Can I eat any cleaner/better than this? Need a little feedback to get lean...

[browndog1]

Okay, so I'm on the diet quest for the first time ever. I've never eaten clean - ever. I've gotten huge and eaten huge, been on AAS many times, and have worked out for years. I got up to 275 at one point and was bloated and strong as an ox. I don't want to be that person again - I haven't been for sometime anyways.

Fast forward a little - I weighed 240-242 or so in January (after a couple of years "off"), and decided that I was ready to see my abs for the first time in my life. I started lifting hard again after sporatic gym visits throughout the last year, and got into doing cardio regularly (4x a week, first time ever consistently), and mainly, I really changed the way I ate. Eating better is the hardest thing I've ever done, but I've gotten used to it. Oh, and the Glucorell, Sesapure, and Leveorex hasn't hurt either. As a matter of fact, I attribute much of my inital success to those items.

Since January, I've slimmed down to 223-224lbs through diet and exercise, and I feel great. I've never been this lean and muscular at the same time, I have gone down a pant size, and can see the beginnings of abs (faint beginnings!!). I'm still lifting 5 days a week (1 bodypart per week), and doing 35min of elliptical 4-5 days a week.

Here's where I need your help though:
I'm eating the best way I know how - which I'll be the first to admit, it probably isn't that great. But I think I'm eating clean. It's the cleanest way I know how as of right now. Remember, I've never eaten good before - ever - and although I understand (kind of) how eating and dieting works, and "get" many of the principles of eating properly, I am the first to admit that I have no idea how to eat for true leanness. I know diet is paramount in the quest for shreddedness, and I accept that.

I would imagine that I'm somewhere in the mid-high teens in bodyfat % if I had to guess - I'm 6'5" with a ~36" waist. Like I said, I can see some intercostals and the beginnings of abs - but I'm at a plateau, and I think it's the diet that needs addressing. I'd like to be 10-12%, or whatever it would take to see maybe a 4-pack - that is my goal at least. I have good muscle definition and am strong, veins coming in in the forearms, bi's and shoulders that I couldn't see before, etc. - I'm versed in the AAS and muscle building, so I feel like I'm good there.

So here's what I'm eating. Please give me your honest feedback, and help me get leaner.


Meal 1 - South Beach Bar and 2 scoops Optimum Nutrition whey in water
140 240 = 380 calories
5 2 = 7g fat
15 6 = 21g carbs
10 48 = 58g protein

Meal 2 - 2 scoops ON whey in water
240 cals
2g fat
6g carbs
48g protein

Meal 3 - 8oz chicken, tortilla, cheese, salsa
220 80 120 20 = 440 calories
5g 2 10 0 = 17g fat
0 12 0 4 = 16g carbs
46g 3 6 0 = 55g protein

Meal 4 - 2 scoops ON whey in water
240 cals
2g fat
6g carbs
48g protein

Snack - 1 oz almonds
170 cals
16g fat
5g carbs
6g protein

Meal 5 - 8oz chicken, carrots or green beans
220 35 - 255 cals
5 0 - 5g fat
0 9 - 9g carbs
46 1 - 47g protein

Meal 6 - 2 scoops ON whey in water
240 cals
2g fat
6g carbs
48g protein

Total
1965 calories
51g fat
69g carbs
310g protein


I cheat about 2-3 times a week, and by cheat, I mean a single meal in a single day, which usually means going out for fajitas, or getting a big salad with chicken on it. Not too bad in my opinion.

So thanks in advance for the feedback. I am humbled in asking for help, but I don't know how to move forward from here without it!



...bd

 

[browndog1]

I re-read my post and maybe I'm not giving myself enough credit in the bodyfat % department. I really don't know what it is, but I feel like with my description of my fitness level, you can decide on the %.

 

[fiction agent]

So here's what I'm eating. Please give me your honest feedback, and help me get leaner.


Meal 1 - South Beach Bar and 2 scoops Optimum Nutrition whey in water
140 240 = 380 calories
5 2 = 7g fat
15 6 = 21g carbs
10 48 = 58g protein

South Beach Bars are for old ladies without will power. You should switch it up with oats or bran. Instead of protein powder, I'd shoot for egg whites.

Meal 2 - 2 scoops ON whey in water
240 cals
2g fat
6g carbs
48g protein

Unless you're pressed on time, you should eat real foods over protein powder. Look at a chicken salad or tuna or something along those lines.

Meal 3 - 8oz chicken, tortilla, cheese, salsa
220 80 120 20 = 440 calories
5g 2 10 0 = 17g fat
0 12 0 4 = 16g carbs
46g 3 6 0 = 55g protein

Meal 4 - 2 scoops ON whey in water
240 cals
2g fat
6g carbs
48g protein

Again, do not substitute real foods with protein powders. Chicken, tuna, cottage cheese = use these to get your protein count up.

Snack - 1 oz almonds
170 cals
16g fat
5g carbs
6g protein

Meal 5 - 8oz chicken, carrots or green beans
220 35 - 255 cals
5 0 - 5g fat
0 9 - 9g carbs
46 1 - 47g protein

Meal 6 - 2 scoops ON whey in water
240 cals
2g fat
6g carbs
48g protein

Total
1965 calories
51g fat
69g carbs
310g protein


I cheat about 2-3 times a week, and by cheat, I mean a single meal in a single day, which usually means going out for fajitas, or getting a big salad with chicken on it. Not too bad in my opinion.
...bd

Overall, you need more vegetables, good carbs (brown rice, oats, etc) and protein from real foods and not powders. You should only rely on powders when it's not possible to cook or eat anything else. Also, protein bars contain unnecessary sugars, among other things. Plus, your caloric intake is too low for your body weight. Use olive oil to keep your fats up.

