I posted a few weeks ago about my dilemma about being in Afghanistan on a military base, and not losing weight. I am on my second week of my new training and diet and I would like to get some feedback, so I can either keep going with it, or change it before I do it for months and have minimal success.

Food: (Typically)
1) power bar or oatmeal (after workout)
2) salad with tuna, chicken breast
3) salad with tuna
4) power bar or nutrigrain bar or handfull nuts
5) chicken breast/fish/ground beef, steamed vegetable
6) (occasionally) apple/pear/plum

Gym: (3 days a week, 1 set each, 8-12 reps)
Leg Press, Leg Extension, Leg Curl, Calf Raises, Pull Ups, Lat Row, Lower Back Row, Bench Press, Bicep Curl, Tricep Curl, Shrugs, 8 min abs.

The diet is what I am concerned with, the workout actually, oddly, amazingly is prett good. Doesn't look like much in print but I do the most weight I can for 8-12 reps (not light weights) (for me) and it is pretty effective. So what do you all think about my weekly diet and exercise? I'm 6'1" 251lbs (down from 255 March 5th) trying to get as close to 200 lbs before November (thats when I leave this shit hole).

Thanks for any input! :eat: :db: :cool:

I posted a few weeks ago about my dilemma about being in Afghanistan on a military base, and not losing weight. I am on my second week of my new training and diet and I would like to get some feedback, so I can either keep going with it, or change it before I do it for months and have minimal success.

Food: (Typically)
1) power bar or oatmeal (after workout)
2) salad with tuna, chicken breast
3) salad with tuna
4) power bar or nutrigrain bar or handfull nuts
5) chicken breast/fish/ground beef, steamed vegetable
6) (occasionally) apple/pear/plum

Gym: (3 days a week, 1 set each, 8-12 reps)
Leg Press, Leg Extension, Leg Curl, Calf Raises, Pull Ups, Lat Row, Lower Back Row, Bench Press, Bicep Curl, Tricep Curl, Shrugs, 8 min abs.

The diet is what I am concerned with, the workout actually, oddly, amazingly is prett good. Doesn't look like much in print but I do the most weight I can for 8-12 reps (not light weights) (for me) and it is pretty effective. So what do you all think about my weekly diet and exercise? I'm 6'1" 251lbs (down from 255 March 5th) trying to get as close to 200 lbs before November (thats when I leave this shit hole).

Thanks for any input! :eat: :db: :cool:

what greens are in your salads? do you use dressing? what kind & how much? how much tuna/chicken do you eat at a sitting? without specific amounts its hard to help you. I can say, with certainty, that your first meal needs protien if you are eating just oatmeal (you stated power bar OR oatmeal), you NEED protien in every meal. the reason I asked about your salad is that if it's just iceburg lettuce you're not getting any (or virtually non - it has a tiny bit of fiber) nutrients from it... you need to be eating dark green veggies, like romain, green leaf lettuce and/or spinach... I would throw the steamed veggies in more often as well... also you said your 4th meal was a power bar or nutrigrain bar or handfull nuts, I would drop the nutrigrain all together, and if you have the handfull of nuts you need to have something else with it, i.e. veggies and/or additional protien source. Do you have access to protien powder? eggs? cottage cheese? those are all great protien sources to add to your diet. I'm sure you'll get many more responses, keep chuging along and I'm sure you'll do great ;)

In addition, I should mention that here on base, I dont really have much to pick from for food. The gym has every machine (x2) you can think of. The dining facilities are full of deep fried, sugar added, fat added, breaded, and processed foods that are totally not good for you. I am hoping to completely not eat processed food altogether but it is hard. The salads are iceberg, with olives, carrot slices, pickles, shredded cheese, and peppers. no dressing! Then a dollop of tuna (which is premixed with mayo or something :mad: ) Does this sound ok or no?

So remember I am on a limited availability of food here. Cottage cheese, eggs, stuff like that, I am offered 2 times a day for lunch and dinner, however they dont have much protein rich foods like your suggestions. But I am super willing to eat nothing but extra brand sugar free gum if that is what you tell me i should start doing.. (just kidding)

And yes I can purchase whey protein or whatever else kind of protein at the Post Exchange here, they have tons, even with free creatine tablets taped to them.

