Please critique my diet

[A.FreeRadical]

I posted this in the Over 35 section and didn't get much feedback. I am curious to know how this diet looks to other folks iwho are into bodybuilding.

A healthy, tasty and adequate diet for a mature bodybuilder.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have been giving a lot of thought to what the proper diet would be to support my workouts and my general health. As a bodybuilder, I know we need lots of protein and carbs at the right times during the day. I have learned from experience that good fats, sufficient calcium and fiber are all needed to keep the body-fat low. I am also someone who enjoys cooking and eating well-prepared foods. The following diet is a prototype that seems to me to be properly balanced for bodybuilding, health and enjoyable eating.

I am 5'9, 178 lbs with about 12-14% bodyfat. This is a midrange diet for maintainence. Cutting and bulking would decrease or increase calories accordingly. Note that this diet is high in protein, adequate in carbs and very low in saturated fats (12 grams, only 5% of total calories.).

source----------grams------cals----%total
Total:----------------------2324

Fat:-------------- 60-------537----- 24%
--Sat:-------------12-------111------5%
--Poly:-------------12-------109------5%
--Mono:------------30-------266------12%

Carbs:------------ 211------722------32%
--Fiber:-------------30--------0-------0%

Protein:------------246------983------44%


Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, Large, 1 yoke, 3 whites. Oatmeal with toasted wheat bran, 1 cup, non fat milk.


Snack: one cup of non fat yogurt w/blueberries.


Lunch: Ceasar salad, chicken breast, no croutons, minimal dressing. V8 Juice.


Pre workout: 42 grams of whey protein and 28 grams of creatine/glucose. (I use AST Science protein and creatine/glucose mix) One apple or pear.


Post workout: 42 grams of whey protein and 2 teaspoons of Glutamine. A piece of fruit for insulin spike.

Dinner: Grilled chicken breast, tomatoes, onions and peppers. A cup of green vegetables or beans.

Snack: One cup of non fat yogurt with mixed nuts (no peanuts).




I like all of these ingredients. Tuna, salmon and other fish would sub for variety in place of the chicken entres. Tomatoes, onions and peppers are very versatile in cooking. They could be used on the breakfast instead of dinner. Other fruits and complex carb veggies could be substituted. Many herbs can be used to dress up these dishes without dietary impact. Non fat yogurt and non fat milk are good sources of protein and carbohydrates.

I really would like some feedback on this diet.

My goals are:

A balanced diet for minimal body fat and muscle growth.
Adequate protein for adding muscle.
Adequate carbs for energy a post workout repair.
Adequate fats with minimal saturated fats. (Healthy heart.)
Adequate calcium for body repair and weight maintenance.
Adequate fiber for proper elimination.

Thanks.

[zackmurphy]

Well, hmm.

If you think it's working for you and it's all foods you like to eat, then by all means, keep going with it.

I'm personally not a fat of nf yogurt over nf cottage cheese, but I can't picture the lactose/non-lactose sugar content in nf yogurt off the top of my head.

That said, I wouldn't ever consider any form of dairy to be a carb source. There are carbs, and they're low-GI, but they're not complex carb chains or fibrous (obviously) so it's not an ideal carb. And the blueberries are high in anti-oxidants, but I'd rather pair them with another non-sugar snack to blunt the inulin response.

Overall it looks pretty good. Sounds like you know how evil Caesar salad dressing can be, so that's good you're keeping that to a minimum.

But that brings me back to the carb issue. On this diet sample you listed, you have nothing but oatmeal for complex, whole grain-type carbs. Those are an essential energy source for low-GI long-burn energy. You're getting good veggie carbs, but all your other carbs are sugars. You need some grains, starches, etc.

I would swap out the pre-wo fruit for some kind of whole wheat bread or other carb source. Even just a piece of toast. Fruit is a slow burn, and fine pre-wo (more or less), but when you have no other whole grain in your day, this is an easy place to put it.

Your goals are good. For your age, those are very reasonable priorities.

[A.FreeRadical]

Well, hmm.

If you think it's working for you and it's all foods you like to eat, then by all means, keep going with it.

I'm personally not a fat of nf yogurt over nf cottage cheese, but I can't picture the lactose/non-lactose sugar content in nf yogurt off the top of my head.

