Mind taking a look at my diet?

[S&S_ShovelHead]

So I am entering my first comp in Mid November. I want to bulk until August sometime. Avi is current pic. Just finished cycle & will be jumping on GH @ 4iu/d & t4 @ 150 mcg/d, slin on workout days & igf when cycleing off slin. I will hop back on cycle in August until competition ends. Would like to bulk to around 240ish (current 227). The following is my bulk plan... (Meals will be shuffled around on slin days to reduce fast post shot)


Bulking Diet Plan

Meal 1: Breakfast
Proatmeal
1 1/3 cup oats, 1 tb natural peanut butter, 1 scoop protein, 1 cup skim milk
2 cups of skim milk
Cals = 880 Fat = 19 Carbs = 112 Protein = 69

Meal 1: Alternate
Eggs & Toast
4 eggs, 3 piece Daves Killer Bread, 2 tb margarine, 2 tb jam
2 cups skim milk
Cals = 980 Fat = 33 Carbs = 118 Protein = 60

Meal 2: Snack
Protein Bars
Premier nutrition protein bar, homemade protein bar
Cals = 560 Fat = 18 Carbs = 43 Protein = 54

Meal 2: Alternate
Fruit & Protein Shake
2 bananas, 1 c berries, 1 1/2 c milk, 1 scoop protein
Cals = 550 Fat = 3 Carbs = 95 Protein = 43

Meal 3: Pre-Workout
Beef N Rice
300 grams brown rice, 200 grams ground beef, ½ c of salsa
1 Banana
Cals = 960 Fat = 35 Carbs = 99 Protein = 61

Meal 4: PWO
Post WO Shake
2/3 c oats, 2 c skim milk, 1 scoop protein, 20 g dextrose
Cals = 570 fat = 6 carb = 79 protein = 46

Meal 5: PWO Meal
Chicken & Rice
250 grams chicken thigh, 300 grams brown rice
Cals = 640 fat = 13 carb = 72 protein = 55

Meal 6: Snack
PB & Toast
4 tb natural peanut butter, 2 slices Daves Killer Bread
Cals = 620 fat = 35 carb = 56 protein = 26

Meal 7: Bed time meal
Tuna & Toast
1 can of tuna, 1 1/2 tb light mayo, 2 peice Daves Killer Bread
2 c skim milk
Cals = 720 fat = 25 carb = 64 protein = 65

Total (not using alternative meals):
Cals = 4950 Fat = 151 Carbs = 525 Protein = 376

[gbrice75]

What are the rest of your stats (height/BF%)?

Calories may be too high but I'll reserve judgement until I know your full stats. I do like your macro split however, nice job. If calories need to be brought down a bit, I'd start with fats. Honestly, I'd try and keep them around 100g. That'd only knock your calories down by about 500, but again, maybe you need 5k to bulk, idk.

If you really want to get nitpicky, I think food choices can be improved. That's a helluva lot of dairy, between the shakes and milk. Meal 2 - if anything, I'd go with 2 homemade bars and ditch the store bought one. They're usually loaded with a bunch of bs. I'd rather know exactly what I'm putting in my body. Meal 6 is pretty useless IMO... personally i'd get a real protein source in the mix. Why are there no veggies in your diet?

Are you planning to post progress pics and/or start a log of your bulk then cut prior to the show? I'd love to follow your progress. Looking thick in your avy, great job so far bro.

[--->>405<<---]

agree with GB on all points. unless u have a LOT of LBM and a high metabolism it seems u will probably gain a good bit of fat with this many cals, fat, and less than optimal (IMO) food choices.

on the plus side it looks like itd be a fun diet to eat everyday!

u have done fairly well for urself up until this point (good work ) and im curious to what ur diet looked like before when bulking?? (total cals/macros/food choices)

[gbrice75]

on the plus side it looks like itd be a fun diet to eat everyday!

Fuk yea!!!

[S&S_ShovelHead]

What are the rest of your stats (height/BF%)?

Calories may be too high but I'll reserve judgement until I know your full stats. I do like your macro split however, nice job. If calories need to be brought down a bit, I'd start with fats. Honestly, I'd try and keep them around 100g. That'd only knock your calories down by about 500, but again, maybe you need 5k to bulk, idk.

If you really want to get nitpicky, I think food choices can be improved. That's a helluva lot of dairy, between the shakes and milk. Meal 2 - if anything, I'd go with 2 homemade bars and ditch the store bought one. They're usually loaded with a bunch of bs. I'd rather know exactly what I'm putting in my body. Meal 6 is pretty useless IMO... personally i'd get a real protein source in the mix. Why are there no veggies in your diet?

Are you planning to post progress pics and/or start a log of your bulk then cut prior to the show? I'd love to follow your progress. Looking thick in your avy, great job so far bro.

6'0, 13-15% bf

Cals may be a bit high, drop down to 4500 and go from there? I'd drop meal 6, it was just a filler meal for calories.

Any suggestions on better meals? Thats why I posted. No veggies because its just more eating and not getting in any calories. Do you recommend I throw some in?

Homemade p bars would go too fast at 2 a day and they take a whiile to make. Bought ones are just a convenience but I agree with what you say about them.

