I like experimenting with my body – especially my diet. Whether its trying a no-preservative diet for a month or eating vegetarian for 40 days, I like to see how my body is effected by different diets and exercises. Some experiments over the years include:
- No coffee starting in the spring of 2009 and I have not had a cup since
- No soda starting in the fall of 2009 (I have had 2-3 Cokes since then usually at the movies)
- 4 month alcohol fast from August – December 2010. I still get a drink at the Campus Lounge or other local pubs.
- Participated in CrossFit for various spurts over the past 5 years
In May I got on the scale after a 40 day period of eating a vegetarian-only diet and I was at a 10 year low — 156 lbs. That isn’t ideal for a 6 foot male. It was time for a change. I finished reading The Four Hour Body earlier this year and decided it was time to experiment with a muscle mass gaining program. I decided to move forward with Occam’s Protocal. It’s a great minimalist workout series — do the minimum amount of work for the most gain. Sounded good to me. I didn’t/and don’t have time to go to a gym 5x/week. I needed something easy to implement and easy to follow. The premise is pretty straight forward:
- Workout to complete failure
- Eat like it’s your job
- Rest — only work out 2x/week for under 25 minutes (yes, you read that right)
The Four Hour Body Couple has some great articles on the workout/program. Of course, you can just buy the book and read the chapters on this workout program.
A few notes on my 40 days:
- I did not stick to the diet. I just tried to eat as much as I could. I targeted 3000 calories a day and 150 g of protein a day.
- I went through a 12 lbs bag of Weight Gain shakes (1250 calories in each shake)
- I went through a 2 lbs container of Casein Protein
- I did take L Glut supplements
- I did not take any other supplements
- All exercises below are performed with a 5 second cadence (5 seconds up and 5 seconds down)
- I always took a 3 minute break before each exercise
- Each exercise is one set to complete failure
- I took a week off before starting my lifts (but I did eat a lot for that week)
- I drank a lot of milk over these 40 days
- Note: the first workout day you have to calibrate your starting weight
Here’s what I did for my first 40 days of the program and my weight results:

5/5/11
5/11/11
5/15/15
- Workout A – First workout
- Started at 60 lbs on pulldown with a 1/3 cadence but didn’t fail (1 min break)
- Then went to 70 lbs, then 85 lbs, then 100, then 115 and finally failed at 130.
- 70% of 130 is 91 so I’ll start at 85 lbs.
- 3 min break
- Completed 6.1 pulldowns at 5/5 cadence at 85 lbs
- 3 min break
- Shoulder press on overhead press machine.
- Started at 60 lbs and didn’t fail. Moved to 70 and failed.
- 60% is 42 so I’ll start at 40 lbs in
- 3 min rest
- Setting at seat level 3.
- Completed 7.1 at 5/5 cadence at 40 lbs.
- Completed 8 5/5 moyntic crunches
- 6 g of l glutamine post workout.
5/16/11
5/18/11
- 11am weighed 162 lbs
- Workout B – First Workout
- Bench start (on machine) 90 lbs (1/3 cadence – 5 reps) didn’t fail
- 120 lbs (1/3) and failed
- 3 min break
- Then 70% of 120 so 84. Will start at 80 at 5/5 (goal 7 reps)
- 8 reps to failure at 80 lbs on machine.
- 3 min rest. Then leg press.
- Leg press Machine
- First workout. Starting at 230 lbs (1/3 cadence – 5 reps). Didn’t fail. Lifted 245, then 260 then finally failed at 335 lbs.
- Start at 230 lbs for the 5/5 and 10 reps
- Got 12 reps in
5/21/11
- Workout A
- Shoulder press 50 lbs 9.1 reps
- 3 min break
- Pull down 85 lbs because I didn’t get 7 last time. 13.5 reps.
- 3 min break
- Myostiic crunches. 16 crunches.
- Total of 20 minutes in the gym.
5/22/11
5/24/11
- Workout B
- Leg press 16 reps 245 lbs
- 3 min rest
- Bench 9 reps 90 lbs
- Feels crazy to leave gym but my legs r shaking and I can feel my arms/ chest throb.
5/27
- Workout A
- Shoulder press 60 lbs 7.3 reps.
- 3 min break
- Pull down 100 lbs. 5/5. 8 reps.
- 3 min break
- 11 sit ups
5/30/11
- Workout B
- Leg press 260 lbs. 13.5 reps
- 3 min rest.
- Bench 100 lbs. 7 reps
6/2/11
- Workout A
- Pull down 115 lbs. 9.2 reps.
- 3 min rest
- Shoulder press 70 lbs. 7.3 reps
6/6/11
- Weight 170.2 lbs at 7am
- Workout B – 3 days rest this time
- Leg press. 275 lbs. 15 reps.
- Bench. 110 lbs. 8 reps.
6/11/11
- Workout A
- Shoulder press. 80 lbs. 7.1 reps.
- Rest 3 min
- Pull down. 130 lbs. 7 reps.
- 12 Situps.
- 173.4 lbs at midnight.
6/15/11
- Workout B
- Bench. 120lbs. 8.2 reps.
- 3 min break.
- Leg press. 290. 16 reps.
- 170 lbs
So I did lose a couple of pounds in the last few days. I’m going to continue this program with a few changes. I’m going to add a few lifts to each workout and I’m going to add creatine to my supplements.
My workout for June and July include:
Workout A
- Shoulder Press
- Pull Down
- Deadlift
- Ab ball
Workout B
- Leg Press
- Bench Press
- Yurt curl
- Leg Curl
- Myotatic Crunch
Other resources: