My diet-critique please

[wedge]

Dieting has always been a pain for me. While I understand lifting and exercise, I have always had trouble with diet. Right now, I am five foot six, and weigh about 210, with BF somewhere in the high teens. If possible, I would like to reduce my BF, but keep my weight up.

Here is what my normal diet looks like
8 a.m.-wake up/shower/get ready for work
9 a.m.-Protein shake with first pack of Animal Pak
11 a.m.-6 hardboiled eggs/ 2 cups of oatmeal
1 p.m.-small boneless chicken breast with rice (normally flavored, like Rice a Roni, etc.)
3 p.m.-snack-banana or rice cakes usually
5 p.m.-Protein shake with second helping of Animal Pak/Animal Stak
6-8 p.m. roughly-Gym time
8 p.m.-Dinner, usually chicken and rice or beef
10 p.m.-Snack if hungry
11 p.m.-midnight-Bed

My workouts incorporate many aspects from Tiny's thread in Ask the Pros.
Monday-Back
Tuesday-Chest
Wednesday-Off
Thursday-Legs
Friday-Arms
Sat and Sun-Off

I incorporate a separate shoulder head at the conclusion of every workout, thereby allowing myself the extra day off, without needing to do shoulders. I normally do cardio, for about 20-30 minutes at least three times a week. I am also in a flag football league on Sunday afternoons, so I get some good cardio in there.

Thanks for the help.

[BrotherInArms]

The important thing is, have you been losing weight with this diet?

It looks good to me, some clean foods on that list. Don't forget to keep the meals plenty but the portions small.

Also, I'd recommend just blitzing your shoulders on one day instead of teasing them on multiple days. Your shoulders will thank you.

[LiftBig315]

Here is what my normal diet looks like
8 a.m.-wake up/shower/get ready for work (this is important part of anybodies diet ;)

9 a.m.-Protein shake with first pack of Animal Pak (where are the carbs?)

11 a.m.-6 hardboiled eggs/ 2 cups of oatmeal (6 whole eggs?) 2 cups of oatmeal has around 300 cals, 6 whole eggs has around 600 cals...

1 p.m.-small boneless chicken breast with rice (normally flavored, like Rice a Roni, etc.) (if you wanna drop bodyfat, go for brown rice,,and how much?

3 p.m.-snack-banana or rice cakes usually (don't snack, everything should be nutritional (protein,carbs,fats)

5 p.m.-Protein shake with second helping of Animal Pak/Animal Stak (you really only need 1 pak I am guessing, and again carbs? if this is your pre-workout,,,i dont do carbs with mine either)

6-8 p.m. roughly-Gym time (so there could be up to 3 hours between pre/meal and wrkout? I try not to go over 2 hrs)

8 p.m.-Dinner, usually chicken and rice or beef (make sure you get some greens in here or something else. no starchy carbs for me at this point)

10 p.m.-Snack if hungry (slow digesting protein,,,again no snacks bud)

11 p.m.-midnight-Bed

Just rough from what you gave us, but, what you gave us was also rough.

To really see what you want, you have to nail your diet down...I don't know how many times I have read/heard it, but diet is the most important part of the equation. If you are working your ass off in the gym and don't have you diet dialed in,,,you are cutting yourself short.

And if you really wanna drop your bf and get the weight up....a clean bulk, but since you are in the high teens...I say cut down to low teens, then bulk up.


And if you decide to cut, remember to keep the proteins lean, carbs complex, and fats healthy. Figure out what your caloric needs are, and start figuring yourself out a sound diet...I also try to divide up all my meals into even portions (7 meals all with around the same nutritional values) Although I keep starchy carbs out of my diet after noon-2pm.

Good Luck

[blueIMlifter]

couple things i see....eat as soon as you wake up instead of waiting an hour. seems minor but you're starving after not eating all night. second, you only need 1 animal pak...save a little $$ with that (unless u have a show coming up you only need 1). third eat some carbs with your first breakfast. maybe have 1 cup oatmeal and then for the 2nd meal with the eggs have just 1 cup to split up the 2 cups of oatmeal. and replace the 3pm snack with some real food.

