Critique my diet please - Help!

[Gladiola]

I've been aiming for a certain % split & a minimum of protein, but lately have been lacking drive. I'm thinking a more structured plan ought to help.

My stats: 140 lbs, 5'4", BF - getting outta control. Goal: it was to gain LBM, but now that my BF is outta control, gotta get that down & preserve LBM. Currently lifting 5:30 PM 4X per week, plus 1 muscular endurance w/o 1X per week & cardio - um, yeah, what's that???! 2X per week at best - gotta up that.

Meal 1: (7:00am or 5:30 am on AM workout days - can't do empty stomach)
1 piece whole grain bread
1/2 cup cottage cheese (2%)
Meal 2: 1/2 C oatmeal
1/2 C skim milk
4 egg whites
Meal 3: (Lunch) - 4 OZ ground turkey
1 cup asparagus (frozen)
1/2 C brown rice
Meal 4: 1 can Tuna
1/2 nuked sweet potato
Meal 5: (post workout- weights) 1 C Fat-free yogurt
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
Meal 6 (Dinner with boyfriend): Chicken breast
Salad with flaxseed oil & balsalmic vinegar
1 C broccoli (fresh steamed or frozen)
Meal 7 (pre-bed if still hungry) Protein Shake with Skim Milk

This equals: about 1,900 calories, 60g Fat, 164g Carb, 196 Pro, 40%P - 30%C - 30%F - although I'm thinking cals should be lower to cut - maybe eliminate the shake & sunflower seeds.

VARIANCES: Dinner will alternate chicken, lean beef, fish (salmon or tuna) & more ground turkey. Maybe more canned tuna on an occasional lazy night. The veggies rotate with cauliflower, peas, & green beans. I may change some of the carb sources on occasion (brown rice, sweet potato) to black beans or 1 serving of fruit. Protein shake pre-bed might be more cottage cheese instead.

Oh, I know bread isn't the greatest, but I don't want to take the time to make oatmeal that early & is it really *that* bad? I just have one slice.

I've been struggling with the post-workout meal - but I think the yogurt might fit well. Otherwise I gotta start 6AM cardio sessions soon... pants getting tight... ass spreading...

 

[NY Muscle]

This equals: about 1,900 calories, 60g Fat, 164g Carb, 196 Pro, 40%P - 30%C - 30%F - although I'm thinking cals should be lower to cut - maybe eliminate the shake & sunflower seeds.

QUOTE]


um your cals are way too high for your bodyweight if you are trying to cut...try 9-12 times your bodyweight in calories, and alternate low cal days (9x) and high cal days (12x)

 

[Gladiola]

Re: Re: Critique my diet please - Help!

um your cals are way too high for your bodyweight if you are trying to cut...try 9-12 times your bodyweight in calories, and alternate low cal days (9x) and high cal days (12x) [/B]

In the past I've been able to get fairly lean on that many cals so long as I stay away from sugar. I'm not really in a big hurry to cut, I just want to be sure it's something I can stick with - I don't want a diet that's going to be a big struggle. Life has enough struggles, I'm not going to create one for myself where there doesn't need to be. I'll get leaner gradually. If only I had the resolve of my sister to just 'dig my heels in & bear it'

What wold you recommend eliminating? The problem with a low cal day is that I do some sort of activity on almost every day of the week.... that was the same problem with carb rotating.

 

[Gladiola]

Thanks for the reply - knew I could count on you!

I mean like the bread, yogurt, and milk. I also try to keep my carbs and fats separate.

Actually that had occurred to me too! The reason I decided to leave them in any way is for calcium! Additionally, the yougart is supposed to help with yeast infections - I haven't had one in over a year - but used to be on anti-biotics a lot (before I had my tonsils removed) so I suppose I like having it anyway.

I would keep nuts seeds, oats, and taters early in the day,

Actually based on what NYM said, I do think I might take the total calories lower - so no sunflower seeds at all. You think 3 or 4:00 PM is still too late for the tater?

stick to fibrous carbs after your workout.

