Kindly Criticize My Diet

Nutrition
1

This has been consistent for the last 6-8 weeks. I eat this every day, with some minor variations during the weekends.

0800
100g salmon
3 x whole eggs
1 cup spinach
1 cup oats in juice

1000
1 x pear
1 x mandarin
25g dark chocolate

1200
1/3 cup brown rice (pre cooking)
125g lean beef
50g raw mixed nuts (cashew, almond, brazil)
1 cup mixed veges

1400
1 x banana
1 x kiwifruit

1600
1/3 cup brown rice (pre cooking)
125g lean beef
50g raw mixed nuts (cashew, almond, brazil)
1 cup mixed veges

2000
300g grilled chicken breast
3 whole eggs
2 medium potatos
1 medium kumara
2 cups mixed veges
25g dark chocolate

Beverages 3+ litres of water per day. No coffee, tea, soda etc, minimal alcohol except every second weekend when I tend to binge.

I cook my meat etc in olive oil. I use butter often but no sauces and not much cheese.

I use no protein powders or dairy foods.

…I haven’t worked out the details but it seems to have me gaining weight around 1lb per week. A bit of fat of course, as my pants have tightened in the waist. Training 3 days per week 531 full body. No cardio lately…

Any opinions on how good or bad this looks?

Stats:
29 yo
Male
93kgs
6 foot

Goal weight is 100kg before a mini cut. I’d love to achieve this before the end of the year. Without calipering, I estimate my bodyfat around 15 percent. I have visible abs when tensed, and there is muscle separation on the deltoids. Definitely a bit of grabbable mid-section fat though.

Protein 240g
Carbs 480g
Fat 220g

EDIT:
-have adjusted to include more meat and substituted brown rice with more oats
-poster below pointed out my miscalculations… was actually 5000 calories at a 20/35/45 protein/carb/fat split…

2

would you sum up macro totals…too lazy to add

3

I think its pretty solid, I mean a summary of macros would help. But you got a solid balance of protein, healthy fat, and carbs.

Its possibly a little on the higher end for carbs (especially with all the servings of fruit + potatos), but youre trying to put on weight so I really dont see too much of a problem with that.

How much protein are you getting in though ? Thats the only number that might be a little low

I mean eyeballing it real quick, im guessing youre somewhere in the ballpark of 160g a day? That would be a little low

4

If your aim is to gain some weight, then I would be eating more. Do you have a problem with dairy foods? If not, replace the fruit at 1000 with a litre of milk.

tweet

5

[quote]theBird wrote:
If your aim is to gain some weight, then I would be eating more. Do you have a problem with dairy foods? If not, replace the fruit at 1000 with a litre of milk.

tweet[/quote]

Hes been consistently gaining a pound a week for 6-8 weeks.

If he puts it on much faster than that id expect a significant amount of extra fat

6
  1. I think the 20h00 meal having such a high percentage of the daily calories (from the looks of it) is a mistake.

You should shift that to earlier in the day.

  1. You should have an alternate template for non-workout days. E.g. less carbs or differently timed meals.

  2. In any case, try to put the big calorie meal right in the morning or right after your workout.

The actual food looks very healthy.

7

Thanks guys, for your replies.

I’ve added the approximate nutritional breakdowns to the OP, but here they are:

Protein 240g *I haven’t included protein from veges etc, but I did include the oats and rice.
Carbs 480g
Fat 220g

Approximately 4000 calories at a 30/50/20 split.

8

[quote]dcm1602 wrote:
I think its pretty solid, I mean a summary of macros would help. But you got a solid balance of protein, healthy fat, and carbs.

Its possibly a little on the higher end for carbs (especially with all the servings of fruit + potatos), but youre trying to put on weight so I really dont see too much of a problem with that.

How much protein are you getting in though ? Thats the only number that might be a little low

I mean eyeballing it real quick, im guessing youre somewhere in the ballpark of 160g a day? That would be a little low[/quote]

If my protein is that low, then definitely I’d be concerned. Looking at it simply, there’s 550g of meat @ approximately 25g protein per 100g = 137+25g from the nuts = 162g + 36 from the eggs = 198g plus a bit from the chocolate, oats and rice. I’m never sure which proteins to count though.