 

[partagus]

It's not a terrible diet, but you can make a few changes that will help. If it were me, this is what I would do.

Change meal #1 all together-Eat some eggs (I eat one egg, three egg whites), throw in some lean turkey and scramble it all together-less fat, less carbs, more filling. If you are worried about the protein, mix a sake with protein powder (2g carbs) and lite soy milk (2g carbs) or water. That will make up for the difference in protein.

Meal #3-Buy some whole wheat low carb tortillas (5g carbs) and substitute for regular tortilla. Cheese and salsa aren't the best, but hell man, you have to have some flavor!

Get rid of the carrots all together. Stay with green beans, add some broccoli, I also like zucchini or artichokes

Mix it up. Add in a few cans of tuna here and there, add in some turkey, add in some (Dare I say it again?) ANPB and celery sticks.

In my opinion, you are drinking too many shakes. Add in some cottege cheese. The reason why you are cheating so much on your diet is because it's very PLAIN AND BORING! Switch it up. If you want some eacy recipes, send me an e-mail and tell me what foods you like and I will put together some recipes for you. Good luck Bro.

[email protected]

 

[fiction agent]

If you are worried about the protein, mix a sake with protein powder (2g carbs) and lite soy milk (2g carbs) or water. That will make up for the difference in protein.

Soy has been proven to raise estrogen levels in men. If you're only using a few ounces, you're better off with skim milk.

 

[partagus]

I didn't know that about soy and estrogen levels. Is that why I keep crying at Halmark commercials? Very good info. So it will be bye bbye to soy and hello to skim. Thank you!

 

[browndog1]

Thanks for the input folks.

So should I be happy with my results at this point - about 15 pounds lost in 3 months? I'd like to hold on to the muscle I have (that's why I'm trying to keep the protein up with the shakes), so I don't get down below 220. I don't know, it's kind of a mental thing to me - when I think of someone who is 6'5" and below 220, it says, "skinny" to me.

I would also like to lose some more fat obviously. A few of the suggestions above were to add carbs to my morning meal. But if I'm trying to get leaner, shouldn't I leave the carbs out as much as possible?

If I were to change my Meal #1 to egg whites and oats or turkey and change out the carrots for green beans (I already eat the lo-carb tortillas), and change out another "Shake-only" meal to turkey or cottage cheese or whatever, is this really going to change things for me over time? How?

From what I've read, my maintenence cals for a day is around 2700 (12 cals x 225lbs). I eat around 2000 cals, and then cardio reduces that by 500 4-5 days a week. Is eating MORE clean calories actually going to help me lose fat? I've always be a follower of the calories in calories out weight loss theory - eat 500 cals under maintenence for 7 days, you create a 3500 calorie deficit, and you lose 1 pound.

So is simply changing up a couple of my meals really going to accelerate this process?

 

[browndog1]

oh yeah, so how are my counts on protein, carbs, and fats? Pretty decent? Where should I be with regard to percentages on those numbers? Why would eating more fat (in the form of Flax or olive oil) help me to lose more fat?

Also, why would I want to eat "good carbs" like brown rice and oats if I'm trying to lose fat? Shouldn't I stay away from carbs?

lastly - post workout I usually do a shake and a piece of fruit. Is this adequate?


Thanks again.
..bd

 

[browndog1]

So just as a point of reference, my bf is about what this guy's is. I think I'm probably taller and have a little more muscle mass on me (he weighs 170 so there's some big differences somewhere obviously). He says he's 12% - I'm not sure how accurate that is, but I'm terrible at estimating bf, so I'll just say mine is *about* what this guy's is in his "side relaxed" picture, whatever that may be.

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=543234

 

[wlmcrae]

Thanks for the input folks.

So should I be happy with my results at this point - about 15 pounds lost in 3 months?

Without knowing what your bf% was and is, this number is perfect - right on the mark for losing the textbook 1-2lbs of fat mass per week.

I'd like to hold on to the muscle I have (that's why I'm trying to keep the protein up with the shakes), so I don't get down below 220. I don't know, it's kind of a mental thing to me - when I think of someone who is 6'5" and below 220, it says, "skinny" to me.

I would also like to lose some more fat obviously. A few of the suggestions above were to add carbs to my morning meal. But if I'm trying to get leaner, shouldn't I leave the carbs out as much as possible?

If I were to change my Meal #1 to egg whites and oats or turkey and change out the carrots for green beans (I already eat the lo-carb tortillas), and change out another "Shake-only" meal to turkey or cottage cheese or whatever, is this really going to change things for me over time? How?

From what I've read, my maintenence cals for a day is around 2700 (12 cals x 225lbs). I eat around 2000 cals, and then cardio reduces that by 500 4-5 days a week. Is eating MORE clean calories actually going to help me lose fat? I've always be a follower of the calories in calories out weight loss theory - eat 500 cals under maintenence for 7 days, you create a 3500 calorie deficit, and you lose 1 pound.

So is simply changing up a couple of my meals really going to accelerate this process?

You probably don't want to accelerate the process. From your numbers, again, you are perfectly on target. The nutrient types you may want to switch up, but the calorie theory you're using is on the money.