Need a Diet Critique Please

[RipStone]

First a little background info... I'm 18 yrs old, 146lbs, 5'8'', and I don't know my bf% but i can see my abs despite my hairy stomach. Trying to get the cover model body throguh a slow bulk but I'm a little worried about fat gain due to the fact that I used to be overweight.

Typical Diet

Breakfast(7am): half cup oats w/ 4 oz skim milk and either half a cup cottage cheese or scoop of ON whey...small portion of fruit mixed in with the oats OR cup and a half total protein cereal w/ three fouths cup skim milk and half a banana

Snack(10am): dannon light n' fit creamy yogurt w/ small handful of walnuts OR cup plain nonfat yougurt with a scoop of ON whey

Lunch(12:15): ww bread, bagel or pita w/ low sodium cold cuts (apx 3-5 oz), slice of no fat cheese. small bag of veggies (carrots, green peppers, cucumbers, etc.). and sometimes half a cup of cottage cheese

Snack(3:30pm): varies...sometimes cup of total protein (no milk) or power bar proetin plus, u-turn bar, or protein shake

Dinner(6pm): some sort of meat...usually chicken, salmon, and once a week some lean red meat. Basmati rice, sweet potato, or ww pasta. Some sort of veggies (peas, brocilli, asaparagus)

Pre-wo(7pm): 1 scoop musle milk with water

Pwo: scoop or two ON whey w/ 6 oz grape juice or gatorade and sometimes a dozen blueberries and a lil oats

before bed: half cup cottage cheese (depedning on how late my workout is i sometimes have a small bowl of oats with the cc)

what do u guys think?

[Lost Dog]

Have you figured out how many calories that is? You don't go into portions on a lot of it, but sounds low in cals if you're bulking. Also, seems low in fat.

Try using fitday.com for at least a few days worth of meals to see how much you're actually eating.

Your maint calories alone is about 2,659 calories, assuming the moderate activity level in the Harris-Benedict formula. To bulk, you would need more than that. I doubt if you're getting that much from what you listed.

I'm sorta new to this site, but I'm sure that there's a post that someone else can post that will give you the gist of a good bulking diet.

[RipStone]

I'm probably not eating quite enough but I seem to put on wight fast and like i said I am kinda worried about putting on fat due to the fact i used to weight 60lbs more than i do now. I have tried to eat like 2500+ a day and i just cant stomach all that food. ANY ADVIVE GUYS??

[emartin10]

Force the food down if you are looking to bulk. Throw in a protein shake in the 10am range, that's 300-500 calories that's easy to put down, and if you watch what you put in it (skim milk, berries, pb, whatever), it is very clean. Speaking of PB, that is packed w/ calories for the amount you are eating, so put that in your diet too. I'd say there is a bit too much sugar in there, with the bars and the yogurt (check the sugar on that, it's a lot more than I thought too). Instead of yogurt at your 10am snack, do a protein shake and some raw veggies (carrots and celery) w/ PB. That'll get you some more calories. Hope this helps...

[RipStone]

As far as protein shakes at 10am...this is at work for me. My question is how would I mix protein shakes at work? Could i mix it in a shaker when i leave in the morning or should i bring the powder with me to work and then mix it with the liquid in the shaker?

[Lost Dog]

For the 10am shake, just bring the powder and shake with water or milk at work.

Don't be afraid of fat. It is a good source of calories. Olive oil, canola oil mayo, nuts, peanut butter, dressing made with the good fats. 1 oz of walnuts is 200 calories alone! One of those little convenience store bags of peanuts has anywhere from 150 to 300 calories per bag. They go down fast, too.

Other tips are to bump up each meal and snack slightly. 2% milk instead of skim, low fat cottage cheese, instead of fat free. A whole banana instead of half. Mayo on a sandwich. Add some cheese. A cup of cottage cheese instead of 1/2 a cup.

You've got a lot of diet foods in there. Not really a problem, but not necessary if you're bulking.

