I thought I was doing well, but apparently not. Would you all please help me out? I've changed things based on feedback...

Oh, I'm 250 lbs, 35% bodyfat, I think. I lift weights 2-3 times a week, and I've been gaining muscle, and I do cardio 3 days a week for 45 mins.


7:00
Oatmeal
Banana
Multivitamin

10:00
Tuna
Apple

1:00
Protein Shake
Chicken Salad


3:00
Kashi Protein Bar


6:00
Salmon
Couscous
Brocolli


9:00 Protein Shake

PS

Water intake is about 3 liters throughout the day.

I thought I was doing well, but apparently not. Would you all please help me out? I've changed things based on feedback...

Oh, I'm 250 lbs, 35% bodyfat, I think. I lift weights 2-3 times a week, and I've been gaining muscle, and I do cardio 3 days a week for 45 mins.


7:00
Oatmeal
Banana
Multivitamin

10:00
Tuna
Apple

1:00
Protein Shake
Chicken Salad


3:00
Kashi Protein Bar


6:00
Salmon
Couscous
Brocolli


9:00 Protein Shake

PS

Water intake is about 3 liters throughout the day.
Hard to say without seeing the amounts. That might be too much food, or it might be too little. Overall your choices are decent I think, except I'd rather see you have more protein at the 1st meal.

How much oatmeal? How much tuna? How much protein in the shake, and what else is in the shake? What is in the chicken salad, and how much of it are you eating? Tell us more about that Kashi Bar (sorry I am not familiar with it). How much salmon, couscous, and broccoli? What's in the 9pm protein shake (I'd add Natty Peanut Butter or flax to that shake btw).

Need more info. :)

Ok...

The 7 am oatmeal would be Quaker Instant Oatmeal, 35g, which says its 130 calories.

The 10 am tuna is just a tuna pouch. It is 3 oz of tuna in water.

The 1 pm chicken salad has, I would estimate, 1 chicken breast chopped up in it. Then it has just lots of greens, some croutons, and some shredded cheese.

The two protein shakes have water and two scoops of Designer Whey (48g) which works out to 36g of protein each shake.

Here is a link to the Kashi bar info: http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=87533&catid=48718&trx=29384&tab=0#0

The Salmon, I'm not sure the amount. Something reasonably small and the couscous would be about 1/2 a cup, I would say. Basically I'd be filling up a medium-sized dinner plate.

How's that?

Not enough food, especially early in the day. Theres no fat at all in that whole day. FLAX OIL!! lol...drop flax oil into ur protein shakes. At your weight ur going to want to get atleast 250 grams of protein a day...around 45 grams a meal (6 meals). Personally, I would have the carbs other than two meals aftger your workout, everyone has a different approach.

Yeah, you need a lot more calories, protein and healthy fats. What time do you lift? I don't see any pre-post workout nutrition either.

Well, as others have said, you probably need more calories. Do you have an idea of what that typical days consists of calorie-wise? If you don't, you should. You'll have more success in the 'diet' department once you get an understanding of EXACTLY how much of what you eat every day. I would suggest tracking every single thing that goes in your mouth for a week, at least.

Also, 3 of your daily meals are shakes/bars. I personally, am not a fan of replacement meals. I'd try to get whole foods into your diet as much as possible, both for the short term benefit and a lifetime of eating healthy.

I know it seems like a hassle, but use something like the fitness log found here:

http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=5999

www.fitday.com or www.nutridiary.com

it is a bit of a hassle at first but it gets really easy really quickly and that helps you control and apportion your food through the day, plus it helps you split your nutrients and get your BMR figured out properly

it's easier than it looks

Ok I'll list out what we know so far... you really should try to fill in the missing information, such as the protein, carbs, calories, fat, etc. But I will try to work with this...

7:00: 1 pack instant oatmeal (130 calories), 1 banana, 1 multivitamin
Drop instant oatmeal if you can and use regular old fashioned oats. Need protein here badly. Add in .5-1 cup egg whites and 1-2 eggs, for example.

10:00: 1 tuna pouch (3 oz. in water), 1 apple
OK, could be better but okay.

1:00: Protein Shake (2 scoops Designer Whey in water, 36g Protein total), chicken, green veggies, shredded cheese, croutons
I'd like to know about the carbs and fat and calories in that protein powder...

This meal isn't bad though. May want to try adding flax to that shake.

3:00: Kashi Protein Bar (290cal / 48g carbs [31g sugar] / 13g protein / 6g fat)
This bar isn't that good. Lots of sugar. I would drop it and do something else if I were you. Actually, I think you could take that 1pm protein shake out of the 1pm meal (the chicken may be enough), but move that protein shake to 3:00 and add healthy fats to it.

6:00: 1 small portion of Salmon, about 1/2 cup Couscous, Brocolli
Not bad at all.

9:00: Protein Shake (2 scoops Designer Whey in water, 36g Protein total)
Add healthy fats. A couple tablespoons of natural peanut butter might even make this shake taste better. :tucool:

How long have you been at this diet? Whether or not you need more calories is moot if you haven't been at this diet for more than a couple weeks. A calorie retricted diet- if it's 200 less or 1500 less- is calorie restricted, and you WILL lose weight. If your numbers are truly accurate, you really should be taking off a substantial amount of weight.

I would try this out for a couple weeks, and you'll see that you may lose weight, but you will probably feel tired and weak as a result. The only way to learn your body is to experiment (safely).



I thought I was doing well, but apparently not. Would you all please help me out? I've changed things based on feedback...

