VeganBadass_CO

Hi Christophe!

Welcome and glad you're off on your new plant-based journey!! Read about VegFestDC on message group at work (local DC office). Was glad to hear it was occuring. Just getting out and meeting other likeminded people to engage, question and share with is a big help!!!

And welcome to VBB!!!

Haven't experienced this myself....suppose it could be lots of things, but first instinct was foods. Maybe too much oils or fat in your foods?

Will check back on this one....

yeah...too many carbs...or too much fat...or too much protein equals same result in pissing out what you can and storing the rest as fat on your body.

With a balanced, variety of plant-based foods (veg, beans, nuts, grains) if you eat a calorie sufficient set of foods, the rest should work itself out without counting anything...just trust the scale and the mirror....dropping too much weight? need more foods...weight staying constant but leaning up when you look in the mirror....you're on track...weight good or going up...too much, back down by 10%....wait a week and reassess....

not rocket science, got to give up on the drummed into our heads with all the counting this that and the other...eat the rainbow...ditch processed foods (e.g. empty box, add water..enjoy), whole grains, etc....

You can easily lean up, just need some help with your foods...

Hi Rob!!! Certainly bring some new 'challenges' to the group!

One thought that immediately came to mind is one that helps me when I have to travel for work and eat out. A few suggestions...

If you have a smartphone you can get an app called Vetgat or checkout Happycow.net to see what restaurants in the area have been already listed as being veg/vegan friendly. That's been helpful for me when going to new places....and I'm sure to mention to the restaurants I visit that I chose them specifically for offering vegan options and where I found them.

Sometimes that's just not convenient or an option, and I've had GREAT success mentioning my needs to the waiter to relay to the chef/cooks and often have ordered things not on the regular menu in all kinds of places, from chinese to Indian to Italian to straight-up american restaurants.

Lastly, I try hard to be sure and give a review and shoutout on TripAdvisor for veg/vegan friendly places I find.

REALLY lastly, when all else fails finding a Whole Foods or even a regular grocery store will let me stock up on some fixings to make in hotel when needed....

thanks for the share!!!!

Hi Paul!

Me thinks we need to see more of what you are now eating and when. The things you've referenced that you've eliminated are mostly animal derived proteins, which while can be used for energy are in fact poor sources of energy. Probably need to see what you're eating to assess your carb intake for energy and your plant-based proteins and other nutrients.

Often on here, especially with new vegans/vegetarians, when they list their typical day's consumptions I'm like 'er...where are the vegetables?'

Some go to the straight up suppliments or vegan alternative shakes, etc.. Can be good in the transition phase while learning about actual plant-based nutrition and lifestyle.

As you mentioned your energy waning, I can relate when I started doing intensive fighting. Sucked the energy right out of me about 1/2 way through class. Didn't really change what I was eating, did make some adjustments in some of the quantities and timing -- now got plenty to spare! Started out with small changes....having some fruit in the car on the way to class was a big help, adjusting the time when I ate my lunch too.

Since making a few similar changes have actually gotten bigger than I've been before (muscularly, not just more weight...haha!) Probably make some adjustments to your quantities too...as plant based nutrients can be more body available, and like 100 cals of meat =/= 100 cals of earth-grown nutrients...

In denver...

Native Foods Cafe,

Watercourse

these I can't vouch for...

Linger

Linger is by far our favorite place to eat. Linger is not exclusively vegan but has some of the best vegan food around. They serve tapa style, with dishes from around the world. Mike likes their bar selection. Their vegan dessert is out of this world. The service is beyond incredible and friendly. Reservations are highly recommended.

http://lingerdenver.com/

Tarascos

The best vegan Mexican food in the state! Tarascos already had a full page of veg options and we simply asked if they could do vegan. Amazing. Since everything is done to order practically the entire veg menu can be done vegan. My favorite are the enchiladas espinicas (spinach) but everything I have had is delish. Try the grilled cactus if you never have. And be sure to order a jugo natural, a fresh juice!

