I was drawn to it because I've had great success keeping my weight down already employing intermittent fasting in the same 16/8 hour feeding window and staying low carb. My chief complaint is that I've probably added no significant muscle to my frame for the past several years.
I'm 5'10, 190lbs, no idea on body fat, I'm guessing 12%. I've lifted for the past ten years, but put on most of this size up through college and then got fat after college. Spent some years training for the FBI physical fitness standards, but the past year I've been back to weightlifting, using 5/3/1.
I just imagined myself being bigger than I am now. 
I do it. It works exactly the same as any other diet. You track what you eat and eat specific macros for your goal. If you calculated correctly it'll help you achieve that goal. It's not magic. Skipping a meal generally helps you reduce overall calories, because you're skipping a meal.
I would recommend following a structured diet with the "leangains macros" spread across a normal eating pattern before trying the fasting. Before that I'd recommend tracking your body weight and calorie intake for 2 weeks and calculating your baseline calorie intake as opposed to putting arbitrary numbers into an online calculator. I'm a fan of IIFYM but not calculators. Everyone's different, the human body is a variable, not the control.
Nothing magic about it. Good way to control appetite during a cut but pointless if your trying to gain weight imo unless you enjoy training fasted and the eating window.
I already do the 16/8 eating window and have for the past year, so I'm pretty used to fasting. I've been tracking macros for awhile as well, so I have a pretty good sense of things.
I've just been used to basically eating a paleo plan for the past few years and it's succeeded in keeping me trim.
Maybe this is a stupid question, but is it necessary to eat a caloric surplus, specifically one high in carbs, to gain muscle?
When I was a skinny teen I packed on a bunch of muscle by just squatting. I ate like crap and had no sense of diet. So I struggle with the importance of such a calculated eating schedule to accommodate muscle gain.
But like I said, I haven't put on any material muscle in the past several years, which makes me believe that I'm doing things wrong.
You have to eat a calorie excess to gain muscle. High in carbs will differ from person to person. Carbs stimulate insulin which gets protein into cells. So PWO carbs are essential for muscle growth/repair and glycogen replenishment. Phil Learney recommends a liquid PWO drink at 2:1 ratio carbs:protein. Other than that, I believe the leaner you are the more carbs you can eat, but I don't believe you have to.
This is all regurgitation of Phil Learney and Jason Ferrugia material and I'm an idiot so take with a pinch of salt.
That's really helpful, thanks. I just read a bunch of Phil's stuff.
Let me ask you - have you made gains from this? Also, thoughts on BCAAs?
Triple X Guard - You have to eat a calorie excess to gain muscle. High in carbs will differ from person to person. Carbs stimulate insulin which gets protein into cells. So PWO carbs are essential for muscle growth/repair and glycogen replenishment. Phil Learney recommends a liquid PWO drink at 2:1 ratio carbs:protein. Other than that, I believe the leaner you are the more carbs you can eat, but I don't believe you have to.Post workout nutrition is myth. There is no anabolic window. It was invented by supplement companies. Hit your macro needs consistently on a daily basis. Meal timing frequency is irrelevant.
This is all regurgitation of Phil Learney and Jason Ferrugia material and I'm an idiot so take with a pinch of salt.
acm5060 - That's really helpful, thanks. I just read a bunch of Phil's stuff.Waste of money.
Let me ask you - have you made gains from this? Also, thoughts on BCAAs?
I personally like IF. The reality is I'm not skipping breakfast. I used to hate eating breakfast, but then started because I thought it was healthy, and became dependent on it. After a couple weeks of skipping breakfast it's no problem now.
It's kind of embarrassing, but for the amount of years I've been working out, I've only been consistenly tracking my diet for the past month.