That said, I wouldn't ever consider any form of dairy to be a carb source. There are carbs, and they're low-GI, but they're not complex carb chains or fibrous (obviously) so it's not an ideal carb. And the blueberries are high in anti-oxidants, but I'd rather pair them with another non-sugar snack to blunt the inulin response.

One cup of a my brand of plain nonfat yogurt has 120 calories, 14 grams (g) of protein and 17 g of carbohydrates (all from cultured milk. no other ingredients.). A cup of nonfat cottage cheese contains 160 calories, 30 g of protein and 8 g of carbs.
I can see that cottage cheese is a better source of protein per serving. Unfortunately, I love plain yogurt and don't like cottage cheese very much. I guess I have to understand the low GI vs complex carbohydrate thing. I thought I understood it, but apparently not. If you could explain that, I would appreciate it.


I could substitute a piece of whole wheat bread for a fruit. I would prefer that any way.

Thanks for your help.

[zackmurphy]

One cup of a my brand of plain nonfat yogurt has 120 calories, 14 grams (g) of protein and 17 g of carbohydrates (all from cultured milk. no other ingredients.). A cup of nonfat cottage cheese contains 160 calories, 30 g of protein and 8 g of carbs.
I can see that cottage cheese is a better source of protein per serving. Unfortunately, I love plain yogurt and don't like cottage cheese very much. I guess I have to understand the low GI vs complex carbohydrate thing. I thought I understood it, but apparently not. If you could explain that, I would appreciate it.

I could substitute a piece of whole wheat bread for a fruit. I would prefer that any way.

Thanks for your help.

No problem. I think you DO understand it, but I'm happy to explain a little more for clarity.

In short: the GI value is just the amount a carb will raise your blood sugar. High-GI values raise your blood sugar a lot, low GI, a little. You know that. So. All simple sugars (except lactose) are very high GI. High GI = high insulin response, and fat storage (of the broken-down carbs) is more likely. Low GI = like in whole grain products, the processing in your body takes longer, and since the insulin response is low, fat storage is much less likely.

So that's the GI issue. The lower you can keep your GI through the day = 2 key benefits. 1. Less storage of broken down carbs as fat, in general, and 2. more insulin sensativity, since your body is less accustomed to high-GI foods and insulin spikes.

#2 is the biggie. The "insulin sensativity" helps you post-workout, when having a high-GI item (like fruit) gets carbs back into your muscles ASAP, and the insulin itself is HUGELY anabolic. And that helps you build muscle. The insulin post-workout is VERY UNlikely to cause fat storage when you keep your post-workout meal clean, due to what's called nutrient partitioning. You body will see the protein coming and allocate that immediately to repair and recovery, and it will see the fruit (or whatever carb) and allocate that immediately to refilling your muscles with glycogen (stored form for glucose, broken down carbs). So you get the benefit of the anabolic insulin without the harm it can do.

Got all that?

So milk (and all milk products with the carb/sugar lactose), in spite of being a simple sugar, are low-GI. It's a great mystery of nutritional chemistry. Nobody knows why. So having milk, yogurt, cottage cheese - all fine. It's just the quantities of lactose that can be an issue, since yes it's low-GI, but it's still a sugar and not a whole grain.

More than you asked for, but might as well paint the whole picture.

And then you said "I could substitute a piece of whole wheat bread for a fruit. I would prefer that any way." - Excellent. That would be better for you, since you need more grains and grain-based minerals and nutrients, and it would be better pre-workout since it's a lower burn and a longer-term source of energy.

And if you like yogurt and not CC, no problem. In the grand scheme of things, not a big deal.

[A.FreeRadical]

...
So milk (and all milk products with the carb/sugar lactose), in spite of being a simple sugar, are low-GI. It's a great mystery of nutritional chemistry. Nobody knows why. So having milk, yogurt, cottage cheese - all fine. It's just the quantities of lactose that can be an issue, since yes it's low-GI, but it's still a sugar and not a whole grain.

Ok, I got it. Here is a revised diet based on our discussion. I have eliminated one of the yogurts and replaced it with cottage cheese. (I can't ignore what a great protein source this is.) I have added a piece of whole wheat bread pre workout for more complex carbs. Instead of using simple sugar sources (fruit which is low GI) for my post work out I redid my creatine/glucose and split that pre and post workout. Should I move all of the creatine/glucose to post workout so the biggest insulin spike it there?

