Yep exactly. I find either way works fine for me, as long as I’ve got something to power the early AM sessions.
Are you doing two servings of powder post workout? Looks like the rest of your meals are relatively moderate protein intake. When I get a little time I’ll take a better look at your macros posted above.
Currently i’m taking 2 scoops. Starting next week i will bump my other meals to 5oz protien and drop the shakes. Admittedly i messed up prepping my meals last week. Should have been 5oz per meals 2/3/4.
Sugar from fruit IMO is not an issue. If you were drinking fruit juice like water without any other food that would be another discussion. Some people have issues with fructose but, that is overblown.
Whole fruit as a part of a diet is not an issue.
I honestly think there is nothing wrong with your diet. Could you make tweaks sure, we can all do better but, it is not necessary as you had no issues. Which is why I asked what your concern was.
If you were fatigued, hungry, or having any issues than there would be something to look into. However, you said your goal is to maintain or possibly err on the side of slightly losing.
You are maintaining on your current diet and from what I read you are feeling good or at least not having issues. So, to slightly lose I would just drop the nut butter. That would put, you in a slight deficit.
You are eating enough protein, and a good amount of carbs. You could drop your fat intake a bit with no issues.
Thanks!
The only issue is I most times feel bloated after meals and I’m wondering if it is the sugars and or fiber from the fruits. Maybe it’s just in my head too. I just feel like I retain water after eating. It goes away eventually.
Most fruits do this to me (bloat/gas) unless I keep the daily amount low (so a banana with my breakfast oats, add a date or two PWO). Blueberries don’t give me this issue but about anything else does.
Once I switched most of my carbs to Jasmine rice, stir fry veggies, gold Idaho potatoes (with oats and a banana for breakfast) my bloating went away and so did the constipation. If I start adding more bananas, for example, I get problems.
Too much of the higher sugar fruits also give me a death fatigue. Rice will do this too, even in the presence of fat or protein, but for some reason mixing rice with veggies and a potato solved that (of course keeping the protein in there).
I use white basmati rice. I don’t believe that’s my issue. It may be the apples…but I love them lol.
I was not implying that the type of rice you eat matters and I’m not sure how to got that. Jasmine is my preference, although I do avoid anything enriched. If you think apples are your problem then stop eating them and find out. Pretty simple dude.
FWIW I’ve never had trouble getting down to ~6% bodyfat natty, and I can honestly say I’ve never once paid attention to carb sources or their timing. We really like to overcomplicate things. I get a decent chunk of sugar everyday from fruit and honey, simply because I love them especially together.
I’d really only worry about carb sources and timing maybe the last week or so before a competition if I were to ever get on stage again.
Also worth adding–I’ve noticed a huge turn around in how well I can handle carbs and needing to worry less about overeating them since I began supplementing with R-Lipoic Acid. Single greatest game changer of my weightlifting career.
What’s this?
It’s an antioxidant you can find in foods like broccoli or spinach. It’s main function is to break down glucose for energy. I know it’s used with diabetics to help improve insulin sensitivity. It’s sadly overlooked in BBing community IMO.
Put me in the category of knowing nothing about R-lipoic Acid; thanks for mentioning!
Yeah, I’m always hesitant to mention it on a site that promotes C3G.
After every meal? Meals with fruit? Could be that the meals are too big. Two of them are almost 900 calories.
What are the main things you notice or benefit from when taking? And what’s your timing for taking them?
I’d say most to all meals.
I can eat more carbs. I take it in the morning.
Could you do a brief compare/contrast? You’ve caught my attention, too, haha.
Never mind, I remembered that I have google. 
I don’t know how to substitute my fruit and get those calories back. I’ve got the protein and carbs in each meal and want some fruit. I’m pretty convinced it’s the apples that are doing it to me.
Would taking this help with my bloating/water retention after eating apples/fruit? Or does it work in a different way?