Weekly meal plan feedback?

Mdin1029
Mdin1029 Posts: 456 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi, I am trying weekly meal planning to save money, time, avoid food waste, and make healthier choices. I am doing this for the first time so I am focusing on planning Monday-Thursday for now. Breakfast-lunch will be the same, the dinners will be different.

Before work=
Lemon water

Green smoothie: 1 cup baby spinach, 1 cup baby kale, ½ banana, 2tbl peanut butter, 1/4 cup greek yogurt, ¼ cup lactose free organic milk, vanilla extract, ice

Breakfast= Apple, date, water, boiled egg with olive oil, pepper and 1 whole wheat toast

Snack =Mixed greens salad with cucumber, grape tomatoes, avocado, and Trader Joe’s balsamic dressing

Lunch = Homemade boy choy and broccoli soup (no cream, very little salt)

Snack (if needed) = Hummus and whole wheat pita chips

Dinner 1:
Cauliflower curry, spinach, basmati rice, curry chicken

Dinner 2
2 Baked sole tacos-corn tortillas, shredded cheddar cheese, mango peach salsa

Dinner 3
Herb crusted baked Salmon, ½ sweet potato, string beans

Dinner 4
¼ Baked herb and garlic chicken, penne pasta with organic marinara


After dinner bite: either carrots or 1 date

Friday-Saturday I will make sure to get in berries and nuts

8 cups of water a day

My fruit and veggies are organic. Eggs are organic, brown, cage free

I am at goal weight. Workouts right now= 2 days cardio (jogging 3 miles), 4 days strength (with cardio bursts-Jillian Michaels Body Revolution dvds), walking

Any suggestions or tips in in general on how to do weekly meal plans will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Replies

  • sweetpea03b
    sweetpea03b Posts: 1,123 Member
    My only thought was that if all I had for lunch was a salad with no protein (chicken or something) I would gnaw off my own arm within the hour. But... if it works for you great. Good luck!
  • andreae13
    andreae13 Posts: 239 Member
    I would say definitely try and add more protein! The rest looks great though :)
  • Danny_Boy13
    Danny_Boy13 Posts: 2,094 Member
    Looks good to me. I too prepare my food for M-Th. It saves not only money but time as well. IMO I keep my last meal of the day as high protein as possible and low carb as possible. Here is what my typical day looks like:

    Breakfast: Oats, egg whites, fresh fruit, grapefruit juice
    1st snack: 6oz chicken breast, cheese stick
    Lunch: Chicken breast, 1 cup white rice, 1 cup stir fried veggies
    2nd snack: Cottege cheese w/ cinnamon, straw berries, blue berries, almonds
    Preworkout: Cliff bar or bananna
    Postworkout: Protein shake
    Dinner: Fish (Talapia or Salmon) spinich salad with lemon juice as dressing.
  • bound4beauty
    bound4beauty Posts: 274 Member
    More protein and I'd substitute your grains for healthier choices. Brown rice or Quinoa, brown rice pasta, sweet potatoes, etc...
  • Danny_Boy13
    Danny_Boy13 Posts: 2,094 Member
    More protein and I'd substitute your grains for healthier choices. Brown rice or Quinoa, brown rice pasta, sweet potatoes, etc...

    I posted up a topic of white vs brown rice and a user posted up a study for the two. Just something to take into consideration:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/991258-brown-rice-vs-white-rice
  • Mdin1029
    Mdin1029 Posts: 456 Member
    Thank you for all the tips! You're right, I need to add some more protein to the salad and soup lunch, and I like the idea of making dinner more protein and veggie focused. White basmati rice is a cultural staple that I am not willing to let go of completely, but trying to add some quinoa is a good idea, and decreasing wheat toast and wheat pita chips makes sense. That cottage cheese snack sounds super tasty too!
  • andreae13
    andreae13 Posts: 239 Member
    Looks good to me. I too prepare my food for M-Th. It saves not only money but time as well. IMO I keep my last meal of the day as high protein as possible and low carb as possible. Here is what my typical day looks like:

