[Vagrant]

Okay, plowed through a lot of reading material on developing a proper diet but I have some questions that I simply could not find the answers to, at least not explicitly, in all of that information.

1) I have a very fast ****bolism. I am about 5'10" 165 for reference. Looking to bulk up a bit. I essentially understand that I am looking for lean protein sources, an assload of veggies, maybe some fruit here and there, and a boatload of water. However, I am wondering, since my ****bolism is so fast, how bad is it for me to incorporate dairy into my diet? I am under the impression that basically fat (well, at least non-trans fat) and protein are good for you, and the one thing that should be avoided at all costs, except PWO, is sugar/bad carbs. If this is true, and if (as wikipedia leads me to believe) things high in protein/fat tend to be lower in carbs, is dairy alright? Milk? Cheese? Or should I leave these behind? I guess my concern is that I know I have to eat a LOT of food to really put on some solid pounds, and I am just looking for other options for adding in calories to my daily diet.

2) In a similar vein, last time I tried to dedicate some decent time to going to the gym, I allowed myself to eat a ton of hamburgers, chicken quesadillas, cheesesteaks, etc. since I figured I just needed anything that had protein. Are these out the window as well? If so, why? Is it the bread (and the sugars contained in most of the bread types these things are made with) that makes them bad for you? If so, will simply substituting for better bread types (like wheat, right?), make them acceptable, given that my ****bolism is so goddamn fast?

3) Just so I can understand, can someone explain to me the concepts of insulin spiking and developing an insulin resistance? As far as the latter, I really cannot find much information on the term... is it something that lasts over time? Is someone like me who has been eating way too much sugar for most of his life going to have to dig his way out of a big hole? I am just really clueless on these terms except I know that they are the reason why refined sugars are to be avoided.

4) Supplementing: Am I missing anything? I really liked Madmick's TrueProtein.com concoction, sounds like something I will definitely look into... so I know PWO-wise I will be in good shape. Other than that, I will probably pick up casein (is that the name of it? can't find my notes right now) protein for before bed, and maybe another type of whey for if I am in a real pinch and need a quick meal. Other than that, I will probably get some sort of Green MultiVitamin type thing, and one of those Omega-3 Fatty Acids or whatever they are supplements (again, struggling for names here since I lost my notes... basically pills w/ the good fats). Creatine is included in Madmick's PWO formula, and I am deliberately avoiding products like NO-Xplode. Anything else that is pretty standard or a must-have that I have omitted?

5) PWO--how long after the end of the workout should you have your PWO drink? And how long should you wait til you eat your next meal? During that meal, should you also allow yourself more sugars, or is that only just for the drink? Should the meal be essentially the same as one you would eat at any other time in the day?

6) I suspect they are, but just for confirmation, are pastas a no-no? And just how bad are the sugars in fruits? Are some worse than others? What are the best bets?

I am probably forgetting some stuff which I will add in later, but these are my major stumbling blocks. Yep, I am definitely a dieting rookie, so I know these questions are probably pretty basic, but I really did spend a lot of time going through the stickies and just had these questions lingering afterwards.

[supersudo]

1) yes.. go ahead and consume dairy unless of course u're lactose intolerant and allergic to casein.. (like me )

2) not only do they fry them in hydrogenated oils (trans fats) but they also add chemicals like MSG for flavoring and SOY... and if u buy them packaged.. they also come with preservatives and most likely SOY!!!

if u absolutely need to eat fast food.. go with burger king's WHOPPER or jr... or taco bell's value menu.. or subway... i read the ingredients on their websites and i give them my approval..

3) just stop eating sugar.. that's all i have to say here.. (except PWO)

4) looks good.. just keep in mind that omega-3 fats should be refrigerated because they oxidize easily from heat and light

5) ASAP.. but wait a while if u think u're gonna puke from working out too hard.. also.. be sure to drink ur multi with the PWO.. that way u get the most out of ur multi..

6) pastas are good for fuel the night before a competition, or a hard day's workout... sugar is sugar whether it be in fruits or processed (although anything processed/refined is most always worse for ur health).. they both spike insulin..

