Sample Cutting Diet: Tweak My Plan

* This is a test of the power of the group.  Here's the diet plan.  The idea is a 7 day, low carbohydrates.*


Breakfast
12 large egg whites
1 cup raw spinach
.5 medium red bell pepper, diced
.25 medium onion, diced
 
Snack
5oz canned albacore tuna
 
Lunch
6oz chicken breast
2 cups romaine lettuce
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
 
Preworkout
2 scoops whey protein
 
Postworkout
2 scoops whey protein
 
Dinner
12oz chicken breast
1 cup cauliflower
2 cups romaine lettuce
1 medium cucumber
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
 
Bedtime Snack
5oz canned albacore tuna
 
Middle-of-the-Night-Snack
1 scoop whey protein
 
DAILY TOTALS
1584 calories, 331 g protein, 26 g carbs, 10 g fat

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

do u really need so much protien??
and so much from whey??
5 scoops??

Opinion:

I don't like the no fats.  I'm fine with very low carbs but no fats?  This might be a pre-contest style diet but for the person who's looking to use this for 1-4 weeks to get cut... low carb, high protein and higher fats would be ideal.

Calories will need to be manipulated per person.  1500 is way to low for me personally.  I will have to bump up portions to hit a target of around 2400 or so.  That's gonna be rough without adding things like Salmon which is a great protein, low mercury, and high in healthy fats.

Changes:

Dump the constant tuna!  171% of the EPA for mercury?!  Yikes.  No thanks.

Add in fish.  this will change the entire diet's macro-nutrient ratio but higher protein and higher healthy fats and low carbs is not a bad cutting plan.  Keeping the carbs low will make the biggest difference.

Fats help with satiety and provide other benefits.  I understand the reasoning for the low carbs but in this sample meal plan, I could find no viable reason to cut fats OTHER than it makes it harder to do this plan because the addition of fats makes it easier to stick to a diet.  There's nothing that makes me believe there's any good reason to cut it out.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

do u really need so much protien?? and so much from whey?? 5 scoops??

No not really but the calories have to come from somewhere.  I could eat more chicken but I can tell that 4 chicken breasts a day will drive me nuts.

If I change the plan to include some healthy fats, then the calories won't be a problem, I can dump some shakes and I'm still low carb.  Since the baseline plan includes only 10 g of fats, the only calorie option is protein right?  And lean meats (no red meat) make it a challenge to get enough calories from those sources.

Can't find a good reason to ditch fats unless you would be doing this as a pre-contest diet.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

Did you get laid off or something Mark? I don't think I have seen you post so frequently and so in depth since maybe when I first joined...

I refrained from answering when I saw the post go up... I was curious what others would have told you to do and why... I know the possibilities... I am not so sure how many others would... well I have a list of people in my mind who would have given proper answers one way or the other... but that list is not as long as it should be.

Good post Marc.

I feel like protein increases my appetite, I can eat 40g of chicken breast and still feel empty

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

Post away Hardway.  The goal is to come up with a better baseline plan for people who want to cut.

Nope.. just needed a break for a while.  DB is still one of the best free forums out there.

My tweaks thus far will be adding back in healthy fats (easier to add calories and additional protein sources).

Cut all that tuna as I do not think it's good to have so much.  10oz is too high for a single day IMHO.

We don't need "the perfect" diet as we all know there's many styles that work.  But what would be interesting is to get to a better baseline keeping the low carb idea intact.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

This diet looks so boring and repeditive during just 1 day, there is no way I could foolow it for a week.  I don't like the egg whites only, and I don't like the absence of fruit.  Low carb is an idea, but no processed carbs in much more easily followed and much tastier.  I would have to throw in some more vitamin C foods, and more potasium in the form of celery if bananas were left off due to their high GI.

"Dump the constant tuna!  171% of the EPA for mercury?!  Yikes.  No thanks."

Albacore tuna doesn't contain the same mercury as regular tuna.  At least according to any information I could find online.  Hence, I accidentally lumped tuna into that same category when in fact, it appears it's very different.

Bought some Albacore in water.

Still adding or will add in additional fish sources.  Peanuts, olive oil, etc for healthy fats is still ideal.  Getting plenty of fiber thru vegetable sources.  Eating most of it raw.  I'm much warmer than usual.  Always somewhat hungry and never satisfied but not starving.  This isn't something I'll do or would want to do for more than a week.

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

albacore has much more mercury than skipjack, infact 3x I think

V,
    You're the Clipart Photoshop GOD!

