Disorganized Diet...help request

[GoldGloveLF]

Hello everyone and thanks for taking a look...

I'm here to ask for some help on building and cleaning up my diet so that I can get into overall better athletic condition.

The problem is that my diet history is downright scary, HDL levels around 220-250, and heavy drinking for an extended period of time are all pieces of the puzzle.

My diet has been:

Pizza
Hamburgers
Pepsi (usually 4-8 a day)
takeout dinners like Souvlaki dinners
Wendy's fast food since it's right next to my work...a typical meal would prob be two 5 piece nuggets, medium fry, junior bacon cheeseburger, large coke.

These are just some examples...my diet wasn't organized or anything. Just a mess.

The proposed list of things that I've begun to eat on my new diet comes from this list:

Proteins

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast (Lunch, Dinner)
Tuna (water packed) (Lunch)
Fish (salmon, seabass, halibut) (Lunch, Dinner)
Shrimp (Dinner)
Extra Lean Ground Beef or Ground Round (92-96%) (Lunch, Dinner)
Protein Powder (Whey or Egg protein powder) (Breakfast, Snack)
Egg Whites or Eggs (Breakfast)
Ribeye Steaks or Roast (Dinner)
Top Round Steaks or Roast (aka Stew Meat, London Broil, Stir Fry) (Dinner)
Top Sirloin (aka Sirloin Top Butt) (Dinner)
Beef Tenderloin (aka Filet, Filet Mignon) (Dinner)
Top Loin (NY Strip Steak) (Dinner)
Flank Steak (Sir Fry, Fajita) (Dinner)
Eye of Round (Cube Meat, Stew Meat, Bottom Round , 96% LeandGround Round) (Dinner)

· Ground turkey, Turkey Breast Slices or cutlets (Lunch, Dinner)

· Deli cuts (Lunch)

· Dry beans and peas (Lunch, Dinner)

· Frozen burritos (Lunch)
Complex Carbohydrates

Oatmeal (Old Fashioned or Quick Oats) (Breakfast)
Sweet Potatoes (Yams) (Dinner)
Beans (pinto, black, kidney) (Lunch, Dinner)
Oat Bran Cereal (Lunch)
Brown Rice (Lunch, Dinner)
Farina (Cream of Wheat) (Lunch)
Multigrain Hot Cereal (Breakfast)
Whole grain cereals (Shredded Wheat, Grapenuts, Special K, Smart Start) (Breakfast, Snack)
Pasta (Lunch, Dinner)
Rice (white, jasmine, basmati, Arborio, wild) (Lunch, Dinner)
Potatoes (red, baking, new) (Lunch, Dinner)
Sandwich breads, bagels, pita bread, English muffins (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Soft corn tortillas, low fat flour tortillas (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Low fat, low sodium crackers (Snack)
Plain cereal, dry or cooked (Breakfast)
Rice, pasta (Lunch, Dinner)
Non-fat crackers (Saltines, Wheat Thins, Ritz, or Triskets) (Snack, Lunch)
Tostitos chips (oven-baked) (Snack, Lunch)
Pretzels (Snack, Lunch)

Fibrous Carbohydrates

Green Leafy Lettuce (Green Leaf, Red Leaf, Romaine, Spinach) (Lunch, Dinner)
Broccoli (Lunch, Dinner)
Asparagus (Lunch, Dinner)
String Beans (Lunch, Dinner)
Bell Peppers (Lunch, Dinner)
Brussels Sprouts (Lunch, Dinner)
Cauliflower (Lunch, Dinner)
Celery (Lunch, Dinner)

Other Produce & Fruits (Fresh and or Frozen)

Cucumber (Lunch, Dinner)
Green or Red Pepper (Lunch, Dinner)
Onions (Lunch, Dinner)
Garlic (Lunch, Dinner)
Tomatoes (Lunch, Dinner)
Zucchini (Lunch, Dinner)
Fruit (if acceptable on diet): bananas, apples, grapefruit, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Lemons or Limes (Lunch, Dinner)
Fresh juices (orange, pineapple, grapefruit, apple) (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Fresh fruit (oranges, apples, bananas, grapes) (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Tomato and V-8 juices (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Frozen vegetables (corn, peas) (Lunch, Dinner)

Healthy Fats

Natural Style Peanut Butter (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Olive Oil, Safflower Oil, Canola Oil, Virgin olive oil (Lunch, Dinner)
Nuts (peanuts, almonds) (Snack, Lunch, Dinner)
Flaxseed Oil (Lunch, Dinner)

Dairy & Eggs

Low-fat cottage cheese (Breakfast, Lunch, Snack)
Eggs/Egg Substitutes (Breakfast, Lunch)
Low or Non-Fat Milk (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Smart Balance (Margarine) (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Non-fat yogurts (plain, vanilla, lemon or other favorite flavors) (Breakfast, Lunch, Snack)
Non-fat cheeses (cream, cheddar, mozzarella, pepper jack) (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Beverages

Water
Gatorade, PowerAde
Diet Soda
Crystal Light

Condiments & Misc.

