Need a Diet Critique...Much Appreciated!

[Templar69]

Hey all! I'm a cop in Upstate NY so I've worked out for most of my career but I've only recently decided to concentrate on bodybuilding as a sport. I'm 5'10, about 215 lbs, have a decent body but nothing I would brag about. I'm around 18% BF but I have a mesomorph body type...I just haven't been concentrating on my diet that well due to working midnites so I pick up food on the go alot and tend to eat alot of crap.

I'm back in the gym now on a split routine doing Chest/Tri's on Thurs, Legs on Fridays, Sat is an off day, Shoulders on Sunday and Back/Biceps on Mondays with Tues/Wed being off days also. I also have to do 3 thirty minute cardio sessions (Running) until mid-August as I have to get ready for the FBI Defensive Tactics Instructors Course I have to attend and I've been told to expect alot of running. Once the course is finished I'll cut out the cardio almost completely except for 1 30 minute session a week.

I'm going into a bulking phase right now and plan to do that until at least next March or so. Then I'll start cutting to get ready for the summer.

I've worked out a 1 week diet so far for the bulking up phase and am working on several more weeks worth -- I'll post them as they are finished. I plan on starting out with roughly 2800 calories a day broken down into 220 grams of protein, 70 grams fat and 322 grams of carbs daily -- split into 6 meals 3 hours apart. I'm using this as a starting point, once I see how my body adapts to it, I'll make changes as necessary. If someone could take a look at what I've worked out and give me some constructive criticism....that would be great.

Meal 1

Packet of Instant Oatmeal w/ water
Mixed Frozen Fruit - 1 cup
Flaxseed Oil - 1 tbsp
On Whey Gold Standard Protein Shake w/ fat free milk - 1 scoop/1 cup
500 Cals.
36 Protein
53 Carbs
17 Fats

Meal 2

Fat Free Cottage Cheese - 1 cup
Red Grapes - 1 cup
Flaxseed Oil - 1 tbsp
Fat Free Milk - 1 cup
405 Cals.
23 Protein
46 Carbs
15.5 Fats

Meal 3

MET-Rx Meal Replacement Shake w/ fat free milk
Apple - 1
Almonds - 1 ounce
492 Cals.
49.5 Protein
51.5 Carbs
10 Fats

Meal 4

Whole Grain Pita - 1
Tunafish - 1 can in water/drained
Lettuce/Tomato
Black Beans - 1/2 cup
Apple - 1
447 Cals.
43 Protein
65 Carbs
4 Fats

Meal 5 - Prework Out Meal

On Whey Gold Standard Protein Shake w/ fatfree milk - 2 scoops/2 cups
Raw Spinach Leaves - 1 cup
496 Cals
76 Protein
42 Carbs
4 Fats

Meal 6 - Postwork Out Meal

Natty Peanut Butter - 1 tbsp
Baked Potato - 1
Regular Plain Yogurt - 1 cup
Instant Oatmeal - 1 packet w/ water
495 Cals.
18.5 Protein
68 Carbs
18.5 Fats

Daily Total is:
2737 Calories
216 Protein
327.5 Carbs
73 Fats

The next plans will incorporate tuna, chicken, salmon and even some lean pork for protein but this is just what I was able to put together off the top of my head. I'm not sure if I included enough veggies so if some has an opinion..let's hear it.

The only supplementation I'm taking right now is a multi-vitamin but I am considering adding some creatine/glutamine into the mixture.

If anyone has any input on this diet...or anything else...it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.....

[OverTheTop]

Hey all! I'm a cop in Upstate NY so I've worked out for most of my career but I've only recently decided to concentrate on bodybuilding as a sport. I'm 5'10, about 215 lbs, have a decent body but nothing I would brag about. I'm around 18% BF but I have a mesomorph body type...I just haven't been concentrating on my diet that well due to working midnites so I pick up food on the go alot and tend to eat alot of crap.

