Are you following the book or something else? I'm pretty much doing what I want as far as food and custom designed my macro percentages instead of following the book. As I'm gluten free I found that I could adapt the book's diet as long as I wanted to hunt and search down appropriate gf options, but that just sounded like a pain in the *kitten* to me.

Oooh! I need to view your diary! I'm trying to go more gluten free and have been reading about various grains like amaranth and millet and buckwheat. Have any recommendations?

I was following the book as far as calories and macros and I got frustrated with the scale not moving, so last week I decided to try intermittent fasting, Lean Gaines style. I can feel the difference in my clothes, I am definitely losing inches. The stupid scale gave me three different weights this morning, if I can find the receipt that sucker's going back to the store!!! And I'm not going to replace it either.

I'm finding it hard to get in enough protein without resorting to protein powder at least twice a day. I'm shooting for 1g. protein per body weight. What does everyone else do? I'm thinking of upping the chicken on my daily lunch salad from 4 oz. to 6 oz., but I'd like to add in some grains that won't kill me on carbs.

My iron has been really low - about half what it should be according to MFP - and I've been thinking of incorporating red meat at least once a week. I hate to cook it though - I don't mind cooking chicken or pork tenderloin, but I hate cooking red meat. I'm weird.

I love quinoa, need to make quinoa & onions (saute onions in a little olive oil, add cooked quinoa - we usually cook it in veggie broth to give it more flavor - and top with 1/4 cup parmesan) soon.

I'll check out turkey breast next time I buy. I usually get 5-6 lbs. of chicken breasts, marinate them overnight and then have a massive grilling session. Then I bag them up in 1lb. baggies, throw them in the freezer and pull out a bag each week to divvy up on my lunch salads.

I've decided to really focus on building muscles and am now trying to eat OVER maintenance. Right now I'm netting 2300 and eating exercise calories. I've been eating more and lifting for 3 weeks now and have only gained 1 pound. I don't try to go for full 40% protien but try to get at least 130 but it isn't hard with as much has I eat.

The diet part is making me crazy and frustrated.

I use 40/30/30 and I do not have too much trouble with that but I really have a hard time losing fat. For the next few months I will try maintenance for 2 weeks then 250 calories deficit for another 2 weeks. I am trying to lose fat while maintaining my muscle mass. I have been at the same weight since April, lost inches in the first 8 weeks of the program. since then no weight or inches lost.

I'm not really following the book's diet plan. I am eating lowish carb and low sugar. My macros are 35% carb, 40% protein, and 25% fat. At least I think that's how I have it set. I also aim for 1 protein gram per pound of body weight. I have to use protein powder to help get me there. Some days I drink two shakes. I have one for breakfast every day, whether I am lifting or not just because I like it and it's very filling. Sometimes I'll have a smaller one for my PM snack. I have also started eating Greek yogurt. I have found that I like it mixed with peanut or other nut butter and 1 packet of Stevia. It masks the tartness and it's really creamy, almost mousselike. I have been tempted to add Nutella, but I am staying strong!

I am trying to lose fat but having a hard time eating more calories that I am used to. Most days I get around maintenance or less. I don't think I've ever eaten the calorie levels I calculated from the book. According to my scale I lost 3 pounds but I don't think I've lost inches yet, which is really what I'm after. Of course I have been really lax on the cardio because I hate it. I don't run and I',m tired of the elliptical. Can anyone recommend a fun DVD I can do at home?

I used to stick to the diet and macros when I was in stage 1. Then I was starting to get a bit crazy about when to eat what to eat and so on, so for the last 2 weeks I eat when I'm hungry and don't log anything. I try to not over do it everyday, but some days I know I go overboard. Halloween candy is not helping. On lifting days I'm so hungry!

I'll check out turkey breast next time I buy. I usually get 5-6 lbs. of chicken breasts, marinate them overnight and then have a massive grilling session. Then I bag them up in 1lb. baggies, throw them in the freezer and pull out a bag each week to divvy up on my lunch salads.

That's a really good idea. I'm trying to get more into cooking on Sundays for the week and freezing what I don't think I'll eat that week but I'm not consistent. I'm not sticking strictly to the book's plan either. I'm loosly following a 40 40 20 macro split with carbs protein and fats.

As someone who's joined to soak in the info at the moment, before I think about starting/buying the book - the Diet part is what turns me off it. I have a family to cook for, as well as work and study and I just hate set meal plans.. Obviously I don't -know- the NROL diet plan, but the simple fact that one's there bothers me because I just stubbornly don't think I'd do it!

The meals suggested are just ideas to sow you how you could get the protein in that you need. Unless you and your family are sitting down to 3 meals a day together you should be able to get some ideas from this that will jump start your own creative thinking about meals for one. I haven't used a single one of the meals suggested and I can often hit my 30% protein target.

Cool, thanks

okay i need help with this....no i am not following the diet and no i am not currently eating the amount of calories that they are telling me to....

i have been doing zig zag calories for about 5-6 months and i for the most part eat back my exercise calories....currently i zig/zag between 1400-1685 net calories daily....i have 5 days of 1400, 1 day of 1550 and 1 day of 1685...this week i decided to try only eating 1/2 my exercise calories which would put me netting close to 1200 or just under most days....

based on the information in the book on my rest days (1x a week) i should be eating 1634 and on my active days i should be eating 1906...i dont remember if this is net or or if this the goal???

i do wear a HRM for all my workouts including strength training and push myself to burn on average between 300-400 for a regular workout and a super dble workout 600-1000 depending on what i'm doing...

anyway, i have been lifting at least 3 times a week even before this program since about july and i honestly do not know what to do about my calorie goal......

i have put my scale away for now and am really focusing on the successes with my clothes fitting, my body changing the way it looks, how strong i feel and my running times....ps, i'm really focusing on getting my sodium in check each day and i'm hoping that helps too....i drink 100+oz of water a day so i know i do my part to flush....

sooooo, help please - someone please tell me what to do and i'll friggin do it lol...i've been "stuck" in the 170s for almost 5 months partly due to "loose" eating and partly due to who the frig knows what.......at this point i just want some changes to happen that i can "Measure/See" even if i'm not weighing myself lol....