I am going to start a log

[S&S_ShovelHead]

agree with GB on all points. unless u have a LOT of LBM and a high metabolism it seems u will probably gain a good bit of fat with this many cals, fat, and less than optimal (IMO) food choices.

on the plus side it looks like itd be a fun diet to eat everyday!

u have done fairly well for urself up until this point (good work ) and im curious to what ur diet looked like before when bulking?? (total cals/macros/food choices)

Recommendations on better food choices?

This has been my diet for a while but I didnt follow it as closely as I shoukd have and cheated quite a bit.

[gbrice75]

6'0, 13-15% bf

Cals may be a bit high, drop down to 4500 and go from there? I'd drop meal 6, it was just a filler meal for calories.

I think you can go lower than that to be honest. LBM is roughly 190lbs putting your TDEE somewhere in the neighborhood of 2900 calories unless you're very active besides the gym/cardio (e.g. organized sports, hiking, etc, heavy manual labor job, etc). Personally I'd drop to 4000 calories and monitor progress from that point. I think you could get a nice lean bulk going around 4000 calories.

Any suggestions on better meals?

Mainly just swapping a good portion of the dairy/shakes for more substantial foods... pork, turkey, etc. Of course, if you DO decide to reduce calories by 1000 or even 500, you can just ditch some of the dairy all together.

You could make better carb choices than the bread, but again, i'm nitpicking. But bodybuilding staples... potatoes, even wholegrain pasta for bulking.

No veggies because its just more eating and not getting in any calories. Do you recommend I throw some in?

I hear you, but from a nutritional standpoint, they're important. Fiber, vitamins/minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients. Google free radicals and you'll learn why antioxidants are so important... not just for general health, but even body composition where bodyfat is concerned.

Homemade p bars would go too fast at 2 a day and they take a whiile to make. Bought ones are just a convenience but I agree with what you say about them.

I am going to start a log

Beef Jerky is convenient too, and has a LOT less crap in it.

[S&S_ShovelHead]

Thanks for taking your time for the advice.

Ill try 4400 for a few weeks and adjust accordingly, I was at 47-4800 and gained very slowly so dont want to drop it too much. Dont live a super active life besides gyms and sports but my body is naturally hot (ill be the only person in a T this time of the year outside), not sure if thats where a lot of calories go.

Yea I think its time I add potatoes into my diet and lower my bread intake.

What do you recommend to through some good vegies in the mix?

Jerky is good just pricey, isnt it loaded with preservatives though?

[--->>405<<---]

Veggies: spinach, asparagus, broccoli, squash, salad veggies (cucumber, tomato, onion), etc...

[gbrice75]

Thanks for taking your time for the advice.

Np!

Ill try 4400 for a few weeks and adjust accordingly, I was at 47-4800 and gained very slowly so dont want to drop it too much.

Noted. When you were at 47-4800 calories, how was body fat looking? Noticeable gains?

Dont live a super active life besides gyms and sports but my body is naturally hot (ill be the only person in a T this time of the year outside), not sure if thats where a lot of calories go.

Gotcha. That may have something to do with it... maybe you just have a really fast metabolism. Luck you!

What do you recommend to through some good vegies in the mix?

Just about anything you can think of, but leafy greens are preferred. An incomplete list:

Broccoli
Kale
Red/Green lettuces (not iceberg)
Collards
Green Beans
Cauliflower
Beets
Swiss Chard
Asparagus
Brussell Sprouts
Alfalfa Sprouts
Spinach

etc.

Jerky is good just pricey, isnt it loaded with preservatives though?

Some more than others, yes. Mainly a lot of sodium. But honestly, you're eating store bought protein bars which have more junk than beef jerky. You could always make your own if you're up to it. Baseline has done it and was really happy with the outcome. That way, you can control exactly what goes into it.

[S&S_ShovelHead]

Ran 47-5000 throughout the bulk competition in the lounge. Put on lots of size and not too much fat, but weight gain slowed as I got bigger so I thought id stick with that amount. But at this point a slow recomp would be great too.

Ill go grab some veggies tonight.

[gbrice75]

Ran 47-5000 throughout the bulk competition in the lounge. Put on lots of size and not too much fat, but weight gain slowed as I got bigger so I thought id stick with that amount. But at this point a slow recomp would be great too.

Ill go grab some veggies tonight.

Just remember that gains aren't linear, they typically happen in spurts. You can spend months busting your ass with nothing to show for it, then BAM - it happens. It's not just about the calories as I'm sure you know... it may be time to switch up your training routine/approach (i.e. if you're currently doing HIT, an 8 week switch to high volume might get things moving again), etc.

Good deal with the veggies!

[S&S_ShovelHead]

Just remember that gains aren't linear, they typically happen in spurts. You can spend months busting your ass with nothing to show for it, then BAM - it happens. It's not just about the calories as I'm sure you know... it may be time to switch up your training routine/approach (i.e. if you're currently doing HIT, an 8 week switch to high volume might get things moving again), etc.

Good deal with the veggies!

Yea I totally get that. Changed up my training quite significantly last week so we'll see what happens.

[gbrice75]

Yea I totally get that. Changed up my training quite significantly last week so we'll see what happens.

Nice! Briefly - from what to what? Did you just change up exercises and/or rotation, or did you completely change your approach?