I'm back in the gym now on a split routine doing Chest/Tri's on Thurs, Legs on Fridays, Sat is an off day, Shoulders on Sunday and Back/Biceps on Mondays with Tues/Wed being off days also. I also have to do 3 thirty minute cardio sessions (Running) until mid-August as I have to get ready for the FBI Defensive Tactics Instructors Course I have to attend and I've been told to expect alot of running. Once the course is finished I'll cut out the cardio almost completely except for 1 30 minute session a week.

I'm going into a bulking phase right now and plan to do that until at least next March or so. Then I'll start cutting to get ready for the summer.

I've worked out a 1 week diet so far for the bulking up phase and am working on several more weeks worth -- I'll post them as they are finished. I plan on starting out with roughly 2800 calories a day broken down into 220 grams of protein, 70 grams fat and 322 grams of carbs daily -- split into 6 meals 3 hours apart. I'm using this as a starting point, once I see how my body adapts to it, I'll make changes as necessary. If someone could take a look at what I've worked out and give me some constructive criticism....that would be great.

Meal 1

Packet of Instant Oatmeal w/ water
Mixed Frozen Fruit - 1 cup
Flaxseed Oil - 1 tbsp
On Whey Gold Standard Protein Shake w/ fat free milk - 1 scoop/1 cup
500 Cals.
36 Protein
53 Carbs
17 Fats

Meal 2

Fat Free Cottage Cheese - 1 cup
Red Grapes - 1 cup
Flaxseed Oil - 1 tbsp
Fat Free Milk - 1 cup
405 Cals.
23 Protein
46 Carbs
15.5 Fats

Meal 3

MET-Rx Meal Replacement Shake w/ fat free milk
Apple - 1
Almonds - 1 ounce
492 Cals.
49.5 Protein
51.5 Carbs
10 Fats

Meal 4

Whole Grain Pita - 1
Tunafish - 1 can in water/drained
Lettuce/Tomato
Black Beans - 1/2 cup
Apple - 1
447 Cals.
43 Protein
65 Carbs
4 Fats

Meal 5 - Prework Out Meal

On Whey Gold Standard Protein Shake w/ fatfree milk - 2 scoops/2 cups
Raw Spinach Leaves - 1 cup
496 Cals
76 Protein
42 Carbs
4 Fats

Meal 6 - Postwork Out Meal

Natty Peanut Butter - 1 tbsp
Baked Potato - 1
Regular Plain Yogurt - 1 cup
Instant Oatmeal - 1 packet w/ water
495 Cals.
18.5 Protein
68 Carbs
18.5 Fats

Daily Total is:
2737 Calories
216 Protein
327.5 Carbs
73 Fats

The next plans will incorporate tuna, chicken, salmon and even some lean pork for protein but this is just what I was able to put together off the top of my head. I'm not sure if I included enough veggies so if some has an opinion..let's hear it.

The only supplementation I'm taking right now is a multi-vitamin but I am considering adding some creatine/glutamine into the mixture.

If anyone has any input on this diet...or anything else...it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.....

The FBI course throws a bit of dynamics into the bulking diet, but I think you can work with maintenance level calories or above until the course ends, then immediately bump it up in increments of 500 cal to meet your bulking goals. Here is what I have for your current maintenance calories.

If you are Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week)

at 5' 10"
36 years of age
215lbs


Maintenance = 3176 calories


I am 1" taller and one year younger than yourself and I can tell you from experience no way can you bulk on 2700 calories. My current bulking calories are 4000+ and I only gain about .5 - 1lb per week on this. I am on a pull/push/legs split also (Endo-Meso) with 2 off days splitting my pull/push and 1 off day splitting legs. Hardly no cardio, I only use it for warm ups when I bulk.


For now and up until your FBI training I would keep my calories at maintenance level or above, thats 3176 or greater. 40/40/20 is recommended for Protein/Carbohydrate/Fat percentages from calories.

For your bulking calories I would recommend 3676 Calories for a 1lb / week gain starting the end of your first month on this diet and ending next year in March.

