My Nutrition, along with some questions.

[Cannabinerd]

I feel that this board is the most appropriate place for this as it is mainly about my nutrition along with some questions about first cycles etc. relating to my nutrition.

First, I want to give a small amount of background information about myself as I feel the more you know about my scenario, the better you might be able to help me. I have been losing weight for 3 years now. I am getting close to my very vague original goal of "getting a 6 pack". I feel that if I continue on my cutting diet until the end of the year, I can snap some pictures of the 6 pack that I've always wanted before I start bulking. When I started losing weight, I was 320 lbs. and hadn't seen a gym in 6 years. Although I had gotten extremely unhealthy, I was no stranger to working out. I started weight lifting at 11 years old at World Gym with my father. I played football for 11 years before I decided to give it up at 17 years old because I was forced to live on my own while trying to finish High School.

Fast forward 6 years, I'm 320lbs. and I knew something had to change. Over the past 3 years I have been getting the nutrition under control because it was the one thing that my father never had the discipline to master, let alone teach me. Of course, just like everything, it has been all about progression. I am finally into what I like to think of as the "hardcore" zone. For the past 3 months, I have been following the diet below:

CURRENT STATS
Age: 26
Gender: Male
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 196 lbs.
BMR: ~2050
TDEE: ~3500

CUTTING DIET

Meal 1: 6:00 AM
10 Egg Whites
1 Cup Plain Oats
(470 calories, 54g carbs, 50g protein, 5g fat)

Meal 2: 7:30 AM
Whey Protein Shake
(240 calories, 6g carbs, 50g protein, 2g fat)

Meal 3: 9:00 AM
4oz. Chicken Breast/Eye of Round Steak/Turkey
1/2 cup Brown Rice
(279 calories, 23g carbs, 35g protein, 5g fat)

Meal 4: 11:30 AM
4oz. Chicken Breast/Eye of Round Steak/Turkey
1/2 cup Brown Rice
(279 calories, 23g carbs, 35g protein, 5g fat)

Meal 5: 2:00 PM
4oz. Chicken Breast/Eye of Round Steak/Turkey
1/2 cup Brown Rice
(279 calories, 23g carbs, 35g protein, 5g fat)

Meal 6: 4:00 PM
4oz. Chicken Breast/Eye of Round Steak/Turkey
1/2 cup Brown Rice
(279 calories, 23g carbs, 35g protein, 5g fat)

Meal 7: 6:30 PM(Post Workout Shake)
Whey Protein Shake
(240 calories, 6g carbs, 50g protein, 2g fat)

Meal 8: 8:00 PM
4-6oz. Plain Tilapia
6 Asparagus Spears
Garden Salad with light dressing
(350 calories, 10g carbs, 35g protein, 8g fat)

Meal 9: 9:00 PM
Whey Protein Shake
(240 calories, 6g carbs, 50g protein, 2g fat)

Total Daily Macros
2656 Calories
174g Carbs
375g Protein
39g Fat

Workout
I do a 4 day split but I workout 5-6 days a week. I keep doing my rotation based on what my last workout was and I take breaks as needed by listening to my body (typically every 8-10 weeks).

I do cardio twice a day, for 30 minutes each session. I keep it to a brisk walk. I am also doing 2 sets of 150 twists every day.

Day 1: Chest and Triceps
Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 working sets
Dumbbell Incline: 3 working sets
Pec Deck: 3 working sets
Cable Crossovers: 3 working sets
Tricep Pressdown: 3 working sets
Overhead tricep Extension: 3 working sets
Close Grip Bench Press: 3 working sets

Day 2: Back and Biceps
Lat Pulldowns: 4 working sets
Seated Rows: 4 working sets
Dumbbell Bentover Rows: 4 working sets
Weighted Hyperextensions: 3 working sets
Standing Bicep Curls(EZ Curl Bar): 3 working sets
Isolated Dumbbell Curls: 3 working sets
Isolated Spider Curls: 3 working sets
Straight Bar Bicep Curls: 3 working sets
(Forearms are typically worked on this day)

Day 3: Legs
Leg Press: 3 working sets
Smith Machine Squats: 3 working sets
Hack Squats: 3 working sets
Leg Extensions: 3 working sets
Walking Dumbbell Lunges: 3 working sets
Hamstring Curls: 3 working sets
Seated Calf Raises: 3 working sets
Standing Calf Raises: 3 working sets

Day 4: Shoulders
Dumbbell Military Press: 3 working sets
Lateral Raises: 3 working sets
Front Raises: 3 working sets
Upright Rows: 3 working sets
Rear Delt Flies: 3 working sets
Behind Back Cable Lateral Raises: 3 working sets
Shrugs: 4 working sets

Again, this is rotated in a 5-6 day a week rotation. I know about overtraining and I know when to take a little time off.

