Revised Diet - Getting back into cycling

[cmax]

Below is my revised diet based on all the suggestions that I received on this site and based on what I felt after running the older diet for about 2 days. I feel much better running this new diet and feel less hungry towards the evenings. Here is my new diet:

Egg whites 200ml w/mushrooms and salsa = 108 calories (P25)
Oatmeal 40g = 150 calories (F3, C27, P5)
Milled Quinoa omega3 bread = 82 calories (F1, C16, P3)
Peanut butter = 50 calories (F4, C2, P2)
1/2 Whey Protein = 70 calories (F1, C2, P15)
TOTAL 460 calories (F9, C47, P50)

Can Tuna = 90 calories (F1, P20)
10ml flaxseed oil = 85 calories (F10)
2.5 oz grilled chicken = 80 calories (F4, P31)
TOTAL 255 calories (F15, P51)

Cup Brown Rice 200 calories (F2, C54, P6)
6 egg white/half yoke 133 calories (F3, C1, P21)
Banana 105 calories (C27, P1)
1/2 Whey Protein = 70 calories (F1, C2, P15)
TOTAL 508 calories (F6, C84, P43)

Can Tuna = 90 calories (F1, P20)
10ml flaxseed oil = 85 calories (F10)
2.5 oz grilled chicken = 80 calories (F4, P31)
TOTAL 255 calories (F15, P51)

120g Lean Steak = 300 calories (F23, P30)
50g carrots = 20 calories (C6)
Kale, mushrooms, balsamic = 45 calories (C3, P1)
Fish oil 5ml = 40 calories (F5)
1/2 Whey Protein = 70 calories (F1, C2, P15)
TOTAL 480 calories (F32, C8, P46)

<Workout Time>

2 scoops whey protein = 240 calories (F2, P48)
4 rice cakes (flavored) = 240 calories (F1, C40, P3)
1 apple = 100 calories (C25)
Omega 3-6-9 oil liquid = 20 calories (F2)
TOTAL 600 calories (F5, C65, P51)

60g cottage cheese = 50 calories (F3, C2, P7)
1 scoop casein protein = 130 calories (F1, C5, P24)
1 tablespoon almond butter = 100 calories (F10, C5, P3)
TOTAL 280 calories (F14, C12, P34)

Total Fat = 96g, Total Carbs = 216g, Total Protein = 326g
TOTAL CALORIES 2,838

I joined this site back in 2005 and have probably done 6-7 cycles between 2004 and 2010. The last cycle that I did was in the summer of 2010 and ever since then I have been lifting off and on between 2010 and 2016. For the past 2 years I have been lifting and dieting more regularly and a week ago I started my first cycle in 8 years.

I am 42 years old now. My intended cycle in basic: 500mg Test E (2 shots of 250mg) per week, also running 0.5 arimidex (every 3 days)

Height: 5'8"
Weight: 190lbs
BF: ~12% (maybe less)

I am lifting 5 days a week - 2 on and 1 off - and might add guerilla cardio (2-3 times per week).
BMR = 66 + (13.7 x 86 kg) + (5 x 173 cm) - (6.8 x 42 yrs old) = 1889.6

TDEE = 1889.6 x 1.55 = 2900 calories


Are there any additional suggestions on this diet? Too much fat? Too many carbs? Better late night meal?

[Windex]

You have 117g of Protein coming from protein powder, which is 35.9% of your Protein intake, very high. Need to get that number down to 25-50g protein total.

- Cottage cheese has casein protein in it, replace the casein protein powder with more cottage cheese

- Postworkout protein powder can be replaced with real food (Good choice would be fish as it would satisfy both the protein and fat/omegas)

- Need more vegetables and spread out across meals. Aside from what I assume a small amount of mushrooms in meal 1 all the other vegetables are in your preworkout meal.

- Don't be afraid of whole eggs - the yolk is where all the nutrition is (amino acids, cholesterol, half the protein content, etc) I would reduce the amount of flaxseed oil to get whole eggs without increasing your fats

What is your goal with the cycle ? Your meal plan has at maintenance. Also 326g of Protein seems very high. With just under 100g of Fat and just over 200g of carbs your kindof halfway between a cookie cutter (40/40/20) bodybuilding diet and Keto. Have those macros worked for you in the past ?

[almostgone]

Personally I would ditch some of the protein for a tad more fat and definitely get some fibrous veggies into your carbs.

[cmax]

Thanks for the suggestions, here is my revised diet. Does this look considerably better? My goal is build lean muscle mass. Thanks!

