[TSiggs]

So I've had no problems finding easy to prepare healthy meals for breakfast and dinner, but I'm struggling to find good lunch options. Basically trying to lean out a bit. Any suggestions? Trying to stay away from too many carbs and processed food, though I'm not on a no carb diet. Any suggestions are appreciated!

[OMID INC]

egg whites. i eat them breakfast lunch and dinner, with other stuff of course. some carbs are good to help digest the protein, but not a lot.

filling up on egg whites help out a lot.

[E90SoFlo]

Don't eat lunch, supplement it with a protein shake or a granola bar.

[Express]

chik fil a

[OMID INC]

Originally Posted by E90SoFlo

Don't eat lunch, supplement it with a protein shake or a granola bar.

thats a good idea too.

Originally Posted by express705

chik fil a

love chick fil a!

[Quick6EF]

One meal doesnt matter in the whole scheme of things - its your daily intake that matters.

How do your other meals look? Do you actually know your caloric intake?

[TSiggs]

Originally Posted by Quick6EF

One meal doesnt matter in the whole scheme of things - its your daily intake that matters.

How do your other meals look? Do you actually know your caloric intake?

Breakfast as of late has mostly been non-fat yogurt with fresh fruit and kashi go lean cereal or low sugar type cereal and 2%. Dinner alternates between baked salmon or baked chicken with either steamed or sauteed veggies. Snacks have been fruits or nuts.

My BMR is about 2300 calories a day, and have been cutting like 500-600 calories through diet and exercise (some heavy weights, some cardio). I'm just getting tired of sandwiches for lunch and was looking for some better alternatives.

[TSiggs]

Originally Posted by E90SoFlo

Don't eat lunch, supplement it with a protein shake or a granola bar.

We talking whey protein? I've thought of that since I want to maximize my weight lifting and don't think I'm getting enough protein.

[OMID INC]

remember its important to take a 1:1 ration of carbs and protein if you are trying to build muscle or gain weight.

[TSiggs]

Originally Posted by OMID INC

remember its important to take a 1:1 ration of carbs and protein if you are trying to build muscle or gain weight.

Actually, my first goal is really just to drop my body/fat percentage. Once I feel good about trimming up (and my lower back is better from doing stupid shit at the gym), I'll move to strength training.

Is it possible to keep gaining muscle and drop fat at the same time? Or should I not worry about protein intake and just focus on calories?

[OMID INC]

cardio workouts will be a good choice for you then. just having muscle burns calories too so building more muscle in areas where you want to lose fat will also help out. cut the carbs if you want lose fat then. protein intake is usually a good idea either way.

[Quick6EF]

Originally Posted by TSiggs

Actually, my first goal is really just to drop my body/fat percentage. Once I feel good about trimming up (and my lower back is better from doing stupid shit at the gym), I'll move to strength training.

Is it possible to keep gaining muscle and drop fat at the same time? Or should I not worry about protein intake and just focus on calories?

You need to focus on both fat and protein intake. The post above me is false - cutting carbs has no effect on body composition; your overall caloric intake dictates if you lose or gain.

Aim for .4-1g Fat per LB
1-1.4g of Protein per lb of LBM

Fill the rest with whatever you please as long as you hit baseline numbers. I personally fill with carbs.

No you cannot gain muscle and lose fat simultaneously. You need to be in a caloric surplus for one, and a deficit in the other. Unless its your first time lifting, which it doesnt seem it is.

Good luck.

[ken1137]

Originally Posted by TSiggs

Actually, my first goal is really just to drop my body/fat percentage. Once I feel good about trimming up (and my lower back is better from doing stupid shit at the gym), I'll move to strength training.

Is it possible to keep gaining muscle and drop fat at the same time? Or should I not worry about protein intake and just focus on calories?

ok...if you are serious about cutting body fat then focus on calories (in & burned). Cut your sugar intake...only natural sugar (fruits). I eat yogurt and fruit for lunch. I have lost 17 lbs in 2 1/2 weeks by eliminating sugar, lowering carbs, and no steaks. 225 to 208 lbs. I have gained muscle in the process, but then again I work out 4 days on and 1 day off with cardio each day. I have also learned how to work out from some of the best. I will never get to 6% body fat I had in college b/c I do not play FB or study martial arts anymore. The goal for me is to be healthy again versus being a fat-ass former FB player.

[sensi09]

Originally Posted by E90SoFlo

Don't eat lunch, supplement it with a protein shake or a granola bar.

Real food!

[BTM]

going a little bit OT but maybe people can give your thoughts on my breakfast habits.

