Diet check please

[thedarwinfish]

I've been using FitDay for a couple of months to track my intake and would like some input if anyone has anything to add/suggest.

Age: 32
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 192.5 lbs
BF%: ~27%
Lean: 140.5 lbs

I calculated my BMR using some formulas based on lean mass and came up with 1610. Then using the Harris-Benedict formula calculated my requirements (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : 1610*1.55 = 2495.5. So for 1 lb per week, knocking off 500 calories, I'm shooting for between 1900-2100 calories/day. Over the past month my daily averages are: 1967 calories, 19f/50c/29p.

Here's todays diet:

6:00am
Multi-grain oatmeal (1 cup), ground flax (7 g), strawberry jam (2 oz), grapefruit juice (1 cup)

9:00am, 10:00am
Apple

11:15am
Wrap (whole grain jalapeno corn wrap, light old cheddar (7.5g), lean angus roast beef (1 oz), black forest ham (40 g), oven roasted turkey breast (55 g)

1:45pm, 2:45pm
Apple

4:00pm
Wrap (same as above)

7:00pm
Beef chili, 0% strawberry yogurt (200 g)

8:30pm
Whey (1 scoop)

Calories: 2017
Fat: 35 (17%)
Carb: 289 (53%)
Pro: 142 (30%)

Some notes: I normally get protein in breakfast. Either eggs or a scoop of whey. It didn't happen today, but I would say that's atypical. My favourite breakfast is 3 eggs and a PB (natural) & jam english muffin.

I don't normally eat 4 apples/day, but I do eat a lot of fruit... I try to have apples, bananas and some berries (blackberries, blueberries, strawberries). When we're low or out of them, I just eat whatever fruit I can find.

I know that I need to get some protein in the snacks, just not sure what. Yogurt? Nuts? I'm not a fan at all of cottage cheese. I'm trying to like it but so far, no dice... unless it's in a lasagna.

Any input is greatly appreciated.

 

[Built]

I've been using FitDay for a couple of months to track my intake and would like some input if anyone has anything to add/suggest.

Age: 32
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 192.5 lbs
BF%: ~27%
Lean: 140.5 lbs

I calculated my BMR using some formulas based on lean mass and came up with 1610. Then using the Harris-Benedict formula calculated my requirements (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : 1610*1.55 = 2495.5. So for 1 lb per week, knocking off 500 calories, I'm shooting for between 1900-2100 calories/day. Over the past month my daily averages are: 1967 calories, 19f/50c/29p.

Here's todays diet:

6:00am
Multi-grain oatmeal (1 cup), ground flax (7 g), strawberry jam (2 oz), grapefruit juice (1 cup)

9:00am, 10:00am
Apple

11:15am
Wrap (whole grain jalapeno corn wrap, light old cheddar (7.5g), lean angus roast beef (1 oz), black forest ham (40 g), oven roasted turkey breast (55 g)

1:45pm, 2:45pm
Apple

4:00pm
Wrap (same as above)

7:00pm
Beef chili, 0% strawberry yogurt (200 g)

8:30pm
Whey (1 scoop)

Calories: 2017
Fat: 35 (17%)
Carb: 289 (53%)
Pro: 142 (30%)

Some notes: I normally get protein in breakfast. Either eggs or a scoop of whey. It didn't happen today, but I would say that's atypical. My favourite breakfast is 3 eggs and a PB (natural) & jam english muffin.

I don't normally eat 4 apples/day, but I do eat a lot of fruit... I try to have apples, bananas and some berries (blackberries, blueberries, strawberries). When we're low or out of them, I just eat whatever fruit I can find.

I know that I need to get some protein in the snacks, just not sure what. Yogurt? Nuts? I'm not a fan at all of cottage cheese. I'm trying to like it but so far, no dice... unless it's in a lasagna.

Any input is greatly appreciated.

So awesome that you're tracking like this.

I'll give you more feedback once you tell me this: are you maintaining or losing weight at this level?

 

[jpolito830]

Yeah I love the way you track...Let us know if you are maintaining or losing though.

 

[thedarwinfish]

Thanks for checking in. I'm currently losing.

In the last 2 months I've lost, on average, 2 lbs per week and a total of ~5.5% body fat. I'm currently sitting around 26% body fat. It's a volatile number on the scale so I just keep a 7-day running average. As of this morning it's at 26.2%.

 

[Built]

Um, what did you weigh when you started, and what do you weigh now?

 

[thedarwinfish]

When I started (end of February) I weighed in the low to mid-220's. I stopped weighing myself when I hit 220. Currently I'm 187.

 

[Built]

I'm having a hard time with the dates and the numbers, so let's do this:

Give me two dates
Today

• bodyfat
• weight

some other date

• bodyfat
• weight

I need these to do some comparisons.