Egg whites 200ml w/mushrooms, tomatoes, and salsa = 108 calories (P25)
Oatmeal 50g = 188 calories (F4, C34, P6)
Milled Quinoa omega3 bread = 100 calories (F1, C20, P4)
Peanut butter = 50 calories (F4, C2, P2)
1/4 (10g) Whey Protein = 35 calories (C1, P8)
TOTAL 481 calories (F9, C57, P45)

Can Tuna = 90 calories (F1, P20)
10ml flaxseed oil = 85 calories (F10)
2.5 oz grilled chicken = 80 calories (F4, P31)
TOTAL 255 calories (F15, P51)

Cup Brown Rice = 200 calories (F2, C54, P6)
1 full egg w/yoke = 78 calories (F5, C1, P6)
5 egg whites = 133 calories (C1, P18)
Banana 105 calories (C27, P1)
1/4 (10g) Whey Protein = 35 calories (C1, P8)
TOTAL 551 calories (F7, C84, P39)

Can Tuna = 90 calories (F1, P20)
10ml flaxseed oil = 85 calories (F10)
2.5 oz grilled chicken = 80 calories (F4, P31)
TOTAL 255 calories (F15, P51)

120g Lean Steak = 300 calories (F23, P30)
50g carrots = 20 calories (C6)
6 asparagus spears = 22 calories (C4, P2)
Kale, mushrooms, balsamic = 45 calories (C3, P1)
Fish oil 5ml = 40 calories (F5)
1/4 (10g) Whey Protein = 35 calories (C1, P8)
TOTAL 462 calories (F28, C14, P41)

<Workout Time>

1/2 scoop whey protein = 60 calories (C1, P12)
3 oz salmon = 177 calories (F11, P17)
4 rice cakes (flavored) = 240 calories (F1, C40, P3)
1 apple = 95 calories (C25)
TOTAL 572 calories (F12, C66, P32)

60g cottage cheese = 50 calories (F3, C2, P7)
1 scoop casein protein = 130 calories (F1, C5, P24)
1 tablespoon almond butter = 100 calories (F10, C5, P3)
TOTAL 280 calories (F14, C12, P34)

Total Fat = 100g, Total Carbs = 233g, Total Protein = 293g
TOTAL CALORIES 2,856

[Windex]

It's better but you still need vegetables - ideally in every meal - broccoli, spinach, kale, collared greens, cucumber, whatever you like. If you goal is to add muscle and your TDEE is 2900 then you should be shooting for around 3200 calories total. Add more carbs to make up the difference.

[cmax]

Thanks squirrel bro! I am going to work on a new diet with more vegetables. It feels like I am eating lots of calories now and I am only 2 weeks into Test E so it doesn't feel right increasing the calories yet. I want to make lean gains.

[Windex]

From the math if you are eating at your maintenance TDEE your weight is going to change very little, if at all.

[cmax]

From the math if you are eating at your maintenance TDEE your weight is going to change very little, if at all.

Thanks, I will revise my diet to include more calories, including carbs and fibrous vegetables. I am starting to feel my hunger increase, but it still seems to feel difficult eating the extra calories.

I was just concerned that at my age, 42, that I would need less calories than I did when I was 32 or 28 and had an insane appetite.

How would I know if I was eating too many or too few calories and need to adjust the diet? Just by how my body responds with weight changes? Thanks.

[Windex]

You want to track : strength in gym, weight (scale), bodyfat%, and measurements (neck, waist, gut, leg, calf, chest, arm, etc)

[cmax]

You were totally correct, I have been losing weight on this diet so I am working on increasing the calories. The good news is that as I enter the 3rd week of my cycle, my appetite has noticeably increased.

[cmax]

Here is my revised diet with increased carbs and calories, it's still a work in progress. Do you have any additional suggestions? Thanks

Egg whites 227g = 125 calories (P25)
w/mushrooms, tomatoes, and salsa = 8 calories (C2)
Oatmeal 80g = 300 calories (F6, C54, P10)
Milled Quinoa omega3 bread = 100 calories (F1, C20, P4)
Peanut butter = 50 calories (F4, C2, P2)
1/4 (10g) Whey Protein = 35 calories (C1, P8)
TOTAL 618 calories (F12, C79, P49)

Can Tuna = 90 calories (F1, P20)
10ml flaxseed oil = 85 calories (F10)
2.5 oz grilled chicken = 80 calories (F4, P31)
TOTAL 255 calories (F15, P51)

Bowl Brown Rice 180 g = 300 calories (F3, C64, P6)
1 full egg w/yoke = 78 calories (F5, C1, P6)
5 egg whites = 133 calories (C1, P18)
Banana 105 calories (C27, P1)
1/4 (10g) Whey Protein = 35 calories (C1, P8)
TOTAL 651 calories (F8, C94, P39)

