How do you know what to eat?

[EthanWS6 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close EthanWS6]

So I understand nutrition for the most part. At least at a basic level lol. But, other than eating grilled chicken all of the time, how are you supposed to realistically hit your protein/carb goals without over doing calories? I've been tracking my diet for a couple of weeks now. I'm trying to stay under 4000 calories/day. I'm at 180lbs right now and really don't see the need to go over 4k. But i've noticed that throughout the day, I may only get 200g of protein and 250-300 grams of carbs. I would think that that is enough to get the job done for the most part, but at least a higher protein intake would be more efficient. It's just hard for me to figure out what to eat to maintain my macros I guess.

What have you guys been eating that is, maybe, lower in calories and higher in protein/carbs?

Thanks in advance guys!
Ethan

[ODB Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ODB]

Here's a few;
Protein powder in water.
Egg Whites = same protein, half the calories - I use "All Whites" brand name.
Quinoa= 1/3 cup of cooked quinoa has 160 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 3 grams of fiber, 32 carbs and 6 grams of protein.
Ezekiel bread - Nutritional Facts
One slice of Ezekiel 4:9 bread contains 80 calories. Total fat is 0.5 g and there is no saturated fat or trans fat. Sodium content is 75 mg. There are 15 g of carbohydrates in each slice and 3 g of dietary fiber. There are no sugars. Protein totals 4.8 g per slice.There are no preservatives or sweeteners such as high fructose corn syrup in Food For Life breads. All nine essential amino acids are contained in Ezekiel 4:9 and the other breads, and they all are derived from plant sources.

[sixteentons Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close sixteentons]

Here's what I eat off cycle: Proteins - chicken breasts, tuna, ground turkey, eggs/egg whites and tilapia.
Carbs - Plain oatmeal, fruits and veggies, brown rice.
On cycle: Proteins - chicken thighs, steak, ground turkey, eggs/egg whites, salmon and peanut butter.
Carbs: Oatmeal, sweet potato's, hashbrowns, brown rice, whole wheat bread, fruits and veggies.
My calories go from 2500 per day to 4500-5000 per day when on cycle. I greatly increase my fats and carbs and increase my protein by around 25%.
In my opinion its better to eat too much and have to correct after seeing your mid section increasing than not eating enough and hindering your growth.

[EthanWS6 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close EthanWS6]

How much should you normally up everything when on cycle? I was eating around 3000cal/day off cycle and started to gain some fat, but not much. So I'd say I was close to being on mark for the calories, but I've been on cycle for 4.5 weeks now and my bodyfat is dropping even though my weight is still going up lol. I'm eating around 3500 cal/day now.

[spark1597 Member Find all posts View Profile Close spark1597]

Excellent question EthanW...I'm curious about this as well. Im on TRT and I've got bf I want to loose, but don't want to take in too many calories. I've read conflicting stories on this and looking forward to all the responses.