Strength training diet questions

Saruman_w

I'm looking into re-adjusting my diet for strength training, since currently I don't take in enough protein and all that. And from the research i've done it seems it's recommend I eat every 3 or so hours and meals should be accompanied with a serving of protein and a carb and a bunch of other tips. And I'm thinking to myself what on earth am I going to eat during those hours I'm at work? I can't exactly cook anything over there. I know I'll have to bring food with me, but what? What do you all recommend? I appreciate any input.

GypsyRose25

Little snacky poos work. Almonds are great, so are hard-boiled eggs (especially if you toss the yolk).

HoopFire5602

Tuna pouch/cans. valley fresh steamers veggies from green giant that all you have to do is microwave. Nuts, fruit....protein shakes (I like Muscle Milk). That's all I eat all week for lunch, pretty much. Low carbs. One day a week is high carbs. I know I'm a girl and all...but it works for me.

RangerSteve

I'm looking into re-adjusting my diet for strength training, since currently I don't take in enough protein and all that. And from the research i've done it seems it's recommend I eat every 3 or so hours and meals should be accompanied with a serving of protein and a carb and a bunch of other tips. And I'm thinking to myself what on earth am I going to eat during those hours I'm at work? I can't exactly cook anything over there. I know I'll have to bring food with me, but what? What do you all recommend? I appreciate any input.

You don't need to eat every 3 hours. If you're not getting enough protein then you need to either:

a) learn how to cook foods that are high in protein

or

b) find some sort of protein powder you like

Eat a big meal before work and a big meal after work. If you need a snack while at work, take a protein bar or make a sandwich. You DO NOT need to eat every 3 hours though. Don't adjust your entire life based on your meal frequency. It's not needed.

Balanced_Life

Some people (like me) who are following Tom Venuto's "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle" program are also following the strength training type eating plan that you mentioned, and we've been discussing what we eat in this thread: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/246214-burn-the-fat-feed-the-muscle?page=1#posts-3803089 Feel free to join our discussion!

Anyway, I've pasted below the part of my post in that thread where I talk about what I've been eating for meals. Hope its helpful!

In every meal I include meat, fibrous veggie, starchy complex carbohydrate, and EFAs (Udo's Oil Blend and/or mixed nuts). In my pre and post workout meals I include simple carbohydrates (milk and fruit). I also include milk in one other meal so that I can get 3 servings of milk a day (to make sure that I get enough calcium). I try to eat unrefined starchy complex carbohydrates as much as possible, but occasionally I'll substitute some more refined stuff like Kashi peanut butter granola bars, Kashi GoLean original cereal, Pop Chips, etc. I really like the Kashi cereal and granola bars, so I've been using those as a "dessert" item than also functions as part of my starchy complex carbohydrate for the meal.

Here's a typical daily meal plan for me:

Meal 1: 5AM (~400 cal, pre-workout)
salmon (50 cal)
broccoli (50 cal)
Wasa crispbread w/almond butter & jam (75 cal)
banana (75 cal)
nonfat milk w/instant coffee & chocolate stevia (80 cal)
Udo's Oil Blend (60 cal; I mix .75 tsp in the milk and .75 tsp in the broccoli)


Meal 2: 8 - 8:30AM (~450 cal, post-workout)
chicken (50 cal)
brown rice (50 cal)
Wasa crispbread w/hummus (55 cal)
mixed nuts (50 cal)
baby carrots (50 cal)
cantaloupe (50 cal)
nonfat milk w/instant coffee & chocolate stevia (80 cal)
Udo's Oil Blend (60 cal; I mix 1.5 tsp in the milk)
Trident Layers sugar free gum

Snack: ~10:30 - 11AM
red tea (0 cal; Celestial Seasonings "African Orange Mango" tea w/plain stevia)


Meal 3: 12PM (~300 cal)
salmon (75 cal)
whole wheat pasta w/pesto sauce (100 cal)
mixed nuts (50 cal)
collard greens (50 cal)
Udo's Oil Blend (30 cal; I mix .75 tsp in the collard greens)
herbal tea (0 cal; Celestial Seasonings "Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride" tea w/English toffee stevia)
black tea, decaf (0 cal; Stash "Vanilla Nut Creme" tea w/English toffee stevia)
Trident Layers sugar free gum

Snack: ~2:30PM
green tea, decaf (Celestial Seasonings "Candy Cane Lane" tea w/plain stevia)


Meal 4: 3:30PM (~300 cal)
chicken (50 cal)
yams (50 cal)
cauliflower (50 cal)
nonfat milk w/instant coffee & chocolate stevia (80 cal)
Udo's Oil Blend (60 cal; I mix .75 tsp in the milk and .75 tsp in the cauliflower)
Trident Layers sugar free gum

Snack: ~6PM
herbal tea, decaf (0 cal; Celestial Seasonings "Apple Cinnamon Spice" tea w/plain stevia)


Meal 5: 7PM (~350 cal)
chicken (75 cal)
potatoes (50 cal)
Wasa crispbread w/hummus (55 cal)
mixed nuts (50 cal)
asparagus/brussel sprouts/red bell pepper stir fry (50 cal)
cantaloupe (50 cal)
Kashi GoLean Original cereal (50 cal; good source of soy protein - has 13 gm per 140 cal serving)
Udo's Oil Blend (30 cal; I mix .75 tsp in the asparagus/brussel sprouts/red bell pepper stir fry)
herbal tea, decaf (0 cal; Celestial Seasonings "Honey Vanilla Chamomile" tea w/plain stevia)
Trident Layers sugar free gum


The teas that I listed above are just my favorites. I'm a big tea fan and my cupboards are filled with many different flavors of tea (they're all from Celestial Seasonings or Stash) -- if you want any tea suggestions, let me know! The liquid stevia that I use is made by Sweetleaf, and that instant coffee is Mt. Hagen Organic Instant coffee.

I usually prepare all of my meat and veggies on the weekend, since I don't have any time for cooking on the weekdays. Each weekend I'll typically stir fry ~4 lbs of chicken breast, bake ~2.5 lbs of salmon fillets, stir fry ~5 lbs of broccoli, stir fry ~3 lbs of cauliflower, stir fry ~4.5 lbs of asparagus/brussel sprouts/red bell peppers, make 2 lbs of collard greens w/stir fried onions, bake ~2.5lbs of yams, and bake ~3.5 lbs of potatoes. I use very little canola oil for stir frying, since I like to get my EFA's mostly from Udo's Oil blend (yes, I followed Tom Venuto's recommendation!) and from nuts. I flavor the chicken, salmon, and veggies with various low cal sauces and seasonings. I wrap the meat into separate packets and freeze whatever won't be eaten during the next couple of days. The veggies seem to keep OK in the fridge for the whole week. Every few months I'll make up a big batch of mixed nuts (~6 lbs) and freeze them in airtight jars with rubber gaskets.

caitibug

its good to eat every 3-4 hours to keep your metabolism going... at work you can try nuts or protein bars/shakes! good luck

Fitzgeraldguy

I am using the Gold Standard Whey Protein, easy to make into shakes and also you can make protein bars that count as a meal with it.

Best.