Healthy Meal Planning! (What I'm Eating These Days...)

Hola!  It's been a couple of weeks (took a vacation, catching up on work, yada yada yada...) but today I'm feeling inspired to share my approach to healthy meal planning.  What I'm hoping is this will help some of y'all keep those calories in check while giving your metabolism a kick in the butt.  If you are like me, you are either...

1. getting older and worrying about gaining weight...
2. afraid of preventable diseases and health ailments...
3. wanting to get lean and lose some fat...
4. concerned about having a balanced, nutritious diet...
5. or... ALL OF THE ABOVE!!

I personally think about all of these, and nutrition and activity are the two biggest factors that can determine whether or not you are successful in avoiding one or more of the above pitfalls of aging.  And to me, nutrition is by far the more difficult and challenging concept to master.  Even as I write this article, I'm painfully aware of my inability to stay on track with my eating ALL OF THE TIME.   With that said, here is some detail on my meal planning!

First things first.  PORTION CONTROL!  Here are some general rules of thumb...

     * 1 teaspoon = the tip of your thumb to the first joint
     * 3 ounces of meat = a deck of cards (or a fist)
     * 1 cup of pasta = a tennis ball
     * 1/2 cup of veggies = a lightbulb
     * 1 1/2 ounces cheese = three dominoes

Ok, so now on to the meal plan.  I've mentioned this before, but I strive for a 40% carb - 30% fat - 30% protein diet.  I also aim for 25g of carbs per day, and ample fruits and veggies.  It's not just calories that are important, but content and timing as well.  Here is what I eat on a typical day...

Breakfast (7AM)
In General:  I try to eat my carbs in the morning because I have all day to burn them off (P.S. Carbs at night are the devil).
Meal:  2 cups Multigrain Cheerios + 1/2 cup skim milk
Calories:  331 calories

Snack (10AM)
In General:  Snacks are metabolism joggers.  It's like feeding a fire with fresh wood to keep it burning.
Meal:  1 cup grapes + 8 oz. Odwalla Superfood juice
Calories:  192 calories

Lunch (12PM)
In General:  Lunch is important, and I try to get a good mix of protein and carbs.  More carbs on workout days.
Meal:  Salad (3 cups romaine lettuce + 3 oz. turkey breast + 1/4 cup shredded cheese + 1/2 cucumber (sliced) + 1 handful olives + 2 tbs. light balsamic dressing) + 1 apple
Calories:  355 calories

Snack (3PM)
In General:  Another metabolism jogger...
Meal:  1 pack Bevita Breakfast cookies
Calories:  220 calories

Pre Workout (5PM)
In General:  I need carbs to energize my workout, but just a little. 
Meal:  1 pack Nature Valley Granola Thin (peanut butter flavor)
Calories:  90 calories

Post Workout (7PM)
In General:  After a workout, you need protein to feed your muscles and aid in recovery. 
Meal:  1 scoop Gold Standard Natural Vanilla Whey Protein + water
Calories:  130 calories

Dinner (8PM)
In General:  Last meal of the day, so I try to avoid carbs and stick to the protein and veggies.
Meal:  6 oz. grilled salmon or chicken + 1 cup veggies
Calories:  360 calories

DAILY TOTAL:  1,678 calories (41% carb - 28% fat - 31% protein)

That's it!  I model my days just like this, with some variation.  For breakfast, instead of cereal, I may do egg whites, turkey sausage, and wheat toast.  Or a smoothie.  But the calories are ~300.  For lunch, I may do a sandwich, but again, calories still around ~350.  Dinner maybe a homemade soup or chili, but still very low on carbs.  

TIP:  The key is the PLANNING.  When I fail to go grocery shopping or make my lunch the night before, that's when I go wrong.  Things like Subway are good for a fill in, but the sodium content is too high for daily consumption.  And it's impossible to control calories when you go out for meals.  That's my opinion, so I try to limit eating out when I'm serious about my nutrition.