Need help putting together a cutting nutrition plan

[ds41]

As the topic says, I need some assistance putting together a weekly nutrition plan.

I'm 5'10", 185lb, about 13-16% BF. I am looking to cut down to 8-9%.

My workout regimen has been pretty well on point. I have been lifting consistently now for about 4 years. I typically lift 5 days a week for about an hour, hour 15min at a time, and I hit the ellipitcal 2-3 days a week for 20-30 min at a time and once or twice a week I'll go for a 4-5 mile walk around town.

My lifts have all steadily progressed and I have some good definition and vascularity going in my arms and legs...but like many people, I am having a heck of a time getting rid of that last pinch of fat around the lower stomach/love handle/lower back area. :S

I understand that "abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym"...and that is really where my weak point is at.

I work an 8:30A - 5:30P desk job with an hour lunch. This type of sedentary work obviously doesn't help matters. I am really struggling to come up with a quality, consistent diet that will work with my schedule. I usually do OK in the morning and at night, but it's the time in between that I mess up.

Here is an example of my typical day/diet layout...

8:00AM - Breakfast - Protein shake: 1 cup skim milk, 1 tbsp natural PB, 1 banana, 2 scoops protein, ice, water, blend.

8:30AM - Arrive at work

10:30AM - cup of coffee

11:00AM - apple or a granola bar

1:15PM - Lunch - Subway, Quiznos, or Mc Donalds :/

5:30PM - Leave work

6:00PM - Pre workout drink

6:30-8:00PM - Lift/cardio

8:30PM - Protein shake: 2 scoops Myofusion

9:00PM - Dinner - I usually do chicken and rice, 4 egg omelette with peppers and lean turkey, steak, lean hamburger...something along those lines.

So obviously my diet during the work day could be a heck of a lot better. I realize that eating at 1:15pm and not having another whole meal until 9pm or so isn't a good habit. And going out to lunch every day is obviously expensive, so that's another reason I know I should change my routine. I'm just lacking some guidance and it's easy to get lost in the avalanche of information on here.

I'm open to all suggestions. Other people here that have a desk job and a similar schedule, how do you plan out your daily/weekly diet plan? What meals/healthy snacks could I incorporate into my diet? Buying the foods and putting in the work isn't the issue, I'm just having trouble putting it all together.

Thanks!

[germaine07]

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=136691851
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=121703981
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=129523333

[ds41]

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=136691851
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=121703981
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=129523333

I have already gone through all of those threads. I have done the caclulations and I know what my caloric/macro requirements are. And I'm not looking for a "diet critique"...I already know my diet isn't good. I'm looking for suggestions from people who have a similar type job/schedule on how to better structure my daily/weekly meal plan around my schedule and ideas for meals/snacks that I can incorporate into my work day.

[germaine07]

If you know your macro target then why ask for help putting together a plan?

Eat what you want, when you want, to help reach your macro's & calories.

What else do you need to know?

[ds41]

If you know your macro target then why ask for help putting together a plan?

Eat what you want, when you want, to help reach your macro's & calories.

What else do you need to know?

I guess I have a hard time wrapping my head around the whole "eat what you want, when you want, as long as it fits your macros". Maybe I am over complicating things by thinking that I need to have some sort of well defined, extra clean, 4-6 meal daily nutrition plan.

[kevi204]

At the end of the day, calories/macros are all that matters. The time of day at which you eat them or number of meals doesn't matter.

[WonderPug]

I guess I have a hard time wrapping my head around the whole "eat what you want, when you want, as long as it fits your macros". Maybe I am over complicating things by thinking that I need to have some sort of well defined, extra clean, 4-6 meal daily nutrition plan.

What do you think an "extra clean" meal is and why do you think you need to consume 4 to 6 meals per day?

[germaine07]

I guess I have a hard time wrapping my head around the whole "eat what you want, when you want, as long as it fits your macros". Maybe I am over complicating things by thinking that I need to have some sort of well defined, extra clean, 4-6 meal daily nutrition plan.

You are. As long as you meet micronutrient sufficiency, you can get your macro's from whatever sources you want and eat whenever you want.

[ds41]

What do you think an "extra clean" meal is and why do you think you need to consume 4 to 6 meals per day?

I don't truly think I need to eat 4-6 meals a day, I know that's a fallacy, and I know that "eating clean" is a general term with no real definition...I'm just trying to adjust to this mentality that I can eat McDonalds or whatever every day as long as I work in some fruits and veggies and protein and make it all fit the required macros. I guess what it comes down to is that I need to do more research and figure out what combination of foods are going to satisfy my macros while still being pratical for me to prepare on a daily/weekly basis.

