When it comes to diet there is enough information on the internet to cause analysis paralysis, I want to simplify that for you guys. In true minimalist style less is more and I want to show you how to structure your diet for sustainable calorie counting, meal planning and getting enough protein.
This structure will work for bulking, cutting or maintenance. As far as food goes you want to eat a high protein, moderate fat, low carb diet ideally of organic whole foods. There are hundreds of different diet plans but for all intents and purposes a balanced diet of whole foods is your best bet for health and well-being.
Even more important is avoiding things you’re allergic to like dairy, gluten or other fodmaps. A good way to test for that is to do an elimination diet, eating only meat and vegetables and slowly introducing new items one by one.
In the past I’ve tried to log calories and it’s a pain in the ass. The diet here works in blocks so you don’t have to worry about every little thing you eat. I’ve put together a structure for the diet below where you can fill in the blanks with healthy food choices, meat, vegetables and rice are a good place to start.
Meal Planning And Calorie Blocking
- You should plan lunch and dinner for the same time every day in your phone, breakfast isn’t necessary because you should be following the intermittent fasting protocol outlined here
- Measure 7 lunches and 7 dinners for calories and protein, no more than one different meal for each day of the week
- It’s not necessary to have 7 of each, you can eat the same lunch every day and only vary your dinners or eat the same thing for every meal
- You should structure lunch and dinner into calorie blocks and then build meals in accordance with this ie. for a 2500 calorie day, lunch would be 1000 cals and dinner would be 1500 cals
- Add these meals into your schedule, this allows you to maintain the proper amount of calories per day and takes the energy and time out of selecting a meal
- This also allows you to know exactly what to buy at the supermarket with nothing going to waste
- You should also measure 3 to 5 alternatives that you can substitute when you’re out with friends, one from each major cuisine is a good idea
Maintenance
- Eat at least 70 to 120 grams of protein a day
- Eat your maintenance of calories per day
- Calculate your maintenance calorie level here
Bulking
- Each at least 100 grams of protein a day
- Weightlifting days should be + 5oo calories over your daily maintenance level, you can read more on how to bulk here
- On off days you should eat your daily caloric maintenance
- Total Caloric Surplus of 1000 to 1500 calories per week or approximately 1 pound of weight per month
Cutting
- Eat at least 100 grams of protein
- Weightlifting days should be + 100 calories over your daily maintenance level, you can read more on how to cut here
- On your 5 off days maintain a caloric deficit of 700 Calories
- Total weekly deficit of 3300 calories or close to 1 pound