Daily Nutritional Summary

Sex: Male Age: 59 Body weight: 178 pounds
Body Type: endomorph Activity Level: Moderately Active


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

source grams cals %total

Total:_________2301

Fat:______61______549______25%
__Sat:____14______122_______5%
__Poly:____15______137_______6%
__Mono:___27______240______11%

Carbs:___188______619______28%
__Fiber:___33_______0________0%

Protein:_261______1045_______47%



Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, Large, 1 yoke, 3 whites.
Oatmeal, 1 cup, non fat milk w tablespoon of bran.


Snack: one cup of cottage cheese and an apple.


Lunch: Ceasar salad, chicken breast, minimal dressing. V8 Juice.


Pre workout: 42 grams of whey protein and 22 gram of creatine/glucose.
One slice of whole wheat bread.


Post workout: 42 grams of whey protein, 22 gram of creatine/glucose
and 2 teaspoons of Glutamine.


Dinner: Grilled chicken breast, tomatoes, onions and peppers.
A cup of green vegetables or beans.

Snack: One cup of yogurt with blueberries and mixed nuts.

Ok, Zack how do I give you rep points?

[taffer]

just a few suggestions from me...

i think your diet is lacking EFA's, you got nuts there, which is good, but i would like to see maybe some fish oil supplementation, and maybe a handful of walnuts in that salad

also, post-workout, i would cut down on your protein intake just a little, and ramp up the carbs, ideally you want to have twice as many grams of carbs, as you do protein this stops your body from converting precious amino-acids into glucose for energy, and also makes sure you get enough carbs for a proper recovery

your diet is looking pretty good, nice to see your not afraid of fruit, never be afraid too add more vegies if your feeling hungry, i think basically every diet could use with more vegies

[zackmurphy]

Ok, I got it. Here is a revised diet based on our discussion. I have eliminated one of the yogurts and replaced it with cottage cheese. (I can't ignore what a great protein source this is.) I have added a piece of whole wheat bread pre workout for more complex carbs. Instead of using simple sugar sources (fruit which is low GI) for my post work out I redid my creatine/glucose and split that pre and post workout. Should I move all of the creatine/glucose to post workout so the biggest insulin spike it there?

The new plan looks better. A nice update.

As far as moving creatine/glucose to post workout, I say yes. You can take advantage of your muscles being hungry for the crea (being lower on crea post-wo) and crea uptake will be speedy and thorough. And the glucose (aka dextrose) is thought to help crea uptake, too. So yes.

And you're right that cottage cheese is just about too strong a protein source to ignore. It's just one of those foods, like chicken or oats, that few BB'er types can go without.

Taffer is right about EFAs. You're getting a nice balance of fats, and keeping sat fats low (which is excellent), but if you were to augment that with some fish oil pills or something like that, you'd be good. If you WERE to add some fats, your morning snack is an obious choice of timing, as is the pre-bed snack, but you already have nuts there, so AM snack remains the best option.

The EFA thing, as well as any further "corrections", of which I can think of a few, at really "in a perfect world" fixes. When all else is well, you think about what ELSE you can fix, and then I'd hit the EFA issue, as well as (for example) making your 5-6 meals more similar in size. Another day, though.

To give rep, you click on the little "scale" icon on the lower left of anyone's post, and it will rep that person. Hopefully it's positive.

And other questions, just post 'em. I gotta go kill my quads.

[A.FreeRadical]

Thanks Taffer and Zach. re: EFAs: I have walnuts in that nut mix, tuna is my first choice after chicken (I will be eating tuna several times per week) and I take 3 gel caps of Omega 3s every day. I haven't tried flaxseed oil yet, but I may get some of that too. As to more carbs Taffer, I can't cut fats back much more (only thing to cut is a tablespoon of olive oil and a handful of mixed nuts). Unless I add calories to the total, I would have to cut back protein to get more carbs.

Yeah, Zach, I thought of balancing the meals to be more equal. The problem is I eat breakfast at home, morning snack at work, lunch in a restuarant, pre workout snack at work, post workout snack, dinner and evening snack at home. I think I will leave that for another day. Maybe if this puts on tons of muscle and fat just melts off, I will tinker with this a little more. (hahahaha, yeah, right.)

Thanks guys.