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Diet for Dummies: Part IV – Meal Ideas

October 25, 2009 By Kyle 2 Comments

I know how hard it is when you start reading about diet to come up with healthy choices when making your meals. This article is designed to give you some healthy food idea’s and choices. The idea’s I put down here are not an exhaustive list. Just a list to get you started on the right track.

Breakfast and Morning Tea

Fats:

  • Nuts (Almonds, Walnuts, Cashews)
  • Nut Butters (Almond, Peanut, Hazelnut)

Carbohydrates:

  • Toast/Bread (Wholemeal, Wholegrain)
  • Fruit (Bananas, Apples, Blueberries, Cranberries, Grapefruit, Dried)
  • Oats
  • Cereal (Weet-Bix, Muesli)

Protein:

  • Protein Powder
  • Eggs
  • Milk (Skim, 1%, 2%)
  • Yogurt

Examples:

  • Oats with yogurt, fruit and nuts
  • Egg omelete (add vegetables and cheese)
  • Muesli bar, fruit and protein shake

Lunch

Fats:

  • Nuts (Almonds, Walnuts, Cashews)
  • Nut Butters (Almond, Peanut, Hazelnut)
  • Cheese
  • Avocado

Carbohydrates:

  • Bread (sliced or rolls) (Wholemeal, Wholegrain)
  • Fruit (Bananas, Apples, Grapes)
  • Starch (Rice, Sweet Potato, Wholemeal Pasta)

Vegetables:

  • Green (Lettuce, Broccoli, Asparagus, Green Beans, Spinach)
  • Other (Capsicum, Tomato, etc)

Protein:

  • Lean Meat (Turkey, Chicken, Lean Beef, Tuna, Salmon)

Examples:

  • Salad and meat sandwich(es)
  • Sweet potato salad with Tuna

Afternoon Tea

Any of the items from Breakfast, Morning Tea or Lunch (smaller portions though than Breakfast or Lunch).

Dinner

Any of the items from Lunch.

Preworkout

Eat  roughly one hour before you start training. Always eat before training.

  • Protein shake
  • Carbohydrate (Fruit, waxy maize starch, glucose, multidextrose)

Post workout

Same as pre-workout.

Feel free to have the occasional slice of pizza or cookie, just work your but extra hard next time in the gym. When I say occasional I mean like once a week, not once every couple of days. Also, try to keep variety in your meals. One easy way to do this is to have something different for dinner each night of the week.

Plans

Depending on whether I train in that day and how long I’m awake for really depends on when I eat. I recommend trying to eat every 3-4 hours, so for most people that’s about 5 meals. Eating regularly keeps your blood sugar levels more consistent, meaning that your energy levels should stay more even during the day rather than spiking and falling.

Typical training day:

Preworkout(6am)
Post workout(7.45am)
Breakfast(8.30am)
Morning Tea (11.00am)
Lunch(1.30-2.00pm)
Dinner(6.00-7.00pm)
Supper(9.00pm)

I skip afternoon tea because I’m usually so full after a big breakfast, morning tea and then lunch. Sometimes I’ll have a banana to tide me over.

Typical Non-Training Day

Breakfast(6.30am)
Morning Tea (9.30am)
Lunch(12pm)
Afternoon Tea(4.00pm)
Dinner(7.30pm-8pm)
(Supper(10.00pm)) Only if I’m having a late night.

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Diet For Dummies: Part II – Morning Tea and Lunch

September 24, 2009 By Kyle Leave a Comment

Here is the continuation of my last blog on dieting for dummies. I plan on going through morning tea and lunch in this blog.

Morning Tea

What is you current eat for morning tea? A muffin with your coffee just before you step into work? Donuts that someone brought for a morning meeting? Or a packet of chips that you bought from the vending machine to reward yourself for your 2 hours of hard work (talking :)) that morning?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not having a go at you. I too have worked in an office and have had the temptations coming at me from all angles. There’s nothing like having a big cookie with your tea or coffee as you sit reading your emails in the morning, but you have to ask yourself ‘is this worth ruining my fitness goals for?’

Instead of a cookie or donuts try eating a muesli bar and a banana. Both are high in carbohydrates to fuel you until lunch time. Eating regularly is also important in keeping yourself satiated until you next main meal. If muscle building is your main priority try having a protein shake or a small amount of leftovers from last night.

Try to make it a healthy option, I will cover these later. For now just ask yourself ‘is this food high in sugar or fat?’ if it is, eat something else. I like to have half a chicken/turkey salad sandwich and a homemade protein bar.

Lunch

Lunch is one of your 3 big meals for the day and in our fast paced lives is often overlooked or forgotten. The biggest key to keeping lunch healthy is to be prepared! Nothing like looking at the clock at 2pm and realising your hungry and then going to the nearest fast food outlet and stuffing you face.

Instead you should try to set out a time to have lunch in the morning. Look at your meetings and other agendas for the day and pick a time that you can fit in 30 minutes for lunch. If you have  a fridge and a microwave at work, bring a sandwich or leftovers in and heat them up. Sandwich toasters can also be good. If you only have access to a cooler, pack your favourite fruit and favourite sandwich. Take away food for lunch really isn’t doing you any favours. Pack your favourite Buy some good containers that keep food nice and fresh so that it still tastes good at lunch time. If you’re on a low calorie diet like the cabbage soup diet make sure you bring what you need from home.

I like to keep salad items, bread and some lean meat at work. I usually bring in the meat each day. I use them to make fresh sandwiches everyday, much to the jealousy of my colleagues.

View other parts in this series:

Part I – Breakfast

Part II – Morning Tea and Lunch

Part III – Afternoon Tea and Dinner

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