What's a good meal plan for a beginner?

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juanbastias22
juanbastias22 Posts: 18 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm 5'11' 289 lbs 35 and just starting to use MFP. Learning how to weigh food on a scale and watch my calorie intake. Looking for meal plan for the week that includes a bigger lunch and lighter dinner that includes snacks. Any help is appreciated.

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  • juanbastias22
    juanbastias22 Posts: 18 Member
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    Goal is 2290 calories. Focusing on macros
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
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    It will really come down to what you like to eat and when.

    For me, I like big dinners, so I start planning each day by deciding on a very satisfying dinner, using foods I like and I know fill me up. From there, I fill in the rest of the day to meet macro and calorie goals, leaving some snack calories for whatever I feel like on that day.
  • juanbastias22
    juanbastias22 Posts: 18 Member
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    Thank you for the input
  • InigoAndTheVoid
    InigoAndTheVoid Posts: 16 Member
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    That's about what I am eating and my diary is public if you are interested

    When I started I just tried to eat foods I really like in smaller quantities. For me it made it easier to stick with the foods. Initially it would take a lot of work to figure out how to fit in 2200 cal. Over time I worked on modifying what I was eating, improving the nutrition, as it became easier to eat 2200 cal. I still eat food I like, but will do things like have taco meat with guacamole, but no corn tortillas if I am out of calories for the day.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Here's a plan.

    https://www.pinterest.com/pin/361132463846275584/

    But really you can tweak your meal plan any way you like, based on what MFP is telling you. What would happen if you reversed your lunch and dinner meals? Are you getting enough fruits and vegetables?
  • Rick_Nelson81
    Rick_Nelson81 Posts: 205 Member
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    My advise is to keep it simple when starting out. Stick to maybe 3 to 5 choices for each meal and do not veer from them for at least a month. Here's some specific examples that have worked well for me:
    Breakfast:
    Fruit smoothie with some kale, nuts and oats or
    2 poached eggs with 1/2 a sweet potato or
    2 pieces of whole wheat toast, each topped with a chopped hard-boiled egg (do not use mayo) and an orange.
    Lunch:
    1 cup of rice with 1/2 cup of cooked, chopped meat and 1/2 cup of veggies (peas, corn, green beans, etc.) or
    2 cups of kale (or lettuce *sigh*) with 1/2 cup of meat and some chopped raw veggies (carrots, tomatoes, etc.) or
    1/2 a chicken breast with 1 cup of whole wheat pasta noodles w/ sauce and a little parmesan cheese.
    Dinner:
    1/2 cup of rice with a salmon fillet w/ lemon juice and steamed carrots or
    2 black bean burritos with a little cheese and lots of greens (kale, romaine, etc.) or
    1/2 cup of quinoa (complete protein, cook exactly like rice) with side of green beans
    Snacks:
    1 or 2 fruit throughout the day or in the morning is ideal
    popcorn is filling and relatively high in fiber and low in everything else (watch the sodium)
    1/2 cup of yogurt or 1 stick of low-fat cheese
    Adjust your portions according to your daily intake and try to space them apart (5 small meals is better than 3 big ones). Be patient, and after about a week or two you won't feel as hungry after a smaller meal. Mix and match some of those kinds of ideas to your liking and don't be afraid to try new things.
  • juanbastias22
    juanbastias22 Posts: 18 Member
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    jgnatca wrote: »
    Here's a plan.

    https://www.pinterest.com/pin/361132463846275584/

    But really you can tweak your meal plan any way you like, based on what MFP is telling you. What would happen if you reversed your lunch and dinner meals? Are you getting enough fruits and vegetables?

