How Much Should I be Eating?

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How Much Should I be Eating?

by chris
(ft bliss tx)

ok so i am 20 years old 5ft 11in and weigh 132lbs.. i am in the army and workout twice a day.. in the morning is either cardio or like pushups and situps ect ect.. in the evening i go to the gym and lift weights for about 90min.. i used to be fat but i got in shape while i was in iraq and i have been back from iraq for about 4 months.. in that time i continued working out and keeping a strict diet.. but it has become a problem because im not eating enough.. i eat mabe 1300-1400 calories a day at the most.. according to some research i have done my bmr is 1600 calories(if i laid in bed all day thats how many calories my body would burn) and i guess my maintenance is like 3000-3100 calories... i keep on losing weight to where its probably unhealthy for my height age activity level ect.. i talked to my parents personal trainer who knows me and suggested i start a 4000 calorie a day with 40%protein 30%carbs and 30%fat.. now idk if this is the right thing to do or what.. im just worried about gaining fat and not muscle if i start eating more any help or advice would be greatly appreciated

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How Much Should I be Eating?

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How to Gain Weight... Lean Muscle not Body Fat
by: Josh -- Author WLC Program

Chris,

You are correct. You should not continue to lose weight -- you're probably starting to reach the dangerous range. I'm glad you've decided to do something about it right now. We'll get you gaining some weight back, but that weight will be good weight. We'll get you some muscle, and you won't have to worry about adding any body fat at all.

Let me ask you a few questions.

Do you workout twice per day, every day of the week? You didn't really mention whether or not you were working out each day. If so, I would definitely cut that back to 3 times per week working out. 4 times at the most. Your body needs some rest to recover from your workouts. I would also cut the workouts back to 45 to 60 minutes and add more intensity during that time and cut back on the volume.

At your height, I am guessing you should at least weigh 160 pounds. So, I would work on building muscle for about 3 months and re-assess where you are at then. Your goal should be to gain about 1 pound of muscle each week. In 3 months, you should be up to about 145 pounds. Adding 13 pounds of muscle to your frame will not only help you feel better, but you'll look much better too.

Okay, now let's talk about how much you should be eating. I do not recommend that you go straight up to 4000 calories per day. I recommend you find your starting calorie intake using our 'calorie intake calculator' here at Weight Lifting Complete.

Calorie Intake Calculator

If I put your body weight in at an estimated 10% body fat percentage and a very high activity level, you should be eating about 2900 calories to build muscle. So I would take a week to raise your calories to 2900 since you are only eating 1300 or so right now. Maybe do this:

Start at 1600 and raise by 200 each day until you get to 2900 or so.

I always recommend 30% protein, 50% carbohydrates, and 20% fat for people who are just starting to follow my recommendations.

So for 2900 calories, you would eat:
218 grams Protein
363 grams Carbohydrates
64 grams of Fat

And I only recommend the best sources of food. You can download my best sources of food quick reference guide right here:

Best Food Sources

From there, you can monitor your weight gain on a weekly basis and use body fat calipers to monitor your body fat. If you aren't gaining weight, use the results from that calorie intake calculator to raise to the next muscle building calorie level.

And of course, I am always here if you need help or have any questions. Just comment back to this response if you have any further questions about this.

Hope this helps you Chris. And thank you very, very much for your service to this country. We really can't thank you enough.

Warm regards,
Josh

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reply
by: Anonymous

im at 5-6% body fat not 10 sorry i forgot to mention that.. and yes monday thru friday i workout twice a day and then i take sat off and resume on sunday

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3000 Calories Is a Good Starting Point
by: Josh -- Author WLC Program

If you are 5 percent body fat, I would start out around 3000 calories at muscle building level 1.

Then monitor your results on a weekly basis.

Every Sunday or Monday morning, weigh yourself as soon as you wake up. If you do not have body fat calipers, measure your waist each morning also. If your waist increases, you are probably gaining a little bit of fat.

Increase the calories on a weekly basis as needed to continue gaining weight and muscle.

