Here’s Exactly What to Eat to Achieve Any Fitness Goal

Make sure your food isn't hindering your progress.

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Any good diet should include three things: carbohydrates (to fuel exercise), protein (to repair muscles), and fat (to keep you satiated). How you distribute those grams makes all the difference. Calories below based on a 150-pound, 5'4" woman, age 28.

20-35 percent fat
50-55 percent or more from carbs
15-20 percent protein
Total daily cals: 2,500 (training 1 to 1.5 hours per day)

HERE'S HOW THAT LOOKS IN A DAY'S WORTH OF MEALS:

Breakfast

• Overnight oatmeal with 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, 1 cup blueberries, and 2 Tbsp maple syrup 
• Latte with 8 oz coffee and 1/2 cup 2% milk 

Mid-Morning Snack

• 1 apple
• 1 Strong and Kind Honey BBQ KIND bar

Lunch

• Hummus wrap with 1/4 cup roasted red pepper hummus, 1 cup arugula, 1/4 cup sliced tomatoes, 1/4 cup sliced cucumbers, 1/4 cup sliced green peppers, 1/4 cup sprouts, and 1 slice of Swiss cheese
• 1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt with 1/4 cup dried craisins and 2 Tbsp chocolate chips  

Mid-Afternoon Snack
Green smoothie with 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 Tbsp ground flax seed, 1 banana, and 2 cups spinach 

Dinner
Stir-fry with 1 cup cooked brown rice, 5 oz chicken, 1 cup broccoli, 1 cup chopped bell peppers, 1/4 cup water chestnuts, and 2 Tbsp teriyaki sauce

Total Calories: 2,474 (30 percent fat, 53 percent carbohydrates, 18 percent protein)
Total Fat: 84 grams
Total Carbohydrates: 333 grams
Total Fiber: 41 grams
Total Protein: 112 grams

20 percent protein
45-50 percent carbs
25-30 percent fat
Total daily cals: 2,100 (training 1 hour per day)

HERE'S HOW THAT LOOKS IN A DAY'S WORTH OF MEALS:

Breakfast

• Spinach and mushroom scramble with 1 egg, 2 egg whites, 1 cup spinach, 1/2 cup mushrooms, and 2 Tbsp grated Swiss cheese
• 1 whole-wheat English muffin

Mid-Morning Snack

• 1 oz almonds
• 1 peach

Lunch
Black bean burrito bowl with 2 cups shredded lettuce, 1/2 cup cooked brown rice, 1/2 cup cooked black beans, 3 oz shredded chicken, 1/4 cup salsa, and 1/4 avocado (sliced)

Mid-Afternoon Snack
2 Tbsp hummus with 1 cup sliced cucumbers

Dinner

• 1 whole-wheat thin sandwich bun with 1/4 pound lean ground beef burger patty (90% lean), 2 slices of tomato, and 2 pieces of lettuce
• 1 cup butternut squash (sliced into fry shapes and tossed with salt, pepper, 1 tsp oil, and a pinch of chili powder), roasted at 400°F until crispy and golden, about 40 minutes
• 1 cup shredded kale tossed with 1 tsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp parmesan cheese (season to taste with salt and pepper)

Dessert
1/2 cup frozen mango, thawed, with 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt 

Total Calories: 2,110 (30 percent fat, 46 percent carbohydrates, 25 percent protein)
Total Fat: 72 grams
Total Carbohydrates: 241 grams
Total Fiber: 43 grams
Total Protein: 134 grams

20 percent protein
25 percent fat
55 percent carbs
Total daily cals: 1,400 (to drop 1 to 1.5 pounds per week)

Breakfast

• 1/2 whole wheat English muffin (toasted) with 1 cup spinach leaves (steamed), 1 poached egg, 1 slice of tomato, 1 slice of avocado, and salt/pepper/a pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 pear 

Mid-Morning Snack

• 1 apple
• 1 Tbsp caramel sauce 

Lunch
3 cups spinach leaves with 3 oz salmon (like the pouch kind or leftover from dinner the night before), 1/2 cup trimmed green beans, 2 Tbsp sweet onions (sliced paper thin), 1 hard-boiled egg (sliced), and 2 Tbsp low-fat honey dijon vinaigrette 

