Not sure where to start

[CBB1992]

According to my TDEE, I'm burning around 2800 calories a day.

5'11
195 lbs
20 y/o


I've never had the best diet throughout my life, I just eat what is available to me.

I've lost around 60 pounds over the last year with cardio, and drinking lots of water, and restricting my calorie intake.

Even though I've had this success, I would like to further improve and create a life long diet of eating the right foods every day, in the right quantities, and taking in the right macro nutrients.

But, I do not know where to start, what foods do I buy, eat? Should I go with 3 large meals a day or several smaller meals a day?

I love to run, and I love to drink water. What sort of diet would benefit a runner?

Help is greatly appreciated!

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

cbb welcome! u came to the right place.. good job!

whats ur bf % rite now? dont know? FIND OUT! (google "BOD POD" for ur area and make appt) in the mean time u could post a pic and we can ballpark u.

start here ---->>> http://forums.steroid.com/showthread...g#.ULdaAofedP8

[gbrice75]

CBB - welcome!! What do you see as your immediate goal... let's say 1 year from today? Something less vague than what you already posted... e.g. is there a particularly somebody you'd like to look like? Just trying to gauge what you're looking to get out of this.

Congrats on the 60lbs loss, that's huge!

[CBB1992]

I can show you a picture sure, as shameful as it is. lol



Hm, one year from today I would love to be about 165.
From there I want to build lean mass, and look something like you, Gbrice.

[gbrice75]

I can show you a picture sure, as shameful as it is. lol



Hm, one year from today I would love to be about 165.
From there I want to build lean mass, and look something like you, Gbrice.

Once you have a solid plan in place, stick with it and you will most definitely get there brother. 4 years ago I was a 255lb slob. I was lazy and the thought of exercising nauseated me. If I can get off my ass and finally change myself, anybody can do it.

Re: your pic - nothing to be ashamed of. Nobody on this board will have anything disparaging to say, or they'll be dealt with swiftly. Only encouragement here, even if driven by bluntness.

IMO, you don't need to overthink this too much at all. You need a good solid diet plan that has you just a bit above maintenance to promote lean gains. Keep an eye on bodyfat and make adjustments when needed. Get your bodyfat % checked now, and then set a threshold number, a number you don't want to go over in your attempt to add mass. Once you hit that number, cut back until bodyfat is back in check. No matter what, you just need to hit the gym hard and intense. Focus mostly on big movements - squats, deadlifts, bench press, pull ups, etc. Work as much muscle in a single exercise as possible. If you want to supplement with a few isolation movements, that's fine - but don't spend 2 hours in the gym doing face pulls and lateral raises and concentration curls. Big, hard and heavy - that + a solid diet will have you growing in no time at your age.

[CBB1992]

Well thank you for your words of encouragement GB, it means a lot. Really. 1 year ago I was a 255 pound slob, but I still have a long way to go in terms of looking in the mirror and being happy with my image. I was looking to lose another 30 pounds and go from there to build muscle, or do you think it would be fine to start at my current weight, bf %?

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

while u still have some body fat to lose u definitely have some room to grow. have u been doing any weight lifting up to this point or have u lost all ur weight mainly due to diet and cardio?

reason i ask is cuz if u havent really been lifting u could do a re-comp and possibly gain some muscle as well as lose some more fat!

50/30/20 pro/carb/fat split might be a good way to go..

[CBB1992]

I lifted weights for 3 1/2 years while I was in high school, with the exception being the majority of my senior year where I focused on nothing but running. I haven't touched a bar in.. over a year- and it shows. So yeah, the weight loss came from all cardio and diet.

and thankyou, I was still trying to decide how to come up with my split

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

post up the diet u have been running thus far. be sure to include total cals and macros..

[gbrice75]

Well thank you for your words of encouragement GB, it means a lot. Really. 1 year ago I was a 255 pound slob, but I still have a long way to go in terms of looking in the mirror and being happy with my image. I was looking to lose another 30 pounds and go from there to build muscle, or do you think it would be fine to start at my current weight, bf %?