But I really would cut back the number of workouts per week. You don't have to cut back forever... I just think your body needs more rest after working it so hard for so long. Seriously, your body will reward you by giving it more rest. You will end up looking better by resting more. Your body grows out of the gym... not inside the gym.

Use the gym to provide your body with the proper muscle building stimulus. This means you should always strive to lift heavier weights each workout.

Then give your body the rest it needs and the food it needs to grow from that workout.

Eat only the best sources of food. One meal every 3 hours. Every meal should be balanced with the foods I provided in that quick reference guide. Essential fats are a must. Do not be scared to eat good fats. They will only help you.

Does that help?

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thank you
by: Chris

thank you for the much needed advice.. the only question i have is this.. im goin to be working out at around 4pm or 5pm at the gym today... now at 730am i had a packet of kashi go lean oats.. 150calories 2fat and 23-27carbs and then i had 3 eggwhites and one whole egg.. that was breakfast.. my next meal should be now or in about half an hour.. what should i have.. i have heard not to mix carbs with a lot of healthy fats or whatever so im not sure what to eat and when to eat it... well i know like lean meat brown rice oats and veggies for carbs and protein but as far as healthy fats i have all natural peanut butter.. but once again i have heard not to mix fats with carbs so idk what to eat the peanut butter with.. also... when should i stop eating carbs

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Muscle Building Meal Plan
by: Josh -- Author WLC Program

You can mix healthy fats and healthy carbs. The combination is never going to hurt you unless you eat a ton of each at a single sitting. And I doubt you're going to do that.

Here's how I would eat during the day if I were you...

Simply use the Best Food Sources Guide at the link below in combination with this:

Muscle Building Meal Plan

That should really help you out. Let me know what you think... those guides are great and I use them myself all the time to make sure I stay on track. Print those two guides out and use them in combination.

Also, make sure to sign up for the WLC Newsletter if you haven't already... sign up at the upper right there. I give more free stuff out in that Newsletter. Getting ready to release the First Issue of 2010 later today.

Hope this helps.

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reply
by: chris

thank you that actually helps out a whole lot... simple carbs for pre and post workout would be something like fruit right?? and i heard that people mix in oats with their protein shake before workout or after workout.. what are your thoughts on that?

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Post Workout Carbs
by: Josh -- Author WLC Program

Actually, here is the priority I personally recommend for simple carbs pre and post workout:

1) Waxy Maize Corn Starch
2) Dextrose
3) Dextrose/Maltodextrin Mix
4) Grape Juice, Tang, or Sugary Liquid

Any sugary drink will work pre and post workout.

Yes, I highly recommend mixing whey protein with oats, but I would save that for breakfast or when you need another quick, liquid meal. I would rather the carbs be simple and sugary. Oats do not fit that profile, but they are not a bad option at all if you don't have simple carbs available.

Oats are one of my favorite carbohydrates for gaining muscle. Actually, I use a coffee grinder to grind up the oats and mix them with whey and a good source of fat such as fish oil for a great muscle building meal. I use that combo when I need a quick meal and in a time crunch.

Most other times... except for pre/post workout, I recommend whole food unless you are in a time crunch. Whey is a good choice when you need a fast acting protein like before and after a workout.

If you're wondering what or where you can get any of the above supplements I recommend, you can learn more about each at the following links:

Whey Protein

Waxy Maize Corn Starch

Shaker Bottle

BCAA's

But I always tell people... you don't NEED supplements to make great progress. Whole food is powerful. But, I do recommend supplements before and after a workout because they are faster acting and reach the muscles much faster than whole food can... simply because it takes a lot longer for your body to digest whole food.

The rest of the day, though... Whole food is the number one choice.

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replyt
by: Chris

Ok thanks I appreciate it... Would a pb sandwhich be a good mid afternoon snack before my pre workout shake?

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How Long Before Your Workout?
by: Josh -- Author WLC Program

How long before your workout would you have the peanut butter sandwich?

