What I’m (not) eating: take #2

As some of you will know, I have just finished a winter weight gaining cycle, where I gained 20lbs. 

I set myself the goal of reaching 180lbs bodyweight and once I got there I dropped down to a maintenance diet.  To put on muscle, I ate a high calorie diet and even supplemented with a monster shake, which had nearly 1,000kcals of avocado and coconut milk.  And it’s bright green, which is awesome for scaring people of a nervous disposition. 

Weight gain shake: big, bad and dangerous to know

But all good things must come to an end and I’ve been maintaining weight for a couple of weeks now.  I think it’s time to start thinking about cutting some of the fat back off.

What I’m (not) eating: take #1

I wrote my first what I’m (not) eating post when I did my last fat-loss cycle in September of last year.  That post set out what my normal diet is and mentioned that to cut calories, I just eliminated the self-made protein shakes that I drank at breakfast time and during the afternoon.  I also talked about what I would do to make my diet perfect, if I had lots of money.  Which was fun as far as fantasies go.

What I’m (not) eating: take #2

This, then, is my revised meal plan for the next four weeks as I try to lose 5kg of fat and bring my weight down from 82.5kg to 77.5kg (or slightly lower if possible) while maintaining as much strength and muscle as possible.

Breakfast

• 3 egg yolks and 5 egg whites (was previously 5 whole eggs)
• 50g broccoli
• 293 calories, 27g protein, 17g fat and 6g carbohydrate (most of which is fibre)
• 4 fish oil soft gels (2,800mg DHA/EPA), 500mg glucosamine

Lunch

• 2 eggs
• 50g cottage cheese (was previously 50g hard cheese)
• 250g chicken (was previously 100g sliced meat)
• 1/5 cucumber (was previously 1/5 cucumber and 1 stalk celery)
• 738 calories, 103g protein, 31g fat and 6g carbohydrate (most of which is fibre)

Afternoon snack

• 1 tin tuna (was previously ½ tin tuna, 1 cup raw cabbage and 1 tablespoon full-fat mayonnaise)
• 129 calories, 30g protein, 1g fat and trace carbohydrate

Pre-workout snacks (only on workout days)

• 250ml yoghurt
• 30g protein powder
• 280 calories, 36g protein, 6g fat, 21g carbs

Previous pre-workout snack

• 2 apples
• 1 orange
• 250g cottage cheese
• teaspoon of black treacle
• 420 calories, 34g protein, 7g fat and 50g carbohydrate

Post-workout snacks (only on workout days)

• 4 sardines
• 100 calories, 12g sardines, 6g fat, trace carbohydrate

Sardines: if I don’t eat them then Jake will

Previous post-workout snack

• 2 apples
• 1 orange
• 250g cottage cheese
• teaspoon of black treacle
• 420 calories, 34g protein, 7g fat and 50g carbohydrate

Dinner

• 155g chicken(curry) with onion and pepper and tinned tomatoes (was previously beef mince)
• 150g cottage cheese
• 453 calories, 65g protein, 14g fat and 14g carbohydrate (most of which is fibre)
• +4 fish oil soft gels (2,800mg DHA/EPA), 500mg glucosamine

Totals

So on a non-workout day, that gives me 1,613 calories, being 225g protein, 63g fat and 25g carbohydrate (of which probably 5g or so is fibrous carbs).  On a workout day, I get 1,993 calories, being 273g protein, 74g fat and 46g carbohydrate.

Rationale for changes

The main changes have been to increase the overall protein content, while decreasing fat and carbohydrate levels.  Hopefully, this should result in me feeling fuller and therefore less likely to cheat.

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