New at this

[Armond]

First off, I am new on this board. My real name is the same as my username. I been lifting for about 3 years on and off, but seriously got into a routine about 5 months ago. Now I am looking to put on some good weight.

Stats:

Age: 23
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 155

I just created my diet for this week, with some variances, but of course this one I am posting is for today. Can you pelase take a gander, critique it, and give me some advice?

I currently eat around 2250-2300 calories daily already, so I figured a slow, steady increase would be best. I want to gain around 1-2 pounds a week, and I want to hit about 175-180 before I cut down.

i want to increase calories by about 250-300 per week until I get to that point of gaining the desired 1-2 pounds per week. So what do you think?

Today's food:

Morning Snack
Pop Tart
16oz of 2% milk

Calories 444
Fat 15g
Carbs 59g
Protein 18g

Breakfast
3 Egg Whites w/1 Whole Egg(scrambled) and 1 Slice of Cheese
2 Slices of Wheat Bread(toasted)
16oz water

Calories 332
Fat 8g
Carbs 19g
Protein 25g

Before Lunch Snack
Banana
Yogurt
16 oz water

Calories 221
Fat 0g
Carbs 50g
Protein 6g

Lunch
Peanut Butter(reduced fat)/Jelly Sandwich
16oz water

Calories 330
Fat 12
Carbs 46
Protein 14

Snack
Cheesestick
Wheat Thins x 16

Calories 200
Fat 9g
Carbs 22g
Protein 9g

Dinner
Tunafish w/2 Tablespoons Mayo
Wheat Crackers x 15
Banana

Calories 661
Fat 29.5g
Carbs 64g
Protein 70g

Snack
Almonds 1/4 cup, 1 serving

Calories 170
Fat 15g
Carbs 5g
Protein 6g

Preworkout
1 Scoop ON Whey Protein w/ 8 oz milk

Calories 230
Fat 6g
Carbs 14g
Protein 31g

Postworkout
2 Scoops ON Whey Protein w/ 16oz of water

Calories 220
Fat 2g
Carbs 4g
Protein 46g

Total Calories 2610
Total Fat 96.5g
Total Carbs 283g
Total Protein 225g

 

[Moyer]

The biggest problems I see:

-Your totals at the bottom aren't adding up right. Fat has 9 cals per gram, carbs and protein have 4 cals per gram. So I add them up and it looks like 34%pro/59%carbs/33%fat. Anyways, you want something more like 40/40/20 or 35/45/20.

-FWIW, you should get about 20-25% of your cals from fat, mostly from healthy fats(unsaturated) like flax oil, olive oil, walnuts, almonds, etc. 96g of fat on a 2600cal diet is a lot.

-Looks like you have NO CARBS after your workout?! This is a big no no. You're better off not working out at the very end of the day, but that's up to you. Either way, you need a lot of carbs after your workout.

-You're gonna want a bedtime meal with a good slow absorbing protein, some carbs, and a good amount of healthy fats. I suggest either some kind of lean meat, fat free cottage cheese, or a casein protein powder. Then eat your almonds &/or some flax oil with it.

-Also, snacks like "banana & yogurt", "PB & Jelly w/ water", "cheese stick & wheat thins", and just "almonds" aren't doing much. They're adding cals which is good, but you want to add more protein to them. That way your body is absorbing a steady stream of protein all day instead of just breakfast & dinnner, w/ a bunch of whey thrown in there.

 

[Moyer]

I hope you don't think I tore it apart too much. I'm sure a lot of "lifters" out there eat much much worse than the diet you posted. Keep going because building and following a good diet doesn't happen overnight. It's a progressive thing.

IMO, this part here is perfect:

I currently eat around 2250-2300 calories daily already, so I figured a slow, steady increase would be best. I want to gain around 1-2 pounds a week, and I want to hit about 175-180 before I cut down.

i want to increase calories by about 250-300 per week until I get to that point of gaining the desired 1-2 pounds per week.

 

[EEmain]

A much better morning snack... 1 cup of Oatmeal blended in your 2% milk

http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-001-02s018d.html

 

[Armond]

I will see what I can do about some changes. At elast I got a few things right, I hope.