It needs to be natural peanut butter, whole grain bread... and you need a good protein source with that too. Contrary to popular belief, peanut butter is not a good source of protein. It's a good source of essential fats, but it doesn't have much protein.

A turkey sandwich would be a much better choice with some almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds or some type of essential fat. And have the meal at least an hour before your pre workout shake.

If you really want the peanut butter sandwich... I would add a whey protein shake or some other type of lean protein source to the meal.

Does that help?

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thank you
by: chris

ya that helps thanks

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how bout this
by: chris

ok i know this sounds really disgusting.. however i like trying new things.. so whole grain bread with peanut butter and tuna?? would that be a sufficient enough protein source? and the sandwhich would be like 2-3 hours before the pre workout shake

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Let Me Know If You Need Anything Else
by: Josh -- Author WLC Program

As always, let me know if you need anything else. Keep me updated with your progress. I would love to hear about your weight and muscle gain over the next few weeks and months. I'm here to help if you need it.

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Sorry... Must Have Added Comment At Same Time
by: Josh -- Author WLC Program

Yes, that will work just fine...

Not sure how it will taste, but let me know how that goes.

Never tried peanut butter and tuna. I have heard that cottage cheeses and tuna mixed together is very good... so maybe give that a shot if you'd like. Cottage cheese is a good source of protein.

Actually, the peanut butter mixed with tuna might not be that bad now that I think of it... the peanut butter will probably override the tuna taste. Not sure, though.

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alright
by: chris

ya ill let you know how it tastes. haha i love tuna and i love cottage cheese.. ive been trying to get creative so its not the same thing all the time.. tuna with hot sauce.. tuna in an egg white omellette.. you name it i have prolly tried it

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sorry
by: chris

sorry yet again i forgot another question... as you already know i am in the army.. during the week i have to get up at 515 to conduct physical fitness training at 615... pushups situps ect ect or cardio.. this morning i woke up starving and didnt know what i should eat so i had a few raspberries.. didnt really help but ya.. lol what if anything should i eat.. i dont get to breakfast till about 730am

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Whey Protein, Oats, Fruit
by: Josh -- Author WLC Program

If you have any whey protein, I would have the following for a quick breakfast:

1) Whey Protein
2) Oats
3) Milk
4) Banana/Other Fruit
5) Walnuts

You can grind and blend it all together if you want. Stick it in your protein shaker bottle and drink it down right quick.

You need something in your belly within about 30 minutes of waking up and especially before you exercise in the morning if you are going a few hours before eating.

If you have more time, I would fix a few whole eggs, 1/2 cup oatmeal, a piece of fruit, and a few nuts. Any type of berry is great too, but you need more than just the berries.

Every meal you have should be balanced. Protein, Carbs, and Fats. Have the fruits in the first half of the day and start eating more veggies the latter part of the day. Veggies are very, very important... don't forget them.

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i love veggies
by: chris

that shouldnt be a problem.. i love veggies... now this is prolly a dumb question but i have a pint of ice cream.. its ben and jerry's low fat frozen yogurt.. with cookie dough and fudge... for 1/2 cup it has 180 calories 3fat 1.5sat fat 35 carbs and 4gram protein.. when (if any) would i be able to have some.. i know i am eating healthy and all but just wondering if this was relativly healthy

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Cheat Meals
by: Josh -- Author WLC Program

Actually, it's fine to have a cheat meal every once in a while. As long as you don't let it get out of hand, it's okay.

Many people have trouble controlling their cravings and a cheat meal only makes those cravings worse. It leads to them cheating more and more and letting it really get out of hand.

For those type of people, I don't recommend that they have cheat meals at all.

For people who don't let things get out of control, cheat meals are fine and can even help. A strategic cheat meal during fat loss cycles or carb cycling (advanced technique discussed in WLC Program) can really kick start the metabolism and help people burn even more fat.

So, if you really want to have that ice cream... Just schedule a cheat meal for once a week and have whatever you want to eat in that meal. And then go straight back to eating healthy every meal.

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sushi?
by: chris

would sushi be considered a "cheat" like a cali roll or a spicy tuna roll?