No web site.

470 South Federal Blvd. in Denver

303.922.2387

Hours (as of this writing) are everyday from 10am - 10pm

Native Foods Cafe

Opened in Denver in October of 2013 and we have LOVED them in Boulder, Palm Springs and especially Encinitas (which in our experience has been our favorite). All vegan, lots of options. My favorite was the Soul Bowl but that currently is not on the menu. Great for date night or with a bunch of people you love!

http://www.nativefoods.com/

680 S Colorado Blvd, Glendale, CO 80246

(303) 758-3440

Root Down

Owned and created by the same team that is at Linger, we like to go to Root Down for more special occasions (Linger is more like our hang out). The food is delish. Great service. Definitely go all out, including dessert and drinks. Reservations are highly recommended.

http://www.rootdowndenver.com/

Hops & Pie

Vegan pizza! This is our favorite in Denver at the moment. In the Highlands neighborhood so not far for us. The pizza is delish and they offer Daiya and well as vegan meats and tofu. They also have an incredibly flavorful vegan mac n cheese. YES! For you beer lovers, they have something for everyone.

3920 Tennyson St Denver, CO 80212

303.477.7000

Beet Box

All-vegan cafe in Denver, just east of downtown. New, and we have already been there many times. Great place for a treat, or if you want to turn your office mates onto vegan delicacies you can bring a variety of what they offer into the office!

1030 E. 22nd Avenue in Denver

303.861.0017

http://www.beetboxdenver.com/

Yak and Yeti

Just northwest of here in Arvada we have come to love this place. New owners or management or something which has taken the spark away from it but the food is still wonderful and the service is good. They have a ton of Indian/Tibetan vegan dishes on their menu, including Mike's favorite, the vegan Chana Saag (the only place we have ever found it vegan!).

http://www.theyakandyeti.com/arvada.php

Little Ollies

I have been going here for 14 years, ever since I first moved to Denver. The family that owns it is awesome and I have always gotten wonderful vegan food with great service. This is an Asian Bistro so there are a lot of tofu options, all very good.

http://littleolliescherrycreek.com/

Nooch Market

We can't talk about food in the Denver area without mentioning our new vegan oasis, Nooch Market. Not a restaurant but for sure a place to stock up on vegan goodies. We totally adore the owners and see great things for them and our community.

http://noochveganmarket.tumblr.com/

Pho Duy

Delsih vegan pho, just down the street from Tarascos. Yes, we have tested it and asked all of the questions. It's #21 on the menu (double check). Small, medium and large and for me the medium has been more than enough.

No website.

945 South Federal Blvd, Denver

303.937.1609

Sweet Action Ice Cream

One of our favorite places and one of our favorite couples! They always have two vegan flavors of ice cream plus at least two vegan sorbets. Check out the freezer for vegan ice cream sandwiches.

http://sweetactionicecream.com/

WaterCourse Foods

New to this list. They are now 100% vegan and we have been three times in the last two weeks. Great new menu. Service meets our high standards. The cauliflower wings are crazy delicious as is my old favorite, Amsterdam Hash.

http://www.watercoursefoods.com/

Subculture

Home of delish vegan subs. If you're staying downtown you are close! I have tried three of their several vegan sub options and have enjoyed each one. Staff is friendly. If you are a beer drinker you will like it even more.

1300 Pennsylvania Street, Denver

303.420.3232

http://thisissubculture.com/

Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill

This is a chain of restaurants in the Denver area. Love their food, and that all of their vegan options are clearly marked. The hummus is delish, and I usually get a Laffa stuffed with hummus, grilled mushrooms and more! A great example of vegan fast food.

http://www.eatgarbanzo.com/

Vegan Van

We have had a bunch of meals prepared by Amie in her Vegan Van. We adore Amy, and are thrilled that the Denver area has a Vegan Van. From stew to vegan chicken and waffles, Amie does not disappoint. Check out her website to see where she will be next!

