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Recently I have been having a lot of questions regarding meal planning and how much protein that needs to be consumed at each meal.
Let me first state that exercise is a must. To get lean and defined, exercise must be done regularly. To strip away fat and increase your muscle definition, do some type of resistance exercise (i.e. weight training) at least 4 times per week along with cardiovascular training (e.g. jogging or cycling). Always perform your cardio AFTER your weight training session or simply split the two routines up in your day.
Ok, now we are ready to explore the meal planning. You've probably been reading that multiple small meals divided through the day is the best for health and weight loss. I advocate 5-6 small meals a day. Grazing rather than gorging boosts your metabolic rate, reduces hunger by stabilizing blood sugar levels, and keeps your energy levels high. The easiest way to do this is to prepare all your meals for the day and bring them along with you. It takes some planning time, but once you get used to it, you won't ever worry about what to eat at your next meal.
When planning each meal, include a protein source in each meal. Protein will help your metabolism because it has a high "thermic effect of food" (roughly double that of carbohydrates and fat). Raising the amount of protein you eat daily will increase your TEF by 21 calories. Protein should comprise about thirty-five percent of your total calories (most people eat 15 percent).
An easy and simplifed way of calculating grams of protein, carbs, and fats, is to consume 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight if working out regularly, 3/4 gram of carbs per pound of bodyweight, and 1/2 gram healthy fats per pound of bodyweight. For example, a 150 pound person will eat 150 g of protein each day in divided meals, 112 g of carbs per day in divided meals, and 75 grams of healthy fats each day in divided meals.
As mentioned above, this is a very simplistic approach to meal planning. It is used as a general guideline. For more individualistic approach, I suggest a nutrtionist, and lots of reading to increase your knowledge base.
Train Hard and Eat Smart
-Your IronLadyDoc
Thanks you Doctor for all the information and advice. Often at work, I eat a sumptuous lunch and a lot of junk snacks all day long at work. And all this while I am sitting at the computer, churning out programs. No exercise for any part of the body except my fingers. This is playing havoc with my body. So I think now it is time to take your advice and follow a small meal diet. So now I’ll take my own variety of small meals at work and nibble the healthy food rather than plain junk.
ReplyDeleteJenny, this is awesome to hear. Thanks for your comment! You can do it. Start an exercise program. You will feel so much better when you do. Start slow and move up gradually.
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