Hello everyone—it’s been a while since my last article. Life has been busy with focusing on my health, raising my son, traveling more, and diving deeper into photography.

As many of you know, another one of my passions is bodybuilding. I’ve been consistently back in the gym since November 2022. At that time, I was in rough shape—very overweight, most of my muscle gone, and feeling like nothing more than a blob of fat moving through life. My sleep was terrible, my energy was nonexistent, my diet was garbage, and I hated both how I looked and how I felt. I was weak, unhappy, and in a dark place. One morning, I decided I’d had enough. I walked back into the gym—and I haven’t missed a beat since.

I have a background in sports, playing football and rugby in high school. My bodybuilding journey began when I was around 15, in grade 9, weighing a mere 150 lbs at 5’10”. Needless to say, the gym was just as important to me then as it is now. Over the years, I’ve gone through phases of intense training and long breaks—the latter being my only real regret.

I’ve tried countless programs and fad diets over the years, with mixed results. I’m not a hard gainer—in fact, I put on both muscle and fat quite easily. My body responds quickly to changes in training and nutrition, except when it comes to fat loss, which has always been a battle.

Since returning to the gym, I’ve made significant progress, but I’m still not where I want to be. I also recently discovered I have hypogonadism, a condition where my body no longer produces testosterone. I’m now on TRT and following a protocol that works for me—something I’ll write about in detail in another post. While I’ve gained a good amount of size, I’m still holding onto more body fat than I’d like.

Back in the day, Dan Duchaine was a big name in the underground bodybuilding scene. One of his diet plans worked wonders for me when I was younger, so I’ve decided to revisit it and see if lightning can strike twice. In this post, I’ll break down the plan in a way that’s simple to follow, without diving too deep into the science.

BodyOpus Rebound

Dan Duchaine’s Muscle Rebound Diet (also sometimes called the BodyOpus rebound phase) was designed around a short-term supercompensation strategy to pack on muscle by manipulating glycogen, insulin, and hormones — essentially weaponizing the carb-load after a period of ketosis and depletion.

Here’s the breakdown of the core idea, how it’s supposed to work, and how my current schedule fits into it.

Core Concept

The rebound diet exploits two things:

Glycogen supercompensation — After keto + a depletion workout, your muscles will store more glycogen than normal when carbs are reintroduced, bringing extra water, nutrients, and insulin-driven growth into muscle tissue.
Anabolic hormonal environment — The sudden carb surge increases insulin, lowers cortisol, and can raise IGF-1, all of which are pro-muscle. Done right, this is a short window where muscle protein synthesis is very high.

Dan Duchaine’s General Structure

Phase 1 – Ketogenic + Depletion (Mon–Fri in my case)

4–5 days of very low carbs (<30g/day) + high fat + adequate protein (~1–1.2g per lb LBM).
Training is heavy enough early in the week to preserve muscle, then a full-body depletion workout at the end of the keto phase to empty glycogen.
Goal: Drive the body into deep glycogen depletion + fat-adaptation so carb-loading hits harder.

Phase 2 – The Rebound Carb-Load (Sat–Sun in my case)

Saturday: Massive carb intake (often 8–12g carbs per kg LBM = 600–900g for many guys) over ~24 hrs.
Clean carbs early (oats, rice, potatoes, pasta), with faster carbs later if needed.
Protein stays moderate (~1g/lb LBM). Fat is kept low during the first 24 hrs to avoid spillover into fat storage.
Training: Duchaine often recommended light pump work Saturday morning to push carbs into muscle, however I don't train on Saturday.
Sunday: Transition day — moderate carbs (~2g/kg LBM, ~100–150g for many) to slowly slide back toward ketosis.
Protein higher again.
Fat can start to increase slightly.

Why It Works

Enhanced glycogen storage after depletion = fuller muscles, improved training performance for the next week.
Insulin spike drives amino acids into muscle and suppresses muscle breakdown.
Water retention in muscle cells triggers anabolic signaling.
Hormonal shift from keto → carb phase gives a temporary “growth window”.

Training

Here’s a detailed BodyOpus 5-day training split built around my enhanced status, cutting goal, and the muscle rebound protocol:

🧠 Training Principles Used

High volume during depletion (Friday)
Moderate to high intensity during rebound (Mon–Thurs)
Rest-pause and drop sets to maximize fiber recruitment
Controlled tempo for TUT (time under tension)
Isolation first on leg days (to reduce CNS strain)
Moderate rest (~60–120 sec)

🗓️ WEEKLY TRAINING SPLIT

🔺 Monday: Push (Chest / Shoulders / Triceps)

3-4 sets each, 5-10 reps per set.

Side Lateral Raise
Seated Dumbbell Press
Hammer Strength Shoulder Press
Smith Machine Incline Bench Press
Hammer Strength Bench Press
Pec Deck Machine
Triceps Pushdown
Overhead Triceps Press
Dip Machine

Rest: 60–90 sec Intensity: 70–80% 1RM

🔺 Tuesday: Pull (Back / Biceps / Rear Delts)

3-4 sets each, 5-10 reps per set.

