Opinions/Comments appreciated

[napoleon]

Ok so here is my situation, Ive been working out for some time now and never really hit the goals I wanted to. I like to think I have a good lifting routine, but I feel I always lacked in nutrtion/supplements to really get to my goals. Ive been reading on here for some time and THINK I have it together pretty well. I schemed out this setup and have been at it for about 2 weeks, but I been wanting to ask if its a step in the right direction to my goals in case Im wasting my time.

I was hoping to get comments or opinions on what everyone thinks of what I have planned for my meals and my supplement routine. I realize my biggest issue is what I eat, because of my job and where I live now its kinda tough for me to plan out a week of meals correctly and have a perfect diet.

Welllll, Im 5'10" 190lbs and via calipers the trainer at the gym said I was at about 17% body fat.
What I want to do is get to around 10%bf and stay around 180-190lbs.

Now for breakfast I usually eat either a wheat bagel and plain cream cheese, or a nutri-grain bar and some green tea at around 7am, at 10am I have a decent handful of wheat thins/triscuits or a light yogurt cup with granola. At around 12:30 I have a good size turkey and swiss sandwich on whole grain bread. At around 4 I have an apple. At around 5:30 or 6, a half hour before working out I have a shake with 1 scoop of protein, 1 tsp of creatine, and a 1/4 cup of maltodextrin. After I get home from the gym, I have a shake with one scoop of protein, 1 tsp of creatine, 1/4 cup of maltodextrin, and 1/2 tsp of L-glutamine. After about a month of that shake mix I planned on backing off the creatine to 1/2 tsp and maintaining the rest. Now after I get home from the gym I try to have about 1/2 cup of cottage cheese, or cheddar cheese and crackers or some tuna and crackers. I go with this routine when I lift, sunday, tues, and thurs. If I have the time I go in for cardio 45min to 1 hour on the eliptical or treadmill monday and wednesday. On my off days from lifting my diet stays the same up until my apple. For dinner I like to have a chicken burrito bowl from chipotle, 2 or 3 plain tacos from taco bell or a coldcut subway sandwich.

Now one question I have is, how counter productive to my diet is a little bit of sugar, I like to have 2 or 3 small packs of sugar with my tea, or a handful of skittles, I know its bad, but sugar is a massive vice of mine and Ive been really trying to ease myself off of it, but I cant cold turkey I just do a little less every week.

I know what Im eating isnt the most ideal but I kinda have to work with my situation. Is my diet that wrong for my goals?

Once again, comments, opinions are very much encouraged and appreciated, I was hoping to be beach ready by next spring, Im realistic Im trying to give myself plenty of time

Thanks

[gYmgIrL]

I think your diet sounds really well planned out!

I also think that that small amount of sugar wont make too much of a difference, besides keeping your sanity is one of the hardest parts of being on a really strict diet! so little pleasurable things sometimes help in that sort of a way

You said that you've never really reached your goal, I just wanna make sure your goals are staying in one spot and you're not doing what i do and just setting your goal further away the closer you get to it.

You seem really dedicated and awesome and I'm sure you can achieve whatever you want to!!

[napoleon]

Well after trying to get on my routine its been a little over 2 months, and I have some questions.

From my initial post I have pretty much kept up with my supplement routine, I have deviated a bit with my eating though. My meals have been close to planned, aside from a friday or saturday night dinner out on the town that makes me stray a bit.

I try to keep on my exercise routine and get into the gym about 3 days a week, I havent really been doing cardio just lifting as heavy as I can safetly.

My first month I seen an improvement in strength and a noticeable increase in size. But after a while it seems like any size gains have been tapering off, I dont do the same exercises in order for more than 2 weeks. Chest for example is 3 sets of 8-6-4 or however many I can do of incline, decline, flat, mixing between dumbells, barbells and smith machine. Then cable flys incline/decline 3x12 and MAYBE a drop set or 2 on a hammer strength machine if Im not too worn out.

