Lean gains diet...input needed

[iheartprotein]

Ive been doing a ton of reading up on the LEAN GAINS diet.
I understand the concept but have a few questions about customizing it to my lifestyle/body type.
First off I'm a female, 5'3, 166lbs, not sure of bf % but I'd like to focus on reducing my total bf number. I understand that I will have to go through a little trial and error until I figure out what works for me, but if anyone has any suggestions, I'd appreciate it!

Sample diet schedule:

Fast 9pm-12pm next day.
12pm small meal, 5 egg whites 2 cups broccoli or green beans
5pm Pre workout 10g bcaa
6-7:30 Workout: lifting/ cardio
8pm large meal: protein suck as chicken breast, tons of veggies(broccoli,greens beans, cabbage?

I should be getting approximately 1500-1800 calories in per day.

I'm not sure if I should add fat, if I should where should I add it and about how much to be safe?

 

[iheartprotein]

Sent it without finishing.

I was told to be taking in calories in this way:
Carbs:40%
Fats: 25%
protein: 33%.

Is it ok to have Almost all of my protein fat and carbs in one meal after a workout?

Thanks!!

 

[JudoJosh]

Where are your fats coming from?

Change some of those egg whites to whole eggs and add some butter, EVCO or EVOO to your last meal. You can also add some potatoes or rice to your last meal.

What are your total macro numbers?

 

[iheartprotein]

I will take the whole eggs, evoo and fats into consideration thanks!

 

[Frank Reynolds]

I don't even see 1500 cal there as it sits, unless you are eating a **** TON of chicken breast and veggies for dinner..haha

 

[adnscmplx]

Vary your calories on rest and training days (absolute must). Train 3 (my preference) or 4 days per week. Be sensible, don't overdo it. Lift heavy, do little to no cardio.

For total cals there is an awesome calculator here:

http://www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc/

Plug in your info. Pick sedentary (even though you're not), all those multipliers tend to overestimate. I like average of all formulas where it asks for which equation to use. Use the total cals it spits out

In terms of macros get at least 1 g protein/lb of body weight. That has been shown to have a muscle sparing effect when you are at a deficit. Tend towards carbs on workout days and fats on rest days for the remainder of the cals. The exact specifics (when, what, specific percentages) are not important. Do whatever you want, as long as it fits into your total cals. It dosen't have to be "clean" you can eat bacon and ice cream if you want.

Measure your food accurately (Weigh it! Volume measurements are horribly inaccurate, sometimes actual cals are twice what they should be) and don't go too far under your calculated cals. If you do, it won't work and you will drive yourself crazy. Trust me, I have been down that road. Good luck.

 

[JudoJosh]

I don't even see 1500 cal there as it sits, unless you are eating a **** TON of chicken breast and veggies for dinner..haha

Me either, which is why I asked what her total macro intake was.

 

[iheartprotein]

1900 cal per day avg (micros)

900 cal from carbs
600 cal from protein
500 cal from fat

 

[Frank Reynolds]

1900 cal per day avg (micros)

900 cal from carbs
600 cal from protein
500 cal from fat

How are you getting those calories? hah Are you eating 17lbs of broccoli?

Where are you getting 55g of fat? Poaching the chicken breast in duck fat, that you didn't list?

I must be missing something.. None of this is adding up.

 

[iheartprotein]

@frank.
Sorry I wasn't being as clear as I should have
I'm lowering my cal intake to approx 1500
Training days 45/30/25
Non training days 10/45/45

Ex meal after workout (breaking fast)
4oz chicken breast
2cups 0% Greek yogurt
2 cups sweet potato steamed
As much cauliflower and broccoli as I can handle.

2/3 hours later before bed:
2 scoops whey isolate with 2c unsweetened almond milk
2tbsp peanut butter.

Approximate average of total micros without counting broccoli and cauliflower:
1318 calories
32.1g fat
117.1 carbs
157.1 protein

Again im allowing extra room for big consumption of fibrous veggies.
Any thoughts appreciated, thanks!!

 

[Frank Reynolds]

Sample diet schedule:
Fast 9pm-12pm next day.
5pm Pre workout 10g bcaa
6-7:30 Workout: lifting/ cardio
8pm large meal: protein suck as chicken breast, tons of veggies(broccoli,greens beans, cabbage?

@frank.
Sorry I wasn't being as clear as I should have
I'm lowering my cal intake to approx 1500
Training days 45/30/25
Non training days 10/45/45

Ex meal after workout (breaking fast)
4oz chicken breast
2cups 0% Greek yogurt
2 cups sweet potato steamed
As much cauliflower and broccoli as I can handle.

