My New Nutrition Plan

We have all heard that sugars and refined carbs are not good for us, as they can change blood sugar levels rapidly and also promote fat storage. So, if what I am about to discuss next seems a tough step, at the very least do this -- limit your sugar and refined carbs intake (soda, sweetened juices, flavored milk, white bread, pasta, etc.). This is something that I have been conscious about since I transitioned to a healthy nutrition plan back in 2010. However as I read more about nutrition, I came across several articles about how some people do not tolerate carbohydrates well, and in general the fat-loss benefits of a low-carb diet. If you are trying to wean yourself off your favorite junk food, it might not be the best idea to start with this plan, since this is a big change. If however, you feel like you are ready to lose some stubborn fat, and you are diligent as well disciplined, this might be the thing for you. Like any plan, it is no magic pill, and you are still required to work hard, watch your calories and stay consistent. With all the caveats in place, here is the nutrition plan I have been on for last 8 months.

Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD): The idea is simple -- limit your carbs to only around your workouts. Voila! So, you eat carbs before your workout (an extra fruit and some oats for me), and right after your workout (again extra fruit and oats). For all my other meals, I get my carbs only from fibrous vegetables. Of course, the sky will not fall if you were to take a bite of your favorite dessert once in a while, but the results follow from consistency. This is the plan I adhere to when I am trying to bulk (gain muscles), with calories adjusted to keep myself in a surplus. Here is a sample of my meal plan:

Workout days (A):

Meal 1(Pre workout): Oats (45 gm), soy milk (240 ml) and coconut oil (15 ml) microwaved together. Mixed with whey protein (1 scoop), a banana and pecans (15 gm). Topped with cinnamon and dash of garlic salt.

Meal 2 (Post workout): Oats (45 gm), soy milk (240 ml), whey protein (1 scoop) and a mango blended into a shake. A cucumber with sesame cashews (15 gm).

Meal 3: Chicken (150 gm) baked with Indian spices, broccoli (150 gm), ranch (30 ml). Lightly frozen, low sugar, low fat yogurt (170 gm).

Meal 4: Canned tuna (110 gm drained) mixed with mayonnaise (15 gm) and a bit of lemon juice. Topped with chopped carrots (150 gm) and wasabi almonds (15 gm).

Meal 4.5 (Mini treat): Crunchy peanut butter, banana granola peanut butter, sunflower seed butter, cookie butter, almond butter (2-4 Tbsp altogether depending on craving).

Meal 5: Lean ground turkey (110 gm) cooked with crushed tomatoes and taco seasoning. Topped with bell peppers (150 gm) and bleu cheese dressing (30 ml). Lightly frozen, low sugar, low fat yogurt (170 gm).

Meal 6: Casein protein (1 scoop), blended with spinach (150 gm), flaxseed oil (10 ml) and water (400 ml).

Non-workout days (B):

Meal 1: Egg whites (6) omelette with swiss cheese (1 slice = 30 gm) and dash of garlic salt. Cauliflower (150 gm) with walnuts (15 gm).

Meal 2: Soy milk (240 ml) and whey protein (1 scoop). A cucumber with sesame cashews (15 gm).

Meal 3: Same

Meal 4: Same

Meal 4.5: Almost same, may be curtail a bit

Meal 5: Same

Meal 6 (Another dessert): Cottage cheese (225 gm) mixed with crushed pineapple (60 gm), flaxseed oil (10 ml) and stevia (sweetener). Dash of cinnamon.

This is just a sample of course, and substitutions are encouraged. A heuristic for preparing a meal is: get a fist-size of protein (like eggs, fish, lean meats, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, whey), some fats (like nuts, good oils, nut butters) and plentiful of low-starch vegetables (like spinach family, green beans, brussels sprouts, not too much potatoes ). If it's a meal right before or after a workout, add a fist-size of grains (like oats, lentils, barley, brown rice) and a fruit (of course adjust the quantity if it's grapes). Bodies are not calculators, and if you are a couple hundred calories here or there on certain days, it won't amount to anything, so you don't have to try to be perfect with numbers as long as you have the ballpark figure. Also, if you notice my meals, I only need to cook chicken, turkey, and microwave or roast vegetables, all of which is really easy and fast. The rest is done on the fly and it takes me 4-6 minutes to prepare a ready-to-eat meal, less than the time it takes to order food at McDonalds. A lot of these recipes I just invented, and sometimes the results were not very gourmet, but now I have a few staples that are fast and tasty (not just my opinion).

Devise your own cooking strategy and this way you will have healthy food to eat 5-6 times a day by just putting 2-3 hours in the kitchen every Sunday. Lastly, buy some tupperware to carry your food. Almost all the meals can be easily carried around, and they would stay good for a day even without refrigeration (in moderate temperatures). To give you some examples, I have carried my food to movies, mall, festivals, conferences, theater, parties, a club (just once) and the list goes on. Point being, once you set your mind to it, packing your meals becomes second nature and you eat healthy most times. Except when it's cheat meal, then you just carry an appetite.

For a short but highly efficient cut (loosing fat), I would only have meal plan A on Mondays, and meal plan B on all other days. I would also reduce my fats a bit and give up on the mini treat (meal 4.5). This is a strategy I only employ for 2-4 weeks at a stretch, since it is hard and not very sustainable, but it gives good result. This philosophy is somewhat similar to Cyclic Ketogenic Diet (CKD). I intend to stick to these plans (TKD and CKD) for quite a while to come, since they have worked well for me. Some experimentation might be needed to figure out what works best for you. For example, someone with a high metabolism who is having a tough time gaining any weight might have to add some more carbs (and overall more calories), someone else might have to reduce calories analogically. Bottom line is, a solid nutrition base is what propels you towards your fitness goals; working out is the easy part.