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Meal plans *SOS*

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Well boys ,

Any meal plans floating around,

January is absolutely killing me back training and absolutely struggling to even catch a breath doing laps.

Just wondering if any of yey have any good meal plans to be following.

(Sarcasm is welcome but genuinely looking for helpful tips )

Tis still only January but January is kicking this Canky Lunt around ,

G'luck
CL

Cankylunt (Dublin) - Posts: 30 - 30/01/2018 22:25:39    2072617

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Replying To Cankylunt:  "Well boys ,

Any meal plans floating around,

January is absolutely killing me back training and absolutely struggling to even catch a breath doing laps.

Just wondering if any of yey have any good meal plans to be following.

(Sarcasm is welcome but genuinely looking for helpful tips )

Tis still only January but January is kicking this Canky Lunt around ,

G'luck
CL"
Fair play lad it can be difficult to get the diet right but the 80/20 rule is really true all the laps in the world won't out do a poor diet.
2 rules I follow, No sugar except natural sugar like fruit and no complex carbs like pasta/bread/rice.
high protein like lean meat, eggs , fish.
You'll notice a big difference in a few weeks.

westkerry (Kerry) - Posts: 1250 - 30/01/2018 23:01:55    2072638

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Well boys,

Any meal plans floating around,

January is absolutely killing me back training and absolutely struggling to even catch a breath doing laps.

Just wondering if any of yey have any good meal plans to be following.

(Sarcasm is welcome but genuinely looking for helpful tips )

Tis still only January but January is kicking this Canky Lunt around ,

G'luck
CL
Cankylunt (Dublin) - Posts: 27 - 30/01/2018 22:25:39meal plan for what exactly?
You say you are struggling with fitness on laps but firstly what age are you(in general) early/mid/late 20s/30s?
What level have you been playing in previous years and what level are you hoping to play this year?
What is your diet like at the moment? Ie what is a standard day in terms of your diet at the moment?

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 30/01/2018 23:49:00    2072651

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Replying To westkerry:  "Fair play lad it can be difficult to get the diet right but the 80/20 rule is really true all the laps in the world won't out do a poor diet.
2 rules I follow, No sugar except natural sugar like fruit and no complex carbs like pasta/bread/rice.
high protein like lean meat, eggs , fish.
You'll notice a big difference in a few weeks."
I follow the same rules. If you bulk up on protein you'll feel fuller for longer. Refined sugar is the devil.....but oh how I miss my Christmas chocolate Kimberleys :)

DannyMcA (Dublin) - Posts: 260 - 31/01/2018 07:24:39    2072666

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Replying To westkerry:  "Fair play lad it can be difficult to get the diet right but the 80/20 rule is really true all the laps in the world won't out do a poor diet.
2 rules I follow, No sugar except natural sugar like fruit and no complex carbs like pasta/bread/rice.
high protein like lean meat, eggs , fish.
You'll notice a big difference in a few weeks."
No complex carbs like rice?? Surely it's now he needs them carbs more than ever. He's not going to get the energy he needs from proteins only surely?
While some fruit is good I'd place more emphasis on the likes of brown rice and the likes.... or am I completely wrong for years?

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 31/01/2018 11:30:45    2072731

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Replying To tiobraid:  "No complex carbs like rice?? Surely it's now he needs them carbs more than ever. He's not going to get the energy he needs from proteins only surely?
While some fruit is good I'd place more emphasis on the likes of brown rice and the likes.... or am I completely wrong for years?"
From my experience carbs such as white rice do not help if you are looking to get leaner.
I'm not a dietician but I dropped 3 stone cutting those carbs out and I train with the club and completed the Barcelona marathon last March.
I honestly believe those carbs are only beneficial to elite athletes not your normal lad looking to shift weight and get lean.

westkerry (Kerry) - Posts: 1250 - 31/01/2018 13:03:55    2072762

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Some general Advice:

If you are looking to drop body fat, then monitoring your carb intake is key. All athletes should be avoiding sugars where possible. For weight loss you should be limiting your starchy carbohydrates (Bread, potatoes, rice, pasta) to about 20% of your calorie intake on NON training days, however on training days you will need these starches to fuel the muscles during exercise. If you do not eat enough starches (about 40% of daily calories) on a training day you will feel fatigued during any endurance runs and also you will be extremely sore and slow to recover after training. Ensure to consume a portion of carbohydrates and protein after training within 30 minutes to help the muscles recover.