Can Tuna = 90 calories (F1, P20)
10ml flaxseed oil = 85 calories (F10)
2.5 oz grilled chicken = 80 calories (F4, P31)
TOTAL 255 calories (F15, P51)

120g Lean Steak = 300 calories (F23, P30)
50g carrots = 20 calories (C6)
6 asparagus spears = 22 calories (C4, P2)
Kale, mushrooms, balsamic = 45 calories (C3, P1)
Fish oil 5ml = 40 calories (F5)
1/4 (10g) Whey Protein = 35 calories (C1, P8)
TOTAL 462 calories (F28, C14, P41)

<Workout Time>

1/2 scoop whey protein = 60 calories (C1, P12)
3 oz salmon = 177 calories (F11, P17)
5 rice cakes (flavored) = 300 calories (F1, C50, P4)
1 apple = 95 calories (C25)
TOTAL 632 calories (F12, C76, P33)

60g cottage cheese = 50 calories (F3, C2, P7)
1 scoop casein protein = 130 calories (F1, C5, P24)
1 tablespoon almond butter = 100 calories (F10, C5, P3)
TOTAL 280 calories (F14, C12, P34)

Total Fat = 104g, Total Carbs = 275g, Total Protein = 298g
TOTAL CALORIES 3,153

[Windex]

You still need vegetables in every meal... If you eat 6 times a day then that means 6 servings of vegetables per day. 300g of protein is also pretty excessive. I would go down to 240-255g of Protein and increase carbs

[cmax]

I kept vegetables out of several meals because I wanted to limit the number of meals consisting of carbs so there would be fewer spikes of insulin per day, keeping things leaner.

[Windex]

I kept vegetables out of several meals because I wanted to limit the number of meals consisting of carbs so there would be fewer spikes of insulin per day, keeping things leaner.

Vegetables have almost net zero calories/carbs because of their fibre content and digestibility. These are the high sugar vegetables to stay away from:

carrots
pumpkin
winter squash
tomatoe (technically a fruit)
beets

The general rule of thumb is orange/red = "bad" and green/leafy = "good".

Vegetables have micronutrients that are part of several bodily functions. This encourages nutrient flow which in turn causes blood flow. Blood flow promote muscle growth, repair/recovery, etc.

You could eat a cup of a green vegetable every meal or eat celery/cucumber until you pass out it's not going to make you fat.

The difference between a mediocre / average nutrition program (aka yours) and an optimized one is in the attention to micronutrients, phytonutrients, and digestion.

Your concern of insulin spiking from vegetables sounds like something from the Bro Science 101 Handbook. Cruciferous vegetables have almost zero impact on blood sugar levels, unless you plan on soaking them in honey.

[cousinmuscles]

I kept vegetables out of several meals because I wanted to limit the number of meals consisting of carbs so there would be fewer spikes of insulin per day, keeping things leaner.

Recently there has come out info on how much insulin various foods make you produce. Meat, whey protein are pretty insulinogenic (meaning they make the pancreas release insulin), google Insulin Index for lists. If you meant blood sugar spikes that's different, of course meat wont make blood sugar spike. But as Windex said don't worry veggies won't impact things so much. In the end your total calorie intake will be much more detrimental for fat gain.

Either way looks like a good and varied diet.

[cmax]

I took all your advice and tried to come up with a better diet based on what you told me. Below is my newly revised diet, still working on increasing the calories slightly. I recalculated my BMR and TDEE.

Revised BMR = 66 + (6.23 x 192lbs) + (12.7 x 68 inches) - (6.8 x 42 yrs old) = 1774.16
TDEE = 1774.16 x 1.55 = 2749.94 calories

Revised Diet Plan:

Egg whites 1 cup or 243g = 125 calories (P25)
w/mushrooms (4), tomatoes (16), and bell peppers (12) = 22 calories (C8)
Oatmeal 50g = 188 calories (F4, C34, P6)
Milled Quinoa omega3 bread = 100 calories (F1, C20, P4)
Peanut butter 1 tbsn = 100 calories (F8, C4, P4)
TOTAL 410 calories (F13, C66, P39)

Can Tuna = 90 calories (F1, P20)
1/2 scoop Whey Protein = 70 calories (C2, P16)
10ml flaxseed oil = 85 calories (F10)
150g broccoli = 50 calories (C10, P4)
TOTAL 295 calories (F11, C10, P40)