Hammer Strength Lat Pulldown
Hammer Strength ISO Row
Hammer Strength ISO Low Row
Dumbbell Shrugs
Rear Delt Cable Raise
One Arm Cable Curls
Incline Dumbbell Curl
Cable Overhead Curl
Ez-bar Curl
Hammer Curls

Rest: 60–90 sec Intensity: 70–80% 1RM

Optional Finisher: 1 arm cable curls, 2 sets to failure each arm

🔺 Wednesday: Quads

3-4 sets each, 5-10 reps per set.

Leg Extention
Smith Machine Squat
Hack Squat
Leg Press
Hip Adduction Machine

Rest: 60–90 sec Intensity: 70–80% 1RM

Optional Tempo tip: Slow eccentric (2-3 sec down), controlled up

🔺 Thursday: Hamstrings / Glutes / Calves

3-4 sets each, 5-10 reps per set.

Seated Leg Curl
Laying Hamstring Curl
Stiff Leg Deadlift
Glute Kickbacks
Seated Calve Raise
Calf Press
Hip Abduction Machine
Ab Crunch Machine

🔻 Friday: Full-Body Depletion Workout (No carbs pre/post!)

Goal: Deplete glycogen in all major muscle groups
Format: Light-moderate weights, high reps

3 sets each 20 reps per set.

Dumbbell Lateral Raises
Seated Barbell Press
Rear Delt Machine(Pec Dec)
Dumbbell Bench Press
Dumbbell Fly's
Hammer Strength Lat Pulldown
Hammer Strength ISO Row
Hammer Strength Low Row
Triceps Cable Pushdown
Overhead Triceps Press
Dumbbell Curl
Hammer Curl
Leg Extention
Leg Press
Seated Leg Curl
Calf Press
Ab Crunch Machine

Rest: 60–120 sec between exercises,

Intensity: ~50–60% 1RM

Notes:

Friday’s depletion is the only metabolic circuit-style day.
Monday–Thursday are hypertrophy-focused with slightly heavier loading.
Saturday = High-carb rest day
Sunday = Continue carb-load AM, taper down carbs PM.

🔥 GOAL: Recomp with Fat Loss (Keto Weekdays, Carb-Up Weekends)

✅ My Custom Cut Macros (Keto Phase: Mon–Fri)

Target Amount Calories ~2550–2650 kcal/day Protein 250g (high to preserve LBM) Fat ~160–180g Carbs <30g net (mostly fibrous veggies)

This puts me at a ~200–250 kcal daily deficit, just enough to lose ~0.5–1 lb of fat per week without muscle loss, especially while enhanced.

🥩 Macro Breakdown @ 2600 kcal:

Macro Grams kcal Notes Protein 250g 1000 ~1.1g/lb of bodyweight Fat 178g 1600 Energy + hormone support Carbs 25g 100 Mostly greens/avocado

This is ketogenic, lean mass-preserving, and deficit-based — ideal for Monday–Friday.

🍽️ Sample Food Structure

Meal Component Examples Protein Sources:

Eggs
Whole Salmon
Lean beef
Chicken thighs
Whey isolate

Fat Sources:

Olive oil
MCT oil
Avocado
Macadamia nuts
Butter

Vegetables:

Spinach
Kale
Broccoli
Asparagus
Zucchini

Add-ins Cheese (limited), heavy cream (in moderation), bone broth

No-carbs: No rice, oats, sweet potato, fruit, or sauces

Use MCT oil (10–15g/day) for energy + brain fuel on low-carb days.

📈 Saturday–Sunday: Rebound Phase (High Carb, Low Fat) • On carb-up days, I'll overshoot maintenance to refill glycogen and spike leptin • This high-low rhythm lets me cut fat while gaining fullness.

🧠 Weekly Fat Loss Plan

Day Calories Carb Level Goal Mon–Fri 2550–2650 <30g Fat burning + muscle retention

Sat–Sun AM 3800–4200 400–600g Glycogen reload (carb-up)

Sun PM ~2500 <100g Begin keto return

I’m be in a weekly net deficit despite high weekend calories.

🧂 Sodium & Water Loading

Add ~5g salt across the day to shuttle glucose into muscles
Stay very hydrated—you want intracellular water retention for that muscle “pop”

⚠️ Notes:

Sleep quality might dip during carb-up—expect water bloat
Sunday PM taper back on carbs (~100g), begin transition
Use electrolytes to minimize bloating and prevent cramping

⚠️ Final Recommendations

This is an advanced protocol—not beginner-friendly.
To replicate safely, you must track calories, tightly manage macros, follow depletion workouts, and transition into carb-ups carefully.
Expect temporary discomfort—bloating, large weight fluctuations, and strict dietary discipline.
Not designed for long‑term use. Best applied as part of a short prep for competition or a severe fat‑loss phase.

The BodyOpus diet isn’t for everyone—it’s strict, mentally challenging, and physically demanding. But for those willing to push through the tough parts, it can deliver incredible results in fat loss, muscle retention, and overall conditioning. For me, it’s not just about the physical changes, but also the discipline and focus it builds.

I’ll be documenting my progress and sharing my results as I go, along with tips and tweaks I find along the way. If you’re considering trying BodyOpus yourself, do your research, know your body, and commit 100%—because this is a plan that only works if you give it everything.

The grind is real, but so are the results.