Pretty much agree with 405 - I think right now would be an excellent time to start adding muscle. You're 20, natural hormone levels are peaking - take advantage. I wish I had. Your bodyfat is no more than the 'average' guy right now. IMO, so long as you keep a close watch on it while focusing on adding muscle, you can't go wrong.

Pretty much agree with 405's macro split advice too, although tbh i'd go lower fat, probably no more than 15% if possible, bumping carbs slightly. I'm splitting hairs though. More important is your total caloric intake being high enough to support lean gains but not too high to where you're adding bodyfat at any appreciable rate. Most important is your consistency. I can run a 'perfectly' designed diet, but if i'm not disciplined, it won't do jack for me. On the other hand, I can run a 'simple' diet plan, and even if there are flaws, i'll make progress no matter what so long as I'm consistent.

Remember that you won't even be able to accurately gauge progress (or lack thereof) for signs that you need to change/tweak this or that, unless everything remains consistent, day in and day out.

[CBB1992]

Currently I'm restricting my portions and calories, I make sensible choices in the food I eat but I know I'm missing out on those vital macro nutrients.



If my TDEE is 2800, how's manycalories should I consume to promote those lean gains ? Also how many days out of the week should I lift? Right now I've come up with 3 days of cardio and 3 days of lifting with Sunday being the off day.

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

i put ur bf% (ballpark) 16-18%

better to go with 18% IMO

195 x .82(%LBM) = 159.9lbs LBM

LBM x 15 = 159.9 x 15 = 2398.5cals (rough maintenance)

call it 2400.

2400cals (50/30/20 pro/carbs/fat)
300g pro
180g carbs
53g fat

run this and see how u progress. adjustments will likely have to be made at some point. keep carbs to meal 1, pre workout, post work meals ONLY

cardio: 4-5 days per week am fasted (preferable) or PWO 45mins

lifting 4 day split would work: 1. chest/tris; 2. back/bis/abs; 3. legs; 4. shoulders/traps/abs

i would also suggest u come up with a diet and post the complete diet for review. be sure to include meal times and ur workout time. also include total cals and macros. i would also suggest on days u do not lift to drop ur carbs down to 50-100g and try to eat only veggies on these non-training days leaving everything else the same. be sure to do some good cardio on these non-training days as well.

[CBB1992]

Well I bought the food, now I just need to create the eating regimen.

Nutella - 12g fat/21g carbs/2g protein/200 calories
V8 (veggie only) - 0g fat/10g carbs/2g protein/50 calories
Kashi 'Go Lean' Cereal - 1g fat/30g carbs/13g protein/140 calories
Turkey Breast Slices - 0g fat/2g carb/5g protein/ 25 calories (per slice)
Granola bars - 6g fat/20g carbs/2g protein/140 calories
English Muffins(Plain) - 5g fat/29g carbs/4g protein/140 calories
Bagels - 3g fat/64g carbs/9g protein/310 calories
Wheat Bread - 1g fat/10g carbs/4g protein/50 calories (per slice)
Brown Rice - 1.5g fat/35g carbs/4g protein/160 calories
Cheese Slices - 4g fat/2g carbs/3g protein/60 calories
Soy Milk - 2.5g fat/8g carbs/1g protein/60 calories
Yogurt - 0g fat/16g carbs/5g protein/90 calories
Cottage Cheese - 5g fat/6g carbs/10g protein/110 calories
Plain Nuts - 15g fat/5g carbs/6g protein/170 calories
Apples - 0g fat/34g carbs/1g protein/130 calories
Bannas - ? fat/? carbs/ ? protein/? calories
Cheese cubes - 9g fat/1g carbs/6g protein/110 calories
Power Pudding - 4.5g fat/9g carbs/30g protein/190 calories
Tuna - 0.5g fat/0g carbs/11g protein/50 calories
Whey protein - 2g fat/5g carbs/24g protein/130 calories

Note*
I bought the pudding and whey only because I could see no other way to get the 300g protein you recommended a day- even now I can only see me getting that 300 on days I lift because I don't want to consume these supplements too fast because, well, they're expensive lol


And what would be the best pre workout food and post workout food to eat?