Develop a Personalized Diet

Step by Step Tools for developing a Nutrition Plan that is tailored for you.  Remember that everyones bodies react differently so use this as your starting point & try it out for a month.  Then adjust as needed depending on how your body reacts and if you are getting the results you want.

STEP 1:  Use these Equations to calculate your Daily Caloric intake, Protein intake, Carbohydrate Intake, and Fat Intake.

Calories to maintain bodyweight… (increase/decrease if your goal is to gain/lose weight)

• Mesomorphs – bodyweight x 15.
• Ectomorphs – bodyweight x 16-17.
• Endomorphs – bodyweight x 13-14.

Protein to maintain muscle… (4g per calorie)

• Mesomorphs – 1.2g/lb – 1.3g/lb.
• Ectomorphs – 1.4g/lb – 1.6g/lb.
• Endomorphs – 1.4g/lb – 1.5g/lb.

Fats for hormone balance… (9g per calorie)

• Mesomorphs – 17% – 23% of total calories.
• Ectomophs – 24%-28% of total calories.
• Endomorphs – 23%-28% of total calories

Carbohydrates for energy… (4g per calorie)

• TOTAL CALORIES – (PROTEIN + FATS) = CALORIES OF CARBOHYDRATES

STEP 2: Develop a Timed-Efficient Meal Plan which involves eating every 2.5-3 hours

It does not matter how many meals you have per day, as long as you hit your macro’s. What does matter is when you eat them. Carbohydrates release insulin which blocks cortisol release, so they make sure our muscle is not converted into energy.  Carbs save our muscles!  That is why it is crucial to eat certain things at certain times based on our workout schedule.  So we recommend carbs mostly be taken in during the meals surrounding your workout.

STEP 3:  Print out this list of food options, however you may be flexible with what you eat if it meets your Macro’s.

We practice the 80/20 rule meaning eat wholesome and nutritious foods for 80% of your macro allotment and eat whatever you like for the other 20%. As long as you meet your macros at the end of the day and consumed at least 14 grams of fiber per 1000 calories.  This is similar to the “if it fits your macros” (IIFYM) practice except they tend to eat >20% treats without prioritizing eating wholesome foods still and getting enough fiber intake which may lead to digestion issues and vitamin deficiencies.

Protein:

• Tuna or most any fish.
• Cottage cheese.
• Eggs (especially the whites).
• Chicken breast (boneless skinless).
• Turkey breast (boneless skinless).
• Lean beef.
• Low fat or no fat cheese (cottage cheese).
• Low fat pork.
• Milk protein isolate.
• Whey protein.
• Soy protein.
• Essentially most any other source of protein so long as it is low in saturated fat and carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates:

• Sweet potatoes or yams.
• Oat meal.
• Brown rice.
• Quinoa
• Protein pancakes.
• Rice cakes.
• Wheat bread or Ezekiel Bread
• Beans (black, lima, edamame, or kidney)
• Low fat popcorn.
• Fruits
• Malto dextrin (during workout).
• Dextrose (during workout)
• Vegetables (non-starchy: asparagus, carrots, cauliflower, celery, green beans, lettuce, peppers, onions, spinach, sprouts, squash, zucchini, tomatoes)
• Stay away from refined grains and anything that says “enriched” or “high fructose corn syrup” on the label!

Healthy Fats:

• Omega 3 capsules (i.e. fish oil capsules).
• Flax seed oil.
• Avocado.
• Olive oil.
• Unsalted Nuts (limit to 1 serving per day), peanut butter (as long as it does not contain hydrogenated oils).
• Egg yolks.
• Sunflower and pumpkin seeds.
• Fish (salmon especially).
• All other fat should come as a by-product of your carbohydrate and protein intake.

STEP 4: Choose which Supplements you will use

Supplements are simply that- supplemental. They are not required. They are simply meant o fill in the gaps of your nutrition if needed.  See my Supplements Guide here for information on Shakes & Pills you may want to add to your diet to provide your body with all it needs to run optimally.  My favorites are Protein shakes, Fish Oil, Multivitamin, and Green Tea pills.

Don’t forget about the most important one –  WATER!  Strive to drink 1-2 gallons a day.  See why this is important here.  Coffee & Unsweetened Tea are also great. My favorite is adding Crystal Light into my water (especially the Energy ones).

STEP 5: Set aside 1-2 hours per week for Meal Prep

As I have mentioned before, we do most of our cooking Sunday nights: the chicken, ground turkey, rice, and veggies.  This is where Tupperware comes in handy to pack it all up for the week.  Since I am always at work and hubby is always at school, it is easy to grab 3-4 Tupperware meals on our way out the door.  Having your food with you also decreases the temptations to go out to eat or grab some food to-go when you are not at home.  So I highly recommend doing this.

STEP 6: Get to the Gym

Eating healthy isn’t the only change that should be made.  Make sure you are getting to the gym and optimizing all the energy and good foods you will now be providing your body!  Remember that your body burns fat at around 65% of your Max HR (max heart rate).

Calculate 220-age to find your Max HR.

Multiply your Max HR by 0.65 to find out what heart rate you should be at during your Cardio sessions in order to use fat as your fuel source.

If burning fat is your goal, remember to include HIIT (high-intensity interval training) into your workouts 1-3 days/week because it is proven to burn fat faster than any other form of exercise.

Thanks for reading my blog! I hope you found it helpful. If you would like more 1-on-1 nutrition coaching, checkout our Coaching page!

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