Feedback on my meal plan?

[crew29]

Can anyone provide me some feedback on my meal plan?  My ultimate goal is health, happiness & hopefully some weight loss as well.  Thanks so much in advance!

 

Breakfast:

-1 shot espresso with homemade almond milk

-1 1/2 cups roasted veggies- brussel sprouts, red onion, sweet potato, rainbow carrots, fresh herbs, salt & pepper

-Slice of frittata (about 2 eggs + 1 whole chicken sausage worth) with green chile, tomatoes

-1/2 C blueberries + strawberries

 

Mid-Morning:

-1 cup black coffee

 

Lunch:

-1 1/2 C sweet potato noodles, 1 C homemade meat sauce, 1 C roasted green beans with almond slivers

 

Dinner:

-hefty serving of shepherd's pie from W30 cook book- includes onion, celery, carrots inside, ground bison meat, cauliflower mashed on the top

 

After Dinner:

-1 cup decaf coffee w/coconut milk

 

Snacks:

-I've been limiting snacks, once in a while I'll have a small handful of walnuts or some raw veggies- usually limited to no snacking though

 

Other Info:

-female, 30 years old

-Exercise 1 hour/day- walking, running, rowing, yoga class, barre class, a little strength training, etc.

-Sleep: 7 hours/night

-Water Intake: more than 1/2 body weight in ounces, working on drinking pure water and limiting seltzer

-Supplements: cod liver oil, probiotic, collagen peptides

[ShannonM816]

Most of this looks okay. Two things stand out: One, you're not mentioning many fats, and two, you're not listing pre- and post-workout meals.

 

You want 1-2 thumb-sized portions of fat at each meal, or 1-2 heaping handfuls of olives or coconut flakes, or 1/2 to a whole avocado, or a small, closed handful of nuts or seeds. Much of your cooking fat may stay in the pan and not be consumed, so don't be afraid to add more. Fats will help keep you satisfied between meals, which makes it easier not to snack or give in to emotional eating.

 

Pre-workout should be protein & fat. This is especially important if you're working out first thing in the morning, before breakfast -- if you're working out later in the day, a couple hours after a meal, you may not need a pre-workout.

 

Post-workout should be lean protein  and (optionally) starchy vegetables. This article talks a little more about that. Post workout doesn't need to be a lot of food, just a few bites of chicken & maybe sweet potato, but you do need to have it in addition to your other meals.

 

I'd also say, on the coffee in the morning, be sure you're having that with or after your meal, not before, as it can be an appetite suppressant, and we want you to actually eat, not trick your body into thinking you're not hungry.

 

You'll know you've got your meals right if you can go 4-5 hours between meals pretty easily -- you really shouldn't be hungry until right about time to eat your next meal. If you are hungry between meals, it's okay to eat, but rather than thinking of it as snacks, focus on having a mini-meal of protein, fat, and vegetables, or at least two of the three.