Critique my diet please...

[doydoy]

Howdy. Since I put this together for my journal, I figured it would be a good time to ask for some tips on the diet. For starters, I know the pork dumplings are probably going to have to go (they're so yummy). But, what else should I change?

I'm 5' 9", weigh 142 lbs, body fat around 12% I think (pictures here). I'm trying to put on some lean muscle. I'm in no hurry and don't mind taking it slow to make sure its good mass. Anyways, here goes with today's food:


Breakfast - 6:30 AM
[ 01.9c 22.4p 00.0f ] - 6 egg whites (boiled)
[ 00.6c 05.0p 09.3f ] - 2 egg yolks (boiled)
[ 33.2c 03.4p 00.8f ] - 1/2 whole cantaloupe
---------------------
[ 35.7c 30.8p 10.1f ] - 356.9 calories

Snack 1 - 8:30 AM
[ 00.0c 26.8p 21.7f ] - 1/3 lb ground pork
[ 03.4c 00.8p 00.3f ] - 1/2 cup cabbage
[ 06.4c 00.6p 00.1f ] - 1/2 cup carrots
[ 48.0c 06.6p 02.4f ] - 12 dumpling skins
---------------------
[ 57.8c 34.8p 24.5f ] - 590.9 calories (probably not this bad since I boil them and much of the fat/grease is left over in the soup/water and I don't drink that)

Snack 2 - 10:15 AM
[ 08.0c 28.0p 00.0f ] - 1 cup fat-free cottage cheese
[ 02.0c 23.0p 01.0f ] - 1 scoop vanilla Optimum Whey
[ 29.0c 01.0p 00.0f ] - 1 cup orange juice
---------------------
[ 39.0c 52.0p 0.10f ] - 364.9 calories

Lunch - 2:25
[ 00.0c 53.0p 00.0f ] - 8 oz boneless chicken breast
[ 01.5c 00.2p 00.0f ] - 1/4 cup green bell pepper
[ 21.0c 02.0p 01.5f ] - 2 flour tortillas
[ 29.0c 01.0p 00.0f ] - 1 cup orange juice
[ 03.0c 00.0p 00.0f ] - 3 tsp sriracha chili sauce
---------------------
[ 54.5c 56.2p 01.5f ] - 456.3 calories

Snack 3 - 4:15
[ 90.0c 34.5p 03.0f ] - 5.3 oz mung bean
[ 00.0c 00.0p 00.0f ] - water
[ 00.0c 00.0p 00.0f ] - splenda
----------------------
[ 90.0c 34.5p 03.0f ] - 525.0 calories

Snack 4 (pre-workout) - 7:30
[ 20.0c 03.0p 03.0f ] - handful granola
[ 00.0c 00.0p 00.0f ] - water
----------------------
[ 20.0c 03.0p 03.0f ] - 119.0 calories

Snack 5 (post-workout) - 9:00
[ 02.0c 23.0p 01.0f ] - 1 scoop vanilla Optimum Whey
[ 16.0c 01.0p 00.0f ] - 1/2 banana
[ 00.0c 00.0p 00.0f ] - water
----------------------
[ 18.0c 24.0p 01.0f ] - 177.0 calories

Dinner - 9:30
[ 00.0c 67.7p 19.4f ] - 1/2 lb beef chuck steak
[ 13.7c 08.1p 01.0f ] - 1.5 stalks broccoli
----------------------
[ 13.7c 75.8p 20.4f ] - 541.6 calories

[Rats!]

I think your 1st and 3rd snacks are kinda big. Move some of those calories over to the pre-workout meal which is too small. Also, replace the flour tortillas with corn tortillas.

Personally, I think a post-workout banana is unnecessary and I would replace it with some sweet potato or yam.

Other than that, it looks good.

[Lady C]

I think it looks fine except I personally would replace that OJ at lunch with veggie carbs instead. I like the post-workout banana.

Are you gaining fat or muscle? i think you could lift heavier. I would increase the weights and drop the reps to the 4-8 range. You are pretty cut overall.

[nic6paul]

You have no sources of EFAs in your diet what so ever.....how about some flax oil, fish oil, natural peanut butter, olive oil, enova oil. I would go for a leaner cut of beef too thats probably the fattiest stuff ive seen. They have a really lean cut i would get that if i were you, might cost more. Or else switch to chicken. I would also try to get some more carbs in postworkout, usually i suggest dextrose and maltodextrin but i have been reading lately about low gi postworkout shakes. So maybe the combo of the banana and oats would work....give it a try.

[threenorns]

i don't think that matters: his fat percentage is only 17% (545 calories out of 3131).

good point about the EFAs, though - those always help.

