OK so a bit about me...I'm 29, male, 6' even, 190 pounds, and probably 20% body fat (although I have no REAL stat to base this off of).

My wife and I have our vacation planned to the Bahamas this summer and I refuse to go to the beach looking like crap. So here's the changes I've made to our menu...let me know what you think.

Breakfast:

2/3 Cup of oatmeal with a small dallop of real butter and sprinkled with Splenda.
-or-
3/4 cup of Cheerios with skim milk

Snack:

Apple/Bananna/Granola
-or-
Post Workout Shake (depending on when our workouts fall)

Lunch:

5 oz. of Mixed Green Salad with 4 oz. of grilled Chicken (maybe a shredded carrot or some peppers or cucumbers too)
String Cheese
-or-
Lean Turkey with Lettuce and Mustard usually on a halfed slice of whole wheat or multi-grain bread (occasionally maybe make it out of two full slices of bread)
String Cheese

Snack:

Apple/Bananna/Granola
-or-
Post Workout Shake (depending on when our workouts fall)

Dinner:

**This is where I try to really get in some variety**
I've gotten recepies from Menshealth.com for healthy versions of things like: Barbecue Chicken and Cheddar Calzones, Beef and Black Bean Chili, Asian Chicken Stir-Fry etc.

I want to try to rotate a seafood dish, a beef dish, a pasta dish, and a chicken dish. That was my thought process anyway. Throw in some fresh veggies or a whole wheat dinner roll and have a pretty good meal.

Snack:

Low fat cottage cheese sprinkled with splenda or sugar free jelly
-or-
lowfat yogurt frozen then thawed in the microwave for 30 seconds or so...tastes just like ice cream!

I don't want to become a crazed calorie counter. Hopefully, I can manage based off eating sensibly and getting to the gym for regular cardio and weight training.

Any input would be appreciated. Thanks so much for your time fellas!!!

That's pretty darn solid by my book. :tu:

Breakfast #1 beats #2 hands down. (I'd make the butter dollop big though- that's only a good fat.) If it is steel cut or rolled oats it's really good. You might want to add an egg to that breakfast to balance it. Or add a #3 choice of a couple eggs (boiled, scrambled with butter, or fried in coconut oil) and maybe a piece of meat of some kind.

Personally, I'd just use full fat dairy products. The taste is worth it and there's not a whole lot of fat cals in there. It's a good natural fat anyway.

I'd also look into sprouted grain for all your bread needs.

Looks pretty good to me, but I'm not usually very picky about my diet.I don't want to become a crazed calorie counter.
Yeah, so don't worry too much about any advice you're given in this thread. Take it as a guideline only. I'm only adding these comments because I'm bored. Your mileage may vary.

I don't eat cheese because it is so calorie dense, but I enjoy moderate amounts of peanut butter and other nuts. But, without your cheese, your lunch looks like it might be a little small. I don't use shakes at all, but some people find some benefit to them.

Does butter make your oatmeal taste better? It's more satisfying for me to eat yogurt with mine. I eat more than that at breakfast myself. I wouldn't want you to start off the day hungry.

Eggs for breakfast is a good option as well. Your diet looks a little bit carb-high as it is right now, and that might be a good way to add in some protein.

What kind of granola are you eating? I make my own with mashed bananas and dates as the only sugar source, and peanut oil and sunflower seeds as the only fat source. The premade boxed or bagged varieties will likely include refined sugars, and will possibly contain trans fats.

Is that four fruits a day? Some people might say that's too many, but it's fine by me. Berries, apricots, and oranges would offer more nutrition than apples and bananas.

Try and go heavy on the vegetables and light on the starches for your dinner. Do you like whole wheat pasta?

How many calories do you estimate your diet to be? It looks like it might be a little small for you. To lose fat, I'd suggest somewhere between 10 and 14 times your weight. (eg. 1900 to 2600 calories for you) If your wife is lighter than you are, she should eat fewer calories. You don't have to track them every day, but try inputting a few meals into www.fitday.com just for curiosty.

I guess I'm the only one who doesn't like this diet. LOL

If you are weight training, I see more muscle being lost rather than fat.

You may indeed lose 10-20 lbs. or so, but you'll look the same. Only a smaller version.

