Nothing Brings People Together Like Good Food
Keep It Simple
For the most part I try to follow a clean way of eating, meaning that the food is unprocessed or refined, keeping as close to its natural state as possible. Occasionally the odd artificial sweetener (like Splenda) may slip in there, but I try to be as conscious as possible.
Here are some of the basics that work for me:
- Try to eat five to six times a day, about every two to three hours
- Each meal should be balanced between complex carbohydrates (40%), lean protein (30%) and healthy fats (30%). A good guideline when filling your plate is that your protein should take up a quarter, your starchy carbohydrate (e.g. sweet potato) should take up another quarter and the rest should be vegetables.
- Drink lots of water – latest I heard you should drink an ounce for every pound you weigh; aim for at least 8 glasses a day
- Limit white flour, sugar and saturated or trans fats. Also stay away from “junk” food as much as possible unless it’s a planned treat.
Set Yourself Up for Success
Whether you follow a meal plan, macro plan or are keto, high carb, etc – the most important factor for success is finding a plan you can stick to. From there, you can adjust your calorie intake to either lose weight, maintain or even gain, depending on your goals.
Protein
If you want to optimize your health and body composition, protein is especially important to help maintain and build muscle. A good general guideline is to consume 1g per pound of body weight. For some this may seem a lofty goal, so below is a sample meal plan to give you some ideas.
Tricks of the Trade
One of the most important things is to be organized and have a well stocked pantry and fridge. For example, I make an entire weeks worth of lunches at once. It may take me an hour and a half but I am done and won’t be tempted to buy something unhealthy just because I don’t have time to cook.
Here are some other tools to help you stay on track:
- Pantry Staples
- Salad Basics
- Macro Tracker – My Fitness Pal