I was wondering if its got something to do with a lack of calories that I havent been gaining size. My weight have been fluctuating between 194 and 198 I wanted to keep around 2500 calories. I know its difficult to try to gain size and but decrease body fat at the same time. Its really demotivational to me when I cant see any definition of the muscles that I work. Im still really gunnning for around 170/180lbs @10%bf, not too far fetched of a goal?

For the most my diet has been a cup of light dannon yogurt with granola, or plain wheat bagel for breakfast, mid snack is a handful of sunchips or honey wheat pretzels. Lunch is a good size turkey and swiss sandwitch on wheat, snack is a apple. A shake consisting of 1 scoop whey, 1 tsp creatine, 1/2 cup maltodextrin, half hour before workout. Post workout 1 scoop whey, 1/2 cup malotdextrin, 1tsp creatine, 1tsp l-glutamine, and on occasion a chipotle burrito or chicken taco from taco bell.

Im wondering if my weekend habits are really that counter productive to my weekday regimine. I dont eat TOO terrible but I do have a cocktail or 6 on a saturday night with a nice steak dinner, I dont do beer too often, mostly mixers with vodka, cranberry juice, tonic etc.

Kinda just looking for personal experience opinions, I know the drinks and big dinners on the weekend arent good for me physically but they help out with my state of mind.

Thanks again

[Hans_Rachid]

Well, on one side you want to lose twenty pounds, and on the other you're trying to "gain size"; it does sound like your goals are counterproductive to one another. For your size, consuming 2500 Cal isn't going to make you gain much (muscle) weight, or any weight for that matter.

I think you should concentrate on your fat loss goal, because if your goal is to weigh 175 lbs at 10% bf, I suppose your current body fat is over 20%, and your muscle gains won't be as obvious as if you were more defined. Sometimes looking big is more about weighing less than more !

Originally Posted by napoleon

For the most my diet has been a cup of light dannon yogurt with granola, or plain wheat bagel for breakfast, mid snack is a handful of sunchips or honey wheat pretzels. Lunch is a good size turkey and swiss sandwitch on wheat, snack is a apple. A shake consisting of 1 scoop whey, 1 tsp creatine, 1/2 cup maltodextrin, half hour before workout. Post workout 1 scoop whey, 1/2 cup malotdextrin, 1tsp creatine, 1tsp l-glutamine, and on occasion a chipotle burrito or chicken taco from taco bell.

Don't you eat a diner ?

[napoleon]

Originally Posted by Hans_Rachid

Well, on one side you want to lose twenty pounds, and on the other you're trying to "gain size"; it does sound like your goals are counterproductive to one another. For your size, consuming 2500 Cal isn't going to make you gain much (muscle) weight, or any weight for that matter.

I think you should concentrate on your fat loss goal, because if your goal is to weigh 175 lbs at 10% bf, I suppose your current body fat is over 20%, and your muscle gains won't be as obvious as if you were more defined. Sometimes looking big is more about weighing less than more !




Don't you eat a diner ?

Thanks for the reply. For the most part I know better but Im just in such a screwed up schedule with work and whatnot I have a hard time following a routine.

Ideally I wanted to drop some of the fat around my midsection and overall slim down so I can actually see any gains so thats kinda why I been trying to eat a bit less, I figured I come down in weight a bit but no matter what I do I cant get it under 190.

Im gonna probally chill out on the supplements for awhile and see if I can lose some gut.

Sorry I didnt mention the dinner. Its kinda all over the place on what I eat, today it was pasta and chicken, not the best but its whats at home.

[wildstang]

as mentioned by hans, you need to pick one goal at a time. its nearly impossible to obtain both at the same time. the weight issue seems more on your mind so id go with more cardio and still keep a decent protein content in the diet to mantain mass while cutting. lose the creatine or expect to see slower results do to its tendency to hold more water in your body. with good diet and some running or HIIT and as much cardio as can fit in youll see results.