T Nation

Diet for a Newbie

Beginners
#1

Hey guys,
id like some feedback on my diet. i plugged it in to fitday.
total cals: 4,767. fat: 170 g. carbs: 561 g. protein: 338 g
by percentage: fats 30%, carbs 44%, protein 27%

its basically 3 meals a day, and 3 protein shakes a day. i work 12 hour shifts and dont generally have much time for food hence the 3 shakes. its very important that my diet is practical or i couldnt follow it.

my BMR IS
= 1951 if i do nothing
= 2731 on work days only
= 3121 on lifting days w/out work
= 3511 when i work AND lift
(ill usually be working and training on separate days so this doesnt play that big of a role)

goals: im currently 22 yo, 180 lbs, @ approx 25% bf, 6 ft tall. im slim, just have a bit of a guys, and not really muscular.

want to eventually be btw 200 and 220 lbs at 6-8 % bf.

PS: i dont know if this makes a difference but my current diet is very unhealthy (fast food and such) and havent excercised regularly in months. im still slim and havent gained much weight if any, so i think maybe i cant handle a higher calorie load if its generally clean and im back to lifting and doing martial arts.

gonna lift 4 x a week
and Martial arts about 3 -4 x a week

BREAKFAST

oatmeal
2 cups oatmeal
1/4 cup shelled walnuts
1 cup milk
cinnamon
flax seeds

1 cup green drink (basically a blend of spinach, apples, lemon, celery…)

SNACK # 1

1 protein shake
2 scoops Grow! Whey
2 cup of milk
ice
2 bananas
2 tablespoons all natural peanut butter
cinnamon
1 TBSP Extra virin olive oil

1 cup strawberries

LUNCH

1 tuna sandwich
2 slices rye
1 can tuna
1 tbsp low fat mayo

1 bowl tabboule

1 cup gree tea

SNACK # 2

1 protein shake
2 scoops whey
2 cup of milk
ice
2 bananas
2 tablespoons all natural peanut butter
cinnamon
1 TBSP EVOO

1 cup pineapple

DINNER

5 oz chicken breast
1 cup broccoli
1/2 cup brown rice

SNACK # 3

1 protein shake
2 scoops whey
2 cup of milk
ice
2 bananas
2 tablespoons all natural peanut butter
cinnamon
1 TBSP EVOO

1 CUP GRAPES

THANKS

#2

[quote]SolidSnake5150 wrote:

PS: i dont know if this makes a difference but my current diet is very unhealthy (fast food and such) and havent excercised regularly in months. im still slim and havent gained much weight if any, so i think maybe i cant handle a higher calorie load if its generally clean and im back to lifting and doing martial arts.
[/quote]

You haven’t gained much weight because you aren’t eating enough, and you aren’t exercising. seriously, an ounce of chicken for dinner? Your shakes look solid, but your real food is somewhat lacking. Your breakfast could use more protein, either a couple of eggs or a scope of whey mixed in with your oatmeal. If you have time, eggs are probably a better choice. For lunch, ditch the fucking low fat mayo. For dinner, eat something! Have a steak or something. Or add another 11 ounces of chicken to the meal. I know a big hot shot author just wrote about getting big without getting fat, but really, if you start busting your ass at the gym with the goal of growing, you have to get over the oh god food will make me fat mentality. If you can get enough healthy food in to gain weight, great. If you are having problems, and the olive oil shooters don’t do it for you, go to a damn steakhouse one a week and put down a pound of steak and potatoes. Do this in ADDITION to the healthy food you’re already eating, not instead of it. Speaking of healthy, you might want to add some green veggies to your solid meals. You’ve got a couple of servings of fruit with your shakes, but not a lot of veggies.

#3

i had a scoop of whey w/ my breakfast but i was at about 370g of protein so i removed it.

i do have a serving of veggies w/ every meal.

PS: about the chicken. i dont really know what an oz is im just going w/a serving the size of my palm.

thanks

#4

[quote]SolidSnake5150 wrote:
i had a scoop of whey w/ my breakfast but i was at about 370g of protein so i removed it.
[/quote]
so? 370g of protein isn’t going to hurt you.

I would double it. You should be shooting for 10-12 servings of fruits and veggies a day, it looks like you’re sitting at around 8.

[quote]
PS: about the chicken. i dont really know what an oz is im just going w/a serving the size of my palm.

thanks[/quote]
An ounce is a weight measurement, if you’re trying to keep a tight diet, you should probably get a food scale. They cost like 5 dollars at walmart. The size of your palm is probably closer to 5 oz, which is still a little small.

#5

Get a scale

get 80% of your protein gramage from meat. Real live dead animals are far better for getting big and strong than tuna and whey.

Couple that with some good solid slow digesting carbs like oats, beans and pastas and you’ll be fine for growing muscle. With all the MA practice you should be able to keep the fat down.

Weigh all your food and if you arent growing then add more weight [ideally in the form of meat] and you wont have to worry as much about exact calories.

-chris

#6

good feedback guys thanks.

avocado, i may up the 2nd meal to 2 tuna sandwiches and dinner to 10 oz of chicken.

#7

Eat more meat. Simple. try add 300g of beef.

#8

Your a beginner, you noted you had a crap diet. Why do people try and get SO damn complicated when they dont need to and would likely make better progress if they made one simple change eat a LOT of real food. thats it swicth from lots of junk to Lots of real food stuff that grows and walks, fly’s, swims, or makes noise under its own power, ands things that come from those like milk and eggs.

Nail that first and if you need to get further complicated then do it. But dont get over whelmed in the PERFECT diet, base each meal on protein and eat lots of other good food. Thats it.

#9

solid thanks phil