Ok, it might be a little late to be posting this.

[Philadow]

I have been serious about my workouts the past 3-4 months and have been seeing great results. But I've been getting curious about my caloric intake, so here goes.

Currently, I am on a full body, Sun.-Tues.-Thurs., 3 day a week workout plan. I work out with intense weight for each excersise, and am increasing my weight nearly every week for every excersise. I workout in the mornings when I wake up 30-45 minutes after I take 3 scoops of No-Xplode, NOTHING ELSE. I am working out with a fasted stomach. After my workout, I drink my 48 grams of protien with 2 cups 2% milk and an Animal Pak. I do not eat for at least 3 hours after the protein and Animal Pak. Daily, on average, I take in about 1000-1200 calories a day MAX, and that is mostly 2-4 eggs, 2-4 slices white bread, and some nuts, maybe a Progresso healthy canned soup that has 240 cal. 30 from fat. And of course, another 48 grams of protien with 2 cups 2% milk before I go to bed.

I am seeing some, IMO, good results however the fat around my mid-section, even with this type of diet, STILL does not seem to be going anywhere, however I am seeing gains in muscle mass and muscle hardness all over my body. The fat I used to have on my arms and legs is now completely gone, and it's now just my chest, "love handles", and stomach that just won't lose the fat. Anyway, this is off topic, but I just thought I'd throw this part in.

My main question is should I be eating BEFORE my intense weight training? The training schedule I am on is from bodybuilding.com and it states that I should not do ANY cardio at ALL while I am on this routine. It's the type of routine where I do basically 80% of my 1 rep max to complete failure for one set of 8-12 reps. Back in my previous days, when I would workout later in the day, I found myself wanting to throw up everytime I went to the gym, even if it was 5-6 hours after I ate anything, so I'm concerned that it'll happen like that again if I don't workout in the mornings on an empty stomach. However, from what I've been reading in these forums, for the type of workouts I'm doing it is recommended that I eat 10-12 times my body weight in calories and eat plenty BEFORE I work out. No-Xplode says to not take it on anything but an empty stomach, so how would I work that into eating before I lift?

I currently weigh 157 in the morning on an empty stomach, and my height is 5'11, but I have no clue as to what my body fat % is. So, should I start eating before I work out? How many calories? How many calories should I eat a day to ensure that I'm keeping all the lean muscle that I'm lifting so hard for, without taking in too many storing the extras as fat? Thanks all!

[Masher]

You should be eating double that mate. You'll starve on 1200 cals a day, especially with hard lifting. You'd starve anyway. Unless there is something I don't know, you need to be eating about 2500 cals a day, and of those calories, you need a lot of it to be natural food. From what you're saying, the three protein shakes would be about what, 400 cals? That's a THIRD of your total intake, on shakes.

Yeah, it's a bit late to be asking, but at least you can fix it now. And don't worry about putting on a bit of weight. You're 5'11" - stop eating like you're 3'.

-Masher

[Chameleon]

Originally Posted by Masher

You should be eating double that mate. You'll starve on 1200 cals a day, especially with hard lifting. You'd starve anyway. Unless there is something I don't know, you need to be eating about 2500 cals a day, and of those calories, you need a lot of it to be natural food. From what you're saying, the three protein shakes would be about what, 400 cals? That's a THIRD of your total intake, on shakes.

Yeah, it's a bit late to be asking, but at least you can fix it now. And don't worry about putting on a bit of weight. You're 5'11" - stop eating like you're 3'.

-Masher

I agree.. you NEED more food than that... I'm a 5' 2.5", 142 lb woman and I eat between 1400 - 1700 depending on the day and I'm preping for a competition... non-precomp diet is between 1600 - 1800 calories.. you need more food man

and I would suggest drinking a protien shake before your workout... use milk in it so you have some carbs and protien... least that's my opinion... Roger (bluestreak) drinks a protien shake like this before his morning workouts

[TheLemonSong]

Originally Posted by Philadow

I have been serious about my workouts the past 3-4 months and have been seeing great results. But I've been getting curious about my caloric intake, so here goes.

Currently, I am on a full body, Sun.-Tues.-Thurs., 3 day a week workout plan. I work out with intense weight for each excersise, and am increasing my weight nearly every week for every excersise. I workout in the mornings when I wake up 30-45 minutes after I take 3 scoops of No-Xplode, NOTHING ELSE. I am working out with a fasted stomach. After my workout, I drink my 48 grams of protien with 2 cups 2% milk and an Animal Pak. I do not eat for at least 3 hours after the protein and Animal Pak. Daily, on average, I take in about 1000-1200 calories a day MAX, and that is mostly 2-4 eggs, 2-4 slices white bread, and some nuts, maybe a Progresso healthy canned soup that has 240 cal. 30 from fat. And of course, another 48 grams of protien with 2 cups 2% milk before I go to bed.