Like anything, vegans, vegetarians can come in all shapes and sizes. Esp for most who were not raised vegan, and were raised on less than healthy standard american diet...one can just as easily be a junk food vegan as a junk food, unhealthy non-vegan.

There are vegan super athletes. There are vegan waifs with health issues due to poor nutrition.

School, news, govt does horrible at teaching basics of how to just eat healthy, earth-grown, non-processed foods. So we gotta help each other......

my take....

cool video! ahead of me!

Chia...you need hydration during exercise, the chia gives you some added carbs and proteins...tasteless, they just expand in the liquid (makes a good pudding if soaked in some almond milk, or soy). I've heard that they're better for you uncooked as it can decrease the nutrients, but don't know 1st hand.

The body conditioning you mention sounds really good too! I have some weighted gloves for working out at home, pretty cheap like $5 at walmart/asda. 4lbs, but emulates the effect of hitting a heavy bag or similar.

Once thing, while in my karate we mostly are kicking/striking the air/imaginary opponent, and of course judo/jiu jitsu is a 2 person drill, what ignited my interest in Krav was actually hitting something, and tons of sparing (note, my sparing skills limited for awhile due to getting into my head of point sparing in karate...creates muscle/head memory about not injuring your partner/opponent).

Thought I'd share some links back....

my school......

another video...more 'practical'

Hi there!!!

First about me...doing all kinds of training. Weights during the week on non-training days. 4x a month-ish training MMA (karate, judo, jui jitsu) and 6x a month 'fight club' (aka Krav Maga -- VERY intense, full contact fighting/defense). -- and 45 yrs old! #BOOM

Now on to your topics...

General thoughts: For optimal fitness and benefits from training, you need to be hydrated and get sleep. Most people don't get enough, which inhibits recovery/rebuilding because that's what your body does when you catching some Zzzzzssss.

That you're leaning up shows you're actually putting max effort into kata/forms, staying taut, working up a sweat!!! Plus the body-weight training will be awesome too!!!

Note, when I started doing fight club (Krav maga) training, I had to shift what I was eating when. Need to carb up a bit, like an hour or so before, depending on what I had for lunch, and found bit of fruit in the car on the way over was good too to stop running outta energy 1/2 way through 1.5 hr classes.

Your meal plan sounds largely ok to me. My breakfast most days is the 'breakfast bowl': oatmeal, steel cut oats, cinnamon, sometimes some bulger, sometimes some coconut oil, sometimes scoop of peanut/almond butter, fresh fruit, splash of almond milk...

Might try adding in some chia seeds to your water bottle when you hydrate during classes/lifting.

With some changes to what/when I eat, I've managed to bulk up more now than I've ever been...and with ABS (i.e. low body fat).

TOTALLY AGREE with your ambition of strength and size (and flexibility and speed!!!) over just pure 'bulk'...though those with more total gym bulk are easier to kimora!!! just saying...

off to bed......but will follow....

lastly, just to share,

How to Be an MMA Fighter on a Vegan Diet

Daniel O'Rourke, Yahoo! Contributor Network

Mar 13, 2011

MMA may very well be the fastest-growing sport in the world today. As techniques, training methods and fighting styles are evolving rapidly, another aspect is evolving as well; fighters are changing their diets. Even in

boxing, Muay Thai, and kickboxing, we are seeing an increasing trend of vegan fighters. Athletes are finding that they can gain more muscle, lose more weight, and win more fights on a vegan diet. But how do you become a champion fighter on a vegan diet? These are tips on how to become a vegan warrior.

#1 Go for whole foods.

The ideal vegan diet comes primarily from whole vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, seeds, and beans. Supplements, energy bars and protein shakes are great, but they should not compromise your whole diet. Foods come in varying degrees of wholeness, so remember that the less processed it is, the better. Brown rice is better than white rice, apples are better than apple sauce, and tempeh, miso or tofu are all better than soy protein concentrate. Following this rule, you will lose weight, gain muscle and have more steady energy.

#2 Don't stress about protein.

