1. #1

    Need feedback on my meal plan

    So, I am hoping someone can help shed some light on what is the "proper" meal plan for my goals, I have heard a number of conflicting statements, and its starting to get quite confusing.

    Height: 5'11
    Weight: 226lb
    Age: 26
    Body Fat percentage: Not exactly sure, I'd say around 26%

    Goal: To stabilize at around 190-200lb, and 12-14% body fat. I want to maintain a larger than normal mass, but I have no desire to bodybuild/compete or anything.

    I got a few measurements done as well, and my waist is 35 inch, stomach 40 in (largest part of my stomach), and 17 in arms. I was in shape when I when I was younger (20-21), so I still have some of the muscle mass left, just some fat with it as well.

    So, I have a friend who body builds, and I got him to help me make a nutrition plan. I won't get to into the specifics, but basically the macros he suggested were 2550 calories, 322g protein, 253g carbs, and 60g of fat. When I told my girlfriend about my goal/etc, she went to her personal trainer.... who immediately said it is way too many calories, protein, and carbs. My friend said to eat things like oatmeal, brown rice, etc... while the other trainer said I should not be even thinking about any carbs because of my stomach size, and I should be basically on an extreme diet until I am smaller.

    Anyone have any suggestions/a better idea of what I should be doing?

  2. #2
    Do you exercise? Cardio? Weight lifting? Sports?

    What do you typically eat nowadays? Do you cook for yourself? Do you eat lots of junk food? Drink lots of sodas?

    Neither suggestion seems all that well suited for you. First off, 322g of protein is a huge amount that you likely don't need and that you would not get anywhere near without supplements. Secondly, I don't really think you need to go on an extreme diet, cutting all carbs.

    If you can answer the first few questions of my post, that would help a lot.
    Last edited by Adamas102; 2014-09-30 at 09:02 AM.

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Adamas102 View Post
    Do you exercise? Cardio? Weight lifting? Sports?

    What do you typically eat nowadays? Do you cook for yourself? Do you eat lots of junk food? Drink lots of sodas?

    Neither suggestion seems all that well suited for you. First off, 322g of protein is a huge amount that you likely don't need and that you would not get anywhere near without supplements. Secondly, I don't really think you need to go on an extreme diet, cutting all carbs.

    If you can answer the first few questions of my post, that would help a lot.
    Thanks for the reply

    I currently work out 3 times a week (an hour each time), mainly lifting weights. One day biceps/chest/deadlift, one day triceps/shoulders/squats, and a day of back/legs/miscellaneous. I also bike 16 km each day (work and back). I don't play any sports.

    Right now, my meal plan is 5 meals -- eggs/oatmeal/berries for breakfast, tuna and an apple for lunch, chicken/beet/carrot/onion (it varies, depending on what I bake that week), Ground turkey/olives/tomatoes, and baked fish with a banana and some spinach. I have only been doing this for a few weeks though. I work nights, so I usually spend my day off cooking for the week, put it all in containers, than bring them to work each day. I cook for just myself, I do not eat junk food regularly (usually a cheat meal a week -- pizza/subway/icecream kinda idea), and I drink only water.

    Before the last two weeks, I ate more grains (sandwiches), as well as cereal/rice/pasta. I was told to cut all grains though, so I have done that besides the oatmeal.

    I do agree, 322g was a lot. I am not hitting even close to that, and would like to avoid supplements besides a scoop of protein a day.

  4. #4
    That actually sounds pretty damn good. A good variety of protein sources as well as fruits and vegetables. Minimizing processed grains. Drinking water. Unless there are things you're not mentioning like your tuna is drowned in mayonnaise or you cook everything in butter lol.

    If anything, I would just suggest to stick to it and give it a bit more time to see results. It's kinda hard to gauge any real progress over the course of only a few weeks. Getting on a consistent exercise routine and a decent diet are the hardest parts, and it sounds like you've pretty much nailed those. At this point, it really just comes down to fine tuning. Increasing or decreasing the amount that you eat or how much you exercise. If you want to go more extreme, then it would be things like cutting out that cheat meal entirely.
    Last edited by Adamas102; 2014-09-30 at 09:41 AM.