Supplements

I take quite a few different things. The things that are supposed to be cycled are being cycled correctly. I get supplements very cheap and I feel like the tiny advantage I get is worth the money I am spending. I hope this doesn't cause flaming.

Animal Pack (Multivitamin)
Animal Flex (Joint Support)
Animal Cuts (Fat Burners)(Cutting stack only)
Animal Test (Natty Test)
Animal PM (Recovery and Sleep Support)

Neurocore (Preworkout)
Gold Standard Whey Protein
Glutamine
BCAAs
Creatine

Yohimbe (Cutting stack only)
L-Carnitine (Cutting stack only)
Green Tea (Cutting stack only)


My plan is to continue this until the first of the year then start a beginner cycle of gear. I have a few question about all of this information I have provided. Please feel free to answer as many or as little as you want.

1. Do I need to alter my cutting diet?
2. When I start cycling, should I lay off some of the supplements (Obviously the test, right?)
3. When I start cycling, could I essentially follow the same meal plan, just increase the quantities to get
4. Is me being previously obese going to hinder me in anyway? (I have provided pictures below for better reference on this question)
5. Is it easy enough to find a doctor that will monitor your progress and do the necessary blood work KNOWING that you are on gear?

Sorry this post is so long and I look forward to the responses. If any additional information is needed, let me know.

[Back In Black]

Mate welcome and massive congratulations. That is an awesome transformation. You clearly have great dedication and discipline and I tip my hat to you.

It's a very detailed introduction but I would just like to ask if you can list the macro's for each meal? Your food choices are a little limited and almost devoid of fruit and veg. 9 meals a day is alot to fit in, is that an issue? If so, I'm sure we can reduce that amount of times you eat.

Can you clarify what your 150 twists actually are?

ANd any reason you don't add caffeine to your cutting stack?

[SlimmerMe]

WELCOME to the Nutrition FORUM!

My goodness! You have made some great progress. Give yourself kudos.

Good luck to you. Consistency is the key to all of this.

[Cannabinerd]

Mate welcome and massive congratulations. That is an awesome transformation. You clearly have great dedication and discipline and I tip my hat to you.

It's a very detailed introduction but I would just like to ask if you can list the macro's for each meal? Your food choices are a little limited and almost devoid of fruit and veg. 9 meals a day is alot to fit in, is that an issue? If so, I'm sure we can reduce that amount of times you eat.

Can you clarify what your 150 twists actually are?

ANd any reason you don't add caffeine to your cutting stack?

I updated the original post with my macros. It looks like I need to add some more calories, my protein is way above my carbs and my fats are VERY low. I don't eat very much fruit right now and all of my vegetables are consumed with my post workout meal (Asparagus and Salad).

As far as the number of meals I eat, its not a problem for me as I work from home and I am always 10 steps away from my kitchen, so its fairly easy for me to completely manipulate my food schedule.

Twists are just a basic twisting movement back and forth, one complete rep is a twist to BOTH sides. I got this from a 12 week transformation program on bodybuilding.com. Chris Gethin uses it to help keep the midsection tight during a cut and he says he does this daily instead of working his Obliques. I started doing it a couple of months ago and I felt much tighter around my stomach and lower back after a few days so I have continued to do it. I have a huge fear of having loose skin or an ugly midsection due to all the extra pounds I used to have so I am doing whatever I can to help tighten the skin as I come down.

I forgot to add Neurocore to my supplement list. This is the only Caffeine that I know of in my stack. I used to have Animal Pump in there (which I believe has some caffeine) but I am not using it right now. I also thought that the combination of green tea, yohimbe and my fat burners would take the place of caffeine, is that not true?

[Cannabinerd]

WELCOME to the Nutrition FORUM!

My goodness! You have made some great progress. Give yourself kudos.

Good luck to you. Consistency is the key to all of this.

Thank you! "Consistency is key" is something I tell my wife over and over again when she starts feeling weak. She has made amazing progress too over the past 3 years. Without her, I'd be lost.

[Cannabinerd]

Duplicate post deleted.

[Back In Black]

Bumping this for when I have time. I haven't forgotten you!

[Cannabinerd]

Bumping this for when I have time. I haven't forgotten you!

Many thanks!

[Back In Black]

Just a quickie for now but if your l-carnitine is a seperate supp, then you should sub it for caffeine. It claims to do what caffeine does re:mobilisation of fat cells, but it is pretty much unproven in that regard. Despite the fact that it now appears in a whole load of otc fat burners.

[Cannabinerd]

I have no problem adding caffeine into my cutting stack, I just didn't know if I should be adding it in separate from the other things that I am taking already.