What about if I added meals of brown rice and chicken? Would that be decent instead of having steak? would that fulfill the need for some substance?

 

[Armond]

Oh yeah, I misadded, I accidentally stuck an extra one under the carbs part for the banana and yogurt snack. It is actually only 50 carbs, so lower the total by 100! Also, what if I used miracle whip instead of mayo?

Also this is just what I did today, I hope to have better meals than this pretty soon. I am gonna cook 5 days worth of brown rice and chicken tomorrow or tonight, depending on what time it is after I finish working out here.

1 Chicken Breast
2 Cups Cooked Brown Rice

Calories 720
Fat 10g
Carbs 92g
Protein 64g

Does that meal seem much better? I think it does.

 

[cable626]

get rid of the pop tart, you don't want high gi foods, esp not first thing in the morning.
I would say try to hit 250g protein everyday without your whey shakes. it's a good way of looking at it to get the most protein everyday.

i agree with moyer and eemain completely. I myself use the oatmeal + milk shake in the morning.

 

[cable626]

btw someone on this site, I believe OmarJackson, taught me a very important lesson: Put down that shake and pick up that steak!!

 

[Armond]

Will the following be good for tomorrow, I am cooking brown rice and chicken right now!

Tomorrow's food:

Morning Snack(preworkout)
1/2 Cup Oatmeal blended with
16oz of 2% milk
Banana

Calories 521
Fat 12.5g
Carbs 80g
Protein 30g

Breakfast(postworkout)
3 Egg Whites w/1 Whole Egg(scrambled) and 1 Slice of Cheese
2 Slices of Wheat Bread(toasted)
Banana
16oz water

Calories 443
Fat 8g
Carbs 50g
Protein 26g

Before Lunch Snack
Banana
Yogurt
16 oz water

Calories 221
Fat 0g
Carbs 50g
Protein 6g

Lunch
Chicken on 2 Slices of Whole Wheat
2 Scoops ON Whey Protein w/ 16oz of water

Calories 450
Fat 8g
Carbs 24g
Protein 72g

Snack
Yogurt
16oz water

Calories 100
Fat 0g
Carbs 19g
Protein 5g

Dinner
2 Cups Cooked Brown Rice
1 Chicken Breast
16oz water

Calories 720
Fat 10g
Carbs 92g
Protein 64g

Snack
Yogurt
16oz water

Calories 100
Fat 0g
Carbs 19g
Protein 5g

Night Snack
1 Scoop ON Whey Protein w/ 8 water

Calories 110
Fat 1g
Carbs 2g
Protein 23g


Total Calories 2665
Total Fat 39.5g
Total Carbs 336g
Total Protein 225.5g

I still have to use protein shakes, because well, I am on a budget. The protein shakes are just more cost effective. But I have altered a bit, hopefully it is much closer to what I am shooting for. But is what I am eating pretty clean overall? Is the above more acceptable? Also, Moyer, can you do the numbers crunch for me? I am curious how close to the 40/40/20 I am. I am flexible, if it means getting closer to a cleaner bulk!

I am also moving my workouts to mornings, maybe that will do something for me?

 

[EEmain]

Your calories are 2933

25% Fat (9 calories a gram)

42% Carbs (4)

33% Protien (4)

 

[Moyer]

I have some questions for you.

How flexible is your workout time? (just curious)
What time are you most comfortable working out?

Do you have any restrictions for any of these meals? As in, do you have access to a microwave all day or do you have to eat some meals cold?

Are you okay drinking skim milk instead of 2%?

You want about as little saturated fat as possible. It's hard to avoid it so you're going to get some, which is fine, but you want to minimize it. So pretty much all your dairy foods should be fat free. Also use things like light miracle whip instead of regular mayo (or better yet use mustard, salsa, or a homemade dressing).

I totally get you about whey being cheap and affordable. It puts a big dent in your budget when you go from eating 50g of protein a day to 250g. BUT, there are some foods that are actually the same price, if not cheaper than whey. Skim milk, whole eggs, egg whites(seperated yourself), and canned tuna are all at least 60g of protein per dollar (about the same price as whey depending on how much you're paying for whey). You can probably find ground turkey that's pretty cheap too. Cottage cheese is also fairly cheap. Chicken breasts are about the priciest source of protein I get (and they're still not expensive at all).