I am seeing some, IMO, good results however the fat around my mid-section, even with this type of diet, STILL does not seem to be going anywhere, however I am seeing gains in muscle mass and muscle hardness all over my body. The fat I used to have on my arms and legs is now completely gone, and it's now just my chest, "love handles", and stomach that just won't lose the fat. Anyway, this is off topic, but I just thought I'd throw this part in.

In my opinion, your diet is very poor. You are taking in no good fats, not nearly enough protein, high sodium, and from the looks of it no carbs that aren't sugar (Milk and white bread = SUGAR).

In my opinion you should add about 700-800 calories and then try to get that 1700-2000 calories from nutritious sources.

Abs are made in the kitchen not in the gym!

Hope that helps

Post a sample diet of your daily intake with times and foods and nutrients and we'll keep posting to help you critique it.

[Philadow]

Awesome, thanks guys. The only problem with me is that everyday I have no clue as to what I'm gonna eat. I have no money, so I can't go out and buy produce, I just eat whatever is in the house that isn't junk, hence such low calories and poor choices. There are boxes of ramen noodles, and that's about it. So I don't have a choice but to eat the only thing that seems good, like eggs, milk, oatmeal. That's it. There's nothing else here to eat =\. And lately it seems that no one wants to hire me. Sigh.... bills bills bills....

I'll be posting something revised soon hopefully. The other thing is I'm half asian, and just about everything I eat is with rice. White rice is the only option. Mostly chinese, and I'm not talkin' panda express crap, I'm talking home-made chinese foods. I rarely eat american foods, i.e. steaks, potatoes, etc. but I get quite a bit of veggies when I get to eat at my aunties, which is often. But on days like yesterday when there's just no reason to leave the house, yeah, my diet is terrible. But I've been wondering if I should be eating something before I work out anyway, so koo koo.

[lordkovacs]

woah!!! 1200 is WAYYYYYY too low! YOu will not be addign much muscle with that! In fact, you're probably losing some! I agree with the above. I'd shoot for 12X my weight... so about 18-1900cals/day. Remember, everyone puts on fat in certain places first (there's truth the adage, "it'll go straight to my hips") so is it true that weight can come off in certain areas first.

Your lifting routine seems okay... though you don' t "need" cardio to stay fit and lose fat, IMHO weights can not duplicate the cardiovascular benefits of cardio... again, not to stir up debate...just my opinion.

good luck,
MIKE

[TheLemonSong]

Originally Posted by Philadow

Awesome, thanks guys. The only problem with me is that everyday I have no clue as to what I'm gonna eat. I have no money, so I can't go out and buy produce, I just eat whatever is in the house that isn't junk, hence such low calories and poor choices. There are boxes of ramen noodles, and that's about it. So I don't have a choice but to eat the only thing that seems good, like eggs, milk, oatmeal. That's it. There's nothing else here to eat =\. And lately it seems that no one wants to hire me. Sigh.... bills bills bills....

I'll be posting something revised soon hopefully. The other thing is I'm half asian, and just about everything I eat is with rice. White rice is the only option. Mostly chinese, and I'm not talkin' panda express crap, I'm talking home-made chinese foods. I rarely eat american foods, i.e. steaks, potatoes, etc. but I get quite a bit of veggies when I get to eat at my aunties, which is often. But on days like yesterday when there's just no reason to leave the house, yeah, my diet is terrible. But I've been wondering if I should be eating something before I work out anyway, so koo koo.

Frozen and canned veggies are pretty cheap. I don't buy fresh produce too often, but depending on what you're buying it can be really cheap...
Cans of tuna are cheap too.
Brown rice, beans, tofu...
There are hundreds of other examples.

Also, milk is *really* expensive in my opinion...so maybe some substitutions need to be made in what you buy rather than the amount you spend. It is a myth that to eat healthy you have to spend more.

[Philadow]

Awesome advice guys, I really appreciate it. But I just remembered something - if I'm going to start drinking a protein shake before my workouts, then what about my No-Xplode, which states that I shouldn't eat anything or take any protein within an hour of taking it? Or should I just do what's common sense and take my No-Xplode, wait the 45 minutes, take the protein, and immediately start my routine?

[LQQK]

Originally Posted by Philadow

Awesome advice guys, I really appreciate it. But I just remembered something - if I'm going to start drinking a protein shake before my workouts, then what about my No-Xplode, which states that I shouldn't eat anything or take any protein within an hour of taking it? Or should I just do what's common sense and take my No-Xplode, wait the 45 minutes, take the protein, and immediately start my routine?

I think No-Xplode should be taken about 45 mins before the routine.
After the routine, you take your protein shake. I believe that was the answer given when i last asked. Correct me if i'm wrong.

At least thats what ive been doing since i got my no-xplode.

[Philadow]

Ok ok, I talked to my big buddy Joe and he suggested this. Eat a serving of oatmeal when I wake up - 30 min. later take No-Xplode - 15 -20 minutes later do my stuff. Sounds good, I'm giving my body enough time to digest and the No-Xplode shouldn't (hopefully) be affected by this either.