If you're going to bulk up, lose fat, or stay healthy, you'll
also need a goal-specific meal plan to get results.
We've created templates to help you do all three, along with
guidelines to help you track the calories, carbs, protein,
and fat you should be shooting for each day.
Stock your fridge and pantry with the foods outlined in our
grocery lists to whip up delicious, nutritious meals all year.
To get you started, we've also included sample recipes, plus
plenty of options to swap in for added variety. This is your
one-stop shop for what and how to eat in the new year.
The composition of your meals will be determined by your
goals and the timing of your weight training. The meals
in our New Year's plan are divided into two categories:
those with starchy carbs and those without.
Where "Post-Workout Nutrition" is used, it can refer to a shake
containing fast-digesting carbohydrates or a meal that contains them.
5 PILLARS OF NUTRITION
1. Eat Six Times A Day:
Fuel your body with multiple small meals and snacks each
day to keep your blood-sugar levels under control and your
metabolism steady and to stimulate the production of new muscle.
2. Limit Processed Foods:
Whether it comes in a box, a carton, or a bag, if it's got a
label or brand name, it's likely highly processed and not worth
eating. Remove these high-calorie, nutrient-poor foods from your
life and you'll be much more likely to stick to your New Year's
resolutions.
3. Stay Hydrated:
Drink water and calorie-free beverages to keep your performance
in the gym at its peak. Avoid sugar-laden drinks that will
fatten your waistline and sabotage your body's antioxidant defense systems.
4. Strategic Carbs:
Carbs come in two forms - starchy, faster-acting options such as rice,
bread, and pasta, which raise blood sugar quickly; and non-starchy carbs
such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which are higher in fiber
and raise blood sugar gradually. Non-starchy carbs are rarely a problem.
Enjoy them! The timing of when you eat starchy carbs, on the other hand,
is key to getting and maintaining a lean and muscular body. Eat them
either first thing in the morning or directly after your workouts and
your body is more likely to use them to help refuel your energy reserves.
5. Lean Protein:
Give your body a protein infusion every couple of hours to maximize muscle
growth while stimulating the release of fat-burning hormones. The best sources
include lean beef, chicken, fish, lower-fat dairy foods, and soy. While whole
foods should always be your first choice, a quality protein powder can be used
in conjunction with your diet to make sure you meet your protein macros each day.
Consider adding a whey protein or two between meals, and use slow-digesting casein
protein to fuel your gains at night while you sleep.
Health & Energy Meal Plan
If you want to stay healthy and have more energy, this is the plan for you.
It's relatively low in carbs and very high in protein, and it emphasizes
antioxidant-rich foods to improve the health of your blood vessels while
also warding off inflammation - two factors that accelerate the rate at which
every cell in your body ages.
Daily Sample Meals
Select image for Ingredients and Preparation
Breakfast
Granola & Yogurt Breakfast Combo
Mid-Morning Snack
Double Chocolate Cherry Smoothie
Lunch
Steak Meal Prep
Mid-Afternoon Snack
Recovery shake or Protein Bar
Dinner
Shrimp With Spinach Salad
Muscle-Gain Meal Plan
Forging new muscle requires a menu that is high in both carbs and calories.
But remember, going on a muscle-building diet is not an excuse for eating
everything in sight. Instead, you'll eat just enough high-quality,
nutrient-dense carbs when your body needs them most - around your workouts.
Note that the plan here is for a guy who trains in the afternoon. If your
sessions are in the morning, simply rearrange it so you're eating the starchy
meals before and right after your workout and then avoid starchy carbs later
in the day.
Daily Sample Meals
Select image for Ingredients and Preparation
Breakfast
Cheesy Scrambled Eggs with Scallions
Mid-Morning Snack
Blueberry Almond Smoothie
Lunch
Skirt Steak with Warm Bean Salad
Mid-Afternoon Snack
Protein Bar (Recovery shake)
Dinner
Chicken with Quinoa Salad
Evening Meal
Yams and Parmesan White Fish
Get-Lean Meal Plan
To accelerate your weight loss, limit starchy carbs to the
period directly after weight training. This plan places a
heavy emphasis on leafy greens and veggies for the remainder
of the day - a practical way to cut both calories and carbs.
You'll be eating more fat, as well, to switch your body
from using carbs to fats as its main source of energy
(an insider trick for torching fat but not muscle).