I have been debating dropping the brown rice and possibly potatoes in favour of 2 more cups of dry oats, as the brown rice tends to bloat me and sit pretty heavy. I’m unsure if this is wise or not? I eat my oats raw in a small amount of fruit juice.

9

[quote]theBird wrote:
If your aim is to gain some weight, then I would be eating more. Do you have a problem with dairy foods? If not, replace the fruit at 1000 with a litre of milk.

tweet[/quote]
Yeah man - any large quantity of dairy (or even soy) foods and I get throat swelling and all kinds of cool shit like that. It sucks because it means I can’t use whey, so it’s expensive and a total hassle to get protein in!

10

[quote]dcm1602 wrote:

[quote]theBird wrote:
If your aim is to gain some weight, then I would be eating more. Do you have a problem with dairy foods? If not, replace the fruit at 1000 with a litre of milk.

tweet[/quote]

Hes been consistently gaining a pound a week for 6-8 weeks.

If he puts it on much faster than that id expect a significant amount of extra fat [/quote]
Sorry, I should have mentioned that before I gained this weight, I had been low carbing hard and dropped from 91kgs to 87kgs quite lean.
So I have really just piled back on my original weight plus an extra 2kgs (hopefully with less fat). What I’m trying to say here is, the next couple of months will probably tell a more honest story of my weight gain.

I really want to get to a decent 100kg-ish weight and then lean out again. I’ve got no real experience with “bulking” - I’ve always just maintained a decent diet and increased or decreased carbs to control fat.

11

[quote]Ready-2-Learn wrote:

  1. I think the 20h00 meal having such a high percentage of the daily calories (from the looks of it) is a mistake.

You should shift that to earlier in the day.

  1. You should have an alternate template for non-workout days. E.g. less carbs or differently timed meals.

  2. In any case, try to put the big calorie meal right in the morning or right after your workout.

The actual food looks very healthy.

[/quote]

  1. I train approximately 6pm and finish at 7pm, so by the time my “big” meal is prepared it’s usually 2000 - 2100. Do you think it’d be healthier to prepare the meal before training so I can smash it back directly after training?

  2. Yeah I’ve noticed some people run a different template on non-training days, but have never been quite sure what adjustments to make, or whether it’s an effective way to minimise fat gain. I could drop the rice on non-training days I guess.

12

At 29yrs old and ~15% bf, there’s literally ZERO reasons for you to be eating every 2hrs

(also plenty of reasons to not be doing it that way)

edit - plenty of whole foods though, you’ve def got that part right

13

[quote]chillain wrote:
At 29yrs old and ~15% bf, there’s literally ZERO reasons for you to be eating every 2hrs

(also plenty of reasons to not be doing it that way)

edit - plenty of whole foods though, you’ve def got that part right[/quote]

The 15% could be a bit generous; I should caliper to be more accurate. I’m just comparing it to last time I was checked and came out around 13%.

I’ve never known much about the whole timing of meals thing. Some people say it matters, others say it doesn’t.

The way I’ve looked at it is I’m eating 4 meals per day, spaced at 4 hours, with 2 snacks.

What’s your issue with eating this frequently, and what would your suggestion be?

Yeah I love whole foods. I don’t really eat any processed food, apart from chocolate obviously!

14

[quote]panzerfaust wrote:

[quote]Ready-2-Learn wrote:

  1. I think the 20h00 meal having such a high percentage of the daily calories (from the looks of it) is a mistake.

You should shift that to earlier in the day.

  1. You should have an alternate template for non-workout days. E.g. less carbs or differently timed meals.

  2. In any case, try to put the big calorie meal right in the morning or right after your workout.

The actual food looks very healthy.

[/quote]

  1. I train approximately 6pm and finish at 7pm, so by the time my “big” meal is prepared it’s usually 2000 - 2100. Do you think it’d be healthier to prepare the meal before training so I can smash it back directly after training?

