Eating to Become a Navy Diver

tylerlehmann 2010-11-02 14:29:00 UTC #1

I have decided I want to be a Navy Diver for a career. I have been lifting 2.5 years now and have made a lot of progress. I need help on setting up a meal plan for this. I have never added swimming into a workout routine before so I am not sure of the caloric requirements for a person.

I'm 6'2 250lbs 17-20% bf

My workout consists of 1 hour of swimming upon waking Monday-Friday, two circuit training sessions on Monday and Wednesday and a heavy day on Saturday.

Monday workouts consist of 4 circuits 10-12 reps of chest, shoulders, triceps, and traps. Each circuit has no rest between movements and 60 seconds rest at end of circuit.

Wednesday workouts consist of 4 circuits 10-12 reps of legs, back, and biceps. Each circuit has no rest between movements and 60 seconds rest at end of circuit.

Saturday workouts are full body heavy lifts 3 lifts per body part 3 sets of 4-6 reps

This is what I eat daily right now

Meal 1. 3 Jumbo eggs and 4 slices of bacon

Meal 2. 8 ounces of beef and a cucumber

Meal 3. 7 ounces of pork or chicken 4.5 ounces of spinach

Meal 4. 8 ounces of beef and a zucchini

Pre-workout 1 serving of Surge WO Fuel

Meal 5. 7 ounces of salmon or tuna

Meal 6. 3 jumbo eggs and 4 slices of bacon

I have been on this diet for quite sometime with great success but with the added swimming I don't think that I will be getting enough food. I was thinking of taking a serving of Surge upon waking on my way to the morning swim and adding sandwiches and spaghetti this is what I was thinking:

Pre Swim 1 serving of Surge

Meal 1 on non lift days 3 jumbo eggs and 4 slices of bacon

Meal 1 on lifting days Power Shake(2 servings of protein powder, 1 cup of milk, 1 serving of oats, and two servings of natural PB)

Meal 2. 8 ounces of meat, 1 cucumber

Meal 3. 7 ounces of meat, 4.5 ounces of spinach

Meal 4. 8 ounces of meat, 1 zucchini

On lift days Pre workout 1 serving of Surge

Meal 5. Spaghetti and spinach

Meal 6. 1 serving protein powder with water

Meal 7. 3 jumbo eggs and 4 slices of bacon

Do you guys think that this will be sufficient? I don't want to lose to much muscle mass in this transition into my new career path. Any suggestions are welcome

Hip_Scar 2010-11-02 15:00:18 UTC #2

If that's your path, you should be concerned about passing the entrance exam and your power to wieght ration, muscle past a certain point will be detrimental in the water as far as oxygen consumption and bouyancy are concerned. Know what your milestones need to be for getting to the next step and focus on those, eat while you can because once you are in they are going to break your ass down, and tell you when and what you can eat.

tylerlehmann 2010-11-02 15:42:04 UTC #3

I know what I need to obtain in order to get in and I am working on that. I need to know what you guys think on the caloric intake. I don't want to be sabotaging my body and I have plenty of time to get into Diver shape before I enlist

Bricknyce 2010-11-02 16:51:23 UTC #4

How about you add up your caloric and nutrient amoutns first for us, rather than making us do half an hour's worth of work before we answer your question on whether you're consuming the right amounts?

Or you can pay someone to do it for you.

Did you add them up?

Bricknyce 2010-11-02 16:52:21 UTC #5

There's also a time tested way of finding out things also: follow the diet, wait two to four weeks and see if it's working.

Hip_Scar 2010-11-02 17:09:27 UTC #6

Determine your BMR, and track your food, adjust accordingly, "Myplate" at live strong .com helps me trmendously. It let's you track everything.

tylerlehmann 2010-11-02 18:07:52 UTC #7

IT ADDS UP TO ABOUT 2300 CALS ON MY DAILY INTAKE AS OF NOW

Bricknyce 2010-11-02 18:26:59 UTC #8

Hip Scar: Good advice.

Tyler: What's the macronutrient percent breakdown? Calculate that too.

2,300 calories is very low to start out on, ESPECIALLY with the workload you have cut out for you. You also got the low carb thing going too.

You're also spreading 2,300 calories over a lot of meals. That's like consuming a few bites of food at each sitting. You can do this with four or five meals.

Are you sure you calculated calories properly?

tylerlehmann 2010-11-02 18:59:57 UTC #9

Yes I calculated correctly. If I add the power shake it should add about 800 cal and I'm not sure about the cal for spaghetti but it will be upwards of 500 so with that it should put me around 3300-3500 cal. I still think I can lose with that.

Bricknyce 2010-11-02 21:00:06 UTC #10

You "calculated it correctly" when in fact you are consuming 1,000 to 1,200 calories more than what "you calculated correctly"?! 1,200 calories is more than 33% of what you calculated correctly.

