As the fifth week of JTF’s Mount Crushmore begins, so does a new meal plan. I want to start it by referencing a topic one of my favorite online trainers James Smith said in an email this week.
After a brief tour in the States, the Australian-native trainer discussed how much he’s looking forward to getting back to his usual routine at home. I think we can all identify with that. But one thing we can’t all identify with is his excitement about the 10-ish pounds of fat he’s gained since being in America.
Whaaaat? Excited about gaining fat?!
Yep. But it’s not because he’s looking to get fat. To directly quote him: Gaining negative weight is only an issue if you do not know how to lose it.
If you’ve been following along with this program over the last five weeks, you are learning how to lose it.
Don’t be afraid of a few indulgences here or there. We know how to fix the inevitable weight gain. Eat good food. Enjoy it with good people. Then put in the work and trust the process.
Anyway — here’s what we’re eating this week and next:
Meal One: Breakfast
Oatmeal, Protein Shake
480 Calories; 38g Protein; 7g Fat; 67g Carbs
If we’re being honest, this is a meal I’ll never get sick of. Or if I do, it’s going to be a long time from now. This has been breakfast every day for the last four weeks and will continue to be for the foreseeable future.
If you’re not the kind of person that can continuously eat the same thing, that’s understandable and okay! But this is delicious (for me) and I already know the macros for it so it’s super fast and simple to add to the plan. Everybody wins.
Again, it’s two packs of Quaker Instant Oatmeal mixed with water, a scoop of Forazone whey protein (also mixed with water) and two cups of black coffee.
Meal Two: Mid-Morning Snack
Oatmeal, Banana
265 Calories; 5g Protein; 3.5g Fat; 58g Carbs
See above about already having the macros documented and finding food you don’t mind eating all the time. Just like the four prior weeks, this is a single pack of Quaker Instant Oatmeal paired with a regular-ol’ banana.
Meal Three: Lunch
Roasted Sausage with Roasted Veggies and Steamed White Rice
844 Calories; 26g Protein; 17g Fat; 58g Carbs
I came across this recipe for One-Pan Italian Sausage Meal-Prep Bowls and decided I needed it in my life. I took note of the serving size and the listed macros for the dish and decided to double the portion for my needs.
What’s going on here is approximately 4.25oz of smoked Polska Kielbasa sausage, half a bag of frozen broccoli florets (roasted) and about a cup of roasted cherry tomatoes with one cup of steamed white rice on the side.
You can definitely see a pattern in my lunches over the course of this program. Lots of protein, roasted veg, steamed rice. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Meal Four: Mid-Afternoon Snack
Banana, Dry Cinnamon Toast Crunch
235 Calories; 2g Protein; 3.5g Fat; 52g Carbs
Not much different from the previous weeks but the purpose is still the same — mid-afternoon carbs that can cure my sweet tooth. I chose to go with Cinnamon Toast Crunch this time because A) it’s my favorite cereal and B) I ate Frosted Flakes 20 days out of the last month. Turns out CTC is somehow lighter than Frosted Flakes, though admittedly not enough to make a big difference.
Meal Five: Post-Workout
Protein Shake + Creatine
160 Calories; 30g Protein; 2g Fat; 5g Carbs
One more scoop of protein with an added 5g of creatine for the gainz.
Meal Six: Dinner
Jalapeno Popper Cheeseburgers and Chicken “Fries”
749 Calories; 106g Protein; 22g Fat; 27g Carbs
Oh, you read that right. I told the story on Monday but for anyone just joining, I realized I was short on protein after I completed this meal plan and found myself struggling to figure out how I was going to make up for it. I had thought about “just adding some chicken” to dinner but how would it make sense?
My Viking Queen Cara saved the day with a suggestion to turn chicken into fries and lo-and-behold that’s what we freakin’ did!
The burgers come from this FitMenCook recipe where he’s lightened up some recipes from Tasty. And thank gods he did because these are righteous! The ground beef is lean and the burgers are stuffed with jalapenos, greek yogurt, goat cheese and low-fat mozzarella cheese.
Coincidentally the chicken “fries” are a recipe from Tasty as well, though it, too, has been lightened up with the use of almond flour and panko.
Meal Seven: Dessert
Cinnamon Raisin Toast with Extra-Crunchy Peanut Butter
255 Calories; 10g Protein; 11g Fat; 34g Carbs
At this point I also realized I was a little too close to my calorie limit and a little too far from my carb macro hence the second slice of bread and only one serving of peanut butter. It’s still warm and sweet and salty and the perfect before-bed snack.
If you’re wondering, it’s still Pepperidge Farm Swirl Raisin Cinnamon bread and Target brand extra-crunchy peanut butter.
As always, here’s how this meal plan stacks up against my actual daily requirements:
Calories: 2,988 / 3,000
Protein: 217g / 219g
Fat: 66g / 88g
Carbs: 301g / 334g
What about you guys? Are we eating this week or what?
Until next time, fellow Heathens …
-JTF
#weightloss #motivation #ispiration #macros #gains #nutrition