Such a hard time with meal plans!

Ritsukaaa

So I was wondering if maybe anyone could help dumb down the whole meal plan thing for me. I understand counting calories but how do you understand how much protein/carbs/fruits veggies/etc to have each day? For some reason my brain won't wrap around it. I hope this isn't a stupid question. I'm suppose to be consuming around 1800 calories according to my BMR/AMR but my fitnesspal says it should be 1400.. Which I think its really low for someone my size but I'll roll with it. Right now I seem to be hitting just under 1000 because I'm use to the whole 'eat more lose more'. I'm eating really healthy, all veg/fruits/organic/all natural. I want to be able to make meal plans but I find it incredibly hard. Is there anywhere you can get made up meal plans or somewhere it it explains it fully.. Wow I sound really dumb. Sorry and thanks for the help.

concordancia

You should aim for a minimum of five fruits and veggies a day. I also aim for at least one serving of protein with each meal. After that everything is as it fits in my calorie goals. This usually leaves me two or three servings of grains a day. So, not low carb, but fewer grains than the average western diet.

That being said, I don't plan my meals, per se. I stock my freezer and fridge with a variety of lean meats and fresh veggies and mix and match those throughout the week.

Breakfast is almost always Greek yogurt and grapenuts; lunch is a large salad with greens, cauliflower, feta and another protein (today was tuna). Then dinner is my mix matched protein and veggies. Snacks are fruit and nuts or cheese, sometimes popcorn and cheese (I also like V8 with it), treats are single servings of whatever chocolate we have around.

Ritsukaaa

You should aim for a minimum of five fruits and veggies a day. I also aim for at least one serving of protein with each meal. After that everything is as it fits in my calorie goals. This usually leaves me two or three servings of grains a day. So, not low carb, but fewer grains than the average western diet.

That being said, I don't plan my meals, per se. I stock my freezer and fridge with a variety of lean meats and fresh veggies and mix and match those throughout the week.

Breakfast is almost always Greek yogurt and grapenuts; lunch is a large salad with greens, cauliflower, feta and another protein (today was tuna). Then dinner is my mix matched protein and veggies. Snacks are fruit and nuts or cheese, sometimes popcorn and cheese (I also like V8 with it), treats are single servings of whatever chocolate we have around.

Thanks so much, so do you count your calories then?

concordancia

Thanks so much, so do you count your calories then?

Yes, I have my goal set at 1.5 lbs per week and I eat back my exercise calories.