Better planning to hit your macros

[Romedoggy]

So...I'm getting lots of feedback on my journal (learning a lot about what NOT to do), and wanted to ask:

How do you plan to hit your macros? If so, what does your system look like? Do you eat the same things each day? Do you wing it and adjust as you go along?

And what about spreading your macros out? For example: Do you eat less carbs at night?

[Noel Clark]

So...I'm getting lots of feedback on my journal (learning a lot about what NOT to do), and wanted to ask:

How do you plan to hit your macros? If so, what does your system look like? Do you eat the same things each day? Do you wing it and adjust as you go along?

And what about spreading your macros out? For example: Do you eat less carbs at night?

I have a meal plan for everyday. I get optional amounts of carbs so that I can switch up what I eat if I wanted to, but when dieting for a show or something, it is just easier FOR ME, to stick to the same stuff. Plus I tend to not get tired of things :lol:

I can't wing it or I will end up behind and have to make it up and I hate that.

As for carbs, I focus those around my workouts. I don't work out at night so I do tend to have less then.

[Romedoggy]

Hi Noel! So your meals might look like this? (just an example):

Day 1
Meal 1: protein shake; oatmeal
Meal 2: egg whites; ww toast
Meal 3: protein shake; oatmeal
Meal 4: Ground turkey in ww wrap
Meal 5: Fish and green beans

Day 2
Meal 1: protein shake; oatmeal
Meal 2: cottage cheese; ww toast
Meal 3: protein shake; oatmeal
Meal 4: Chicken in ww wrap
Meal 5: Fish and brocc.

[Romedoggy]

I don't know why those happy faces are showing up :scratch:

[Noel Clark]

I don't know why those happy faces are showing up :scratch:

fixed that for ya! You need a space after your : before you put you p or you get :p

[Erik]

Hi Noel! So your meals might look like this? (just an example):

Day 1
Meal 1: protein shake; oatmeal
Meal 2: egg whites; ww toast
Meal 3: protein shake; oatmeal
Meal 4: Ground turkey in ww wrap
Meal 5: Fish and green beans

Day 2
Meal 1: protein shake; oatmeal
Meal 2: cottage cheese; ww toast
Meal 3: protein shake; oatmeal
Meal 4: Chicken in ww wrap
Meal 5: Fish and brocc.

Where does the workout fall?

[Noel Clark]

Hi Noel! So your meals might look like this? (just an example):

Day 1
Meal 1: protein shake; oatmeal
Meal 2: egg whites; ww toast
Meal 3: protein shake; oatmeal
Meal 4: Ground turkey in ww wrap
Meal 5: Fish and green beans

Day 2
Meal 1: protein shake; oatmeal
Meal 2: cottage cheese; ww toast
Meal 3: protein shake; oatmeal
Meal 4: Chicken in ww wrap
Meal 5: Fish and brocc.

Sure they could. I usually have them varied on training days vs non training days.

Do those fit your macros? Where is your workout in all of that?

[Erik]

Hi Noel! So your meals might look like this? (just an example):

Day 1
Meal 1: protein shake; oatmeal
Meal 2: egg whites; ww toast
Meal 3: protein shake; oatmeal
Meal 4: Ground turkey in ww wrap
Meal 5: Fish and green beans

Day 2
Meal 1: protein shake; oatmeal
Meal 2: cottage cheese; ww toast
Meal 3: protein shake; oatmeal
Meal 4: Chicken in ww wrap
Meal 5: Fish and brocc.

And where is the fat?

[Fitwolf]

Noel, do you spend lots of time planning meals on fitday or something? Do you make your plans a week at a time? A month? A day?

Right now I'm working with Erik because I LOVE having someone else figure out my food (and he's way more educated than I am). But I can't do this forever and I've had a hard time figuring out my plans. I feel like I know what I should be eating... but literally figuring out all the amounts and macros and calories takes a lot of time and isn't something I enjoy.

I'm also curious to hear how other people do their planning. I'm fine eating the same thing everyday for awhile, and maybe that's how I should go... eventually.

[Noel Clark]

And where is the fat?

:yeahthat:

[Erik]

Noel, do you spend lots of time planning meals on fitday or something? Do you make your plans a week at a time? A month? A day?


Can I answer? :lol:

Noel has Erik do it when dieting.



Right now I'm working with Erik because I LOVE having someone else figure out my food (and he's way more educated than I am). But I can't do this forever and I've had a hard time figuring out my plans. I feel like I know what I should be eating... but literally figuring out all the amounts and macros and calories takes a lot of time and isn't something I enjoy.

This is a learning opportunity for you. Pay attention to how your plans get set up and changed. How the meals or macros are timed, etc. If you pay attention, you'll for sure learn what at least I think is a well structured plan. Enough to the point where you should feel more comfortable doing your own thing.