2/3 hours later before bed:
2 scoops whey isolate with 2c unsweetened almond milk
2tbsp peanut butter.

Approximate average of total micros without counting broccoli and cauliflower:
1318 calories
32.1g fat
117.1 carbs
157.1 protein

Again im allowing extra room for big consumption of fibrous veggies.
Any thoughts appreciated, thanks!!

Few things. The top sample is not matching the bottom. Are you changing your WO, and fasting times?

Secondly, if you aren't going to count veg(and I wouldn't either), bring your calories up to your targets, and just let the veggies be what they will be. What I mean is, don't reduce calories to make up for the veggies. Just don't count them, and still hit your calorie, and macro targets.

Lastly.. I think this would make more sense.(I am just doing it quick so you may have to play with the amount to get exact amounts correct)

Ex meal after workout (breaking fast)
4oz chicken breast
2cups 0% Greek yogurt
2 cups sweet potato steamed
As much cauliflower and broccoli as I can handle.

2/3 hours later before bed:
2 scoops whey isolate with 2c unsweetened almond milk
2tbsp peanut butter.

Ex meal after workout (breaking fast)
1 scoop isolate(before you start preparing the rest of your meal)
8oz chicken breast
2 cups sweet potato steamed
As much cauliflower and broccoli as I can handle.

2/3 hours later before bed:
1.5 cup 0% greek yogurt with 1 scoop isolate added(for flavor and additional protein)
2tbsp peanut butter.

I personally feel that greek yogurt would be better suited pre-bed, and some isolate post wo..

Also adding some fats to your dinner may not be a bad idea. Personally for simplicity sake, I don't count trace macros.. So this diet to me has 16g fat, from PB, and that is it. Adding 1/2 of the yogurt coming from 2% for some fat, or some EVCO, other oil you enjoy, or even BUTTER(that is right, I said it..lol) to your sweet potatoes, or veggies. Maybe a salad with an oil based dressing. You have a lot of options.

It is much easier to count macros then calories.

JMO.

 

[iheartprotein]

Makes sense! Thanks for the suggestion, I will try out what you said later when I break my fast.
I will add EVOO to my veggies lol, it might take me some time to get over the thought of using butter!...but I hear where you are coming from. I'll add in some extra carbs and fats to bump my calories up to 1500...as the amount of protein I have down is pretty much at target.

So you suggest Greek yogurt before bed...should I just substitute the Greek yogurt (2cups) for more chicken or just add in the extra yogurt before bed?

 

[Frank Reynolds]

Makes sense! Thanks for the suggestion, I will try out what you said later when I break my fast.
I will add EVOO to my veggies lol, it might take me some time to get over the thought of using butter!...but I hear where you are coming from. I'll add in some extra carbs and fats to bump my calories up to 1500...as the amount of protein I have down is pretty much at target.

So you suggest Greek yogurt before bed...should I just substitute the Greek yogurt (2cups) for more chicken or just add in the extra yogurt before bed?

You can do either, but you typically want that "post wo" meal to be significantly larger. Lets just talk macros and you can figure it out, and post a revised sample day. I personally like the greek yogurt pre-bed(casein).

If you have:
Training days 45/30/25 @ 1500 cal

170g pro(680cal)
115g carb(460cal)
40g fat(360cal)
1500cal

Something like possibly:

Post wo:
100g protein(30g coming from isolate)
80g carb
15g fat
--------
855 cal(57% of daily calories)

Pre-Bed
70g pro
35g carb
25g fat
-------------
645cal (43% of daily calories)


You only have 2 meals listed, so are we assuming that is all you are eating? What are your Fasting/feeding times?

Ps. Butter is not the devil..haha

 

[iheartprotein]

Thanks for really breaking it down for me!
I just re built the diet and divided micros according to your example...which makes more sense then what I was going for lol.
My first meal is after my workout (about 7pm, 2nd-last meal about 9:30/10) I will see how long I can keep this up for...I originally wanted to break my fast around 1pm for a small meal which will uncles small amounts of fat carbs and protein...then have my pwo around 7, then last meal around 10. But that's not going to work as well as I planned because of my work schedule.

Meal 1:
948 cal
12g fat will add extra olive oil fat to this #
89g carbs
99g protein.
Coming from 1scoop whey isolate, 1c almond milk, 6oz chicken breast, 2c sweet potatoes, 1c Greek yogurt...not counting the veggies for fiber!!

