How To Create a Healthy Meal Plan

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What are macronutrients?

Macronutrients are nutrients that provide calories or energy.

Nutrients are substances needed foGrowthMetabolismOther body functions.“macro” means large

What three nutrients needed in large amounts?

Three macronutrients needed in large amounts: Carbohydrate Protein Fat

Each of these macronutrients provides calories, the amount of calories that each one provides varies. Carbohydrate = 4 calories per gram. Protein = 4 calories per gram. Fat = 9 calories per gram.

What does this mean?

This means that if you looked at the Nutrition Facts label of a product and it said 12 grams of carbohydrate, 0 grams of fat, and 0 grams of protein per serving, you would know that this food has about 48 calories per serving

12 grams carbohydrate multiplied by 4 calories for each gram of carbohydrate = 48 calories

FYIBesides carbohydrate, protein, and fat the only other substance that provides calories is alcohol.

Alcohol = 7 calories per gram. Alcohol, however, is not a macronutrient because we do not need it for survival

Why do we need carbohydrates to survive?

Carbohydrates are the macronutrient that we need in the largest amounts.

USDA, 45% - 65% of calories should come from carbohydrates. We need this amount of carbohydrate?

Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of fuel. Carbohydrates are easily used by the body for energy. All of the tissues and cells in our body can use glucose for

energy. Carbohydrates are needed for the central nervous system, the

kidneys, the brain, the muscles (including the heart) to function properly.

Carbohydrates can be stored in the muscles and liver and later used for energy.

Carbohydrates are important in intestinal health and waste elimination.

low-glycemic carbohydrates helps keep your blood sugar steady and makes for a more sustained energy release.

How many carbohydrates should I consume per day? The amount of carbohydrates you need really depends on

your activity level and metabolism. For weight loss, Women should have two - three servings of starchy

carbohydrates from whole grains and at least one fruit or vegetable serving each meal

Men should have three - four servings of starchy carbs from whole grains and at least one fruit or vegetable serving each meal

Where are carbohydrates found? Carbohydrates are found in starchy foods

Grain Potatoes Fruit Milk Yogurt

Fiber

A certain types of carbohydrates that our body cannot digest. These carbohydrates pass through the intestinal tract and

help to move waste out of the body. Diets that are low in fiber have been shown to cause problems

such as constipation and hemorrhoids and to increase the risk for certain types of cancers such as colon cancer.

Diets high in fiber decrease risks for heart disease obesity help lower cholesterol. Foods high in fiber include whole grain products, fruits, and

vegetables. Women need approximately 30g/day Men need approximately 38 to 40g/day

Why do we need protein to survive?

USDA recommends 10% - 35% of calories should come from protein.

We need protein for: Growth (especially important for children, teens, and pregnant women)

Tissue repair Immune function Making essential hormones and enzymes Energy when carbohydrate is not available Preserving lean muscle mass They provide a longer release of energy than carbohydrates, helping you to feel more satisfied when you eat them.

Protein is found in:

meats poultry fish meat substitutes cheese milk nuts legumes In smaller quantities in starchy foods and vegetables.

Why do we need fat to survive?

Although fats have received a bad reputation for causing weight gain, some fat is essential for survival.

According to the USDA 20% - 35% of calories should come from fat.

We need this amount of fat for: Normal growth and development Energy (fat is the most concentrated source of energy)

Absorbing certain vitamins like vitamins A, D, E, K, and carotenoids

Providing cushioning for the organs Maintaining cell membranesProviding taste, consistency, and stability to foods

Fat is found in: meat poultry nuts milk products butter and margarine oils lard fishgrain productssalad dressing

There are three main types of fat: Saturated Fat – Bad Trans Fat – Bad Unsaturated Fat – Good

Saturated Fat and Trans Fat increase your risk for heart disease. Replacing Saturated and Trans Fat in your diet with

Unsaturated Fat decrease the risk of developing heart disease.

