Diet – Add more calories, eat every 2-3 hrs, lots of protein
To gain ten pounds in thirty days, you’re going to have to eat a lot and often. “Normal’ diets are either 2000 or 2500 per day according to the U.S. Dept. of Health. That’s what you read in the Nutritional Information charts in food packaging. We’re going to go with higher calorie diet. This will be divided into 6 meals: 3 big, main meals and 3 or more smaller, more convenient snacks.
It’s very important to have a whey protein shake first thing in the morning. Don’t settle for the 20- 25 grams of protein a scoop provides; go for a scoop and a half with 8 ounces of milk. This will give you around 40-47 grams of protein depending on how much is in a scoop of your favorite brand. The reason for this is that you just fasted for 8 hours (you SHOULD be sleeping 8 hours. More on that later), and your body is in a catabolic, muscle eating state. It’s taking energy from your muscles by breaking them down! You need to stop this by giving it something else to use as energy.
You should also have some protein at night before going to bed. I usually have around half a container of Cottage Cheese and a glass of milk. Sometimes, I have a shake at night, then cottage cheese in the morning, or just a shake at night and another in the morning.
Here’s an example diet plan:
FYI: a cup is 8 ounces
Early Rise & Shine protein shake 6:30 am
Breakfast 8 am – 2 eggs + 2 egg whites or 3 whole eggs scrambled with 6 low sodium turkey slices chopped up, mixed with chunky salsa. Don’t use oil, numbnut! Use cooking spray—1 to 1.5 second spray. 2 packets of unflavored oatmeal. Flavor it yourself with Stevia (all natural, no calorie sweetener) and/or fruit, cinammon. Drink a glass (8 ounces) of 2% lowfat milk. This milk has the most protein, 10g, and enough good calories for our goal. One piece of fruit; apple, nectarine, banana, pear, handful of grapes.
Snack 10 am – 1.5 scoops protein shake made with 8 ounces of 2% milk + 1 fruit; an apple, orange, pear, banana
Lunch 12:30 – 2 chicken breasts from Pollo Loco with 2 sides: vegetables and corn or mashed potatoes, 2 tortillas, 1.5 cups fruit juice
Snack 3:30 – Half of a 16 ounce container of lowfat cottage cheese, half cup of almonds
Dinner 6:30 – 8 oz top sirloin steak, salmon, swordfish or other protein main dish; 1 cup cooked cauliflower; 1/2 cup sliced carrots; 1/2 cup mashed potatoes; green tea or apple juice
Snack 8:30 – 1.5 scoops protein shake made with 8 ounces of 2% milk, handful of beef jerky
Extra Bedtime Snack 10:30 pm – If you’re still hungry, you can have a turkey sandwich with lowfat cheese made with a lettuce wrap instead of bread, or the other half of your cottage cheese, or another protein shake. I’ve even been known to have a bowl of cereal right before bed.
why cauliflower and carrots?
Cauliflower is one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat. It’s loaded with vitamin C which will help your muscles repair themselves, but will also help fight infection, illness, etc.
It’s also very high in antioxidants making it more of a super-antioxidant food which can battle cancers from forming. And it has plenty of anti-inflammatory nutrients like vitamin K and omega-3 fatty acids. Besides all of that boring stuff, it’s delicious and filling with very low carbs and hardly any fat. Cauliflower
Carrots have a ton of vitamin A and also have a good amount of C which has been known as the most important vitamin for bodybuilders. Top 10 Vitamins for Bodybuilders . Vitamin A lands the number 7 spot on that list.
But eat them because they are delicious! And be sure to mix up the colors and types of vegetables you eat. Choosing different colored vegetables not only makes your food visually more appealing and the overall taste of your meal more interesting, but it ensures you’re getting a variety of nutrients in your diet.