The only non-fibrous carb I have after my w/o is the balsalmic vinegar - but that's about 3g carbs. Otherwise the shake, which could be replaced with cottage cheese. That OK, you think?

I really think that yogurt could be an issue, the more I look at it. There's a significant amout of lactose in your diet, and even fat free yogurt is loaded with sugar.

It's also sweetened with aspartame, which I know isn't good either. Maybe I can get the calcium elsewhere & forget the healthy bacteria. Actually what has been an issue is that I haven't been sticking to this diligently.... I admit ::cowering::

the impression that you don't like the extra fat that NATURALLY comes along with gaining muscle.

Well, uh, he he, the extra fat I have now is from not resisting cravings more than anything else! But you're right, I want to lean out now - 2.5 mos of getting bigger & I'm ready to change focus.

Although I'm hopefully getting Anavar as well.. but I can't wait till I'm sure if I'm getting it! Besides, when I get it - I'll lift more often & just up the cals - but keep the diet composed of the same things.

Do you feel like you're not sure which you want?

No, I'm pretty set on cutting right now. I'm not all that worried about swimsuits though - don't think I wore one at all last summer. I so need a life!

 

[Temple]

I'm kind of in the same boat. I want more mass but with swimsuit season coming up I am freaking about the bf.

 

[Gladiola]

I'm kind of in the same boat. I want more mass but with swimsuit season coming up I am freaking about the bf.

Do you have tips to share on the diet I posted? I really want something I can stick to to the letter... hopefully make use of the uptight aspects of my personality!

 

[Temple]

I think Spats is the reigning queen of cutting. I'm best at the "open the pie hole" thing.

 

[Gladiola]

When I say fibrous, I don't mean a tater. I mean like green veggies...veggies that aren't starchy. You can get acidophilus by taking acidophilus..you don't need yogurt for that. Calcium...tied soy milk in your shakes? Lots of calcium, no lactose, and adds a slow absorbing protein to your night time whey shake.

Right, you said 'taters earlier in the day' & 'only fibrous carbs post w/o' - the tater is pre w/o (w/o is 5:30 PM & tater is around 3 or 4).

Wow, I didn't even think of the lactose issue - I thought of soy milk & I've had it before, but I figured it didn't have much benefit since I get calcium & protein from regular milk. I'll go that route, I actually do like soy milk in a shake. How long does that stuff keep for?

 

[Temple]

Does it taste anything like Milk?????

 

[Gladiola]

Does it taste anything like Milk?????

I find it to be a little bit sweeter. It's pretty good - not as strange tasting as I had feared.

 

[NY Muscle]

Gladiola just lower your calories 1st before killing yourself over what you can and can not eat..the foods you outlined arent bad..though id drop the carbs by 50-60gms or so and add more protien.

 

[Cheetarah]

Gladiola just lower your calories 1st before killing yourself over what you can and can not eat..the foods you outlined arent bad..though id drop the carbs by 50-60gms or so and add more protien.

Just want to add something here. In my experience, most women HAVE to be more strict with the types of foods they eat in order to get and stay lean. Men seem to be able to get away with more than women (evil estrogen at work I'm sure). So I agree with Spatts on the cutting out of the lactose type products. Also, it may just be me, but I'd MUCH rather be stricter with the types of foods I eat RATHER than cutting calories. Cutting calories makes me grouchy cause I feel like I'm constantly hungry or starving which is much worse, IMO, than just not eating certain foods but keeping the calories right around maintenance. I was able to go from 22% body fat to 17% JUST by cleaning up my diet and eating strict. Of course now I've hit a plateau and just recently knocked down my calories a bit and started taking a fat burner to try and break thru the plateau. I'll know at the beginning of April when I get my body fat checked again if it's working or not.

