Diet & Training Questions from a Busy Professional

[calimuscle]

This is my first post so play nice!

I'm applying to medical school (my second career) this year and so my time is blocked off in weird chuncks. I practically carry a closet, mini-medicine/supplement cabinet, office and snack bar in my car. I have time to lift and train, but I can't pull a kitchen and perishible foods around that well. Eating out on a bodybuilding/strength training diet is difficult because of time, money and the limited choices of food on campus (burgers, mex, italian, sushi, sandwhiches, and salads). I swear the food service skimps on protien where I go. I wrote a letter to the school newspaper about it, but, of course, they didn't publish it.

Anywho -

I want to get my diet in order this year. I eat well, but I want to get serious about training. My goals are strength for freestyle wrestling and size just for looks. If I got more serious I'd get into powerlifting/strongman competitions. Right now I'm 5'11" 218 45"c 35"w 17"a and 26"q. I'm a fatass compared to the pictures I see on here and I've always had a huge lower body (genetics I guess).

I train 3-5 times a week whenever I can fit it in. I'll alternate bodypart pairings (i.e. back/bi, chest/tri, legs, shoulders) or do super/pyramid sets.

A typical day is the following:

Breakfast: Cottage Cheese, Oatmeal or yogurt.

Snack: Protein Bar

Lunch: Subway Sand.: Wheat bread. No mayo, cheese or salt. Chx breast, roast beef or club (roast beef, ham and turkey).

Dinner: Meat item, starch item, vegtable.

Post Workout: Protein Shake

Beverages: Fruit Juice, Milk or Water when I'm good. Soda when I'm not.

Supplementation:

Omega 3-6-9
CLA
ALA
Multi V/M
B Complex
Redline
DHEA
ZMA
GABA before bed

Besides eating more than 5 meals a day, does anyone have suggested improvements?

 

[Gordz24]

I don't think u are eating enough to bulk up. But maybe cut out the yogurt, juice, and soda because they are too high in sugar.

 

[Nathan]

I don't think u are eating enough to bulk up. But maybe cut out the yogurt, juice, and soda because they are too high in sugar.

This is all true. Go with diet soda and ditch the fruit juice. I would try to get in around 3500kcal a day of clean calories to bulk, though that may be too high for you. You could try eating around 2700-2800kcal/day for a couple weeks in clean food, and then start dropping it off by 100kcal/day or so each week for a month or two. Then, take two weeks of eating at maintenace (probably around 2900-3100 kcal for you right now, though I could be wrong since I don't know your bf and really only you can gauge this), and then up the calories a little over maintenance for a while and focus on gaining some strength. I would structure your workouts around deadlifts, squats and BB pressing movements and concentrate on getting stronger in those lifts. Every now and then drop the weight and go higher reps but getting stronger is a good thing.

I'm rambling at this point and no longer have any direction. Go me. Hope some of that helped.

 

[Quadsweeps Sister]

I don't think u are eating enough to bulk up. But maybe cut out the yogurt, juice, and soda because they are too high in sugar.

Yogurt is not high in sugar unless you are eating the chocolate pudding yogurt, its really a good choice. Try to choose one that keeps you in the 7-14g sugar range.

I would cut the diet soda. Why drink that? Carbonation is not good for digestion and I would suggest ~ 1 gal water per 100lbs of bodyweight, but it will take a bit to adjust so expect to piss a lot at first. It is a good practice to eat meals spaced ~ 4hrs throughout the day. First meal - oats/egg/lean protein. Meal 2 - Protein shake plus strawberries or 1/2 sm banana and tsp ANPB, Meal 3 - Lean protein, salad w/ veggies or green beans + 6 oz sweet potato, Meal 4 - Shake again or food equivalent, Meal 5 - Lean protein with salad or veggies right before bed. Try that and see how you fly with it. You'll know if your portions are too big, small. Keep the shakes around 2 scoops, the Lean protein sources around 8-10oz except morning around 6-8. Oats to around 1 1/2 cup and salad can be a good bunch. Add walnuts to salad and a dressing like Newman's Olive Oil and Vinegar for the fat. Use quality food when you're eating clean, you'll save money anyway not eating crap. Cook in bulk and pack it up. Cooler + Tupperware = Happy you.

Since you are not at this point looking to become a PL or strongman, I think the Pyramid style workouts are fine focusing on more of an all around workout (visit the training forums as well as Westside Barbell and EliteFTS.com) for assistance on exercise knowledge.

I remember when I coordinated the surgical residency program at the University of Cincinnati and remember the fat and happy Med students coming into their residency...seeing them about 10weeks in and they were like gaunt, little zombies... Don't Let This Happen to You!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck to you.