Based on your current stats, here's what I would humbly suggest for starters:

Meal #1: 4 oz chicken, 1/2 cup oatmeal, 4 egg whites, 2 whole eggs

Meal #2: 4 oz chicken, 6 oz sweet potato, 1 cup green fibrous veggie

Meal #3: 4 oz chicken or fish, large salad, 1 oz walnuts, low cal dressing

Meal #4: Protein shake with 2 tbls heavy whipping cream

Meal #5: 4 oz chicken or very lean sirloin steak, 2 cups broccoli, 1/2 grapefruit

Meal #6: 1 cup lowfat cottage cheese, 1 oz walnuts, 1/2 cup pineapple

On training days take a PWO protein shake without any added sugars.

Supps: fish oil, mult-vit/min, vitamin C before and after training.

If you need a meal replacement, I'd recommend a blended protein powder in water.

Good luck to you and your wife and I hope you meet your goals :tu:

Does butter make your oatmeal taste better? It's more satisfying for me to eat yogurt with mine.

I think butter makes it taste better. Though I've never had yogurt in mine I'm up for just about anything.


Eggs for breakfast is a good option as well. Your diet looks a little bit carb-high as it is right now, and that might be a good way to add in some protein.

I may go ahead and hard boil some to take with me easily. I'm an HVAC contractor and being 'on-site' all day leaves me no access to cooking gear.


What kind of granola are you eating?

I haven't found a suitable type yet. So right now that option is not REALLY there. But I am aware that most generic boxed kinds are going to be loaded with refined sugar and trans-fat. Thanks for looking out though. Maybe you could PM me your recepie.

Also I do enjoy the taste of whole wheat pasta. I think it's more satifying and sophisticated of a taste than regular white pasta. How about you?

Thanks for all your tips and advice. I will certainly take them into consideration while making ongoing revisions.

I guess I'm the only one who doesn't like this diet. LOL

If you are weight training, I see more muscle being lost rather than fat.

You may indeed lose 10-20 lbs. or so, but you'll look the same. Only a smaller version.

Based on your current stats, here's what I would humbly suggest for starters:

Meal #1: 4 oz chicken, 1/2 cup oatmeal, 4 egg whites, 2 whole eggs

Meal #2: 4 oz chicken, 6 oz sweet potato, 1 cup green fibrous veggie

Meal #3: 4 oz chicken or fish, large salad, 1 oz walnuts, low cal dressing

Meal #4: Protein shake with 2 tbls heavy whipping cream

Meal #5: 4 oz chicken or very lean sirloin steak, 2 cups broccoli, 1/2 grapefruit

Meal #6: 1 cup lowfat cottage cheese, 1 oz walnuts, 1/2 cup pineapple

On training days take a PWO protein shake without any added sugars.

Supps: fish oil, mult-vit/min, vitamin C before and after training.

If you need a meal replacement, I'd recommend a blended protein powder in water.

Good luck to you and your wife and I hope you meet your goals :tu:

Sorry, I meant to respond to this one earlier too. But time slipped away from me and the kids had me going.

I think if I were bulking this menu might be more my speed. I don't think I eat this much on a regular day to day. Don't get me wrong, what you've listed looks really solid to me. I just don't see me LOSING any weight on this.

How many calories do you estimate your diet to be? It looks like it might be a little small for you. To lose fat, I'd suggest somewhere between 10 and 14 times your weight. (eg. 1900 to 2600 calories for you) If your wife is lighter than you are, she should eat fewer calories. You don't have to track them every day, but try inputting a few meals into www.fitday.com just for curiosty.

I agree with you on it being on the light side. I put it into fit day and it came up about 1800 calories. So I'm gonna bump it up a notch. It was also kinda heavy on the carbs. So we'll see about getting some more protien in there. Thanks for the input fellas!!!

Sorry, I meant to respond to this one earlier too. But time slipped away from me and the kids had me going.

I think if I were bulking this menu might be more my speed. I don't think I eat this much on a regular day to day. Don't get me wrong, what you've listed looks really solid to me. I just don't see me LOSING any weight on this.

The diet I recommended above is actually only around 2100 calories and falls into Guava's suggested calorie range. Personally, when I embark on a cutting diet, I would have to eat 400-500 calories more than what I listed. Probably another 16 oz of chicken. Otherwise I would lose muscle. And I am 165-170 lbs.

People tend to shy away from eating more, which is necessary to burn fat. In this case, it's not only going to be the quality (clean foods) but the precise macronutrient ratio as well.

You have to in effect, "feed the furnace" to rev up your metabloic rate. A low calore, low protein diet will not accomplish this.

With the diet I have suggested, you will drop a ton of water weight the first week, followed by rapid fat loss. In another 3-4 weeks, you will become hungry and require more food, which in turn, will continue to keep the furnace burning hotter :nod:

:gl:

This is the recipe guideline I use for my granola (http://christmas.allrecipes.com/az/Granola.asp). I leave out the sugar, and sometimes a a couple of tablespoons of peanut oil or olive oil.

