Need some advice

Fraser91x

Hello,

My name is Andrew I am a 22 year old - living in Ontario Canada. I have been working out off and on for a few months now, but have only started to get serious about this.

I decided to start the P90X workout because having a routine seems to work best for me. What I am going to have issues with is the food. Not so much eating bad things its eating the correct amount. This is were I would like some help.

Like I said I am 22 - weight 271 LBs - height 6' 2''.

I do the P90x workouts once a day and because MFP doesn't have them in their log I'm not sure how many calories I am burning so I will be investing in a HRM as soon as I can to start determining this.

I am eating about 1400 - 1600 calories a day and here is what a normal day of eating looks like:
Breakfast - 1 packet of protein instant oatmeal with a banana
Snack - handful of almonds and sunflower seeds
Lunch - Homemade chicken salad with spinach and 2 tbsp. of ceaser dressing.
Snack - Apple or some sort of fruit or a yogurt
Supper - some sort of lean protein such as fish or another chicken dinner
Snack - 2 celery sticks with peanut butter and some almonds on top

I feel as if I am eating well but am not sure. Any help would be beneficial and if anyone would like to add me that would be awesome too!

Thanks for the help in advance,
Andrew

train_01

It sounds like you have a good plan and your food is very nutrient dense. The only suggestion I would make is invest in a food scale and weigh everything. Sometimes measuring cups are not very accurate and eyeballing it almost always produces higher portion sizes. Food scales are fairly inexpensive (less than $20 american). Otherwise, good luck and you may friend me if you'd like

DeBiKin

It sounds good but it really is guesswork unless you see the numbers (that's how I got fat-not knowing the numbers)...
I always have a good protein powder on hand for days when I am not getting enough of that macronutrient. (I like brands that have the natural sweetener, Stevia, not sucralose/Splenda... MRM & Pure Protein are two brands I found, and you just add a little water for a little protein boost.)
My concern for you with how tall you are us that you may not be getting enough calories. If the guidelines say that amount then it's probably good for you but you should eat more when you are doing the workout because you will burn a lot of calories too.
The only other thing that I think is a concern
May sound a little strange... You are fair so you're likely of European decent, therefore you will be more prone to kidney stones. Spinach is high in oxylates which is one of the componants that make up a particular kind of kidney stone.
Make sure that you drink lots and lots of water and you can handle things like that just fine. Adding lemon helps to prevent the formation of kidney stones.
Good luck on your journey and keep inquiring as you encounter new questions. Online research is good too. Definitely get the HRM, that will help s lot.

mubbuuu

Hey bud! HRM is a great investment, and I'm glad to see you investing in one. As for logging it while you wait, you can add it as strength training under cardio.

SezxyStef

number one your calories are too low for a man your size. 1800 is min suggested for a man...

You need to eat to fuel your workouts and you aren't...so you are losing muscle with the fat.

As for p90x log it under circut training...strength training is for lifting weights...p90x has circuts.

the eating has nothing to do with the what or the when but the how much.

Get enough protien to help maintain your muscle...you are doing resistence training so that's good but consider lifting weights using starting strength or strong lifts....eat more food..you eat less than me and I am a woman and I lose anywhere from 1/2lb to 1lb a week while lifting weights and eating chocolate everynight.

ETA: HRM is only good for steady state cardio and it needs a chest strap p90x is not steady state cardio...on the exercise calories just eat back 50-75% of them.

Fraser91x

Thank you everyone for the advice, from what I can read eating more seems be unanimous across the board. I will take that to heart and begin adding another snack or a larger meal into my plan.

Also the HRM - does anyone know if those will show calories burned and how accurate they would be?