 

You might be correct.  Gosh darn fat fingers on my end.  This the exact reason I posted this.  Communal input.  I really didn't like the tuna 2x a day on this diet.  And keep in mind.. this is what gets posted in magazines.

People who read them would only be so lucky to have such input.

Thanks Virtuoso. 

Using www.gotmercury.org

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

I'm no diet expert, but at a first glance, I'd say that the fat % is WAYYY low.   I'd decrease the protien, and up the fats significantly. 

"True genius, in many fields of human endeavor, is often revealed in elegant simplicity."

- A smart man

Journal: http://www.wannabebigforums.com/showthread.php?t=117358

Marc David


"Dump the constant tuna!  171% of the EPA for mercury?!  Yikes.  No thanks."

Albacore tuna doesn't contain the same mercury as regular tuna.  At least according to any information I could find online.  Hence, I accidentally lumped tuna into that same category when in fact, it appears it's very different.

Bought some Albacore in water.

Still adding or will add in additional fish sources.  Peanuts, olive oil, etc for healthy fats is still ideal.  Getting plenty of fiber thru vegetable sources.  Eating most of it raw.  I'm much warmer than usual.  Always somewhat hungry and never satisfied but not starving.  This isn't something I'll do or would want to do for more than a week.

Christ, using that site I'm having an estimated 630% my recommended intake of mercury every week. Right, I need to buy some different fish lol

V,
    You're the Clipart Photoshop GOD!

 

@bri - Right.  In it's original form, it's almost a 1 week pre-contest diet of no fat and no carbs.  I'm modifying it to add more fish, healthy fats.  I won't be adding in protein sources I find unhealthy in general (low quality meat, bacon, etc).  By adding in some healthy fats, it will be much easier to get in the required calories. 

@virtuoso - It's an eye opener for sure.  I forget to check and get carried away with "fish" and not realize that while these sites are the end all be all of mercury content, it still is something to consider.  Especially agressive fish.  Time to try some new fish options.  I'm not so hot at grilling trout on a gas grill.  Yet!

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com

first off... to grill flaky fish it would serve you well to wrap them in aluminum foil make it into a little packet, then you can season your fish, the spices will disperse while it cooks, and you do not have to worry about it falling apart on your grill... it will basically steam your fish in it's own juices, throw a little lemon zest in there... you can even add veggeis to your packet make a whole meal in the thing.

i would add variety to you romaine lettuce, if you just want to stick to salad leaves.... I would add arugula, dandelion, water cress, cilantro, spinach, radicchio and endive (although the later two do cost a small fortune), much better assortment of nutrients, better flavor, and add cold pressed olive oil to your vinegar, with some herbs, or spices. The fat will not only help your cause (of finding more calories), but it aids in the digestion and absorption of the vitamins and minerals found vegetables. Also you can throw nuts (count the extra few carbs) in to your salad. If your pro dairy... raw milk cheese is also a good way to get some fat in there... you'll compensate for the extra protein, by reducing portion size of something else.

I would probably saute the chicken, in olive oil, I would add the cauliflower or any other vegetable of choice, in the same pan, at appropriate time, for it's quick cooking. Garilc, spices... a little low sodium chicken stock reduce it a little... If you change the vegetables around use a little vinegar, wine or soy sauce (watch the sodium), you'll have an ever constantly changing repitwa (oh phonetic spelling at it's finest) of sauces...

Or add rice wine vinegar, curry paste ( optional if you can get them lime leaves, lemon grass, star anise), soy sauce, and cocunut milk (way high in GOOD fat I believe), and you have yor self a delicious curry...

That is along the lines of how I am eating on CDK.... (minus the fish, I can cook it well, I just can't stand to eat it).

thehardway


first off... to grill flaky fish it would serve you well to wrap them in aluminum foil make it into a little packet, then you can season your fish, the spices will disperse while it cooks, and you do not have to worry about it falling apart on your grill... it will basically steam your fish in it's own juices, throw a little lemon zest in there... you can even add veggeis to your packet make a whole meal in the thing.

Yup, just gut it, throw the veggies right in the belly with some lemon juice and spices and throw it on the grill. When the skin becomes flaky yank it off there and eat it.

You guys and gals are good. 

I do believe we should have a forum for meal plans.  Sample ones like this.  Not allowed to edit but for display.  Would give newbies and anybody a place to get quick ideas.

I see too many posts, questions, etc where it's pretty obvious the person asking has no idea of even where to begin in order to tweak.

What do you think?

Marc C. David - NGA CPT
Author of NoBull Bodybuilding
www.nobullbodybuilding.com