For the record, I actually like mastover's diet better. lol The diet he posted is actually pretty perfect imo. If you can, I'd try it.

Meal #1: 4 oz chicken, 1/2 cup oatmeal, 4 egg whites, 2 whole eggs

Meal #2: 4 oz chicken, 6 oz sweet potato, 1 cup green fibrous veggie

Meal #3: 4 oz chicken or fish, large salad, 1 oz walnuts, low cal dressing

Meal #4: Protein shake with 2 tbls heavy whipping cream

Meal #5: 4 oz chicken or very lean sirloin steak, 2 cups broccoli, 1/2 grapefruit

Meal #6: 1 cup lowfat cottage cheese, 1 oz walnuts, 1/2 cup pineapple

On training days take a PWO protein shake without any added sugars.

Supps: fish oil, mult-vit/min, vitamin C before and after training.

If you need a meal replacement, I'd recommend a blended protein powder in water.



OK work with me on this. Meals one & two don't work for me. For meal one I need to ditch some of the eggs and the chicken. Maybe get down to three eggs...no chicken , although I could do some other breakfast meat. Meal two I can't do the chicken or the potato. I'll be on the road and need something easier to prep and eat quickly.

Meal tree is cool,I could just do a large salad with cold chicken in it...no problem. I can prep that in the morning, no problem.

Meal # 4...talk to me about this. Is there a protien that should be taken just to supplement protien. Not necessarily as a Post-Workout shake? I was sort-of under the impression that I should only be supplementing protien after a workout or cardio.

Meals 5 & 6 look cool to me too.

So basically what I'm getting at is that I need variety. I can't do that much chicken all the time, every day, day after day.

Could you possibly work with those guidelines a little and see if you can come up with anything? I really do appreciate your time and thought.

Also, what type of percentages (if you know) would this put me at?

Thanks so much man!!!

This is the recipe guideline I use for my granola (http://christmas.allrecipes.com/az/Granola.asp). I leave out the sugar, and sometimes a a couple of tablespoons of peanut oil or olive oil.

Thanks...looks good. I'll probably give it a whirl this weekend.

bump!!!

Do all your food prep for the day or week, in advance.

Get tupperware storage containers and shaker cups.

Substitution for chicken: turkey, ground turkey, fish, very lean ground beef.

If the eggs seem too much, start off on the low end and gradually work up to the suggested amounts.

This is what's called a "functional" eating plan geared specifically for you to reach the goals you have spoke of. Variety in a menu is not a necessity to achieve the results one is looking for.

This is an extremely simple plan on all counts. Nothing difficult about it. I had simplicity in mind when I constructed it for you. Many of us here are faced with the same travel and work issues you have. Including myself. It should never be a deterant though.

I seriously hope my additional info helps you, and that you sincerely accomplish your fitness goals, otherwise I am at a loss as to how I can make things easier.

Mastover, thanks for posting that!

I'm going to give that meal plan a shot for the next week and see how it goes. I'm 5'9, 202 lbs with 24 - 26% body fat.

As far as getting bored with chicken, I think I'm going to try various chicken marinades and seasonings to make it interesting.

Do all your food prep for the day or week, in advance.

Get tupperware storage containers and shaker cups.

Substitution for chicken: turkey, ground turkey, fish, very lean ground beef.

If the eggs seem too much, start off on the low end and gradually work up to the suggested amounts.

This is what's called a "functional" eating plan geared specifically for you to reach the goals you have spoke of. Variety in a menu is not a necessity to achieve the results one is looking for.

This is an extremely simple plan on all counts. Nothing difficult about it. I had simplicity in mind when I constructed it for you. Many of us here are faced with the same travel and work issues you have. Including myself. It should never be a deterant though.

I seriously hope my additional info helps you, and that you sincerely accomplish your fitness goals, otherwise I am at a loss as to how I can make things easier.

Thanks man. I really appreciate your time and effort. I will do what I can to make all ends meet on this. I know what your saying about preping ahead of time and it's just another part of constructing my fitness plan that I'm going to have to work on. Thanks!!!

Wow - very interesting thread! I've been bouncing around on 195-200 plauteu lately and havent really moved much. I am going to give mastover's plan a work for a few weeks and see if that changes anything. Only thing I have never done in the past is prepare meals all in advance - this is a good idea, but how long does Chicken last in the fridge if I cook everything on a Sunday? or Hard-Boiled Eggs?