[SNPiccolo5]

I think it's pretty good, except for some of your timing. You biggest meals should be before/after your workout. You could consume a little more veggies, too.

If you can buy flax seed meal and add it to your cottage cheese (1 or 2 tabelspoons), that would help with getting some EFA's. I eat mine in a mixture of yogurt, cottage cheese, and fruit. Overall, your diet is good, though. Hopet his helps!

-Tim

[candyass]

Im a huge fan of that vanilla ON whey, yummy. If I were you I'd increase the carb intake. Especially before and after your workout. It'll help you put on some muscle and have more energy at the gym.

You should try to go heavier with the weights too. Deadlifting 90, come on dude?! I'm only busting your balls cause I'm almost the same size as you (5'6, 138lb), if I can lift heavier so can you. Another thing Id do is move the stiff leg deadlifts to leg day (they work the quads very well, and chances are your lower back will be fried from deadlifting to give any effert on that day), but thats very minor.

[candyass]

Originally Posted by candyass

Im a huge fan of that vanilla ON whey, yummy. If I were you I'd increase the carb intake. Especially before and after your workout. It'll help you put on some muscle and have more energy at the gym.

You should try to go heavier with the weights too. Deadlifting 90, come on dude?! I'm only busting your balls cause I'm almost the same size as you (5'6, 138lb), if I can lift heavier so can you. Another thing Id do is move the stiff leg deadlifts to leg day (they work the quads very well, and chances are your lower back will be fried from deadlifting to give any effert on that day), but thats very minor.

Sorry about that, stiff leg deadlifts work the hamstrings not quads. My bad.

[doydoy]

Thanks for all the input!

For the EFAs, I take a Tbs of flax oil each morning. Would it be good to also take another Tbs at night? I also cook with olive oil sometimes, though I've been leaving it out because I thought it would be extra calories. Sounds like its ok to add it back in?

For the dextrose and maltodextrin, a quick search on the board reveals that they're like sugar?? And its actually good for me? I would love to use that instead of Splenda. Splenda isn't exactly cheap. But, its only for post workout, yes?

I actually have a lot of vegetables in my fridge, but I can't seem to find the nutritional values for them. They're asian greens like ong-choi, bok-choi, etc. Any clue where to find data for those?

My goals are to build muscle and drop body fat (myth, I know :P). But while I'm slowly getting back into the swing of things, I broke both my elbows some time in the past and sometimes there is a sharp pain if I try to up the weights too quickly. Also, since I work out in my garage, I have no spotter, and the weights are limited (165 lbs max) for now.

[threenorns]

Originally Posted by doydoy

My goals are to build muscle and drop body fat (myth, I know :P).

the myth is that building muscle and dropping fat is a myth, lol. it's very doable, if you pay strict attention to diet and exercise.

[Maxgain]

I would use fish oils instead of flax for omega and aim for 3g epa/dha /day

[SNPiccolo5]

Originally Posted by threenorns

the myth is that building muscle and dropping fat is a myth, lol. it's very doable, if you pay strict attention to diet and exercise.

Couldn't have said it better myself! lol!...

-Tim

[SNPiccolo5]

Also, for the diet- I would be careful when it comes to cooking with olive oil. Unsaturated oils tend to turn into transfat when heated extensively. I find I can get the same flavor by adding it after something is cooked. For example, instead of sauteeing herbs in oil and adding pasta and paremsan reggiano cheese, I heat the pasta and cheese (1 oz or less) and then add the oil at the end- I think it tastes better.

This is just me, though, and I tend to get anal about things. If you cook with it- it will fine as long as you're not consuming massive amounts of it...

Also, if you can get the flax seed meal, that's better for you. It includes not only the fat, but high quality fiber and protein too. Always aim for whole foods instead of more processed equivalents, if you can.

-Tim

[photo312]

can I ask how old you are?

[threenorns]

Also, for the diet- I would be careful when it comes to cooking with olive oil. Unsaturated oils tend to turn into transfat when heated extensively. I find I can get the same flavor by adding it after something is cooked. For example, instead of sauteeing herbs in oil and adding pasta and paremsan reggiano cheese, I heat the pasta and cheese (1 oz or less) and then add the oil at the end- I think it tastes better.

you're bang on the money: transfats are an artificial form of cholesterol (*NO*, they do not occur in nature!) that the human body cannot defend against and they are created when normally transfat-free oil is heated for frying. this is why those "transfat-free oil" claims by fry guys are meaningless - may be TF free to start, but it sure as hell ain't once those potatos hit the grease!

unfortunately, too many ppl fry with olive oil thinking they're doing A Good Thing when really, they're not getting any heart-healthy benefit at all.