Here's a rambling testimony to what I referenced as the P90X diet above, but is really just common sense.
To be honest, I *still* don't eat enough, but I've settled into a pretty good rhythm that has me rotating through a staple of favorite foods throughout the week, some of which I have alluded to here before.
People stress over the diet, but after the first month, it becomes second nature.
I try to eat 3000-3200 calories (gross) a day which nets out with exercise to around 2200-2400 a day, right on target for the Phase II Fat Shredder.
I still have my SBUX grande coffee with 1/2 and 1/2 and 2 splenda. I put a tsp of honey in my oatmeal. But the reality is this: I don't eat refined foods or sugar (except my 2 things of Splenda above) and I avoid gluten (allergic) so that keeps me away from empty carbs for the most part. I like the Dannon light & fit, reduced carb vanilla cream yogurt.
I just don't eat crap but that doesn't mean you have to eat cardboard, gravel and twigs!
Don't be afraid of the portion sizes...adjust them for what you can eat...
I eat a ton of turkey, cottage cheese and egg whites. I eat very little red meat now. I cut back on most oils and such and try to eat LOW fat (not no fat.) I eat a ton of broccoli and spinach. I mix things up with low cal./low sugar/low fat condiments and go to town. I really like quinoa and brown rice. I am quite happy with buckwheat soba noodles. Strawberries and bannanas make me happy.
I love Trader Joe's gluten-free granola with soy milk.
I am slightly addicted to grapefruit juice. I also supplement/snack with my Muscle Milk chocolate protein shakes and Clif Builders bars which are tasty and convenient ways to get my calorie count up with low fat, low sugar and high protein.
I take my mix of supplements every day: a multi, fish oil, flax oil, MSM Glucosamine, and Glutamine.
What has this yielded? I started at nearly 21% bodyfat. I'm now down to 8.8%. In less than 60 days.
Everyone is different, but I really enjoy my diet and the recipes in the manual...
/Hoff