Meal 2:
549 cal
31g fat
22g carbs
59g protein
Coming from 1 scoop whey isolate on 1cup greek yogurt and 3 tbsp natty peanut butter.

Total macros : 1497cal, 43g fat, 111g carbs, 159g protein.

Does this look about right?
Also just wondering what I should do on off days as far as a 3 meal split? I know fats have to increase while carbs decrease, which is a little confusing for me
Figured I'd ask since you've gotten me this far!
Thanksssssss again!!!

 

[Frank Reynolds]

Meal 1:
948 cal
12g fat will add extra olive oil fat to this #
89g carbs
99g protein.
Coming from 1scoop whey isolate, 1c almond milk, 6oz chicken breast, 2c sweet potatoes, 1c Greek yogurt...not counting the veggies for fiber!!

Meal 2:
549 cal
31g fat
22g carbs
59g protein
Coming from 1 scoop whey isolate on 1cup greek yogurt and 3 tbsp natty peanut butter.

Total macros : 1497cal, 43g fat, 111g carbs, 159g protein.

Does this look about right?
Also just wondering what I should do on off days as far as a 3 meal split? I know fats have to increase while carbs decrease, which is a little confusing for me
Figured I'd ask since you've gotten me this far!
Thanksssssss again!!!

That seems reasonable. I would probably bring my isolate to the gym in a shaker, and just drink it immediately post workout(in my car) starting your feed, or at-least consume it as you get home, while getting dinner ready. But that is me..haha

The proposed diet seems reasonable. You can feel free to vary your sources as well to prevent going crazy. Use various oils(evco, EVOO, Mac, etc), Various nut butters/nuts, lean proteins other then chicken, etc.

As for 2-3 meal plan, is there no way you can do a 3 meal plan daily? The problem with changing fasting times is your body starts to "KNOW" when it is time to eat. With off days breaking fast at noon 4x week for instance, you may start to get absurdly hungry on training days around then.

Another problem I am seeing is this. If you are getting only 1500 calories on training days, that would put non training days around 1000 cal which is quite low.

How much have you been eating up until now, and what is your weight doing?

 

[iheartprotein]

Hmm, well I've been eating around 2000 calories on training days with way too many veggies counting toward it, along with too little protein and extremely low amounts of fats. My weight has been stable around 166, but now it is quite clear why! Many days I know I fell under 1200 calories and did tons of cardio just because mentally I felt it would help me out.
I'm lessening up cardio to just 4 days a week at 20 min each session...my focus will be to lift heavy, low reps and improve my barbell full body workouts. For the longest time I've been trainig 5-6 days a week, lifting isolated muscle groups (shoulders/chest/legs etc) followed by 30-60 min cardio with my HR between 150/165 which pretty much left me tired and fatigued all the time! I've started the fasting routine 3 days ago along with the training routine and I feel like a new person already. Just mentally I want to be completely aware of getting my calories/micros in order so that I can break this plateau and really cut bf....which I've been struggling with for about 2 years now after I dropped 50lbs.

I will def put my protein shake in my bag tonight this way I can start feeding as soon as I finish up!!

 

[Frank Reynolds]

Hmm, well I've been eating around 2000 calories on training days with way too many veggies counting toward it, along with too little protein and extremely low amounts of fats. My weight has been stable around 166, but now it is quite clear why! Many days I know I fell under 1200 calories and did tons of cardio just because mentally I felt it would help me out.
I'm lessening up cardio to just 4 days a week at 20 min each session...my focus will be to lift heavy, low reps and improve my barbell full body workouts. For the longest time I've been trainig 5-6 days a week, lifting isolated muscle groups (shoulders/chest/legs etc) followed by 30-60 min cardio with my HR between 150/165 which pretty much left me tired and fatigued all the time! I've started the fasting routine 3 days ago along with the training routine and I feel like a new person already. Just mentally I want to be completely aware of getting my calories/micros in order so that I can break this plateau and really cut bf....which I've been struggling with for about 2 years now after I dropped 50lbs.

I will def put my protein shake in my bag tonight this way I can start feeding as soon as I finish up!!

I would probably start a bit higher IMO. Maybe 1900/1300. You don't want to start too low.

 

[iheartprotein]

I see. Well I can always up it to around 1900 . Thanks for your input...you def know a lot!!

 

[JudoJosh]

Great suggestions Frank!