Mid-Afternoon Snack

• 1 piece string cheese
• 1/2 cup mango chunks (thawed from frozen or fresh) 

Dinner

• 4 oz shredded chicken with 2 Tbsp low-fat Caesar dressing, 1 cup butterleaf lettuce (torn), and 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (sliced) in 1  whole-wheat tortilla 
• 1 cup tomato soup 

Dessert
1/2 cup frozen yogurt 

Total Calories: 1,399 (23 percent fat, 56 percent carbohydrates, 22 percent protein)
Total Fat: 36.9 grams
Total Carbohydrates: 199.4 grams
Total Fiber: 27.4 grams
Total Protein: 80.7 grams

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/weight-loss-meal-plans

4 Get-Out-the-Door-Faster, No-Recipe Breakfasts

Smoked Salmon Breakfast Burrito

Smoked salmon mixes the everyday breakfast burritos while also adding heart-healthy, omega-3 fats. Peppers, onions and salsa ups the veggie count in your scramble and works in extra flavor.

TO MAKE: Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray and warm over medium high heat. Sauté a handful of chopped red onion, sliced jalapeno peppers and salsa until tender, approximately a few minutes. Then, toss a large egg and a couple egg whites into the pan; scramble until cooked through. Stir in bite-sized, cnopped smoked salmon. Remove from heat; roll the mixture up in a large tortilla and top with more salsa, if desired. 

Breakfast Bento Box

It doesn’t get much simpler than this. Just assemble each of the following items into a Bento box or similar container and take with you for a super healthy on-the-go breakfast option. We like to think of it as a morning cheese plate. 

TO MAKE: Assemble a hard-boiled egg, a cheese wedge or round (such as Laughing Cow or mini Babybel), a bunch of grapes and a small handful of whole-grain crackers.

Eggs-Any-Way Avocado Toast

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This breakfast gives you the awesome option of preparing your egg specifically to your own liking—think boiled, poached, fried, or scrambled. No matter how you cook the egg, it’ll work deliciously well with avocado atop a slice of toast. Plus, you’re getting 6 grams of quality protein plus healthy fats and fiber from the avocado, too. 

TO MAKE: Toast 1 slice dark rye bread. Top with a quarter of an avocado that has been mashed with a squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt. Cook an egg plus one egg white any way you like and place on top of toast. Garnish with salt, pepper, and herbs, if desired.

Egg and Cheese Sandwich

A fast food breakfast sandwich is not the healthiest way to quell your morning hunger pangs, but no one can deny how satisfying the classic egg-and-cheese combo can be. For a healthy spin, we kept the egg and cheese but used a whole grain English muffin, swapped a tomato slice for the traditional bacon, and added some spinach to make over the classic.

TO MAKE: Slice a whole grain English muffin in half top with one small slice reduced-fat cheddar cheese. Place under the broiler until the cheese melts and the muffin is lightly toasted. Fry one egg and place on the muffin with the cheese, tomato slices, a handful of baby spinach and salt and pepper, to taste. Top with the other half of the English muffin. 

12 Brilliant Meal Prep Ideas to Free Up Your Time

When it comes to healthy eating, preparation is the key to success. (Those Boy Scouts are onto something.) In fact, one study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine suggests that spending time on preparing and cooking meals at home is linked with better dietary habits. But if you love the convenience of prepackaged foods and restaurant meals, it might be hard to go cold turkey on your take-out routine.

Luckily, planning and preparing your meals ahead of time will make healthy choices a no-brainer. Instead of running to the deli for a cold cut calorie bomb, you’ll have a home cooked feast on hand that can be heated up faster than you can walk two blocks. And hey, you’ll save money while you’re at it.

Plus, if you’re intimidated by cooking, there are tons of sneaky tricks that can help make assembling delicious meals a cinch. From easy breakfast options to methods for whipping up meals in bulk, we’ve got expert tips to set yourself up for a fuss-free and healthy week. Whip out your favorite Tupperware and get started.

