How to make a meal plan

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-13 00:26

As you know, the press is forged in the kitchen. Doing specific exercises is only half the battle. The other 50% is what you eat. So what's the use of strong muscles if they are hidden under a layer of fat? The opposite problem is no less common - exhaustion. As a result, all good intentions are reduced to naught, and along with them the results tend to zero. Therefore, today we will talk about how you can transform your usual diet into a more correct one and not give up this business after the first week.;)

Sitting on diets is very difficult both physically and mentally, and the benefits from them are often very short-term. In order for a useful habit to gain a foothold, you cannot immediately rush into battle and sweep aside everything that is not useful, but so beloved and familiar: you will still break loose and indulge in all the hard. Also, keep in mind that not all diets are suitable for some sports. For example, the same is not suitable for those doing intense interval training, triathlon, or middle and long distance running, since all these activities consume a lot of carbohydrates.

Before deciding on a specific menu, you should not only consult with your doctor or nutritionist, but also gather more information about what processes the diet is based on and whether it can be combined with your workouts.

So, Anna Robertson, a trainer and nutritionist from Biodynamic Wellness (California), offers a fairly simple and common for many people adaptation of the daily diet for those who are involved in jogging or any other sport that includes a sufficient number of cardio loads (aerobics, step aerobics, intervals and functional training) and does not include muscle building.

Menu option for one day

Breakfast

For example, your usual breakfast consists of a cup of coffee with cream and sugar (optional), as well as a bowl of oatmeal with 2% milk.

Anna advises replacing sugar with a natural sweetener - honey or maple syrup. For her second breakfast, she offers a multi-egg omelet cooked in coconut oil - a great source of protein and healthy fats.

Dinner

Anna's suggestion is a salad with protein and vegetables plus a slice of toasted whole grain bread.

Snack before running (workout)

Anna advises to give preference to natural food, which will always be bioavailable. For example, the so-called Trail Mix, a mixture of nuts and dried fruits, is an excellent source of carbohydrates to quickly restore lost energy. For longer runs (10 km or more), an apple with almond butter (or other nut butter) is suitable. A snack like this will provide you with the right fats and carbs.

During long runs

Electrolytes are suitable for fluid and mineral replenishment and do not need to be purchased from specialist stores. For example, drinking water with a pinch of sea salt will help replenish fluid and mineral deficiencies. If you don't really want to drink salted warm water, you can add a little more citrus juice or cranberry juice there.

Snacking after a run or workout

Increase your protein intake within 30 minutes of your run. For those who have run 10 km, it can be the same apple with nut butter or cream cheese (Philadelphia, mascarpone). This snack will help replenish the amino acids needed for muscle recovery, while the combination of fruits and fat will increase your blood glucose levels, which will provide your cells with energy. For those who have run more, you need a more impressive reinforcement, which will provide proteins, carbohydrates and fats. One option is an egg or tuna salad served on a toasted slice of whole grain bread.

Dinner

Dinner should always contain proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Our body absorbs animal proteins much better than plant proteins (sorry vegetarians), as they are rich in nutrients. Healthy fats: coconut oil, olive oil, or avocado oil. An example of a full meal is brown rice, quinoa, or sweet potatoes plus meat (whatever you like) and steamed vegetables. You can also afford a glass of chilled white wine.

"After supper", or If you really want to eat after 18:00

If you are very hungry, use fruits or berries. Berries are literally packed with antioxidants and vitamins, they help get rid of free radicals and support the body's detoxification. And the one who ran 10 km or more deserves a chocolate bar (preferably dark chocolate with 75% cocoa).

Drawing up a meal plan

Making a meal plan is easy, especially if you have a workout plan for the week and can roughly calculate your calorie expenditure during exercise. For example, during the preparation for Ironman 70.3 (half), my husband traveled an average of 70 km (sometimes 50 km, sometimes all 100 km) during his training sessions. As a result, he was spending about 1,500 kcal, and I knew that on this day you need more varied food than on days of rest or days with a pool.

Therefore, knowing your training schedule, energy consumption and goals (lose weight, gain weight or stay with the same weight), you can safely start drawing up a plan.

The weekly meal plan does not at all involve preparing meals every day. There are many dishes that retain their taste very well for 2-3 days. Cottage cheese, dried fruits, fruits, berries and vegetables do not require cooking at all.

1. Make a meal plan for the week. Sit down and think about what you would like to cook or taste. Estimate how long it will take you to cook and choose the best options.
2. Look for new recipes. A varied food is not only tasty, but also healthy, as this way your body gets more and more various nutrients. For this, there are special recipe aggregators where you can find almost everything! Example - plus Pinterest. We should also mention the site with incredibly beautiful photos and recipes for delicious vegetarian dishes.
3. Try to eat the same meal no more than twice a week. We have already talked about diversity! It does not have to be something completely new; simpler modifications are quite suitable.
4. Try to prepare meals that you can eat the next day. This applies to cereals and soups. The first option is suitable for item number 3, and the second can be used as a basis for different dishes, varying the additions.
5. Count your calories. To achieve this goal, you need to know the "entrance" and "exit". There are also quite a number of different web services and mobile applications for calculating calories.
6. You should always have alternatives. This is in case someone in your family ate a prepared meal or you were unable to get to the prepared meal due to being busy or for other reasons.

Alternatively, take a look at examples ranging from simple oatmeal to a full cyclist breakfast that includes pasta, coffee, toast with jam, ham and eggs, dried fruit, and fresh juice.

Set the right goals, watch your diet and try to make it as varied and healthy as possible!

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