# first time poster/long time poor diet



## Profit (Apr 13, 2004)

alright my first post!!

First off some insight to possibly help with suggestions.  I'm 22 yrs old, male, college student (two more years), 5-10 175lbs.  I've been lifting throughout college up till about 4 months ago.  I've started up again this week.  I think the reason i stopped is i wasn't seeing the gains, which i partially attribute to a very very poor diet.  I love to eat and thus far it's my downfall, im amazed i don't weight about 250.  Seriously, i'm searching through other ppls recommendations and it looks to me like i'm reading a foreign language.  

You know how they have the "for dummys" books?  well i think i need one for healthy eating. I am trying to find a post where some1 gives a "good" weekly diet.  Not only what types of foods to eat, but also how to prepare them (perhaps i'm looking more at purchasing a book than finding on forum?,  going to look into the 300 recipe book posted on a sticky in this forum )  Because quite honestly i am lost in the healthy food departmant.

But in all honesty simply starting out by going to the grocery store can be a bit intimidating (yaaa that sure sounds funny reading that lol).  WHen you are use to just going there and buying mac n cheese, waffles and pizza etc. it's a bit easier than trying to pick out healthy food.  

Just some basics so atleast when i go to grocery store tomorrow i am not there longer than my workout  

egg whites: simply prepare them on a frying pan, don't eat the yolk i'm assuming....

Tuna, we talking in can, pouch does it matter? ( i don't think i've ever had tuna lol)

For protein shakes, i have some nitro-tech from a few months ago.  Any1 have the good/bad/ugly on this stuff?

Chicken, okay i can get rid of the skin, but only breasts? (i love chicken but hate breast......)

5 oz. 93% lean beef, okay this is simple enough to find.  just fry this and drain and eat plain??

so as of now this looks like my grocery list for tomorrow, quite a bit different than last weeks lol.
eggs
tuna
chicken breast
oatmeal
brown rice
apples
sweet potato
broccoli
whole grain bread
lean beef

**I'm trying to read all the things mentioned in this thread, but not done http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21113 

THanks for the time and patience of reading this, i know it gets laborious for you guys.


----------



## OmarJackson (Apr 14, 2004)

your grocery list looks pretty solid. although, what the heck do you mean you hate chicken breasts? get a foreman grill or something and they're awesome, a staple for bodybuilders. as far as shopping goes keep it simple: eggs, milk, chicken, beef, tuna, oatmeal, potatoes, rice, natural peanut butter, etc. 

get a good protein powder for after you workout, nitrotech isn't bad, but you probably paid too much.


----------



## camarosuper6 (Apr 14, 2004)

First of all Welcome!

At first, some of these issues may seem foreign, but after a few months, you will start catching on quite easily, and it will become second nature. 

Ok.. first of all, your grocery list looks very solid actually.  I dont know if your looking to add mass, to lean up, or just stay the way you are and eat healthier, but a good rule of thumb is multiply your weight in lbs by 1.2 and youll get your maintence.  You can increase maintence by say 500 or 600 per day if your looking for mass, or you can keep your maintenence the same or drop a few cals if you want to cut.

Keep protein at about 1 gram per pound of bodyweight a day. For you that is about 175 grams of prortein a day, and make sure you take in some form of protein (whey preferably) before and after training. You can buy cheap whey protein at www.allthewhey.com or www.bulknutrition.com.

Any thing else , feel free to ask


----------



## ncgirl21 (Apr 14, 2004)

As far as the eggs go- buy one carton of whole eggs and a couple things of the egg whites.  It just makes life easier  !!

Directions for eggs:

Spray pan with Pam, mix together 1 cup egg whites and 1 whole egg, pour in pan, cook  until done.  You can add in any veggies you want.  I usually put in mushrooms, broccoli/spinach, and some FF mozz. cheese or cottage cheese.  