 

[NY Muscle]

Just want to add something here. In my experience, most women HAVE to be more strict with the types of foods they eat in order to get and stay lean. Men seem to be able to get away with more than women (evil estrogen at work I'm sure). So I agree with Spatts on the cutting out of the lactose type products. Also, it may just be me, but I'd MUCH rather be stricter with the types of foods I eat RATHER than cutting calories. Cutting calories makes me grouchy cause I feel like I'm constantly hungry or starving which is much worse, IMO, than just not eating certain foods but keeping the calories right around maintenance. I was able to go from 22% body fat to 17% JUST by cleaning up my diet and eating strict. Of course now I've hit a plateau and just recently knocked down my calories a bit and started taking a fat burner to try and break thru the plateau. I'll know at the beginning of April when I get my body fat checked again if it's working or not.

a calorie is a calorie is a calorie..sure there are complex carbs and high gi simple sugars but right now she is eating too many cals to lose weight, IMO...after cutting cals and losing some weight and she wants to refine the diet even further, then she can cut out all the "crap" and continue to lose weight.

 

[NY Muscle]

If that's true, I'm going to switch to two Snickers and a diet Dr. Pepper. That way I'll get the same number of cals, and I won't have any cravings.



Seriously, NY, I DO see what you're point is, despite my sarcasm. Tell me this, how many cals is Galdiola burning in a day?

like i said its all about CALORIES you burn more than you consume you LOSE weight thats a fact, with no exceptions.

sure go ahead eat 10 snickers, figure out your BMR if possible, eat 20% than your maintenance calories snickers, peanut butter cups, who cares, you WILL lose weight.

 

[NY Muscle]

. Tell me this, how many cals is Galdiola burning in a day?

thats actually totally irrelevant..reason why? if she is eating 1900cals a day as seh said...take 400-500 cals away from that and she will lose weight...this is all kids stuff, nothing complicated.

and if yoeu bring up "well if the food doesnt give me cravings then its a bettr food than say a snickers" well thats irrelavant...will power is YOUR option, and has nothing to do with simple metabolics.

 

[Temple]

NYM - the key words you are using are "lose weight" what those calories are comprised of will largly determine how much of the weight lost comes from fat and how much comes from lean mass - correct?

 

[NY Muscle]

NYM - the key words you are using are "lose weight" what those calories are comprised of will largly determine how much of the weight lost comes from fat and how much comes from lean mass - correct?

yes but if u notice we arent talking abuot protein, we are talking abuot *nasty carbs* and lactose etc.

right now in gladiolas particilar diet if she cuts calores and only calories she will lose weight(fat).. also notice i recommended more protein and less carbs. but the other ladies are talking about nasty sugars, and confusing "cravings" with "fat gain", cravings is a will power thing nothing more..i mean it can be triggered by the carbs and it usually is...but a craving doesnt make you gain fat, lack of will power and giving into the craving does.

 

[Temple]

Hey ladies - thanks for the soy milk tip!! Sent the hubby out to buy some and it will definitely work for what I use milk for. I don't drink it straight much but even that would be okay.

 

[Cheetarah]

like i said its all about CALORIES you burn more than you consume you LOSE weight thats a fact, with no exceptions.

sure go ahead eat 10 snickers, figure out your BMR if possible, eat 20% than your maintenance calories snickers, peanut butter cups, who cares, you WILL lose weight.

