There are many schools of thought on nutrition, especially when it comes to strength and power athletes. Unfortunately there are no human studies on nutrition involving supraphyisiological doses of AAS making most "bodybuilding" and "powerlifting" diet advice anecdotal.
If you've never considered nutrition or diet, /r/fitness has a very good breakdown for you
To paraphrase however, specific food choices are less important, in terms of muscular gains/fat loss, than overall calories and macronutrient ratios
As a reminder- 1g Carbohydrate -> 4kCal
1g Protein -> 4kCal
1g Fat -> 9kCal
1g Alcohol -> ~7kCal
All successful diet programs are based around one thing, whether or not they agree on macronutrient ratios, or timing, is another issue entirely. This single goal is consuming a surplus of calories in order to gain muscle mass or eating at a caloric deficit in order to lose fat.
Common thought among users is that during cycles it is possible to diet at a very high caloric deficit without losing much if any muscle mass. On the flip side, with high doses of AAS it is possible to eat at a higher caloric surplus than a natural athlete without gaining as much fat, because the nutrients will be partitioned more favorably for glycogen storage and muscle growth/repair.
Macronutrients
A macronutrient is an essential nutrient required in relatively large amounts, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, or water. Some minerals are sometimes included as well.
Protein
Protein is necessary for muscle repair/growth, as well as normal function and is sometimes used as an energy source. Protein is not "stored" in humans like fat (in adipose) or carbohydrates (glycogen).
Due to this increased efficiency in nutrient partitioning there have developed two trains of thoughts when it comes to protein intake
The first is that, because consuming 1g protein/lb (2.2g/kg) of bodyweight is more than enough for natural athletes, consuming more than that amount of protein for AAS users is seen as a waste of calores/money. The increased nutrient partitioning will allow the body to build more muscle off of less of this macronutrient.
The second is that due to the increased efficiency it makes sense to increase protein intake because the body will be able to utilize more of the macronutrient than it could normally.
I urge you to try out both methods and decide for yourself what works best or you like the most
(Needs work on aminos, complete sources, sources-complimentary)
Varied Protein Types.
From this article:
Protein intake that exceeds the recommended daily allowance is widely accepted for both endurance and power athletes. However, considering the variety of proteins that are available much less is known concerning the benefits of consuming one protein versus another. The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyze key factors in order to make responsible recommendations to both the general and athletic populations. Evaluation of a protein is fundamental in determining its appropriateness in the human diet. Proteins that are of inferior content and digestibility are important to recognize and restrict or limit in the diet. Similarly, such knowledge will provide an ability to identify proteins that provide the greatest benefit and should be consumed. The various techniques utilized to rate protein will be discussed. Traditionally, sources of dietary protein are seen as either being of animal or vegetable origin. Animal sources provide a complete source of protein (i.e. containing all essential amino acids), whereas vegetable sources generally lack one or more of the essential amino acids. Animal sources of dietary protein, despite providing a complete protein and numerous vitamins and minerals, have some health professionals concerned about the amount of saturated fat common in these foods compared to vegetable sources. The advent of processing techniques has shifted some of this attention and ignited the sports supplement marketplace with derivative products such as whey, casein and soy. Individually, these products vary in quality and applicability to certain populations. The benefits that these particular proteins possess are discussed. In addition, the impact that elevated protein consumption has on health and safety issues (i.e. bone health, renal function) are also reviewed.
TL;DR Vary your protein intake types for best results.
Bio-availability of Protein
From this article:
Protein Type Bio-Availability Index
Whey Protein Isolate Blends 100-159
Whey Concentrate 104
Whole Egg 100
Cow's Milk 91
Egg White 88
Fish 83
Beef 80
Chicken 79
Casein 77
Rice 74
Soy 59
Wheat 54
Beans 40
Peanuts 43
Max usable protein
It is often claimed that "anything over 30g of protein in one hour is unusable by the body." This is untrue.
http://examine.com/faq/how-much-prot...e-sitting.html
There really is no literature to indicate this number as a 'holy grail' of protein absorption.