 

[calimuscle]

Thanks for the advice. I don't count calories right now and probably should start. I have heard that keeping a log of food intake for a day is helpful, and I should probably spend the time doing it based upon your suggestions. I've tried the 1g protein per 1lb bodyweight and its just about impossible for my system to take that much in. I'm willing to take ideas. I've tried doubling or tripiling up on the protein per protein shake, but I find that that amount of liquid diet can be too much. Celery sticks are great for cutting with fiber during the day. Any other ideas for low calorie fiber soruces?

I'm probably at about 10-15% bf. mostly concentrated in the frontal ab area. Its flat that my body wants to get rid of (i.e. very soft with noticable lean areas surrounding). I have a concern that when I do I'll have excess skin *YUCK*.

I broke down and bought a cooler for my car that plugs into the 12V. As soon as it arrives I'll probably stock it with some fresh fruts & veggies.

The paradox of Healthcare is that people bring crap to work for everyone to eat. Donuts, candies, chocolates, fried foods, chips, fatty dips, etc. I know there is stress, but come on! Its not even high end stuff like brie or high quality breads. I see more obease people in healthcare than most other professions. I don't get it. Smack me around if I am in med school and look fatter than I am now.

Yogurt is not high in sugar unless you are eating the chocolate pudding yogurt, its really a good choice. Try to choose one that keeps you in the 7-14g sugar range.

I would cut the diet soda. Why drink that? Carbonation is not good for digestion and I would suggest ~ 1 gal water per 100lbs of bodyweight, but it will take a bit to adjust so expect to piss a lot at first. It is a good practice to eat meals spaced ~ 4hrs throughout the day. First meal - oats/egg/lean protein. Meal 2 - Protein shake plus strawberries or 1/2 sm banana and tsp ANPB, Meal 3 - Lean protein, salad w/ veggies or green beans + 6 oz sweet potato, Meal 4 - Shake again or food equivalent, Meal 5 - Lean protein with salad or veggies right before bed. Try that and see how you fly with it. You'll know if your portions are too big, small. Keep the shakes around 2 scoops, the Lean protein sources around 8-10oz except morning around 6-8. Oats to around 1 1/2 cup and salad can be a good bunch. Add walnuts to salad and a dressing like Newman's Olive Oil and Vinegar for the fat. Use quality food when you're eating clean, you'll save money anyway not eating crap. Cook in bulk and pack it up. Cooler + Tupperware = Happy you.

Since you are not at this point looking to become a PL or strongman, I think the Pyramid style workouts are fine focusing on more of an all around workout (visit the training forums as well as Westside Barbell and EliteFTS.com) for assistance on exercise knowledge.

I remember when I coordinated the surgical residency program at the University of Cincinnati and remember the fat and happy Med students coming into their residency...seeing them about 10weeks in and they were like gaunt, little zombies... Don't Let This Happen to You!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck to you.

 

[*Bunny*]

Yogurt is not high in sugar unless you are eating the chocolate pudding yogurt, its really a good choice. Try to choose one that keeps you in the 7-14g sugar range.

I would cut the diet soda. Why drink that? Carbonation is not good for digestion and I would suggest ~ 1 gal water per 100lbs of bodyweight, but it will take a bit to adjust so expect to piss a lot at first. It is a good practice to eat meals spaced ~ 4hrs throughout the day. First meal - oats/egg/lean protein. Meal 2 - Protein shake plus strawberries or 1/2 sm banana and tsp ANPB, Meal 3 - Lean protein, salad w/ veggies or green beans + 6 oz sweet potato, Meal 4 - Shake again or food equivalent, Meal 5 - Lean protein with salad or veggies right before bed. Try that and see how you fly with it. You'll know if your portions are too big, small. Keep the shakes around 2 scoops, the Lean protein sources around 8-10oz except morning around 6-8. Oats to around 1 1/2 cup and salad can be a good bunch. Add walnuts to salad and a dressing like Newman's Olive Oil and Vinegar for the fat. Use quality food when you're eating clean, you'll save money anyway not eating crap. Cook in bulk and pack it up. Cooler + Tupperware = Happy you.

Since you are not at this point looking to become a PL or strongman, I think the Pyramid style workouts are fine focusing on more of an all around workout (visit the training forums as well as Westside Barbell and EliteFTS.com) for assistance on exercise knowledge.

I remember when I coordinated the surgical residency program at the University of Cincinnati and remember the fat and happy Med students coming into their residency...seeing them about 10weeks in and they were like gaunt, little zombies... Don't Let This Happen to You!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck to you.

FANTASTIC ^^^

 

[calimuscle]

I'm not good with emoticrons (sic). Can you please translate?