Hello there.

For your goals, you will need 1,600 cals on NON-workout days, and around 2,000-2,100 cals on workout days.

Here are some sample meal plans:



1,600 cals::

[5 meal plan]

Meal 1 - 3 whole eggs + 3 egg whites + 1 oz cheese + 1/2 cup green peppers/onions + 1 small apple or orange (approx 400 cals)
Meal 2 - 40g protein shake + 1 cup of oatmeal + 1 tsp peanut butter (approx 300 cals)
Meal 3 - 1 large green salad with 6 oz grilled chicken + 1 tsp olive oil + vinegar (approx 300 cals)
Meal 4 - 1 large chicken breast (approx 6 oz) + 1/2 cup black beans + 1 cup broccoli (approx 300 cals)
Meal 5 - 1 cup cottage cheese + 1 tbsp peanut butter + handful of almonds (approx 400 cals)



[3 meal plan]


Meal 1 - 4 whole eggs + 4 egg whites (cooked in olive oil) + green peppers and onions + 1/2 cup oatmeal (uncooked volume) + 1/2 cup of mixed berries (any)
Meal 2 - 2 slices whole grain bread + 1 cans of tuna + 2 oz avocado + 1tbsp mayo/mustard + veggies (tuna sandwich) + 1 large green salad w/ 1 tbsp olive oil + vinegar (or equivalent in dressing)
Meal 3 - 8 oz grilled sirloin steak (trim off the fat) OR 8 oz grilled chicken + 1 cup black beans + 3/4 cup brown rice + veggies + 1 tbsp olive oil






2,100 cals:

[5 meal plans]
Meal 1 - 3 whole eggs + 5 egg whites + green peppers and onions + 3/4 cup oatmeal (uncooked volume) + handful of mixed berries (any) = 40g protein, 35g carbs, 12g fat
Meal 2 - 6 oz grilled chicken + 1 large salad + 1 tbsp olive oil + vinegar = 42g protein, 10g carbs, 12g fat
Meal 3 - 2 slices whole grain bread + 1 can of tuna + 1 oz of 2% cheese + 1tbsp mayo + veggies (tuna sandwich) = 40g protein, 40g carbs, 13g fat
Meal 4 - 4 oz grilled sirloin steak (trim off the fat) + 1/2 cup black beans + 1/2 cup brown rice + veggies + 1 tbsp olive oil = 36g protein, 40g carbs, 12g fat
Meal 5 - 35g protein shake + handful mixed berries + 1 slice whole grain bread w/ 1 tbsp peanut butter and 1 tsp jelly = 40g protein, 35g carbs, 10g fat
Meal 6 - 3/4 cup of 2% cottage cheese + 1tsp heavy cream + handful mixed berries + 10 almonds + cinnamon to taste = 22g protein, 5g carbs, 6g fat


Meal 1 - 2 slices whole grain toast + 2 tbsp peanut butter + 1 tsp jelly + 20g protein shake (half a shake basically)
Meal 2 - 4 oz LEAN ground beef or steak + 1 cup broccoli + 1 cup black beans
Meal 3 - 1 large apple, 1 large banana, 20g protein shake
Meal 4 - 6 oz chicken breast + large green salad + olive oil and vinegar
Meal 5 - 6 oz salmon or other fish + green beans + carrots
Meal 6 - 1/2 cup greek yogurt + handful of mixed nuts


First thing upon waking - Drink 2 cups of coffee (or take 3 GAT Jet Fuel) with 20 oz water and perform 20 mins of fasting cardio.
Meal 1 (wait another 15 mins after finishing cardio) - Protein shake w/ 1 cup oatmeal + handful of berries
Meal 2 - 1 chicken breast + large green salad + o-oil and vinegar
Meal 3 - 5 oz lean beef (90/10 or better) w/ mixed veggies
Meal 4 - 6 oz chicken breast + 1/2 cup black beans + 1/2 cup green pepper
Meal 5 (assuming this is POST WORKOUT, if not adjust this meal to PWO) - 1 Protein shake + 1 tbsp peanut butter + handful mixed berries
Meal 6 - 1 cup cottage cheese + 1 TSP peanut butter + cinnamon


[3 meal plan]

Meal 1 - 6 whole eggs + 6 egg whites (cooked in olive oil) + green peppers and onions + 1 cup oatmeal (uncooked volume) + 1/2 cup of mixed berries (any) = 72g protein, 50g carbs, 20g fat
Meal 2 - 2 slices whole grain bread + 2 cans of tuna + 1 oz of 2% cheese + 1tbsp mayo/mustard + veggies (tuna sandwich) + 1 baked potato w/ 1 tbsp olive oil = 72g protein, 80g carbs, 20g fat
Meal 3 - 8 oz grilled sirloin steak (trim off the fat) + 1 cup black beans + 3/4 cup brown rice + veggies + 1 tbsp olive oil = 70g protein, 70g carbs, 20g fat

Upper / lower Texas method

Mon: upper volume
Tues: lower volume

Thurs: upper intensity
Fri: lower intensity

Every week intensity goes up by 2.5 kg, 1 set 5 reps.

When that starts to plateau I'll reset and do 1 set 3 reps

Then 2, then reset and do 5 again

If your goal is purely to gain lifting strength for each of those exercises, you will probably want to eliminate any volume training and substitute for raw strength training. The example here would be the 5x5 or 3x5, including modified versions like smolov.