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Adamas102 View Post
    That actually sounds pretty damn good. A good variety of protein sources as well as fruits and vegetables. Minimizing processed grains. Drinking water. Unless there are things you're not mentioning like your tuna is drowned in mayonnaise or you cook everything in butter lol.

    If anything, I would just suggest to stick to it and give it a bit more time to see results. It's kinda hard to gauge any real progress over the course of only a few weeks. Getting on a consistent exercise routine and a decent diet are the hardest parts, and it sounds like you've pretty much nailed those. At this point, it really just comes down to fine tuning. Increasing or decreasing the amount that you eat or how much you exercise. If you want to go more extreme, then it would be things like cutting out that cheat meal entirely.
    Perfect thanks, guess I may be over thinking it a bit. I shall stick to it and see how it all turns out in November perhaps.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Crenz View Post
    So, I am hoping someone can help shed some light on what is the "proper" meal plan for my goals, I have heard a number of conflicting statements, and its starting to get quite confusing.

    Height: 5'11
    Weight: 226lb
    Age: 26
    Body Fat percentage: Not exactly sure, I'd say around 26%

    Goal: To stabilize at around 190-200lb, and 12-14% body fat. I want to maintain a larger than normal mass, but I have no desire to bodybuild/compete or anything.

    I got a few measurements done as well, and my waist is 35 inch, stomach 40 in (largest part of my stomach), and 17 in arms. I was in shape when I when I was younger (20-21), so I still have some of the muscle mass left, just some fat with it as well.

    So, I have a friend who body builds, and I got him to help me make a nutrition plan. I won't get to into the specifics, but basically the macros he suggested were 2550 calories, 322g protein, 253g carbs, and 60g of fat. When I told my girlfriend about my goal/etc, she went to her personal trainer.... who immediately said it is way too many calories, protein, and carbs. My friend said to eat things like oatmeal, brown rice, etc... while the other trainer said I should not be even thinking about any carbs because of my stomach size, and I should be basically on an extreme diet until I am smaller.

    Anyone have any suggestions/a better idea of what I should be doing?
    That amount of protein will mostly turn into fat. keep in mind that you should eat about 1 gram of protein for each pound of body weight.
    That formula is good for moderate to high intensity lifters, but not at competition levels.

    Your body can only really absorb up to 40 grams of protein per meal, so keep that restriction in mind when dividing your meals in your daily plan.

    Your over all calories in a day should divide like so: 50% carbs, 30% protein and 20% fat. the most common mistake that can hurt your body composition is cutting carbs to a level that is way too low, causing your body to "eat" away your muscles for extra energy as well as body fat - resulting in a look that is called "skinny-fat", low weight and loose body.

    Carbs are your number one source of energy so don't avoid them, eat the good kind of carbs, whole grains.

    Another thing regarding what that second trainer said, fast diets rocket your body weight down, that might be good for girls. but for guys it ruins your composition and makes muscle gain afterwards a lot harder. DO NOT listen to him.

    I lost around 40kg of my body weight while getting stronger (measured by lifting capability and increased muscle tone) while eating carbs: whole pasta, whole grains bread, brown rice, sweet potatoes even and a lot of vegetables .

    On a last note i would recommend healthy fats. good fats are needed for brain activity and healthy hormone levels (keeps your metabolism working properly).
    Sometimes increasing fat intake can result in overall more calories burned. healthy fats are filled with omega 3 (animal fat source like fish) and omega 6 (like olive oil for example). The secret is not heating that fat, since heating causes the fats to oxidize and become unhealthy, cook what you can without oil, but add olive oil to salads and don't avoid egg yolks since they are good sources of fat.

    Feel free to ask me anything of you still got questions and remember this is a lifestyle decision, not a few months fix!

  7. #7
    Deleted
    Quote Originally Posted by Beckers View Post
    Your over all calories in a day should divide like so: 50% carbs, 30% protein and 20% fat. the most common mistake that can hurt your body composition is cutting carbs to a level that is way too low, causing your body to "eat" away your muscles for extra energy as well as body fat - resulting in a look that is called "skinny-fat", low weight and loose body.

