Picture 247 Hi all, I've been looking around for a place like this for a while, im pretty amazed by how many knowledgeable people there are here. So here's my introduction -
Late summer of 04' (entering my senior year high school) I weighed around 180 pounds (5'10). I lost around 45 pounds over the next 7 months. In march 05' I was approximately 135 lbs. All I did to lose the weight was cut the ice cream, bagels, potato chips out of my diet and replace them with healthy foods. For the next 4 months I basically stayed at the same weight but didn't really like being so skinny. In terms of physical activity, I played (and still play) a lot of basketball, but that's it. I was probably eating around 1500-1700 calories a day. In early June I started lifting weights (machines only) twice a week. Over the next month I started seeing some noticeable changes in my arms and stomach. Mid July I started using free weights as well and added around 30 minutes of cardio. Since then I've been trying to lift and do cardio 4-5 x a week. I've gained around 8 pounds or so since July and I now weight around 145. I tried one of those body fat scales and it said I was 12% bf.
Here is a current picture of me. (...ok i dont really know how to put the picture here but i attached it, i suck with computers :o )

Anyway i had a couple of questions about my diet. An average workout day for me is -

Breakfast:
Kashi Golean with 2% milk ( around 2 servings of Kashi)
1 Banana

Lunch:
2 slices whole wheat w/smuckers peanut butter
1 plum

Pre workout snack:
1 Balance Bar

After 30 minutes cardio:
1 Powerbar

Lifting for around 1 hour

1 Hour Post workout: Protein Shake with 2% milk

Dinner:
some veggies, fruits, and another balance bar

Sometimes I'll have turkey for dinner instead of the balance bar. I figure im taking in around 2000-2100 calories a day. Am i eating enough, the right things? I've seen some significant improvements strength wise over the last 2 months, but i feel as though i'm missing something. According to the calculators, im not eating enough to even be maintaining my weight, but i am very slowly gaining weight. So I'm a little confused.
Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me.

UPDATE;
Gained some weight, and some muscle - probably way to much fat - oh well. heres the picture to compare

Hi and wellcome!

I'm by far not an expert on those things but I'll put in my 2 cents:

If possible do the cardio first thing in the morning (before breakfast). If that's HIIT it's advisable by many to eat as soon as you feel hungry. If it's LISS you should wait for about an hour before having breakfast to maximize the fat burn.

Otherwise I'd add some more veggies - prefferably leafy and green and swap the bars for some lean meat. Also your lunch seems poor in nutrients - instead of the sandwich try eating some lean meat like turkey or chicken breast with some vegetables (salad, steamed veggies like broccoly).

Just browse the forums and check the meal split of the non-newbies of this forum to get an idea of a better diet.

What's your work out and what's your macro split?

My workout usually goes like this (excuse me if i screw up the names of the excercises). I have 1 day for chest and triceps, 1 day for back and biceps, 1 day for shoulders and legs.

Chest and triceps:

Bench Press - 135 X 12, 135 X 12, 145 X 10
Incline Bench Press - 130 X 12, 130 X 12, 140 X 10
Dumbbell Press? - 12 X 45, 12 X 50, 10 X 55
Dips - 3 sets of 12
Tricep pushdowns - 12 X 35, 12 X 45, 10 X 55
Dumbbell Kickbacks - 12 X 15, 10 X 20, 8 X 25


Back and Biceps:

Pullups - 3 sets of 10
Lat Pulldown - 12 X 112.5, 12 X 125, 10 X 135
Seated Cable Row - 12 X 85, 12 X 100, 8 X 115
Machine where you lean back (for lower back)
Concentration Curl - 12 X 25, 10 X 30, 8 X 35
Barbell Curl - (vary wide grip and narrow grip) 12 X 45, 12 X 55, 10 X 60
Machine Curl - 12 X 60, 12 X 72, 10 X 84

Shoulders and Legs -
Lateral Raises - 12 X 15, 12 X 20, 8 X 25
Overhead Dumbell Press - 12 X 25, 12 X 30, 10 X 35
Shrugs - 12 X 45, 12 X 50, 12 X 55
Leg Press - 18 X 180, 15 X 192, 12 X 204
Machine push your thighs together - 15 X 82, 13 X 94, 12 X 106
Machine push your thighs apart - 15 X 82, 13 X 94, 12 X 106

I also do abs with almost every workout, in between sets.

part of me wants to say everything wrong with your diet, i.e. "WHERE'S THE PROTEIN??" but then i look at your picture, and you look better than i do.
so i dont know what to tell you except keep doing what you're doing if you're getting results.