It may have arisen from looking at the rate of amino acid transporters, assuming 10g/hour as a standard, and applying that to the typical mini-meal approach to bodybuilder nutrition (with a meal every three hours).
and
Research done on Intermittent Fasting supports the theory that your body can cope with far more protein than most people think, with two studies showing that the consumption of an average of 80-100g of protein in 4 hours yielded no differences in lean mass
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the body's main source of energy. The muscles, and liver, store carbohydrates in the form of glycogen, a branched polysaccharide. AAS increase the amount of glycogen that will be stored in the muscle giving it a larger appearance and more energy from which to draw during workouts. Carbohydrates are also muscle/protein sparing. Glucose, Insulin and Glucagon after a high carb meal.
During mass gaining phases carbohydrates are generally exaggerated in AAS users due to the increase in gylcogen storage capabilities. In fat loss phases carbohydrates are generally the first macronutrient to be manipulated to decrease overall calorie intake.
When lowering one's carbohydrates significantly it is worth noting that during high fat/low carb (ketogenic-type) diets, T3, the active thyroid hormone (or essentially one's metabolic rate) is lowered more than when compared to high protein/low carb.1 The average minimum carbohydrate intake recommended is 130 grams per day, with less promoting ketosis,
Carbohydrates can be broken into two basic groups. Fast-acting (mono- & disaccharides) and slow-acting (polysaccharides). The biggest difference is how long the carbohydrate takes to get broken down by the body. Fast-acting carbohydrates (sugars) illicit a more pronounced glycemic response by the body, requiring higher levels of insulin, providing the body with energy in the short term. (Refined sugars can also increase cholesterol, LDL, and risk of cardiovascular disease).5 Traditionally "fast" carbs are placed before, during, and after a workout in order to supply the muscles with energy as well as promote nutrient uptake following a workout. "Slow" carbohydrates (some sources include brown rice, sweet potato, and oats) are then traditionally placed everywhere else in one's diet, including before a workout, especially if the workout in question will take more than an hour. These carbohydrates illicit a smaller, and more long-term insulin response, keeping the body at more stable blood-glucose levels.
Fiber
Fiber contains a different bond between saccharides than other polysaccharides like glycogen or starches (beta vs. alpha). The body has trouble breaking down these beta-glycosidic bonds and this creates the idea of "Net Carbohydrates". Some people consider "net carbs" while others do not. Net carbohydrates are determined by taking the total carbohydrate intake and subtracting it by the amount of fiber ingested. The resulting carbohydrate is the "net" and that number is used to calculate calories as opposed to the total carbohydrate intake.
Fiber can be broken into two types, insoluble and soluble. Insoluble fiber (sources are hole grains) are not fermented by bacteria in the colon and add bulk to the stool. Soluble fiber (sources are psyllium, rice, beans, fruit, oats, bran, soy) CAN be fermented and thus can count towards total calorie intake (though some still choose not to, or assign it 2kCal/g). Soluble fiber holds water and binds to cholesterol, it has positive effects in cholesterol ratios.
The recommended amounts of fiber are 25g for women and 38 for men. Too much fiber (>60g) will require extra fluid intake, bind to certain minerals, impairing absorption, and cause excess bloating.
Dietary fiber slows glucose absorption, decreasing the risk for type 2 diabetes by modulating blood glucose and decreases hypertension. This should be a concern for AAS users since high blood pressure is a common side effect of anabolic steroids.
High Fructose Corn Syrup
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a major sweetener in the US. It is composed of 55% fructose and 45% glucose and is sweeter than sucrose. HFCS is thought to contribute to obesity for a few proposed reasons.
1) In the liver, fructose is more easily converted to glycerol/fatty acids which form triglycerides, which are transported in the blood and stored in adipose tissue.
2) Fructose does not stimulate insulin release in the way glucose does, which in turn will reduce leptin production and does not suppress ghrelin, a peptide hormone that contributes to feelings of hunger.