Vegans have no problem getting enough protein. It is true you need the protein to build up muscles and recover from training, but even the most brutal MMA training regimen does not demand animal flesh. All vegetables and whole grains contain protein. Nuts seeds and beans are especially rich in vegan protein. If you're really looking to up your intake, you can go for tofu, tempeh, miso or spirulina. An MMA fighter needs at least 1.6 grams of protein per Kg of body weight. If you're eating right, you should have no problem getting all the amino acids you need to build muscle.

#3 Don't skip the fat. You have likely heard that you should avoid all fats, but I'm telling you otherwise. Fats will keep you feeling full for longer, and you will need them for endurance over the long, grueling training sessions that

MMA requires. Vegan fighters don't get their fats from meat, they get them from sources rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Canola or olive oil, nuts and avocados are all good sources. Avoid packaged foods, which are packed with saturated and trans fats.

#4 Ignore low-carb fad diets

Carbohydrates are your body's main source of fuel and energy. You are not going to be an MMA champion without energy; you aren't even going to survive training. A vegan fighter loves his carbohydrates. Eat natural, unprocessed sources like: whole grains, potatoes, and fruit. Avoid processed sugars and packaged food, which will slow you down and make you fat.

#5 Avoid alcohol completely (#WTH!?!?!! LOL!)

Staying away from alcohol is not a guideline; it's a rule. One beer can set you back 2 weeks or more. Vegan or not, nothing will beat you faster than spending a Saturday at the bar.

By following these tips, you will be well on your way to becoming a vegan fighter. Whether you are boxing, kickboxing or fighting MMA, you are now on your way to dominating your sport.

Forgot...check out my Veganbadass page on facebook...gladly post up pics of people from here too! Real people, real challenges, REALLY getting it done!

100 gm protein a day? For serious body building, do you weigh over 140lbs? Otherwise I would suggest you're over doing it. Note that too much protein can also get stored as fat in your body...esp around the midsection.

Personally, I don't go for the whole protein shake thing. Sometimes add in a scoop of pea protein powder to my smoothie that I make myself so I know exactly what is in it. Mostly on days when I know my lunch or dinner may be a bit more plant heavy and protein light -- eat for what you did or will do.

What you are about to read may be controversial... and like what team is better, there are different opinions out there. I've been trying this now for almost a year and it is working very well for me!

For decades since Joe Weider (who happened be SELLING protein powder) more was always deemed 'better'....

Likewise, carbs have gotten a bad rap too. Body needs carbs for energy and for rebuilding. Protein is a poor energy source.

Difference is the source of your carbs. Skip processed carbs. Largely skip white things (rice, bread, etc.).

And carb up at the right times.

Eat for either what you just did, or what you're about to do.

So, breakfast...need some clean carbs to get your day going...my breakfast (when not having quinoa/lentils mash up I posted up for gymgirlfit!) is a breakfast bowl (thanks Mike Dolce!!): Oatmeal, steel cut oats, peanut/almond butter (sometimes), bit of cinnamon, maple syrup (sometimes), bulger (sometimes), fresh fruit, splash of almond milk.....

To be lean, you gotta eat something every 2-3 hours. Meal, then right snack, meal, then right snack......

Pre-workout, balancing act based on your workout and how you feel. When I started doing extreme workouts at Krav, I had to shift my carbs and fruits around so I would have energy all the way through 1.5 hrs of intense work. Then after, hydration, probably a more protein heavy meal but still with clean carbs and lots of veggies.

Mix it up. Don't buy the myth either about fruit and sugar. All sugars aren't the same. Natural vs processed.

Lastly, might ask you to post up what a typical average day's meals are for you guys...then can be more specific.

lastly, check her out....#BOOM!!!!

http://femmefitale.com/amanda-fisher/

hiya gymfitgirl!

welcome to the lifestyle!