Saturated Fat is found in foods such as: Meat Butter Lard Cream

Trans Fat is found in: Baked goods Snack foods Fried foods Margarine

Unsaturated Fat is found in:

Fish Olive oil Avocados Nuts Canola oil 20-30 % of your daily calories should come from fat,

especially from good unsaturated fat found in this list. Women on a 1600 calorie diet = 320 to 480 calories from fat pre

day Men on a 2000 calorie diet = 400 to 600 calories from fat per day

Micronutrients:

Macronutrients are very important they are not the only things that we need for survival.

Our bodies also need water (6-8 glasses a day) and Micronutrients.

Micronutrients are nutrients that our bodies need in smaller amounts, and include vitamins and minerals.

Balanced Meals Learning how to balance the nutrients in your meals is an

essential part of losing weight successfully For a diet to be truly balanced it must contain a mix of

Carbohydrates – starch – low glycemic Protein – lean sources Fat – Mostly Unsaturated

When you incorporate a variety of food groups into your meals, you help stabilize your blood sugar and supply your body with a more complete nutritional load of vitamins and minerals.

Eating balanced meals is clearly a great approach to long-term weight loss. And the best part?

The rules are simple enough that you don’t have to put too much thought into it at mealtime, nor do you need to break out the calculator whenever you eat.

Healthy Meal Planning Recourses

Google Recipes www.food.com www.lowfatrecipes.com www.healthyrecipes.com www.allrecipes.com Cook Books & Magazines Buy Cook Books that include calorie count for each recipe “Healthy Cooking” “Cooking Light” Fitness Magazines

Meal 1Jennie- O Turkey bacon - ProteinEzekiel bread - CarbFruit – Fiber & Carb

Meal 4 Chicken breast- Protein Brown rice- Carb3 fish oil capsules- Fat 

Meal 21 scoop whey protein powder - Protein14g raw almonds - Fat3 fish oil capsules

Meal 5½ scoop protein powder- Protein½ cup (measured by weight) 1% or fat free cottage cheese25g natural peanut butter- Fat 

Meal 3115g Shrimp- Protein1tsp extra virgin olive oil- Fat1 cup fibrous veggies or leafy green salad – Fibrous Carb

Post Workout Meal 1 scoop protein powder- ProteinAny low-fat Carbohydrate to total approximately 30-32 of carbohydrate while not exceeding 160 calories - Carb 

Protein

Ground beef 97% lean Chicken Breast Turkey Breast 99% Fat Free Ground Turkey Jennie -0 Venison Buffalo Beef Flank Steak Rib –Eye Steak Pork Boneless center cut Pork Tenderloin Halibut Flounder Orange roughy Haddock Whole egg Egg whites Egg whites liquid Turkey Bacon Jennie-o lean Salmon Tuna Shrimp Protein Powder Cottage Cheese, fat free or 1% 0 % Plain Greek Yogurt Whey protein Powder Whey isolate protein powder

Carbohydrates Oats Oat bran Multi grain flat bread Cream of wheat, whole grain Pasta, Barilla whole Grain-penne Granola, Bear Naked Fit Buckwheat Tortilla Brown Rice Corn Whole grain Tomato basil Nature’s own 100 % whole-wheat bread Ezekiel sprouted bread

- Tortillia - English muffin - Buns

Pita Pocket Multi Grain Cous Cous, Lumberg Plain Brown Rice Squash Pumpkin Carrots Yellow corn Sweet potato Red potato Brown rice pasta

Red and black beans Lentils Peas Shredded wheat Brown rice Wild rice Pita Bread Quinoa Past No Yolk Pinto and Black fat free- Refried beans Fat Extra Virgin Olive oil Coconut oil Flaxseed oil Fish oil Avocado Butter Raw Nuts Nut Butters’ (natural) Hempseed butter Peanut butter Almond butter etc Cheese Mozzarella Goat cheese Blue cheese Mexican Blend