Diet Advice. Struggling to Get Cut

Ok, Im 40 y/o, 5"8’, been told Im 8% b/f on my legs and 15% upper body therefore 12% overall! Im a 35"-36" waist which I want to drop a couple of inches to give a more tapered V-shaped look, I also want a more veiny, ripped look (ie Bale in Batman/Reynolds in Blade - not saying I’ll be as good them though but Im sure you know what I mean)/ I’ve been on the following diet for 10 weeks but not seeing the progress that I want:

7am

50g Oats with 6-8 egg whites, natural yogurt, banana OR 3 pieces of toast, scrambled eggs and banana

10 am

3 poached eggs or scrambled with 2-3 toast, banana

1300

Turkey mince with brown rice, banana

1600

Mass gainer Protein shake (cannot have cooked food as Im at work)OR tuna/rice cakes on days off/weekends)

17.15

Pre WO - Cashew nuts, bit of honey, train

19.00

PWO - Mass gainer drink

20.30

Steak or chicken, brocoli, cauliflower or asparagus

22.30

Can of tuna/haddock or 6-8 egg white Omelete

I only cheat on Sundays and do 15 mins of HIT cardio after each training session which are 5 days a week Mon-Fri. I do abs 3 times p/week but my upper body progress is slow, especially my back. Any advice on where Im going wrong would be apprciated.

Hvae loads of water and normal vits, I still cant get my upper body more cut, and help on where Im going wrong would be appreciated.

[quote]John Mclane wrote:
Ok, Im 40 y/o, 5"8’, been told Im 8% b/f on my legs and 15% upper body therefore 12% overall! [/quote]

Whoever told you that should be punched in the face.

[quote]hockeydawg wrote:

[quote]John Mclane wrote:
Ok, Im 40 y/o, 5"8’, been told Im 8% b/f on my legs and 15% upper body therefore 12% overall! [/quote]

Whoever told you that should be punched in the face. [/quote]

Lol, my legs are leaner than my upper body though…honest! So…can you help me with my diet please?

[quote]John Mclane wrote:
Ok, Im 40 y/o, 5"8’, been told Im 8% b/f on my legs and 15% upper body therefore 12% overall! Im a 35"-36" waist which I want to drop a couple of inches to give a more tapered V-shaped look, I also want a more veiny, ripped look (ie Bale in Batman/Reynolds in Blade - not saying I’ll be as good them though but Im sure you know what I mean)/ I’ve been on the following diet for 10 weeks but not seeing the progress that I want:

7am

50g Oats with 6-8 egg whites, natural yogurt, banana OR 3 pieces of toast, scrambled eggs and banana

10 am

3 poached eggs or scrambled with 2-3 toast, banana

1300

Turkey mince with brown rice, banana

1600

Mass gainer Protein shake (cannot have cooked food as Im at work)OR tuna/rice cakes on days off/weekends)

17.15

Pre WO - Cashew nuts, bit of honey, train

19.00

PWO - Mass gainer drink

20.30

Steak or chicken, brocoli, cauliflower or asparagus

22.30

Can of tuna/haddock or 6-8 egg white Omelete

I only cheat on Sundays and do 15 mins of HIT cardio after each training session which are 5 days a week Mon-Fri. I do abs 3 times p/week but my upper body progress is slow, especially my back. Any advice on where Im going wrong would be apprciated.

Hvae loads of water and normal vits, I still cant get my upper body more cut, and help on where Im going wrong would be appreciated. [/quote]

John, from what I can tell, your diet doesn’t look bad. There are only a couple things I might suggest tweaking.

First, you could probably just ditch the bread completely. Then, rather than replacing those carbs, you could add additional QUALITY carbs to your pre-workout nutrition.

I’d also rethink the honey and cashews as your pre-workout nutrition source. The fat from the cashews will inhibit the insulin spike that pre-workout nutrition is intended to cause. In addition, honey is pure fructose. Which is not the best form of carbohydrate during any peri-workout time. Fructose goes to the liver first, and will be stored as liver glycogen, rather than going straight to your muscles.

