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rockthea4

New member
Hello All!

I need opinions on how to improve my diet/workout regime.

I am a junior in college, 6 foot, 230 pounds. I have a large frame, broad shoulders.

I am looking to trim some of the fat from stomach and chest. I am currently working out and eating 5 small meals per day.

I would like your opinions.

8 AM: When I wake up, I immediately go for a mile run (after stretching/warming up). I return home for a low calorie whey protein shake (120 cals, 2g fat, 3g carb, 23g protein), 1/2 cup of egg beaters, and a toasted piece of whole grain bread.

Walk to school (1/3 mile).

11AM: Drink another low cal protein shake (120 cals, 2g fat, 3g carb, 23g protein). Eat a banana.

2 PM: Drink a low cal protein shake, eat 10 baby carrots.

4-5PM: Hit the gym. Lift weights, do some rowing on the machine. Drink low cal protein shake (120 cals, 2g fat, 3g carb, 23g protein). When I get home I eat a 5oz can of tuna on a small green salad with fat free italian dressing.

8PM- Another mile jog

8:15PM- EITHER 1/2 cup more egg whites and a piece of toast OR 6 ounces whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce and chicken breast.

11PM or so- low cal whey/cassein mix. Watch some TV, BED.

ALL IN ALL I am consuming only around 1400 calories per day. Approx 58% from protein, 12% fat, and 30% carbs (I avoid simple carbs though. I enjoy whole wheat.)

I know I should be consuming more than this, but with this diet I am not hungry, have plenty of energy, and am recovering extremely fast from working out.

In addition, during the day I drink about 8 glasses of either water or unsweetened green tea.

I thoroughly appreciate opinions and how to improve. The diet sounds bland but I love spice so I am always shaking in cayenne, lemon pepper seasoning, Mrs. Dash, etc.

Thanks!
 
1400 a day will probably cost you muscle mass as well as fat. I would increase your calories to 1800 or so but also increase your runs to 2 miles. Also do enough lifting to keep your muscle. High protien and low fat diet is good but you need enough carbs to fuel your workouts. Sounds like you are trying to get ripped.
Back in my college football days (many moons ago) I was approaching this type of physique myself.
 
brawny77 said:
1400 a day will probably cost you muscle mass as well as fat. I would increase your calories to 1800 or so but also increase your runs to 2 miles. Also do enough lifting to keep your muscle. High protien and low fat diet is good but you need enough carbs to fuel your workouts. Sounds like you are trying to get ripped.
Back in my college football days (many moons ago) I was approaching this type of physique myself.
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Thanks for the constructive criticism brawny.

I had surgery about 6 years ago on my ankle for a bone tumor, so it is difficult for me to run long lengths at a time. I am certainly improving. I have been doing 2 single mile runs, and a last night added a mile "sprint training" where I sprint a block, walk a block, sprint a block, etc.

Do you think it is ok to eat small amounts of regular spaghetti to add extra carbs? I follow serving sizes and find that wheat spaghetti is pretty expensive compared to regular spaghetti. I'm thinking 2 oz. spaghetti with a sprinkle of romano cheese (20 cals). Sound good?

Any advice you have, Brawny or others, is appreciated.
 
Also, the figure of "230 pounds" was from my last doctor visit about a month ago. Weighed myself yesterday and I am 222. Yay!
 
I would also consider eating more actual food and less protein shakes. Protein shakes are a great supplement to an already balanced diet, they should not be the major staple of your diet. Fish fillets have been great for me. I eat at least one tilapia, salmon, perch cod, or chicken breast fillet a day. I just throw it on the george foreman grill and it is ready to go after 5 or so minutes. Wal-mart sells pre-packaged fish fillets very cheap (about a dollar a fillet) and they are good. I would try to consume an average of 1500 calories a day, but limit yourself to one protein shake a day.
 
Thanks for the help so far guys.

I introduced tilapia into my diet (it's buy one get TWO free at Albertsons).

Weighed myself yesterday, 217. Losing weight a little too fast. What should I do? Eat more or exercise less? Or should I not be alarmed given that there is always serious fluctuations in weight?
 