    Carbs are your number one source of energy so don't avoid them, eat the good kind of carbs, whole grains.

    Another thing regarding what that second trainer said, fast diets rocket your body weight down, that might be good for girls. but for guys it ruins your composition and makes muscle gain afterwards a lot harder. DO NOT listen to him.
    Misinformation at it's finest.

  8. #8
    Thanks for all the information Beckers, and grats on all that weight loss!

    Quote Originally Posted by Vexxie View Post
    Misinformation at it's finest.
    Care to elaborate?

  9. #9
    If you have the time and the money, go to a nutritionist get some labs and know your deficiencies and build a solid plan. Secondly I would do more days of cardio.

    Good luck to you

  10. #10
    Deleted
    I wonder with my 179cm + 75kg and liters of black tea every day, if it's any good for me. I eat when i'm hungry and i try not to eat much when i'm above 75kg and i eat more when i'm below 75kg.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Crenz View Post
    Care to elaborate?
    There's nothing necessarily wrong with low carb diets. Carbohydrates are indeed a good source of energy, but (other than fiber, a non digestible carbohydrate) there is no individual carbohydrate that is essential for human nutrition. People can get all of their energy from protein and fat.

    Additionally, a low carb diet isn't going to make you "skinny fat". In fact, low carb diets when done properly are great for reducing fat and do not necessarily lead to loss of muscle mass.

    Low carb diets typically restrict the intake of processed and refined carbohydrates such as breads, cereals, and pasta (whole grain or otherwise) as well as things like candy and sodas. Even on this type of carb restricted diet, I would still recommend eating a variety of fruits (actual fruits, not fruit products like juice, jam, etc.), which are comprised of simple sugars as well as vitamins and fiber. Rice and beans are also good unrefined carbohydrate sources.
    Last edited by Adamas102; 2014-10-01 at 10:27 AM.

  12. #12
    A lot of people tend to go online and research diets and weight loss and workout routines. There are as many different answers to the question as there are people to answer it. And here's the thing: everyone who answers you is going to swear that their idea is not just the best, but the only and, if you go with anything different then you are wrong.

    These people will then start posting all kinds of nice numbers that seem to sound so succinct as they talk about grams and protein and carbs and deadlifts and on and on and on. They'll will tell you how to do it. And so will I.

    Diet and exercise. Diet and Exercise.
    Don't 'lift weights'. You do not need a three day split.
    Drink water. 2-3 gallons a day.
    Stay hungry. Stay hungry.
    Most importantly: your mentality. If you ever think that you cannot do it, then you will not.

    I was a 6 day a week body builder, 280 - 250 pounds, before injuries wrecked me for years. For the past few months I have been exercising again and, though I incorporate weights into my workouts, I do not 'lift'. I use similar avenues that my body has responded well to. Also, you have to stay hungry.

    Hunger is simply your bodies response to boredom; your stomach wants to be entertained just as much as your mind does. You do NOT need to eat nearly as much as you think that you do. Yes, there is tons of information that may suggest otherwise - eat this per pound of bodyweight! - yet there are tons of actual real world people who understand that sometimes these things we read online are simply sound bites, catch phrases or 'simple logic' that sound good, though it's only regurgitation.

    Dieting and exercise is not a science. If it were, we'd have a pill for it. It IS mental. You have to be stronger there than anywhere else; you are only as strong as your weakest link.

    Here is a video I began filming over the summer to measure my personal progress.


    Many people, some who may have only ever met me once or twice, have asked me what I have been doing, remarking on my physical transformation, and I tell them the same thing. Diet and Exercise. There is no other way.

  13. #13
    In my opinion you're sweating the small irrelevant things regarding your diet. Eat right (check), weight-lifting 2-3 days a week (check), cardio (check).
    Last edited by Sonatine185; 2014-10-01 at 10:46 PM.

  14. #14
    Thanks for all the responses and feedback, I think I know where to go from here!

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