    Breakfast: Oats, egg whites, fresh fruit, grapefruit juice
    1st snack: 6oz chicken breast, cheese stick
    Lunch: Chicken breast, 1 cup white rice, 1 cup stir fried veggies
    2nd snack: Cottege cheese w/ cinnamon, straw berries, blue berries, almonds
    Preworkout: Cliff bar or bananna
    Postworkout: Protein shake
    Dinner: Fish (Talapia or Salmon) spinich salad with lemon juice as dressing.

    Your meal plan looks yummy! Looks exactly like what my trainer eats LOL. Can't wait to get these last 20lbs off so I can start eating more carbs like this.
  • bound4beauty
    bound4beauty Posts: 274 Member
    I've replaced all wheat products and now eat sprouted grains instead. I love the Ezekiel brand of bread and English muffins. I also buy sprouted bagels and tortillas.
  • bound4beauty
    bound4beauty Posts: 274 Member
    More protein and I'd substitute your grains for healthier choices. Brown rice or Quinoa, brown rice pasta, sweet potatoes, etc...

    I posted up a topic of white vs brown rice and a user posted up a study for the two. Just something to take into consideration:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/991258-brown-rice-vs-white-rice

    For me personally, I'd rather have the additional fiber in brown rice. I get plenty of nutritional benefit from all the other good, clean food I eat. That was an interesting study though. Thanks for sharing it!
  • Mdin1029
    Mdin1029 Posts: 456 Member
    Bound4Beauty-what benefits have you experienced after taking out wheat products?
  • bound4beauty
    bound4beauty Posts: 274 Member
    I'm not gluten intolerant so the differences haven't been dramatic. I just feel better. Less sluggish, less bloated and I think the substitutes I've made are healthier. There's lots of pseudoscience out there about wheat that may or may not be accurate but it was a decision I made after doing some research on clean eating. I don't think it's necessary for everyone, but it's something that I wanted to try.

    I understand your point about white rice being part of your culture and I would never suggest someone give up something like that. Nobody eats a perfect diet 100% of the time and if there is a food that is important to you and you can work it into your plan then that's what you have to do. I have a cheat meal once a week and sometimes my choices are pretty bad :)
  • Danny_Boy13
    Danny_Boy13 Posts: 2,094 Member
    Looks good to me. I too prepare my food for M-Th. It saves not only money but time as well. IMO I keep my last meal of the day as high protein as possible and low carb as possible. Here is what my typical day looks like:

    Breakfast: Oats, egg whites, fresh fruit, grapefruit juice
    1st snack: 6oz chicken breast, cheese stick
    Lunch: Chicken breast, 1 cup white rice, 1 cup stir fried veggies
    2nd snack: Cottege cheese w/ cinnamon, straw berries, blue berries, almonds
    Preworkout: Cliff bar or bananna
    Postworkout: Protein shake
    Dinner: Fish (Talapia or Salmon) spinich salad with lemon juice as dressing.

    Your meal plan looks yummy! Looks exactly like what my trainer eats LOL. Can't wait to get these last 20lbs off so I can start eating more carbs like this.

    most of the carbs I eat are usually during the first and middle parts of my days. I speedskate so my carb intake is a little more then most when people look at what I eat. I have to have some gas in the tank for out 2hr training sessions. On days where I am at the gym I will lower my carbs some. So instead of maybe 1cup rice it would be half that along with a couple other mods.

    You look great BTW..... just amazing!!!
  • socajam
    socajam Posts: 2,530 Member
    Have you tried brown basmati rice? It takes a bit longer to cook, but have more fiber.
  • Mdin1029
    Mdin1029 Posts: 456 Member
    Thanks for the info and feedback! I have tried brown basmati rice and did not care for it :)

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