Rate my food choices

[Coltenv1]

Currently skinny fat, and have been following this for 4 weeks with good results, but the reason I am posting is to be sure I am taking advantage of all the work I am doing in the gym by following a close as possible to perfect diet... 3 day full body lifting/2 cardio sessions per week. 2600-2700 Calories/day. 170g protein/304g carbs/85g fats. I weigh 158, and am 5'9". Just base info, but what I really need is for you guys to pick apart my diet choices. I do not specifically follow an exact plan, but I generally eat the same foods each week. I know some of these are obviously good choices, but I am just going to list everything I have been eating lately.

Bananas - 2x per day when I wake up with a protein shake
Gala Apples -1x per day
Spinach ( blended into protein shakes 2 times per day) 5cups/spinach per day.
Egg Beaters 100% Egg Whites
Deli Fresh - Oven Roasted Turkey Breast (Oscar Mayer) ???
Brown Rice (lots of it)
Sweet Potato Fries ( Alexia Brand ) ???
Lightly Salted Almonds ( Blue Diamond )
Carlson Fish Oil - 4tsp/day
Starkist Chunk Light Tuna in Water
Dymatize Whey Protein Powder
Optimum Nutrition Casein Powder
Unsweetened Almond Milk (blue diamond)
Tyson Grilled chicken breast
Instant Oatmeal Weight-Control Maple and Brown Sugar ( Quaker ) ??? - this one raises the most concern for me, but I can't ever make my oatmeal taste good... although it is not plain old fashioned oatmeal.. it seems to be better than the high sugar regular packets of oatmeal. just my guess.

that's basically it for now. looking to expand my options soon, but wanted to get a general approval/disapproval of these first.

Thanks everyone

[PBateman2]

Looks decent.

Not sure I could blend spinach into a protein shake and take that down. More power to you.

Why Egg Beaters? Use whole eggs. Real stuff with all of the wonderful healthy fats and essential aminos.

[Coltenv1]

Looks decent.

Not sure I could blend spinach into a protein shake and take that down. More power to you.

Why Egg Beaters? Use whole eggs. Real stuff with all of the wonderful healthy fats and essential aminos.

The protein I use is Dymatize Rich Chocolate to blend with the spinach. It's a tad bit different texture wise, but it tastes just like chocolate.

I guess I really do need to make an effort to switch to whole eggs instead of just whites. I live with 4 roommates so our kitchen is always a mess so I rarely cook. Time for a change then.

Thanks for the help!

[Coltenv1]

Anyone else got any suggestions?

[ironwill2008]

Anyone else got any suggestions?

Not if you can't/won't cook; you're pretty much stuck with supp powders and pre-packaged stuff.


Good on you for getting at least some fresh fruit in there though; try to expand on that and add some veg as well.

[Robsolutely]

I would suggest eating whole foods instead of relying on shakes & supplements to hit your calorie/micro/macro goals. It's much more rewarding. Buy a variety of whole foods; not the same things all of the time.

-That's 14 bananas per week. I'd do one per day and thus open up more room for variety.
-Go with solid white albacore if you're into tuna, however try not to eat more than 2-3 cans per week due to mercury content.
-Always go the whole egg route or you're missing out on a lot of nutrition and flavor.
-If you like processed deli meat, get something closer to natural like Boar's Head instead of pre-packaged Oscar Meyer.
-Make your own sweet potatoes and grilled chicken.
-Brown rice vs. white rice... it's not really that much of a difference. Eat what you enjoy.
-Carlson is a great fish oil, but I like the Carlson Elite Gems at 400/300 EPA/DHA. More convenient, less fishy.
-No need for Casein + Whey. Do one or none.

Vanilla-Spice Oatmeal:

Bring 1-1/2 cups water to a boil

Add:

Small pinch of kosher salt
Small pinch ground nutmeg
1/2 - 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup Bob Red's Mills Rolled Oats (not instant)

Lower heat to a simmer, and cook, stirring frequently until mostly evaporated and 3/4 of the way done (about 10 minutes). Add a splash of milk or cream and 1 scoop of vanilla whey or casein. Stir to thoroughly combine and cook until tender (3-5 more minutes).

Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of unrefined, virgin coconut oil. Takes a bit longer, but it's much tastier. You can cook in bulk and refrigerate until cool, slap a lid on it, and reconstitute a bit of it at a time in the microwave with added water when desired.

[Coltenv1]

Not if you can't/won't cook; you're pretty much stuck with supp powders and pre-packaged stuff.


Good on you for getting at least some fresh fruit in there though; try to expand on that and add some veg as well.

I am going to add broccoli and green beans on top of what I have going now. Outside of Bananas/Apples/Blueberries I haven't really tried many fruits. I don't like oranges or pineapple.

Swapping to whole eggs.

Nobody has commented on the oatmeal I have been using.. what are thoughts on this?


-Robsolutely,

Switched to Solid White Tuna, and once I find some other fruit I like I will drop to 1 banana per day and vary my fruit intake.


Thanks for the tips everyone, keep them coming

[ironwill2008]

Nobody has commented on the oatmeal I have been using.. what are thoughts on this?

It's a good source of carbs and micros. If you like it, by all means, go for it.

[Coltenv1]

So here's what I've done so far.

