Peep these top tips for meal planning around macros!
TIP 1. Break up your daily macro totals into smaller checkpoints. Take your total macros for the whole day and divide by how many meals you typically like to have – maybe 3, 4, even up to 6 meals per day. These numbers represent “checkpoints” in your day and should serve as a reminder of how many macros to shoot for, per meal to stay on track for the day.
TIP 2. Keep a list of household “manipulatable” meals. Make meal planning around your macros easier and simpler by thinking about which real food proteins, fats and carbohydrates go together, but can be swapped with different choices for variety. Think burrito bowls, stir-frys, one pan dinners where ingredients can be swapped for high carb for low carb, meat for seafood, grilled for pan fried!
TIP 3. Pre-log food in your diary, copy and paste entries whenever possible. Stay on better track with your macro goals by pre-logging your food and eating manipulate-able macro meals around it. Not only will you be happier and more satisfied having enjoyed treats, sweets and restaurant eats but it won’t be at the expense of your goals as you “eat around” those foods with the remaining macros you have.
TIP 4. When in doubt, grab a protein, fat and carbohydrate and fiber to create a meal. Keeping up with this simple meal planning framework takes the pressure off in a time bind. You can always fall back to this meal matrix and know that you’ll walk away feel full, satisfied and stable in energy.