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According to WLC Program Standards
by: Josh -- Author WLC Program

Yes, I personally classify most sushi that you would have at a restaurant or gorcery store as a cheat food. The white rice and mayo combination makes it a cheat food. If they didn't have the bad mayo, they really wouldn't be too bad. If you were making your own sushi, you could definitely make it very healthy, but most sushi you find is not very healthy but it's definitely not the worst thing you could eat.

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carb cycling
by: chris

im planning on doing cardio in the evening for about 35-40 min so im cutting carbs way down to shock my body into fat loss.. is this wise.. and how low should i cut carbs down to?? i was planning on only taking in about 50-70 carbs... id still eat veggies

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Focus on Building Muscle
by: Josh -- Author WLC Program

Chris,

I would definitely, definitely NOT cut down your carbs at all.

I wouldn't even give it a thought.

You are already at 5% body fat and are under weight. You should be focusing on building muscle and gaining weight only. I only recommend the minimum amount of cardio for you which is at most 4 sessions per week at about 30 minutes. I would only do 3 if I were you.

Focus on weight lifting and gaining weight each week. Do not worry about fat loss right now. Focus on building muscle.

Once you build a lot more muscle... the fat will come off even easier anyway. So please don't worry about fat loss right now and definitely don't cut out the carbs. Good carbs are great for building muscle.

Carbs are the preferred fuel source for your body. And you definitely need them for your workouts and all the other activity that you do. Your strength will increase much faster... try using fat for fuel and you probably won't make any progress at all in the gym. Eat natural sources of carbs as given on that Quick Reference Guide, work on gaining 1 pound per week, make progress each weight lifting workout, and you won't have to worry about gaining anything but muscle mass.

Your body fat percentage may even go down because you will be gaining muscle while not gaining fat... this means you'll have even more muscle mass compared to the body fat that you have.

But please, do not cutout the carbs. If you want to gain some weight, you MUST have the carbs.

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too much?
by: Chris

I'm just worried that I'm eating maybe too many carbs and don't want to gain fat.... For breakfast I have a serving of kashi go lean oats which has 23g of carbs and then 4 egg whites and maybe a glass of skim milk.... between that and lunch ill have a serving and a half of tuna with 2 egg whites and for lunch ill have a 98% lean ground beef burger either with brown rice and veggies or on a whole wheat bun... After lunch and before my pre workout shake ill have a tuna sandwhich on whole wheat double fiber bread and each slice has 19g of carbs and then my pre workout consists of one scoop whey and some organic no addeff sugar apple sauce post shake is 2 scoops whey and then for dinner ill have a chicken drumstick no skin with lots of veggies and then I have a casein shake before bed

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Not Enough Carbs
by: Josh -- Author WLC Program

I would say that you aren't eating enough to gain muscle right now. I would definitely add carbs directly after your workout with your protein shake.

You must have carbs with that protein shake post workout. That is a very crucial time period for carbs... your body needs them most right then to replenish your glycogen stores that you just used up completely. Your body instead tries to use the protein and the protein isn't being used for building muscle... in other words, you are wasting your protein shake unless you add some simple carbs with that post workout.

Trsut me here... don't be afraid of carbohydrates. The general poulation is scared because they think they will make you fat. That is a HUGE lie. HUGE. HUGE. HUGE LIE.

Just take my advice for a month and eat more carbs. Stick to the good ones. See if you don't start gaining strength faster in the gym and building muscle much easier. Watch... it works!

And your last meal before bed is fine... I would only eat veggies with that last meal too... You don't have to have a lot of starchy carbs then.

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hows this meal plan
by: Chris

breakfast: 1 serving of kashi go lean/oatbran or 1/2 oatmeal. and 4 egg whites

between breakfast and lunch: 1-2 servings of tuna with 2 egg whites

Lunch: 98% lean ground beef burger on a whole wheat bun or 1 serving of oats. and veggies

Between lunch and pre workout shake: 1-2 servings of tuna on 1 piece of organice double fiber whole weat bread

pre work out: 1 scoop whey with a serving of the applesauce.

post workout: 2 scoops whey..(i dont have any simple carbs except for apple sauce and pineapple tidbits in pineapple sauce) maybe some oats?

post workout meal:chicken drumstick no skin with veggies

pre bed:casein shake with 30g of protein..

any tweaks that you would make? should i do something different on cardio days?