Fat Free Mayonnaise
Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce
Reduced Sodium Teriyaki Sauce
Balsamic Vinegar
Salsa
Chili powder
Mrs. Dash
Steak Sauce
Sugar Free Maple Syrup
Chili Paste
Mustard
Extracts (vanilla, almond, etc)
Low Sodium beef or chicken broth
Plain or reduced sodium tomatoes sauce, puree, paste
Non-fat salad dressings (Italian, French, Ranch or other favorites)
Salsa (mild, medium and/or hot)
Spices (garlic and basil in oil, oregano, black pepper, Italian seasoning, thyme)

-----------------------------------------

So my question is...do you agree that this list is a good place to start?

I'm 5'9 192 and 20% BF...maybe more idk for sure.

I'm trying to gain some mass and cut down on body fat...I've been working out for a few years with some discontinuities in regimen due to injuries...and occasionally school would be a little too much since I'm in a very difficult program.

My workouts have been getting better but...my arms refuse to grow...and I have enough fat that muscle definition changes are barely noticeable. Fat loss is my only success and that may be largely due to some help from Oxyelite Pro and periodically improved diet...and I'm talking on the scale of 30% BF to 20% BF or so...per eye estimate. I still have a long way to go...beer belly refuses to budge as well

So, this is a start I suppose...I look forward to any help that you guys/girls may offer and I hope to learn a lot. I'm all eyes and ears over here...I really would like to take better care of myself.

Thank you very much for reading...

Justin

[SlimmerMe]

Hey GoldGlove.. Anymore thoughts on joining the challenge? hope you do!

[GoldGloveLF]

I'm definitely trying to get back into the gym...school is killing me...but the semester ends Dec 15 for me. So after that, as soon as I get my membership, I should be good to go! When does it start again?

[gbrice75]

Welcome bro. Most everything on your proposed list looks good with a few exceptions. Stick with the leaner cuts of steak (sirloin, flank, flat iron, etc) and stay away from NY strip and such. Drop the frozen burritos, pretzles, tostitos, crackers, cereals if possible, and keep potatoes sweet/yam. No white/red. Stay away from white carbs all together (breads, pastas, rice, etc - keep everything whole grain). Stay away from yogurts except fat free greek yogurt. Flavor it yourself with some splenda and add berries. The others have WAY too much sugar - it's not only about fats. No sandwich breads, bagels, etc. Again, the cleaner/more natural, the better off you'll be.

Last bit of advice - choose whether you want to drop bodyfat or add mass. Trust me on this. I wasted a year of my life doing the same thing you want to, and in the end I wound up looking about the same as when I started. Pick one (at 20% bodyfat, you should cut - adding mass shouldn't even be an option IMO) and stick with it until you're down to an appreciable bodyfat (12% or less) - then you can start adding lean mass.

i feel your pain - i'm around 13-14% right now and need to hit 10% before I start adding mass. My shoulders are horrible, back is non-existent - trust me, I want to add mass too. But I realize that this cut is temporary, and i'll be much better of adding ass when i'm already lean. For now, i'll deal with looking skinny. When summer rolls around, and all the 'big' guys can't even take off their shirts at the beach because they look like sh!t, i'll smile to myself. =)

[GoldGloveLF]

Welcome bro. Most everything on your proposed list looks good with a few exceptions. Stick with the leaner cuts of steak (sirloin, flank, flat iron, etc) and stay away from NY strip and such. Drop the frozen burritos, pretzles, tostitos, crackers, cereals if possible, and keep potatoes sweet/yam. No white/red. Stay away from white carbs all together (breads, pastas, rice, etc - keep everything whole grain). Stay away from yogurts except fat free greek yogurt. Flavor it yourself with some splenda and add berries. The others have WAY too much sugar - it's not only about fats. No sandwich breads, bagels, etc. Again, the cleaner/more natural, the better off you'll be.

Last bit of advice - choose whether you want to drop bodyfat or add mass. Trust me on this. I wasted a year of my life doing the same thing you want to, and in the end I wound up looking about the same as when I started. Pick one (at 20% bodyfat, you should cut - adding mass shouldn't even be an option IMO) and stick with it until you're down to an appreciable bodyfat (12% or less) - then you can start adding lean mass.

i feel your pain - i'm around 13-14% right now and need to hit 10% before I start adding mass. My shoulders are horrible, back is non-existent - trust me, I want to add mass too. But I realize that this cut is temporary, and i'll be much better of adding ass when i'm already lean. For now, i'll deal with looking skinny. When summer rolls around, and all the 'big' guys can't even take off their shirts at the beach because they look like sh!t, i'll smile to myself. =)

Thank you for your input, I do like the idea of trimming down first...absolutely. So, of course, I must ask...what is your method of attack?

