19 y old male requires YOUR expertise

Hey guys. I am new. My goal: to lose 20-30 lbs of fat and ultimately, attain a six-pack. I really hope to lose the fat in the next 3.5 months. Of course, I will continue with my exercise and nutrition after that time has passed as well. This is my second topic post (first one in the Weight/Fat Loss section). Ok, so I would really appreciate some help. I lose motivation fast and although I have found the motivation for exercising and working out, I can't seem to find it for my nutrition. So before I fall into a dark, deep, abyss, I am making a post.

Here is a very general breakdown of what I eat:

Morning: 1 bowl cereal. Fruit. Maybe instead of the 1 bowl cereal, I have chicken and whole wheat bread.

Snack: Fruit.

Lunch: Rice w/ chicken. Fruit. Sometimes I have the chicken and whole wheat bread here instead of the rice w/. chicken.

Snack: Fruit. Perhaps a yogurt. When not in the morning, I have 1 bowl cereal here instead of yogurt.

Dinner: Pasta or more rice w/ chicken. Fruit.

This is my so called 6 meals a day routine. My mother just cooked this food (pasta, rice, chicken) and gave them to me as I have moved into my own place for university. I cannot cook. I don't eat eggs as I do not have any right now. Nor do I have any veggies either. Gah, I shall go and buy some ASAP. So the veggies will go in the snack areas, I suppose. About the eggs, I don't know..it's not that I don't like them..I cringe at the thought of cooking them, even though not much effort is needed...if you guys/girls deem them to be really important for weight loss, then I shall get them.

swanso5 told me to cut the pasta, rice, cereal, and bread. I can understand the pasta but not the other three.

Additionally, should I count the amount of protein and carbs and fibre I am taking in everyday?

I will do (almost) anything you guys suggest!

Regards,
Kzar.

Swanso is absolutely right! Those high starch items are killing you and will not eliminate the layer of fat covering your six pack. Also, six pack's are not made in the gym they are made in the kitchen. If you continue to eat wrong your body will never adapt and reveal the coveted six pack you so desire. You say you will "DO ANYTHING" then I suggest you find a good 30/30/40 or 20/30/50 fat/protien/carb diet that will keep your busy life stimulated and reveal your six pack with perseverence and diligence. If you must have Pasta make it whole wheat, and Rice make it Brown, cut the bread back to one or two slices every other day and I suggest Flax seed or a multi-grain type over whole wheat. And be sure and toss that skin you been eating off of the chicken, get more vegetables into your meal plan and lets not forget the fish. If you are eating for workouts you can be more liberal with the amounts you eat especially if you are getting the required number of workouts in each week. I do not see a lot of fruit on your plate so you may want to increase these to an acceptable 3 - 5 servings a day. And supplements may be a way to go but I am not savvy enough to recommend any. Good luck in your quest, you do have one thing working in your favor, you are 19 and with a little effort, hard work and proper nutrition you should be able to get your body in the shape you seek! Good Luck!

I would actually cut back the fruit and throw in some veggies. Lotsa veggies. Protein with EVERY meal as well. Eggs are an awesome source of protein.

Thanks for replying, JoeSixPack and Lesplease!

Ok I shall cut the bread and pasta. Most likely the rice too then, unless it's brown and even then only on some occasions. I will buy eggs and lots of vegetables. And fish too I guess because I think I'll faint if I go only veggies and fruits with my working out.

1) Chicken skin? Is the affect big if I toss it out? Just wondering...

2) Hey, what about my cereal (I usually eat Nesquik and Reese Puffs) and 2% milk?

3) How about beans? If so, any specific in mind?

4) For the fish, should I avoid fish sticks or are they good?

So am I good* with these items: fish, vegetables, eggs, fruits, cereal, 2% milk, chicken, and sometimes brown rice?

Regards,
Kzar.

*Good meaning that with all the proper exercise and diet, I will be able to lose the fat (20-30 lbs) and gain some muscle within the next 3.5 months.

Eat rice after your work out

Eat the skin, especially KFC skin Also, chicken wings does not = chicken

Finish the cereal, then quit buying it. Better yet, give to your university buddies, they will appreciate it. Same with the rest of your 2% milk. You are literally going to wear it if you dont.

Beans are good, but high carbs, eat after workout

Fish sticks = crap The "fish" portion of a fish stick is the stuff they clean off the floor in the fish plant, at best also = trasnfat which is not our friend

Cottage cheese is cheap and good source of protien. Salmon - drop the can on the floor, then see if you can get a discount. Watch the fish counter for marked down fish near its shelf life. THose shelf lives are not right anyway. Chicken breast is expensive, but if you are skilled with a knife can sometimes get deals on other pieces of chicken. Alot of the price of chicken depneds on the labour to debone, de-skin, so if you can do that yourself, you save and eat good.