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Muscle Building Meal Plan
by: Josh -- Author WLC Program

breakfast: 1 serving of kashi go lean/oatbran or 1/2 oatmeal. and 4 egg whites

Have 2 whole eggs and 2 egg whites. You are seriously shorting yourself on essential fats. I'm not even sure you're getting hardly any fat in your diet at all. You need essential fats and even a little bit of saturated fat.

Every single meal should include essential fats. Fats to a ton of good things for your body. If you stick to mainly essential fats, you will never get fat from eating fat.

Add a piece of fruit to this meal also. Banana, apple, orange, grapefruit, berries, etc.

between breakfast and lunch: 1-2 servings of tuna with 2 egg whites

You need to add some carbohydrates to this meal also. Have a piece of fruit here again along with some natural starchy carb like a potato or some beans. You are eating low carb and low fat which is very bad. Your body is probably using all the protein you are eating for energy.

Lunch: 98% lean ground beef burger on a whole wheat bun or 1 serving of oats. and veggies

This meal is good.

Between lunch and pre workout shake: 1-2 servings of tuna on 1 piece of organice double fiber whole weat bread

Add a tomato and spinach leaves or romaine lettuce to the sandwich. Cucumber slices would work too. Have some carrots on the side along with some type of nut: some peanuts, almonds, walnuts, seeds, etc.

pre work out: 1 scoop whey with a serving of the applesauce.

Good.

post workout: 2 scoops whey..(i dont have any simple carbs except for apple sauce and pineapple tidbits in pineapple sauce) maybe some oats?

Oats will work here.

post workout meal:chicken drumstick no skin with veggies

Can you add a potato here? Everything else is good.

pre bed:casein shake with 30g of protein.

Add a few veggies to this meal too along with a small amount of essential fats. A small scoop of natural peanut butter on some celery would work. The fiber from the veggies and the fats help slow digestion down even more and gives you an even slower release of protein through the night.

any tweaks that you would make? should i do something different on cardio days?

On cardio days, I would make the second post workout meal with the drumstick... a much bigger meal. Have a balanced meal with lean protein, starchy carbs, veggies, and essential fats. Salmon, brown rice, beans, and some steamed brocolli would be perfect.

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thanks
by: chris

ok thanks that helps.. i apologize for all these questions.. i just wanna make sure im doin it right.. now on cardio days should i keep the pre work out shake with the one scoop of whey and applesauce? or should i do something different.. and with the post shake after cardio should i keep it at 2 scoops whey and some oats or should i change that since its cardio and not weight lifting

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Skip the Pre and Post Workout Meals for Cardio
by: Josh -- Author WLC Program

I would not have the pre or post workout shake after cardio.

I would continue with your regularly scheduled meals, but I would make the meal after your cardio session balanced with protein, carbs, and fat.

If you were going to eat similarly to the weight lifting workout day, I would have the drumstick, potato, veggies, and some essential fats like a romaine lettuce salad with extra virgin olive oil as the dressing.

So, you would simply skip the pre and post workout meals on cardio days and make the meal after your cardio a more balanced meal. This is assuming you do your cardio at the same time as your weight training workout. Do you see what I mean?

And no problem on the questions. That's what I'm here for... Just hope this is helping you.

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reply
by: chris

Yes this is helping me very much... So on cardio days I only do cardio...your saying to skip the shake before and after so should I have anything before I do cardio? And also I don't have potatoes would brown rice oats or white rice be ideal? Currently all I have for essential fats is pb2 powdered peanut butter and eggs

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Before and After Cardio
by: Josh -- Author WLC Program

Just have your regular meals... no pre or post workout shake for cardio. The simple sugars will be used as energy during cardio. You want to use cardio to burn fat as much as possible. That's why I say no pre and post workout shake for cardio. You have them for your weight training workouts because your goal is to build muscle with them.

