Getting Back Into The Game

Diet and Nutrition
1

Hi all,

It’s been a while since I’ve been on here, but I’m starting to read the forums again.

I’ll start with stats and some relevant background, describe training, then propose the diet I’m considering following. Assume that I like the taste of all the food (i.e. if you find it unpalatable, don’t worry about it).

Current Stats: 5’10, 180lbs
Goal: gain muscle (bb-ing focused, but also interested in strength as an ancillary characteristic of my training).
Relevant Background: I’ve been training seriously for something since late high school, but I started seriously weight training about four years ago. As of May 2012, I was 205lbs with decent strength (e.g., squat 350x14, bench 275x3) and had kept myself fairly lean at 205 (had defined six pack, etc). (Edit, just wanted to say that I’ve been dialed in as far as diet and such is concerned for less time: since Feb. 2011 or so).

In May, many medical issues came to a head (some background can be found in the TRT forum), and my doctors and (more importantly) parents were seriously concerned about the effect of serious resistance training for me. They all requested that, if I’m going to be an athlete, that I go back to running or something else that doesn’t have the resistance dimension.

After some pretty stressful months, my medical issues have now been sorted out, and I’ve gotten the green light from doctors and family to start lifting. They had all been okay with my doing moderate weight while they were determining what was wrong with me, so I haven’t lost all the gains I had made before. But I’m definitely set back.

So here’s my current situation: I want to get back in the game, and I’m thinking of taking a pretty aggressive approach to getting my old size and strength back. I haven’t really looked around to find much research or anything regarding bouncing back, but I suppose I’m wondering whether my body will sort of “remember” its old self and have an easier time with an increased calorie load.

Here’s my current diet plan. Hoping for some input as to whether it seems like a reasonable approach:

AM: either walk or jog 30 mins.

Meal1: 1/2 can salmon (300 cals), 8oz broccoli (400 total)

Meal2: other half can salmon, two cans tuna, two sweet potatoes, 16oz broccoli, two scoops whey (~800 cals)

Train (2hrs)

Meal 3 (PWO): two scoops whey, two sweet potatoes, two cans tuna, 300 cals of string cheese (~800 cals)

Meal 4: 1 serving almonds, 1 can mackerel (560 cals)

Meal 5: 1 serving almonds, 1/2 can salmon or 16oz chicken breasts, 4 fish oil caps (500 cals)

Meal 6: Dinner: 16oz chicken breasts and 16-32 oz broccoli (460 cals)

Meal 7: two tbsp PB and two scoops whey (500 cals)

Sometimes I will also do another Meal 7 before bed.

That’s in the 4k-5k range and seems to include plenty of protein. Earlier this year, I made great gains on the Anabolic Diet, so having carbs in the form of sweet potatoes is new for me.

Does that seem like a reasonably well put-together diet? I should mention that I am lactose intolerant, so I can only handle solid cheeses and some whey. I’m also gluten intolerant, and oatmeal …can do bad things to me (this relates to GI issues associated with above-mentioned medical issues).

Any input appreciated.

2

You really see yourself knocking back multiple tins of canned fish every day?

3

I tried to edit the earlier post to note that I sometimes nix the salmon in favor of an equivalent amount (calorie wise) of eggs.

4

[quote]The3Commandments wrote:
Hi all,

It’s been a while since I’ve been on here, but I’m starting to read the forums again.

I’ll start with stats and some relevant background, describe training, then propose the diet I’m considering following. Assume that I like the taste of all the food (i.e. if you find it unpalatable, don’t worry about it).

Current Stats: 5’10, 180lbs
Goal: gain muscle (bb-ing focused, but also interested in strength as an ancillary characteristic of my training).
Relevant Background: I’ve been training seriously for something since late high school, but I started seriously weight training about four years ago. As of May 2012, I was 205lbs with decent strength (e.g., squat 350x14, bench 275x3) and had kept myself fairly lean at 205 (had defined six pack, etc). (Edit, just wanted to say that I’ve been dialed in as far as diet and such is concerned for less time: since Feb. 2011 or so).

In May, many medical issues came to a head (some background can be found in the TRT forum), and my doctors and (more importantly) parents were seriously concerned about the effect of serious resistance training for me. They all requested that, if I’m going to be an athlete, that I go back to running or something else that doesn’t have the resistance dimension.

After some pretty stressful months, my medical issues have now been sorted out, and I’ve gotten the green light from doctors and family to start lifting. They had all been okay with my doing moderate weight while they were determining what was wrong with me, so I haven’t lost all the gains I had made before. But I’m definitely set back.

So here’s my current situation: I want to get back in the game, and I’m thinking of taking a pretty aggressive approach to getting my old size and strength back. I haven’t really looked around to find much research or anything regarding bouncing back, but I suppose I’m wondering whether my body will sort of “remember” its old self and have an easier time with an increased calorie load.

Here’s my current diet plan. Hoping for some input as to whether it seems like a reasonable approach:

AM: either walk or jog 30 mins.

Meal1: 1/2 can salmon (300 cals), 8oz broccoli (400 total)

Meal2: other half can salmon, two cans tuna, two sweet potatoes, 16oz broccoli, two scoops whey (~800 cals)

Train (2hrs)

Meal 3 (PWO): two scoops whey, two sweet potatoes, two cans tuna, 300 cals of string cheese (~800 cals)

Meal 4: 1 serving almonds, 1 can mackerel (560 cals)

Meal 5: 1 serving almonds, 1/2 can salmon or 16oz chicken breasts, 4 fish oil caps (500 cals)

Meal 6: Dinner: 16oz chicken breasts and 16-32 oz broccoli (460 cals)

Meal 7: two tbsp PB and two scoops whey (500 cals)

Sometimes I will also do another Meal 7 before bed.

That’s in the 4k-5k range and seems to include plenty of protein. Earlier this year, I made great gains on the Anabolic Diet, so having carbs in the form of sweet potatoes is new for me.

Does that seem like a reasonably well put-together diet? I should mention that I am lactose intolerant, so I can only handle solid cheeses and some whey. I’m also gluten intolerant, and oatmeal …can do bad things to me (this relates to GI issues associated with above-mentioned medical issues).

Any input appreciated.[/quote]

looks like a lot of food. ha hope it goes well.

just update us along the way.

Eventually as time goes on you should try to incoporate a variety of fruits and vegetables just from a health perspective, you know micronutrients and stuff. But looks like you got everything you need macro wise to build some muscle especially if you throw some eggs in there, maybe even some butter and or coconut oil or some red meat every now and again.

btw - i know you’re not taking a ton of fishoil caps but fishoil supps may be unneccesary if the fish you are eating has Omega 3s and if you’re eating a ton of vegetables because these also tend to have some Omega 3s too. Omega 3 is definitely healthy but need to be in balance with the other EFAs

5

Thanks for the input, Paulie. Seeing your progress has been something of an inspiration to me, as I was on these boards back when you were a much heavier guy. My only apprehension is that I could benefit from adding in more carbs (currently eating four potatoes a day).

I’ve adapted pretty well to eating this much food so far. In fact, I’ve honestly been eating a bit more than what I listed. I still wake up hungry, so I guess my body is remembering what to do with food when I’m eating big. Lol, I am disappointed in myself when I wake up hungry though–like I wasn’t going for it the day before.

My lifting has gone very well. I’m about three weeks back from having been cleared and am attacking the gym bigtime. Squatted 325 for a triple yesterday, which, after six months of reverting to long distance training, feels pretty good. It sucks that I had to take a layoff, but it was probably for the best to make sure I could train intensely without worrying about my body falling apart.

I just want to get back to 200+lbs and relatively lean again!