Sorry, gotta disagree here. No, it's NOT all about calories, that is EXACTLY why there are so many people out there who have cut their calories and STILL cannot lose weight. It's all about INSULIN CONTROL. The body CANNOT and WILL NOT burn fat in the presence of huge amounts of insulin which is why we must carefully choose the best foods to eat while dieting. Sure, at first you CAN lose weight JUST by cutting calories but you will quickly plateau unless you control your insulin levels. Eating improper foods will not allow your body to burn the fat at an optimum rate. Day after day I get customers in my store who say they can't lose the fat despite their caloric deficit, which many times is way too low in the first place because they did not know the proper foods to eat and just kept dropping their calories. That of course is what ultimately left them with slowed metabolisms and the body's resistance to burning fat. So I immediately ask them what they are eating and bingo, I find the problem, they're eating the wrong foods and at the wrong times. Then, just like I lost a lot of fat just by eating the right foods and not even touching my calories, which, by the way, allowed me to gain muscle at the same time, cutting calories WON'T do that for you, those people I advised had success as well. And ultimately, if you can gain or at least maintain your muscle mass while cuttiing, then all the better cause more muscle = faster metabolism = more calories burned. So why reduce your calories before you have to? Reduction in calories = lost muscle mass = slowed metabolism, not to mention like I said before, irritibility in general. Why not just eat the RIGHT foods and keep gaining muscle WHILE losing the fat, INSTEAD of reducing your calories before you have to. So I STILL say, when first starting out trying to lose fat, FIRST, slowly CLEAN UP your diet and go as far as you can go that way, THEN worry about cutting calories. That way, you are able to GAIN muscle mass or at least keep it, to keep your metabolism up thus enabling you to burn fat faster.

Read the book: SUGAR BUSTERS - Cut Sugar to Trim Fat. It explains this concept very well. Cutting calories is old school.

 

[Gladiola]

No, it's NOT all about calories,

Great post - I agree 110%!!!!

I have been carefully monitoring my caloric intake (uh, OK *most* days...) for about 1.5 years now & over & over again, consistently - I would gain or maintain on 1,600 - 1,800 IF that included 200-400 or more cal worth of sugar. Increase to 2,000 & have NO sweets at all & I would lose!!!! HIGHER CALS & I'll lose if there is absolutely no sweets. Again & again my body has proven this to me - I have no doubt of this.

So many times ppl (especially me) have posted questions, "how many cals to eat? How many carbs? what carb rotation????" and often it comes down to an individual thing. One thing I am absolutey certain of is that, for me, 200 cal of chocolate or cookies is equal to 400 cal protein or even healthy carbs as far as weight gain is concerned. [Now if only I didn't love it so darn much ]

I agree w/ Spatts, I'd rather work out harder in the gym than starve myself... also probably the better bet for prevention of catabolism.

That's funny this was brought up on this thread - b/c I was going to start a thread on that anyway!!!! How 3,500 cal = 1 lb. Does that apply for ANYONE??? Where in the world did that even come from?

 

[Temple]

This is where I am having a problem with a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. I got to 200+# on 800 calories from Pepsi and 800 calories from steak and potatoes a day, basically all liquid one meal.
Cleaned up the diet, got rid of the sugar, increased the activity and dropped 60# of fat, 6 meals a day 2000+ calories.

 

[NY Muscle]

ladies ladies...trust me im the HUGEST fan of low carb diets and avoiding *crappy carbs* to control insulin..thats the diet i do all the time every spring to get cut and for shows, gladiola said:

"""""My stats: 140 lbs, 5'4", BF - getting outta control. Goal: it was to gain LBM, but now that my BF is outta control, gotta get that down & preserve LBM. Currently lifting 5:30 PM 4X per week, plus 1 muscular endurance w/o 1X per week & cardio - um, yeah, what's that???! 2X per week at best - gotta up that. """"""


Based on what she is doing is why i gave my recommendation¡K..increasing cardio is actually MY PREFERD method, but from her current cardio regimen, not knowing if she will actually increase the amount of times she does cardio and her diet, she needs to cut cals. And I know u disagree but it is a FACT ¡V if you burn more cals than you take in you lose weight ¡V theres no getting around that.. I used the extreme example of eating nothing but crap to show my point..that burn more than u take in, you lose weight¡Kbut also notice I do not allow her to drop her protein¡Kshit eat 10 snickers and 150gms of protein, she wont lose muscle and she WILL lose fat if like I said, at the end of the day more cals were burned than taken in, that¡¦s a fact.

