Despite Following a Strict Diet During His Bodybuilding Prime, Arnold Schwarzenegger Reveals the Effectiveness of Intermittent Diet Breaks

The original Mr. Olympia record-setter, Arnold Schwarzenegger, discussed dieting in Arnold’s Pump Club. Arnie highlighted a scientific study that compared strict and flexible dieting protocols in his newsletter. They compared these approaches to understand if strict dieting has a clear advantage over a flexible approach. However, the results were unexpected.

The 76-year-old bodybuilding icon followed a strict diet plan during the peak of his bodybuilding career. The bodybuilder got his protein, fats, and cabs from different animal and plant sources. However, the 80% vegan former Mr. Universe felt compelled to share the surprising effectiveness of flexible dieting.

Approach dieting from a different perspective

“Research suggests that less strict diet plans are just as effective as plans requiring you to cut calories daily,” the 76-year-old wrote. The Terminator explained that scientists compared a “reduced-calorie diet every week” with one where “you stick to a plan for two weeks,” followed by a week of relaxed eating.

It might seem the group that reduced their calories outpaced the group that took a break. However, “despite the break, the group with more freedom lost just as much weight,” Schwarzenegger wrote in Arnold’s Pump Club. The actor explained that scientists found that fat loss and metabolic changes were also on par with the reduced-calorie diet group.

Arnold Schwarzenegger also explained that this isn’t the first time scientists have found flexible diets to be effective. The former Mr. Olympia also highlighted another study where participants alternating between two weeks of dieting and two weeks of flexible eating lost more weight than those who followed a strict 16-week diet.

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However, those who followed the flexible diet were studied for 30 weeks compared to 16. After highlighting the studies, Arnie explained which approach might prove more effective for the average working adult.

Arnold Schwarzenegger specualtes why

While Arnie followed a strict diet during his bodybuilding prime, over the years, his diet has changed. After multiple heart surgeries due to being born with a heart defect, Arnie follows a more flexible approach. In his newsletter, the bodybuilding icon explained that plans with more freedom help people stay consistent for longer without burning out. 

“People with stricter plans are likelier to drop out,” said Schwarzenegger. Hence, while strict plans might give a person quick results, they might find that sustainability and long-term weight loss lie with the approach that allows flexibility or intermittent breaks.

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Strict diet plans are a proven technique, especially for athletes. However, Arnold Schwarzenegger understands that the average person might find it harder to sustain such plans.