Chicken: 

Buy boneless skinless chicken breast (comes in big bag).  Let thaw out, spray pan with Pam, set on medium, let cook on both sides until it's not pink in the middle- season to taste, weigh on food scale (can get at Wal-Mart for lie three bucks), place in little baggies so you know what a serving is (usually 4-6 oz.) when you grab it.  I leave about 2 or 3 in the fridge and put the rest in the freezer, then grab them as I need them.  You can also bake you chicken, just throw it in a baking pan- set oven to 350 and bake for about 30-45 minutes, just keep checking it. 

You can buy canned chicken too, it's usually buy the canned tuna.  Works great in salads, just open, drain and eat.  Same for tuna, or you can get the tuna in the pouch's and you don't have to drain it.

You can have lean meats such as Sirloin.  A lot of times grocery stores have Sirloin on sale, if you ask them they'll ground it up into hamburger meat for you.  

Make sure you get real Oatmeal and not the packets.  It's super easy to make in the microwave.  If you get a chocolate flavored protein powder something you may want to try is:

1/2 cup oatmeal, 1 scoop protein powder, 1 cup water, microwave for 3 minutes, and 1 tbs. peanut butter and 1/2 cup cottage cheese.  This will keep you full until lunch!!

Another good EASY thing to do with cottage cheese is:
1/2 cup Fiber One Cereal (all grocery stores usually have this)
1/2 cup LF Cottage Cheese
Sugar Free Syrup
Just mix together and eat.


So, this is what you grocery list should look more like:
eggs
egg whites
tuna
chicken breast
canned chicken 
oatmeal
brown rice
apples
sweet potato
whole grain bread
lean beef
low fat cottage cheese
fiber one cereal
Sugar Free Syrup
Pam
Sugar Free Jello
Sugar Free Pops
Protein Powder
Natural Peanut Butter
Veggies- ALL kinds!!

Good Luck


----------



## Profit (Apr 14, 2004)

thanks for the responses.  I'm going to leave work in an hour and go grocery shopping.  so i dont have much time right now to post 

as far as EFA, fish oil, how does one eat this.  just pour it on something you are already eating? and how much should one "eat" at a time.  Hopefully will have time later tonite to make a better post, and a first draft proposed eating schedule for tomorrow.

thanks again


----------



## Jodi (Apr 14, 2004)

Most people buy their fish oil in capsules. 5-20 G depending upon your goals and how much bodyfat you carry.


----------



## Profit (Apr 14, 2004)

i suspected capsules, but fish oil in solid form seemed a bit..fishy 

Can this be purchased at a typical grocery store?

Thanks 4 the reply


----------



## ncgirl21 (Apr 14, 2004)

GNC or another health food store should have it.


----------



## Profit (Apr 14, 2004)

thanks guys, had success finding everything i expected to find 

As far as tuna, i'm not sure if i went with the "right" one.  they seemed pretty much the same so i went with the low sodium one.
"Starkist Low Sodium CHunk white albacore tuna in water"


----------



## JLB001 (Apr 14, 2004)

You got the right one!  If you get tired of tuna, they also sell chicken breast in a bag.  It's yummy.  Should be on the same isle as the canned/bagged tuna.


----------



## Profit (Apr 14, 2004)

Some basics, i'm looking to add mass. i'm not sure about my body fat %.... (5-10 175lbs)

alright so this is what i have to work with, i have the protein in ()

1/2 cup cottage cheese (13g)
1/4 cup tuna (14g)
1 egg (6g)
4 oz  ground sirloin (23g)
4 oz chicken breast (23 g)
1/2 cup fiber one (2g)
1/2 cup oatmeal (5g) is ground cinnamon okay to put on this?
1/4 cup long grain rice (4g)
protein shake (20g)
apples
broccoli
strawberries
fat free jello/popsicles.
i'm still working on the fish oil.....

Now how do i go about making a meal plan? Most likely protein shake before and after the workout, but what about the others.  just mix and match to have balanced protein or is there more of a theory behind this?   Days im lifting (4) i plan to wake up at 7am and lift around 8-8:30.