[Noel Clark]

Noel, do you spend lots of time planning meals on fitday or something? Do you make your plans a week at a time? A month? A day?

Right now I'm working with Erik because I LOVE having someone else figure out my food (and he's way more educated than I am). But I can't do this forever and I've had a hard time figuring out my plans. I feel like I know what I should be eating... but literally figuring out all the amounts and macros and calories takes a lot of time and isn't something I enjoy.

I'm also curious to hear how other people do their planning. I'm fine eating the same thing everyday for awhile, and maybe that's how I should go... eventually.

First of all, not only do I work with Erik, but he is MY coach as well :lol: I find that dieting down for a show, it is easier to have him oversee my stuff. I would constantly second guess myself if I did it on my own. It is easier to have someone to report to. :) But with that being said, when I am doing my own stuff---like during my bulk (I had macros that I had to hit but made my own meal plans) I now know what most "good" foods macros are. Once you do several meal plans you tend to just know what their macros are.

Yes, I know other ppl find it annoying....that is what usually leads to them hiring someone else to do it, but like you said, this isn't nec something that you want to do forever. And once you see how it is done properly...you might start to get the hang of it yourself.

[Fitwolf]

This is a learning opportunity for you. Pay attention to how your plans get set up and changed. How the meals or macros are timed, etc. If you pay attention, you'll for sure learn what at least I think is a well structured plan. Enough to the point where you should feel more comfortable doing your own thing.

This is what I'm hoping will happen. I would like to get a good, intuitive idea of what I should eat and PORTION SIZES (my big weakness). Then hopefully I can maintain.

I did this once before with a trainer and did really well... but once I stopped with the trainer I didn't maintain and now I'm ... here. I want to not have that happen again.

[Noel Clark]

This is what I'm hoping will happen. I would like to get a good, intuitive idea of what I should eat and PORTION SIZES (my big weakness). Then hopefully I can maintain.

I did this once before with a trainer and did really well... but once I stopped with the trainer I didn't maintain and now I'm ... here. I want to not have that happen again.

I think this is really important. Ppl have no real clue how much they are eating. I showed my mom a lot of this stuff when I started working with her and she was amazed at portion sizes...

[Romedoggy]

Damn! You guys are so HARD CORE! :whipped:

I was trying to get an idea on how you plan your meals, and I was just trying to keep it simple. I should have know better! :lol:

Here's a real life example of what I eat:
Meal 1: (Pre-work out meal) PP with FFmilk, and oatmeal
Workout Here
Meal 2: (Post-workout meal)egg whites with ww toast
Meal 3: PP with FFmilk, and 20 raw almonds
Meal 4: ground turkey made with ww wraps (veggies thrown in)
Meal 5: Lite's Chicken stew, and 20 raw almonds

o.k...I've braced myself...let me have it :pimpslap:

[Erik]

I did this once before with a trainer and did really well... but once I stopped with the trainer I didn't maintain and now I'm ... here. I want to not have that happen again.

1. Pay attention to what you're doing now and will be doing.

2. Shift into a 'lifestyle' mentality. That way this way of eating isn't really ending per se. For the most part, it becomes how you eat. Maintaining something is much easier than achieving it in the first place if you pay attention to how much you're eating first and foremost.

[Ana]

1. Pay attention to what you're doing now and will be doing.

2. Shift into a 'lifestyle' mentality. That way this way of eating isn't really ending per se. For the most part, it becomes how you eat. Maintaining something is much easier than achieving it in the first place if you pay attention to how much you're eating first and foremost.

I've always just followed your plans all the time. I never get sick of eating that way and it takes the stress off of me to figure it out.

ETA: unless I've fallen off the wagon that is

[Romedoggy]

I did forget to mention that I take 9 fish oil caps. 3 with meal 1, meal3, and meal 5. They are 100mg

[Erik]

I did forget to mention that I take 9 fish oil caps. 3 with meal 1, meal3, and meal 5. They are 100mg

They're 1000mg

[Cass]

I did forget to mention that I take 9 fish oil caps. 3 with meal 1, meal3, and meal 5. They are 100mg

:thumb:

Hang in there, take notes and don't try to change it all overnight.

You're on the right track!

[Romedoggy]

Spanked again! Typo sorry!

[Noel Clark]

:thumb:

Hang in there, take notes and don't try to change it all overnight.

You're on the right track!

I think this is good advice...like both Cass and Erik said....pay attention to how things work now and then you will get the hang of it on your own.

[smuggie]

I think this is really important. Ppl have no real clue how much they are eating. I showed my mom a lot of this stuff when I started working with her and she was amazed at portion sizes...

Or in some cases, how little.

[Noel Clark]

Or in some cases, how little.

yes!! that too.