Confused about weight gain

[MrPrinny]

hiya!
so, as I just hit 30 and realised that I was at a stage where I was gaining moobs, I decided enough was enough.
I barely eat chocolate or cakes anymore, cut the drinking down to 10 units a week from 50+ (alcohol dependant) and started what i thought was a better diet.

I work 12 hour shifts five nights a week with light to medium lifting throughout.
So I calculated I would need 2700 calories a day to stay the same weight (I'm male btw) and decided on a rough diet listed below.

a day roughly on average

200-300g of plain chicken
100-150g fish (or the delicious tuna light lunch)
1-2 bananas
1-2 small oranges
bowl of cereal with semi skimmed milk

I do drink diet cola and an energy drink a night too.

Considering before I would eat micro meals, store bought sandwiches and cakes, I am shocked to find on my new eating habits I am still gaining weight.

am i missing something very obvious?

thanks all

 

[DerekWahler]

Hey MrPrinny,

How are things going since you posted last? My quick recommendation would be adding in more dark, leafy greens. Turn the chicken into a chicken salad, for example. I'd also cut out the cereal, since most of them contain zero nutritional value. If you can fit it in your schedule, go with eggs (you can even hard boil them, then you can grab them on the go) or plain greek yogurt with some fruit.

 

[annejohns]

Hi MrPrinny, I agree with DerekW in that eating vegetables is critical -- not only will they keep you healthy, many directly contribute to improved metabolism (asparagus, for instance). I stand by the adage that NO vegetable will make you fat, so ignore all the fad diet claims and eat your vegetables -- all colors and all types!!

Eat every 2-3 hours. Eat protein every time you eat. Keep carbs natural (fruits) and to a minimum -- eat one in the morning and one after a workout.

If you follow this concept, you don't need to think about calories. Don't worry about the scale -- take measurements. For men, the abdomen to show fat loss and the chest, shoulders and bicep to show lean gains.