I havent seen much movement on the scale lately, so I started a new diet. Im 209 lbs, No idea what my body fat is, somewhere between 15 and 25% depending on the method. I'm trying to loose fat. Plus, since the scale stopped telling me what I wanted to here, I stopped using it. I now just use the mirror.

Anyway- I lift weights 3x/week and do :45 to 1 hr of low intensity cardio 3x/week. (Burn about 400 cals in a session @ 65-70% mhr)

Anyway- My diet is the problem I think. I was eating about 2300 cals/day, but I think it was too low. I then read this thread (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=8036) and decided to up my calories and cylce them a little. Ive been on it for a little over a week after eating about 3000 cals/day for a week to get my metabolism going again. I feel better, but havent noticed any change yet. I am patient enough to give it a month to see what happens, but I would appreciate any crititism so I am not dooming myself from the start.

I figured my maintenacne was around 3000 cals, so I am doing three weeks averaging 2700 cals/day, then three weeks averaging 2400 cals/day, then I'll do a week at 3000 then start over...

Last week looked like this:

T - 2450 cal
W - 2505 cal
R - 2505
F - 2800
Sa - 3500
Su - 2700
M - 2550

Average was about 2700 calories/day

I track everything with fitday

I havent been shooting for any macro ratio's per se, but I have been trying to get 200-220 g/protein per day, about 20% calories from fat, and the balance low GI carbs. Veggies, high fiber grain sources etc...

Yesterday's foos intake looked like this...

9am Breakfast: 425 cal 26g P
1 C. Oats (W/ splenda and calorie free 'maple' syrup)
1 egg
3 egg whites
Hot sauce on the eggs

12:00 Meal 460 cal 40g P
4oz. Canned Chicken
2 bocca burgers
4 slices bread (High fiber grainy type, 45 cal, 5g Carb, 2g Fiber/slice)
...more hot sauce

2pm meal 460 cal 26g P
Black Bean Soup
no hot sauce

5-6pm Gym
(I did cardio, but had been intendin to lift. My Partner couldnt make it so I just switched up my routine a little)
I would have had a PWO shake of 2 scoops Powdered gatorade and an oz. of whey) its like 40g Carbs from dextrose and sucrose If I was lifting

7pm Meal - 770 cals 89 g P
Steak salad
8 oz lean top round steak, salad greens, tomato, white beans, peach cucumber, 1 oz of blue cheese

11 pm Meal - 454 cal 10 g P
2T Peanut Butter
1C Banana chips
better than potato chips and dip...

Totals:
2568 cal, 212g Protein and 40:35:25 for C:P:F ratio

Where to start.....


Suggestions will be in CAPS:

CARDIO ON AN EMPTY STOMACH WILL PRODUCE GREAT RESULTS

9am Breakfast: 425 cal 26g P
1 C. Oats (W/ splenda and calorie free 'maple' syrup)
1 egg
3 egg whites
Hot sauce on the eggs

OK, BUT I WOULD CUT DOWN ON THE CARBS (1/2 CUPS OATS) AT YOUR WEIGHT FOR THIS MEAL, AND BUMP THE PROTEIN. 1 EGG, 7 WHITES WITH SOME SPINACH PERHAPS MIXED IN.

12:00 Meal 460 cal 40g P
4oz. Canned Chicken
2 bocca burgers
4 slices bread (High fiber grainy type, 45 cal, 5g Carb, 2g Fiber/slice)
...more hot sauce

USE 6 OZ. CHICKEN, DUMP THE BOCA BURGERS AND GO WITH 2 SLICES OF BREAD, OR BETTER YET 6 OZ. SWEET POTATO OR 1 CUP BROWN RICE.

2pm meal 460 cal 26g P
Black Bean Soup
no hot sauce

WELL, NOT SURE WHAT'S IN THIS, BUT I WOULD NEVER DIET WITH IT...EVER. GO WITH MORE PROTEIN, SAY TUNA WITH MAYO WITH MIXED VEGGIES. NO OTHER CARBS.

