T Nation

Critique My Diet

#1

Hi friends,

Just wondering what you think of my diet. Anything I should change or could improve on. I eat the same most weekdays, and usually are a little more relaxed on the weekends but try and aim for similar macros except for Sunday which is when I have a cheat meal which is usually pizza or grilled cheese sammiches.

My usual daily diet:

7:00 - 11:30am: black coffee only
11:30am: 2 boiled eggs, 2 boiled egg whites, 3 x chicken rice paper rolls, apple.
2:00pm: protein bar
4:30pm: pre-workout meal of tuna and 1 cup of rice or gluten free crepes, and a banana.
7:00pm: post workout meal which is usually a form of lean meat, heaps of veges and either rice or potatoes.

My macros usually add up to about 180/350/90 and at 2,900 calories.

Any thoughts?

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#2

the first thing that comes to my mind is where are the 2,900 calories ? Looks more like a 2000 calorie diet to me, unless that post workout meal is an epic feast or that protein bar is a foot-long ?

#3

[quote]Ghost_Panther wrote:
the first thing that comes to my mind is where are the 2,900 calories ? Looks more like a 2000 calorie diet to me, unless that post workout meal is an epic feast or that protein bar is a foot-long ? [/quote]
Maybe I am under-estimating?

The eggs I use are massive. I get them from a local market and they are almost twice the size of the eggs from the supermarket. Protein bar is a standard sized bar and has only 200 calories. Post-workout meal usually is the biggest meal of the day. Usually its a generous cup of rice or potatoes, and then I fill the rest of the plate with 200 grams + of lean meat and veges, until I can’t fit any more on my plate.

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#4

I agree with the other guy I’d be starving on a diet like that and I shoot for around that many calories more or less each day. I’d have to squeeze in one more meal before bed otherwise wouldn’t be able to sleep. You didn’t state what your goals were. But from what I remember you are pretty lean so it must be working for you.

#5

[quote]StevenF wrote:
I agree with the other guy I’d be starving on a diet like that and I shoot for around that many calories more or less each day. I’d have to squeeze in one more meal before bed otherwise wouldn’t be able to sleep. You didn’t state what your goals were. But from what I remember you are pretty lean so it must be working for you. [/quote]
Thanks for the reply.

I actually thought I was underestimating what I was eating. Maybe Ill add in another meal and monitor what happens.

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#6

I don’t understand the coffee and no food for 4 hours. Cortisol anyone?

#7

[quote]JFG wrote:
I don’t understand the coffee and no food for 4 hours. Cortisol anyone?

https://www.T-Nation.com/diet-fat-loss/fat-loss-high-protein-breakfast[/quote]
Its my version of IF.

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#8

[quote]JFG wrote:
I don’t understand the coffee and no food for 4 hours. Cortisol anyone?

https://www.T-Nation.com/diet-fat-loss/fat-loss-high-protein-breakfast[/quote]

This is the payoff when doing IF. Cortisol is not to be shunned per se, especially in the AM. The whole rationale behind an IF plan like the Warrior or Renegade Diet is that you are in an advanced fat burning state part of the day, and in an anabolic mode later. Folks will debate from now until doomsday whether this is possible but unless you are willing to step into the broscience lab and try it yourself you will never really know. Of course, if you are hammering down coffee, stressing at work, and are sleep deprived, etc, your cortisol levels are going to soar and a fasting diet will certainly become non-productive (as a normal one would too).

I can only state from personal experience that doing an IF programme is the nearest I have come to a build and burn state, i.e. where you are consistently losing body fat on a reduced calorie diet, yet maintaining and, at times, gaining on lifts as well as workout performance, which for me is at least 5 sessions a week. Again, from personal experience, the peri-WO nutrition affect also appears enhanced when consumed later in the day on a near empty stomach.

#9

[quote]JamesBrawn007 wrote:

[quote]JFG wrote:
I don’t understand the coffee and no food for 4 hours. Cortisol anyone?

https://www.T-Nation.com/diet-fat-loss/fat-loss-high-protein-breakfast[/quote]

This is the payoff when doing IF. Cortisol is not to be shunned per se, especially in the AM. The whole rationale behind an IF plan like the Warrior or Renegade Diet is that you are in an advanced fat burning state part of the day, and in an anabolic mode later. Folks will debate from now until doomsday whether this is possible but unless you are willing to step into the broscience lab and try it yourself you will never really know. Of course, if you are hammering down coffee, stressing at work, and are sleep deprived, etc, your cortisol levels are going to soar and a fasting diet will certainly become non-productive (as a normal one would too).

I can only state from personal experience that doing an IF programme is the nearest I have come to a build and burn state, i.e. where you are consistently losing body fat on a reduced calorie diet, yet maintaining and, at times, gaining on lifts as well as workout performance, which for me is at least 5 sessions a week. Again, from personal experience, the peri-WO nutrition affect also appears enhanced when consumed later in the day on a near empty stomach. [/quote]

Another benefit of IF is that it allows my meals to be bigger in portions, and hence more satisfying when I do eventually eat. Eating 150 grams of chicken breast with half a cup of rice for a meal won’t cut it for me.

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#10

[quote]theBird wrote:

[quote]JamesBrawn007 wrote:

[quote]JFG wrote:
I don’t understand the coffee and no food for 4 hours. Cortisol anyone?

https://www.T-Nation.com/diet-fat-loss/fat-loss-high-protein-breakfast[/quote]

This is the payoff when doing IF. Cortisol is not to be shunned per se, especially in the AM. The whole rationale behind an IF plan like the Warrior or Renegade Diet is that you are in an advanced fat burning state part of the day, and in an anabolic mode later. Folks will debate from now until doomsday whether this is possible but unless you are willing to step into the broscience lab and try it yourself you will never really know. Of course, if you are hammering down coffee, stressing at work, and are sleep deprived, etc, your cortisol levels are going to soar and a fasting diet will certainly become non-productive (as a normal one would too).

I can only state from personal experience that doing an IF programme is the nearest I have come to a build and burn state, i.e. where you are consistently losing body fat on a reduced calorie diet, yet maintaining and, at times, gaining on lifts as well as workout performance, which for me is at least 5 sessions a week. Again, from personal experience, the peri-WO nutrition affect also appears enhanced when consumed later in the day on a near empty stomach. [/quote]

Another benefit of IF is that it allows my meals to be bigger in portions, and hence more satisfying when I do eventually eat. Eating 150 grams of chicken breast with half a cup of rice for a meal won’t cut it for me.

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Totally agree.