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Mike Mentzer Nutrition

Mike Mentzer, a renowned bodybuilder and fitness expert, introduced a groundbreaking training philosophy called Heavy Duty in the 1970s. This approach to weight training emphasizes brief and intense workouts, allowing for sufficient recovery time and maximizing muscle growth. However, an often overlooked aspect of Mentzer's program is nutrition, a crucial component in achieving optimal muscle development and enhancing overall performance.

In this article, we will delve into Mike Mentzer heavy duty nutrition, examining his diet principles, supplement recommendations, and nutrition tips to support your fitness goals and ensure you are fueling your body for success.

Mike Mentzer Heavy Duty Nutrition

Mike Mentzer recommended a balanced nutrition plan by getting your daily complement from the four basic food groups, of 1) cereals and grains, 2) fruits and vegetables, 3) meat, fish and poultry and 4) milk and dairy products. He also recommend the following ratios of the macronutrients: 60 percent carbohydrates, 25 percent protein and 15 percent fat. Mike believed nutrition was basically simple and felt it was all about giving the body energy. He ate a diet high in carbohydrates to fuel his high intensity workouts.

Mike Mentzer Diet

Mike Mentzer felt that diet didn't need to be complicated, you simply find your maintenance level of calories and to gain weight you take in more calories than maintenance and to lose weight you take in less then your maintenance level.

How do you determine your maintenance level of calories? Here is what Mike Mentzer recommended:

"Write down everything you eat for five days; at the end of each of those days, after consuming the last bit of food for the day, sit down with a calorie counting book and tally the day's total. At the conclusion of the fifth day, add up the five daily totals for a grand total, then divide by five, and you'll have your daily average calorie intake. If you didn't gain or lose weight during that five-day period, your daily average is also your daily maintenance level of calories."

Back when he was competing he would eat the following:

Breakfast
Two Bran muffins with butter, 1 slice seven-grain toast, two figs and two or three cups of coffee.

After Workout
Milk and egg protein drink and fresh fruit such as pineapple or grapes.

Mid Afternoon Meal
Baked potato and more fresh fruit.

Final Meal
Two chicken breasts, a salad, corn of the cob, and occasionally some ice cream.

Mike Mentzer Supplements

Mike Mentzer wasn't a big fan of supplements, he felt you can get all the nutrients you need if you follow a well balanced diet. This makes sense, because back in Mike's day, pretty much all the supplements being sold were overhyped crap that didn't work.

Mike did occasionally use supplements such as multivitamin and mineral supplement (especially when on a reduced calorie diet), a milk and egg protein powder (most likely Rheo Blair's protein) and even creatine.

Mike read the scientific literature and studies on creatine and was impressed enough to try it.

Mike Mentzer used Twinlab Creatine Fuel, and said it was the one supplement he had tried that he felt really worked; "The stuff works", "No product like it out there". He also said it helped him workout harder; "I tore up the gym", and helped him to recover faster after his workouts.

If you have any questions about Mike Mentzer, Heavy Duty, High Intensity Training, Diet, etc. email us and we'll get back to you with an answer as soon as we can.

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