Set Me Straight...Nutrition Timing

Ok guys…I feel like I need some help. I am a morning lifter. Here is my morning schedule.

5:30 wake up and drink 1 cup milk, 1 Tbsp Nesquik, and .5 scoop whey.

6:00 I am lifting. I usually get done around 6:40 and drink another cup of milk, 1 Tbsp Nesquik, and .5 scoop whey.

7:30 Breakfast…2 Eggs, 2 eggwhites, .25 cup mozzeralla cheese, banana

9:30 Sting Cheese, Apple, 1 scoop whey with water

12:00 Lunch…usually Chicken or Beef with Veggies

3:00 Applesauce and Cottage Cheese, 1 scoop whey with water

6:00 Supper…usually lean meat with very little carbs and lots of veggies.

9:00 Fruit with some PB and some cottage cheese

How does that look. The only time I ever hear anyone talk about their eating schedule it is for afternoon lifters. I just want to be sure I am getting the most out of my effort.

I have been lifting hard for 2 years and dont feel like I am seeing the results I should. I am a FFB and usually eat around 2800-3000 cals a day to start gaining…but it usually feels like fat more than anything. Give me your input guys, i’ll listen. I just feel like I need to rethink some things. Any help???

Dang, no help huh??? Seriously though, to my knowledge, I am doing what I need to. Someone has to be able to tell me where I am going wrong.

Why Nesquick?

Im no expert but i think you should try doing some new exercises you have never tried before. Eat most of your carbs in the beginning of the day, and the majority of your fats at the end of the day. Make sure all of your carbs are low glycemic.

And stay away from dairy fat if you can. For breakfast try oatmeal, fruit, and whey. Add in more healthy fats like fish oil, flax oil, olive oil, assorted nuts, and avocados. Make sure the peanut butter is natural and not the less fat stuff. For your pre and post workout drink use at least a full scoop of whey and no milk, cuz it digests way too slow.

Surge is the best pre-post drink out there, but if you cant buy it at least upgrade to gatorade and whey. Try out some creatine and see what happens. Also drink green tea, s’good for u!
good luck!

Yeah, I probably do need to get away from the milk. One poster asked why nesquik…pretty much just because its mainly maltodextrose. As far as oatmeal and fruit, I’ll try it. Ummm what else. Oh, I eat olive oil if I have to cook anything. Whenever I make chicken or even lean beef, i’ll cook it with olive oil. You mentioned the PB, yeah I use Smuckers Natural. The ingredients are peanuts and salt, thats all. You also mentioned green tea…I probably drink more f that than god should allow. I have considered creatie, I just havent tried it yet. I may have to do that. My wedding is coming up in June, so if I gain at all, I want it to be smart gaining and not just mainly fat so I am worried about my diet first and foremost. But maybe its time I try out the creatine.

[quote]pbnj wrote:
Im no expert but i think you should try doing some new exercises you have never tried before. Eat most of your carbs in the beginning of the day, and the majority of your fats at the end of the day. Make sure all of your carbs are low glycemic.

And stay away from dairy fat if you can. For breakfast try oatmeal, fruit, and whey. Add in more healthy fats like fish oil, flax oil, olive oil, assorted nuts, and avocados. Make sure the peanut butter is natural and not the less fat stuff. For your pre and post workout drink use at least a full scoop of whey and no milk, cuz it digests way too slow.

Surge is the best pre-post drink out there, but if you cant buy it at least upgrade to gatorade and whey. Try out some creatine and see what happens. Also drink green tea, s’good for u!
good luck![/quote]

I do too, but I think the consensus here is that you shouldn’t do that. It should be added onto the food after you cook, rather than cooking with it.

if you can, try not to cook with olive oil. it denatures its chemical structure. best to cook with pan then add olive oil or flax oil straight onto ur food.

Gotcha, i’ll just use pam from now on and then add the olive oil later. Well this morning I tried .5 cup oatmeal, 1 scoop whey, and a banana. It was good! That may have been too much whey though…it made it a little gummy. Any more tips???

Hey Boss,
Diet looks pretty good to me. I think the whole nutrient timing thing is a little overkill though. Only time to worry about the timing is before and after your workout. For the rest of the day, eat the right things, and you’ll be fine.

When was the last time you switched up your workout? Maybe you should do one of the ‘10 things’ that Shug talked about in his last article.

How are the squats coming along?

