As someone who has been involved in the health and fitness sphere for about 8 years, I've had quite a few people ask WHAT'S THE SECRET? So many people want a magic set of foods, or magic numbers, some secret protocol that is a ticket to the body of their dreams.
In this post, I am actually going to write in detail what I do regarding my training, cardio, and food.
BUT FIRST, I need to make myself VERY CLEAR: doing what I do will not work for you. The system I have created for myself is one that evolved from years of trial and error, weight loss and regain (mostly the regain part..), and at one time, partnership with a knowledgable coach. Early on in my fitness journey, I used to stalk every fitness forum and website I could find, and would buy all the new fitness magazines in hopes that my favorite competitor or fitness model shared her specific meal plan. For some reason, I thought that knowing what these lean and muscular women were eating, and how much cardio they were doing was going to be MY KEY to maintaining the lean physique I wanted.
I eventually found MY system. Through my undergrad years studying nutrition and dietetics, I lacked the ability to remain objective with regard to my OWN body. I had convinced myself that I had different needs since I was an avid gym-goer, and had goals much more extreme than an average person in need of nutritional guidance. I was wrong. The root of any plan MUST involve sustainable habits. In order to achieve results that are healthy and maintainable, you must cultivate habits, and harvest discipline for the harder moments.
What's my current plan? I weigh and track everything I eat, eat almost the same exact foods daily, and follow a set training and cardio routine. As someone who has been doing this for years, and understands HOW and WHEN I need to relax and rest my body--this system works for me. I work as a personal trainer and therefore the way I choose to eat and the amount of time I spend in the gym is extremely manageable FOR ME. Most of my clients train less than I do, and have more variation in their diet because THEIR LIFESTYLE demands it. I am extremely happy with my routine, but understand that it would be extremely restrictive and not sustainable for many people.
With that being said, here's a run down on what I do.
Macros: 50-55F/220-250C/140-150P
Fiber: 35-45g/day
Water intake: ~1.5-2gallons
Caffeine: ~15-240mg/day depending
Meal 1 pre-workout: (typically around 11:30A after training AM clients)
Power crunch bar
4 rice cakes
Iced decaf americano w skinny mocha from SBUX
**Immediately post-workout** (around 2:30p)
Powerade Zero and 4 rice cakes
M2: Post-workout meal (~3:30p)
5oz 99% lean ground turkey
425g kabocha squash
500g cucumber
iceberg lettuce
5g coconut oil
cinnamon, sea salt, SF syrup
**This is a huge meal and it typically fills two huge bowls. I LOVE big meals, so it accommodates my needs. When dieting, I am almost never hungry because I utilize lower carb veggie options for larger food volume per calorie.**
**Afternoon caffeine: Monster zero
M3: Smoothie bowl (~4-5h later)
1.5 scoops vega protein
4T cocoa powder
12oz unsweetened non-dairy milk
xanthan gum
toppings:
hemp seeds
chia seeds
ground flaxseed
5-6 rice cakes
5g coconut oil
occasionally fruit
M4: before bed
3-4oz 99% lean ground turkey
3-4 servings green veggies
1/2bag spinach
1tsp fish oil
1tsp flax oil
Training:
Monday: Posterior chain, running intervals
Tuesday: Upper body PUSH, running intervals
Wednesday: Lower body, 30min walk
Thursday: Active recovery: 45-60min walk, stretch, core, foam roll
Friday: Upper body Push/Pull, running intervals
Saturday: Lower body, 30min walk
Sunday: Complete rest
Pole dancing is also part of my week, typically 1-2 tricks classes and 1-2 choreography classes per week.
So, there you have it. That's what I DO! If I ever feel the need to fit something into my macros, I do it without question. I am not married to food (although I do cherish all the foods I eat lol.) I would literally not change any single thing about my diet. I could eat this every day for the rest of my days and be completely content. THIS is what allows me to maintain a healthy body that I enjoy. I am currently eating this calorie intake because I am in a maintenance phase. I would add or drop calories considerably if I were to switch gears and do a committed gaining or fat loss phase.
The takeaway here is that YOU need to do what makes sense for your goals and needs.
I DO recommend eating every 3-5 hours, consuming protein 3-5x daily, drinking enough water, and eating lots of whole foods. Don't follow this plan expecting to have good results. You will run the risk of choking on a rice cake or being uncomfortably full and might therefore hate me after. Proceed with caution.
Please be responsible when putting together a nutrition and/or training plan for yourself, or if purchasing from an online coach or nutritionist. Feel free to contact me through my website if you have any questions or inquiries about creating the right plan for YOU!