Strength Program Diet

  After logging my calories for the past week, as well as failing to hit five reps at 195 this morning (hit five last week, got 4.5 today), I realized that something needed to change.

   I get more than enough sleep a day (9-10 hours) as well as give myself two days rest before training a specific body part again. However, it hit me this morning that since being home from college, my calorie intake has decreased from 3,700 to approximately 3,100 to 3,200 a day. Now if I was training for hypertrophy instead of strength, this decrease might be tolerable; however, since I'm attempting to lift as much as possible daily, more calories are needed as a source for both energy and recovery.

  Thus, in order to help raise my calorie intake, I decided that I should add a smaller meal to my diet regime. I will now consume four whole meals with two snacks, instead of just one snack.

Pre-Workout
1/2 Scoop of Creatine Monohydrate
1 Scoop of Muscle Pharm Assault
1/2 Scoop of Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey Protein
1 Bowl of Instant Maple and Brown Sugar Oatmeal

Post-Workout
1 Scoop of Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey Protein
1 Cup of Kemps Fat Free Chocolate Skim Milk
1/2 Scoop of Creatine Monohydrate

Meal #1
1 cup of Old Fashioned Oats
1 Large Banana
3 Whole Eggs

Snack #1
1 Container of Kemps Greek Yogurt

Meal #2
Pasta Sandwich (2 slices of Whole Wheat Bread, 2 oz of Barilla Whole Grain Penne, 1/2 cup of Barilla Traditional Sauce, 1 slice of Reduced Fat Provolone Cheese, and 1/2 of Meatless Crumbles)

OR

Morning Star Chicken Sandwich (2 slices of Whole Wheat Bread, 2 Morning Star Chicken Patties (Either Original, Italian Herb, or Buffalo Chicken), 1 slice of Reduced Fat Provolone Cheese, Ketchup

WITH

1/2 Cup of Kale or 1 Serving of Carrots

Snack #2 (Newly Added)
Peanut Butter Sandwich (2 slices of Whole Wheat Bread, 2 tablespoons of All Natural Peanut Butter)

Meal #3
Bodybuilding Tacos (1 Harvest Wheat Flatout Tortilla, 6-6.5 ounces of Oven Roasted Diced Chicken, 1/8 cup of Reduced Fat Marble Jack Cheese, 1/2 cup of Brown Rice)

WITH

1/2 Cup of Kale or 1 Serving of Carrots

Meal #4

Whatever Mom is cooking (Normally some type of Italian or Grilled Chicken Dish)

With the addition of this new snack, my calorie intake of 3,100-3,200 calories (350 g of carbs, 230 g of protein, 70 g of fat) should be increased to 3,500-3,600 calories (380 g of carbs, 245 g of protein, 85 g of fat).

My body weight is currently 155-157 pounds. This added snack should help make me feel more full, and hopefully help in my goal of gaining both a few pounds and strength.

Let me know what you think!