Hi Jim,
First up thanks for 5/3/1, I really enjoy it. So far everything goes as planned.
My question to you is, how should I eat if I am a skinny fat beginner?
I have searched the internet, but one person says eat this, and another person says no do not eat like that, but like this.
It drives me crazy. And then they try to sell me something magical.
While I am only looking for some good guidelines.
What is your opinion on this? What do you recommend?
I do not have a large budget, the only thing I can buy each month is a bucket of protein powder and some multi vitamins. And everyday food like bread and supper.
Can you help me out?
Friendly regards
Don’t overthink this brotha, just make sure you’re training for strength and eating sufficient protein. As Dan John says, eat like an adult (aka cut out cookies and cake and other bullshit).
Don’t be afraid of carbs like potatoes and rice either because thats whats going to fuel your pursuit of strength.
Also, make sure you’re doing SOME type of conditioning, even if it’s just walking. Run hills, push/pull a sled/prowler, jump rope, play around with kettlebells, there are literally hundreds of options. Don’t worry to much about supplements, except like you said the protein, as that’ll probably be beneficial and convenient.
[quote]USCZachD wrote:
Don’t overthink this brotha, just make sure you’re training for strength and eating sufficient protein. As Dan John says, eat like an adult (aka cut out cookies and cake and other bullshit).
[/quote]
Exactly this.
Not Jim, obviously, but just some input from my experience…
The reason you’re getting frustrated with the food advice you’re seeing is that there are certain GENERAL guidelines that tend to work, but a lot of people will come up with extra, unnecessary rules to impose on themselves and flip out if other people don’t follow them.
Protein shakes and multi-vitamins are very useful tools to get you where you want to be, so you’re on the right track. Maybe a fish oil supplement could be added if it’s in your budget.
If you CONTINUE to follow a proven program like 5/3/1 that makes you stronger over the long term and just don’t make any EXTREME mistakes (i.e., eat 10,000 calories a day when you’re 230 pounds, eat 500 calories a day when you’re 120 pounds, go on a NO-protein diet, go on an ALL-carb diet), you’ll be getting to where you want to be. That is what is actually “magical”—not the gimmicks.
Jim has a great article on T Nation that’s brilliant in its simplicity of cutting out the BS and focusing on what everybody actually already knows when it comes to eating. Here’s the link:
http://www.T-Nation.com/strength-training-topics/1464