Would you suggest looking into clen or something to finish my cutting?

[Cannabinerd]

Bump.

[Back In Black]

Sorry mate, weekends are really busy for me. Couple more questions:-

Are you still losing weight on the posted diet?

What time of day are your cardio sessions?

What time is bed?

Are you happy to add vegetables and sweet potatoes to your diet?

[Cannabinerd]

Are you still losing weight on the posted diet?

Yes, I just started this diet a few weeks back and I am seeing results. The diet I was doing before was the exact same foods, just double the chicken/steak in each meal. I saw good results with that for a while then it started slowing so I cut my meats in half for each meal and took the carbs down just a little. I'm hoping to start a bulk after the first of the year, just want to finish getting this fat off.

What time of day are your cardio sessions?

I do cardio after my first meal everyday from 6:45AM to 7:15AM. 30 minutes, brisk walk. My second cardio session is right after my workout. 30 minutes, brisk walk or stair gauntlet. I follow each cardio session with 1 set of 150 twists that we were talking about earlier in the post.

What time is bed?

I get in bed around 10:00PM, some nights I have trouble sleeping even with Animal PM. But usually I am asleep by 11:00 at the latest.

Are you happy to add vegetables and sweet potatoes to your diet?

Yes, that is why I am here. I am seeking advice from people that KNOW. My wife is already adding vegetables into her meals so it would be nothing for me to just start buying more of them each week. Also, I love sweet potatoes, I have just been doing brown rice because I can make it for 4-5 days at a time. I'm sure I can find a way to do the same with potatoes.

[Back In Black]

Great if you are still losing weight it means the calories are set about right.

First off I'm gonna suggest you do your first cardio session BEFORE your first meal. Take 10g BCAA before you start.

Meal 1 is ok but drop and egg wite or 2 and add a whole egg. Your oats are mixed with water?

Meal 2 protein shake - drop it.

Meal 3 Fine but I'd get your carbs to 40g and let them bring up the protein slightly.

Meal 4 Drop the rice, add in some brocoli and maybe some cauliflower and a few grams of fish oil

Meal 5 Same as meal 4

Meal 6 keep protein as is and I'd personally switch the rice for sweet potato giving you 40g of carbs. Chuck in some brocoli to the mix too.

Meal 7 Keep protein as is and I would add 40-50g of carbs from powdered oats

Meal 8 As it is

Meal 9 - move to just prior to bed time 9.45 and either sub the whey for casein or have half zero carb cottage cheese and half casein. Same macro's.

Rework the diet with new meal timings and macro's. There are now 8 meals and your cals may come in a little less than they are but we can fine tune when the main part is done.

I mash my sweet pots in bulk and either chill or freeze.

If you have trouble sleeping you could always move some turkey to your penultimate meal. It contains an amino called trptophan that can aid sleep.

[Cannabinerd]

First off I'm gonna suggest you do your first cardio session BEFORE your first meal. Take 10g BCAA before you start.

Should I go ahead and take my fat burners, yohimbie and green tea before cardio with the BCAAs?

Your oats are mixed with water?

No, I mix the oats with the egg whites and cook in a pan on low heat. It makes an oatmeal pancake, just eggwhites and plain oats. Has a bread like consistancy and tastes decent.

Meal 6 keep protein as is and I'd personally switch the rice for sweet potato giving you 40g of carbs. Chuck in some brocoli to the mix too.

Can I go ahead and switch all of my rice out for sweet potatoes or do I need both daily in my diet?

[Back In Black]

Fat burner with BCAA's, most definitely.

Noted on the pancakes. Slimmerme has a pancake recipe somewhere, I haven't tried 'em but I know a bunch of people rate them.

You can switch your rice for sweet pots if you like but I would recommend a variety for all sources whether carbs, protein or fat for a more complete spectrum of vitamins and minerals. Of my 4 carb meals 2 are oats, 1 is sweet pot and the other is brown rice. When i run maintenance in a couple of weeks my fifth carb meal may be pasta, noodles, red skin potatoes.

[gbrice75]

I've been meaning to comment but unable to spend much time on the board as of late...

I just wanted to give you a massive congrats for your accomplishment thus far. I myself was 255lbs with a 42 inch waist at one point and got to where I am, but my weight loss pales in comparison to what you've done... truly inspirational!!!

I'll continue to monitor this thread and will expect to see great things from you!!

[Cannabinerd]

I've been meaning to comment but unable to spend much time on the board as of late...

I just wanted to give you a massive congrats for your accomplishment thus far. I myself was 255lbs with a 42 inch waist at one point and got to where I am, but my weight loss pales in comparison to what you've done... truly inspirational!!!

I'll continue to monitor this thread and will expect to see great things from you!!