----------



## Profit (Apr 14, 2004)

> You got the right one! If you get tired of tuna, they also sell chicken breast in a bag. It's yummy. Should be on the same isle as the canned/bagged tuna



 exellent


----------



## aztecwolf (Apr 14, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by OmarJackson *_
> your grocery list looks pretty solid. although, what the heck do you mean you hate chicken breasts? get a foreman grill or something and they're awesome, a staple for bodybuilders. as far as shopping goes keep it simple: eggs, milk, chicken, beef, tuna, oatmeal, potatoes, rice, natural peanut butter, etc.
> 
> get a good protein powder for after you workout, nitrotech isn't bad, but you probably paid too much.


yeah serious how can you hate chicken breast, i mean chicken taste like everything, just mix and match spices to get the flavour that you really like


----------



## aztecwolf (Apr 14, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by OmarJackson *_
> your grocery list looks pretty solid. although, what the heck do you mean you hate chicken breasts? get a foreman grill or something and they're awesome, a staple for bodybuilders. as far as shopping goes keep it simple: eggs, milk, chicken, beef, tuna, oatmeal, potatoes, rice, natural peanut butter, etc.
> 
> get a good protein powder for after you workout, nitrotech isn't bad, but you probably paid too much.


yeah serious how can you hate chicken breast, i mean chicken taste like everything, just mix and match spices to get the flavour that you really like


----------



## aztecwolf (Apr 14, 2004)

make sure you get some solid carbs both pre and post workout with those protein shakes, with your other meals just make sure you get a little bit of lean protein, some veggies, and depending on your metabolism and weight that you want to attain some complex carbs, it'll take you a couple weeks to nail down something that works pretty well for you, to make it easier track what you eat at fitday.com


----------



## Profit (Apr 15, 2004)

i'm having a problem coming up with enough calories in my meal plan.  and about 18g protein short as well, suggestions would b nice.


meal one: 1/2 cup fiber one cerieal with 4 strawberries

meal two: 1 shole egg, 4 egg white, 1 slice WW bread

meal three: 6 oz sirloin ground beef,  1/2 cup cottage cheese, apple

Meal four: Protein shake, 1/4 cup rice

lift (not gonna happen till later today( somewhere btween 8-9 pm)

Meal five: protein shake, 1/4 cup tuna, apple

have yet to get efa's.

according to fitday, i will be getting 157 g protein, 149 g carb, 52 g fat.   total calories only 1645, while an estimated expenditure of calories is 2600 calories.  so obviously this isn't gonna get it done.

add a 6th meal with 18 g protein i suppose, but am i overlooking something that i am 1000 calories short here???
thanks

regarding chicken breast, i always felt it just tasted too dry and prefer thighs 

i just added 3 cups of skim milk which i can't go w/o. that adds another 270 cal and 27 g protein 39 g carb


----------



## ncgirl21 (Apr 15, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by Profit *_
> i'm having a problem coming up with enough calories in my meal plan.  and about 18g protein short as well, suggestions would b nice.
> 
> 
> ...




Add in Meal 6:  1 cup egg whites, 1 whole egg, 1/4 cup FF cheese

As far as the cinnamon- you can add it.  It's good mixed in with the cottage cheese and fiber one.  Did you get the Carb Countdown Milk.   It has more protein than regular skim milk.


----------



## Profit (Apr 15, 2004)

ncgirl21, thanks for the help!!

calories are now up to 2400. 

Protein/carb/fat (%) in grams
243 g / 195/  73
43%/   29 /  29

Protein is def enough i'm thinking, 243 grams prot/175 lbs=1.4
total calories are still low

Carb countdown milk, no i dont have that.  does it taste the same? 

Brown rice, do you put anything on it?

What about placing the tuna between 2 pieces of ww bread to add some calories? (although will add 38 carbs)

for meal 5, cut out the protein shake right?

thanks again!


----------



## NeedMuscleMass (Apr 15, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by Profit *_
> ncgirl21, thanks for the help!!
> 
> calories are now up to 2400.
> ...



Here Carb count down milk I think is called Skim Milk plus.. Not sure if its the same thing.. IMO it tastes a little better and is more creamier than skim milk


----------