Another thing I would like to know is, has anyone used the protein shakes when trying to lose 20-50 lbs and not just gotten fat? I am just afraid that i'm going to have 2 shakes a day for a "meal" and I'm going to end up bulking up and getting fatter. I'm trying to get small.

I posted a few weeks ago about my dilemma about being in Afghanistan on a military base, and not losing weight. Food: (Typically)
1) power bar or oatmeal (after workout)
2) salad with tuna, chicken breast
3) salad with tuna
4) power bar or nutrigrain bar or handfull nuts
5) chicken breast/fish/ground beef, steamed vegetable
6) (occasionally) apple/pear/plum

Gym: (3 days a week, 1 set each, 8-12 reps)
Leg Press, Leg Extension, Leg Curl, Calf Raises, Pull Ups, Lat Row, Lower Back Row, Bench Press, Bicep Curl, Tricep Curl, Shrugs, 8 min abs.

The diet is what I am concerned with, the workout actually is good. I do the most weight I can for 8-12 reps (not light weights) (for me) and it is pretty effective. So what do you all think about my weekly diet and exercise? I'm 6'1" 251lbs (down from 255 March 5th) trying to get as close to 200 lbs
:

Your exercise program looks good! :tucool: Diet, I understand is tough. eat more green vegtables. Now you have to watch calories, count everything that goes in your mouth. Don't go below 1700, you shouldn't be above 2700, in my opinion. Drink lots of water, a gallon to 1.5 gallons a day. Increase your weights.

Another thing I would like to know is, has anyone used the protein shakes when trying to lose 20-50 lbs and not just gotten fat? I am just afraid that i'm going to have 2 shakes a day for a "meal" and I'm going to end up bulking up and getting fatter. I'm trying to get small.

Sure it is just protein, a good brand can be mixed with water. The calories can be low.

Your not going to simply bulk up ( or in this case add fat) by adding an extra scoop or two of protien powder to your diet...especially if your already low on protien.

You will need to consider calories, this is a huge factor, not enough and you start burning muscle, too many you start storing fat. Too many in one meal and you start storing fat.

Consider the mayo in the tuna a fat source...its going to be hard to get really exact with your calorie count but estimate and be as close as you possibly can be. Calories and macros are what will effect your fat loss in the long term and sticking as close to those numbers as possible will get you the best results!

Another thing I would like to know is, has anyone used the protein shakes when trying to lose 20-50 lbs and not just gotten fat? I am just afraid that i'm going to have 2 shakes a day for a "meal" and I'm going to end up bulking up and getting fatter. I'm trying to get small.

I have another question for you now.... is it just protien powder or protien shakes that the PX has? if it is just protien powder, you will not get fat from using it often, however, if they are protien shakes you need to be careful and make sure everything in the shakes (protien, carbs & fats) are added into your macros. You still need to do that with the protien powder too but the amount of carbs should be minimal and there should be no fat.

also, that salad does not sound very good (olives and cheese are mostly fat - are you factoring those into your macros?) , however, I understand that your resources are limited, if you could eat steamed veggies instead you would be getting much more from your meals. I would also limit the tuna salad mix to just one meal, it's okay to have a little bit of mayo now and then but it's not one of the good fats so you'll want to limit how often you eat it. I'd pick up some protien powder (not the shakes) and get a cup with a lid that seals well and use it to shake the protien and water, this would be a much better source of protien for you if your goal is fat loss.

good luck :tu:

I have another question for you now.... is it just protien powder or protien shakes that the PX has? if it is just protien powder, you will not get fat from using it often, however, if they are protien shakes you need to be careful and make sure everything in the shakes (protien, carbs & fats) are added into your macros. You still need to do that with the protien powder too but the amount of carbs should be minimal and there should be no fat.

On my way out the door this morning I saw this sittin on the shared food shelf: Muscletech whey protein in a single serving packet, strawberry cream flavored. 340 calories 35 fat cals. 6% Daily Value of fat, 8% DV carbs, 104% DV Protein. Is this the " shakes " i want to stay away from? Our PX has jugs of whey protein that many people use for seats when they're empty. (they're big) So, I guess I will go over there and get a big jug today. Thanks for the info :cool:

On my way out the door this morning I saw this sittin on the shared food shelf: Muscletech whey protein in a single serving packet, strawberry cream flavored.