- Swapped to whole eggs, 3x per day.
- Making my own sweet potatoes. this saves me about 6g of fat from the packaged ones!
- switching up my fruit often, 2-3 servings of varying fruit/day
- added 2-3 more servings of veggies per day. usually broccoli/green beans/kale
- White albacore tuna (in water)


Anyone got anything else? This has been very helpful so far guys, keep it coming

[AcquireFunds]

Ever try just the plain oatmeal with some cinnamon or spices in it? Pretty good and you are getting whole oats, not the instant stuff. Add in some more veggies. It looks like a decent base plan though, just needs some tweaking.

[Coltenv1]

Ever try just the plain oatmeal with some cinnamon or spices in it? Pretty good and you are getting whole oats, not the instant stuff. Add in some more veggies. It looks like a decent base plan though, just needs some tweaking.

Not yet. Oatmeal is next on my list to try and make taste good. I've added 2-3 more servings of veggies. Right now I am at about 5-6 servings per day. Do I count sweet potatoes as veggies? If so how many ounces of a sweet potato are a serving? I usually have 4-5 cups of spinach ( 1 bag from the grocery store ) per day, and 2 servings of broccoli, and a sweet potato (8-10 ounces).

More suggestions are welcomed, this is very helpful guys. thanks

[Jcart159]

Not yet. Oatmeal is next on my list to try and make taste good. I've added 2-3 more servings of veggies. Right now I am at about 5-6 servings per day. Do I count sweet potatoes as veggies? If so how many ounces of a sweet potato are a serving? I usually have 4-5 cups of spinach ( 1 bag from the grocery store ) per day, and 2 servings of broccoli, and a sweet potato (8-10 ounces).

More suggestions are welcomed, this is very helpful guys. thanks

Sounds like you are doing a good job of upping your vegetable intake!

I wouldn't go as far as being so worried about hitting X number of servings per day... Someday's you may eat more, some you may eat less. Just make sure you are hitting a wide variety so that you are fulfilling micronutrient sufficiency.

[gabeinphx]

Not sure how many grams of fats you are getting in, but that was an area I neglected in trying to eat leaner cuts of meats. The whole eggs will help, just be sure to to get about .45g per lb of body weight.

Also have you ever tried oat bran? I prefer consistency to oat meal. Make with 50% milk and 50% water, no sugar necessary. Or mix in some flavored whey.

[mwaggie]

Normally just lurk but decided today was the day to join! Ever try steel-cut oats? Much better IMO. Here's my recipe. They cook overnight and are ready in the morning for you!
3:1 water : oats. I usually make 1.5 cups dry oats at a time so this needs to go in a decent size pan with lid. A 4 quart saucepan will do.
Bring this to a boil and let it go for a minute or so (no need to time it). Cover with a lid and remove from heat. Set it on a burner that is off and leave it overnight. When you come back in the morning they will be perfectly cooked. The center will be drier than the outer edges so I take a large wooden spoon and stir the crap out of it.

My portion is:
200g cooked oats
50g raspberries
50g strawberries
15g toasted pecans (Buy them raw and stick them in the oven @350 for 6-7 min)

I package the rest into containers already weighed out and then just add a bit of water and reheat it for each morning. Don't heat the fruit up though lol. I have the nutrition info at home, if you want I can post it later but it's not too hard to figure it out.

[Coltenv1]

Sounds like you are doing a good job of upping your vegetable intake!

I wouldn't go as far as being so worried about hitting X number of servings per day... Someday's you may eat more, some you may eat less. Just make sure you are hitting a wide variety so that you are fulfilling micronutrient sufficiency.

Thanks! About six weeks ago when I started my current program I was doing barely 2 servings per day. I am around 5-7 now on any given day, and I have noticed quite a difference in performance and energy levels.

Not sure how many grams of fats you are getting in, but that was an area I neglected in trying to eat leaner cuts of meats. The whole eggs will help, just be sure to to get about .45g per lb of body weight.

Also have you ever tried oat bran? I prefer consistency to oat meal. Make with 50% milk and 50% water, no sugar necessary. Or mix in some flavored whey.

As of now I am doing 85g Fat give or take 5-7 grams. I eat almonds, eggs, and different oils for my fat sources. Fish etc.

I have not tried the oat bran before but it sounds good. I am guessing it is the same basic thing as oats but processed or something? Thanks!

Normally just lurk but decided today was the day to join! Ever try steel-cut oats? Much better IMO. Here's my recipe. They cook overnight and are ready in the morning for you!
3:1 water : oats. I usually make 1.5 cups dry oats at a time so this needs to go in a decent size pan with lid. A 4 quart saucepan will do.
Bring this to a boil and let it go for a minute or so (no need to time it). Cover with a lid and remove from heat. Set it on a burner that is off and leave it overnight. When you come back in the morning they will be perfectly cooked. The center will be drier than the outer edges so I take a large wooden spoon and stir the crap out of it.

My portion is:
200g cooked oats
50g raspberries
50g strawberries
15g toasted pecans (Buy them raw and stick them in the oven @350 for 6-7 min)

I package the rest into containers already weighed out and then just add a bit of water and reheat it for each morning. Don't heat the fruit up though lol. I have the nutrition info at home, if you want I can post it later but it's not too hard to figure it out.

I have heard of them before but I tried to cook them once and they ended up boiling over the pan, and I gave up after that. Obviously I did something wrong, but it sounds like you have it figured out. I feel like I would burn my house down somehow though haha. Not sure if I could use your exact recipe as I am allergic to Pecans as well as Walnuts. I could sub something in, but feel free to inbox me with the nutrition info if you have time! Thanks!