Personally I see to much reliance on MRP and energy bars, I's shift from the bars to real food and save the bars for days when you are short on time....but don't rely on the bars as a constant meal replacement (they're not a good daily replacement for real food and usually full of sugar alcohols and other filler).

The whole wheat bread....who makes it and what are the ingredients and cals?

You figure your taking in a certain amount of cals...but have you done the actual math on this?
If you are eating more than you are burning...you'll gain weight....eat less than you burn you lose weight.

You feel like you're missing something....lack of energy concerns?

Yea the whole wheat slices are 100 calories each, and i use around 1 and half servings of peanut butter. You are probably right about the energy bars, but i am usually short on time, I take 5 classes a week and work part time. I guess I could drop by the local subway and get a 6 inch sub - but something tells me those can't be good for you.

You really need to plug the data into www.nutridiary.com pr www.fitday.com to get a true sense of what you are eating and how much. The pie charts will tell you alot about your daily diet.

2000 cals would likely be close to maintenance maybe a little over and your at about 1lb/week so that's not bad. I guess keep it up. %bf scales tend to overestimate if your heartrate is low (ie, you are in good physical conditioning) but other factors affect it such as hydration level and food in your gut etc...

Using good old tape, measuring your waist and checking the mirror is your best guide.

I'd say you are leaner than 12%.

Bars are expensive as well. The only good thing I can say about bars is that the nutrition data is accurate (usually) and precise, unlike whole food which will have some variance to it. The bonus of whole food is the added thermogenic effect of digestion raising your metabolism.

I would eat more meat. Chicken breasts, steaks, you know. Real food. Just my opinion. These things provide real energy and fuel muscles. :eat: :bb: :flex: :claphigh:

Ok, thanks for the advice. Im going to cut a balance bar out of my diet and add some chicken or turkey.

But as far as my total protein intake, i dont think getting 145 g a day. Does this mean that I am burning off muscle instead of fat?

Im assuming i get daily -
Milk with Kashi Cereal - 30 G
2 Balance Bars - 30 G
Turkey - 20 G
Protein Shake - 30 G
Peanut Butter - 12 G
Total - 122 G

I dont want to gain any weight, so how can I have any more protein during the day without adding fat?

Ok, thanks for the advice. Im going to cut a balance bar out of my diet and add some chicken or turkey.

But as far as my total protein intake, i dont think getting 145 g a day. Does this mean that I am burning off muscle instead of fat?

Im assuming i get daily -
Milk with Kashi Cereal - 30 G
2 Balance Bars - 30 G
Turkey - 20 G
Protein Shake - 30 G
Peanut Butter - 12 G
Total - 122 G

I dont want to gain any weight, so how can I have any more protein during the day without adding fat?

I would drop both balance bars and replace with tuna/beef/chicken.

If your body fat is really 12% then you are getting enough protein. Don't forget to make sure you have fat in your diet (fat will not make you fat). Don't put all your fat into peanut butter (too much omega-6 will throw your omega 3:6 balance way out of whack)....olive oil, fish oils, avocado, walnuts, almonds, even a little saturated fat from eggs, beef, etc is fine).

brown Rice, sweet potatos, beans, oats etc....great carb sources...more fruits and veg as well.

Ok, so instead of peanut butter and balance bars, I had Turkey and chicken sandwiches. I also benched 155 for 12 reps. Coincidence?? I think not :cool:

But speaking of sandwiches, is having four slices of 100 Calorie bread a day too much? I also have Kashi cereal for breakfast, so would that be overdoing it?

Well bread is tough to find healthy versions of. If you can find Ezekiel bread it is good for you. It's made from sprouted grains vs. highly processed dry grain wheat. It's basically way better for you because the carbs are better. Most bread is made with white flour which is basically like sugar. Even most brown wheat flours are that way. Ezekiel bread has no flour in it.

Some Info on Flour (http://www.westonaprice.org/transition/whiteflour.html)

At the bottom of the page in this link is a nice chart showing brands of healthy sprouted/whole grain alternatives to bread, bagles, tortillas, crackers, rice, cereal... etc...

I say whole foods bro but hey........you look good! :tu:

I say whole foods bro but hey........you look good! :tu:
thanks, but your right about the whole foods, plus all these balance bars are burning a hole in my pocket...

I think I'm gonna buy some of that Ezekiel bread when i get a chance, although i do really the flaxseed bread i just got.