If you are already lean (less than 10% body fat - ie visible 6 pack, clear muscle definition) , then you need to regularly consume small portions of starchy carbs daily, (About 40% of daily calorie intake) to ensure that the muscles have enough fuel for exercise. You will also need high quality protien in your diet (about 40%) and 20% of calories coming from healthy fats such as nuts (except peanuts), flax seed, avocado etc.

Again refueling immediately after training is essential for recovery.

Please take this advice as being very general in nature, and get professional personalized advice if you are still not feeling good at training.

galwaygael (Galway) - Posts: 61 - 31/01/2018 15:04:09    2072812

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Really depends on your goals. Different stages of training, match day etc. Elite or just want to shift the gut?

On a basic level I just cut out the rubbish that I didn't enjoy or "stupid fat" as I call it. If I'm going to eat/drink stuff thats not good for me I better be enjoying it! Cut out eating rubbish that is purely out of habit/disorganisation. For most of us that alone will make a difference without killing yourself.

Then try and one by one substitute things out of your diet with other stuff that is equally nice but healthier. I did it with pasta sauces. Got one that is pure tomatoe, Actually nicer than the ragu/dolmio.....still out of a carton but major improvement.

The point is it needs to be sustainable.

Investing in a dietitian to kick start you might be money well spent if you are looking at it from a more serious level. When I start into my different training phases I track my food using MyFitnessPal for a few weeks just until I get into a healthy routine. I would advise doing this for a couple of weeks before visiting a trainer/dietician. You should also be tracking your training so they can put full picture together.

Mayonman (Galway) - Posts: 1828 - 31/01/2018 15:15:52    2072815

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Replying To galwaygael:  "Some general Advice:

If you are looking to drop body fat, then monitoring your carb intake is key. All athletes should be avoiding sugars where possible. For weight loss you should be limiting your starchy carbohydrates (Bread, potatoes, rice, pasta) to about 20% of your calorie intake on NON training days, however on training days you will need these starches to fuel the muscles during exercise. If you do not eat enough starches (about 40% of daily calories) on a training day you will feel fatigued during any endurance runs and also you will be extremely sore and slow to recover after training. Ensure to consume a portion of carbohydrates and protein after training within 30 minutes to help the muscles recover.

If you are already lean (less than 10% body fat - ie visible 6 pack, clear muscle definition) , then you need to regularly consume small portions of starchy carbs daily, (About 40% of daily calorie intake) to ensure that the muscles have enough fuel for exercise. You will also need high quality protien in your diet (about 40%) and 20% of calories coming from healthy fats such as nuts (except peanuts), flax seed, avocado etc.

Again refueling immediately after training is essential for recovery.

Please take this advice as being very general in nature, and get professional personalized advice if you are still not feeling good at training."
"If you are looking to drop body fat, then monitoring your carb intake is key. All athletes should be avoiding sugars where possible. For weight loss you should be limiting your starchy carbohydrates (Bread, potatoes, rice, pasta) to about 20% of your calorie intake on NON training days, however on training days you will need these starches to fuel the muscles during exercise. "

I think I'd fall into this bracket. I'd like to shed some weight to help with my endurance running. So my question is, on non training days what should I be eating if spuds, rice and pasta are out?

When I trained for a marathon last year the advice I was given was to load up on carbs the day/night before long runs. Nutrition advice is baffling.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9131 - 31/01/2018 15:18:14    2072818

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Replying To Lockjaw:  ""If you are looking to drop body fat, then monitoring your carb intake is key. All athletes should be avoiding sugars where possible. For weight loss you should be limiting your starchy carbohydrates (Bread, potatoes, rice, pasta) to about 20% of your calorie intake on NON training days, however on training days you will need these starches to fuel the muscles during exercise. "

I think I'd fall into this bracket. I'd like to shed some weight to help with my endurance running. So my question is, on non training days what should I be eating if spuds, rice and pasta are out?

