Recently, Michael got me thinking again about Clarence Bass.

Back before the information overload age when the internet was only in its infancy, I came across an advertisement in an IronMan magazine for Bass's "Ripped" book series. Even though the "ripped" look was not yet a desired look by most of society at the time, I was always mesmerized by it. I think it was because I was an insecure teen who had always suffered from skinny-fat syndrome. Whatever the reason, I became convinced that Bass's books would be the key to my body composition goals.

I begged my father for the books and they became my first introduction to bodybuilding nutrition. I was on the cutting edge!

Bass's approach was simple:

1) Don't look at it as a diet, but a lifestyle.

2) Focus on satiating/filling foods that are low in calories (what has become known as volumetrics).

3) Limit variation and keep the meals the same every day (but allow for "loose" or "tight" meals for flexibility, depending on one's goals)

4) If there is a particular food that you enjoy and eating it helps you stick to your overall diet/nutritional approach, than go ahead and include it (even if it is calorically dense).

Using Bass's approach (or variations of the theme) got me "ripped" for the first time in my life.

Since then I have continued to study nutrition and at some point or another have followed just about every diet/nutritional approach out there. In the end, I essentially find myself coming back full circle to Bass's original nutritional approach. I have my own unique twist and variation of course that works for me, but the overall theme is pretty much the same: keep things simple, basic and routine. As long as you enjoy your food, you're never on a diet.

Michael mentioned he lost 50 pounds on a diet based on Bass's nutritional approach (which is awesome by the way Michael). Has anyone else had experience with Bass's nutritional approach? What did you like or dislike? What foods or eating style works for you?