    Thank you. I haven't been eating enough fruits and veggies but I just started smoothies and that helps. My vitamix will be put to good use. I will probably reverse my lunch and dinner meals here and there soni don't have night cravings.
  • juanbastias22
    juanbastias22 Posts: 18 Member
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    Rick_Nelson81 wrote: »
    My advise is to keep it simple when starting out. Stick to maybe 3 to 5 choices for each meal and do not veer from them for at least a month. Here's some specific examples that have worked well for me:
    Breakfast:
    Fruit smoothie with some kale, nuts and oats or
    2 poached eggs with 1/2 a sweet potato or
    2 pieces of whole wheat toast, each topped with a chopped hard-boiled egg (do not use mayo) and an orange.
    Lunch:
    1 cup of rice with 1/2 cup of cooked, chopped meat and 1/2 cup of veggies (peas, corn, green beans, etc.) or
    2 cups of kale (or lettuce *sigh*) with 1/2 cup of meat and some chopped raw veggies (carrots, tomatoes, etc.) or
    1/2 a chicken breast with 1 cup of whole wheat pasta noodles w/ sauce and a little parmesan cheese.
    Dinner:
    1/2 cup of rice with a salmon fillet w/ lemon juice and steamed carrots or
    2 black bean burritos with a little cheese and lots of greens (kale, romaine, etc.) or
    1/2 cup of quinoa (complete protein, cook exactly like rice) with side of green beans
    Snacks:
    1 or 2 fruit throughout the day or in the morning is ideal
    popcorn is filling and relatively high in fiber and low in everything else (watch the sodium)
    1/2 cup of yogurt or 1 stick of low-fat cheese
    Adjust your portions according to your daily intake and try to space them apart (5 small meals is better than 3 big ones). Be patient, and after about a week or two you won't feel as hungry after a smaller meal. Mix and match some of those kinds of ideas to your liking and don't be afraid to try new things.

    Thanks. That's helps a lot
  • melissa6771
    melissa6771 Posts: 894 Member
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    Rick_Nelson81 wrote: »
    My advise is to keep it simple when starting out. Stick to maybe 3 to 5 choices for each meal and do not veer from them for at least a month. Here's some specific examples that have worked well for me:
    Breakfast:
    Fruit smoothie with some kale, nuts and oats or
    2 poached eggs with 1/2 a sweet potato or
    2 pieces of whole wheat toast, each topped with a chopped hard-boiled egg (do not use mayo) and an orange.
    Lunch:
    1 cup of rice with 1/2 cup of cooked, chopped meat and 1/2 cup of veggies (peas, corn, green beans, etc.) or
    2 cups of kale (or lettuce *sigh*) with 1/2 cup of meat and some chopped raw veggies (carrots, tomatoes, etc.) or
    1/2 a chicken breast with 1 cup of whole wheat pasta noodles w/ sauce and a little parmesan cheese.
    Dinner:
    1/2 cup of rice with a salmon fillet w/ lemon juice and steamed carrots or
    2 black bean burritos with a little cheese and lots of greens (kale, romaine, etc.) or
    1/2 cup of quinoa (complete protein, cook exactly like rice) with side of green beans
    Snacks:
    1 or 2 fruit throughout the day or in the morning is ideal
    popcorn is filling and relatively high in fiber and low in everything else (watch the sodium)
    1/2 cup of yogurt or 1 stick of low-fat cheese
    Adjust your portions according to your daily intake and try to space them apart (5 small meals is better than 3 big ones). Be patient, and after about a week or two you won't feel as hungry after a smaller meal. Mix and match some of those kinds of ideas to your liking and don't be afraid to try new things.


    That is very good advice!
  • juanbastias22
    juanbastias22 Posts: 18 Member
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    What about mornings when I go straight to the gym from waking up?
  • Rick_Nelson81
    Rick_Nelson81 Posts: 205 Member
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    My advice is to not do that. I know some people workout on an empty stomach (I forget what they call it) but when I tried that, I had zero energy and my workout sucked. When I'm pinched for time, I eat a Fiber One bar on the way to the gym. It's a little high in sodium and has like 9 g of sugar, but you'll burn off the sugar at the gym (and then some) and if you're not adding much salt to your food, the excess sodium shouldn't make it a deal breaker. I get them at Sam's in packs of like 30 for about $10 or something like that. Another option might be a handful of nuts; you get good protein quick, and some sugar, and you'll be done eating it before you step outside your door. Hope that helps.
  • juanbastias22
    juanbastias22 Posts: 18 Member
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    ;)
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    I have had breakfast returning from my run but I never exercise "dry". A full glass of water when I get up.

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