If this plan doesn't work...

[Diakonos]

If this doesn’t work, I’m going to seriously start evaluating other alternatives (hydroxicut, surgery, whatever). For about the past 3 years I have faithfully exercised (both cardio and weight training) and ate right. It seems like no matter how much I tweak my diet or exercise routine, I cannot loose the fat around my stomach. So here is the diet that I am currently on. This is pretty much how I each Monday through Friday. Tell me what you think of it.



Meal 1:

2 packets of oatmeal mixed in water

0.9 oz. of raisins

3 oz. of white albacore tuna

1 megaman vitamin



Meal 2:

6 oz. of Atkins reduced sugar yogurt (only 3 net carbs)

**A hand full of fruit (grapes, strawberries, blueberries or etc.



Meal 3 (Courtesy of China Buffet)

**A hand full of chow mein noodles

**A hand full of green veggies of some sort (usually string beans of broccoli)

An assortment of lean beef, chicken and fish



Meal 4

Zone perfect Bar



Meal 5

Healthy choice mixed grill dinner

6 oz. of Atkins reduced sugar yogurt (only 3 net carbs)

1 megaman vitamin



Meal 6

Balance Bar



Late night snack (optional)

¼ Cornish Hen. (absolutely no carbs late at night)



The tolal calories of these meals come out to be around 2200 calories. I try to stay within the ratio of 40/30/30 for each of my meals. Throughout the day I drink about 102 oz of water.



** 1 serving of anything fits in the palm of your hand.



Any feedback is welcomed.

 

[retooferab]

Hey! Don't do anything crazy! There's some experts in here that can help!

Maybe some stats would help, too, like body size and type, wieght, body fat percentage, etc. Good luck!

 

[Diakonos]

Hey! Don't do anything crazy! There's some experts in here that can help!

Maybe some stats would help, too, like body size and type, wieght, body fat percentage, etc. Good luck!

Age: 33

Height: 5'11

Weight: 197

 

[retooferab]

While we're waiting for the experts... we're the same height and you're about 40 pounds heavier than me. I have no idea how much of that is muscle, but it's probably fair to assume that I have a smaller/narrower body type than you. I have a very fast metabolism, which makes it hard for me to gain weight. So, we're different. It takes more than the average number of calories to keep me going at the same weight, and maybe it takes you fewer than average. And I've learned here that there are some real tricky aspects to dieting... and exercising for fat-loss for that matter.

Here's hoping Bear, fitmom, catalyst, and other experts will step up to the plate and help you out!

 

[rickoras]

The solution is rather simple. Calories is a measure of energy. So...if you take in more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. If you burn more calories than you take in, you will lose weight.

I also notice that you some of the food you are eating is Atkins. Be careful, because when they take out the carbs, they have a tendency to pump in the fat--which bumps up the calories. [a measure--for example, an ounce--of fat has over twice the calories as the same measure of protein or carbs] (P.S. I have nothing against Atkins...)

You also said this is how you eat Monday through Friday. What about the weekends? My dad had this concept that if he stayed on a diet through the week he would eat whatever he wanted on the weekend. The problem: he was overdoing it. Eating well in the week and blowing it over the weekend equals weight gain.

It is a difficult thing to lose weight. But it really requires a consciousness.

Also--don't do anything rash! I am the same height and weight as you--and, I admit, it is a bit overweight--but nothing to go getting surgery over!

P.S. What all "diets" have you tried?

 

[Bear]

Too many simple carbs too effectively reduce body fat %.

"Meal 1:

2 packets of oatmeal mixed in water

switch out instant oatmeal for slow cooked oats... lower G.I. value

0.9 oz. of raisins

drop the raisins... have grapefruit, apple or berries

3 oz. of white albacore tuna

1 megaman vitamin



Meal 2:

6 oz. of Atkins reduced sugar yogurt (only 3 net carbs)

**A hand full of fruit (grapes, strawberries, blueberries or etc.

No bars or grapes!

Meal 3 (Courtesy of China Buffet)

**A hand full of chow mein noodles

No noodles, brown rice or sweet potato instead

**A hand full of green veggies of some sort (usually string beans of broccoli)

An assortment of lean beef, chicken and fish



Meal 4

Zone perfect Bar

Bars are evil, maybe whey protein in water with an apple

Meal 5

Healthy choice mixed grill dinner

6 oz. of Atkins reduced sugar yogurt (only 3 net carbs)

forget the yogurt... in fact, you want to avoid sugars as much as possible

1 megaman vitamin



Meal 6

Balance Bar

These have to go...SUGAR

Late night snack (optional)

¼ Cornish Hen. (absolutely no carbs late at night)



The tolal calories of these meals come out to be around 2200 calories. I try to stay within the ratio of 40/30/30 for each of my meals. Throughout the day I drink about 102 oz of water.



** 1 serving of anything fits in the palm of your hand.



Any feedback is welcomed.