ALso, my own personal expertise limited, but read:
http://www.uponlinetraining.com/articles/0010.html
http://www.uponlinetraining.com/articles/0001.html
http://www.uponlinetraining.com/articles/0007.html
http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_publi ... id=2349787
You will have enough to read already, with school, but read these articles and think about them

good luck

Brent

actually luck has little or nothing to do with it, grit your teeth and clench your arse cheeks and push

I like to buy bonesless/skinless breasts when they go on sale (2for1 last month stocked a freezer in my garage!) and freeze em. (I do the same thing with fruit). Costco is good for this as well. I understand you most likely have limited space, so you'll have to work with what you have. Just a thought.

Oatmeal is a good option. Plain ol oats with a 1/2 scoop of vanilla protein powder (or eggwhites, ask Cassie, she's obsessed) and some flax = mmm. Sometimes I slice bananas on it if i'm feelin' saucy. There are also high fiber/whole grain cereals out there. Watch the sugar. Cinnamon toast crunch is probably the reason I exist, but it really isn't the best option. ):

Fish sticks probably aren't the best option, just check the label. And for the love of all thats adorable (me), don't fry them.

FF cottage cheese is pretty amazing as well. I eat a lot of that. And string cheese. 9g/protein/stick. Amazing. Again, low-fat options are good. Use things like nuts, avacados and certain oils for good healthy fats.

College is way way fun. I've been at it for like 8 years. I love every minute of it. But avoid the kegstands. They really aren't going to do you any favors. Liquor and beer have a lot of calories with minimal nutritive value. So watch out for that.

Thanks, brentyboy and Lesplease.

Ok, rice and beans after the workout.

No more cereal unless it's high fibre/whole grain. But I think I may just go buy some oats. How is and how much is this whey protein stuff?

Cottage cheese ftw.

For fish, anything but fish sticks. So canned tuna, salmon, etc. are a-okay?

As for the chicken, I usually eat what my mother buys. And that mainly consists of chicken legs. And she de-bones, de-skins it, I am sure. Is it necessary to get chicken breasts instead? Just curious...

As for the keggers, I do not drink.

So...vegetables, chicken, cottage cheese, oats, string cheese, nuts, avocados, fruits, and fish all during the day. Rice (brown) and beans only after my workouts.
As for beverages, I have water..and a little more water.

Thanks for the links, brentyboy.

Regards,
Kzar.

How is and how much is this whey protein stuff?

Yesterday I went to costco and bout a 2kg "Kaizen Whey Isolate" for $39.99 - chocolate of course, they gave me a coupon at the door, I was like YES!!! come to papa

I'm on my third one now since june, usually they are 49.99

there is no sugar in it or aspartame or thattype of stuff. I take a scoop immmediately after working out, with carby oats and honey.

here is a link

http://www.kaizenprotein.com/faq.html

have a good day sir!

Brent

Brentyboy, once again thanks for the reply and the link. Now, do you believe it is absolutely imperative to buy this whey protein stuff? I understand it's very supplying in protein but you know..just wondering. Is this and water the sole items you drink?

Just re-posting some questions from the post before yours:

"So canned tuna, salmon, etc. are a-okay?

As for the chicken, I usually eat what my mother buys. And that mainly consists of chicken legs. And she de-bones, de-skins it, I am sure. Is it necessary to get chicken breasts instead? Just curious...

...

So [my everyday diet will consist of]...vegetables, chicken, cottage cheese, oats, string cheese, nuts, avocados, fruits, and fish all during the day. Rice (brown) and beans only after my workouts.
As for beverages, I have water..and a little more water."

Regards,
Kzar.

you need protein. thats all I know. My goals are to build muscel and loss fat, so, I mix protein powder in some oatmeal and honey and eat it right after workout, which is when the body need protein and gets best use of carbs. I use to mixit with milk, but now i avoid milk so i tried with water. That is an acquired taste. Do you have to buy any? Of course not. Many shapefitters use it because it is readily available source of protein. Note that it is usually recommende to eat solid protein.

as far as canned goes, i would not say a-okay. If you had to pick between fresh and canned, which do you pick? of course fresh not practicel sometimes, so yeah, canned. I eat can tuna and salmon everyday, but beware the sodium. ALso, read posts on mercury

if your mother would skin and bone chicken for me, i would eat as much of that as I could. I think chicken breast are usually the fav because they are usually boneless and skinless and easier to deal with, but ususally the most expensive too. dont forget eggs

So in the context of how our goals are the same, these are things that work for me. Like i ses before, read and learn as much as you can.
brent

Breasts are also all white meat, which is leaner than dark.