1 full egg w/yoke = 78 calories (F5, C1, P6)
5 egg whites = 133 calories (C1, P18)
Cup Brown Rice = 200 calories (F2, C54, P6)
Banana = 105 calories (C27, P1)
Cup Green Beans = 31 calories (C7, P1)
TOTAL 547 calories (F7, C90, P32)

2.5 oz grilled chicken = 80 calories (F4, P31)
1/2 scoop Whey Protein = 70 calories (C2, P16)
10ml flaxseed oil = 85 calories (F10)
12 spears of asparagus = 36 calories (C7, P3)
TOTAL 271 calories (F14, C9, P50)

120g Lean Steak = 300 calories (F23, P30)
50g carrots = 20 calories (C6)
Kale, mushrooms, spinach = 45 calories (C5, P1)
Fish oil 5ml = 40 calories (F5)
TOTAL 405 calories (F28, C14, P41)

<Workout Time>

1/2 scoop whey protein = 60 calories (C1, P12)
3 oz salmon = 177 calories (F11, P17)
4 rice cakes (flavored) = 240 calories (F1, C40, P3)
1 apple = 95 calories (C25)
400g cauliflower = 100 calories (F1, C20, P4)
TOTAL 672 calories (F13, C86, P36)

60g cottage cheese = 50 calories (F3, C2, P7)
1 scoop casein protein = 130 calories (F1, C5, P24)
1 tablespoon almond butter = 100 calories (F10, C5, P3)
100g celery = 16 calories (C2)
TOTAL 296 calories (F14, C12, P36)

Total Fat = 100g, Total Carbs = 287g, Total Protein = 274g
TOTAL CALORIES 2,896

Does this diet look better now? Thanks again...

[B.Corgan SMP]

Damn, look at all these jacked squirrels and mouses.

Wtf is going on here?

[Windex]

I took all your advice and tried to come up with a better diet based on what you told me. Below is my newly revised diet, still working on increasing the calories slightly. I recalculated my BMR and TDEE.

Revised BMR = 66 + (6.23 x 192lbs) + (12.7 x 68 inches) - (6.8 x 42 yrs old) = 1774.16
TDEE = 1774.16 x 1.55 = 2749.94 calories

Revised Diet Plan:

Egg whites 1 cup or 243g = 125 calories (P25)
w/mushrooms (4), tomatoes (16), and bell peppers (12) = 22 calories (C8)
Oatmeal 50g = 188 calories (F4, C34, P6)
Milled Quinoa omega3 bread = 100 calories (F1, C20, P4)
Peanut butter 1 tbsn = 100 calories (F8, C4, P4)
TOTAL 410 calories (F13, C66, P39)

Can Tuna = 90 calories (F1, P20)
1/2 scoop Whey Protein = 70 calories (C2, P16)
10ml flaxseed oil = 85 calories (F10)
150g broccoli = 50 calories (C10, P4)
TOTAL 295 calories (F11, C10, P40)

1 full egg w/yoke = 78 calories (F5, C1, P6)
5 egg whites = 133 calories (C1, P18)
Cup Brown Rice = 200 calories (F2, C54, P6)
Banana = 105 calories (C27, P1)
Cup Green Beans = 31 calories (C7, P1)
TOTAL 547 calories (F7, C90, P32)

2.5 oz grilled chicken = 80 calories (F4, P31)
1/2 scoop Whey Protein = 70 calories (C2, P16)
10ml flaxseed oil = 85 calories (F10)
12 spears of asparagus = 36 calories (C7, P3)
TOTAL 271 calories (F14, C9, P50)

120g Lean Steak = 300 calories (F23, P30)
50g carrots = 20 calories (C6)
Kale, mushrooms, spinach = 45 calories (C5, P1)
Fish oil 5ml = 40 calories (F5)
TOTAL 405 calories (F28, C14, P41)

<Workout Time>

1/2 scoop whey protein = 60 calories (C1, P12)
3 oz salmon = 177 calories (F11, P17)
4 rice cakes (flavored) = 240 calories (F1, C40, P3)
1 apple = 95 calories (C25)
400g cauliflower = 100 calories (F1, C20, P4)
TOTAL 672 calories (F13, C86, P36)

60g cottage cheese = 50 calories (F3, C2, P7)
1 scoop casein protein = 130 calories (F1, C5, P24)
1 tablespoon almond butter = 100 calories (F10, C5, P3)
100g celery = 16 calories (C2)
TOTAL 296 calories (F14, C12, P36)

Total Fat = 100g, Total Carbs = 287g, Total Protein = 274g
TOTAL CALORIES 2,896

Does this diet look better now? Thanks again...