5-6pm Gym
(I did cardio, but had been intendin to lift. My Partner couldnt make it so I just switched up my routine a little)
I would have had a PWO shake of 2 scoops Powdered gatorade and an oz. of whey) its like 40g Carbs from dextrose and sucrose If I was lifting

ALWAYS CHOOSE LIFTING OVER CARDIO FOR FAT LOSS, BARRING ANY OVERTRAINING. PEOPLE GET RIPPED AND MUSCULAR ALL THE TIME BY JUST LIFTING WEIGHTS, BUT NO ONE GETS RIPPED AND MUSCULAR BY JUST DOING JUST CARDIO.
HAVE YOUR PWO SHAKE AFTER LIFTING. DEXTROSE AND WHEY IS FAR BETTER AND CHEAPER, BUT IF YOU MUST USE GATORADE POWDER.

7pm Meal - 770 cals 89 g P
Steak salad
8 oz lean top round steak, salad greens, tomato, white beans, peach cucumber, 1 oz of blue cheese

IF THIS IS IN FACT 770 CALORIES....WAY TOO MUCH. JUST GET IN ABOUT 45 GRAMS OF PROTEIN WITH ABOUT 16 GRAMS OF FAT AND YOU'LL DO FINE. BEANS ARE OK FOR FIBER.

11 pm Meal - 454 cal 10 g P
2T Peanut Butter
1C Banana chips
better than potato chips and dip...

FAT AND HIGH GLYCEMIC CARBS TOGETHER USUALLY = FAT STORAGE, ESPECIALLY AT 11 PM! YOU PROBABLY KNOW YOU CAN CHOOSE A BETTER MEAL THAN THIS, JUDGING BY YOUR "BETTER THAN CHIPS AND DIP" COMMENT. EAT AN EGG WHITE AND SPINACH OMELETTE IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GET LEAN.

Good luck!

Thanks for the suggestions, its a little hard to see the forrest through the trees.

I have a few follow up questions...

"CARDIO ON AN EMPTY STOMACH WILL PRODUCE GREAT RESULTS"
I normally do this. I just ended up having to switch the cardio and lifting because my workout partner couldnt make it that day.

CUT DOWN ON THE CARBS (1/2 CUPS OATS) ... BUMP THE PROTEIN.
Are suggesting that I change my macro's for the meal? You mentioned for my weight, is there a formula?

12:00 Meal.
Does this mean I should have way more carbs in the middle of the day? 6Oz sweet potato is 200 cal and 47 g carbs (40 net). The bread was 140 cal and 20g carbs (12 net)

I understand the bocca burgers (not real food and incomplete protein source), the chicken just happend to come in a 4 oz to a can. I added the bocca because I felt that there wasnt enough with just the chicken.

ALWAYS CHOOSE LIFTING OVER CARDIO
Its not really a choice. I lift three days a week. I do a power/rep range/shock workout (Look here (http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/showthread.php?t=31408)) atually it is more of a rr/p/rr/s workout. I have been lifting for a couple of years. I do cardio on off days, and on lifting days where I can get to the gym in the morning and at night (I do work 50-60 hours a week too.) This is a new workout I have decided to try because I needed to mix things up a little. been doing it for three weeks and have noticed difference already

DEXTROSE AND WHEY IS FAR BETTER AND CHEAPER... Actually, powdered gatorade is dextrose. the pre-bottled liquid stuff is high fructose corn syrup. Anyway, I've been looking around for some dextrose I just havent found an in-town supplier yet. and yes I have (all) the whey too.

I drink it after I lift, but not after cardio. I try to hold of on the carbs for a little bit to allow the lypolisis (sp?) to continue -per many many messages on this forum.

I appreciate the advice. Its just making my head spin trying to figure out what to eat when, which is still my biggest concern.

...oh, and black bean soup is black beans, water, spices, then apply a stick blender.

At the risk of going against the grain here I would personally try lowering the fat intake and upping the cardio intensity. If you can, try higher intensity for shorter periods 5 times/week (not necessarily after lifting) in the morning. Keep calories low-ish (~2500). I know this goes against some of the fat-burning principles on this site and if it makes you feel uncomfortable try it for 3-4 weeks, then go back to your original routine. In fact even if it works, you might not want to keep it up but just use it as a plateau buster.

'ALWAYS CHOOSE LIFTING OVER CARDIO FOR FAT LOSS'

Personally I disagree with this statement. Although I don't think you should cut out lifting (or even necessarily reduce since 2-3x/week is still good for 'cutting') but cardio (and lots of it) is really key. More times/week of cardio, even if it is not 45 mins worked better at keeping my metabolism up that 3x1hr.