I finally quit smoking on June 8th and I didn't worry about gaining weight because I was already a pretty slim guy (6'4", 185lbs fully dressed). But I stepped on a scale the other night and found myself at 199.5lbs fully dressed. I guess my diet and metabolism changed enough to allow me to gain 15 lbs of fat? I worked out steadily for a month after quitting to keep me motivated but I hardly feel like I could have added that much in muscle.
So now I want to go back down to the 185lb range but I'm worried about losing muscle in the process. I am 29 years old and if I'm not careful the weight will probably keep coming. I can eat like a damned horse.
What should I do in order to lose the 15lbs but maintain muscle?
I do not know enough about the science of food in order to follow a plan that says I need 30% protein, 15% carb etc... I know meat has protein and breads have carbs but my knowledge stops there.
Currently my meals consist of:
Breakfast - Usually a bagel sandwhich in the morning consisting of a bagel with 2 strips turkey bacon and egg whites.
Lunch - a ziplock bag with some carrots, one string cheese, an apple, a roast beef sandwhich on a bun with horseradish and a tomato, and a granola bar.
Dinner - Typically a meat (chicken or beef), vegetables, and rice or pasta.
I also tend to drink one to three beers on an average night. I think I may need to cut out the beer
Some days I don't drink any pure water at all. Often I get my water in the form of coffee or beer. I have been working on changing that by forcing myself to drink water.
So now I want to go back down to the 185lb range but I'm worried about losing muscle in the process. I am 29 years old and if I'm not careful the weight will probably keep coming. I can eat like a damned horse.
What should I do in order to lose the 15lbs but maintain muscle?
I do not know enough about the science of food in order to follow a plan that says I need 30% protein, 15% carb etc... I know meat has protein and breads have carbs but my knowledge stops there.
Currently my meals consist of:
Breakfast - Usually a bagel sandwhich in the morning consisting of a bagel with 2 strips turkey bacon and egg whites.
Lunch - a ziplock bag with some carrots, one string cheese, an apple, a roast beef sandwhich on a bun with horseradish and a tomato, and a granola bar.
Dinner - Typically a meat (chicken or beef), vegetables, and rice or pasta.
I also tend to drink one to three beers on an average night. I think I may need to cut out the beer
Some days I don't drink any pure water at all. Often I get my water in the form of coffee or beer. I have been working on changing that by forcing myself to drink water.