Diet plan??? Need advice please

[jason714]

Hi,
I'm new to this site. Just want to introduce myself. I'm 6'0 tall, 171 lbs...athletic build. Don't know my body fat but it seems to be pretty low, but trying to get more cut. I'm looking for some advice, anything would be appreciated!!!

I hit weights 5 days a week and do cardio 6 days a week with one off day. I also play basketball 2-3 times a week on top of all that. I don't know if this would be the right section to post this, but I'm looking for help with my diet. I've been working out on and off for over 3 years, but recently stopped and lived the party live style, but since have got back on track. Now I've been working out 2 months and would like some advice with my diet.
How many calories should I be taking in and how much protein, carbs ect?
I'm not looking for someone to just give me all the answer and willing to do my own research but anything would help. My goal is to cut down and obtain that lean hard muscle look.

I'm taking 4-5 gram of tribulus terrestris extract ED, multivitamins ED, milk thistle ED, 250-280 grams protein just off shakes alone ED and 8 tabs of amino fuel 1000 ED...I'm taking all of the above spread throughout the day.

My average food intake looks like this...
Breakfast, 1-2 cups cheerios with 2% milk...
couple of hours later 2 slices of toast with peanut butter...with protein shake and 1st portion of supplements listed above
few hours later HALF of either a foot long subway sandwhich or a chicken bowl...something healthy
couple hours later either a fruit or nuts...something to snack on
about an hour later the reast of whatever I had for lunch and a protein shake and the 2nd portion of suuplements listed above

then i hit some NOexplode before workout
run cardio for about 30-45 mins and then workout immediately after...
after I have a post workout protein shake

and then sleep for a good 7-8 hours


Any advice on what i can do to get more cut and build lean muscle mass...I can see a six pack coming along and arms are definitely getting cut, should I just stick with what I'm doing or take in more food? I feel like I'm not eating that much, or is it just me?

 

[jason714]

Forgot to add that in 22 years old, male.

 

[ceazur]

1. Stop eating cheerios and skim milk- Doesn't do much for your body and at 22 your cholesterol is fine.
2.Toast and pnut butter is an excellent choice... For someone bulking. Protein shake there should be fine by itself. Maybe a piece of fruit
3. Subway = the devil.. Your not going to cut eating that. You need a couple chicken breast right here with some veggies. Or lean ham burger meat or fish... Nothing is better then something from the house.. If you have to have fast food choose salads with chickn or tuna on top, little to no cheese, little to no fat free dressing.. (vinagrette is growing on me)
^^ these 3 things will help I swear. Cutting all depends on calories taken in and calories burned so follow that 1 rule. The thing i listed above will just save you calories and give lower the grams of fat in your diet. I guess a good basic % is 40% protein/ 40% carbs/ 20% fats. Check into low to no carb diets. Great for cutting just take motivation. hope this helps.

 

[sassy69]

You ain't eating that much buddy.

My immediate response is absolutely toss the Cheerios - replace w/ a cup of oats. You can even mix in protein mix (I prefer vanilla so it doesn't taste weird) to get some protein.

Some general guidelines:

35-50 g protein in every meal
2 x your weight = total protein (in grams) intake to grow
15-20 x your weight = total calorie intake for the day

Like listed above, a good basic macronutrient ratio to start w/ would be 40% protein / 30 % carbs / 30% fats. Given that you're very active, you can probably go higher in the carbs, as listed above. From there, see what the results are in 3 weeks - are you gaining or losing? Do you have enough energy to do all your daily activities? Are you sleeping well? And then you can adjust any of the macronutrients up or down to meet your needs.

I'd also recommend you put the above meal plan or a typical day's meal plan into a food counts program like Fitday. com to quantify what you're eating.

I might recommend doing your cardio either at a different time than your training session (e.g. if you do it all at night, then switch the cardio to morning, training at night), or put the cardio AFTER the training. The reason being, you want to use up all your readily available energy (glycogen) for solid lifting, then you can go to the cardio to burn up the rest, vs the other way around. I'd also put some simple carbs w/ your PWO shake to replenish all the glycogen you burned w/ your training & cardio.

I'd also put a fat + protein as your last meal - carbs burn up faster and at least I tend to get a sugar spike and then crash, whereas fat metabolizes slower, so you dont' get that zing & crash, as well as having a shorter period of time (due to slower metabolism of fat) between your last meal of the day & your breakfast the next morning.

 

[jason714]

"I guess a good basic % is 40% protein/ 40% carbs/ 20% fats."

I don't understand what you guys' are trying to say here, am I not getting something? Should each mean contain those percentages? I'm lost, sorry.

Okay so out with the cheerios and subway...And should i take in 2X my body weight in protein for the total day? or just protein shakes alone? and the 35-50 grams protein in each meal, is that including the protein drink i take with each meal, or on top of the shakes? is there such thing as taking in to much protein?

thanks for the advice guys', its really appreciated. I also will check out a food counts program to keep track of the calories...

So i guess I will have to take in about 3500 calories and 340 grams of protein throughout the day, for starters?

I will also start cardio after the workout, I've noticed fatigue while lifting lately and have been thinking of switching anyways. good call.

Sassy69, do you think throwing in a fruit with my PWO protein shake would do the trick? I dont want too much simple carbs right before bed...And also, what do you mean by fat + protein as my last meal? would a couple chicken breasts and protein shake not do the trick? please give me an example if you have time, thanks!!

and thank you also cezur, your input is definitley appreciated. I will throw the cherrios right out and swap them with just a protein shake and a peice of fruit.

 

[jason714]

oh and another quick question...Do i take into consideration the calories from the protein shakes? I mix whey vanilla with water so there shouldn't be anything bad, but i know there is calories in the whey protein.

So far these are the changes I've made, let me know what you guys think!!

breakfast - protein shake, (about 50 grams) vanilla whey, mixed with water...and a banana.
2 hours late - slice of toast with peanut butter?? another protein shake same as listed above.
3 hours later - boneless/skinless chicken breast, probably a breat? white meat and mixed vegstables...maybe a cup of rice?? also another protein shake as listed above.
2 hours later mixed nuts or a peice of fruit...with another protein shake
2 hours later (last meal) 2nd half of whatever I ate for lunch...maybe another chicken breast and veggies again...along with protein shake

I will also be taking, tribulus, multivitam, milk thistle, amino 1000 and fish oil...the tribulus, milk thistle and aminos I will be taking twice a day (breakfast, last meal) and the fish oild and multivitam at lunch time...

any more advice would be appreciated!!! thanks guys.

 

[jason714]

oh yah...and about a hour and a half after my last meal I'll hit the gym...weights first and then cardio after...
followed by another PWO protein shake and a peice of fruit? (still need the advice on that)