Critique My Diet!

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
1

Well to start a bit about me, Im fairly new to T-Nation, been a member for a few months but just now started really paying attention and posting, I am now getting SERIOUS about getting into shape. Im not sure of my exact weight, Ill be getting it soon but for the purposes of this post 300-350. Im 6’ with a pretty big frame.

Im following Bill Phillips “Body For Life” program to shed all these unwanted pounds and get fit before I start trying to pack on all the lean mass. I like the program so far, its balanced between eating and excersize, but onto my question, the following is a sample of everything I have/will eat today and their values in a (serving)calorie/protein/carbs fashion. and the values are based on one serving. My goal of course is to lose all my excess fat and become lean mean sum bitch.

Breakfast
Kashi Cereal (1) 110/4/25
Cheese Stick (1) 80/7/1

Lunch(12pm pre-workout)
Cheese (1) 70/8/1
Muscle Milk (1) 348/32/12
Triscuits (1) 120/3/20
Turkey Breast Slices (3) 20/5/0

Snack(1:30pm after workout)
ABB Extreme Body 50 (1) 250/50/8

Dinner(6pm-Tuna salad energy bar/drink)
Tuna (2.5)60/13/0
Fat Free Mayo (2)10/0/2
Pickle Slices (1) 0/0/1
Triscuits (1) 120/3/20
Greens+ Energy Bar (1) 175/10/20
Stacker 2 Energy Drink (1) 130/0/34

Late Snack( 9pm)
Muscle milk RTD (1) 250/32/10

Totals
1883 Calories
134 Total(not net) carbs
196g Protein

Thats just from today, and in a little while I wont have the muscle milk(just trying it out)I think Im going to try and find a high protein low carb/calorie supplement. Also, on a normal day I probably wouldnt have the greens+ or stacker. So I think its safe to say that on average, I would run between 1500-1800 calories, 75-100 total carbs, and protein would be right around 200, now I know basically a person should have 1g of protein per lb. so should I also look to increase my protein intake?

Thanks in advance to any input! Let me know if any more information is needed to get a good idea if this will work, again, Im trying to shed all the unwanted pounds, but Id also like to replace it with a fair amount of muscle. So, what should I increase or decrease, or am I just about in the right spot??? Let me know!

2

Here’s a few articles I think you should read:

http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=172food
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459493
http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=209lean
http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=210lean

But as for some specific comments…

First, I think you need to greatly reduce the number of supplements that you’re using. They’re supposed to be supplements, not staples of your diet. Replace them with real, solid food (like the stuff mentioned in those articles). Add some fruits and veggies to your diet, and drop the Triscuits.

Second, I think you’re WAAAY too hypocaloric. You’re going to lose a lot of weight initially, but you’re going to end up with a severely depressed metabolism that’s going to make it hard to keep losing and easy to gain the weight back.

I would say that your first step would be to start to apply Berardi’s 7 habits without worrying too much about cutting calories. Then start to maintain a food log, and track your weight weekly. Once you know how many calories you typically take in, and the effect it’s having on your weight, reduce your calories by 200-300 per day, and see where you’re at after two weeks. Continue to adjust as needed. After an initial big weight loss, plan on slowing down to about a pound a week.

Also, make sure that you’re getting adequate exercise, as well as enough sleep.

I’m the same height as you, and a year ago I weighed 265. I now weigh 205, and I’ve actually gained muscle. I wish I’d known then what I know now.

3

[quote]Myopic Rhino wrote:
Here’s a few articles I think you should read:

http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=172food
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459493
http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=209lean
http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=210lean

But as for some specific comments…

First, I think you need to greatly reduce the number of supplements that you’re using. They’re supposed to be supplements, not staples of your diet. Replace them with real, solid food (like the stuff mentioned in those articles). Add some fruits and veggies to your diet, and drop the Triscuits.

Second, I think you’re WAAAY too hypocaloric. You’re going to lose a lot of weight initially, but you’re going to end up with a severely depressed metabolism that’s going to make it hard to keep losing and easy to gain the weight back.