Are you kidding me?

You also calculated when you're unsure of the caloric amount of spaghetti which indicated you probably don't know the correct caloric values of many foods.

This is not a guessing game. Look up stuff in a calorie counter, either a book or a site.

Bricknyce 2010-11-02 21:02:01 UTC #11

And is this lean meat you have listed in your menu? Fats in meats can add hundreds of calories to your diet. So can heaping servings of spaghetti considering ONE cup of pasta is 160 calories and most people aren't inclined to eat a few bites.

caveman101 2010-11-02 22:34:47 UTC #12

eat fish

tylerlehmann 2010-11-03 14:12:07 UTC #13

I know exactly what I am eating. I have been eating the same thing for months now. I am adding the swimming so I wanted to add more carbs so I am asking as a general question if you think it looks like enough. Don't tell me how to calculate cal and micro nutrients I have done it for the past two years.

StrongrunBox 2010-11-05 03:29:03 UTC #14

start running

WestCoast7 2010-11-05 05:19:40 UTC #15

tylerlehmann wrote:

Bricknyce wrote:

tylerlehmann wrote:
Yes I calculated correctly. If I add the power shake it should add about 800 cal and I'm not sure about the cal for spaghetti but it will be upwards of 500 so with that it should put me around 3300-3500 cal. I still think I can lose with that.

You "calculated it correctly" when in fact you are consuming 1,000 to 1,200 calories more than what "you calculated correctly"?! 1,200 calories is more than 33% of what you calculated correctly.

Are you kidding me?

You also calculated when you're unsure of the caloric amount of spaghetti which indicated you probably don't know the correct caloric values of many foods.

This is not a guessing game. Look up stuff in a calorie counter, either a book or a site.

I know exactly what I am eating. I have been eating the same thing for months now. I am adding the swimming so I wanted to add more carbs so I am asking as a general question if you think it looks like enough. Don't tell me how to calculate cal and micro nutrients I have done it for the past two years.

So why are you asking for our help? Don't create a thread if your not going to take the advice.

Instead of asking a idiotic "general nutrition question" why don't you spend some of your own time doing some "general reading"? That way you can develop a specific goal, and will be able to ask specific questions for the problems you are seeking to address.

gregron 2010-11-05 05:57:28 UTC #16

tylerlehmann wrote:

Bricknyce wrote:

tylerlehmann wrote:
Yes I calculated correctly. If I add the power shake it should add about 800 cal and I'm not sure about the cal for spaghetti but it will be upwards of 500 so with that it should put me around 3300-3500 cal. I still think I can lose with that.

You "calculated it correctly" when in fact you are consuming 1,000 to 1,200 calories more than what "you calculated correctly"?! 1,200 calories is more than 33% of what you calculated correctly.

Are you kidding me?

You also calculated when you're unsure of the caloric amount of spaghetti which indicated you probably don't know the correct caloric values of many foods.

This is not a guessing game. Look up stuff in a calorie counter, either a book or a site.

I know exactly what I am eating. I have been eating the same thing for months now. I am adding the swimming so I wanted to add more carbs so I am asking as a general question if you think it looks like enough. Don't tell me how to calculate cal and micro nutrients I have done it for the past two years.

You've been doing it for the past two years yet you're still 20%BF?

if you "know exactly what you're doing" then why are you posting here? If you think you're going to show up in Panama City with 20%BF and make it through dive school your crazy.

You think that but it doesnt work that way. Judging by what you've said in this thread so far I dont see you getting in bad ass shape before you enlist. Even if you do get in awesome shape, your condition will get worst in boot camp. Navy bootcamp is a joke physicaly (even if you get to hit the dive motivator PTs a couple times a week)

You're in for an eye opening experience

tylerlehmann 2010-11-05 13:31:49 UTC #17

gregron wrote:

tylerlehmann wrote:

Bricknyce wrote:

tylerlehmann wrote:
Yes I calculated correctly. If I add the power shake it should add about 800 cal and I'm not sure about the cal for spaghetti but it will be upwards of 500 so with that it should put me around 3300-3500 cal. I still think I can lose with that.

You "calculated it correctly" when in fact you are consuming 1,000 to 1,200 calories more than what "you calculated correctly"?! 1,200 calories is more than 33% of what you calculated correctly.

Are you kidding me?

You also calculated when you're unsure of the caloric amount of spaghetti which indicated you probably don't know the correct caloric values of many foods.

This is not a guessing game. Look up stuff in a calorie counter, either a book or a site.

I know exactly what I am eating. I have been eating the same thing for months now. I am adding the swimming so I wanted to add more carbs so I am asking as a general question if you think it looks like enough. Don't tell me how to calculate cal and micro nutrients I have done it for the past two years.