[germaine07]

I don't truly think I need to eat 4-6 meals a day, I know that's a fallacy, and I know that "eating clean" is a general term with no real definition...I'm just trying to adjust to this mentality that I can eat McDonalds or whatever every day as long as I work in some fruits and veggies and protein and make it all fit the required macros. I guess what it comes down to is that I need to do more research and figure out what combination of foods are going to satisfy my macros while still being pratical for me to prepare on a daily/weekly basis.

Try setting up a fitday or myfitnnespal account. Log your foods for a couple of days. See if you are low in a certain area and then adjust.

[Xherion]

I have a similar work schedule. I have an 8:00-5:30 desk job.

Here's my diet.
7:00 AM - 3 eggs, 2 cups ground oats, 1 scoop of whey isolate
10:00 AM - Peanut butter sandwich (sprouted bread and natural PB) or a good handful of unsalted cashews or almonds
Noon - Chicken breast, steak, or ground turkey with a baked potato, sweat potato or brown rice
3:00 PM - 1 cup of ground oats and one scoop of whey isolate
5:30 PM - Same as lunch
7:45 PM - Pre-workout supplement (varies)
8:00-9:00 PM - Workout
9:00 PM - Isolate shake with frozen berries
10:00 PM - Scoop of PB and some lean meat (no carbs)
11:00 PM - Bed

Works great for me and my work schedule.

[ds41]

Try setting up a fitday or myfitnnespal account. Log your foods for a couple of days. See if you are low in a certain area and then adjust.

I actually just installed the FitDay app on my iPhone. I have dabbled with it in the past but never really stuck with it. I'll take your advice and keep close track with it the next few days and see if I can figure out where my deficiencies are.

[ds41]

I have a similar work schedule. I have an 8:00-5:30 desk job.

Here's my diet.
7:00 AM - 3 eggs, 2 cups ground oats, 1 scoop of whey isolate
10:00 AM - Peanut butter sandwich (sprouted bread and natural PB) or a good handful of unsalted cashews or almonds
Noon - Chicken breast, steak, or ground turkey with a baked potato, sweat potato or brown rice
3:00 PM - 1 cup of ground oats and one scoop of whey isolate
5:30 PM - Same as lunch
7:45 PM - Pre-workout supplement (varies)
8:00-9:00 PM - Workout
9:00 PM - Isolate shake with frozen berries
10:00 PM - Scoop of PB and some lean meat (no carbs)
11:00 PM - Bed

Works great for me and my work schedule.

Thanks for posting an example. I need to try working some eggs into my breakfast instead of having the same shake EVERY SINGLE DAY! A PB sandwhich as a mid morning or mid afternoon snack is a good idea too.

Do you prepare your lunch the night before every single night, or do you try to prepare all of your lunches for the week at one time?

[Xherion]

I prepare my meats usually twice a week in advance. For instance, last night I grilled 3 pounds of chicken tenders on the Foreman grill. I'll also cook up a couple pounds of ground turkey and ground chicken. Same goes with steak.

Then depending how I feel, the carb source will be something simple like a microwave sweet potato, russet potato or some instant brown rice. Each take no more than 5-10 minutes to prep. I'll also microwave some frozen veggies. Or I'll cook a pot of whole wheat pasta the night before and mix it with the pre-cooked meats.

I think the key is to pre-cook your meats or carbs that take a while to make in amounts that last you at least a few days. I like to leave the meats unseasoned and depending how I feel that day, add appropriate spices as I feel on that day. One day I might feel like pasta, so I'll just add the pasta to the ground turkey/chicken and add some pasta sauce and microwave it. Or if I want rice and ground meat, I'll just add some taco/fajita seasoning, some low sodium soy sauce to the pre-cooked ground meat and mix it all together with the rice.

I like to leave my options open when I pre-prep my foods. That way I always have a lean meat source on hand and some basic carbs. Each are easily interchanged for variety depending how I feel. I also like to alternate meals and shakes. Usually I'll do a cooked meal, shake w/ oats, meal, shake, etc. I find it easier than constantly eating solid meals back to back.

[rob2093124]

I have a similar work schedule. I have an 8:00-5:30 desk job.

Here's my diet.
7:00 AM - 3 eggs, 2 cups ground oats, 1 scoop of whey isolate
10:00 AM - Peanut butter sandwich (sprouted bread and natural PB) or a good handful of unsalted cashews or almonds
Noon - Chicken breast, steak, or ground turkey with a baked potato, sweat potato or brown rice
3:00 PM - 1 cup of ground oats and one scoop of whey isolate
5:30 PM - Same as lunch
7:45 PM - Pre-workout supplement (varies)
8:00-9:00 PM - Workout
9:00 PM - Isolate shake with frozen berries
10:00 PM - Scoop of PB and some lean meat (no carbs)
11:00 PM - Bed

Works great for me and my work schedule.

i have a similar work schedule, yet I don't eat until I get home after my workouts around 6:30PM. I eat all my calories(macros) within 2 hours.