So, not to worry you too much. A diet with a variety of veg to include dark leafy greens (spinach, kale, etc.) is a start. As they can be filling, for heavy exercise days you can jam a lot into a smoothie/nutri-bullet. Toss in some fruit, some ice, bit of almond milk if you like...and for added bonus you can add in some hemp or pea-protein which is flavorless.

Also, don't neglect nuts and grains (quinoa! yum!) and beans.

A great breakfast I go with often is qunina, lentils, chopped peppers n onions, maybe mushrooms, and if you swing that way some litelife sausage. Spices or not to suit your tastes or your mood. Usually have mine of quality toast. Reheats nicely too so you can make in bulk if you prefer.

A balanced, variety diet and you'll get all the protein you need.

Looking pretty good!

The low carb is bunk (in my opinion), processed carbs bad. But you need carbs for energy for your day/workouts. Carrying a bit extra round the middle is sign of either the wrong carbs, the wrong timing of carbs, or too much of something else (note, too much protein will amass itself as pudge).

So, my usual staring place is what is your typical day like foodwise? Not just what you eat but also when relative to your day/activities?

Interesting..hmm...

Putting on the extra lbs may have a plus side on your strength training as fighters often will weight-gain prior to getting into intensive traiining/condition prior to making weight cut.

SO, I might surmise that actually gaining a few lbs now that you've returned to gym training is probably muscle growth (how's things looking in the mirror, both just before you got back to training and now? Probably the before was a bit more softness around the middle and maybe overall bodyfat increase. Now that you're back to it, increased muscle growth may be masked by having a higher % bodyfat.

Use the mirror as tool in addition to the scale and tracking your strength (lbs lifted, # of reps, etc.).

I might expect your reps of max bodyweight exercises to drop a bit both due to overall muscle atrophy and given you have and extra 10lbs to hoist up.

Keeping most things the same, might think you'll need to work in some cardio temporarily to help burn off that extra non-functional weight. Maybe pair it up with a 3-week lean eating diet. Can still stick with 'eat what you want' from the plant-based options, but skip on any processed carbs (bread, rice, fries, etc.). Just that should cut down your overall caloric intake and help with leaning up your body. Then re-introduce (in moderation of course) once you're back to your preferred weight. Can't cut them out 100% as you need carbs for energy and recovery. Maybe limit intake after workout and beyond say 5-6pm.

DO NOT skip meals or whatever. Try to eat something every 2-3 hours based on what you just did or are going to do. Don't eat till your full, eat till your satisfied....

Got stuff to do, but will think about this one some more.

I like the exercises that C.O. suggested...rock that core!!

Maybe add in some qunioa in to your diet in place of rice. Pick up some other good things like chia (can even just add it to your water while you workout), something more nourishing for breakfast as corn flakes are too processed. Good granola...oh! Just picked up some awesome sounding organic Natures Path Coconut Chia granola from Costco....on sale too! $5. Haven't tried it yet, but good add to go with my breakfast bowl (oatmeal, steelcut oats, fruit, sometimes some bulger, fresh fruit, splash of Almond milk)...

For me, dump bit of softness in abdomen was down to food changes and more cardio...

my take....regardless of the reason (increased cost, more health conscious? doubful!) saw on news where meat sales were going down in the US.

So, animal ag probably hitting up the PR machine with random studies and articles on the benefits of eating meat, especially the more expensive grass-fed, organic stuff combined with targeted campaign on why NOT eating any meat will kill you...

Making a difference 1 encounter at a time...

#BOOM

http://www.forksoverknives.com/slaying-protein-myth/

Much of this we might know, or parts of it, but nice perspective on addressing it directly vs taking up defense posture when confronted with this topic...

Yeah. Adding in some yoga can not only just mix it up now and then and work on your flexibility as you body build, BUT it can be its own intense kickass workout!!

Just answered another question about beginner yoga on another forum. I would expect there are some beginner Yoga channels on youtube for free to get used to the moves and such. But the workout for me comes from things other than the balance poses and stretches (which I need due to too much sitting at computer all day)...repeated cycles through downward dog/upward-dog (namaste)/raise a leg/swing through to warrior 1/2/3 /return and repeat just shreds your core, your shoulders, your glutes, etc.....

