If youre among Renaissance Periodizations (RP) 160,000 Instagram followers, youre familiar with the companys signature before-and-after photo testimonials. On the left, a bathroom mirror selfie of a reasonably in-shape guy. On the right, 12 weeks later, its the same guy in the same bathroom, but now hes sporting chiseled abs and legs like tree trunks. The hashtag #RPTransformations is the only clue to what happened.
Nick Shaw, one of the companys founders, credits the pedigree of his staff for the programs undeniable track record. While Shaw, formerly a personal trainer in New York City, started the company with a fellow trainer, RP employs over a dozen registered dietitians and Ph.D.-level sports nutritionists to create their diet plans and products, which include one-on-one coaching packages, customized diet templates, ebooks on strength training, live seminars, and cookbooks.
According to Shaw, the Renaissance Diet Auto Template, a customized, multi-tabbed Excel workbook priced at $109, is their most popular product. What we did and we were pretty much the first people to ever do this we built a product that scales diet coaching, he says.
Each customer receives an individualized diet plan tailored to their gender, current weight, and whether their primary goal is to lose fat or gain muscle. All plans start with a two-week Base period designed to acclimate the user to the program, which accounts for meals and snacks by macronutrients, or macros, a.k.a. carbohydrate, protein, and fat. Depending on the users goals, the Base phase is followed by a Cut or Mass period that adjusts calorie consumption for weight loss or muscle gain. Users choose from an included list of acceptable foods, which eliminates trans fats, fast food, and most processed food. Shaw explains that while the Cut and Mass phases are not sustainable, many customers settle into the final Maintenance phase, using it as a tool for long-term meal planning.
When we started off, we were almost strictly working with competitive athletes, says Shaw. RP now caters to a wider audience, but theres still an expectation of precision. Beyond portions and macro counting, the diet templates factor in both activity level and nutrient timing. For example, the diet plan for a day that includes a light workout, like a yoga class or 30 minutes on the elliptical, will include fewer calories than the meal plan for two hours of weightlifting and high-intensity interval training. And the time of day the user hits the gym will dictate when theyll consume the majority of their quick-burning carbohydrates.
For the average guy whos interested in bringing more structure to his diet, but isnt quite ready to go all-in on macro counting, Shaw has a few tips:
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The Diet Behind All of Those Crazy Instagram Transformation Photos - Men's Journal