Brown rice is great. Oats are great. White rice isn't so great.

Peanut butter is good. Eggs are good with the yolk. I would try to get some walnuts or some variety of nuts and seeds if possible. Also, fish oil capsules and flax oil capsules are great too. Get them if you can. You need some omega 3 fats in your diet. Walnuts, fish oil, and flax oil will give you that.

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alright thanks
by: chris

thanks for the info.. i feel really bad tho.. for dinner i had 2 small chicken drumsticks some zucchini in a romain salad and then for some reason i decided to have a couple spoons of ice cream.. it was the low fat one i was talking about earlier.. i feel really guilty about this but im not gonna take my casein shake tonight so hopefully taking away those calories the ice cream hopefully didnt do much damage i hope.. i really dont know why i ate some ice cream

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No Stressing Out
by: Josh -- Author WLC Program

Chris,

The stress you are adding by worrying about it is doing more than the actual ice cream. You needed the extra calories anyway so don't stress out about it. I guarantee that ice cream didn't add any extra fat to your body.

Here's the thing... You are very scared of putting body fat on or at least that's what it sounds like. If you are ever going to gain some muscle, you've got to get rid of that fear. Trust me, even if you put on some body fat... it comes off very fast. It's not the end of the world if you gain some fat.

It's easy to get rid of so don't be so scared to put some on... I'm not syaing you should try to gain fat or that it's good for you. I am telling you this because you're going to have to start eating a lot more to build muscle. Seriously... it takes a lot of food to build muscle.

I have been sick of eating so much food before while trying to build muscle. And guess what? I didn't get fat. So please... take this advice and don't be scared of gaining a little fat. That's the only way you're going to put on some quality muscle mass.

Just try eating a lot more for a while. You'll see that you aren't getting fat and that you are starting to build some muscle.

But please don't stress out about any food. Just get better the next day. What's done is done. You can't do anything about it so don't worry. All you can do is get better the next day, and that's today. That's right now.

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im trying
by: chris

thank you for the advice.. sometimes its just hard to eat more.. not because im not hungry but because like you said, i have a fear of getting fat.. i used to be 200lbs right before i joined the army so it is def a fear of mine to be like that again.. and in my mind i know that cant happen with how active i am but none the less.. the fear is still somewhat there... now i have a problem.. starting tomorrow or the day after tomorrow my platoon is going on a field trainig excersize... basically we go out into like a base camp or something and sleep in tents or buildings.. we will be doing this for 2 weeks.. which means i wont be able to go to the gym for 2 weeks.. and im pretty sure we are gonna be eating MRE's... idk i fyou know what those are but basically pre packaged meals that are prolly the worst thing for someone to eat if trying to eat healthy... either that or we will be having meals brought to us.. but it will always have some kind of pasta gravy and meat and vegies.. any advice on how i can eat somewhat healthy during those 2 weeks?? im bringing some speacial k 90 calorie bars, some canned tuna and a few packages of beef jerkey with preety low fat and almost no carbs??anything else i should bring

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Whey Protein, Tuna, Oats, Nuts, and Beef Jerky
by: Josh -- Author WLC Program

Yes, you know deep down that you'll never let yourself get that way again. I was in the same situation myself 10 years ago. I weighed 220 pounds or so of all fat at 5'11". I got down to 155 or so and started looking too skinny. I wasn't scared of getting fat because I knew I could control it. I got back up to 240 pounds of all muscle. I could never have done that if I were scared of gaining fat. I gained some fat along the way, but no where near like I had before. And I easily got rid of it too.

I would try a mixture of whey protein, oats, and nuts if possible. Grind up the oats and put them in the whey protein. Beef jerky is great too. Canned tuna is good also. If you add some nuts, oats, and whey you will be eating very well out there. You should be able to pack that up pretty well I would think. And remember to drink plenty of water too. I wouldn't really eat the bars... they are not very good for you. Instead of the bars... have some nuts and seeds. Much, much better for you.

