Please give me some advice on my diet. Do I need MORE, LESS?

[averageJoe]

Hello all,

I'm on my first test/deca cycle and I'm trying to eat as well as possible considering that deca isn't very forgiving about bad eating habits.
I'm currently 5'11" - 185lbs - 11-13% bf and I'm doing 5 - 6 meals a day. 6 on working out days.

My meals are the following

Working out days

1. 120gr oats + 1.5 scoop of protein
2. 170-200gr chicken + 130 gr of rice
3. 170-200gr chicken + 300gr of backed potatoes
--workout--
4. 1 apple, dextrose, maltodexrin + 1.5 scoops of protein
(about 1-1.5 hrs after)
5. 170gr chicken + 250 gr backed potatoes
6. half a glass of milk + 1 scoop of protein

Non working out days the post work out meal is same as 5.

Whad do you think guys? Does that sound good enough? Do I need more or less?
I'm a bit worried cause I'm 1.5 half weeks into my 12 week cycle and I'm starting to put on some fat or at least that's what I think.

Any help is greatly appreciated as always.

[MaxRep]

One thing that jumps out to me is you're waiting way too long after your workout to consume some protein. I've found most people make noticeably better muscle gains when consuming roughly 50 grams of protein and 50 grams of carbs within 20-30 minutes of finishing their workout.

Without taking the time to figure up the exact # of grams of protein, fat and carbs you're taking in, your diet looks about right, other than what I mentioned above.

For variety, there's nothing wrong with a mix of chicken, fish and red meat. For your carbs, the rice and potatoes are fine but you can also substitute pasta. I don't see any salad and the roughage from salads is always a good thing for colon health and regularity.

It's always best to eat a little too much when trying to put on muscle and then control your BF with the addition of a little cardio. I definitely wouldn't lessen your food quantity but would instead add 30 minutes on something like the stair climber or stationary bike 3-4x/week.

good luck,
MaxRep

[role model]

I agree with max rep 100% , it would have taken me an hourr to type all that.

[Bayou230]

Joe,
For what it's worth I did a quick analysis of your diet by using fitday.com. Had to make a lot of assumptions about what you're eating and how you prepare it, but this should get you in the ballpark.

Total calories: 2,376

Calories from fat: 11% (30g)
Calories from carbs: 36% (213g)
Calories from protein: 52% (301g)

Meals 1, 3 and 5 are your biggest calorie meals and are just about equal in value. From there, meals 4, 1, and 3 rank in order of calories consumed.

At the risk of being way off, I’m thinking you’re running a calorie deficit (burning more than you’re taking in) and it may be tough to add muscle mass at that level. Other variables include your age and activity level througout the day.

Like I said, I made a lot of quick assumptions, so I encourage you to explore a little more about your diet. Certainly, the senior members of the board have more experience with diet than me and by no means do I want to contradict their advice. Let us know what you find out.

Good luck!
B230

[averageJoe]

Originally Posted by MaxRep

One thing that jumps out to me is you're waiting way too long after your workout to consume some protein. I've found most people make noticeably better muscle gains when consuming roughly 50 grams of protein and 50 grams of carbs within 20-30 minutes of finishing their workout.

My mistake there. I meant after workout I have my shake (meal 4) and then I wait 1-1.5hrs before I have my meal. I didn't mean I have meal number 4 1-1.5hr after. My post work out shake is based on the window of opportunity found here

Originally Posted by MaxRep

For variety, there's nothing wrong with a mix of chicken, fish and red meat. For your carbs, the rice and potatoes are fine but you can also substitute pasta.

Well I like rice and potatoes I don't feel I'm missing out by not eating pasta as much.
I eat turkey instead of chicken 1-2 days a week and on a wed, a day off, I'm having a meal with grilled salmon and tuna.

I don't like red meat a lot so I might have beef the odd week.

Originally Posted by MaxRep

I don't see any salad and the roughage from salads is always a good thing for colon health and regularity.

I eat a couple of tomatoes a day, about half a cucumber and sometimes some lettuce.

Vitamins wise, I'm taking a multi-vit/mineral in the morning, and about 3x500mg vit c tablets spread out through the day and also 1 cap 150mg milk thistle.

before work out:
ZMA with NAC
----
straight after work out:
1gr of Vit C
400 i.u. of vit E
Vit B complex (50mg each apart from folic acid)
5gr glutamine
----
before bed:
50mg zinc picollinate ( I don't take zma as I might drink some milk or protein earlier)
5gr glutamine

quick question is my total Vit C intake too much ?

Originally Posted by MaxRep

I definitely wouldn't lessen your food quantity but would instead add 30 minutes on something like the stair climber or stationary bike 3-4x/week.

I'm having a hard time going to the gym more than 4 days a week as I just finished uni and I'm in crap situation at the moment as I spend most of my time moving around with interviews and stuff looking for a job, etc. etc.

And 2, I don't have any cardio equipment at home

Originally Posted by MaxRep

It's always best to eat a little too much when trying to put on muscle ...

As far as my calories I was waiting for deca to kick in before I increased my calories more.

You see I'm only 1 week in my test/deca cycle so far (500mg test/300gr deca).
I had already bought 2x10ml bottles of test prop and enough deca already so I had to start with test prop.
I wanted to do test e instead but I had bought that already and since I'm not the richest person right now I couldn't afford to save prop for some other time and get enanthate. So I stared with that and then in the following weeks I'm gonna switch to enanthate when I run out of prop.
Therefore prop has kicked in already but deca hasn't and that's why I wanted to wait a bit.

[averageJoe]

Originally Posted by Bayou230

Joe,
For what it's worth I did a quick analysis of your diet by using fitday.com. Had to make a lot of assumptions about what you're eating and how you prepare it, but this should get you in the ballpark.
...
Good luck!
B230

I will try to increase my cals as you say. I will go on fitday myself too and see how I'm doing.

thanks again

[dennis]

It's hard to keep eating the same foods over and over again..switch it up some..eat some sweet potatoes too very good with a little butter and cinnamin ! Find some sort of beef you like..can you eat chopped steak ? No cardio equipment at home ? Try jogging 30 minutes round your hood bro.I mix tuna fish with anything i can think of and eat a can of that once per day too..try it mixed with picante sauce..not too bad.

[Grizzly]

Originally Posted by averageJoe

\And 2, I don't have any cardio equipment at home



As far as my calories I was waiting for deca to kick in before I increased my calories more.

You see I'm only 1 week in my test/deca cycle so far (500mg test/300gr deca).
I had already bought 2x10ml bottles of test prop and enough deca already so I had to start with test prop.
I wanted to do test e instead but I had bought that already and since I'm not the richest person right now I couldn't afford to save prop for some other time and get enanthate. So I stared with that and then in the following weeks I'm gonna switch to enanthate when I run out of prop.
Therefore prop has kicked in already but deca hasn't and that's why I wanted to wait a bit.

1) You don't need cardio equipment. Do you live in a jungle or something? Take your happy ass outside on the hundreds of thousands of miles of pavement that you've already paid for with your tax dollars.

2) Your reasoning is faulty at best. Just eat, dude. Moreover, the deca "kicks in" the day you shoot it. It's working.