You've been doing it for the past two years yet you're still 20%BF?

if you "know exactly what you're doing" then why are you posting here? If you think you're going to show up in Panama City with 20%BF and make it through dive school your crazy.

[quote]tylerlehmann wrote:
I have plenty of time to get into Diver shape before I enlist [/quote]

You think that but it doesnt work that way. Judging by what you've said in this thread so far I dont see you getting in bad ass shape before you enlist. Even if you do get in awesome shape, your condition will get worst in boot camp. Navy bootcamp is a joke physicaly (even if you get to hit the dive motivator PTs a couple times a week)

You're in for an eye opening experience

I don't think I can show up for bootcamp at 20%. If I did, don't you think I would just go enlist now? I am at 20% if that, down from 48% two years ago. So I haven't been at 20% for two years. If I knew everyone needed my life story before asking questions I would have noted that. I have a list of meats and there break down by ounces and I weigh all my foods. What I am saying is I eat like my meal plan lays out all the time. Why can anyone just look at what I have laid out and say "looks like you will need more carbohydrates in your diet." or "I would move meal 3 to meal 5's spot." If I wanted specific information I would have listed all the micro nutients and cal brake downs. Why does everyone here assume that everyone else is a complete idiot? So all I'm asking is for general responses not you need 25.6 grams more protein.

bad_bowtie 2010-11-05 14:05:58 UTC #18

Depending how far you are away from going to basic etc. I would start looking into 3 meals per day type nutrition.

If you are use to 5-7 meals per day, you are going to hate basic training because you get breakfast, lunch and dinner and thats it.

Maybe a concern for you, maybe not but I just thought that I would share that info

tylerlehmann 2010-11-05 14:18:01 UTC #19

Thank you bad bowtie. This is what I am looking for. And you make a valid point. I know my body starts craving food on a schedule now so the three big meals makes sense.

WestCoast7 2010-11-05 15:01:20 UTC #20

tylerlehmann wrote:

gregron wrote:

tylerlehmann wrote:

Bricknyce wrote:

tylerlehmann wrote:
Yes I calculated correctly. If I add the power shake it should add about 800 cal and I'm not sure about the cal for spaghetti but it will be upwards of 500 so with that it should put me around 3300-3500 cal. I still think I can lose with that.

You "calculated it correctly" when in fact you are consuming 1,000 to 1,200 calories more than what "you calculated correctly"?! 1,200 calories is more than 33% of what you calculated correctly.

Are you kidding me?

You also calculated when you're unsure of the caloric amount of spaghetti which indicated you probably don't know the correct caloric values of many foods.

This is not a guessing game. Look up stuff in a calorie counter, either a book or a site.

I know exactly what I am eating. I have been eating the same thing for months now. I am adding the swimming so I wanted to add more carbs so I am asking as a general question if you think it looks like enough. Don't tell me how to calculate cal and micro nutrients I have done it for the past two years.

You've been doing it for the past two years yet you're still 20%BF?

if you "know exactly what you're doing" then why are you posting here? If you think you're going to show up in Panama City with 20%BF and make it through dive school your crazy.

[quote]tylerlehmann wrote:
I have plenty of time to get into Diver shape before I enlist [/quote]

You think that but it doesnt work that way. Judging by what you've said in this thread so far I dont see you getting in bad ass shape before you enlist. Even if you do get in awesome shape, your condition will get worst in boot camp. Navy bootcamp is a joke physicaly (even if you get to hit the dive motivator PTs a couple times a week)

You're in for an eye opening experience

I don't think I can show up for bootcamp at 20%. If I did, don't you think I would just go enlist now? I am at 20% if that, down from 48% two years ago. So I haven't been at 20% for two years. If I knew everyone needed my life story before asking questions I would have noted that. I have a list of meats and there break down by ounces and I weigh all my foods. What I am saying is I eat like my meal plan lays out all the time. Why can anyone just look at what I have laid out and say "looks like you will need more carbohydrates in your diet." or "I would move meal 3 to meal 5's spot." If I wanted specific information I would have listed all the micro nutients and cal brake downs. Why does everyone here assume that everyone else is a complete idiot? So all I'm asking is for general responses not you need 25.6 grams more protein.

Want a general response? Your inability to read, learn, take a serious approach, focus on the details, and develop specific goals is going to limit your ability to achieve success, and is probably a reflection of your lifestyle in general.

People don't become elite physically, mentally, or in any other respect by asking for general information. You think big companies just sit in meetings and think "we generally need to make more money in Q1" or that focused military personnel sit around and say "I generally need to take over this sector".

To achieve success in any facet of life, you need to break it down and set specific goals. You could start by setting a target BF% along with target test metrics that you need to hit for dive school.