Q: Help! I’m stuck and seem to have hit a plateau. Let me first explain how I train and eat. I start my morning with a big bowl of oatmeal and a protein shake. I try to limit carbs, except a little before lifting. Afterward, it’s egg whites, turkey, or protein drinks for the rest of the day. I box four days for about one to two hours, sometimes three. After that, I lift. Sometimes, I wait at least a half-hour so I can eat something and take supplements. What am I doing wrong? I want to get bigger while losing fat. I need advice, be it routine, diet or supplement related. I’m totally willing to do whatever it takes to get in shape and look my best. I take my training very seriously.
A:
We’re going to focus on your nutrition, as it can be a confusing headache – if you let it be. Most notably, consuming enough clean, quality calories is the key to your success in the gym, along with getting enough rest/recovery and drinking plenty of water – aim for a gallon daily. The nutrition aspect is really pretty simple, but it’s the one area that lifters seem to master last on their way to creating the best possible version of themselves. The first step is measuring the amount of protein and carbs you need to make gains. The standard is 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. Carbs are usually 1.5 to 2 grams per pound of bodyweight. It all depends on your carb sensitivity and your individual metabolism; for best results, consult a nutritionist with an expertise in training such as https://remedyresults.com/ Keep track of your diet and see how you respond to specific amounts of protein and carbs. Once you do, play around with the numbers and monitor how it affects your appearance. Keep in mind that changes you see in the short term can be attributed to water. It looks like your only carbs come from one “big bowl of oatmeal” in the morning. If you’re trying to gain weight, you can’t do it on one bowl of oatmeal – no matter how big it is. You need carbs. Read on and we’ll tell you why.
Calories, calories, calories. Ultimately, calories determine whether you’ll lose or gain weight. But it’s not that cut and dried, so let’s take a look at your actual eating habits and foods. You need to take in quality protein and carbs every two and a half to three hours. Five to six small meals spaced evenly throughout the day keeps your body supplied with the amino acids necessary for building muscle. The carbs will provide energy and assist with protein assimilation. Keep the fat on the low side – note that we said “low,” not zero. If you’re eating right, you’ll get enough calories without the excess that could be converted to fat.
A note of caution: avoid gorging on huge meals as this will impede digestion. Eating too much at one meal will probably hamper your ability to eat your next meal. This is very important, because it’s crucial that you stick to your allotted meal plan just as you would your workouts in the gym. Plus, overeating won’t provide your body with an abundance of nutrients. Your body won’t be able to synthesize such quantities. To make it easier, we’ve listed suggested protein and carb choices:
Protein
Lean red meat
Chicken, turkey
Eggs (both whole and whites only)
Fish (tuna, tilapia, salmon, halibut, etc.)
