New diet and training routine

OK, it seems fitting that my first real post since May be about myself, so here goes…

I met with a guy today that has been in three natural bodybuilding competitions and is also a certified fitness trainer (like Fuad) and dietitian. Why? I’d like to put on 10 – 20 pounds of muscle, specifically to build up my arms, legs and shoulders. He developed a new training routine and diet for me – it will be the biggest change in my workout in eleven years and the biggest change in my diet in ten.

The diet he gave me is designed to help a 220 pound guy (me) gain lean body mass. It works for him, but will it work for me? Time will tell. If I can gain 10 pounds this year I’ll call it a success.

Here’s the diet:

• 6am breakfast: 10 egg whites and 2/3 cup of oatmeal
• 9am 2nd breakfast: 7 oz lean protein and 1 cup of complex carbs (for example, brown rice)
• Noon: 7 oz lean protein, 1 cup of complex carbs and 1 cup of vegetables or salad with fat-free dressing
• 3pm meal: 7 oz lean protein, 1 1/3 cup of complex carbs and 1 cup of vegetables or salad with fat-free dressing
• 6pm dinner: 7 oz lean protein, 2/3 cup of complex carbs and 1 cup of vegetables or salad with fat-free dressing
• 9pm meal: 10 egg whites or a protein shake and 1/3 cup of oatmeal

The goal is to keep my insulin level stable all day while providing enough calories and macro-nutrients to help me gain weight.

He gave me a suggested shopping list too. I probably won’t follow this completely until next weekend when I can pull everything together, but that will give me time to plan it out.

Here’s the training routine:

For the first four weeks has me following a 2 day cycle, push/pull routine. Day one covers chest, shoulders, triceps and calves. Day two covers legs, back, biceps and abs. He suggests I lift four days per week (days 1,2,4,5), do push ups, dips and abs on day 3, and take days 6 and 7 off.

The specific exercises he has me doing right now are basic mass builders. High-reps, low weigh this week, lower-reps, higher weights for the following three week. If anyone is interested I can write it out.