Wow, thanks man. I work at home so with the exception of my wife, I don't hear very much encouragement. For the past 8 months or so, the only face to face contact I have with people is at the gym and my wife. It means a lot to me.

[Cannabinerd]

Meal 7 Keep protein as is and I would add 40-50g of carbs from powdered oats

Question about this. Last night I threw 1 cup of plain oats into this protein shake and drank it at the gym directly after my workout. Is this acceptable or does it need to be powdered oats? Using plain oats may not be as easy going down but it is more convenient since I am already buying such a large amount of plain oats. If there is something different about powdered oats that I am unaware of, please fill me in. If not, I will just man up and drink my protein/oats slush after my workouts for convenience.


Also, here is my revised plan. Let me know if I am missing anything. Going shopping today to make the proper adjustments. I attached a jpeg below:



Let me know if there are any adjustments that need to be made, and again, thanks a lot!

[Cannabinerd]

One more thing. On the fish oil, I am assuming you mean fish oil capsules or something similar?

[Back In Black]

Nothing special about powdered oats other than they are much easier to take in a protein shake than full size grains. It's up to you how you take them. I just put normal oats in a blender and blend them down to as fine as I can, you don't need to pay extra for somebody else to do it.

Fish oils however you want. If you can handle taking them off a spoon, go ahead. Cheaper than capsules but an unpleasant taste experience.

Food choices look better on the new plan but your protein is, IMO, way too high. I'd suggest a max of 40g protein per meal with the exception of PWO which you can take up to 50g if you like. Same for your carb meals, I would limit to 40g other than PWO, again up to 50g.

Just check the stats on your casein shake, 50g shake giving 48g protein is a monumentally high % of protein per 100g.

Other than that it looks good. Appreciate the reduction in pro and carbs will reduce your cals slightly but I think it will be worth it.

[Cannabinerd]

Just check the stats on your casein shake, 50g shake giving 48g protein is a monumentally high % of protein per 100g.

Sorry about that, the 50g was there to tell me that I wanted ~50g of protein in that shake. It is actually 48g of protein which is 2 scoops, which I believe is 66g of actual powder, according to the label.

Made the adjustments, check it out, the calories are considerably lower along with the protein.



Also, I am doing 45 minutes of fasted AM cardio as soon as I wake up now. I am taking BCAAs and Animal Cuts right before I walk out the door. 2 days in a row now, I threw up while doing cardio. I know its the Cuts causing this, but should I stop taking them before cardio? Throwing up on cardio doesn't bother me, but I just want to make sure I'm getting the benefit from the fat burners.

[gbrice75]

^^ what does your fasted cardio consist of?

[Cannabinerd]

^^ what does your fasted cardio consist of?

Brisk walk through my neighborhood with sweat pants and a hooded sweatshirt with the hood on. Between 4 - 4.5 MPH. I get a good sweat going and my breathing is increased, but I'm not going fast enough to get winded. Yesterday, I threw up about 1/2 way through, today, I threw up as soon as I got back to my front yard, but I felt it coming on from about the half way point.

[Back In Black]

Weird. What does your puke consist of? Mixing anything with your BCAA's? I must have a look at the animal cuts ingredient list.

[Cannabinerd]

Weird. What does your puke consist of? Mixing anything with your BCAA's? I must have a look at the animal cuts ingredient list.

It consists of water and half digested pills. I'm not mixing anything with the BCAAs and its straight BCAAs, not a drink mix like Xtend.

Here is the ingredient list of Animal Cuts:



There is the caffeine you were asking about earlier in the thread.

Leaving for my cardio now, just going to do the same thing, ill report back later today.

[Cannabinerd]

Back from cardio. No vomit, although I do feel a little bit nasty right now, need to eat!

[Back In Black]

Dificult to tell really as there is no specific amount of any compound listed.

In all honesty, I would do cardio for a couple of days just with BCAA's and see how you feel. At least you'll know it it's that or not. If you then try the cuts again and puke you need to consider dropping the cuts altogether or perhaps trying half a serving or even waiting til after your cardio. May take a week but at least you'll know.

I like the new macro's on your meal plan. It will likely take some minor changes to get it perfect for you, just need to keep an eye on how it is working for you.

[gbrice75]

Man, that's a lot of stuff in that animal cuts. I'd make up a home made ECA stack and call it a day.

[Cannabinerd]

Man, that's a lot of stuff in that animal cuts. I'd make up a home made ECA stack and call it a day.

I plan on not using Animal Cuts again once this cycle is over.

Is my cardio intense enough?

[gbrice75]

Sounds like it based on your description. I wouldn't want my fasted cardio to be too intense even with BCAA's... definitely no HIIT type stuff IMO.