help with diet routine

[big nasty]

Would like some guidance on carb cycling and training in the morning( i.e. first thing). The last show I did I lifted in the PM and basically ate all my carbs post-workout (worked pretty good). Then I was in college and that is how my schedule worked out. Now I am working full time and I have messed with lifting schedules that coincide with my work schedule (7:30 - 4:30 M-F). So far the best results I have gotten in terms of muscle growth and being content with my daily schedule has been when I worked out early morning right after awakening, eating some oatmeal and a protein shake, letting my dogs out, and heading for the gym & starting my workout around 5 AM. The difference then was that I was trying to gain and now I want to diet but I am not sure how to do that and manipulate my carbs through out the day. I am open to any and all advice about what I can do for dieting in this instance or if perhaps I am barking up the wrong tree and shoutld stick with what worked originally. Please help.

 

[Dad]

A bit more info

BN,

Could you give us a bit more info?
It sounds like you want to train first thing in the morning, then eat and go to work?
When you say you want to diet, do you mean your immediate goal is to lose bodyfat?
What are your stats now - height, weight, bodyfat levels, etc?
Assumming you're trying to lose bodyfat mainyl, are yuo getting ready for a show, or just trying to tighten up?
Are you using or planning to use AAS to help?

 

[big nasty]

BN,

Could you give us a bit more info?
It sounds like you want to train first thing in the morning, then eat and go to work?
When you say you want to diet, do you mean your immediate goal is to lose bodyfat?
What are your stats now - height, weight, bodyfat levels, etc?
Assumming you're trying to lose bodyfat mainyl, are yuo getting ready for a show, or just trying to tighten up?
Are you using or planning to use AAS to help?

Sorry if I was so vague... I'm 6'3", roughly 280, and somewhere in the 12 - 15% bf range.
My goal is to train as if I were doing a show but there will be no show because I am still trying to formulate how I can do a contest for real hopefully as soon as spring of '05. I want to train first thing in the morning but I am not sure how to structure my food intake around that.
I am used to training around 5PM and that is what I have always done with food intake usually consisting of protein up to lifting time(all fat taken in with meals one and two) and consuming carbs postworkout followed with more protein throughout the night(when dieting for a contest).
I am not currently using anything anobolic but will be using a testcyp/deca/tren mix with some nolvadex and clomid thrown in there for good measure.
Supplements consist of protein powder, glutamine, creatine, BCAA's, and ZMA.

Hope this helps...let me know if you need more info. Thank you, BN.

 

[BigBoyJ]

If it was me, I'd take in about 50 grams of whey in water pre-workout. Post-workout, take the whey again mixed with some Gatorade, creatine and glutamine. I don't know how many grams of carbs you like to stick with per day while dieting, but I usually just like to have carbs twice per day. Breakfast and post-workout. In your case, since the post workout is in the morning, I would just make sure that you aren't consuming any carbs after 5-6 pm and you should be fine.

 

[big nasty]

...so how would cardio fit into the mix? Should I keep my thories the same and keep all carbs post-workout or spread them out? I have been thinking long and hard about this and came up with an idea. Let me know what you think of this:

meal 1 - protein shake(50g or so)
gatorade(two scoops or 40g roughly)

*workout*

meal 2 - chicken breast(50g)
rice(roughly 40g)

meal 3 - egg whites(50g)
yam(50g or so)

meal 4 - protein shake(70g)

meal 5 - 9oz canned tuna(50g)

meal 6 - 10oz red meat(50-60g)
1tbsp Udo's(healthy fat, could be replaced by nuts i.e. almonds, peanuts, etc.)

meal 7 - protein shake(70g)
1tbsp Udo's

meal 8 - protein shake(70g)
1tbsp Udo's

- BEDTIME -

 

[BigBoyJ]

That looks like a good plan to me. Only thing I would add is some metamucil if you're not already taking it. At least you've done your planning and once you've done it for a while you'll be able to fine tune it. I think your gonna do fine with that.

 

[xcelbeyond]

Two things I would recommend.

Add in some green vegetables with your meals - green beans, brocolli, cauliflower, romaine, etc

I believe you need to have a post workout drink that includes a good whey protein isolate and simple carbs like dextrose or maltodextrin or combo of both. Your body will utlize these carbs.

I've always worked out in early morning 4:30 - 5:00 AM. I just started eating oatmeal and fruit pre workout to see if it does anything. Normally, I don't eat anything. I've tried a protein drink for pre, but didn't seem to add much.

 

[big nasty]

X-L -

I usually throw in veggies when I diet but I have a tendency to eat too much or too little - any advice on that?

When you say add a protein shake do you mean in addition to what I had on there already or say switch it with another meal?

Since you seem to have experience with AM training how do you factor in cardio?

I really appreciate your input. I love absorbing knowledge from experienced bb's.

-B N

 

[xcelbeyond]

I usually throw in veggies when I diet but I have a tendency to eat too much or too little - any advice on that?

When you say add a protein shake do you mean in addition to what I had on there already or say switch it with another meal?

Since you seem to have experience with AM training how do you factor in cardio?

"Green" veggies are nothing more than fiber and water - yet what I call an essential nutrient. You'd be hard pressed to eat to much, esp considering you are eating other food

I didn't count your calories but it seems well thought out. I'd rearrange your diet to accomodate the post wkout drink. You could move one of your other protein drinks to post and adjust carbs/calories accordingly.

What's "CARDIO" Since you didn't say you're precontest, I'm assuming your goal is to probably gain muscle and stay lean as possible. I'm sure others here may disagree but I say since building muscle is the "primary" goal, do weight workout first, do cardio at end. When I was doing this, I'd have post workout drink during the end/last part of cardio. But then again, I eat my first meal relatively soon after I workout also.

 

[big nasty]

What's "CARDIO" Since you didn't say you're precontest, I'm assuming your goal is to probably gain muscle and stay lean as possible. I'm sure others here may disagree but I say since building muscle is the "primary" goal, do weight workout first, do cardio at end. When I was doing this, I'd have post workout drink during the end/last part of cardio. But then again, I eat my first meal relatively soon after I workout also.[/QUOTE]

Excel-
I guess what I meant was at what time of the day do you do cardio in precontest mode? The above diet is meant to be a precontest "dry run" to see if it will work into my schedule...I want to do a contest next year and I am trying to think up ways to work it into my schedule. I have always followed the cardio first thing in AM and weights in PM for a contest diet but now that I am working for a living it seems like the best way to fit these into my schedule is to flip flop them. I am just trying to figure out how to do it.

 

[xcelbeyond]

I guess what I meant was at what time of the day do you do cardio in precontest mode?

My answer doesn't change much but the question does. If you're behind schedule or in need to shed fat faster - the emphasis is "fat loss" and do cardio first. Hell - if you're like me and REALLY behind, you do cardio in the morning AND evening