  2. Yeah I’ve noticed some people run a different template on non-training days, but have never been quite sure what adjustments to make, or whether it’s an effective way to minimise fat gain. I could drop the rice on non-training days I guess.[/quote]

  3. In my opinion, the whole ‘golden hour’ and ‘must eat fast absorbed protein within 2 seconds of finishing last rep’ is, in practice, not required for optimal effect.
    Firstly, I am not hungry right after a workout. My blood is still flowing through my muscles and my mind is on being physically active. It takes an hour or so for my hunger to build. Much better to eat when that hunger has risen. More satisfying. I don’t think it’s natural to gulp down a meal a matter of minutes after heavy exercise.

  4. I certainly think that a reduction in carbs on non-training days is an easy modification to aid fat loss. That is… if you actually want to lose any bodyfat.
    You won’t really miss that oh so tasteless brown rice and potato anyway, imo.
    I don’t need to lose fat but I still cut down carbs on non-training days because frankly I enjoy a break from munching down huge bowls of rice.

15

[quote]Ready-2-Learn wrote:

[quote]panzerfaust wrote:

[quote]Ready-2-Learn wrote:

  1. I think the 20h00 meal having such a high percentage of the daily calories (from the looks of it) is a mistake.

You should shift that to earlier in the day.

  1. You should have an alternate template for non-workout days. E.g. less carbs or differently timed meals.

  2. In any case, try to put the big calorie meal right in the morning or right after your workout.

The actual food looks very healthy.

[/quote]

  1. I train approximately 6pm and finish at 7pm, so by the time my “big” meal is prepared it’s usually 2000 - 2100. Do you think it’d be healthier to prepare the meal before training so I can smash it back directly after training?

  2. Yeah I’ve noticed some people run a different template on non-training days, but have never been quite sure what adjustments to make, or whether it’s an effective way to minimise fat gain. I could drop the rice on non-training days I guess.[/quote]

  3. In my opinion, the whole ‘golden hour’ and ‘must eat fast absorbed protein within 2 seconds of finishing last rep’ is, in practice, not required for optimal effect.
    Firstly, I am not hungry right after a workout. My blood is still flowing through my muscles and my mind is on being physically active. It takes an hour or so for my hunger to build. Much better to eat when that hunger has risen. More satisfying. I don’t think it’s natural to gulp down a meal a matter of minutes after heavy exercise.

  4. I certainly think that a reduction in carbs on non-training days is an easy modification to aid fat loss. That is… if you actually want to lose any bodyfat.
    You won’t really miss that oh so tasteless brown rice and potato anyway, imo.
    I don’t need to lose fat but I still cut down carbs on non-training days because frankly I enjoy a break from munching down huge bowls of rice.
    [/quote]

  5. Yeah I get you. When I used to take protein shakes, I would feel sick as a dog after smashing one back directly after training. Now that I can’t take shakes, I feel even less inclined to eat a heavy meat meal while still recovering from my weights haha. I went to a bit more effort the last two training days and was able to eat my chicken + veges within an hour of finishing training, then I had the carbs and eggs a bit later in the evening.

  6. I’ve actually decided to drop the brown rice and replace it with oats. I definitely agree about not missing brown rice… it’s not the most amazing thing to eat twice a day in fairly large quantities. I don’t feel a huge urge to lose fat right now, as I am trying to gain weight, and from what I read it’s fairly difficult to gain weight without accumulating a bit of fat in the process. But I would definitely like to limit it!