 

[cable626]

lol I guess I am following the poor man's BB diet myself--I get CASES of tuna, gallons of milk, and dozens of dozens of eggs.

hey armond, whey runs through you very quickly. get some cottage cheese for nighttime. Personally I like it better than whey.

AND i know i'm being a hypocrite here, but where are your green veggies?!:icon_lol:

 

[Armond]

Your calories are 2933

25% Fat (9 calories a gram)

42% Carbs (4)

33% Protien (4)

Thanks, readjusted again, hopefully for the better, sorry for all this. I just want to get this right as much as possible.

 

[Armond]

I have some questions for you.

How flexible is your workout time? (just curious)
What time are you most comfortable working out?

Do you have any restrictions for any of these meals? As in, do you have access to a microwave all day or do you have to eat some meals cold?

Are you okay drinking skim milk instead of 2%?

You want about as little saturated fat as possible. It's hard to avoid it so you're going to get some, which is fine, but you want to minimize it. So pretty much all your dairy foods should be fat free. Also use things like light miracle whip instead of regular mayo (or better yet use mustard, salsa, or a homemade dressing).

I totally get you about whey being cheap and affordable. It puts a big dent in your budget when you go from eating 50g of protein a day to 250g. BUT, there are some foods that are actually the same price, if not cheaper than whey. Skim milk, whole eggs, egg whites(seperated yourself), and canned tuna are all at least 60g of protein per dollar (about the same price as whey depending on how much you're paying for whey). You can probably find ground turkey that's pretty cheap too. Cottage cheese is also fairly cheap. Chicken breasts are about the priciest source of protein I get (and they're still not expensive at all).

Workout time is pretty flexible, either around 8:30 am or after 10 pm are open. I am pretty comfortable working out in either time period.

I have access to a microwave all day! My workplace gives me a 20 minute break every hour, so no biggie on eating whenever.

I just cooked like 12 pieces of chicken breasts(6 servings) so I totally get you on that. I also have about 20 cans of tuna in water(no oil) which I like to eat with tobasco sauce. yes, I can go to skim milk, in fact once this jug runs out, I am going to do that. I can buy lots of eggs for real cheap, and separate them myself, not a big dal I don't think. yeah I already told myself to go to Miracle Whip, just to avoid the massive amounts of fat from mayo, but I can do just tobasco sauce, mustard, or anything like that.

I readjusted my meals for tomorrow, what do you think?

Also, my leafy greens will be added in shortly. I love salads with red wine vinegar, so I figure why not right? Pretty cheap to make a weeks worth of salads too! Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers, with red wine vinegar, and maybe some boiled eggs minus the yolks?

 

[EEmain]

Thanks, readjusted again, hopefully for the better, sorry for all this. I just want to get this right as much as possible.

NP. Cable makes a good point about Whey before bed. You need a long acting Protein to stay anabolic at night, unless you plan on a 3am Whey shake.

Green veggies are great. Try to work in some of the nutrient dense ones also ie... Broccoli, Spinach, Brussel sprouts and Asparagus ect...

http://www.whfoods.com/foodstoc.php

 

[Armond]

Thanks!

So throwing in a salad would be a good idea? At night or something?

Anythign else that is a slow burnign protein besides cottage cheese, that stuff makes me gag! Half a chicken breast?

 

[EEmain]

Salad is good all the time! Just watch the dressing. <-- Good place to get your oils(fats) ie.. Olive ect...

I try to space my Protein across all meals evenly and try to get Green Veggies at every meal but Breakfast.

Broccoli, Spinach, Green Beans,Egg plant, cauliflower and squash (single or in combo) are great to me stir fried in Olive oil and Garlic.. then microwaved for meals. Also steamed veggies with spice are outstanding
:woohoo:
I use MPI(Milk Protein Isolate) at night because a Tuna sandwich(Low carb bread) or Chicken lays to heavy for me. Try Tuna or Chicken it may work for you.

 

[Armond]

thanks, gonan give it a go, probably next week, gotta prep food for that time period