You have way too many insulin spikes within this diet to effectively reduce fat.

 

[Bear]

This is what eat to cut (reduce fat).

I'm currently carb cycling, alternating low carb and high carb days, yet the carbs are good clean ones & I avoid simple sugars or anything that is easily converted to sugar within the body as that produces insulin which in turn stops the fat melting process and promotes fat storage.

low carb day

breakfast
half a large grapefruit
2 oz turkey ham
protein drink consisting of:
2 eggs
1 scoop whey
half cup of water

mid morning
5 oz ground turkey
medium apple

lunch
6 oz tuna in oil
2 cups green beans

mid afternoon
5 oz ground turkey
medium apple

dinner
5 oz chicken
2 cups romaine lettuce
2 tblspns ceasar salad dressing

breakdown
Cal: 1926
Fat: 88g
Carbs: 76g
- Fiber: 18g
Protein: 210g

 

[Bear]

And by simply adding carbs to breakfast lunch and dinner, it becomes a high carb day:

high carb day

breakfast
half a large grapefruit
2 oz turkey ham
2 eggs
1.5 cups oatmeal
1 scoop whey

mid morning
5 oz ground turkey
medium apple

lunch
6 oz tuna in oil
2 cups green beans
12 oz sweet potato

mid afternoon
5 oz ground turkey
medium apple

dinner
5 oz chicken
1.5 cups brown rice
2 cups romaine lettuce
2 tblspns ceasar salad dressing

breakdown
Cal: 2752
Fat: 95g
Carbs: 225g
Protein: 252g

You could try something like this, or even go 2 low carb days followed by one high, then repeat if your looking to speed up the process.

 

[steelmagnolia]

Bear, I was just about to suggest the same thing regarding the oatmeal packets and switching over to slow cooked oats

VERY GOOD suggestions, bear!

 

[Seth4Christ]

I may try that cutting diet, thanks for posting, Bear.

 

[Diakonos]

Bear,

I appreciate your feedback on my plan, but I do have a couple of questions and comments. With regard to the noodles, I was under the impression that noodles were a healthier type of carb than rice (even brown rice). On every calorie counting website or book that I have read, noodles (pasta or chow mein) are lower in overall carbs. I thought that pasta was a more complex carbohydrate (the kind that takes longer to burn). Does vegetable fried rice or rice pilaf count as brown rice? Most restaurants don’t serve brown rice. With regards the bars, what I am addicted to (besides the great taste) is the convenience. I work to jobs, one of which is not at a desk and it keeps me on my feet. It’s hard enough eating 6 meals a day in a work society that it oriented towards eating 3 meals a day (and only gives you one break to eat). The problem that I have is how to incorporate the meals in a day without drawing too much attention to myself. The people at my job already comment on how seemingly frequently I eat. I’m curious as to what type of work you do. Is your job flexible with your eating schedule?

 

[Jinn_Ku]

Just to give you something else to consider (though as Bear pointed out, the sugar spikes are a problem), I have found great success by increasing the amount of fiber I consume. It fills you up and cleans the toxins out of your body. Also look into fasting (it is done throughout the Bible, you know). But do your research, fasting must be done right!

 

[Bear]

Bear,

I appreciate your feedback on my plan, but I do have a couple of questions and comments. With regard to the noodles, I was under the impression that noodles were a healthier type of carb than rice (even brown rice). On every calorie counting website or book that I have read, noodles (pasta or chow mein) are lower in overall carbs. I thought that pasta was a more complex carbohydrate (the kind that takes longer to burn). Does vegetable fried rice or rice pilaf count as brown rice? Most restaurants don’t serve brown rice. With regards the bars, what I am addicted to (besides the great taste) is the convenience. I work to jobs, one of which is not at a desk and it keeps me on my feet. It’s hard enough eating 6 meals a day in a work society that it oriented towards eating 3 meals a day (and only gives you one break to eat). The problem that I have is how to incorporate the meals in a day without drawing too much attention to myself. The people at my job already comment on how seemingly frequently I eat. I’m curious as to what type of work you do. Is your job flexible with your eating schedule?

I'm a facility locater with the phone company and I'm out and about in my work truck all day.

Everything I mentioned that I eat stores in my little playmate lunch box.

The fact of the matter is if you want results you have to do what it takes to get them right?

You've been trying your way, unsuccessfully for the past 3 years.

All I did was lay out the plan that works for me.

Noodles probably isn't the worst thing you eat, I prefer brown rice as it is in it's natural state as opposed to proccessed white flour as in noodles.

Eating anything from restaurants is tricky as you never know exactly what else goes into it's preparation, e.g. fat, sugar, etc..

The sugar in bars is doing you more harm than good.

Let me see if I can dig up some old posts for ya.

 

[Bear]

Fat Loss Primer

 

[Bear]

Cutting 101

 

[Bear]

Male Cutting Meal Plans

 

[Bear]

Carbohydrate Cycling