[rcrott1]

Here is what my normal diet looks like
8 a.m.-wake up/shower/get ready for work
9 a.m.-Protein shake with first pack of Animal Pak
11 a.m.-6 hardboiled eggs/ 2 cups of oatmeal
1 p.m.-small boneless chicken breast with rice (normally flavored, like Rice a Roni, etc.)
3 p.m.-snack-banana or rice cakes usually
5 p.m.-Protein shake with second helping of Animal Pak/Animal Stak
6-8 p.m. roughly-Gym time
8 p.m.-Dinner, usually chicken and rice or beef
10 p.m.-Snack if hungry
11 p.m.-midnight-Bed


correct me if im wrong, but it looks as if you are goin 9-11/12 hours without eating??

just a suggestion, but throw in a shake before bed, with natty PB in it to help keep your body replenished throughout the night.

[wedge]

Thanks for the replies everyone.
I forgot to include this in my earlier post, but I include about half a cup or so of oats in almost all of my shakes.
I have the shake first, because, as a newspaper editor, it is easier to sip on a shake then actually sit down and eat once I get to work.
Also, I have been under the assumption that with Animal Pak, your supposed to take two paks on training days and one on off days. Am I wrong here?

[rcrott1]

Thanks for the replies everyone.
I forgot to include this in my earlier post, but I include about half a cup or so of oats in almost all of my shakes.
I have the shake first, because, as a newspaper editor, it is easier to sip on a shake then actually sit down and eat once I get to work.
Also, I have been under the assumption that with Animal Pak, your supposed to take two paks on training days and one on off days. Am I wrong here?

how intense are your lift sessions? If you are training for a show, then sure.... if not. then 1 pak will be more than enough for you.

[wedge]

how intense are your lift sessions? If you are training for a show, then sure.... if not. then 1 pak will be more than enough for you.

I'd like to consider my training sessions intense, but I am not training for a show. Starting today, I will cut down to one pak a day. I think my budget will thank me.
Is there any certain time you would recommend taking the pak, in the morning, before a workout?

[rcrott1]

I'd like to consider my training sessions intense, but I am not training for a show. Starting today, I will cut down to one pak a day. I think my budget will thank me.
Is there any certain time you would recommend taking the pak, in the morning, before a workout?

first thing when you wake up

[wedge]

Damn, you don't wait long to reply eh rcott1? Anyway appreciate the helps and tips.

[rcrott1]

Damn, you don't wait long to reply eh rcott1? Anyway appreciate the helps and tips.

That's what im here for bud.

[Shaffer_515]

I have about the same numbers (hight weight and bf 15%) when i started contest prep...my first 4 weeks wasnt too crazy but worked wonders it is simple and really easy

meal
1 - 6 egg white 3 yolks 1/2 cup of oats
2- shake with PB and 1/2 cup of oats
3- chicken/beef/turkey some dark greens
4- same as 2
5- same as 3 (usually dinner you can you fish if you like)
6- same a 2&4

do some moderate or light cardio dont need to go crazy...

drink shit tons of water

train as usual...

this did real good for lowing my bf% and keeping muscle....use pak in the morning with food.

the important thing is to keep it structured (the same time everyday)

dont worry about weight gainers or diet protiens a simple whey or egg protien will do the trick

if you can get a hold of some EAA's and BCAA's they will help as well...

[wedge]

I have about the same numbers (hight weight and bf 15%) when i started contest prep...my first 4 weeks wasnt too crazy but worked wonders it is simple and really easy

meal
1 - 6 egg white 3 yolks 1/2 cup of oats
2- shake with PB and 1/2 cup of oats
3- chicken/beef/turkey some dark greens
4- same as 2
5- same as 3 (usually dinner you can you fish if you like)
6- same a 2&4

do some moderate or light cardio dont need to go crazy...

drink shit tons of water

train as usual...

this did real good for lowing my bf% and keeping muscle....use pak in the morning with food.

the important thing is to keep it structured (the same time everyday)

dont worry about weight gainers or diet protiens a simple whey or egg protien will do the trick

if you can get a hold of some EAA's and BCAA's they will help as well...

Thanks Shaffer. I'll take all this into consideration. Appreciate the help.