For the longest time, I would skip it entirely. Not ideal, I know. I bought nutragrain bars, about 120 cal a bar. This would help hold me over until lunch, but not make a major impact. Whereas I used to eat a footlong sub with chips, I eat just the sub. About 800 cal for lunch, a little over 900 total for the day.

Lately, I've been eating a bagel for breakfast, with light cream cheese probably 300 cal. This will usually keep me full to where all I crave for lunch is a couple of lean pockets, or maybe half the sub and chips, either way 550-600 cal.

I'm pretty indifferent between the 2 scenarios, and they both add up to about the same total calories consumed in the day up to that point. I wouldn't (what I consider to) micro manage this but lately I have time to exercise only twice a week, about 1.5-2hrs playing tennis each time (and even this isn't purely exercise, as a lot of it is networking, etc.). Other than that, my time is all but spoken for.

Is one more preferable than the other, in terms of maintenance? I could stand to lose 15-20 lbs, but at this point I'd be content just staying where I am. I've cut a lot of alcohol from my diet so maybe I will make up some ground there.

[ken1137]

Originally Posted by BTM

going a little bit OT but maybe people can give your thoughts on my breakfast habits.

For the longest time, I would skip it entirely. Not ideal, I know. I bought nutragrain bars, about 120 cal a bar. This would help hold me over until lunch, but not make a major impact. Whereas I used to eat a footlong sub with chips, I eat just the sub. About 800 cal for lunch, a little over 900 total for the day.

Lately, I've been eating a bagel for breakfast, with light cream cheese probably 300 cal. This will usually keep me full to where all I crave for lunch is a couple of lean pockets, or maybe half the sub and chips, either way 550-600 cal.

I'm pretty indifferent between the 2 scenarios, and they both add up to about the same total calories consumed in the day up to that point. I wouldn't (what I consider to) micro manage this but lately I have time to exercise only twice a week, about 1.5-2hrs playing tennis each time (and even this isn't purely exercise, as a lot of it is networking, etc.). Other than that, my time is all but spoken for.

Is one more preferable than the other, in terms of maintenance? I could stand to lose 15-20 lbs, but at this point I'd be content just staying where I am. I've cut a lot of alcohol from my diet so maybe I will make up some ground there.

Try reducing your sugar intake...nutragrain bars are probably loaded...have a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast...cut alcohol completely until weight is off.

[BTM]

Originally Posted by ken1137

Try reducing your sugar intake...nutragrain bars are probably loaded...have a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast...cut alcohol completely until weight is off.

The nutragrains have 12g of sugar. Bagel has 8g. I don't each a lot of sugary foods as it is (never have dessert or candy). Alcohol won't ever be cut completely. Not really trying to lose weight, just trying to avoid gaining any now that I can't exercise as frequently. As for oatmeal, I frankly can't stand the stuff. Tried fruit for breakfast too, but it didn't make a noticeable difference on engery/appetite.

Maybe something worth noting is breakfast is taken at my desk about an hour or hour and a half after I've woken up. Foods like cereal, or stuff that otherwise must be prepared, aren't viable options.

[Quick6EF]

BTM track your intake if you want to see the results you want, its that simple.

No need to eliminate certain foods from your diet if you know your total caloric and macro nutrient intake.


As I said before, one meal is irrelevent in the whole scheme of things. Meal timing has no effect on body composition.

Originally Posted by ken1137

ok...if you are serious about cutting body fat then focus on calories (in & burned). Cut your sugar intake...only natural sugar (fruits). I eat yogurt and fruit for lunch. I have lost 17 lbs in 2 1/2 weeks by eliminating sugar, lowering carbs, and no steaks. 225 to 208 lbs. I have gained muscle in the process, but then again I work out 4 days on and 1 day off with cardio each day. I have also learned how to work out from some of the best. I will never get to 6% body fat I had in college b/c I do not play FB or study martial arts anymore. The goal for me is to be healthy again versus being a fat-ass former FB player.

EDIT: You should have just stopped after your first sentence.

What was your weight/height at your said 6%? How was that measured?

Why are you suggesting to cut sugar intake?

[BTM]

Originally Posted by Quick6EF

BTM track your intake if you want to see the results you want, its that simple.

No need to eliminate certain foods from your diet if you know your total caloric and macro nutrient intake.


As I said before, one meal is irrelevent in the whole scheme of things. Meal timing has no effect on body composition.

