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  1. #1
    Registered User RobHerriott's Avatar
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    Would like to build a little muscle and lean-up, need diet help.

    Hello everyone, I just joined and this is my first post here. I will start by giving a little background on myself. I was very active when I was younger, I played basketball and soccer through grade-school, and wrestled in high school. After high school ended though I got pretty out of shape, I have never had any problem with "getting fat" or anything like that, but when I say out of shape I mean I just stopped getting regular exercise and so my fitness level went way down. I am in college now and I decided that I want to get back into good shape, as a college student I am very busy but I can find about an hour to 1.5 hours 5 days a week for the gym. I have been going to the gym for a couple weeks now and I already feel a lot better than I did before I started, but I was continuing to eat tons of junk so even though I could feel myself getting stronger and my muscles getting bigger, it was hard to tell from appearance because my awful diet made it impossible to get any sort of definition. So about 4 days ago I decided that I needed to eat healthy too, so I have cut WAY down on fat and sugar, my meals over the past few days have consisted mostly of chicken, rice, fish, pasta, salad, and some protein shakes. I felt good that I wasn't eating so much junk but in just these four days I've dropped almost 5 pounds, which seems too fast to me and I think I might not be getting enough calories. I am 6'1" and at this moment I weight 195 pounds.

    I am aware that it is practically impossible to gain tons of muscle and lose fat at the same time, but I am just looking to build up a bit more lean muscle and trim down my fat so my abs will show and my muscles overall will have some more definition. I am hoping someone can help me with a diet plan that will still be low in fat and sugar but give me the calories I need so that I'm not just dropping weight like crazy and I'm still able to build a little muscle. I am very busy so I only get time to eat about 3 solid meals in a day, though I can snack in my classes and stuff so if someone can recommend some good snacks for my goals that would be great. And last but not least, the most important part, like many college students I am pretty darn tight on money, so I am trying to do this as cheap as possible.

    I uploaded some pictures to my gallery that I just took of myself so you can see where I'm at now, if anyone could help me with the diet issue so I can reach my goals I would very much appreciate it!
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  2. #2
    Registered User layarph's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by RobHerriott View Post
    because my awful diet made it impossible to get any sort of definition. So about 4 days ago I decided that I needed to eat healthy too, so I have cut WAY down on fat and sugar, my meals over the past few days have consisted mostly of chicken, rice, fish, pasta, salad, and some protein shakes.
    "definition" ie High muscle to low body fat ratio, is defined by getting sufficient protein, fat and cals in for your goal. It is not defined by the names of your foods. What foods you eat to get there are your choice. Whether you do this through "healthy" foods, fast food, protein shakes, whatever.

    Originally Posted by RobHerriott View Post
    I felt good that I wasn't eating so much junk but in just these four days I've dropped almost 5 pounds, which seems too fast to me and I think I might not be getting enough calories. I am 6'1" and at this moment I weight 195 pounds.
    Use whatever foods that will make you adhere to them repeatedly to meet your goals, and give you consistent effort in the gym. Once again, these are your choices. There are no staples!
    You lost weight, not because you stopped eating a certain food and started eating another, but because you ate at a caloric deficit. And when you first start a caloric deficit, you lose a lot to begin with as water weight and then it evens out again fairly quickly. You didn't lose 5 pounds of fat.

    Originally Posted by RobHerriott View Post
    I am aware that it is practically impossible to gain tons of muscle and lose fat at the same time, but I am just looking to build up a bit more lean muscle and trim down my fat so my abs will show and my muscles overall will have some more definition.
    If you are brand new to lifting, it is possible to build muscle and lose fat at the same time. This is due to your noob gains. These can last anywhere from a month to a year, and usually last somewhere in between. Once the noob gaisn are over, yes, you have to pick to eat at either a surplus to build muscle and get some fat, or eat at a deficit to lose fat.

    Originally Posted by RobHerriott View Post
    I am hoping someone can help me with a diet plan that will still be low in fat and sugar but give me the calories I need so that I'm not just dropping weight like crazy and I'm still able to build a little muscle.
    Absolutely nobody will give you a diet plan, because only you can decide what is convenient for you and what foods you enjoy.
    You can start by calculating your macro and cal needs here: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=121703981

    Originally Posted by RobHerriott View Post
    I am very busy so I only get time to eat about 3 solid meals in a day, though I can snack in my classes and stuff so if someone can recommend some good snacks for my goals that would be great.
    Meal timing is largely irrelevant directly to your body composition. Eat when is convenient for you and will provide you optimum performance in the gym. As long as you hit your calorie and macro needs by the end of the day, and your gym performance isn't impaired, nutrient timing is largely irrelevant... that is assuming you aren't carrying out multiple endurance style activities during the day which could potentially deplete glycogen levels and reduce plasma amino levels somewhat. But if you are only lifting, you do not need to worry about this.

    Originally Posted by RobHerriott View Post
    And last but not least, the most important part, like many college students I am pretty darn tight on money, so I am trying to do this as cheap as possible.
    You will have to explore this yourself I think. Start by calculating your macro and cal needs, then plug a potential day's food intake to match these needs into myfitnesspal with foods you enjoy, then check out the cost of that amount online, and you will have an idea of what you will need to do.
    "Never attempt to train yourself into a caloric deficit. Don't spend hours on the treadmill. Diet comes first, cardio second. The dumbest fat loss strategy ever devised is used by people that wake up early in the morning before going to work to do cardio and follow that up with "recovery shake." Congratulations, you just wasted two hours of your life." Martin Berkhan
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  3. #3
    Registered User RobHerriott's Avatar
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    Thanks for the reply! That forum post you linked was very helpful, as best as I can figure based on what it said might be over or under-estimating it seems like I need around 2600-2800 calories per day. I quite a bit under that I think and I am also too low on fat intake, so I think I should be able to do a bit better by just increasing my portion sizes a bit.

    Does anyone have any recommendations for healthy and cheap foods?
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    Registered User michail71's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by RobHerriott View Post
    Thanks for the reply! That forum post you linked was very helpful, as best as I can figure based on what it said might be over or under-estimating it seems like I need around 2600-2800 calories per day. I quite a bit under that I think and I am also too low on fat intake, so I think I should be able to do a bit better by just increasing my portion sizes a bit.

    Does anyone have any recommendations for healthy and cheap foods?
    If you are low on fat intake peanut butter or almond butter would be a good starting point. I like to go with natural grinds since they don't have added sugars and hydrogenated oils.
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