What kind of Diet?

[Fif the Great]

Hey, just wondering if you guys can give me some insight into what kind of diet I should do. I am 6'0 195lbs, 35 inch waist with a medium to large build. I workout every weekday. I have muscle mass, it's just that it's like i have a thin layer of fat over my muscles so no cuts or rips are really that noticeable. I hate that! Any ideas how to get rid of that? I was thinking low carb, high protein diet with Ripped Fuel as a supplement. Any thoughts?

[Fif the Great]

Um.. not too sure about exact numbers. But an average day for me is a cup of coffee with cream and sugar in the morning, a nutra-grain bar, usually tuna or chicken breast salad for lunch, snack cake some days, and a dinner of usually Wendy's chicken sandwich or some other kind of food with meat, like sloppy joes or a burger. I mean it's not like this every day, but that is what I would call an average day. Is that like 3000 cals? Also, I stick mainly to water as my main source of liquid refreshment, unless you want to add beer on the weekends.

As far as cardio goes, I usually do it once a week on my off day at the gym, treadmill for about 30-45 mins.

[Fif the Great]

Sounds like good advice from someone who knows. Cardio four days a week will be a bitch but I want results. Thanks for the reply...

[beenie]

If that's really all you are eating I don't think that is so horrible. As Diesel noted there are some minor modifications you can make that will make it incrementally better but really proably wount make a huge difference.

If you put a teaspoon of sugar in yoyr coffee. as you say you do, its only 7 calories. Seven waisted calories, but its worth it for a lot of people. Based on the resistance traininf alone is there something you are also eating that you are not telling us about?

If not hit the cardio. Probably hit the cardio anyway because it will strengthen your heart. 30 min 4x week will work and it should be pretty high intensity.

I see a couple people at my gym get on the treadmil and walk at 3.5 miles an hour for 20 minutes. I dont consider that a cardio workout (unless you are over 90). The point is to boost your heart rate up to 65%-75% of you target heart rate. This is the point where you will burn the most fat ansd preserve the most muscle.

[Pete235]

Tweak your diet a little. Nix the cereal bars and white breads. Stick with whole grain carbs such as brown rice, wheat pasta, some wheat breads (moderation), yams, fruit and veggies. Try and get your protein from low fat sources such as chicken breast, turkey breast, tuna, white fish, lean steak, egg whites, some low fat dairy (again...moderation) and on occasion a good whey protein powder. Fats from essential sources such as egg yolks (limited), olive oil, small amounts of unsalted nuts, natural peanut butter, fatty fish (salmon, herring , mackerel).

Eat 6 evenly spaced well balenced meals per day. 35% protein / 45% carbs / 10-15% fats. Limit carb intake after 7:00pm (nothing but salad, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower).

It will take some getting used to, but try preparing meals on Sunday and freezing them...makes it much more conveinient. Allow yourself one free day per week...eat what you want but, AGAIN, in moderation. Keeps you sane and helps curb cravings throughout the week.

Good Luck.

[Fif the Great]

Thanks for all the replies... I'm trying to get myself in shape so I can start the juice. I'm buying my gear now so I can space purchases out and save money.

As far as eating something I'm not telling you about... well, I live in New Orleans. Why don't you move down here and try to keep a waist smaller than 36. But seriously, I am in college and cooked meals take too long so I do rely on fast food on some days. But I am making a grocery list from what Pete said. I already eat a lot of tuna on wheat bread. But I'm going to try to add the fruits and veggies to my diet. Thanks again for all the tips... I'm new at this.

[Fif the Great]

New Orleans + Super Bowl week + Mardi Gras = Diet Hell...

[Billy Boy]

Good advice offered and IMO tweaking your diet correctly will have soem very good benefits.Doing the cardio will bring results on quicker but as Beenie said even if it is just for general conditioning and health it is worth doing.