Thanks, I knew this to be the case for things like eating late, but never really investigated breakfast until I started eating it recently. I'll stick with eating more in the morning since that seems to give me more energy

[ken1137]

EDIT: You should have just stopped after your first sentence.

What was your weight/height at your said 6%? How was that measured?

Why are you suggesting to cut sugar intake?[/QUOTE]

Whats with the negativity? Just b/c I proposed something different than yourself? There are many ways to get to point Z from A. Cutting processed foods with sugar is a healthy choice one can make and it will make you leaner.

FYI...in college I was 190 lbs and I am 6'. Benched 405 and squatted over 500 lbs with a 46" chest and 28" waist.... so please tell me I am full of crap and I could not have been that size and build. My % body fat was taken in a pool of water. Remember...I played college ball, we had a strength coach, and they measured our body fat regularly. I am now still 6' and 205 as of this morning. My % body fat is probably 12% now and was well over 20% a few weeks ago as I peaked at 225 lbs.

The OP asked a question and I provided my $0.02 so I will leave it that...not going to respond to anymore of your negativity. Go criticize something else.

[Quick6EF]

Originally Posted by ken1137

EDIT: You should have just stopped after your first sentence.

What was your weight/height at your said 6%? How was that measured?

Why are you suggesting to cut sugar intake?

Whats with the negativity? Just b/c I proposed something different than yourself? There are many ways to get to point Z from A. Cutting processed foods with sugar is a healthy choice one can make and it will make you leaner.

FYI...in college I was 190 lbs and I am 6'. Benched 405 and squatted over 500 lbs with a 46" chest and 28" waist.... so please tell me I am full of crap and I could not have been that size and build. My % body fat was taken in a pool of water. Remember...I played college ball, we had a strength coach, and they measured our body fat regularly. I am now still 6' and 205 as of this morning. My % body fat is probably 12% now and was well over 20% a few weeks ago as I peaked at 225 lbs.
The OP asked a question and I provided my $0.02 so I will leave it that...not going to respond to anymore of your negativity. Go criticize something else.

Why so sensitive? I never made any personal attacks.

The reason why I made a point to question your post is that you are telling OP (and others who read this topic) to "Cut your sugar intake...only natural sugar (fruits)". You don't post any sources for this "fact."

There is no reason to cut out sugars when looking to lose weight. You can enjoy the foods you like, but carefully track your caloric and macronutrient intake. Look to get 95% of your calories from whole foods with strong micronutrient content; feel free to fit other foods you enjoy into your diet.


If it works for you, great, but advice like "avoid steaks" might not work for others. It all comes down to calories in / calories out. There are no magic foods to avoid and no times to avoid eating them.



PS You said that you gained muscle during your weight loss from 225-208, unfortunatly that is not possible. You gain mass from a caloric surplus, and lose weight in a deficit. You just leaned out and appeared more defined.

[ken1137]

Originally Posted by Quick6EF

Why so sensitive? I never made any personal attacks.

The reason why I made a point to question your post is that you are telling OP (and others who read this topic) to "Cut your sugar intake...only natural sugar (fruits)". You don't post any sources for this "fact."

There is no reason to cut out sugars when looking to lose weight. You can enjoy the foods you like, but carefully track your caloric and macronutrient intake. Look to get 95% of your calories from whole foods with strong micronutrient content; feel free to fit other foods you enjoy into your diet.


If it works for you, great, but advice like "avoid steaks" might not work for others. It all comes down to calories in / calories out. There are no magic foods to avoid and no times to avoid eating them.



PS You said that you gained muscle during your weight loss from 225-208, unfortunatly that is not possible. You gain mass from a caloric surplus, and lose weight in a deficit. You just leaned out and appeared more defined.

I couldn't resist....Ummm...your first sentence and your second sentence was taken as a personal attack. If you read my first post I emphasize calorie intake v burning. What are you a "nutritionist"? Macronutrient !?

Why cut steak?
A 6-oz steak delivers about 40+ grams of fat and about 16 gr of them saturated. A salmon has about 18 gr of fat and only 4 gr of them saturated but just about the same amount of protein (salmon a bit less of course).

Why cut sugar in processed foods?
Combined with carbs and complex carbs your body will store these as FAT if you do not burn them off.

Yes, the debate about gaining muscle versus burning fat (?) Personally I have gained about 15% strength over the past few weeks, thus muscle has grown as I have lost a total of 20 lbs. One must provide the body with the appropriate nutrients to grow your muscles...balancing act between carbs and proteins.

PS...I am not going to site resources b/c I am not writing a Term Paper. My recommendations are based on my experiences and with coaches and trainers.