calories: too many/not enough...?

[Big Daddy Cruel]

Hi, all. This is my first time posting here, but I thought it'd be appropriate b/c my measurements are pretty similar to another guy who posted who was 6'4 and 220.

Age: 27
Height: 6'4
Weight: 234 (shooting for .5-1lb a week weight loss)
Waist: 37.5 (shooting for 34" by 3/31)

I am just starting to add some fats to my cutting diet (6 g fish oil/olive oil) and get the cals up to ~2500 from 2000. Here is a sample day:

Meal 1: Protein shake (2 scoops whey, 2 cups skim milk, 2 tsp peanut butter)
(500 cals, 55 g pro)

Meal 2: Varies, but always at least 400 cal and 40 g protein Sometimes, a tub of ff cottage cheese (420 cals, 78 g protein)

Meal 3: Pre-workout: Protein shake

Meal 4: Post-Workout: Protein shake

Meal 5: Dinner: Low-carb pasta (320 cals, 56 g protein), spinach, olive oil: ~500 cals

Total winds up at about 2400 cals, with 260-280 g protein. On off days from lifting I sometimes cut to 2200 cals.

I do cardio 5 times a week, one hour (burns about 900 cals), and lift in a push-pull split.

I'm just not sure what my maintenance/cutting/bulking phases should involve, both in terms of calories and amount of protein/fats. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

--BDC

[AdmiralDan]

as far as what you need for a cutting phase, at least 1 gm protein per pound of bodyweight. then make sure that you are making progress based on the number of calories you are intaking. if it isn't working, change it a little and see if that works. keep tweeking until it works

[Rex]

Your kinda on the right track.

To find out if your calorie intake is too much or too little you first need to know what your maintenance is. Maintenance is the daily caloric intake that will allow you to maintain your current weight. To find your maintenance level you’ll need to count calories for a week or two without trying to gain or lose weight. Just eat as you would normally. Take the two week daily average. That’s your maintenance. Bulking or cutting entails taking in roughly 500 cals/day above (bulking) or below (cutting) your maintenance level.
Protein intake should be 1 gram per pound of bodyweight. I try to keep my fat intake below 30% of total intake.

[geoffgarcia]

you might want to supplement some fiber in there...I dont see any at all in any of those foods your eating. You should be getting at least 15g per day...and thats the bare minimum IMHO
also, if ur taking in so much protein I would advise getting it from different sources. Whey is fine, but I would shoot for some egg, beef, veggie, etc...an off the shelf blend would do the trick!