Last night, my wife and I watched a 5-minute video of two guys battling it out with Dad jokes. I was in heaven. For example…
What do you call a deer with no eyes?
No idea.
So bad, so awesome.
What else is so bad is pretending to be a victim to “time” and using that as an excuse to eat pop-tarts and other junk. So I’m going to fix that by giving you a sample “template” if you’re busy (like my wife and I).
First, the formula:
Eat the same things during the day and you can change it up at dinner.
I know, I know. “But Mikey, the media said I gotta’ eat a variety of fruits and veggies.”
In a perfect world, yes, that would be great. But like I said, you’re in a busy season.
Breakfast = Protein + Fat (or skip breakfast)
My wife and I both tend to skip breakfast. We are daily intermittent fasters. It’s an easy way to cut out calories without “dieting” so much. But in case you aren’t interested in fasting, here’s my suggestion…
Go with protein and fat.
Why? You’ll find yourself with more energy. Experiment with how you feel mid-morning after cutting out the carbs with breakfast. You’ll be pleasantly surprised. But AGAIN, this isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” approach, so don’t be afraid to experiment. I’m just encouraging you to at least try this.
A few “on-the-go” protein and fat examples:
Handful of almonds + 1 hard boiled egg
Protein shake mixed with water or milk and a handful of cashews
1 serving of greek yogurt with handful of walnuts
Lunch
This is where you prep your food Saturday or Sunday. It doesn’t take a lot of commitment. I grill my food on the weekends. It takes me around 30 minutes and I’m prepped for the week. For instance, you can grill 4-5 chicken breasts (a serving is the size of your palm) along with any veggies you like. I don’t like many veggies, so I’ll gladly eat a ton of mushrooms and/or green beans (about the only veggies I eat).
So basically, 1 meat + veggies
If you’re a vegetarian, no biggie. You can use vegetarian sources such as legumes, veggie-based protein powder, and quinoa.
Snack
The breakfast/lunch/snack/dinner format seems to be a winner for many people losing fat. Some have experienced success by skipping breakfast, then doing a lunch/snack/dinner format with dinner being the biggest meal of the day (that’s me).
So here, keep it a light snack so you won’t binge at dinner time. A few ideas…
Handful of mixed nuts and a protein shake with water
Apple with 1 tbsp of nut butter
Small bowl of fruit with string cheese
String cheese by itself
Greek yogurt
Beef jerky (try to go organic and watch the sodium)
Dinner
Following the format above, you allow yourself a big dinner. This is also where you can change it up every night (this is what our family does).
The trick is that my wife plans for the week ahead of time. For instance, it might look like this:
Monday night – grass fed beef tacos/salad
Tuesday night – Zucchini spaghetti with ground turkey sauce (this is filling and I’m shocked I like it because it’s zucchini. It’s actually pretty good. I should share the recipe once I get it from my wife.)
Wednesday night – Grilled chicken and brown rice/quinoa combo
Thursday night – Grilled salmon and Brussels sprouts (another veggie I hated until my wife roasted them)
Friday night – Reward night (for example: pizza)
So again, if you’re super busy, this is what you do:
1) Plan ahead on the weekends (30-minute prep time, that’s all)
2) Plan your dinners for variety
3) Eat the same things during the day (controversial, I know – but it works)
Now to get faster results, you can also do a “Minimalist” exercise approach, which is what is inside Achievable Body University.
Later tater…