12 Meal Prep Ideas to Try Now

1. Season meat three ways using just one pan.
If you’re sticking to lean meats like chicken, chowing down on the same flavors can get tedious after a while. Save time without boring your taste buds by preparing two or three variations of chicken at once, using aluminum foil dividers in your pan. Sriracha, BBQ, honey mustard — you can have it all. Three birds, one pan! Photo and recipe: Kevin / Fit Men Cook

2. Hard-boil eggs in the oven — not in a pot.
An excellent source of protein, vitamins A and B and healthy fat, eggs should be a staple snack for any health fiend. The problem: You can usually only fit up to five eggs in a pot. To make a delicious dozen in one go, bake your eggs in muffin tins for just 30 minutes. Ta-da! You’ll get a perfectly hard-boiled batch. Pro tip: Do a small test run first to ensure your oven doesn’t run too hot or too cold before cooking a full pan of eggs. Photo and recipe: Lindsay / The Lean Green Blog

3. Freeze blended smoothies in muffin tins.
Never have the time to measure out a million fixings for a morning sip? Save time by buying the ingredients in bulk, blending your favorite beverage, and then freezing the mixture in muffin tips. Next time you need a shake, stat, toss two or three “smoothie cups” in a blender for a quick and easy breakfast. Photo and recipe: Matt / Muffin Tin Mania

4. Chop or spiralize raw vegetables in advance.
Too hangry to make dinner at the end of a long day? Cut veggies in bulk ahead of time to avoid wasting precious minutes chopping on busy weeknights. Zucchini noodles (“zoodles”) and butternut squash noodles will stay fresh in the fridge for 3-5 days, and chopped vegetables like carrots, onion and pepper will last a week when refrigerated properly in a sealed plastic bag or tupperware. Photo and tip: Ali / Inspiralized

5. Roast different vegetables with same cooking time.Roasting vegetables is a great way to bring out their natural sweetness, but waiting 30 to 40 minutes for each pan of nutrient-rich goodness to cook can be time-consuming. To prep a large batch of veggies, try pairing them based on roasting time. Fast-cooking vegetables that can bake in the same pan include asparagus, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes; slow-roasting vegetables include carrots, cauliflower, onions, potatoes and parsnips. Photo: Jenny / Picky Palate

6. Make portions crystal clear.Guard against overeating by portioning your nuts, pretzels, veggies or favorite nibbles into plastic baggies or portable jars. It’s easy to mindlessly munch when you’ve got an entire bag sitting in front of you, but having just enough ready to go for lunch or a snack will keep you from going overboard. Jars: Blender Bottle Go Stack Twist ‘N Lock

7. Customize healthy oatmeal jars.Fiber-rich foods like oatmeal are ideal for keeping you satiated until lunchtime, but most packets have lots of added sugar and unnatural preservatives. If you DIY and use portable glass jars, you’ll control exactly what and how much you’re eating. From “monkey mix” to “raspberries and dark chocolate,” these genius flavor combinations will keep your taste buds happy, too. Photo and recipe: Rachel / Clean Food Crush

8. Bag up smoothie ingredients.
Ever put a little of this, a little of that in your blender and end up with a supersized smoothie? Save yourself from unnecessary calories by pre-assembling and freezing the ingredients. By measuring out your berries, yogurt (frozen in an ice cube tray) and greens ahead of time, your shake will be perfectly portioned, every time. Photo and recipe: Rachel / The Chic Site

9. Use muffin tins for smarter breakfast frittatas.
You could enjoy a fancy frittata every morning of the week, and only turn your stove on once. The secret? Make-ahead egg muffins!  (you can store in the fridge for up to five days) so you don’t get bored throughout the week. Wrap them in a paper towel to microwave them so they won’t dry out. Photo and recipe: Kendra Montgomery / Full Fork Ahead

10. Always roll with some protein-rich snacks.
Protein is essential for muscle recovery after a tough workout and it also keeps hunger at bay — making it an A+ choice for snacks. Instead of reaching for a packaged protein barthat could have more than 400 calories and 28 grams of sugar, try making your own energy balls. Whip up a batch and store them in the fridge for up to six days. Photo and recipe: Lee Hersh / Life by DailyBurn

11. Skewer meats for quick portions.
Kabobs aren’t just for street meat. Weighing your chicken (or salmon or beef) and putting it on wooden skewers can help you control how much you’re eating in one sitting. (Four ounces of chicken has approximately 36 grams of protein, and six ounces of salmon has 34 grams of protein.) Cook up a batch and save some skewers for the rest of the week. If you’re using wooden ones, remember to soak them in water so they won’t catch fire in your grill or oven. Photo and recipe: Emily Miller / Life by DailyBurn

12. Pre-assemble jarred lunch salads.
Think salad from home is a no-go because it always gets soggy? Think again. Using a glass jar will save your veggies from getting mucky before lunchtime. Put your dressing at the bottom of the jar, layering sturdier vegetables like peppers and beets, and then saving the leafy greens for the top. Put a paper towel square at the top to absorb moisture if you’re storing the salad for multiple days.

http://dailyburn.com/life/health/meal-prep-ideas-healthy-eating/

Does Calorie Counting Work?