For 2lbs/week go with 4176 calories. If you plan on going this way, Hop on the 1lb /week plan first then bump it up 500 calories around November, if you time it right youll get to hop on right around the holidays where youre around plenty of food.


Now, on your current diet you have outlined, let see to make it easy and try to add to it to make up a 3676 Calorie diet at 40/40/20....


Meal 1

Packet of Instant Oatmeal w/ water
Mixed Frozen Fruit - 1 cup
Flaxseed Oil - 1 tbsp
On Whey Gold Standard Protein Shake w/ fat free milk - 1 scoop/1 cup
500 Cals.
36 Protein
53 Carbs
17 Fats

Add another scoop and another cup of fat free milk 200 Cal 32g pro 18g Carb


Meal 5 - Prework Out Meal

On Whey Gold Standard Protein Shake w/ fatfree milk - 2 scoops/2 cups
Raw Spinach Leaves - 1 cup
496 Cals
76 Protein
42 Carbs
4 Fats

Add 24 carbs 100 calories to this meal (2 rice cakes or .5 cups brown rice) to get you more PRE-WO carbs.

Meal 6 - Postwork Out Meal

Natty Peanut Butter - 1 tbsp
Baked Potato - 1
Regular Plain Yogurt - 1 cup
Instant Oatmeal - 1 packet w/ water
495 Cals.
18.5 Protein
68 Carbs
18.5 Fats

This meal is short protein, late night protein should be casein, I would add 12 egg whites 204 cal 1g fat 2g carb 42g pro (blend it with your natty PB)


Now I noticed Meal 6 is your Postworkout meal, if you can add a postworkout shake right after your workout, and have your Meal 6 within 1 hour after your workout, you will be solid. If you choose to add this, (which is what I normally do right after my workout) A good shake will have 2 scoops whey, 1 scoops maltodextrin or dextrose. You can add glutamine to this shake for recovery also. this will add 410 Cal 65Carb 46g pro

Total Calories 3651
326g prot
436g carb
73g fat


If you just add the Post-WO shake and dump the rest of what I added you will be at around your maintenance calories 3147, this I would add immediately to your diet to get you up to maintenance. There would still be a shortage of protein IMO, you should be at 1.5 - 2g protein / lb of body weight. Whole food will always be better than Meal replacement shakes but a life on the go may leave you with little choices. NYPD probably doesnt pay much, you may also want to buy bulk foods that are a staple in your diet like oats, brown rice, maltodextrin, powdered egg whites, etc. Good luck!

[Templar69]

Thanks for the really great info! I sat down with my original diet and your ideas and bumped it up to around this:

3700 Calories
330 Protein
440 Carbs
71 Fats

I also added in the Post Workout Shake with 2 scoops of whey and the maltodextrin. I was able to get a couple more days worth of meal plans worked out with the ideas you gave me so..thanks alot..it is really appreciated! I am trying to stay with the whole food thing, but due to my work schedule I have to work in a Meal Replacement Powder (Met-Rx) or Protein Bar now and then.

I'm gonna go with the 1lb a week schedule until the beginning of October. I have a planned vacation to Florida the first two weeks of October and it's gonna play havok with my diet. So when I get back in mid-month, I'll switch up to the 4100 Calorie/ 2lb deal.

Here's something you might also have an idea for. As I work midnites, my meals are planned to start at 6pm and I eat the last one around 9-10 am. Now on my days off, I get out of work at 7am, hit the gym and then head home around 9am. But on these days off, I stay up during the daytime and it completely throws me off on Monday and Wednesday as far as eating. If I've eaten all night Sunday...what the hell do I do for Monday while I'm up and around? Tuesday isn't a problem but then Wednesday I get screwed up again cause I've been eating all day and when I go back to work that night, technically, I should just keep eating but my body is like wtf?? Hope that all made sense...working midnites is a pain in the butt just by itself but now it's screwing up my eating cycle. Any ideas would be great...thanks again!