Is This the Right Amout of Calories?

Nutrition
1

I wanted to post on T-Nation because I know I will get some no bullshit answers.Which is what I’m looking for. Currently I weigh about 308lbs and stand at 6’1". My doctor says I’m at a pre-diabetic state and if I don’t do something now I’m going to end up in a world of hurt. I have a diet in mind but I wanted some opinions.I’ve listed it below.

Breakfast
2 eggs
2 pieces of toast
1 tsp butter
2 cups of fruit
1 protien shake

Lunch
4 onces of meat
1 cup of pasta
1 cup fruit
1 cup vegetables
12 onces of water

Snack
Whole wheat peanut butter and jelly sandwich
1 cup of fruit
1 protein shake

Dinner
4 onces of chicken
2-3 cups of mixed vegetables
12 onces of water

Snack (P.M.)
1 cup of oatmeal wirh milk
1 protein shake

I also wanted to know if this is to little calories or is it just right. I read I need about 3,085 calories a day.Thanks all to who respond.

2

It could be the right amount of calories…check it yourself on nutritiondata.com however it depends on what your goal is. you should add a meal between breakfast and lunch and then you have your pre, peri, and post workout. Notice you are intaking alot of your dietary fat with starchy carbs. I would recommend starchy carbs for your dinner with the veggies at lunch and less carbs before bed.

3

Well, the first thing to understand is that “pre-diabetic state” refers to an increasing insensitivity (or resistance) to the effects of insulin. You must reverse this process.

Do a search for “Berardi’s 7 habits” and base a new plan around this. Also, daily exercise should be considered mandatory and good amounts of fish oil as well.

4

The calories seem fine. You should read the article by Berardi, because to be honest your diet is pretty bad, especially if your pre-diabetic. Its a start though.

Cut out the jelly with your sandwich and pasta for lunch, and you probably shouldn’t be eating oatmeal before bed. 4 ounces of meat isn’t a lot, and you could probably easily double it per meal.

I will try to explain this as I understand it, but I am not qualified and somebody will probably do a better job of it. But, carbohyrdrates are broken down into sugars in the blood. Simple carbs, like jelly, sugar, white bread, and pasta, are broken down faster. Complex carbs, oatmeal,whole wheat products, are broken down slower.

This raise in blood sugar prompts an increase in insulin. If you are diabetic, it means you can’t regulate your blood sugar/insulin and it can be a pretty dangerous situation. Also, if your body doesn’t need the carbs/sugars for energy, they are converted to fat.

In the morning, after you have fasted for 8 hours you can process carbs better. The insulin basically acts as a transport mechanism to move the sugars into the muscles. It goes towards fueling you for the day, instead of getting converted to fat. Post workout, after your muscles have used the sugar for energy, the carbs will be used to refuel the muscles.

Read some of Berardi’s articles, as Chillain stated, and do some research on low carb diets, insulin sensitivity, and diet induced diabetes. That will do a better job of explaining things than I can.

I was wondering what your doctor told you to do?

5

Berardi’s 7 habits is a great idea, as mentioned. For your specific question, my standard answer - are you meeting realistic goals, like losing a couple pounds a week or so? Yes, then it’s the right amount. No, then adjust it down. Keep in mind also that as you lose weight, you will need less, so plan on adjusting for that as well with the aforementioned “Formula.”

Additionally, at 308 I would imagine you can lose more than a couple a week for a while, but it’s a starting point.