Need diet advice for busy father of 2!!

[bcazo]

I need some help with my diet! I've been trying to loose my gut for over 10 years now and it won't leave. I'm 36 years old 5"11 215 Lbs. I workout around 3 to 5 days a week and do 20 mins of cardio with about 35 mins of lifting. My problem is I don't get home from work until 6:45Pm and only take a 30 min. lunch at work! I eat about the same thing everyday M-F. For breakfast I eat a cereal bar and cup of coffee, Lunch is a salad with chicken cutlets and light dressing with steamed broccoli, for dinner before the gym I have grilled chicken (i cook it on Sunday for the week) over salad with oil and viniger.

I get home from the gym at 10 PM and I'm starving!! I just can't seem to get the weight off my gut no matter what I do! The rest of me is lean I just store all my weight in the middle which may be from the times I'm eating?? I dont think I'm over eating? I wish I had the time to eat every 2 hours but I don't I need something easy to follow. Any suggestions??

[EasyEJL]

I'm not sure how you can function long term on just what you say you are eating as that wouldn't come to 1000 calories. You really aren't eating enough to properly fuel your body if that is all you are taking in.

[bcazo]

I'm not sure how you can function long term on just what you say you are eating as that wouldn't come to 1000 calories. You really aren't eating enough to properly fuel your body if that is all you are taking in.

Thats really it. I know its not enought, just afraid to eat more and gain weight. For some reason my body will just pack on weight no matter what I eat? If I don't workout I will gain weight eating like this??? I've struggled with my weight my whole life.

[EasyEJL]

Well, you probably need to slowly ramp up calories, rather than make a big jump at once. You might want to go get your thyroid checked, although from what i've seen most of the time people who think their body will just pack on weight no matter what they eat are really basing it from back in the day when they'd have cupcakes + twinkies and snickers through the day, not healthy foods.

[bcazo]

Well, you probably need to slowly ramp up calories, rather than make a big jump at once. You might want to go get your thyroid checked, although from what i've seen most of the time people who think their body will just pack on weight no matter what they eat are really basing it from back in the day when they'd have cupcakes + twinkies and snickers through the day, not healthy foods.

You my be right about the thyroid. I never was a junk food eater and always try to eat healthy. I've been working out since I was 16 when I was fat and 240 lbs. I'm in good shape just can't get the fat off the middle.

[EasyEJL]

Well, have you been losing fat, even if slowly? 5'11 and 215 could look really good, or look really bad. even with some fat around the belly its hard to tell whether you mean you are carrying a spare tire, or whether you just can't see your abs.

[bcazo]

Well, have you been losing fat, even if slowly? 5'11 and 215 could look really good, or look really bad. even with some fat around the belly its hard to tell whether you mean you are carrying a spare tire, or whether you just can't see your abs.

I'm carring a small donut! LOL! I can see the top half of my abs not the bottom. The rest of my body is lean and defined.

[EasyEJL]

Have you been making any progress? or are you static and stuck at the same point?

[bcazo]

Have you been making any progress? or are you static and stuck at the same point?

I've been stuck like this for over 3 years now! I've changed my workouts and cardio multiple times with little or no effect. I have to think its my diet. Thinking I may need more in my diet so that my body will burn more fat?

[EasyEJL]

I would. I'd start adding in something simple, some protein at breakfast (3 scrambled eggs), and then some carbs by whole fruit like an apple later in the day, and re-evaluate a week later.

[bcazo]

thanks for the advice I will try uping my protein in the morning and take it from there. I was thinking of making the **** protien bars to eat in the morning. Have you ever tried them? If so any sugestions on what to add to them this way I could get he most out of it?

[EasyEJL]

I haven't tried them, but they sound good. But overall you should concentrate on getting your protein from whole foods if possible. Its better body composition wise.

[bcazo]

thanks again for all your advice! It hard to cook for myself in the morning when I'm trying to get 2 little boys dressed, feed and to daycare before 8:00. I may try these bars this way its grab and go for me. Thanks Again for your help.

[EasyEJL]

another option is to scramble the eggs up the night before, throw them in the fridge, and just microwave them quick for temp. Or even just bake a bunch of chicken breasts one evening, and have them for breakfast. Or cube steaks, or lean pork cuts. There are a number of ways to approach it

[tubbednova]

Im like you hard to lose the gut.Do you smoke?I heard that it does something to actually make it harder to lose fat in stomach area.
My stomach(bottom)and alittle on the sides is the only place i really have fat.Im 5'11 at 171lb and its taking forever to get rid of it.
Diet and determination will get us there.Your diet is pretty low i eat around 2300cals just on my deload/rest days.
Also i don't recommed with reg oats but steel cut oats you can make night before to have in morning with scoop of whey or egg whites takes 5min to make.

[bcazo]

I don't smoke but did smoke weed for many years? Here is a pic of what I look like.

[CoorsLight126]

My advice would be to switch workouts to early morning if possible. If that is not an option then you need to eat bigger the few times/day you do eat, thats not enough food. Your metabolism is at a hault and then when you get home at 10pm your probably eating too much right b4 bedtime or not eating at all which is almost just as bad. I would find time to cook and prepare meals that include complex carbohydrates such as potatoes or rice. Your diet looks like something a lazy person would eat who didnt take the time to cook. No offense there, just calling the diet like I see it. And a granola bar and cup of coffee is a bull**** breakfast, wake up 30 min earlier and make some eggs and oats. Nobody ever said it was easy

[bcazo]

Agreed! I'm cooking my dinners but that's it. I just started drinking a myoplex light shake after the gym since its late at night. I really have to start eating a better breakfast. I've just been stuck with the thinking of loosing weight means eating less.

[CoorsLight126]

Agreed! I'm cooking my dinners but that's it. I just started drinking a myoplex light shake after the gym since its late at night. I really have to start eating a better breakfast. I've just been stuck with the thinking of loosing weight means eating less.

yes, thats common for a lot of people, they think you need to pretty much go hungry when in reality you need to eat more. As for your after gym meal, you need to throw in a carb with that protein. You need the carbs for recovery, it wont hurt you!! All your doing is replacing what has been burned off during exercise, its nothing excessive like you think it'd be. Oatmeal is a great carb even at nighttime. Here is a better diet for you and one I think you could stick to for now.

meal 1- coffee, 4 scrambled eggs, 1 serving oatmeal, small bowl of whole grain cereal w/ skim milk

lunchtime- 6 oz grilled chicken over a salad, 6-8 oz. potato or 1 cup rice, 2-3 spoons natural peanut butter

pre-workout- Wendy's grilled chicken meal, substitute baked potato for fries, throw half bread out on chicken sandwich, diet Coke(preworkout caffeine)

(I'd try to kill about 20-30 min after this meal, possibly do a light walk on treadmill for 10 min before starting workout to help food digest b4 lifting)

Workout

20-30 min cardio after(preferably stairmaster, its the best fat burning cardio machine there is)

after workout meal- 2 packs instant oats, protein shake, apple



Thats a very simple diet for a busy guy. Just boil some potatoes and maybe cook a little meat, and there you go. The Wendy's really isnt bad if your on the go, you might even be able to grab it on way home from work. Hell, if cooking takes too much time buy 5 potatoes from Wendy;s and refrigerate them. Now all your cooking is a little meat a couple days/wk!!!

[bcazo]

Wow! Great diet! I could definitely follow this! Thanks alot! my last problem is that I hate eggs! What can I replace them with??