Ahh squats…I have actually completely switched over to front squats and zercher squats. For some reason back squats just really cause problems for me. No matter how many people watch my form and say I am doing great, my back gets stiff. With fronts and zerchers I am doing pretty well. No numbers to brag about, but doing well.

As far as switching up programs, I have lately been doing my own. Its pretty much a bare bones full body program. Pullups, Military, Bench, Bent over rows, Squats or Deads. 5 lifts and I am outta there. I also do some iso lifts for traps, biceps, triceps on my cardio nights…just for a little extra.

A few comments (use as you see fit):

  1. Give creatine a try, 5g with your PWO meal (it really doesn’t matter that much when you take it, but fixing it to a schedule helps consistency).

  2. Since you’re a FFB (I’m not, so take my advice with a grain of salt), you are likely strict with the amounts/times for eating. If this is the case, consider picking up JB’s Percision Nutrition.

  3. Following point 2 above, if you aren’t going to pick PN up, read, re-read and read again JB’s “Tailor-Made Nutrition” Series as well as his “7 Habbits” article.

The reason for recommending JB’s work is it will incorporate appropriate amounts of protein, fats and fibrous carbs. It would be fairly difficult to follow JB’s plans and get fat (if you follow the plan).

  1. Training. Don’t worry about back squats if they bother your back, just be sure you are using a program that is suited to your goal (primarily strength or primarily mass, etc…). Also make sure you are switching thing up as you begin to plateau.

Gook Luck.

I have read JB’s 7 habits and try to follow them exactly. I will have to check out that other stuff you suggested by him.

As far as a program for my goals, my goals are size more than strength…but I figure with one comes the other to a certain extent. I usually train with 8-12 reps for 3 sets, moderate weight. Sometimes I will throw in a heavy week every now and then.

There’s an entire book on the subject call, not surprisingly, Nutrient Timing. You can buy it on Amazon for ten bucks.

Do you people read books before asking questions? Or is the thought of doing reading and research too intimidating?

My own method: I do independnet research before posting.

Boss,

The diet looks well-planned. Get Surge, it’s worth the money.

I’m persuaded to think that the problem (lack of gains?)may lie more in training than diet. Cosgrove says re: lack of progress that with skinny guys it’s usually diet and with fat guys (or FFBs) it’s usually the workout.

In reading the replies and re-posts, it occurs to me that you might benefit, as I have, from greater variety in your rep schemes. Both Cosgrove and Waterbury (and other elite coaches) switch rep schemes within training blocks – one day is 8x3, the next 3x8. This strategy has been a real plateau buster for me, I’m bigger AND stronger.

If you want a really brilliant explanation of this, and a LOT more, get Waterbury’s “Muscle Revolution.” I know I’m sounding like a shill for Biotest, but these really are great products.

Richard

[quote]boss99er wrote:
I have read JB’s 7 habits and try to follow them exactly. I will have to check out that other stuff you suggested by him.[/quote]

I’d say read them again. :slight_smile:

Also, are your protein sources each meal sufficient? I ask because previously you were drinking a 1/2 scoop whey plus milk. That is likely less than 20g of protein. You should shoot for ~40g of lean protein/meal.

[quote]boss99er wrote:
As far as a program for my goals, my goals are size more than strength…but I figure with one comes the other to a certain extent. I usually train with 8-12 reps for 3 sets, moderate weight. Sometimes I will throw in a heavy week every now and then.[/quote]

If you’ve used this for more than say 4-6 weeks, switch it up. As someone else said, vary your rep ranges and be sure you’re working hard enough. Everyone thinks they works hard enough…until they work harder and realize they weren’t working as hard as they thought.

Last point, you mentioned cardio days. What and how often?

[quote]CaliforniaLaw wrote:
Do you people read books before asking questions? Or is the thought of doing reading and research too intimidating?
[/quote]

Well CaliforniaLaw, truth is I read a TON of stuff on here. I have read everything Shugart puts out about FFB’s and I have read tons of stuff by JB about nutrient timing. No I havent read the Nutrient Timing book, but I have read a lot of other stuff by him on the subject. My situation is somewhat unique in two ways. First, I am a FFB so what works for me isnt what works for most other people. Second, I am a morning lifter. Most nutrient timing stuff I read is for afternoon lifters who can eat big an hour before they lift. I just wanted any info that people could offer.

To the person who asked about my protein level, I weight 200 lbs and usually get about 220-240 grams of protein a day. That should be enough for me.