[supersudo]

also as a suggestion for #4

something to keep u hydrated.. and replenish ur electrolytes... gatorade works but has too much sugar (so it's good PWO) ... or u can cut it with water..

but personally i use Emer'Gen-C because it's great! $8 at walmart, target.. i think $9 at vitamin shoppe, henry's/sprouts, etc etc..

albertsons sell them for $12!!! can u believe that?!

[BangWhosNxt]

I was writing mine up the same time as sudo... so this is just to add to his, is seems like we're thinking along the same lines.

1. You should definitely incoporate milk into your diet, pass on the chesse. FYI, and you may know this, but the way you worded your sentence about fats being good for you except non-trans fat, leads me to believe you may not. You should look for polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats, stay away from saturated fats and trans fat.

2. This really depends on how serious you want to take your diet. If you don't care about gaining unwanted fat during your bulking phase then go ahead. Personally I would skip out on all of that stuff. Yes the bread has a lot to do with it and also the chesse. Most times you eat at a burger joint they don't have fresh veggies to go with your burger, your options are pretty limited and this will usually lead to a deficiency in your diet.

3. The way I understand it, is that you want an insulin spike but the only time this is desirable is PWO. The reason is during an insulin spike you body flows nutrients through your body at a much faster rate.

4. If you need a quick meal, the casein would be a better choice.

5. Since I workout at my friends house. It's usually from the time I put down my last set to the time it takes me to walk to his kitchen and finish making my PWO shake, 5-10 minutes. Then PWO meals comes about 30-35 minutes later (the time it takes to drive home). I really haven't experimented much with timing, but this seems to work pretty good for me.

I would only use the sugar for the PWO shake. And for the PWO meal, I would try to make it as essential as possible. Aside from breakfast, try to make this the best meal, quality wise of the day.

6. I usually only eat pasta on cardio days or when I go to roll around. Like I said before, the sugar from fruit is only desirable PWO.

[Clint07]

First off, commendations on reading the stickies and then asking specific questions on what was still troubling you. That usually shows that you are more determined to actually get it done than the people who just come on and ask for a diet plan. Here's my thoughts on your questions:

1) Dairy is fine but just be careful, many people have trouble digesting dairy and don't really know it. For example I'm not lactose intolerant but if I eat alot of dairy, my allergies will go to shit. Just keep an eye on that sort of thing to make sure that you are okay. Otherwise just stick to healthier choices (1 or 2% milk, low sugar yogurt, low fat cheeses, or smaller amounts of higher fat cheeses)

2) Like Sudo said make sure you know whats in them. Your best bet is too make them yourself (it's not hard). Also make sure it is whole wheat bread and wraps being used.

3) Whenever you eat something, your bloodsugar increases which causes your body to release insulin. How much your blood sugar spikes (and thereby how much insulin is released) depends on the glycemic load of the food (sugar and white flour are at the top of the glycemic index). After a while of eating way to much sugar your body becomes resistant and the insulin becomes less effective/released less eventually this becomes type II diabetes.

The best way to prevent this and to utilize insulin for overall body composition is to not eat any non-fruit or veggie carbs except for immediatly post workout (Since you have a solid ****bolism I would add oatmeal to your breakfast as well). For more info on this concept check out John Berardi's articles at www.t-nation.com and www.johnberardi.com. The articles will also give you a wealth of info on other important diet aspects.

4) Sounds like you have the essentials (they are all that really matters). Just to review for ya, you need:
*Green Multivitamin
*Omega 3 Fatty Acid supplement
*Whey/Dextrose blend for post workout
*Casein for before bed (Cottage & Ricotta Cheeses also work in a pinch) - also use this for meal replacement
*Creatine if you want it. Just get plain creatine monohydrate it shouldn't cost more than $0.25 per serving and put a serving of it (5 grams) in your post workout shake every day

5)It's best to get the shake within 30min and then the meal can be 1-2 hours later. In the meal you can have refined carbs but you should still avoid sugars and white flour (But if you are going to eat them do it here)

6) Have the pastas in your post workout meal. Try to get whole wheat pasta or spinach pasta it's much better for you than white pasta. Madmick just recently posted a listing of the glyemic loads of different fruits. Look around for it and just try to stick with the lower glycemic fruits

You're definatly on your way. Keep up the research and you'll be there in no time. Like I mentioned before www.johnberardi.com has a lot of articles that you would probably find very helpful.