Could you guys please help with this diet and give me some advice?

[Sigmaguy2]

Ok, A little background. 26 years old, 6'0, 175lbs. I have been working out seriously for the last 4 years. By seriously I mean dieting, training, and taking proper supplementation. It seems like I have tried everything and I think I eat very clean but just cannot seem to get rid of the smooth look. I cannot get vascular or very defined. My strength goes up very easily but I cannot get my 6 pack to pop. I have detailed my diet below and vitamins...please give me any advice you can think of and maybe my insulin spikes are causing the problem...but all advice would be welcomed because I have tried everything and cannot get the lean body I am looking for.

9am--1 cup oats made with water, sprinkled cinnamon, handful of blueberries
--2 scoops of ON Gold Standard whey protein

100pm--1 pouch tuna w/mustard
--half cup almonds

400pm--protein bar

630pm--tuna w/brown rice

Workout

9-10pm--chicken breasts w/bbq sauce, raw spinach leaves
--1 scoop ON Gold Standard protein

12am--bed


Vitamins--multi, vit C, Vit B complex, Flax Oil 3x per day, Fish Oil, Calcium/Magnesium, Myogenx 3x per day, Liquidex .5 per day

Side Note, Myogenx has killed what six pack I did have. I noticed it immediately went away.

Workouts:
Mon--cardio/abs

Tues--shoulders/forearms

Wed--chest/tri

Thurs--Back/bi's

Fri--off

Sat--morning cardio on empty stomach/abs

Sun--morning cardio on empty stomach
--legs at night

Well that is it, please let me know if you think you could help
Thank you

[bigsd67]

how many calories, carbs, protein and fat are you eating per day. It looks like you arent eating enough to me.

[acciaio]

I don't see your pw meal... as bigsd67 said i think you are not eating enough... You should write your macros so we can give suggestion.... an half cup of almonds seems too much for me anyway....

[Sigmaguy2]

Post workout meal----5 chicken breast w/bbq sauce, (25g protein)
----raw spinach leaves
----1 scoop ON Gold Standard protein (24g protein)

Daily calories---roughly 2500

So do you guys think it is a matter of not eating enough? Maybe add another meal in there or add bigger portions? I am not really looking to bulk but rather look lean, like men's health style.
I have already went down the bulking road a few times before and I can put on weight very easily but getting lean is my problem.
Would eating and taking the protein shake that close to bedtime hurt my insulin levels?

[bigsd67]

well at 6' you could weigh much more than 175 and still be lean. I think the problem may lie with the fact that you do not have enough muscle to you. I know you want to look more like an athlete and not a bodybuilder, but I know a few 6 footers that are in the 190-220 and look great. I would try to SLOWLY increase cals to put on some muscle, but don't go all out and bulk. Eat 90% of the time clean and leave cheating to only 1 or 2 meals per week.

I would go with 50-60 grams of carbs for breakfast, pre workout, post workout and ppwo (250 grams) and then get another 50 or so grams from veggies during the day. I think 300g carbs is fine for people doing a lean muscle gaining diet. I also put on fat easily so I know what you are thinking when it comes to watching nutrition and carbs. I would also shoot for 200-250g protein and then round out the diet with your fats. I think a 2600-2800 calorie diet would work for you.

Do some light cardio 4-5 days per week to keep fat gain to a minimum. This is all my opinion, but as I said at 6' 175 you could easily hold more muscle and weight and still be pretty lean and athletic looking.

[acciaio]

No you are fine 'till you don't take in sugars before going to sleep if i understand right you wait 2 hours from your last meal and the time you go to sleep right?... i think your caloric intake is right, but you should post your macros as well, i thing you are taking in too many fats (not sure), if this way you are not satisfied with your look you probably have to cut a little, since you reach your desired form...

[Sigmaguy2]

Yeh I usually get done with the workout and eat around 10pm then go to bed at 12 or 1. I put on weight very easily so I could go from 175 to 185 within a week and look the same. Do you think adding dextrose to the post workout shake would help or switching from shake to cottage cheese/cinnamon?
I notice that the abs will come and go very easy with me, one day they will start to pop out and then the next you cant see them. I am on myogenx right now and using NO Shotgun as well. Do you think a product like sesapure/glucorell would be any benefit to maybe hinder the insulin spikes?
I might add another meal in during the day just to get more carbs and calories....what are your thoughts on a liquid meal during the day as a replacement

[JDMSilviaSpecR]

Your diet looks alright, but what does your workout look like? How many times a week do you lift, do cardio, how long.

Diet is 70% of the struggle.

[Sigmaguy2]

Workout:

Mon--25 minutes stepmaster
--10 minutes treadmill at 10 inclince, and 3.5 speed

Tues--Shoulder/Forearms

Wed--Chest/tri's

Thurs--Back/bi's

Fri--off

Sat--morning cardio on empty stomach/abs

Sun--morning cardio on empty stomach
--legs at night

Using myogenx 3 caps per day, and No Shotgun pre workout, and liquidex at .5 ed

Might try doing all high reps instead of heavier weight to see if that does the trick