When I trained for a marathon last year the advice I was given was to load up on carbs the day/night before long runs. Nutrition advice is baffling."
For running a marathon, you need a massive sore of carbs to fuel the muscles (huge endurance), this is why you were told to load up on carbs the day before and the day of the event or a heavy endurance session.

For GAA it is a combination of endurance and High intensity, the ratio of which depends on your position (eg a full back will require less endurance than a midfielder etc).

If you are looking to drop fat, on non training days you should be getting most of you carbs from vegetables rather than potatoes , pasta etc.

So for example if you usually have three scoops of spud a portion of carrots and broccoli and a portion of meat, on a rest day you should drop down to one scoop of spud, add extra vegetables and meat to satisfy the appetite.

Try to get some protein for breakfast eg eggs and some berries with a handful of nuts and lay off the orange juice until you are the desired weight.

This will help you shed the fat.

galwaygael (Galway) - Posts: 61 - 31/01/2018 15:38:25    2072824

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Well boys sound for the comments ,

Some good advice on here fair play.

To give you an in site I'm a fairly healthy lad 6'3 not blocky by any stretch but not anorexic either,

Playing senior football. Trying to gain a bit more weight. I have my pace and it's a big attribute to me.

I brought up this topic because it seems alot of the boys that are playing are eating nothing but S#IT,while still having better physique then me.

I work as a carpenter so I'm on my feet 8.5 hrs of the day I am not the kind of lad who goes for the chicken fillet roll everyday (Friday is treat day)
But I do make my home made meals .

Again cheers for the help lads greatly appreciated

CL

Cankylunt (Dublin) - Posts: 30 - 31/01/2018 17:21:22    2072850

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Replying To Cankylunt:  "Well boys sound for the comments ,

Some good advice on here fair play.

To give you an in site I'm a fairly healthy lad 6'3 not blocky by any stretch but not anorexic either,

Playing senior football. Trying to gain a bit more weight. I have my pace and it's a big attribute to me.

I brought up this topic because it seems alot of the boys that are playing are eating nothing but S#IT,while still having better physique then me.

I work as a carpenter so I'm on my feet 8.5 hrs of the day I am not the kind of lad who goes for the chicken fillet roll everyday (Friday is treat day)
But I do make my home made meals .

Again cheers for the help lads greatly appreciated

CL"
So many questions and so many different variables. What works for some people wont work for others and so on.

Generally speaking though, If you want to put on weight you need to do these 3 things.

A) You MUST be eating a calorie surplus, ie, taking in more calories than your body needs daily.
B) A strength and conditioning program focusing on compound lifts like squats, deadlift, bench press, shoulder press, dips etc, and looking to improve each lift using progressive overload over a period of time which you can pick yourself, so lets say, 3 or 4 months.
C) Patience and trust in the process. It doesn't just happen over-night. It takes months, sometimes years of hard work to put on muscle mass which, If im assuming using the word physique above is what you want to do.

The 3 points above are in order of what I feel are the most important. Nutrition, Training and then patience.

On point A), To build muscle you don't need to go mad on the calorie surplus. If you have a PT he or she can help you with advice on your nutrition but as a rule of thumb a good starting point is to take your weight in lbs and multiply it by 15, Whatever the result is, start there and eat that amoint of calories a day. If, after about 3 weeks you aren't putting on weight, Increase by 200-300 calories and check again in another 3 weeks. In terms of macros (carbs, protein and healthy fat), For gaining weight you will need a lot of carbs to fuel your workouts so 40% carbs, 35% protein and 25% fats is a decent starting point for most, but again with time, and if you focus on how your body adapts to the changes you can play around with those figures. It is absolutely imperative that when you eat foods you like. If it feels a chore, you will 100% fall off the wagon, lose motivation and end up in a rut. Also, Drink water. 4ltrs min. Most people don't start their morning with a glass of water and spend the rest of the day dehydrated, Dehydration brings on cravings. Not to mention the side affects of poor brain function and a sense of tiredness.

