# Critique my nutrition plan for my goals (in depth)



## paleolift78 (Feb 2, 2014)

Hey whats up everyone. So i have been doing some more research on my specific goals of muscle gain. I know most go for the bulking phase, then go through a cutting phase to get rid of unwanted fat. My goals are

Increase base strength
Dense lean muscle mass
5-10 muscle gain

This seems very attainable in the next few months for me 3-5 months. So lets get into some of my stats to give you guys a background about me.

5' 9
155 lbs
10-12% bf
27 yr old

I used to train like it was a religion to me when i was in the Marine Corps. When i got out i did a lot of drinking, smoking, recreational drugs my first year in college. I have been back in the gym for a solid 3 months now trying to get my CNS and muscle memory back in check. I have not drank any alcohol in 38 days. 2013 Christmas was the last time. I have recently started Nicoderm CQ the patch to quit smoking. 5 days in and pretty good so far. 3 cigs in 5 days compared to a pack a day. I haven't done any drugs in a few months. So i am really getting back into a healthier lifestyle and am going to keep it that way. All that stuff i was doing was poision and i feel 100% better.

This is what my training is looking like nowadays. Im in and out of the gym in about 45 mins. Never over an 1 hr as it is catabolic to muscle process.

5x5 training program m/w/f- to build up base strength again (bench, atg squat, deadlift, barbell row, military press)

Ab workout morning - calisthenics at night tues/ thurs (mainly for accessory exercises)

Abs (spiderman plank crunch, cross crunch, swiss ball roll out, alternate side oblique weight crunches, and if i have energy jack knives)

calisthenics (push ups, pull ups, shoulder shrugs ( i know this isn't a calisthenics, but i do these), hyperextension.

Saturdays and Sundays off.

I figured this is a solid routine for my goals posted above. Now my nutrition requirments are getting a bit tricky and is where i need more assistance. 

Literally all i eat is tilapia, salmon, lean ground beef 93% lean, chicken breast, tuna, brown rice, veggies, fruits (apples, bannanas, oranges, strawberries, seasonal fruit (pineapple, honey dew, canteloupe), eggs, some cheese, milk, fiber granola, 1x per week filet mingion.

Only cheat meals are mac & cheese and tuna, supreme pizza.

Supplements: Fish Oil, multi-vit, whey, natty test booster, concret creatine

So at my current weight ive calculated i need around 1700 calories a day to maintain muscle an weight.
I have put myself at moderate active lifestyle for calorie burn. 
I have my caloric intake needed for lean muscle gain to be around 2500-2800 cals per day.

I have read many different things on macronutrient ratios. I read in muscleandfitness the body doesn't necessarily need carbohydrates to build muscle. The main macro ratios are about calories, protien and fat. Is this true? 

Only other thing i am trying to take in account is that i am trying to have my main calories through protein and fats. I figure i could eat a lot of veggies, fruits and brown rice for my carbohydrates. They are low fat and good for you all around. So i am stuck in a range of how many grams of what i need a day. I have calculated this so far.

4 cal/ protein
4 cal/ carbs
9 cal/ fat

Protein - 1- 1.5 g/body weight lbs
Carbs- just to fill caloric needs
Fats- .4 .5 g/ body weight lbs

Protein requirements: 155-232 grams
Fat- 62-77 grams
If i was going on the high end for protein and fat these are the calories i would be getting.

Protein calories- 928
Fat calories- 693

928+693=1621
2800-1621= 1179 calories i need more from carbs for macros

1179/4=295 carbs i would need a day.

232g protein
295g carbs
77g   fat 

That seems like a lot of carbs to me. I think i would getting pretty soft (not dense muscle) looking. What do you guys think so far? Im pretty sure my math is correct. Is there a better macro ratio for putting on muscle and with least amount of fat. I heard of the 45/35/20 ratio carbs/protein/fat is good for lean muscle mass as well. 

Critiques and helpful advice is very much appreciated. Thanks guys. Enjoy the SUPERBOWL!!!!


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## Pinkbear (Feb 2, 2014)

Wish I had an answer for diet...
Still trying to figure out how I gain off 2200 cals....


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## DocDePanda187123 (Feb 2, 2014)

paleolift78 said:


> Hey whats up everyone. So i have been doing some more research on my specific goals of muscle gain. I know most go for the bulking phase, then go through a cutting phase to get rid of unwanted fat. My goals are
> 
> Increase base strength
> Dense lean muscle mass
> ...



Why does that look like a lot of carbs to you? I think those macros are pretty good except for you may need more calories to gain. Your BMR is ~1700calories but your TDEE is an activity factor x BMR. TDEE = 1.5 (moderately active) x 1700 = ~2500cals. That's to maintain your weight. You'd need around 2800cals as a minimum or so but start somewhere and adjust as necessary. You shouldn't rely on percentages like 45/35/20 to set your macros.


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## Azog (Feb 2, 2014)

Pinkbear said:


> Wish I had an answer for diet...
> Still trying to figure out how I gain off 2200 cals....



You gain off 2200 cals? ****ing hell...I am jelly. My food bill would be microscopic. My paltry 200lb ass doesn't even gain on 4500.


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## Pinkbear (Feb 2, 2014)

Azog said:


> You gain off 2200 cals? ****ing hell...I am jelly. My food bill would be microscopic. My paltry 200lb ass doesn't even gain on 4500.



Sounds cool until your trying to cut and eating close to nothing and still gaining weight


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## Azog (Feb 2, 2014)

Pinkbear said:


> Sounds cool until your trying to cut and eating close to nothing and still gaining weight



Shit...good point hahaha.


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## paleolift78 (Feb 3, 2014)

Docd187123 said:


> Why does that look like a lot of carbs to you? I think those macros are pretty good except for you may need more calories to gain. Your BMR is ~1700calories but your TDEE is an activity factor x BMR. TDEE = 1.5 (moderately active) x 1700 = ~2500cals. That's to maintain your weight. You'd need around 2800cals as a minimum or so but start somewhere and adjust as necessary. You shouldn't rely on percentages like 45/35/20 to set your macros.



Ok. 2800-3200 i will bump it up to for 2 weeks and see how that goes. If you don't use percentages to set your macros for goals. What should you do?


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## DocDePanda187123 (Feb 3, 2014)

paleolift78 said:


> Ok. 2800-3200 i will bump it up to for 2 weeks and see how that goes. If you don't use percentages to set your macros for goals. What should you do?



You do exactly what you did. What I'm saying is don't base your macros off percentages like you need 2800cals and protein needs to be 40% of those cals for example. You did good.


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## jyoung8j (Feb 3, 2014)

Was bout to say my girl eats tht... lol and shes little..


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## paleolift78 (Feb 3, 2014)

jyoung8j said:


> Was bout to say my girl eats tht... lol and shes little..[/QUOTE}
> 
> Yea maybe she can give me a diet plan then lol


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