My very limited experience says to try supplementing with Pink Magic again along with the new diet...and see if the results will be even better? I took PM over the summer and actually felt like the net result was a moderate body recomposition. I felt and looked more muscular while maintaining body weight. I actually started the summer near 208lbs and finished around 190.

I agree with your proposal to avoid sugar as much as possible. Ironically, until I got more deeply involved in this, I was drinking tons of Pepsi. I often had 5-10 cans a day, sometimes 2 with lunch and dinner. It was a taste I grew to really like, so it was kind of hard for me to stop. Then I realized diet has no sugar, carbs, etc...so I can get by with drinking those...unless someone knows better than I do, and I should even drink those?

Again, any thoughts/ideas/suggestions are greatly appreciated

[gbrice75]

Thank you for your input, I do like the idea of trimming down first...absolutely. So, of course, I must ask...what is your method of attack?

My very limited experience says to try supplementing with Pink Magic again along with the new diet...and see if the results will be even better? I took PM over the summer and actually felt like the net result was a moderate body recomposition. I felt and looked more muscular while maintaining body weight. I actually started the summer near 208lbs and finished around 190.

I agree with your proposal to avoid sugar as much as possible. Ironically, until I got more deeply involved in this, I was drinking tons of Pepsi. I often had 5-10 cans a day, sometimes 2 with lunch and dinner. It was a taste I grew to really like, so it was kind of hard for me to stop. Then I realized diet has no sugar, carbs, etc...so I can get by with drinking those...unless someone knows better than I do, and I should even drink those?

Again, any thoughts/ideas/suggestions are greatly appreciated

No problem bro. The method of attack is a simple one - a spot on diet with alot of cardio. No magic (no pun intended!), smoke or mirrors. I am not familiar with PM. I would say post up a proposed diet and i'd be happy to help you sort it out. Include time of day for each meal, and complete and accurate macro nutrient info.

Good job with dropping the pepsi - 5-10 cans, MAN! That's a TON of sugar, amazing you're not diabetic! Diet soda is ok, but it wouldn't be my go to drink. There is only one, and that's good ol' H2O. Having said that, I drink a can of diet/day - no big deal, but keep in mind that artificial sweeteners aren't proven 100% safe for us, especially in large quantities.

Looking forward to seeing your diet!

[GoldGloveLF]

I have a few questions about the cardio aspect...I typically play hockey sometimes for hours at a time and this habit tends to continue when it comes to cardio. When I get on the treadmill/elliptical/arctrainer I usually go for about an hour but sometimes I go for longer like 1.5 to almost 2 hours (not currently, but during previous attempts at cutting). If I continue to do cardio for this amount what should my supplementation and diet be pre and post gym/hockey? Also, how frequently should I lift?

My diet breakdown will take a while...semester is ending within the next 8 days and I have a lot of work to do still. Keep in mind, a diet breakdown for someone who hasn't even attempted to look at the macroscopic amounts or timed their intake of a certain type of food...is def going to be a time consuming task lol. So, I'm thinking I'll just have to PM you when I post it up.

If you have any thoughts about the first paragraph, I'm all eyes!

Thanks again for your help, I do appreciate it.

[gbrice75]

I'm glad to see you're doing that much cardio, most of the time the problem is people just aren't doing enough cardio, quality cardio, or BOTH. I would say definitely have a good protein/carb meal pre hockey. If the game goes on for hours, pop some BCAA caps at halftime (is there halftime in hockey?). Before cardio, I wouldn't do carbs, just a good protein meal with a bit of fat. I say this because with your own cardio you can control the intensity, with hockey you can't. So take advantage of little carbs in your system and try to burn fat. With hockey, you'll need the fuel for a good game, and since you can't control intensity we wouldn't want you torching LBM during the game.

If we're talking about LIFTING in the gym, definitely a good protein/carb meal pre workout, and a whey shake/carb meal (I like oats) PWO, followed an hour or so later by a real food meal (pro/carb or pro/fat depending on time of day IMO).

I'd say 4-5 days a week is sufficient. You would need a decent routine, you can't just go in there and be random. We can help you with that as well.

Take your time with writing up/figuring out the diet. I'd rather see something of quality then some crap you throw together that i'm only going to sh!t on anyway, lol! =)

Np, PM me if you want. If you'd like other opinions, just start a thread and PM me when it's up so I can have a look.