i really really need help

S

sean

New Member
hi I just decided to track my calories (thanks calkid for suggesting fitday) for the first time since I have time right now in the summer and I think something is messed up. I'm eating approximately 3700 calories per day, 167 grams of fat, 273 grams of carbohydrates, and 269 grams of protein. So i guess I'm kinda eating 40% fat, 30% carb, 30% protein.

This is my diet:

scrambled eggs (2 eggs), cream of wheat (1 bowl), small glass of chocalate milk

spaghetti (1 cup) and meatballs (3 like 4 oz meatballs)

3 slices of turkey on wheatbread, handful of baby carrots, handful of cashews

big glass whole milk, 1 slice turkey, apple

(about the same as spaghetti and meatballs...usually chicken and pasta or steak and potatoes...)

big glass 1% milk, big glass orange juice, 1 slice turkey


i'm just trying to think of what to add/subtract to get my diet better. I'm guessing get rid of whole and chocolate milk but what do i replace those calories from?

Thanks a lot for everyone who spares their time to read these posts and help people out,

Sean
 
i forgot a meal...natural peanut butter on a bagel...so that's an extra 450 calories, 18 grams of fat, 56 grams of carbs, and 16 grams of protein. That means that I'm really eating over 4000 calories with 1668 cals being from fat, 1317 from carbs, and 1142 from protein.
 
now i realize that almost all of my fat comes from meat not the whole milk and peanuts and peanut butter like i thought...getting rid of that would only shave off 200 calories of fat or so. Is it worth it to take out these fats? I don't think I can do anything about fat from meats. I always eat lean meat (meatballs would be ground meat but i get the 97% lean kind). I don't really know what to do. I just want to be able to bulk without gaining too much fat.

Sean
 
If you're gaining a pound per week you probably shouldn't change the total calories.

Perhaps you could use some variety so that you don't get bored eating the same stuff day in-day out. Some fatty fish and lots of vegetables would be the first things I'd add.

Is it turkey or turkey ham, because the latter has much less protein per 100gr. Are you sure you are getting 285gr of protein with this diet ?

Focus on the big picture, keep training and compare photos that are at least 6 months apart. Don't be confused by seemingly nonexistent changes from cycle to cycle.
 
i think i can actually see my gains this cycle. But I see both fat and muscle gain and was wondering if I could minimize the fat gain.

Oh and actually I messed up again and now fitday says I'm getting 244 g protein, like 3850 cals, and 1430 carbs and 1430 fat.

I don't eat the same stuff for lunch and dinner. So, I only get that amount of protein and calories if I eat spaghetti and meatballs. It's hard for me to believe taht I'm getting almost 75 grams of protein at lunch and dinner. It's really hard counting calories whenever my diet varies everyday. For the other meals that are the same everyday, I somehow haven't gotten reallly tired of them.

I eat turkey not turkey ham.

Do you think maybe I shouldn't alter my diet at all but, when I need to add more food, just add vegetables?
 
I believe you need to add fatty fish for the EFAs (or take a supplement) and also add vegetables for fiber and micronutrients. Regardless of your total calories, you should take EFAs and eat vegetables.

Just eat salmon, mackerel, sardines, anchovy etc whenever you can, and add 1 big multicoloured salad every day. It's not about growing, it's about general health in the long run.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]I just want to be able to bulk without gaining too much fat.
Click to expand...
Sean:
I personally feel bulking has been given too much emphasis. 7 times out of 10 a guy who is bulking is just eating more of the foods he shouldn't. To a degree, that will help add size due to excess protein = positive nitrogen balance, and increased glycogen storage, and some actual increase in fiber size, but then you have to cut at some point to show all the muscle you gained, and when all the fat is gone, tada, you have almost the same muslce as you did before. So the argument is whether or not one needs to bulk or just try to stay lean and gain muscle slowly.
 
BIZ, can you elaborate a little on how you would go about doing this? Are you talking just going less cals over maintenance?
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] ] So the argument is whether or not one needs to bulk or just try to stay lean and gain muscle slowly.
Click to expand...

Personally I would prefer the latter of your statement BIZ, but first I need to get to the lean point. I'm currently at around 2200 calories per day (45% Protein, 35% Carbs, and 20% fat) and can't seem to lose any weight. I'd rather not lower my calories as I tend to not feel too good when I do. I added in cardio twice a week to three time per week in hopes of achieving some BF loss. I seem to be stuck at around 15% -16%. So basically I'm now wondering if HST and cutting can go hand in hand. I hope it does because I really don't want to stop HST. I've made tremendous gains using it.

Didn't mean to spill my guts, sorry.
 
Chuck, are you at a caloric deficit daily & weekly? If not, you won't lose anything. You need to be -3500 cals or so to lose 1lb fat over a week.

Maybe post your diet (if it's consistent enough) - do you know your maintenance calorie level? If you don't drop cals, then you have to up the activity level.
 
micmic: well i already take some fish oil pills but i'll try to add some fish and definitely add a salad to my diet

biz: yeah i'm not sure what to do...whether I should go back to cutting and just eat around maintenance calories for a long time (after all last time I was eating maintenance calories i gained 5 pounds and lost fat) or cut later. I'll post a pic or 2 on the hst forum cause I see myself in the mirror so often I don't really see exactly where the 10 pounds went. Maybe if I cut back slowly enough I can keep the muscle that I've gained
 
I haven't read any of the replies so here's my suggestion.

Skim Milk

Serloin Beef, White Chicken Breast no skin

Eggs are fine just remember they're high in fat so strategize, plan ahead if you're going to include them.

Use cereal like Grape Nuts for carbs, they're very high in calories and almost no fat.

Its going to be harder to hit 3700 this way but you'll find the percentages look nicer.

If you're not gaining fat too fast (you'll gain fat when bulking regardless, just gotta accept that) then you're fine as you are. Just cut when you feel your pants getting tight and start bulking again when your waist gets back to normal. Cut slow though.
 
Dont worry about it all
if your gaining, continue.
If your gaining and getting too fat, eat slightly less
if your not gaining, eat more
if your losing, eat more (if you want to gain :D)
 
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