[DYTrainer]

Shakes are meant to be a convenience. I would try to find a way to move it from your breakfast to the middle of the day when it can be hard to get a good meal. Other than that, it's just planning. I would take the night before and actually plan out what I'm going to eat for the next day. This might mean making foods for the week on a sunday, or getting up earlier to make a nice breakfast and the rest of the food for the day. There are many ways to eat healthy while working a desk job. If you have access to a fridge, even more so, but if you don't it still can be done.

[Mabo19]

Hey, I have a similar work schedule as you. I'm a new guy here, but from what I've read and applied, I've been losing weight and continue to do so by strictly counting my macros, calories and planning my meals. You should know the macros of everything you plan to eat and setup the rest of your day accordingly. I am not sure what Xherion's stats are, but his diet wouldn't really work out for my caloric needs. They work for him, but he is obviously built differently and found something that fits his needs. Point is, yours will likely look different and you have to cater it to your taste, needs, and goals.

I prepare my lunch after I eat dinner the night before and it usually consists of a salad with some chicken or turkey. Breakfast usually involves some of these: eggs, 1/4cup oatmeal, cottage cheese, PB, or fruit. And dinner is similar to lunch. Any snacks that I may eat between meals, purely cause I tend to get hungry quick, would be veggies, almonds, berries, etc, but if you plan out your day, its a lot easier. The more you read any try, the easier it is to find foods that fit your macros, taste good, and fill you up.

I tried those apps and didn't really like them too much, so I track everything on an excel spreadsheet and since I tend to eat the same foods and brands, its easy to just copy and paste in food items and get an automatic read out of my cals and macros. For me, its the only way to truly know what I consume. I'd say figure out all your numbers, your deficit, and play with different food items till you find a match.

If it helps, it's been easier for me since I removed/reduced these food items: cereal, milk, bread, pasta, all sweets or candy, pop, fried foods etc. You don't have to by any means, but I can't justify using up my calories for those foods when I could eat a lot more veggies, fruits, meats, or whatever for the same amount (while hitting the same macros). But again, I'm new so take this with a grain of salt. Good luck man!

[tden99]

I have a similar work schedule. I have an 8:00-5:30 desk job.

Here's my diet.
7:00 AM - 3 eggs, 2 cups ground oats, 1 scoop of whey isolate
10:00 AM - Peanut butter sandwich (sprouted bread and natural PB) or a good handful of unsalted cashews or almonds
Noon - Chicken breast, steak, or ground turkey with a baked potato, sweat potato or brown rice
3:00 PM - 1 cup of ground oats and one scoop of whey isolate
5:30 PM - Same as lunch
7:45 PM - Pre-workout supplement (varies)
8:00-9:00 PM - Workout
9:00 PM - Isolate shake with frozen berries
10:00 PM - Scoop of PB and some lean meat (no carbs)
11:00 PM - Bed

Works great for me and my work schedule.

I would just eat three meals, saves a lot of time, as long as you have an appetite. I assume this guy thinks carbs after 10 are bad as he puts no carbs explicitly in his meal at 10.

[ds41]

Wow, all good info that I will take into consideration and try to implement...thanks!

[ds41]

I prepare my meats usually twice a week in advance. For instance, last night I grilled 3 pounds of chicken tenders on the Foreman grill. I'll also cook up a couple pounds of ground turkey and ground chicken. Same goes with steak.

Then depending how I feel, the carb source will be something simple like a microwave sweet potato, russet potato or some instant brown rice. Each take no more than 5-10 minutes to prep. I'll also microwave some frozen veggies. Or I'll cook a pot of whole wheat pasta the night before and mix it with the pre-cooked meats.

I think the key is to pre-cook your meats or carbs that take a while to make in amounts that last you at least a few days. I like to leave the meats unseasoned and depending how I feel that day, add appropriate spices as I feel on that day. One day I might feel like pasta, so I'll just add the pasta to the ground turkey/chicken and add some pasta sauce and microwave it. Or if I want rice and ground meat, I'll just add some taco/fajita seasoning, some low sodium soy sauce to the pre-cooked ground meat and mix it all together with the rice.

I like to leave my options open when I pre-prep my foods. That way I always have a lean meat source on hand and some basic carbs. Each are easily interchanged for variety depending how I feel. I also like to alternate meals and shakes. Usually I'll do a cooked meal, shake w/ oats, meal, shake, etc. I find it easier than constantly eating solid meals back to back.

Good idea preparing multiple meat sources and having them "on deck" so you can mix it up each day...I'm going to have to do that. I also do a lot of the microwaveable rice, broccoli steamers, things like that, so I could always bring those with me and mix them with whatever meat I choose for lunch that day. Same with the whole wheat pasta.

This is all pretty standard stuff, I realize that...sometimes it just helps to have these simple things pointed out to you. This is all good advice that I will definitely be using.