****Diet take two:

(I’ve taken into account the suggestion of eating larger but less frequent meals)

Workout day:

0800
100g salmon
3 x whole eggs
1 cup spinach
1 cup dry oats in juice

1200
1 x pear
25g dark chocolate
200g lean beef
50g raw mixed nuts (cashew, almond, brazil)
1 cup mixed veges

1600
1 x banana
200g lean beef
50g raw mixed nuts (cashew, almond, brazil)
1 cup mixed veges

1700 (when I get home from work)
1 cup dry oats in juice

1800 WORKOUT

2000 (effectively a post workout)
300g grilled chicken breast
1 medium baked potato
2 cups mixed veges
3 whole eggs
1 cup dry oats in juice
25g dark chocolate

NON Workout day:
0800
100g salmon
3 x whole eggs
1 cup spinach
1 cup dry oats in juice

1200
1 x pear
25g dark chocolate
200g lean beef
50g raw mixed nuts (cashew, almond, brazil)
1 cup mixed veges

1600
1 x banana
200g lean beef
50g raw mixed nuts (cashew, almond, brazil)
1 cup mixed veges

2000
300g grilled chicken breast
1 medium baked potato
3 whole eggs
2 cups mixed veges
25g dark chocolate

-dropped the brown rice and half the potatoes, and removed starchy carbs from my “desk hours” meals.
-increased protein in “desk hour” meals.
-combined the 10am and 2pm snacks into my larger meals.
-carbs on workout days: 1 x potato; 3 x cups of dry oats in juice.
-carbs on non workout days: 1 x potato; 1 x cup of dry oats in juice.

16

[quote]panzerfaust wrote:
I’ve never known much about the whole timing of meals thing. Some people say it matters, others say it doesn’t.[/quote]

It doesnt matter, in the sense that total kcals are still the primary determining factor for progress. (ie. if “move-the-scale-upwards-by-any-means” is the goal)

It ABSOLUTELY does matter, in terms of preserving insulin sensitivity and minimizing fat gain. (ie. if “enjoying-yourself-along-the-way” is the goal)

If I were you, I would split that same intake over 2-3 meals max with plenty of those kcals coming postworkout. No snacks. (not that you’d really even crave em, given how large those 2-3 feedings would be)

17

I think your less carbs on non training days is a smart move. Personally, I don’t count the protein in the carb sources or nuts, as they are incomplete. Nuts are just fat, what little protein is in nuts doesn’t get absorbed without some kind of dairy, which is a problem for you.
Awesome with your whole food choices.

18

[quote]strangemeadow wrote:
I think your less carbs on non training days is a smart move. Personally, I don’t count the protein in the carb sources or nuts, as they are incomplete. Nuts are just fat, what little protein is in nuts doesn’t get absorbed without some kind of dairy, which is a problem for you.
Awesome with your whole food choices. [/quote]
Ahhh damn… I knew nuts were considered an incomplete protein, and had paired them with my beef meals thinking that would help - but if dairy is required then I am screwed haha. 26g per 100g is a lot of protein, but if my body can’t absorb it then it’s fairly unhelpful.

19

[quote]chillain wrote:

[quote]panzerfaust wrote:
I’ve never known much about the whole timing of meals thing. Some people say it matters, others say it doesn’t.[/quote]

It doesnt matter, in the sense that total kcals are still the primary determining factor for progress. (ie. if “move-the-scale-upwards-by-any-means” is the goal)

It ABSOLUTELY does matter, in terms of preserving insulin sensitivity and minimizing fat gain. (ie. if “enjoying-yourself-along-the-way” is the goal)

If I were you, I would split that same intake over 2-3 meals max with plenty of those kcals coming postworkout. No snacks. (not that you’d really even crave em, given how large those 2-3 feedings would be)

[/quote]
I’m happy to sacrifice “enjoying-myself-along-the-way” in the interest of avoiding unnecessary fat accumulation.

Today I’m trialing eating my total macros over just 3 meals (0800,1300,2000) with the exception of a cup of oats an hour before my workout.

Thanks!

20

[quote]panzerfaust wrote:
Thanks guys, for your replies.

I’ve added the approximate nutritional breakdowns to the OP, but here they are:

Protein 240g *I haven’t included protein from veges etc, but I did include the oats and rice.
Carbs 480g
Fat 220g

Approximately 4000 calories at a 30/50/20 split.[/quote]

Um…I don’t think you know how to do math. Fat has 9 cal/g while C/P both have only 4.

This is closer to 5000 cal. And your percentages are about: 20/40/40 P/C/F, which is pretty terrible if you want to put on quality mass.