Diet help please

[Bio-Active]

Hello everyone,

I am looking for some diet advice. My current stats are age 37, Training 7 yrs, Weight 125lb, Height 5"4 and about 8-8.5 % body fat. over the last year and a half i have dieted off about 40 lbs. I have lost a little muscle but not much. My goal now is to stay as lean as possible and try to put on a little weight. I really do not want to be over maybe 9 % body fat. I will attach my current Diet. With this Diet i seem to be maintaining weight but i am completely plateaued as far as strength gains go. Any advice would be helpful. Also i do recognize that i need to eat more to grow but i am looking for advice as to how much and with which meals. I get up at 430 am eat breakfast at 5 am. I work from 6a-5p and train at about 630 pm. This would be approximately 1 hour from meal 5. I also sleep 8 hrs every night. So here are my Macros.

Meal 1 430-5 am Protein 6 Whole Egg White + Yolk 36 1 6 82
Column1 0 0 0 0
Carbohydrate 1 2 Halves Ezekiel Muffin 8 30 0 160
Carbohydrate 1 16oz orange juice 4 54 0 220

Meal 2 8 am Protein 6 OZ Egg White+ Yolk 36 0 2 82
Carbohydrate 2 1/2 Pieces Ezekiel Bread 10 40 1 180
Vegetable 1 CUP Vegtable 0 0 0 0

Meal 3 11am Protein 6 OZ Chicken Breast 99% Fat Free 42 0 10 246
Carbohydrate Half CUP Brown Rice 2 23 0 110

Meal 4 2Pm Protein 6 OZ Chicken Breast 99% Fat Free 42 0 10 246
Carbohydrate 1 CUP Sweet Potatoe 4 40 1 130
Vegetable 1 CUP Vegtable 0 0 0 0

Meal 5 5Pm Protein 6 OZ Chicken Breast 99% Fat Free 42 0 10 246
OZ 0
Vegetable 1 CUP Vegtable 0 0 0 0

Meal 6 8 Pm Protein 1 OZ Muscle Milk 25 12 9 230
OZ
Vegetable 1 CUP Vegtable 0 0 0 0

Total Protein 251, Carbs 200, Fat 49 Calories 1932

I usually eat 1 cheat meal a month and it usually consist of going out to chillies and having 8 oz sirloin a loaded potato 1 slice of garlic bread and a cup of broccoli. Again i want the gains to stay as lean as possible so that i do not put on much fat. Are these goals realistic? Thanks in advance!!

[Rugger02]

I don't know if it's just me, but because of a lack of responses I would guess not...
I'm a little confused by your meal breakdowns.

Maybe just post what you eat for each meal and then below that meal write the macros.

Like this:

1 cup oats
6 egg whites
blah blah...

Protein __ Carbs__ Fats__ Calories__

And then your daily totals.
Sorry if I'm a little slow....

[Bio-Active]

Ok Sorry my cutting and pasting didnt work very good! Here goes
Protein Carbs Fat Total cals


Meal 1 430-5 am 6 Egg White + 1Yolk 36 1 6 82
Ezekiel Muffin 8 30 0 160
16oz orange juice 4 54 0 220

Meal 2 8 am 6 Egg White+ 1Yolk 36 0 2 82
2 1/2 Pieces Ezekiel Bread 10 40 1 180
Vegetable 1 CUP Vegtable 0 0 0 0

Meal 3 11am 6 OZ Chicken Breast 42 0 10 246
Carbohydrate Half CUP Brown Rice 2 23 0 110
Vegetable 1 CUP Vegtable 0 0 0 0

Meal 4 2Pm 6 OZ Chicken Breast 42 0 10 246
1 CUP Sweet Potatoe 4 40 1 130
Vegetable 1 CUP Vegtable 0 0 0 0

Meal 5 5Pm 6 OZ Chicken Breast 42 0 10 246
OZ 0
Vegetable 1 CUP Vegtable 0 0 0 0

Meal 6 8 Pm Muscle Milk 25 12 9 230
OZ
Vegetable 1 CUP Vegtable 0 0 0 0


Total Protein 251, Carbs 200, Fat 49 Calories 1932

I hope this is easier to read! Thanks

[Rugger02]

You should raise your calories to between 2300 - 2500 in order to have a clean lean bulk.
Your food choices look solid. But I would throw in a little casein before bed.

Also, are you taking fish or flax oil supps for EFAs?

[Bio-Active]

I haven't been taking any flax or efa's. I do take the muscle milk before bed. Do you think i need more casein than that? Should i just up the carbs slowly. I think i am getting enough protein. I am always just a little skeptical about putting on fat as i have worked so hard to be lean. Thanks

[fit4ever180]

I haven't been taking any flax or efa's. I do take the muscle milk before bed. Do you think i need more casein than that? Should i just up the carbs slowly. I think i am getting enough protein. I am always just a little skeptical about putting on fat as i have worked so hard to be lean. Thanks

I agree with Rugger and in your last meal, I would drop the muscle milk and add 1 cup ff cottage cheese and 1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil... I also think you should add another 15-20g of fat into your diet.... Your protein looks fine...

[Bio-Active]

Sounds good I will make the noted adjustment to my diet. I bought some almonds today to pack with my meals. 1/4 cup is 19 grams of fat. What meal do you think i should add these to my plan or does it matter? I know breakfast wouldn't be a good idea with the natural sugar from the juice. I have changed my training time to 12pm. So i train from 12pm to 1pm with weight and then do 1/2 hour of cardio. Then i eat meal # 4 at 2pm. So i was thinking maybe to add the fats to meal 5? or do you think i should split the fats up over 2 meals at least the 19 grams i mean from almonds? Thanks in advance and thank you for the replies.

[Rugger02]

I think that meal 5 would be a good place for them. Splitting them in two meals is fine also maybe between meal 5 and 2.

[Bio-Active]

Thanks I will let you know how it goes!

[Bio-Active]

I have made the adjustments to my diet as suggested. I have added the fats to meal 2 and 5. I haven't really gained or lost any weight for about 1 month now. What do you guys think of me adding carbs to meal # 5? When i say carbs i mean adding like a sweet potato. This would be in addition to what i am already eating?

[Bio-Active]

I am attempting to attach a before and after photo to help with my diet critic. Any Help would be greatly appreciated.