Oh, I'm 250 lbs, 35% bodyfat, I think. I lift weights 2-3 times a week, and I've been gaining muscle, and I do cardio 3 days a week for 45 mins.


7:00
Oatmeal
Banana
Multivitamin

10:00
Tuna
Apple

1:00
Protein Shake
Chicken Salad


3:00
Kashi Protein Bar


6:00
Salmon
Couscous
Brocolli


9:00 Protein Shake

PS

Water intake is about 3 liters throughout the day.

I haven't been on this strict of a diet, but I've been reasonably close for two months.

1:00: Protein Shake (2 scoops Designer Whey in water, 36g Protein total), chicken, green veggies, shredded cheese, croutons
I'd like to know about the carbs and fat and calories in that protein powder...



If it's the chocolate flavor 2 scoops are 180 calories 3g of fat 4g of carbs, and of course 36g of protein.

If it's the chocolate flavor 2 scoops are 180 calories 3g of fat 4g of carbs, and of course 36g of protein.

Correct.

Ok I'll list out what we know so far... you really should try to fill in the missing information, such as the protein, carbs, calories, fat, etc. But I will try to work with this...

7:00: 1 pack instant oatmeal (130 calories), 1 banana, 1 multivitamin
Drop instant oatmeal if you can and use regular old fashioned oats. Need protein here badly. Add in .5-1 cup egg whites and 1-2 eggs, for example.

10:00: 1 tuna pouch (3 oz. in water), 1 apple
OK, could be better but okay.

1:00: Protein Shake (2 scoops Designer Whey in water, 36g Protein total), chicken, green veggies, shredded cheese, croutons
I'd like to know about the carbs and fat and calories in that protein powder...

This meal isn't bad though. May want to try adding flax to that shake.

3:00: Kashi Protein Bar (290cal / 48g carbs [31g sugar] / 13g protein / 6g fat)
This bar isn't that good. Lots of sugar. I would drop it and do something else if I were you. Actually, I think you could take that 1pm protein shake out of the 1pm meal (the chicken may be enough), but move that protein shake to 3:00 and add healthy fats to it.

6:00: 1 small portion of Salmon, about 1/2 cup Couscous, Brocolli
Not bad at all.

9:00: Protein Shake (2 scoops Designer Whey in water, 36g Protein total)
Add healthy fats. A couple tablespoons of natural peanut butter might even make this shake taste better. :tucool:

Awesome, thanks, I really appreciate the help.

I haven't been on this strict of a diet, but I've been reasonably close for two months.
How much have you lose in 8 weeks?

How much have you lose in 8 weeks?

Nothing on the scale, but I have gained muscle, so that may have offset it.

However, see my "Diet Coke is the Devil" thread, as I just lost 4 lbs.

Nothing on the scale, but I have gained muscle, so that may have offset it.

However, see my "Diet Coke is the Devil" thread, as I just lost 4 lbs.
Very hard to gain muscle on a calorie deficit diet. Watch out for serving sizes and portions that can lead to calorie creep or jumps. You might need a serious review of your present diet and exercise program. You can error both on intake side or the activity side.

Most people here shoot for a 1 or 2 pound loss a week. 8 weeks = 8-16 lbs. The best results I have seen on studies was a .5 to .75 gain in muscle during a calorie deficit. I know lack of results can often cause people to give up on goals. The review won't hurt.:tucool:

Very hard to gain muscle on a calorie deficit diet. Watch out for serving sizes and portions that can lead to calorie creep or jumps. You might need a serious review of your present diet and exercise program. You can error both on intake side or the activity side.

Most people here shoot for a 1 or 2 pound loss a week. 8 weeks = 8-16 lbs. The best results I have seen on studies was a .5 to .75 gain in muscle during a calorie deficit. I know lack of results can often cause people to give up on goals. The review won't hurt.:tucool:

I've added 40 lbs to my bench press in those two months. Just about every other lift has improved as well. My muscles feel harder and are visibly bigger to myself and my wife. Go figure.

I hadn't been lifting weights prior, so is this newbie gains?

I hadn't been lifting weights prior, so is this newbie gains?
I am sure there are some gains in muscle, my opinion is that while the gains may be there, I doubt you are seeing a lb per lb situation. My guess is your calorie intake is too high. But when I look at your meal plan in your first post of this tread, it does not reflect a high calorie intake. Is this a 7 day a week review of your intake? Or do you eat or drink other things? Do you have cheat days or meals?

I had gone back and looked at your past posts and wanted to help. If your activity is as you have said, I give you a 1.55 activity level for 2600 calories for a 2 lb loss a week. Let do 6 meals a day, 40/40/20% (c/p/f)macro ratio. That is 520 calories of fats, 1040 calories of carbs and 1040 calories of protein.

Breakfast 525
Mid morning 350
Lunch 500
Afternoon 350
Supper 525
night 350

That is a lot of food, you should lose 8 pounds in next month. If you do the exercise as you have outlined. You are doing something 6 days a week!

Be sure and recheck calories requirement every 10 pound loss.

BTW: have you had blood sugar checked recently? Your body might be overcompensating for ineffective insulin.

Thanks for the help.

I'm writing down everything I eat now.

Monday I got 2000 calories, despite aiming to get 2400. Tuesday was about the same, although I haven't added up the totals yet.

That's interesting about the blood sugar thing...maybe there is a connection to all the diet coke I was drinking.

I'm visibly seeing less fat in the mirror now and my wife says the same thing.

I can't wait to weigh again on Sunday.