 

[thedarwinfish]

Sorry... here you go:

Apr 18 2008: 206.8 lbs, 31.9% bf
Jun 12 2008: 189.4 lbs, 26.2% bf

 

[Built]

Okay - this is great. Over the 55 days, you've dropped about 17 lbs of fat and about a pound of muscle, if your omron is to be trusted. You've run approximately a 1000 calorie a day deficit to do this.

Now.

This is dieting HARD. You are eating about 2000 calories a day and maintenance was about 3000.

It may be time for a bit of an overhaul on your diet. You can't expect to continue losing at this rate - you are leaner now and your fat losses will slow. You know this, right?

 

[thedarwinfish]

Thanks, Built. I'd calculated my maintenance at around 2500 using lean mass. I don't have the formula's handy anymore but I could probably find them again. So I thought I was only on a 500 calories deficit.

I'm aware things will get progressively difficult. That's a big part of why I'm here. I got off to a good start but as I get lower and lower I know I'm going to have to be that much more careful and that much more dedicated.

I'd like to get my body fat down into the 15-18% range.

 

[Built]

You can't calculate maintenance - maintenance is something you track.

A pound of fat holds about 3500 calories of energy. You have lost 2 lbs a week. A 500-calorie a day deficit you'd only lose 1 lb a week.

Please ignore those calculators from this point forward. Also ignore your omron. Assume you have 140 lbs of lean mass and assume you do everything right. You will hit 15% bodyfat at 165 lbs, so you need to drop 24 lbs. Please don't diet this off too fast.

I would strongly urge you to change how you set up your diet. You need more protein and more fat. Guidelines I like to use are at least a gram of protein and at least a half a gram of fat per pound lean mass. While dieting, 1.5g per pound LBM might be wise, especially considering the deficit you're running. It will help for both satiety and to protect lean mass. For you, this means at least 140g protein (and I'd be happier recommending closer to 200g)and at least 70g of fat daily. Try to get about 20-25g of fat from each of mono, saturates and unsaturates. Aim for at least 25g of fibre also.

For the current approximately 2000 calories a day you're running, I'd aim for macros that look something like this:

200-210 g protein
75 g fat (10g of this from fish oil)
___25g monounsaturates
___25g saturates
___25g polyunsaturates
150 g carb
___25 g fibre

What does your training look like?

 

[thedarwinfish]

Thanks so much.

I'm in no hurry to lose the weight. I have no events or family reunions or anything that I'm trying to get in shape for. I'm just trying to make healthy lifestyle changes. I'm much more concerned about doing it right than I am quickly.

I will throw together some food combos in FitDay and see what I can come up with. It'll definitely be a change from what I've become accustomed to.

My training sucks. All I've really got right now that is consistent is brisk walks with the dog. I tried going after work but it's way too busy and my workouts were incomplete and really just felt like wastes of time. I was working on a 3-day split.

I'd like to keep that split as my gym time is extremely limited. Between my daily commute (3 hours total) and mammalian commitments (wife and dog) there's very little wiggle room.

Enough whining, in a nutshell my current exercise is as follows: during the week, at least 4 30-40 minute walks. On weekends I take the dog out to some local trails for a good long (at least 1 hour) walk/jog/run.

I'm going to be buying a bike for some trail riding.

I also know I need strength training big time. So I spoke to my boss about coming in 1 hour early two days a week if I can come in 1 hour late two days a week. She is cool with that. On the late days, I will try the gym at 6am when it opens to see if it is any less busy at that time. Work out, then head to work. If so, I'd like to give the StrongLifts 5x5 program a try.

 

[Built]

If you can lift twice a week it will help a lot. Could you do some lighter-weight stuff at home once or twice a week? Do you have room for a few dumbbells and or a barbell at home?

And what is the StrongLifts 5x5? It sounds promising.

 

[thedarwinfish]

No weights here. We live in a shitty, small condo. It's already 10 lbs of shit in a 5 lb bag. We have one spare room but it has a computer desk, a futon and the dog crate. And that's about all that will fit in there. When we buy a house (at least a year away) I will most definitely be building my own gym in the basement there.

I'm aiming for three, but if I could get a decent 2-day routine that'd be awesome. As it is, if I can pull off the above plan (in early 2 days, in late 2 days) that's 4 days/week of getting up at 5am which I would REALLY rather avoid if at all possible.

The StrongLift 5x5 program that I've got my eye on is here.

I like that it's a 30 minute workout, that works out well for my limited schedule. I like that it's very much focused on compound, full-body movements. I am surprised to see squats in every session, but other than that I think this is at the very least a good base routine from which to grow.

 

[Built]

Yep, that looks perfect.