My Macro Meal Plan

Meal Plans

How and When to Use them with Macro Counting

To be perfectly honest, having a meal plan sounds pretty restricting, especially to people who have found all of the freedom that counting macros brings! With macro counting you are not eliminating foods of any kind, you are simply arranging the foods and portions you choose with a daily goals for each macronutrient category (carbs, fats, and protein). So if we can eating ANYTHING, why are we talking meal plans? Well, sometimes life is busy and sometimes people get overhwhelmed when they can eat anything they want and a little structure goes a long way.

So the kind of meal planning I’m talking about is flexible and PERSONALIZED to your macro numbers. It takes the tetris out of trying to fill your protein at the end of the day because you have already mapped out meals that help you fill your goals, so simply eating the food you planned gets a successful day of eating every day!

My meal plan example is based off of macros that are probably NOT your macros. A person’s macros dependent on highly specific characteristics and I don’t recommend winging them. One of my favorite aspects of Tighter Together challenges is that hundreds upon hundreds of people given CUSTOMIZED macro counts. I read each questionnaire and am confident that you are eating in a way that is going to be effective for you and your needs. The details for participating in that challenge can be found here.

My Current Macros:

Carbs: 170g

Fats: 45g

Protein: 150g

So those are the totals I’m looking to fill with the meals I eat throughout the day. I’m truly not picky about the ratios of each in my meals as long as the totals add up at the end of the day.

Also, my meals are not fancy! Most of them are put together quickly with relatively basic ingredients combined in different ways that I enjoy eating! Some people thrive with recipes and others don’t-- I’m a simple girl when it comes to flavor combinations and I find that with some good seasonings, I’m happy!

(Favorites: Everything But the Bagel from Trader Joe’s, Garlic Salt Seasoning (TJ’s), and 21 Seasoning Salute (TJ’s)

Also, the “recipe” I’ve been making for lunch is adapted from Lillie Loves Macros blog and the main things I have changed are: spaghetti squash instead of pasta and then I leave out the chicken from the dish, and also use Fat Free Mozzerella as my topping instead of breadcrumbs. But I have made her recipe as called for and it’s DELICIOUS!

https://lillieeatsandtells.com/skinny-mushroom-and-thyme-pasta-bake-with-chicken-and-creamy-cauliflower-sauce/

And here is one she has made with spaghetti squash!

https://lillieeatsandtells.com/creamy-cauliflower-spaghetti-squash-casserole/

Meal 1: (breakfast) 31 Carbs / 4 Fats / 22 Protein

Meal 2 (morning snacks): 29 Carbs / 8 Fats / 38 Protein

Fage 0% Greek Yogurt + Rice Cakes

---

Meal 3 (lunch): 38 Carbs/ 2 Fat / 24 Protein

Meal 4 (snack): 28 Carbs/ 12 Fats / 11 Protein

Better Oats (maple flavor)

(chocolate drizzle) 10 grams dark cocoa powder + 7g Powdered PB + 1 liquid stevia and a little water mixed together— sometimes I get it too watery :(

1 Tbs Jiff Peanut Butter

ALSO: I had added Walden Farms Sugar Free Caramel Sauce to this so the colors are a little scary! (Peanut butter is underneath)

Meal 5 (dinner): 19 Carbs / 2 Fats / 24 Protein

Meal 6 (treat): 26 Carbs / 16 Fats/ 26 Protein

This picture is not my current daily bowl, but I have included the information in the MFP screen shot! I add a little water + 1/2 Nutribullet of ice and BLEND

PROTEIN ICE CREAM RECIPE

Totals:

Carbs: 170g

Fats: 45g

Protein: 144g

I wanted to show you my app entries as an example, but I won’t necessarily take the time to log them each day since I know from my first day and my meal plan the totals!

Once I know that my meals for the week add up to my totals, I just eat! I know what the approximate sizes of the portions and ingredients look like, BUT I will measure/weigh out things like peanut butter and proteins just so I get those correct. Lower calorie foods like zucchini and cauliflower rice I’m not concerned about being perfect.

What If you Eat Out or Plans Change?

Let’s say it’s a day that we go out to eat of plans change unexpectedly-- what happens? First of all, if I’m this accurate 5/7 days a week, then I know the unplanned things will not derail my consistency, so I don’t fret, I re-arrange! I usually will just pull macros from my dessert and dinner and eat something that is generally balanced from a restaurant and call it even. If I know I didn’t get close to the calories I would have consumed with my normal dinner + dessert, then I’ll still make my protein ice cream (maybe leave out the chocolate). And I DON’T STRESS.

This Stresses Me Out

I tell every client or new friend that there IS a learning curve that comes with a much more intentional and accurate way of eating, but there are also ways to simplify! So if logging things into your app daily is becoming a chore, make a meal plan that FITS your macros and just eat! I promise it’s better than winging it :)

You should also know that these macros are NOT my personal fat loss macros, so when Tighter Together rolls around and I am eating with a different goal, my macros will change. Be sure you are eating in a way that supports your current goals. For those of you who need help with macros, I HIGHLY recommend participating in Tighter Together as it gives you fat loss macros AND the tools to transition to maintenance macros afterwards.