Point B), Gym - I have no idea how often youre on the field training, but bearing in mind you want to bulk up and change your physique gym is a pre-requisite. Im not saying 5-7 days a week cause you will burn out, 2-3 evenings a week though, focusing on improving your compound lifts as I said before. Personally ive found a 5x5 program to be helpful for me. I spent a solid 2 years eating a calorie surplus and putting in 90m-2hr sessions in the gym and found I was getting fatter. Why ? I was over consuming food but also not training near intensely enough. Your body is comfortable just getting by. It doesn't want to change. So you have to force it by progressively overloading, Ie, lifting heavier every time you go to the gym, increasing the intensity. Jeff Cavaliere a very famous sports S&C coach has a saying, "you can train long, or you can train hard, you cant do both". So if you go to the gym, Get in, Get it done, work your ass off and get out. Don't spend longer than 45mins in a gym. Concentrate and focus and most importantly when you are finished, Recover. Foam roll, cool down and do some stretches. NEVER stretch muscles before gym work. Your body changes and grows when you are sleeping so try get between 7 and 9 hours sleep a night.

And finally... Have patience. Trust the process. Unless youre on steroids it is tedious work waiting on results. Your weight gain shouldn't be any more than 1/2 lb a week, any more and youre likely putting on more fat. Enjoy it and embrace the challenge. If you decrease body fat (NOT WEIGHT) and put on even 6-9lbs on the scales over the next 6 months, you will look so much different and feel better for it too. Trust me

All the best fella.

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 31/01/2018 23:56:36    2072960

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Replying To Lockjaw:  ""If you are looking to drop body fat, then monitoring your carb intake is key. All athletes should be avoiding sugars where possible. For weight loss you should be limiting your starchy carbohydrates (Bread, potatoes, rice, pasta) to about 20% of your calorie intake on NON training days, however on training days you will need these starches to fuel the muscles during exercise. "

I think I'd fall into this bracket. I'd like to shed some weight to help with my endurance running. So my question is, on non training days what should I be eating if spuds, rice and pasta are out?

When I trained for a marathon last year the advice I was given was to load up on carbs the day/night before long runs. Nutrition advice is baffling."
I know of people who carb cycle, So they will load up on carbs on training days and then eat no carbs at all on non training days and I cant say im a fan.

You should absolutely, definitely, 1000% eat carbs every single day whether you are trying to put on, or lose weight.

But I would decrease my carbs on non training days if trying to lose weight. I am personally trying to put on weight over the next year or so, so I eat the same amount of carbs on training and non training days, Its not an issue if you track absolutely everything you eat and don't over consume on calories. People get too wound up on macros but the fact of the matter is when it comes to weight gain its simply a case of eating a small surplus than what your body needs and a deficit when you want to lose weight. If I was you id eat a tonne of carbs (starchy or otherwise) on a training day and just eat less on non training days, increasing fats and protein but make sure your calorie intake is the same on training and non training days.

My issue in the fitness world right now Is the different diets. I hate the word diet anyway, People always look for quick results and fixes but the truth is, unless your nutrition is sustainable long term, you may get great results short term following a non-carb diet, keto, vegan, paleo etc etc etc but after 3 or 4 months people will ultimately deprive themselves and binge and all the hard you put in has gone tits up and the weight you lost/fitness you gained disappears over the space of a few days.

So long as what you are eating is 80% (at least) healthy and you enjoy the foods you are eating, then it becomes sustainable and results are more likely to be long lasting as oppose to people jumping from one fad to the next. resulting in a loss of motivation.

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 01/02/2018 00:11:07    2072963

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Replying To westkerry:  "From my experience carbs such as white rice do not help if you are looking to get leaner.
I'm not a dietician but I dropped 3 stone cutting those carbs out and I train with the club and completed the Barcelona marathon last March.
I honestly believe those carbs are only beneficial to elite athletes not your normal lad looking to shift weight and get lean."
Don't mean to come across as rude but, no.. you didn't.

You lost 3 stone (and very well done to you, impressive) because you where training more and eating in a calorie deficit.

The fitness industry may have evolved but the basics remain the same..