If I had to put you on a particular plan, I would say to DEFINITELY start with 3x5 training, and throw in a 1RM Overload every 2 weeks for each exercise. Meaning, in addition to your regular 3x5 training, on the 2nd week, you would ALSO take your 1RM PR, and add approximately 1-2% to it. This constant 1RM gain will be adding around 5-15 lbs per exercise per month if the 3x5 training is done correctly.

Volume training is great, especially to add in with strength training, however in your case, for YOUR goals, it will slow your total gains in terms of increasing your 1RM rapidly.

Why is sitting so detrimental? Why are you "unable" to reverse the negatives effects of sitting, even if you exercise? Wtf is going on when you sit that is so dangerous? And does it happen with lying down too? Any kind of non activity?

The studies coming out now that you have to walk around for like 5-10 min every hour or 2 of sitting.... what is going on here? Why is the "damage" permanent, even if you're active??

Please show me these studies you are talking about and I will elaborate further. As it stands right now, the actual ACT of sitting is not "dangerous" in any way....

Hi ray, a friend of mine would like to get in shape and needs help with a training/nutrition program. He's willing to hit the gym 3 times a week.

He's currently 5''7 and 223 lbs, wanting to drop under 200 and eventually lower. His main goal is not to gain muscle, he really wants to lose weight for now! No food allergies and he has a decent budget as well.

Let me know if you need any other information, THANKS RAY

Edit: Note that he never really did any sports in his life and he definitely is not a natural...

This post was edited by Jam on Oct 29 2014 07:08pm

Some things i found,

http://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=9000&issue=00000&article=97905&type=abstract

http://jap.physiology.org/content/114/4/453

http://qz.com/223160/why-not-even-exercise-will-undo-the-harm-of-sitting-all-day-and-what-you-can-do-about-it/

http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/content/106/7/dju098.full

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22634869

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17827399

SOmeone also mentioned the SAID principle. Specific adaptations to imposed demands (SAID). Basically, your body will try to be the most efficient and productive in the position you're in the most. For most people, this is sitting. People sit for hours and hours a day (eating, work, browsing, movies, TV) so your body adapts to that position. This forces your hip flexor muscles to shorten and your glutes to lose its mind to muscle connectivity.

I mean I work desk job, etc.. so I sit wayy more than I am active... not much I can do about it....I still exercise 1-2 hours 5 days a week, try to walk when i can etc..but it sucks knowing inactivity even if you exercise later in day.. is still negative lol guess you can't win.

Heres a link to my 3-day routines...for him, obviously, cutting would be the correct one to follow:

http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=21269614&f=60&p=403152701
3 day Hypertrophy, Cutting, and Power Routines


As far as diet goes, he's going to need approximately 2,000 cals on non-workout days, and 2,500 cals on workout days.

Here is a sample diet:

Workout Days:

2,500 cals (approx)

Meal 1 - 3 whole eggs + 5 egg whites + green peppers and onions + 3/4 cup oatmeal (uncooked volume) + handful of mixed berries (any)
Meal 2 - 6 oz grilled chicken + 1 cup cooked brown rice + 1 large salad + 1 tbsp olive oil + vinegar
Meal 3 - 2 slices whole grain bread + 1 can of tuna + 1 oz of 2% cheese + 1tbsp mayo + veggies (tuna sandwich) =
Meal 4 - 6 oz grilled sirloin steak 90/10 or leaner (trim off the fat) + 1/2 cup black beans + 1/2 cup brown rice + veggies + 1 tbsp olive oil
Meal 5 - 40g protein shake + handful mixed berries + 1 slice whole grain bread w/ 1 tbsp peanut butter and 1 tsp jelly =
Meal 6 - 3/4 cup of 2% cottage cheese + 1tsp heavy cream + handful mixed berries + 10 almonds + cinnamon to taste =



Non-Workout Days:

2,000 cals (approx)

Meal 1 - 2 slices whole grain toast + 2 tbsp peanut butter + 1 tsp jelly + 20g protein shake (half a shake basically)
Meal 2 - 4 oz LEAN ground beef or steak + 1 cup broccoli + 1 cup black beans
Meal 3 - 1 large apple, 1 large banana, 20g protein shake
Meal 4 - 6 oz chicken breast + large green salad + olive oil and vinegar
Meal 5 - 6 oz salmon or other fish + green beans + carrots
Meal 6 - 1/2 cup greek yogurt + handful of mixed nuts




Also have him refer here for MORE meal plans:


http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=21269614&f=60&p=480863341
Cutting diets for 2,000-2,500 cals

Hey Ray,

So I'm here looking for a little guidance, considering the topic of health and fitness is so enormous. I'll give a little background:

I've become pretty overweight, I weigh 242 lbs and I'm 5'10. Probably close to 30% BF.

I just joined the gym a couple of days ago, yesterday I spent some time doing some cardio and hit a few upper body machines just trying to get a feel for the place I suppose (it's bad when I hurt this much after what I did).

My short term goal is to get rid of this keg I carry around in front of me, and this extra chin that likes to hangout up here! My longer term goals are to get back to where I was a few years ago, around 185 eventually becoming a fit and healthier person.

What would you recommend as far as caloric intake and a workout plan for the short term (2-3 months), for someone without a ton of gym and workout experience.

Thanks