Significant improvement. Probably an 8-8.5/10 , replacing the casein protein powder with more cottage cheese would get you to 9 out of 10 for the diet.


If you get bored of eating apples and bananas the best transition will be to a mix of berries.

If you get sick of flaxseed oil then try out coconut oil.

1 full egg w/yoke = 78 calories (F5, C1, P6)
5 egg whites = 133 calories (C1, P18)
Cup Brown Rice = 200 calories (F2, C54, P6)
Banana = 105 calories (C27, P1)
Cup Green Beans = 31 calories (C7, P1)
TOTAL 547 calories (F7, C90, P32)

^ That meal should be before your workout instead of....

120g Lean Steak = 300 calories (F23, P30)
50g carrots = 20 calories (C6)
Kale, mushrooms, spinach = 45 calories (C5, P1)
Fish oil 5ml = 40 calories (F5)
TOTAL 405 calories (F28, C14, P41)

[cmax]

I took all your advice and tried to come up with a better diet based on what you told me. Below is my newly revised diet, still working on increasing the calories slightly. I recalculated my BMR and TDEE.

Revised BMR = 66 + (6.23 x 192lbs) + (12.7 x 68 inches) - (6.8 x 42 yrs old) = 1774.16
TDEE = 1774.16 x 1.55 = 2749.94 calories

Revised Diet Plan:

Egg whites 1 cup or 243g = 125 calories (P25)
w/mushrooms (4), tomatoes (16), and bell peppers (12) = 22 calories (C8)
Oatmeal 50g = 188 calories (F4, C34, P6)
Milled Quinoa omega3 bread = 100 calories (F1, C20, P4)
Peanut butter 1 tbsn = 100 calories (F8, C4, P4)
TOTAL 410 calories (F13, C66, P39)

Can Tuna = 90 calories (F1, P20)
1/2 scoop Whey Protein = 70 calories (C2, P16)
10ml flaxseed oil = 85 calories (F10)
150g broccoli = 50 calories (C10, P4)
TOTAL 295 calories (F11, C10, P40)

120g Lean Steak = 300 calories (F23, P30)
50g carrots = 20 calories (C6)
Kale, mushrooms, spinach = 45 calories (C5, P1)
Fish oil 5ml = 40 calories (F5)
TOTAL 405 calories (F28, C14, P41)

2.5 oz grilled chicken = 80 calories (F4, P31)
1/2 scoop Whey Protein = 70 calories (C2, P16)
10ml flaxseed oil = 85 calories (F10)
12 spears of asparagus = 36 calories (C7, P3)
TOTAL 271 calories (F14, C9, P50)

1 full egg w/yoke = 78 calories (F5, C1, P6)
5 egg whites = 133 calories (C1, P18)
Cup Brown Rice = 200 calories (F2, C54, P6)
Banana = 105 calories (C27, P1)
Cup Green Beans = 31 calories (C7, P1)
TOTAL 547 calories (F7, C90, P32)

<Workout Time>

1/2 scoop whey protein = 60 calories (C1, P12)
3 oz salmon = 177 calories (F11, P17)
4 rice cakes (flavored) = 240 calories (F1, C40, P3)
1 apple = 95 calories (C25)
400g cauliflower = 100 calories (F1, C20, P4)
TOTAL 672 calories (F13, C86, P36)

120g cottage cheese = 100 calories (F6, C4, P14)
1/2 scoop casein protein = 65 calories (F1, C3, P12)
1 tablespoon almond butter = 100 calories (F10, C5, P3)
100g celery = 16 calories (C2)
TOTAL 281 calories (F17, C14, P29)

Total Fat = 103g, Total Carbs = 289g, Total Protein = 267g
TOTAL CALORIES 2,881

Thanks for all the time you took to help me out with this diet. I really appreciate it. It's been a while since I have been on a strict diet regiment, the last guy that helped me out on this forum was Swolecat many years ago. I actually think that you gave me even better advice than he did. You are a true asset to this site. Thanks again.

[Damienm05]

Revised diet is just about perfect. I think red meat is always going to be a higher quality slow-digesting protein than casein and/or cottage cheese, but that's really just nitpicking. Just know that a nice steak late in the day is always a quality substitution if you get tired of your current before-bed meal.

[Kay kay]

I don’t see what the huge issue with 1/3 of protein intake from a good powder. I generally get at least that much and I do quite well, I use a powder that’s a blend of egg, goats milk, whey isolate, Casiene, and a couple others though which I think helps if using larger amounts of powder. I simply can’t consume the 5500 cals plus I need without it, and works well since I use a lot of simple carbs bulking in Conjuction with insulin.