Here’s an excellent Clay Height article which addresses this:

Go to the last portion of the article called, “Trick 3: Eat to Replenish Your Muscles, Not Your Liver.”

I’d like to encourage you to find a high quality pre-workout source that’s packed with amino acids and glucose. The TNation store has plenty of options. My personal favorites are FINiBARs, Anaconda, and/or Surge Workout Fuel.

The last thing I can suggest would be to alter your cheat day so that it’s less of a crap-up and more of a carb-up. Shelby Starns has a really great article on cheat meals and re-feeds:

Hope this helps, and if you’ve got any more questions, ask away! I’m sure there are others here who might also have some really good ideas.

You have a detailed list of the types of food you eat. How about the macros? How many grams of fat / protein / carbs / calories a day?
It’s hard to give advice without the amounts but a couple things that stand out:

  • Overall, it looks like an awful lot of food for someone trying to cut.
  • Seems like a lot of total carbs (bananas, rice, toast)
  • Honey?
  • Your peri-workout nutrition doesn’t look good. Why are you eating nuts and honey pre workout and a weight gainer post workout?

Try including a picture so people can see where you are actually at. 5’8" with a 36" waist indicates that your 12% bf assessment is probably bullshit.

Oh yeah, and a cheat day? From your daily intake, it doesn’t look like you need a cheat day.

Oh, and you could probably cut back on your banana intake. Fructose (the sugar found in fruit) is a digestive irritant for a lot of people, and it can cause a lot of bloating. You certainly don’t need three. Have a fruit a day and call it good.

[quote]hockeydawg wrote:
You have a detailed list of the types of food you eat. How about the macros? How many grams of fat / protein / carbs / calories a day?
It’s hard to give advice without the amounts but a couple things that stand out:

  • Overall, it looks like an awful lot of food for someone trying to cut.
  • Seems like a lot of total carbs (bananas, rice, toast)
  • Honey?
  • Your peri-workout nutrition doesn’t look good. Why are you eating nuts and honey pre workout and a weight gainer post workout?

Try including a picture so people can see where you are actually at. 5’8" with a 36" waist indicates that your 12% bf assessment is probably bullshit.

Oh yeah, and a cheat day? From your daily intake, it doesn’t look like you need a cheat day. [/quote]

Ok, Im gonna cut the bread totally and ditch the honey/cashews. Can yu advise on a good pre/post workout please, I’d prefer real food pre-workout. I’ll let you judge the picture and see if my claim of 12% bodyfat is “bullshit”.

[quote]John Mclane wrote:
Ok, Im gonna cut the bread totally and ditch the honey/cashews. Can yu advise on a good pre/post workout please, I’d prefer real food pre-workout. I’ll let you judge the picture and see if my claim of 12% bodyfat is “bullshit”.[/quote]

Let’s see the legs, but overall I’d say you look pretty damn good dude - you’re sporting abs and some decent thickness overall.

Definitely almost “there” - within shouting distance of pretty ripped.

[quote]SkyNett wrote:

[quote]John Mclane wrote:
Ok, Im gonna cut the bread totally and ditch the honey/cashews. Can yu advise on a good pre/post workout please, I’d prefer real food pre-workout. I’ll let you judge the picture and see if my claim of 12% bodyfat is “bullshit”.[/quote]

Let’s see the legs, but overall I’d say you look pretty damn good dude - you’re sporting abs and some decent thickness overall.

Definitely almost “there” - within shouting distance of pretty ripped. [/quote]

Thanks dude, I’l try and get a leg shot done.

[quote]John Mclane wrote:
Ok, Im gonna cut the bread totally and ditch the honey/cashews. Can yu advise on a good pre/post workout please, I’d prefer real food pre-workout. I’ll let you judge the picture and see if my claim of 12% bodyfat is “bullshit”.[/quote]

I stand corrected, you are “almost there”.

The problem with “real food” pre workout is that it slows absorbsion. I can tell you what I am taking peri-workout is pretty much what is outlined on this website for the Anaconda protocol. You can chose to take Biotest products, or do something else, but the general outline of protein and a fast acting carb source is pretty universal.