Our PX has jugs of whey protein that many people use for seats when they're empty. (they're big) So, I guess I will go over there and get a big jug today. Thanks for the info :cool:

Well you found one to stay away from- all fat, no protein?. The jugs as you call them are powdered protein, I assume? Look at the All the Whey ads for the breakout of some good whey protein.

I purchased ProLab "Advanced Whey Protein" chocolate flavor. It has 125 cals per serving, 3% DV fat, 1% DV of Carbs, and 48% DV of protein. I chose this one over a few other brands/products because it wasn't packing over 100% DV of protein (per 2 shakes a day) The other brands had more cals, more fat and more carbs. Even though this one says "Advanced" on it, it still seemed like a good deal, especially if i have 2 servings a day as meals, it isn't skyrocketing my calories and if I need i still have space for food if i get hungry again. It came with creatine powder taped to it- would that benefit me at all right now if i am trying get small? I am assuming not, but i dont really have any idea...

Hey soldier, good job! Your routine is a 100% improvement from the first time we heard from you. It even looks like you've found the healthiest food choices available. It's sad and funny at the same time that our Country feeds the people defending it so poorly... the fried food pyramid :rolleyes:

About the Advanced Whey Protein-- you made the right choice there. If it has almost no fat and no carbs, that is what you want. It's best to have your protein with a healthy fat source that you add-- like a small handful of nuts. You can have that twice a day as a snack and you'd be measurably improving your macronutrients.

I wouldn't bother with the creatine... it makes the muscle retain water which is not what you want to be smaller.

I posted a few weeks ago about my dilemma about being in Afghanistan on a military base, and not losing weight. I am on my second week of my new training and diet and I would like to get some feedback, so I can either keep going with it, or change it before I do it for months and have minimal success.

Food: (Typically)
1) power bar or oatmeal (after workout)
2) salad with tuna, chicken breast
3) salad with tuna
4) power bar or nutrigrain bar or handfull nuts
5) chicken breast/fish/ground beef, steamed vegetable
6) (occasionally) apple/pear/plum

Gym: (3 days a week, 1 set each, 8-12 reps)
Leg Press, Leg Extension, Leg Curl, Calf Raises, Pull Ups, Lat Row, Lower Back Row, Bench Press, Bicep Curl, Tricep Curl, Shrugs, 8 min abs.

The diet is what I am concerned with, the workout actually, oddly, amazingly is prett good. Doesn't look like much in print but I do the most weight I can for 8-12 reps (not light weights) (for me) and it is pretty effective. So what do you all think about my weekly diet and exercise? I'm 6'1" 251lbs (down from 255 March 5th) trying to get as close to 200 lbs before November (thats when I leave this shit hole).

Thanks for any input! :eat: :db: :cool:


Actually, I'm kind of curious what your breakdowns actually end up being. Have you tracked this in any programs? Something like www.fitday.com (it's free, and there are several others out there too) and so you know about the calories you are taking in on average and your breakdowns of Carb/protein/fat? it might be helpful to see where things are as they stand with that meal plan you listed...?

I'm 6'1" 251lbs (down from 255 March 5th) trying to get as close to 200 lbs before November

You're down four pounds in eleven days, so at first glance it looks like the changes you've made are just about right.

The tweaks you're considering are all fine, but I wanted to emphasize that you might be pretty much on track as it is.

If you're comfortable with the amount of food you're eating (not hugely tempted to binge) and you keep loosing 1.5 lbs per week (which is a little less than you've lost so far), you'll be at 202 pounds or so by Halloween.

:gl:

. It came with creatine powder taped to it- would that benefit me at all right now if i am trying get small? I am assuming not, but i dont really have any idea...

I have never seen a reliable source say that creatine is good when cutting, most say not. Hold off in its use. Save it, because when you get down to goal, it will quickly add additional muscle to that gained in cut along with little weight. I think 210 is going to be your best weight, I suggest a 195 goal on cut.

Rancid, great job! I would like to chime in and let you know I think you are doing great, especially considering your circumstances. Keep up the good work. Just try to track your calories, and your macros, and you should be right on track. For me, tracking my intake was the difference between success and failure!

One thing I like to think of is the 80% rule. If you do 80% of what you need to do, and only cheat or fail 20% of the time, you will still enjoy the majority of the benefits of your actions. This means you don't need to be perfect, just do your best, as long as it is better than what you COULD be doing, or HAVE been doing, then your results will be better too!