Nutritional/Supplementary Overhaul Help

Diet and Nutrition
1

Hey guys, I’ll try to keep this as easy to follow as I can, but I could use some real help. Thanks in advance!

So basically I was in a lifting lull, I’ve been working out consistently (haven’t missed a scheduled day in like 6 months) but I’ve been basically treating it as something I had to do. Needless to say my diet kind of went all caddy-wompus. (Not that it was anything to be proud of originally)

But recently I’ve noticed serious progress and my spirit is back in it again, and I want to grab it by the horns while I can. Obviously easier to build better eating habits and stick with them when I’m already interested.

First off, I don’t really care to be 8pack shredded. I just want to feel healthy, and get strong as hell, while maintaining a presentable body. I’ve been really tired lately, day in and day out, and starting to feel achy.

So my ultimate questions are:

  1. What is an affordable and easy nutritional regimen to follow? Some brief details:
    -I have a hard time with breakfast. I’m not hungry in the mornings at all, and I like my beauty sleep, the easier the better.
    -I am terrible about eating colored fruits and vegetables, what are some of the best bang-for-my-buck greens to start with? (Nothing cooked preferably, generally like raw better)
    -If you can make chicken taste good again, please enlighten me.

  2. What supplements are really worth a damn?
    -I can read articles on it all day, but I’d like some personal experience
    -I get a vast amount of protein just from my diet (I’m a huge meat and potatoes kind of dude), is it worth it to get powder, or are my funds better distributed elsewhere?
    -If possible, give me your 3 most important supplements/vitamins and I’ll start with that.

  3. I drive a lot for work, so bringing my own food isn’t always ideal, about 3/5 days a week I’m more than an hour away from the shop. I typically stick with a double meat tuna and spinach footlong from subway, any alternative advice here? Or is this the best of a bad situation?

Let me know if you need anymore details, ie activity levels, lifting routine, etc. Didn’t want to make this post any longer than it is already.

Thanks!

2

Until you have #1 under control, #2 is useless. Nothing wrong with a shake since you are driving a lot though.

Learn to cook if you want food to taste good.

Thermal bag for the win when traveling.

3

It’s never ideal. You still have to do it.

4

as supplement i like to take Omega 3, vitamine D and you can add a good complex of magnesium before bed. Omega and Vit D are my all years long supplement !

when i have some more money i like proteine, bcaa, preworkout pump formula… but its not necessery

5

JFG: Yeah, that’s kind of why I lumped vitamins and supps in the same group, more looking for some things that people are generally deficient in, that will make my body feel a bit better. Not that I’m totally banged up by any means, but I know I eat like shit, so curious as to how much better I’d feel if stacked with a somewhat decent diet. I do hate cooking with a passion, but I’ve already broken up that barrier and at the very least prep my dinners a week in advance, I guess learning how to make it not taste like cardboard is just the next progression.

Yogi: you’re not wrong, I’ll give a bit of effort, any advice on filling lunches, preferably that don’t need to be microwaved? Microwave isn’t totally out of the question, Wilmington is a pretty big construction town, so most gas stations have one for public use.

Bigmax: I’ve got a good stockpile of fish oil, so I’ll get back on that train, and I’ll grab some Vitamin D supplements too, I eat a lot of Tuna, but I’m sure a little more wouldn’t hurt.

As far as achy joints, I just figure drinking more water and omega 3s? Or should I add something else, like glucosamine chondroitin?

I’ve spent a lot of time focusing on the lifting aspect, but short of completely cutting sugar, I’ve obviously never had much of a philosophy other than “eat big” so just pretend I’m totally new in this regard. And I’m quickly noticing age becoming a factor. *I’m only 25, but it’s night and day compared to 5 years ago.