Do you count calories? Is it worth the effort?? I want to know what YOU think!

For one reason or another, calorie counting is something that people tend to feel verystrongly about, and as expected, I got lots of different responses from both those who do count calories and those who don’t.

In the first camp are those who firmly believe that calories are the only thing that matters when it comes to losing or gaining weight. And in the second camp are those who think that calorie counting is a waste of time as long as you’re eating ‘clean’ or measuring portion sizes, for instance.

Some people just don’t know what to think.

I personally think there’s truth in both arguments, and by rejecting one outright you are making weight loss harder than it needs to be. I want to explain why and hopefully help you decide whether or not calorie counting is right for you.

But first, we need to start at the beginning:

What Is A Calorie?

A calorie is a unit that measures energy.

Scientifically speaking, a calorie is the amount of energy, or heat, that it takes to raise the temperature of 1kg of water by 1 degree centigrade. But in plain English, calories are a way of describing the amount of energy your body gets from eating and drinking.

This energy is used to keep your brain and organs functioning as they should be, and to provide fuel for physical activity.

Calories are essential to life, but as we all know, if you eat too many you’ll gain weight. The reason this happens can be explained by one of the four Laws of Thermodynamics (which is often mistakenly referred to as the First Law of Physics) that states:

In a closed system [such as the human body], energy can neither be created nor destroyed, it can only be changed from one form to another.

Because energy from food and drink cannot disappear into thin air, if you consistently eat more calories than you burn, you’ll gain weight, and if you eat less, you’ll lose weight.

This Law is simple and, as countless studies have shown, indisputable.

Is A Calorie Always A Calorie?

Given this inescapable truth, you might expect, then, that if a group of people all ate the exact same amount of calories above maintenance (the amount of calories it takes to maintain their current weight), and did the exact same amount of exercise under tightly controlled conditions, they would all lose the exact same amount of weight.

Well, as one now-famous study demonstrated, that isn’t what happens.

Researchers overfed sixteen young men and women by 1,000 calories a day for eight weeks. Based on the assumption that 3500 calories is equal to one pound of fat, the expectation was that everyone would gain 16 pounds (56,000-calorie eight-week excess divided by 3,500 calories per pound).

But only one person gained that much.

The average weight gain was just over 10 pounds, and one individual (likely that one person we all know who can eat whatever they want and get away with it) only gained three.

So is the Law of Thermodynamics wrong!?

Nope.

While it’s true that if you consume more calories than you burn you will gain weight, it’s very difficult to calculate exactly how many calories your body burns.

Your basal metabolic rate represents (BMR) the number of calories your body burns even if you were to stay in bed all day. This number varies massively from person to person, and is determined by a multitude of factors, including; age, height, current weight, body fat percentage, past dieting habits, activity levels, hormonal profile, and more. While BMR calculators do exist, it is impossible to account for all of these factors, which means – at best – they can provide only a very rough estimate.

Without an accurate idea of how many calories your body burns it becomes much more difficult to work out how many calories you should be consuming to lose or gain weight. But your BMR isn’t the only variable: there’s a number of factors related to the calories you consume that make calculating how many calories you should be consuming even more difficult.

Those factors, and their importance, are covered below.

Factors That Affect Weight Loss

To give credit where it’s due, I borrowed (read: blatantly stole) this idea from Andy Morgan(whose website is great, by the way).

The point of this visualization is to illustrate a clear order of priorities when it comes to your diet. The bottom tier (number 1) is the most important, and the top tier (number 5) is the least.

Going back to what I mentioned at the beginning of the article; people tend to think of calories, and the other items on this list, as isolated concepts that either work or they don’t – either they are the only thing that matters or they don’t work at all. But the point is the opposite: each of these factors fits into the bigger picture to create a diet that works, but aren’t as effective when used on their own.