Since you stated you wanted to look like Ryan Reynolds in Blade take a look at the following article:

[quote]hockeydawg wrote:

[quote]John Mclane wrote:
Ok, Im gonna cut the bread totally and ditch the honey/cashews. Can yu advise on a good pre/post workout please, I’d prefer real food pre-workout. I’ll let you judge the picture and see if my claim of 12% bodyfat is “bullshit”.[/quote]

I stand corrected, you are “almost there”.

The problem with “real food” pre workout is that it slows absorbsion. I can tell you what I am taking peri-workout is pretty much what is outlined on this website for the Anaconda protocol. You can chose to take Biotest products, or do something else, but the general outline of protein and a fast acting carb source is pretty universal.

Since you stated you wanted to look like Ryan Reynolds in Blade take a look at the following article:

[/quote]
Thanks for that info, I will check it out and let you know how I get on - if I make all the necessary dietry changes do you reckon I can get cut in say 12 weeks or so?

[quote]John Mclane wrote:

[quote]hockeydawg wrote:

[quote]John Mclane wrote:
Ok, Im gonna cut the bread totally and ditch the honey/cashews. Can yu advise on a good pre/post workout please, I’d prefer real food pre-workout. I’ll let you judge the picture and see if my claim of 12% bodyfat is “bullshit”.[/quote]

I stand corrected, you are “almost there”.

The problem with “real food” pre workout is that it slows absorbsion. I can tell you what I am taking peri-workout is pretty much what is outlined on this website for the Anaconda protocol. You can chose to take Biotest products, or do something else, but the general outline of protein and a fast acting carb source is pretty universal.

Since you stated you wanted to look like Ryan Reynolds in Blade take a look at the following article:

[/quote]
Thanks for that info, I will check it out and let you know how I get on - if I make all the necessary dietry changes do you reckon I can get cut in say 12 weeks or so?[/quote]

Absolutely.

Ok…posting my diet on here was the best thing I ever did as I revamped EVERYTHING…Ive had no pasta, bread, cakes, weight gainer (use an mrp instead) and not cheated once…cardio now 30 mins * 5 and abs 5 times a week…the following pics were taken last night, AND Im only 7 days into a Winny/Test Prop stack…bit nervous as to what reaction I will get but I know in my hear I have been working hard! So what do you think?

Here’s another pic

lolol 15% upper body okay bro. You are in the 10-12% range…you look awesome for you age, in fact, awesome for ANY age. Why are you trying to lose even more bodyfat?

I’d say whatever you’re doing is working JUST fine!

Wasn’t expecting that when i saw you posted pics lol

[quote]facko wrote:
lolol 15% upper body okay bro. You are in the 10-12% range…you look awesome for you age, in fact, awesome for ANY age. Why are you trying to lose even more bodyfat?[/quote]

Lol, why not?? Gotta keep improving!!! Thanks for the positive comment’s, I do appreciate it!

If you think you can lose more fat while holding your muscle then go for it. I dont really see the point of getting leaner if not dieting for a show, but to each his own

Have you tried a fat burner supplement? HOT-ROX or something like that?

ECA ?

Properly timed yohimbine? My people have spoken very highly of its ability to help burn stomach fat specifically. The research is out there, any links I have I wont post here.

[quote]hockeydawg wrote:

  • Overall, it looks like an awful lot of food for someone trying to cut.
  • [/quote]

PLease refrain from giving comments like this one.

Without knowing the persons personal history there is no way you can judge whether a certain amount of food is too much or too little. Even if you turn out to be correct in a given case, it’s by pure luck and coincidence.

[quote]BONEZ217 wrote:

[quote]hockeydawg wrote:

  • Overall, it looks like an awful lot of food for someone trying to cut.
  • [/quote]

PLease refrain from giving comments like this one.

Without knowing the persons personal history there is no way you can judge whether a certain amount of food is too much or too little. Even if you turn out to be correct in a given case, it’s by pure luck and coincidence. [/quote]
Got it. You are right.