Personally I do more cardio and eat more cause I cant cut cals too low ill go nuts¡Kid rather do the extra cardio and eat¡Kbut once again that¡¦s something else than can be argued, you may think cutting cals so low is bad and *starving* or cause muscle loss..well what the hell u think cardio is? Heres 2 examples:

1900 cals, - aprrox. 4-500 cals from cardio/exercise = weight loss from MORE CALS BURNT THAN TAKEN IN

or

1900 cals minues 4-500 from reducing cals, plus NO CARDIO = weight loss from MORE CALS BURNT THAN TAKEN IN


this isn¡¦t something that can be argued ¡Kthe overall cals taken in after either accounting for calorie burn from cardio or calorie reduction is 1400-1500 cals, thus 2800-3500 calorie DEFICIT a weak, = fat loss. It does NOT matter where how u make the defict A) cardio or B) cut cals. But like I said from her CURRENT diet and cardio regime but recommendation was to cut cals.. IF she increase cardio from 2 days a week to 5-7 days a week then she wont have to cut calories¡K.just yet ƒº cause she will eventually¡Kso do more cardio or cut cals never mind WHY u prefer one over the other¡K..the result IS THE SAME.

 

[NY Muscle]

This is where I am having a problem with a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. I got to 200+# on 800 calories from Pepsi and 800 calories from steak and potatoes a day, basically all liquid one meal.
Cleaned up the diet, got rid of the sugar, increased the activity and dropped 60# of fat, 6 meals a day 2000+ calories.

key phrase INCREASED THE ACTIVITY.... and you were most likely in starvation mode...icreasing cals in the long run raised your metabolism and thus fat burning ability....so you are thinking ..."wow i added 1200 cals and i am losing weight, so a cal is not a cal" .........well yes, it is.


and i should make it more clear....im saying, more than a cal is a cal is a cal.. its all about HOW MANY CALS YOU BURN vs TAKE IN AT THE END OF THE DAY that ULTIMATELY determines fat loss. so at the end of the day its ONLY CALORIES (burnt vs taken in ) that matter.


look you can eat 2000 cals from sugar or 2000 cals from fat and/or protein and ONLY in that case you will lose more WEIGHT in the protein/fat group but that is because of WATER loss and the *inherit metabolic advantage of ketosis* yes its true you can eat more ( protein and fat) while in ketosis and lose weight than if you ate the same cals from carbs and not being in ketosis..... thats the ONLY exception and to be honest i dont think it can really be considered an exception because the extra weight loss may be (most likely) water/glycogen.

 

[Gladiola]

ladies ladies...trust me

No

 

[Gladiola]

The point of the thread wasn't, "How many cals should I eat?" The point of the thread was "WHAT should I be eating?"

Anyone else have input? Please.

 

[Temple]

are you saying that insulin response is irrelevant then????

Spats - when you rotate carbs do are your calories reduced on low carb days or do you increase the protein and fat to compensate for the lack of carbs i.e. same calories every day???

 

[NY Muscle]

are you saying that insulin response is irrelevant then????

no, not necessarily but its way overated, most of america who is fat and who happens to eat tons of simple sugars..are also LAZY SOB's and dont get off their asses...so i dont like how this insulin response is so well used as an excuse for FATNESS. but yes the insulin respones can hamper your fat loss abilities, but overall its still cals taken in vs cals burnt that determine weight/fat loss.

 

[Temple]

Spatterson - just reading about you makes me feel exhausted!

 

[Temple]

Don't give me this shit about "no full time job" if you've got a two year old you are working more than a full time job.

 

[Gladiola]

Morning Spatts!

I suppose I've gotten answers, yes, thanks. I am going to reduce the calories a little, but I already KNOW for certain from experience that I don't need to take them low to lose. Otherwise I already got some soy milk & am giving up the yogurt as well.

I mostly just need a plan I can stick to & I hope having it in black & white will be helpful - nothing to think about!

Thanks again