So you need help with your diet...

[Built]

Okay - I get asked for this a LOT.

My cutting diet is the same as my bulking diet: I carb cycle.

All meals are protein and fat EXCEPT the one before and the one or two after I train - those are protein and carb.

Note that there are conflicting thoughts on whether or not fat and carb should be in the same meal, and why (or why not). My own reasons are comfort-driven: carbs are yummy, but they make me hungry... <more>

[eatit]

super newb question: how do you determine what's starchy and what's not?

i know that potatos, corn, oats and grains are. But are other vegetables like carrots or beets? (i really want to know about them beets... i love 'em)


for the sticky. there are way too many "help me figure out my diet" threads here

[Built]

super newb question: how do you determine what's starchy and what's not?

fitday tells all. Just look at the macronutrient breakdown. If most of it is carb, and you know it ain't sugar ...

i know that potatos, corn, oats and grains are. But are other vegetables like carrots or beets? (i really want to know about them beets... i love 'em)

Treat those as veggies, but ideally, eat 'em in the pre-workout meal. They're a little too carby for the other meals, and a little too high in fiber for post workout.

But it's not THAT big of a deal. If they fit your calories for the day, go for it.

for the sticky. there are way too many "help me figure out my diet" threads here

Thanks for the

[eatit]

do you even bother counting the calories from veggies from say: brocolli, cauliflower, lettuce or green peppers?

i know... don't sweat the small stuff. But just wondering.

[Built]

I just fitday everything. But put it this way - if I want an extra cup of broccoli, I eat it.

[ericg]

I did something very similar to this (you can see it outlined in the beginning pages, or so, of my journal) with help from some of the older members of the board. I think it worked pretty well. I got off track a few years back, due to personal reasons, and never got back to having a strict diet plan. For some reason I find it stressful to measure/weigh all my meals, that is all I would think about the entire time i was being strict. Hopefully I can get back on track soon to make some nice changes. Nice post Built.

[Utopianhopes]

What about cheat/free meals and what do you consider a cheat/free meal?....

[ryuage]

a cheat/free meal is exactly what it says.

[CarlP]

Is the carb cycling stuff necessary? Couldn't I simply cut 10-20% of my calories and eat the same foods as on a bulk? Would the cut be just as effective? I like to keep things simple.

[Built]

The carb cycling is NOT necessary. I like it, and it works well, but there are many, many ways to diet down. This is mine.

[Con]

After doing this diet for two days I was wondering about a few things. If I went a little too high with protein on rest days, is that ok? I read that protein is the one macronutrient you cant have enough of.
Another things is about eggs, after reading another thread, I saw something about the bad effects of egg yolks. I was thinking this, If the egg yolks have nothing but fat in them, take em out, and have some natural peanut butter to get the good fat and your cals. Just wondering if anyone had any opinions on that idea.

[brickt.]

1) High protein is cool, just make sure you're under maintenance calories in order to lose.

2) Eat your egg yolks. Good protein, good fats, lots of other awesome goodies. Why waste when they're are kiddies in Somalia who'd die for 4 egg omelette right now?

.. *would die for a 4 egg omelette right now*

[Con]

I thought that the egg yolks were bad for you, if they are good for you, then I dont mind eatin em.

Btw built, I was wondering about reducing cals. Is it individual or can you systematically reduce cals.

[Built]

What do you mean "is it individual"?

Eat as many egg yolks as you can afford the calories for. I eat one a day, with 6 whites.

[Con]

I mean is the way a person reduces cals unique to each person.
For example, would you reduce cals differently than I would, or would we do it the same way.

[PeterGriffin]

Another newb-'tard question... how do you know how much calories you should intake a day while cutting?

[Built]

You track your maintenance calories for a week, take the average, and drop it by no more than 20%.

[Built]

I mean is the way a person reduces cals unique to each person.
For example, would you reduce cals differently than I would, or would we do it the same way.

That's why I suggest dropping by a PERCENTAGE of total calories, not a flat "drop by 500" recommendation.

[Con]

I meant after your cut starts to progress, how much do you typically drop cals then.

[HILL]

Glad to see you have put this together built it was needed and you were certainly the person to write it. Your advice has certainly helped me with my cut and ive lost 24 pound upto now and am still going so the advice is gd boys as we know

[eatit]

built: i was wondering why you consistantly tell people to up their fat intake. other than fat being more filling what are it's other advantages? I know that cholesterol helps in testerone production but at what point does fat intake become dangerously low?

As of now i generally consume less than fourty grams of fat a day which i then suppliment with fish oil. I seem to be doing fine, but am i screwing myself up in the long run?

[Built]

The fat recommendation that often gets cited is "30% of total cals from fat", but this is only reasonable if you are neither bulking nor cutting and your maintenance calories reflect a metabolism that is working properly. For example, suppose I consume 30% of cals from fat while I'm on maintenance calories - for me, about 2300 a day right now.

This works out to about 75g of fat - well over the half a gram of fat per pound LBM recommendation you often see posted around here as a suggested minimum.

But suppose my metabolism is messed up from years of dieting, and my maintenance calories are only 1500 a day. Now my fats are down to 50g a day, but I still have the same LBM to feed.

Since protein is usually "dosed" toward LBM, it is reasonable to also dose the other essential macronutrient, fat, toward LBM rather than total calories consumed.

Here is a source reference for you:

Dorgan J, et al. Effects of dietary fat and fiber on plasma and urine androgens and estrogens in men: a controlled feeding study. Am J Clin Nutr 64(6): 850-855. 1996.

Con - I wait until I plateau, then drop another hundred calories OR add in 20-30 minute walks somewhere in the day to keep the cut going. I haven't managed "contest lean" yet, so I'll defer to the experts in this regard.

Hill - that's WONDERFUL news!

[BayAreaLexo]

Thanks for the information. Ive always wondered how you know so much! Read alot? You're truly a goddess(;]), keep up the good work!

[ryan-]

People are always talking about 5-6 meals a day. What are you considering a meal? Can you give me examples of your 6 meals you eat through out the day?

[Built]

M1: half dozen hardboiled egg whites with one yolk, pat of butter, salt
M2: 3/4 cup cottage cheese, tablespoon natty PB, third of an apple (fish oil)
M3: half avocado, chicken breast, romaine, half red pepper, olive oil and vinegar (fish oil)
M4: Chicken, green beans, butter melted with natural peanut butter drizzled over it, salt (fish oil)
M5: Preworkout: Protein waffle (oats, cottage cheese, eggwhite), extra cottage cheese, berries
During workout: dilute whey with dex and creatine
M6: sweet potato, steak, broccoli
M7: same as M2