So yeah, check it out. Should be some stuff on line for free. The P90X Yoga routine is brilliant. With P90X2 and now X3 out, might be able to pick up original P90X for cheap on craigslist or something...

yeah, just a quick mirror check getting in/out of the shower will do the trick. BUT...getting soft around the middle could not only be a sign of eating too much based on your activities but also a sign of WHEN you're eating WHAT. Eating the right amounts and the right things but at the wrong times can still result in a bit of softness around the middle......

Likewise, feeling tired/sluggish or running out of energy while working out can be symptom of same thing...eating at the wrong times. I had to adjust my schedule when I started doing advance/intense workouts (fighting), all other things staying the same...

Not far to go!!!

Probably get some differing opinions but here's mine.....

Secret will be not just in what you eat but when. For a starting point your listed typical day looks pretty good. Some suggestions might come based on where in your 5-meal cycle you're working out.

Mantra that has been working for me (and gotten just a bit more abs that you have in your photos -- after YEARS and YEARS!!), eat for what you just did, or what you're going to do.

So first question really is, why the protein powder? I'm going to guess that BR is a banana smoothie?

After sleeping and getting ready for your day, assuming its a smoothie, I'd say add more to it. I find banana really takes over the smoothie so chucking in some kale, some chia, some hemp maybe and whatever other fruits you have -- will always taste like a fruit smoothie but with the added micros and fiber.

with all that written, then relooking at your post, sounds like you've got that covered in your AM snack...haha.

My BR currently is breakfast bowl, usually containing oatmeal, steelcut oats, chia-sometimes, berries/fruit, almond milk, sometimes a bit o'coconut oil. Filling, balanced for my usual morning at work. Alternatively, will cook up some quinoa w/lentils, peppers, onions, maybe some lightlife sausage, seasoning..eaten alone or sometimes w/toast. Keeps well too so you can cook up a batch and have a few meals out of it.

Like you, I don't count calories either.

What I found to really break out my abs was adding into my weights and cardio some intense full body workout (i.e. fighting). Hits my core from all angles functionally with kicks, knees, grappling, punching (rips shoulders too!), etc.. Keeping everything else the same, this is what did it for me.....mixed in with some planking, israeli situps, kimora situps, .....

So, for seriously ripped, fighting (think Krav maga, or muay tai, probably even some old-school boxing would work) took it to the next level. Getting to some parkor (spelling that right?) or some Spartan type of workouts would probably work too. Running 3-5 miles no problem. Biking too. Weights. Going 1:30 to 3:00 min rounds sparring kicks ass as it works strength, endurance, cardio, core and your brain all in one intense go.

And if into podcasts...check out Rich Roll (vegan ultraman) and currently I'm into Mike Dolce who trains MMA fighters for UFC and talks a lot about pre-fight leaning up. Non-vegan, but principles seem sound to me for daily living, eating clean, and timing of right nutrients before/after workouts....

Had to read that a couple times to digest it.

My questions basically are:

Do you think this is a good program?

Should I be doing more workouts?

Should I just supplement them with something else? (I occasionally do videos at home from something like Daily Burn)

Or, should I just scrap all of this, and work out at a normal gym with a split days type of workout like most people do?

The 2 routines look like good multi-body workouts. Good variation, but to me, for your 3.25 workouts per week, you need a 3rd routine and potentially a 4th -catch-all day for both variety and to hit the rest of your body. Alternatively, you could throw in a good body-weight day...something that has combination of all kinds of push-ups (standard, military, close, wide, offset, clap/plyo), pull-ups (std, wide, narrow, reverse, etc.), and more core (plank, side crunches, crunches, leg-lift, etc.), in alternating fashion and doing max rep.

If you're kind of plateaued and not seeing the results you want, then change is good! Good for your body, good for your brain too to fend off boredom.