I would say that your first step would be to start to apply Berardi’s 7 habits without worrying too much about cutting calories. Then start to maintain a food log, and track your weight weekly. Once you know how many calories you typically take in, and the effect it’s having on your weight, reduce your calories by 200-300 per day, and see where you’re at after two weeks. Continue to adjust as needed. After an initial big weight loss, plan on slowing down to about a pound a week.

Also, make sure that you’re getting adequate exercise, as well as enough sleep.

I’m the same height as you, and a year ago I weighed 265. I now weigh 205, and I’ve actually gained muscle. I wish I’d known then what I know now.[/quote]

He be right. Very much so. Must take advice. Really.

4

Does that really seem like a lot of supplements? just on the protein? Honestly, If I could skip spending money on those things I would, I think one shake a day is a good idea if its a good supplement with an amino profile. But anyway, the reason I take so many protein shakes throughout the day is to get my protein intake up, and maybe that meal sample was a bad example, after reading those links, and thanks for posting them, I think Ive got a pretty good grasp on good nutrition, I do eat along those guidelines now, and on most other days fruits and vegies are a big part of my food, as well as good carbs and lean meats, but my current schedule makes it VERY hard to eat frequently, small, and complete, so im left with chugging protein shakes. Its good to hear that I can stand to raise my calorie intake, I was suprised it was so low.

Heres some more information. I work out six days a week with the following schedule
M-Upper body
T-Cardio
W-Lower body
TR-Cardio
F-Upper body
Sat-Cardio
Sun-Rest

This raises another question, does anyone feel that the lower body workouts and cardio so close together would lead to overtraining? My cardio consists of 20min a day running, varying my heart-rate.

So the overall question still remains, it seems I should increase my calories, and based on that article I shouldnt worry about the calories too much as long as I eat correctly, but should I increase my protein as well?

5

Because of your young training age (newbie) and because you’re over 300 pounds, I think you should just continue what you’re doing without any changes as long as you’re receiving results. I mean, I could pick your diet apart and say you shouldn’t be this and that but because your diet is probably cleaner than one you ate before the fat is going to rip out of your body fast (btw, obese individuals usual hold a lot of lbm under their fat).

You could add calories and protein, but at your high fat levels the fat should act as a protein-sparing effect. At minimum, your mainenance calories is probably around 3900 calories. Just a guess.

For now, keep things simple, don’t incorporate too much advice from supplement ads, the latest “cutting-edge” reaserch, and so forth. (You’re checking out “amino acid profiles” in your protein shake? Let that go for now.) When your fat loss begins to taper off (maybe at 225 pounds, don’t know), chuck the BFL program and check out the links in Vroom’s “Are you a beginner II” thread and implement some new ideas.

6

[quote]The Monk wrote:
Because of your young training age (newbie) and because you’re over 300 pounds, I think you should just continue what you’re doing without any changes as long as you’re receiving results. I mean, I could pick your diet apart and say you shouldn’t be this and that but because your diet is probably cleaner than one you ate before the fat is going to rip out of your body fast (btw, obese individuals usual hold a lot of lbm under their fat).

You could add calories and protein, but at your high fat levels the fat should act as a protein-sparing effect. At minimum, your mainenance calories is probably around 3900 calories. Just a guess.

For now, keep things simple, don’t incorporate too much advice from supplement ads, the latest “cutting-edge” reaserch, and so forth. (You’re checking out “amino acid profiles” in your protein shake? Let that go for now.) When your fat loss begins to taper off (maybe at 225 pounds, don’t know), chuck the BFL program and check out the links in Vroom’s “Are you a beginner II” thread and implement some new ideas.[/quote]

Thanks for the Advice Monk, yeah, I work at a vitamin/sports nutrition store so its just natural I know what goes into all the diferent supplements, I do intend to have a different program after I get lean, Ive been reading into recovery time and training effects on muscles, and I dont think BFL is geared towards gains as much as it is losing weight, but thats what I need right now anyway, so Ill keep at it! And yes I do eat MUCH cleaner than I did before, and its amazing the difference that makes in itself, thanks again monk!