Diet Help and suggestions

[badlefthook]

I figured everyone here seems a hell of a lot smarter than me so I was wondering if you all could provide me with tips and ideas for what I should change (if anything) with the way I am currently handling my diet.

First a little background: I was a pretty decent athlete in high school. Played baseball, football and a couple years of basketball. I tore my hamstring and a few muscles in my shoulder in back to back years and then after the sports were gone I let myself go. I mean...REALLY let myself go. I peaked out at about 300lbs last year. Since deciding that I wanted to start training MMA (initial goal is just to train, competing would have to be waaay down the road once I'm in good shape, if ever) in roughly August of last year I have changed my diet and started regularly working out and am now down to 259 (41 lbs lost so far).

Today was a fairly typical day food wise as of recently:

Breakfast (aprox 8:15am):
Flax Plus Flake cereal with a banana cut up and skim milk

Pre Workout:
Single Scoop Whey Protein in water

Post Workout:
1.5 Scoops Whey Protein in water

First Snack (aprox 10:45am):
Broccoli and Baby Carrots

Lunch (aprox 12:15pm):
Salmon Burger on wheat bun with one slice of cheese (a big thank you to the person on the Costco thread who suggested the salmon burgers...they are very good)

Second Snack (aprox 3:00pm):
Two slices of whole wheat bread, toasted with Omega All Natural Chunky Peanut Butter

Dinner (aprox 6:15pm):
6 oz grilled chicken tossed in romaine lettuce with very little light sun dried tomato dressing

There were also a few times where I grabbed a handful of mixed nuts also. I'll probably eat some more fruit before bed (apple most likely) as well as take some more whey (or possibly Muscle Milk since I just got a bunch for free).

Right now I am at aprox. 172 grams protein, 66 grams of fat and 167 grams of carbs and only at 1881 calories (which is actually a little lower than I want to be, usually I am around 2400).

So lets hear it...what would you guys suggest I change? Cut out? Add to? Supplements I should add in?

Everyone's help is much appreciated!

Update: I should have mentioned it initially but I am drinking at least 3 litres of water (usually closer to 4) a day also. As far as workouts go: 3-4 days of weight training, cardio 6 days a week, and standard "old school" staples such as sit-ups, push-ups and the like every day.

[TX911]

your diet actually looks pretty good man. you might try cutting down on portions and adding another small meal in there somewhere. That and lots of cardio. a couple of little changes i'd personally make if i wanted to just lose weight, others may disagree, are say: at your second snack cut down to 1 piece of bread. And for your sixth meal should you choose to add one, my personal favorite is a can of tuna and some spinach. i'm sure others will be along to call me an idiot shortly, but good luck to you

[grizz_mv]

Might want to read Metabolic function for dummies (why the numbers aren't ALL there is to it).
Read more on metabolic function etc...
It also seems like you need to drink a lot more water, you should be consuming 1-1.5 gallons a day.

[badlefthook]

Originally Posted by grizz_mv

Might want to read Metabolic function for dummies (why the numbers aren't ALL there is to it).
Read more on metabolic function etc...
It also seems like you need to drink a lot more water, you should be consuming 1-1.5 gallons a day.

Ah...My mistake. I don't drink anything except water. I'm just finishing up my fourth litre as I type this. I just forgot to include the water...

[flashNsmash]

Some people swear by green tea; I'm one of them.

[badlefthook]

Originally Posted by flashNsmash

Some people swear by green tea; I'm one of them.

Yeah, I hear that a lot actually. Sadly I hate tea...I'll still down some if it'll help. I mean what the hell I choke down a shot or two of vinegar a day.

[grizz_mv]

Originally Posted by badlefthook

Ah...My mistake. I don't drink anything except water. I'm just finishing up my fourth litre as I type this. I just forgot to include the water...

good man, another thing that stood out to me is your protein at 172 grams. i know that you are cutting. but that may be a little low. i know some people suggest between .5-1 gram per pound, and you are definately inbetween there, so maybe try different things with it.

while your diet is good, like most peoples around here it could be better. the two things that stood out to me the second read are the milk and cereal and the PB sandwich. you could substitute much better things in, but i cant think right now as i just woke up.

[badlefthook]

Originally Posted by grizz_mv

good man, another thing that stood out to me is your protein at 172 grams. i know that you are cutting. but that may be a little low. i know some people suggest between .5-1 gram per pound, and you are definately inbetween there, so maybe try different things with it.

while your diet is good, like most peoples around here it could be better. the two things that stood out to me the second read are the milk and cereal and the PB sandwich. you could substitute much better things in, but i cant think right now as i just woke up.

Thanks for the advice. I do intend on getting my protein up, yesterday was "fairly normal" but also was a little low in protein and calories...a side effect of working an oncall job and not being able to plan out my meals as much as the days where I am not oncall. Not that that is an excuse, people manage better diets than I do in worse situations than just being oncall.

As for getting more protein that always seems like an uphill battle for me but hopefully as I continue to adjust to the lifestyle change from fat guy to...well...less fat guy...I will get it down to a bit more of a "science."

Again, thanks to everyone who has given advice so far.

[erco]

Eat
More
Vegetables

[Bring On Fedor]

Your diet looks pretty decent so far, but it doesn't seem like you're eating enough protein at all. Try throwing a couple chicken breasts in there. I would also reccomend eating Oats instead of the Flax cereal you are currently eating for breakfast.