ISawSilva'sBONEr -Source? Same for the BCAA comment? I'm always skeptical of such sweeping statements.Triple X Guard - You have to eat a calorie excess to gain muscle. High in carbs will differ from person to person. Carbs stimulate insulin which gets protein into cells. So PWO carbs are essential for muscle growth/repair and glycogen replenishment. Phil Learney recommends a liquid PWO drink at 2:1 ratio carbs:protein. Other than that, I believe the leaner you are the more carbs you can eat, but I don't believe you have to.Post workout nutrition is myth. There is no anabolic window. It was invented by supplement companies. Hit your macro needs consistently on a daily basis. Meal timing frequency is irrelevant.
This is all regurgitation of Phil Learney and Jason Ferrugia material and I'm an idiot so take with a pinch of salt.
Triple X Guard -Pretty much common knowledge amongst natural body builders these days. Gimme a bit ill post some info.ISawSilva'sBONEr -Source? Same for the BCAA comment? I'm always skeptical of such sweeping statements.Triple X Guard - You have to eat a calorie excess to gain muscle. High in carbs will differ from person to person. Carbs stimulate insulin which gets protein into cells. So PWO carbs are essential for muscle growth/repair and glycogen replenishment. Phil Learney recommends a liquid PWO drink at 2:1 ratio carbs:protein. Other than that, I believe the leaner you are the more carbs you can eat, but I don't believe you have to.Post workout nutrition is myth. There is no anabolic window. It was invented by supplement companies. Hit your macro needs consistently on a daily basis. Meal timing frequency is irrelevant.
This is all regurgitation of Phil Learney and Jason Ferrugia material and I'm an idiot so take with a pinch of salt.
If your eating enough protien there is zero reason to supplement bcaa unless you train fasted.
I'm genuinely interested in reading up on it. I've not seen anything like that but I don't really read many other forums. I tried BB.com but the what's the best split threads got tedious.
acm5060 - That's really helpful, thanks. I just read a bunch of Phil's stuff.His podcast is great. The one on insulin in particular (episode 3/4 I think )
Let me ask you - have you made gains from this? Also, thoughts on BCAAs?
Triple X Guard - I'm genuinely interested in reading up on it. I've not seen anything like that but I don't really read many other forums. I tried BB.com but the what's the best split threads got tedious.BB.com is a great resource. Heaps of pros on there plus nutrition gurus like Alan Aragon on there.
ISawSilva'sBONEr -I just watched his video with Onar that discussed PWO nutrition being bs hahaTriple X Guard - I'm genuinely interested in reading up on it. I've not seen anything like that but I don't really read many other forums. I tried BB.com but the what's the best split threads got tedious.BB.com is a great resource. Heaps of pros on there plus nutrition gurus like Alan Aragon on there.
Check out the YouTube channel flexforall2. Natural amature Matt Ogus. He's got some great info too.
Yea I've been reading through a bunch of Alan's stuff too.
It started with Lyle McDonald, then went to Martin Berkhan and Phil Leary and then Alan Aragon.
All very much have commonalities.
Fasting has a lot of beneficial effects on hormones and aging in general. I also think it can be a helpful structure for people who want to lose weight.
However, if you are naturally lean/trying to maintain weight/gain weight, I think it becomes really inconvenient and stressful since you always feel pressure to eat before your feeding window closes. At least that was my experience...I always felt like I had to eat again or eat bigger meals than I really felt like eating because I needed to get my calories in before time was up. Skipping breakfast made the morning routine easier, but after that it was not at all convenient for me.
My wife gets super stressed out about the window. She got the same feelings of forcing it into the window.
To me, it's less about the window and just primarily about skipping breakfast. If the window is 12 hours, fine, 8, who cares. It's just compressing your eating.
acm5060 - Yea I've been reading through a bunch of Alan's stuff too.Id like to know the percentage of lifters who make sure they get in a PWO shake and then give zero fucks about the rest of their diet.
It started with Lyle McDonald, then went to Martin Berkhan and Phil Leary and then Alan Aragon.
All very much have commonalities.