Thread: Please help me with my cutting diet

Originally Posted by reg56

I just need some advice and input on what I should change about my diet because I'm going insane trying to perfect it.

Stats : 5'9" 195 and at about 20% bf.

On average, the totals come out to:
1800-2100 calories
50-60g fat
195-230g carbs
190-220g protein

Ok - you need more food that this. I would start a cutting diet on ~2400 to 2500 cals/day and then lower as needed. If you start that low you have no where to go when you stall.

What you need to do:
1/ Add some more protein (at least 220g/day. I would aim for 250g).

2/ Fats need to be higher slightly higher too - aim for at least 60g.

3/ Carbs are OK at 195 to 230g... But it depends on your activity, genetics and other things... You might want to start at the higher level and decrease as time goes on.

meal 1
1 whole egg
1 egg white
1 banana
1 scoop whey
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Arrggg.. Ditch the vegetable oil. Replace it with some flax.
Replace your banana with some oats.
Add more protein.

meal 2
1 slice whole wheat bread
1/2 can tuna

Whole wheat bread is not your best bet if you want to seriously get lean. I would consider swaping it to oats, brown rice, legumes, sweet tato or another more whole-food type food.

Add some vegetables and some fish oil caps to this as well (2 to 3 capsules).

meal 3
2 slices whole wheat bread
1/2 can tuna
apple

Ok - WAY too much bread... You might be able to get away with 1 or 2 slices, but 4 slices is just wasting your carbs on empty calories.

If you must do 'bread' then get sprouted grain bread or pumpernickel. At least the grains are intact in these breads and you still get the vitamin, mineral and fibre benefits. You also get the benefits of a lower GI.

Add vegetables as well.

5g creatine
1/2 cup grape juice (45 minutes before workout)

You want PROTEIN here too.
And I would move this to ~1 hr prior to working out and swap the grape juice to oats.

meal 4 (PWO)
2 scoops whey
5g creatine with 1/2 cup grape juice
1 rice cake

Your grape juice is ok here. A banana would also be an option. Drop the rice cake. I would increase the serving of grape juice or add some more carbs (consider thinly rolled oats if you want to get really lean).

1 hour later
1 cup brown rice
4 oz chicken
1-2 cups mixed veggies

Good. Might want to increase your chicken serving.

meal 5
usually whatever my mom makes, lol.
(pasta, ham, any other sort of meat, potato, rice, mostly healthy things)

As long as it is healthy, has vegetables then it is ok.

Pasta, potato's and white rice are not 'healthy' and will not get you lean.

I would skip the starchy carbs in this meal and would stick to things such as lean meats + vegetables + healthy fats. If you can, ask your mum nicely to start cooking up things like salmon, omlettes and lean meats with lots of steamed vegetables or a large salad.

If she will not then just go for small portions of the carbs and stock up on vegetables (NOT potato, corn or peas) and lean meats.

meal 6
1 scoop whey
1-2 tablespoons natural PB

Ditch the whey and use a slow digesting protein instead (eg: cottage cheese, salmon etc).

**multivitamin and 2 calcium pills daily**

Add 6 fish oil caps and that is good.

As you can see, my diet and macros really fluctuate (sp?) from day to day.
I'm not sure if this is a bad thing, because I am seeing results, but I want my diet to be just about perfect so I don't have to worry as much as I do about whether I'm getting what I'm supposed to be each day.

Calorie fluctuations are ok - they keep the body guessing.

Thanks for the help Emma. I forgot to mention that I'm still in high school and that's the reason for the bread. Can't think of a way to eat oats or brown rice in class.

And also, for pre-workout, what alternative can I take creatine with other than grape juice? Should I just mix it in with the oats?

meh, I guess I can just throw some oats in my shaker cup or whatever the hell you call it, add a scoop of whey and some water, and tell my friends to shut the fuck up.

For your creatine just mix it with water... Nasty, but it will do if you down it quickly.

Originally Posted by reg56

meh, I guess I can just throw some oats in my shaker cup or whatever the hell you call it, add a scoop of whey and some water, and tell my friends to shut the fuck up.

Can you can eat between classes or at lunch??

If not, then the shaker idea is great. I would add some PB to those as well.... And, if you can, get a PP that is casein or egg based (slower digesting).

I probably could eat between classes, but what would you recommend to eat, because I only have like 3 minutes.

Originally Posted by reg56

I probably could eat between classes, but what would you recommend to eat, because I only have like 3 minutes.

Something you can eat fast.

I think the shaker idea with pre-made shakes would be your best bet.

Before you head to school blend up some oats in a grinder and seperate it into a few meals. Then add a scoop of PP to each. Take a little tub of natty PB or a handful of nuts as well.

Then, in your breaks, add water to the shaker and drink that while you munch on the nuts/PB. A few stalks of celery would also be fine to munch on (spread the natty PB on it!! ).

LOVE pb on celery

Thanks for all your help Emma

Originally Posted by Emma-Leigh

Ok - WAY too much bread... You might be able to get away with 1 or 2 slices, but 4 slices is just wasting your carbs on empty calories.

If you must do 'bread' then get sprouted grain bread or pumpernickel. At least the grains are intact in these breads and you still get the vitamin, mineral and fibre benefits. You also get the benefits of a lower GI.

Is whole wheat bread THAT bad for you? Im not on a cutting diet and I have 2 slices in a sandwich for lunch.

Originally Posted by XcelKrush

Is whole wheat bread THAT bad for you? Im not on a cutting diet and I have 2 slices in a sandwich for lunch.

Whole wheat bread is nutritionally void. It is basically empty carbs. It offers you very little in terms of fibre, vitamins, minerals, protein, phytochemicals and any of the other good things you can get from the better sources.

At least sprouted and pumpernickel breads still have the whole kernel intact - and all these things are still present.