TIGHTER TOGETHER DETAILS

Cost: $50.00

Sign Up Dates (shop page of the blog): January 1-14th

Start Date: January 14th

UNLIMITED PARTICIPANTS (unlike 1-1 Macro Coaching)

Meal Prep Simplified: 80% of Your Success

Meal prepping is not a recipe for success in and of itself, but it’s about as close as you’ll get. It's common knowledge that nutrition is more important than any workout, and can be the missing link in many people's progress. Food is fuel for your brain and body, so a little extra time and planning is worth the investment. For many people it’s the convenience of less nutritious foods that sabotages their intentions more than anything else. Taking a an hour or two twice a week to set yourself up for quick, easy, delicious options will allow you to fuel yourself well even amidst the busiest of schedules.

And you'll feel on top of the world when you finish and your fridge is full and ready to go!

Escelante, Utah (totally safe, Mom)

1. Prioritize Protein

Whether you track your macros or not, protein is the most effective way to stay satiated (full) and the hardest source to find on the go. When you first realize what your body’s protein needs are, it seems like you’ll never get it in, but then it becomes second nature and you’ll get strategic about fitting it in throughout the day little by little and in no time you’ve got lean muscle, fewer cravings and more clarity of thought.

I always cook 3-4 chicken breasts with various herbs and spices (usually from Trader Joe’s) to have on hand throughout the week. I can incorporate them into so many meals and I find that I cook them well (I typically sear them, then cover to allow them to cook with steam) they don’t dry out at all.

Hard Boil eggs or just have a carton of liquid egg whites on hand to make omelets, add to oatmeal for more volume or add to rice for a protein boost to simulate “fried rice.” Eggs are a great source of protein since they don’t have carbs or fat (unless you use the yolk).

Greek yogurt (fat free or low fat) is an easy way to boost protein without many additional carbs and fats. You can add stevia, berries, protein powder, granola, etc to sweeten it without too many unnecessary carbs. Cottage cheese is also a yummy snack paired with vegetables or fruit!

EXAMPLE: Chobani Flip Vs. Plain Chobani Greek

EASY way to save 10g Fat, 18g Carbs, and gain 6g protein by adding choosing plain and adding some "friendlier" toppings

Checking the labels of foods will quickly show you where the sources of protein are that allow you to fill your daily allotment without sabotaging your carbs and fats. You;ll learn to flip things over before you add them to your cart and get creative with your foods to avoid unnecessary items (like fatty sauces) that steal a lot of macros without filling you up!

2. Have “VOLUME” Foods Ready To Go

What I mean when I say “volume” foods is basically foods that take up space on your plate that you can eat a lot of that don’t add up to many macros. Everyone likes to munch, but it can quickly add up if you’re not careful. My favorite volume foods would be:

• Spaghetti Squash- (WAY fewer carbs than sweet potatoes per serving)

• Greens- You can add a huge side salad to your plate, kale to your stir fry, lettuce to your sandwich, etc

• Broccoli, Asparagus, Brussels Sprouts- Fills your plate, your tummy and barely makes a dent in your macro budget

• Cauliflower “Rice”- You can make the biggest stir fry you want with chicken, eggs, peas, carrots, soy sauce, etc and you carbs will still be sitting pretty.

• Cantaloupe, Honeydew, & Berries- These are some lower carb fruits that fill you up without sending your carbs out the window like bananas can.

• Protein Ice Cream- I’ll let you make this and then you’ll understand why I have it 4-5 times a week.

3. Treat Yourself

That’s right! Food is enjoyable and SHOULD be. It’s natural to crave chocolate and sweet things, so be realistic about it and realize that it CAN be part of your diet without it sabotaging all the healthy options you are choosing. My advice is to make some compromises and retrain your taste buds a bit. Try some items that are a little “lightened” up and stick to the serving sizes you have planned for.

Inputting the treat that you plan to consume into your app of choice (if you’re tracking your macros), allow you to piece together the rest of your day while knowing all along that you’re going to enjoy something later! When you get to that point of the day, you enjoy every bite of your Enlightened Ice Cream or Halo Top or dark chocolate square or candy bar. Realizing that it’s made up of carbs, fats and protein like everything else. Granted, it won’t provide many micronutrients, but that’s OK with the ratio of whole, nutrient-rich foods you have consumed throughout the day.

I'm no food blogger, but come on....

MY BEST ADVICE:

Any eating approach that strips you of your enjoyment of food, is not going to last long. It’s better to have a plan that allows you a little wiggle room, but ensures sustainability and can be more than a 6 week test of will power while your family is counting down the days until you are yourself again. So track your treat, enjoy your treat, and be done with your treat with no feelings attached other than, “Halo Top is pretty good for healthy ice cream.”