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awesome
by: Chris

I'm slowly getting over the fear I just gotta work at it... Ya I was planning on not eating anything that they provide us cuz it will be greasy and horrible for you... Well if they serve decent chicken ill have a piece but I guess I'm gonna pack a huge bag of oatmeal now... Got plenty of tuna and beef jerkey just gotta get some nuts...

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Let Me Know How Everything is Going
by: Josh -- Author WLC Program

Hey Chris,

Let me know how everything goes for you. Keep me updated as much as possible. Any more questions, just let me know.

Warm regards,
Josh

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nutritionist
by: chris

so the army made me go see a nutritionist today... she told me to cut back on my protein intake cuz high protein damages my kidneys or somethin like that.. anyway basically she said i need to do 60% carbs 15-20% protein and 10% fat... im not gonna follow it.. unless you recommend it.. anyway she weighed me at 133 and said my bmi was less than 19 and that im under weight.. currently i am eating a tuna sandwhich on whole weat double fiber bread with romain lettuce on it and diced tomatoes.. good?

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Drink Plenty of Water
by: Josh Tapp -- Author WLC Program

Yeah, a lot of nutritionists learn the same thing and repeat the same thing over and over and over. And many of the things they repeat and learn are myths.

You need to be drinking at least a gallon of water per day with a high protein intake and you need to be working out, which you already are... correct? Weight lifting requires you to eat more protein than the normal diet that most nutritionists recommend.

If people don't want to build muscle and want to look like all the other people out there with fat bellies, then follow what the nutritionist tells you. What we tell people to eat is MUCH healthier and better than anything I've ever seen a nutritionist recommend... that's the truth.

But we design diets for people who lift weights and exercise hard... like you.

Sorry... I get a little upset hearing what nutritionists and doctors recommend sometimes... it's ridiculous sometimes. They tell someone who is active and lifting weights to eat the same as an 85 year old person who does nothing all day.

And the BMI is a ridiculous measure of anything. Anyone who uses it, is seriously out of date. But I do agree that you are under weight... but not because the BMI says so. The BMI tells me I am fat and obese. And guess what? I am far, far from that.

But seriously... you do need to gain weight as you already know... that's why you came to me.

Millions of people eat high protein diets. You just need to drink more water than usual.

Maybe you messed up writing it here, but if she told you to eat 15-20% Protein, 60% Carbs, and 10% Fat ask her where the other 10-15% happens to be? It must add up to 100%.

Yes, what you are eating is good, but you MUST add some fat to your diet. That's what you are seriously missing. Look at the fat sources on the Best Food Sources and pick some up at the grocery. Remember, nuts and seeds are great sources of fat. Start adding them to most of your meals. If you can afford fish oil, get some of that too.

How many calories have you been eating each day? Have you been keeping track of it or do you have a good idea? Also, make sure to weigh yourself each week... and start eating more if you do not gain weight.

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reply
by: Chris

Haha ya she was starting to piss me off too... Well so far with my after workout shake and casein shake I'm at 1200 calories

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breakfast question
by: chris

so on the weekend the gym opens at 9am and usually i get up at eith 7 or 8 and go at 11... for breakfast ill have 1/2 cup quaker oat bran(sometimes with a scoop of whey) and some fruit.. or if i dont add the whey scoop ill have a serving of cottage cheese with some fruit mixed in.. would this be a good breakfast? and would i need to consume anything before going to the gym if i go at 11? if so would it just be the whey and apple sauce? and if i decide to just go to the gym at 9 but wake up at say 730 would the oat bran with whey and fruit be sufficient

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Make Sure You Reach 2900 Calories Each Day
by: Josh Tapp -- Author WLC Program

Did you reach 2900 calories yesterday? You have to consistently keep track of the calories you are eating and making sure you are reaching 2900 calories each day. If you do not, adjust the next day until you are making it each day. This is the only way you will start gaining weight -- to consistently eat more food.