And last thought, before I go too long, IMO you're better off abandoning machine exercises and use free weights. Just doing isolated, say shoulder presses on a machine that controls all the movement except the up-down can create unsupported/non-uniform muscle growth....meaning, all the other muscles in your shoulder, arm, and core that help create stability will develop out of sync with the primary muscle being worked and can lead to injury or to (this happened to me!) shoulder joint 'pain' because of the end-way I was building muscles.

Free weights, body weights, core....

helpful?

Also, given that strength appeared to increase, but you didn't see much change in your overall body, makes me wonder what your intended goals were? More size? Definition? Pure strength?

Knowing the answers to those will help vector in your diet and achieving your goals.

I'm curious too...can always learn something new!

Sounds like a lot of bananas. Different juries/opinions on them, though I know Dolce limits them due to sugar.

For your meals, eating 5-6x a day doesn't necessarily mean full meals. Keep your green smoothie, add in some nuts or an apple or similar mid-morning...lunch is lunch...then depending on when you're working out (I usually do it after work, before dinner) fuel up with some energy and of course water. On a krav day, depending on what I had for lunch, might just top up with a med apple on the there in the car, or if lunch was maybe a bit light, a small sandwich with good bread, tons of veg, maybe protein source (veg slices, hummus, etc.). Then dinner afterwards.

The in between snacks help keep your metabolism humming, and your blood sugar levels level...body has fuel avaiable, so it doesn't have to worry about save any extra nutrients from breakfast or lunch to fuel workout. Body can get confused between feast/famine mode...(burn vs store).

If doing the 80/10/10 was when you started noticing the fat sticking around and/or the weight going up, I'd go lower on the carbs. 80% from carbs would need a lot of work for me to maintain, never mind lose any body fat.

That said, I don't really count much of my stuff, but do keep eye on my proteins. If the high % of the carbs are from plants vs rice/grains/etc. that kind of makes sense to me.

Greens and salads sound good! Maybe add in some seeds for protein(?) or toss on some chickpeas/or black beans for texture and protein. Sprinkling with nutritional yeast is good, maybe sprinkle on some ground flax or hemp as a suggestion too.

Just by monitoring myself in the mirror and using the scale, if my workout stuff is mostly staying the same and my diet tweaks a bit, I can see if I'm starting to carry a bit more body fat than before -- SO, either have to workout more or reduce something in my diet, usual suspects are carbs, peanuts, etc. Replace them with more veggies and see how it goes. I did notice I was able to start bulking while maintaining lean mass by adding in more veg/fruits with emphasis on protein sources POST workout.

I don't really ascribe to 80/10/10, only know a tiny bit about it, but it sounds unsustainable to me unless done with close attention.

.....pause...

This was bugging me. Had to do some digging around, seems that 1 banana has 18g sugar...27g in a Snickers bar...16 gm sugar in 1 date...recommended (for what it's worth) daily consumption of sugars is listed as 30gms per day...

200 calories in a banana. SO, if you're eating 9-10 per day, that alone is like your whole days worth of cals (generically speaking -- with it drummed into our heads that 2000 cal/day is generally needed for just sustainment/health. Assuming that is so, then if you're maintaining 160lbs, without cutting down on the sugars/cals I think you'll have to like double your exercising.

I can push high on the calories when I'm doing my hard days/weeks....work, weights, 3+ mile run, work, 1-2 hours of krav (fighting class), weights,...and that is with emphasis on building up some more strength and bulk without packing more softness around my middle. (Save my excess carbs/cals for some beer -- which can still show up right away on stomach).

I'd say you're clean eating. Don't see much of any processed carbs. But also don't see much by way of grains which are needed too. BUT, you do have a cooked meal, some times with brown rice, which a good one to have.

First easy attempt at a fix would be to cut out 10% of bananas...so if eating 9-10 on average per day, I'd limit it to 7-8 for a week, keep doing everything else the same and see what happens.

Still mulling this one over....maybe someone else who has more experience with 80/10/10 can join in...