EAt more.

I don't understand why people want to cut their calories to the bare minimum and think that's healthy. Your body needs nutrition. Just because you don't feel hungry doesn't mean you're getting proper nutrients. And when you cut your cals so drastically not only are you increasing the likelihood that you're burning lean muscle, you're slowing your metabolism, which will make it much harder to lose weight when you get close to your goal - not to mention harder to keep it off.

At your weight, you should be eating around 2000-2200 calories per day. You need to make sure you're getting about 40% of that from carbs, 30% from protein, and 30% from healthy fats. (Lowering some fats is good, but your body does need healthy fats to function properly and to process certain vitamins that are fat soluble.)

I'd suggest registering for a free account at either fitday.com or thedailyplate.com and logging your food. You'll see what you're getting calorie wise and nutrition wise .. that will help you make better choices about your food.
 
KaraCooks said:
EAt more.

I don't understand why people want to cut their calories to the bare minimum and think that's healthy. Your body needs nutrition. Just because you don't feel hungry doesn't mean you're getting proper nutrients. And when you cut your cals so drastically not only are you increasing the likelihood that you're burning lean muscle, you're slowing your metabolism, which will make it much harder to lose weight when you get close to your goal - not to mention harder to keep it off.

At your weight, you should be eating around 2000-2200 calories per day. You need to make sure you're getting about 40% of that from carbs, 30% from protein, and 30% from healthy fats. (Lowering some fats is good, but your body does need healthy fats to function properly and to process certain vitamins that are fat soluble.)

I'd suggest registering for a free account at either fitday.com or thedailyplate.com and logging your food. You'll see what you're getting calorie wise and nutrition wise .. that will help you make better choices about your food.
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I've been using Fit Day for about two weeks. I am getting 50% of cals from protein and 25/25 carbs/fat. I have started running (3 miles per day) and lifting more and it's working for me.

I will start eating more, but you need to remember that what works for some people doesn't work for everyone. 40/30/30 wasn't enough protein for my diet. I was getting more sore than normal. When I upped my protein consumption this went away.
 
I will start eating more, but you need to remember that what works for some people doesn't work for everyone.
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That's true. But eating at a drastic deficit when you're working out as hard as you are is a bad thing.

40/30/30 wasn't enough protein for my diet. I was getting more sore than normal. When I upped my protein consumption this went away.
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If you raise your calories, then 30% will be more protein than it is at 1400 calories ... see .. eating more, more protein, the percentages work then. :)
 
I should have mentioned this too- I don't stick to 1400 calories 7 days a week. I asked my doctor of his opinion and he said don't run on the weekend (allow for recovery), only walk, and eat 2000 calories a day on the weekend. He said the idea was to keep my body "off balance" and prevent metabolism from slowing.

Interesting. He said 50/25/25 at 1400 calories was healthy. He said some of his other patients are on 1000 calorie diets.

Crazy :smilielol5:
 
Interesting. He said 50/25/25 at 1400 calories was healthy. He said some of his other patients are on 1000 calorie diets.
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You'll find that a lot of doctors - general practitioners, that is - don't know a whole lot about serious weight loss and macronutrient balance. That's not a slam on doctors - but an observation that nutrition and weight loss is a pretty specific thing and most doctors simply haven't delved into it in depth.

Several years ago, my own doctor told both myself (at 250 lbs and 5'4") and my husband (at 230 lbs and 6'1") that we should both be eating 1000 calories a day and working out. It was about that time I realized that I needed a new doctor.

I'm not saying don't listen to your doctor - I am saying do some research and make sure the people you're listening to can provide some documentation and/or justification for their points of view. Something other than "I read it somewhere" or "someone told me". :)
 
I understand where you are coming from.

What I was trying to say earlier was that I could maintain the 1400 calories and 50% from protein seemed to make me recover better. As opposed to upping my calories and 40% from protein.
 
Well that plan seems like it would work, Still I think you need to get some more calories. Right now I don't think you are getting enough and soon your muscle mass will break down for you to get the added energy you need on a daily basis.
 
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