[RipStone]

Are the pre made protein shakes from MetRx good? They come in a can and are easy to do vs. mixing something with powder at work. The product is called MetRX RTD 40...240cals, 40g protein, 13g carbs.

[RipStone]

Any other advice on my diet???

[Johnka]

Ripstone, how long have you been on the diet, and what sort of results have you had?

From what you listed, the diet seems a little high on simple carbs and protein powder, if your goal is to minimize fat gain. Bagels, sweetened yogurt, rice, sweet potato, pasta, protein bars - all of these can be dangerous when you eat them during a rested state (i.e., outside of the post-workout window). I would eat mostly meat, eggs, fish oil, and veggies up to the workout, then have your shake after the workout, followed by one meal with a good carb source (rice or sweet potato). Then cottage cheese and 1/4 cup walnuts before bed.

[RipStone]

I have been clean eating for about 8-12 months but latley I have been reading up alot more on nutriton ans such(thanks to message boards like this). I have been on a diet similar to this for a while...not this diet exactlty for about 3 months. My goal is to have a cover model body and I am getting closer everyday. However, I don't have enough muscle yet and still a bit too much fat(for my standards). I am not heavy by any means (5'8", 146lbs), I just e more wanna be ,I just wanna be more ripped.

[RipStone]

Johnka...I know you are an expert on this stuff...do you think you can write me up a sample diet using similar foods to what I am currently eating. I'm a little confused about some of the info in your response in regards to carbs.

[RipStone]

I read Johnka's article on wannabebig.com and learned (via carb timing and insulin managemnt paragraphs)that I should have grains and simple carbs only for PWO meal(an hour or two after the PWO shake). For the rest of the day I should be getting my carbs from fruit and veggies. The only thing I am concerned about regarding thisplan is how I am going to eat enough calories throughout the day by only eating veggies and fruit, instead of grains. For exampple, I usually have oatmeal for breakfast...so what could I eat(i was thinking eggs but i do not have time in the morning to make the) HELP!!

[Johnka]

Originally posted by RipStone:
I read Johnka's article on wannabebig.com and learned (via carb timing and insulin managemnt paragraphs)that I should have grains and simple carbs only for PWO meal(an hour or two after the PWO shake). For the rest of the day I should be getting my carbs from fruit and veggies. The only thing I am concerned about regarding thisplan is how I am going to eat enough calories throughout the day by only eating veggies and fruit, instead of grains. For exampple, I usually have oatmeal for breakfast...so what could I eat(i was thinking eggs but i do not have time in the morning to make the) HELP!!

Glad to see you read my cutting article [img]smile.gif[/img]

If you want to up the calories for a slow bulk, just add one or two carb-heavy meals some time during the day (brown rice; lentils; split peas). Try to keep it simple: avoid pre-packaged foods as much as possible to minimize fat gain (bars, sugary/salty, chemicals, etc).

[RipStone]

Revised Diet:

Breakfast(7am): 1/2c oats, 4 oz skim milk, 1/2 scoop ON whey, peach

Snack(10am): Celery and 2 tbsp natty pb or carrots and two dozen almonds

Lunch(12:20): ww pita w/ slice ff cheese, 4-5oz low sodium turkey cold cuts, bag of veggies OR 1c brown rice w/ boneless, skinless chicken breast, and veggies

Snack(3:30) apple and cup of toal protein or go lean kashi cereal (no milk)

Pre-WO(4:45): scoop of muscle milk and 4 oz skim milk OR berries and tbsp natty pb

PWO(6:45): 1 scoop ON whey w/ 8 oz gatorade OR grape juice

Dinner(8): chicken breast(or some kind of fish), 1c brown rice(or sweet potato, ww pasta), veggies(sometimes a dinner salad also)

Before bed: 1/2 cup cottage cheese

How does this look now? I have tried to increase frutis and veggies and limit my simple carbs when I am not working out.

[Johnka]

This one looks a lot better to me. You might also add some EFA's to your before bed snack. Here's one of my favorite nightcaps for this purpose:

http://people.smu.edu/jowillia/recip...otch_shake.htm

[RipStone]

Still not sure what EFA's are?