Each component of your diet is explained in detail below, and is listed according to its importance:

1. Total Calories

Calories are the most important factor on this list and form the foundation of the pyramid because they determine whether or not it is possible to change your weight.

As we have already covered, if you eat more calories than you burn you will gain weight, and if you eat less you will lose weight.

But as we now know, there’s a host of other factors that need to be taken into consideration.

2. Type & Quality of Calories

Next on the list is the type and quality of the calories you consume.

Here, we’re talking about the ratio of macronutrients (protein/fat/carbs/alcohol) that you are ingesting (within your total calorie intake), and whether you are eating ‘clean’. These factors are extremely important, and are second only to your total calorie intake.

Each macronutrient elicits a different response in the body. For example, carbohydrates can lead to fat storage (but that doesn’t mean they should be avoided), whereas protein has a high thermic effect of food (TEF), meaning that calories have to be burned to digest it.

You can learn more about each macronutrient and their effects on the body here:

• Protein
• Fat
• Carbohydrates
• Alcohol

3. Vitamins, Minerals and Water

Returning to the idea of eating ‘clean’, the density of nutrients within your calories should be considered.

When people talk about ‘clean’ food they are generally referring to wholesome, nutrient-dense foods like vegetables, fruit, meat, fish and eggs. These foods are packed full of vitamins and minerals that are important for your body to function optimally. By way of contrast, highly-processed, man-made foods like pizza, processed meat, chips and fast food are stripped of their nutrients and are often referred to as ‘empty calories’.

With regard to water intake, drink when you’re thirsty and ensure you are hydrated when you workout. A good rule of thumb is to aim for 5 clear urinations a day (weird rule, I know).

4. Meal Timing & Frequency

I think the most commonly overstated aspect of your diet is meal timing and frequency. While it can make a difference, it’s not as important as the factors above.

In case you’re wondering, by ‘meal timing and frequency’, I mean things like:

Never eat carbs at night.

Eat 6 small meals a day.

Eat your biggest meal immediately after your workout.

One such nutritional strategy I’ve written about is carb cycling, which can be really useful. But carb cycling won’t help you reach your goals unless you have a handle on your total calories and the factors listed above.

5. Supplements

Last on the list are unfortunately the thing most people start with, supplements.

Supplements often seem like a quick fix, but in reality they are anything but. They are expensive, and while they can help you reach your goals, should only be introduced once you have mastered the four points above.

So What’s The Answer?

If the number of calories you are consuming isn’t telling you the whole story, and it’s impossible to make an accurate calculation of how many calories you are burning, is calorie counting a complete waste of time?

Far from it.

The point to take away from this is that viewing your body as a walking math formula is a mistake. No, calorie counting and keeping a food diary isn’t an exact science, but time and time again it has been shown to be the most efficient means to maximize weight loss. Here’s why:

• It’s Eye-Opening: Many people have absolutely no idea how many calories they are actually consuming. Apps such as MyFitnessPal are great because they give people a realistic idea of how many calories they are consuming.
• It Gives You A Baseline: You need to find out what works for you, and calorie counting makes it easy to do so. If you eat 2000 calories every day for a week and at the end of the week you are heavier than you were before, then you know that 2000 calories is more than you need to maintain your current weight. If you want to lose weight, simply eat 500 calories less each day until the scale tips the other way. Without a food diary you wouldn’t even have a ballpark figure of how many calories you should be consuming.
  
• Accountability: Sure, it’s nice to have a rough idea of what your energy intake looks like, but the act of tracking food intake serves as a reminder of what you are trying to achieve. It’s through regular and deliberate efforts that new habits are formed, and any behavior that helps you to keep your goals and intentions at the forefront of your mind is a good one.

My only gripe with keeping a food diary is when it takes over your life. The point of it isn’t to tell you what you are or aren’t allowed to eat. It is simply a source of information to help inform your decisions, as well as a powerful habit-building tool.

If you’re struggling with your weight, health, or lifestyle, then consider tracking your calories for a month. MyFitnessPal is totally free, and once you’ve entered in your usual foods, making entries only takes a a few minutes each day. Calorie tracking and food diaries, regardless of their imperfections could be just the thing you need to jump-start your weight loss.

Give it a go and find out what works for you.