Eat less than your body needs = lose weight

Eat more than your body needs and irrespective of whether youre exercising or not, youll put on weight

The carbs like white rice may not have suited your digestive system ill give you that, they may have had you feeling a little bloated, that's a digestive issue not a weight issue. your weight loss had nothing to do with the fact you where staying away from white rice

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 01/02/2018 00:17:24    2072965

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You can't be carrying to much weight if you're a canky lunt :D

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8589 - 01/02/2018 00:18:04    2072966

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Replying To waynoI:  "I know of people who carb cycle, So they will load up on carbs on training days and then eat no carbs at all on non training days and I cant say im a fan.

You should absolutely, definitely, 1000% eat carbs every single day whether you are trying to put on, or lose weight.

But I would decrease my carbs on non training days if trying to lose weight. I am personally trying to put on weight over the next year or so, so I eat the same amount of carbs on training and non training days, Its not an issue if you track absolutely everything you eat and don't over consume on calories. People get too wound up on macros but the fact of the matter is when it comes to weight gain its simply a case of eating a small surplus than what your body needs and a deficit when you want to lose weight. If I was you id eat a tonne of carbs (starchy or otherwise) on a training day and just eat less on non training days, increasing fats and protein but make sure your calorie intake is the same on training and non training days.

My issue in the fitness world right now Is the different diets. I hate the word diet anyway, People always look for quick results and fixes but the truth is, unless your nutrition is sustainable long term, you may get great results short term following a non-carb diet, keto, vegan, paleo etc etc etc but after 3 or 4 months people will ultimately deprive themselves and binge and all the hard you put in has gone tits up and the weight you lost/fitness you gained disappears over the space of a few days.

So long as what you are eating is 80% (at least) healthy and you enjoy the foods you are eating, then it becomes sustainable and results are more likely to be long lasting as oppose to people jumping from one fad to the next. resulting in a loss of motivation."
Yes i agree with your full point, my simple point.

The original comment was that the CankyLunt felt tired at training, which to me immediately suggests that he is either not consuming enough carbs on training days, or b is over training.

Either way, the only way to fix is is through proper nutrition.

galwaygael (Galway) - Posts: 61 - 01/02/2018 09:35:06    2072993

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Replying To westkerry:  "From my experience carbs such as white rice do not help if you are looking to get leaner.
I'm not a dietician but I dropped 3 stone cutting those carbs out and I train with the club and completed the Barcelona marathon last March.
I honestly believe those carbs are only beneficial to elite athletes not your normal lad looking to shift weight and get lean."
But he isnt looking to drop weight. He's looking to improve endurance and the likes of your brown rice is key for that in my opinion.
The right carbs and right amount are absolutely key to any sports person. Carbs are your friend not your enemy!

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 01/02/2018 10:22:13    2073006

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Replying To galwaygael:  "Yes i agree with your full point, my simple point.

The original comment was that the CankyLunt felt tired at training, which to me immediately suggests that he is either not consuming enough carbs on training days, or b is over training.

Either way, the only way to fix is is through proper nutrition."
Sounds like one or both of those issues alright.

On the nutrition side of things this is where lashing a higher percentage of carbs over fats comes in but that as you know doesn't mean go out and eat a tonne of takeaways, burgers, sweets and crisps.. The OP said originaly that he is "relatively healthy" and that he doesn't eat CF rolls every day but didn't say what he does eat ? How often, If he hydrates himself. So many questions but I agree that if he is shattered doing laps his stamina and all round fitness clearly isn't the best and needs improvement and a road block is either diet, burnout or both.

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 01/02/2018 10:34:21    2073013

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i only play junior b,hurling and football,so i am only finishing off the quality street in the last few days.
i will start back training in march,maybe april depending on if we get a manager or not.

perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 01/02/2018 16:38:59    2073146

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Some great info there guys. I don't play any more but try to stay fit and I do the odd adventure race etc. Diet is usually good but I don't track macros or anything. I am way too fond of a few pints though.

Any thoughts on how much alcohol is too much for somebody looking to get a very good level of fitness? I'd have probably five to ten pints over the weekend, and more if there was something on.

GeniusGerry (Kerry) - Posts: 2105 - 01/02/2018 19:55:28    2073216

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