The Last Meal Plan You'll Ever Need

First, the rules:
1) For fat loss, men need 1800-2200 calories while women need 1500-1800. These are generalizations, I know, so what I recommend is using a site like our campers use: myfitnesspal.com to find out how much you are eating per day now. Then, provided you aren’t currently gaining weight, simply subtract 10-20% of that number to get your fat loss calorie goal. If you are gaining weight, you’ll obviously need to subtract more. Finding the right calorie number takes a little trial and error, but shouldn’t take more than a week.
2) Choose the eating pattern that fits your daily schedule. If you don’t get breaks at work, eat 3 larger meals. If you like the 3 meals and 2-3 snacks route, you can use that. Research suggests that meal frequency is not as important as bodybuilding magazines make it out to be…however, for some folks, the increased frequency works best. Again, a little trial and error on your part will be required.
3) When all else fails, eat more fruits and vegetables.
4) When in doubt, avoid eating foods from a bag or a box.
5) Only eat when you are truly hungry, not bored. Write down all the obstacles to this plan, then write down TWO solutions for every obstacle. Always have more solutions than problems (a good lesson to live by, teach kids and share with co-workers).

NOTE: Even though I list “protein shakes” a lot here, there’s no need to use more than 2 servings per day (1 serving = 1 scoop). Protein shakes are:
a) Convenient
b) Filling
c) A better choice than most other things
But they are not magic or mandatory…just an option.
Look for a pure whey protein – giving you 20g protein per serving and less than 2g carbs. Mix it with 1 cup unsweetened almond breeze(because it has less than half the calories of a cup of milk).
I use and have partnered with Isagenix New Zealand whey protein (comes from grass fed cows, that are hormone and antibiotic free) and I buy it for my mom.
Now for your fat burning meal plan.
Breakfast:
Option #1 – Eggs (i.e. a 2-4 egg omelet with spinach, mushrooms, broccoli, onions, and even asparagus – choose a couple). Have an apple on the side. Drink some Green Tea (coffee is fine too) and water. You might want to supplement with fish oil and vitamin C. Those are the two supplements I take every day for health – I don’t expect fat loss from ANY supplement.
Option #2 – Protein shake + 1-2 oz almonds + piece of fruit (low sugar, high fiber and high water content is best. For example, an apple is better than a banana)
Mid-morning Snack
Option #1 - Almonds + piece of fruit + Green Tea + water
Option #2 – Protein shake + cut up vegetables and hummus + Green Tea + water
Lunch
Option #1 – Big salad with grilled chicken or salmon
Option #2 – Grilled chicken on whole grain bread plus cut up vegetables and hummus
Option #3 – Go to any restaurant that will serve you lean protein (chicken breast, fish or steak) and veggies. This is just about anywhere, as long as you avoid the pre-meal bread, chips etc.
Mid-afternoon Snack
Option #1 – 1oz raw nuts + small piece dark chocolate
Option #2 – Apple with almond butter
Option #3 – One of the morning snacks
Dinner
Option #1 – 6oz steak + all the vegetables you want (minimize eliminate starchy carbs most days of the week)
Option #2 – Chicken or Salmon with all the vegetables you want
Option #3 – Quinoa with vegetables (I eat this 3x’s per week)…and if you don’t eat meat, here’s your vegetarian meal plan.
By the way, if you want a glass of wine at dinner, go for it (but just one glass).
However, realize that when choosing treats, you have to pick your poison…you can’t have wine, bread, a giant potato and dessert – and still expect to lose fat.
Choose one of those extras, keep it to one serving – to limit it to under 200 calories, savor it, and enjoy the rest of the meal and the company you are with.
And if you have kiddos, try not to eat too much off of their plates!
Dessert/Evening Snack (if ABSOLUTELY necessary)
Option #1 – Frozen banana (sounds boring, but seriously good) or frozen berries
Option #2 – 1 scoop chocolate protein powder in 1 cup plain vanilla yogurt with 1 teaspoon almond butter
Option #3 – An apple with 1 teaspoon almond butter
I hope that helps. It’s about as simple as you can get when planning a fat loss diet.
But don’t forget to…

• Drink 2-3 liters of water per day.
• Get to know your condiments…spicy mustards, salsas, no-sugar added tomato sauce, all of these are better than mayo and ketchup.
• Plan out 1-2 reward meals each week. 1 reward meal if you are close to your ideal body fat, 2 reward meals when you get to and maintain your ideal body fat. Eat what you want, but don’t go overboard with the portions.

Finally, life is chaotic, so set yourself up for success. Just like you take the time to get dressed and brush your teeth before heading out the door, take the time to have and bring the necessary food items with you every day. Remember, nothing tastes as good as being lean feels.

Questions? Post them below: