“I Always Ate a Restricted Carbohydrate Diet” – Frank Zane Shares His Diet and Workout Routine

Frank Zane is going strong even at the age of 79 with no intention of letting his age slow him down. He recently opened up about his diet and workout routine.

Even at his age, Zane continues to focus on his diet and workout to stay as healthy and fit as possible. That involves lifting weights, meditating, consuming supplements, and focusing on the diet routine.

Considered as one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time, Frank Zane is a three-time Mr. Olympia winner. He did so despite weighing less than 190 pounds and standing 5' 9".

"I always ate a restricted carbohydrate diet," Zane says about his diet. "I would keep my carbohydrate intake lower than my protein intake. If I needed a boost, like if I was not getting pumped from my workout, I would eat more carbohydrates."

So, let’s take a deeper dive into the diet and workout routine of the three-time Mr. Olympia winner:

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Frank Zane’s Diet and Workout Routine

Throughout his bodybuilding career, Frank Zane has been known for his distinctive ‘V’ shape physique, wide shoulders and one of the thinnest waistlines. He's one of a handful of Mr. Olympia winners who weighed less than 200 pounds.

If Zane needed a boost for his workout, he would increase his consumption of carbohydrates. However, he usually followed the four-day cycle in his diet routine, consuming low carbohydrates for three days and a higher number on the fourth.

Zane avoided going over 3000 calories every day when he trained for the bodybuilding season. At that time, Zane consumed supplements, which were not nearly as popular as they are now.

Zane followed a proper diet and workout routine even when he was not competing. That's why his daily diet mostly comprised proteins and good fat along with small amounts of carbs.

A good diet routine that was jam-packed with nutrients helped him pack muscles into the body. He also ensured proper rest and recovery to conserve energy for his grueling workout routine.

Frank Zane only focused on lifting lighter weights, but with the growth and knowledge, he understood that heavier weights were also important to gain muscle mass and pack strength. He used to allocate time to all his body parts in the workout routine, including shoulders, legs, abs, biceps, chest, and more.

Frank Zane also believed that one should always balance strengths and weaknesses. You should never neglect your weak points while training your strong points to avoid muscle imbalance. That's why you should target both your weaknesses and strong points in your workout.

Zane avoided any radical changes and only believed in the tried and tested methods in terms of both workout and diet routine. He advises young people that they need to experiment and get feedback. Last-minute changes do not look good and can affect the body adversely, explaining the need for feedback and adjusting the workout routine accordingly.

There is no answer that fits everybody, you basically go on how you feel," says Zane. "If you are feeling tired, then you are training too often. You are going to get overtrained. You need to strike a balance. That is what everyone has to find. I cannot tell anyone where the balance is; that is something you have to find out for yourself.

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Bottom Line

Frank Zane is a bonafide bodybuilding legend and has garnered immense respect in the sport by winning three consecutive Mr. Olympia titles.

One of the most prominent pieces of advice the legend gives is that there's no one-size-fits-all approach. You need to try and test different methods in your diet and workout routine and make necessary changes for the optimum results.