Diet Advice?

Hi I'm after some advice on my diet.

I am really new to this and am still trying to figure the whole diet thing out. So any advice on my diet would be greatly appreciated because I really don't know much about what I am doing.

I am 29, 86 kilos, 6'2, about 14%BF and I am trying to gain muscle, but without putting on too much fat at the same time. I am also at the mercy of my wife when it comes to dinner, and she likes carbs and doesn't eat much meat. I am also pretty busy at work and usually eat on the run. I'm also worried I am having too much protein powder - is this particularly bad?

Thanks in advance for any advice offered, it really would be appreciated!!

Breakfast - large bowl of all bran, 300ml skim milk, 40g Optimum Nutrition

Post Workout - 40g ON and water, piece of fruit.

Morning tea - Sanitarium Up and Go and piece of fruit

Lunch - wholemeal wrap and 200g chicken, lettuce with fat free mayo

afternoon tea - 40g ON plus water

Dinner - some sort of protein (at least 40g) plus vegies and some carbs (usually rice or pasta)

Before bed - 40g ON and water.

I also have about 3 litres of water and a few cups of coffee per day


Sorry for such a long post!

Why are you at the mercy of your wife when it comes to dinner? If you can read, you can cook, and if you cook and it tastes nice she'll eat it!

To be able to grow, you need to be able to work hard under the iron. To work hard under the iron, you need energy and nutrition. Energy comes from the carbs like oats and bread and pasta and rice, nutrition comes from the fruit and vegies. To recover after the iron, you need some more carbs and some protein.

That's why I always say: eat lots of fresh fruit and vegies, nuts and beans, and some meat/fish and/or dairy. If you want to grow, have lots of starchy food like oats and so on, if you want to slim down, cut down on it.

At a glance, I would say you lack fruit and vegies. Most Aussies do! Have at least one piece of fruit at breakfast, at morning and afternoon tea, and make sure vegies cover half the plate for lunch and dinner, really piled up. Every day have a handful of nuts of some kind.

You didn't list the quantities of the food either, that makes a big difference.

You don't need 3 litres of water a day, but it won't do you any harm so if you like drinking it go ahead.

It's hard to have "too much" protein powder. Unless you have kidney disease of some kind or a family predilection for it, any excess protein you consume (from powder, meat, potatoes or anywhere) will just be pissed and pooed out.

The powder will tend to give you uncomfortably solid poo on its own, but if you have plenty of fresh fruit and vegies they'll sort that out.

Most people find they are stronger in their workouts, recover from them quicker and grow more muscle if they have their protein drinks immediately before and after the workout, rather than spread over the whole day.

Best of luck! Start a journal

Thanks for the advice Kyle. I do share the cooking, the issue with my wife is that she craves lots of carbs, especially at night time, while I would prefer not to eat too many after dinner, for the sake of harmony, I go along with her meal suggestions and cook my own chicken to go in the meals where she doesn't want meat.

You are right about the fruit and veg, I know I need to up my intake here.

Thanks again for your advice, appreciate it.

If you're eating not so much carbs after dinner just because you like that, that's fine.

If you're worried about fat gain from eating carbs/fat later in the day, that's a myth. The myth came about because people who eat big dinners tend to eat big breakfasts and big lunches, and to snack after dinner, too.

But if it's just what you like, fair enough. Just be aware that if you want to increase your overall size, you're going to have to eat more at some time of the day or another. That can be hard, I know I'm getting sick of being hungry and eating frequently, and I'm hardly a big eater by recreational bodybuilder standards.

Challs,
I've seen a lot worse diets than yours.
The morning tea meal is garbage, youd be better of with the ON whey than the up and go, better still have some meat with some sort of fats like nuts (almonds etc)

Good luck bloke.

If you're worried about fat gain from eating carbs/fat later in the day, that's a myth. The myth came about because people who eat big dinners tend to eat big breakfasts and big lunches, and to snack after dinner, too.
Wow, I had no idea! I thought this was true! It isn't why I don't like too many carbs at night (they just make me feel terrible) but thats really interesting, thanks again.

The morning tea meal is garbage, youd be better of with the ON whey than the up and go, better still have some meat with some sort of fats like nuts (almonds etc)
I thought this would get a mention... I know its crap, but just couldn't think of anything simple to replace it with. Might have to start eating some tuna and some almonds.

Thanks again for the help.