That's a good breakfast but once gain, you are missing the essential fats. Chris, you've got to realize how important fat is to your diet.

Would you like to know what essential fats do for you? Look here:

- Improves joint health
- Improves skin texture
- Burns fat more efficiently
- Prevents heart disease
- Improves sensitivity to insulin meaning you burn more fat
- Increased absorption of fat soluble vitamins
- Required for transfer of oxygen
- Maintains cell membranes
- Increases anabolic environment
- Increases metabolism
- Suppresses cortisol (which you badly need)
- Relieves arthritis pain
- Relieves inflammation
- Relieves digestive disorders
- Fights cancer
- Blocks migraine headache symptoms

And guess what? That's not even close to all the benefits they provide. Please, you've got to add some fat to your diet.

Now onto your other questions about pre workout. Always have the whey and applesauce before your workout. Always. Even it's been only an hour since you last ate.

Please work on adding fat into your diet. Essential fats are named that because they are essential to your body and your health. You NEED them. They will not make you fat. Your body uses them for many other purposes. They will never be used to add body fat to your body.

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reply
by: chris

alright i will try... idk why but its just so hard for me to eat essential fats cuz in my mind ill get fat... i know thats not the case so im gonna go buy a container of almonds.. ill try to get salt free or lightly salted... any recomendations?

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almonds
by: chris

ok so i finally bought some almonds... blue diamond almonds whole natural with no sodium.. for 1 oz.. it has 160 calories 14g total fat 1g sat fat 3 net carbs and 6g protein... now when should i eat these and how many a day would be ok and what do i eat these with?

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food so far
by: chris

ok so i totaled up everything i have eaten so far today and so far i have consumed 825 calories 107.5grams of protein 65 grams of carbs 11.0 grams of fat and 3.5 saturated fat.. i ate last at 1130am so my next meal will prolly be 145pm.. but idk what to eat.. i dont think im gonna make it to even 2000 calories today :( i might have to go to subway to add some calories maybe?? also how many grams of saturated fat is ok to eat cuz 3.5 seems like its kinda high sorry about these multiple posts, i keep forgetting things to ask

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Try This With the Almonds
by: Josh -- Author WLC Program

You need essential fats with every meal that you eat except with the pre and post workout meals.

So, try having 1/2 serving of almonds with every meal starting out. Trust me... they won't make you fat. Almonds are a great choice -- I just had some with my lunch.

Great job on getting the almonds. That's the first step... proud of you. You did a good job picking out the type too.

Once you become accustomed to the almonds, you might try alternating a few different types of nuts. Variety is good. Then your body gets all the different benefits from different types of food. Maybe try some sunflower seeds next.

Remember, you are trying to get about 60 grams of fat each day. Each 1/2 serving of almonds gives you 7 or 8 grams. Plus, the naturally occurring fats in the meats you eat. Your body also needs a small amount of saturated fats so don't be scared to have a little saturated fat either.

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Saturated Fat Intake
by: Josh -- Author WLC Program

Chris,

I always recommend that you keep saturated fat intake below 10% of the total amount of calories that you are eating.

Since you are trying to get 2900 calories a day right now...

2900 x 0.10 = 290 calories from saturated fat

(290 calories) / (9 calories / gram) = 32 grams

So, you should always keep the total amount of saturated fat in your diet when taking in 2900 calories to 32 grams or less.

So, you are fine at 3.5 grams of saturated fat.

Keep working hard each day to eat more and get those calories up. You really need to work on this. Keep up the good work. The almonds will really help you out too.

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when should i cut out carbs like potatoe rice and oats
by: Anonymous

ok so far only 90 carbs today... and its 430pm.. if i plan on going to bed at 1230am or 1am and i already worked out today when should i cut those carbs from oats and rice and potatoes out

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Carb Cutoff for Muscle Building Plan
by: Josh -- Author WLC Program

Chris,

I recommend that you stop eating starchy carbs about 3 hours before bed time...

So 9:30 to 10:00 PM for today.

You can still have fibrous veggies before bed.

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