I have come to the conclusion that my current diet is inadequate to meet my needs (I’ve been eating clean, but not paying enough attention to calories or macros). After some research, my initial choice is John B’s Don’t Diet. I’ve figured out the caloric requirements, macro breakdown, etc., however I am having some difficulty in the meal planning.
The big problem is with the traditional dinner time (usually my 5th meal). Being a dad & family guy, this is a time for us all to sit down & have a meal together. To date I’ve been successful at making this a clean meal, but trying to consistently remove either carbs or fats from it is proving difficult. Lean ground beef is a bit of a staple at home, so having pasta’s using it are quite common. I’m also having trouble seeing a way to remove carbs. I’m trying to integrate this into my lifestyle and am therefore trying to stay away from eating a different meal than the family (plus it’s usually the only one I get made for me!).
I guess in response to this I am hoping for one of 2 things:
Meal suggestions on how to make this meal either p/f or p/c
Other diet ideas suggestions that don’t separate macros
My initial reasons for choosing the Don’t Diet was that it is more of a lifestyle/long term plan that I can use and that I can easily flex between Don’t Diet and Massive Eating.
Using ground turkey breast instead of ground beef in your pasta recipes would be a first step towards making those meals P+C. Use fat-free pasta sauce (basically tomato paste and spices), add some steamed veggies as a side, and you’re set. Pasta’s a very nutrient-dense carb source to be using if you’re trying to eat hypocalorically, though.
I would definitely make this meal a protein/carb meal, it willbe easier on the family. Like zev reccomended ground white turkey meat is the good, but so are chicken breasts, just cut them in to chunks, saute them in a non stick pan with some veggies and then toss them with your spaghetti sauce. Stir fries would also be good, if you have a non-stick wok or a large saute pan. If you need specific recipes go to www.portolios.com/ PatriciaSmith,(my girlfriend)and email your request to her.
Thanks for the input. I am leaning towards making this a P+C meal, like you said Ko it will be easier on the family plus I’m working out later in the day now. My only challange is going to be trying to cut out the ground beef - I’m in Alberta and this is beef country (not to mention it is the most cost effective way to feed the family!). Ground turkey is pretty much out of the question because of it’s cost (sorry Zev!), but I did get a good deal on ground ostrich last year - I’ll have to try and find that farm again. Are there any cuts of beef that could be used in a P+C meal?
Yeah, any cut of beef with the word “round” or “loin” in it can be used in a P+C meal. Eye of round and top round are almost as lean as chicken breast, but they don’t normally come in ground form. Maybe you can find a butcher who can grind them for you or can do it yourself? The only thing is, round cuts are fairly tough, and I’m not sure they’d be terribly palatable ground up in a sauce. It’s worth a shot though.
Another option might be to continue have the pasta sauce that contains red meat but just not eat it on pasta. Pasta sauce is usually, or at least can be, low carb; if you prepare the pasta in one pot and the meat sauce in another, you can dole out your portion of the sauce before you combine the rest of it with the pasta and eat it alone. Add some steamed veggies and you can get a P+F meal while still essentially eating the same thing as your family.
One clean meal a day that contains P+C+F is not going to significantly affect your results. Just look at Berardi’s lastest article. There is still room to combine all macros in the same meal, just choose good fats, lean proteins, and low GI carbs.
Dinner time with the family is time to be cherished. Sometimes the meal could be a good mix of all macros. Sometimes it could be a P+C meal as others have mentioned and sometimes it could be a P+F meal. A good P+F dinner meal could subsist of a bed of greens, lots of veggies, (kidney and garbanzo beans optional), any type of cheese (feta, chedder, mozzarella), any type of lean meat (chicken, steak, etc.) and olive oil and vinegar. Of course I don't know if the kids will eat this, but they can learn to.
Zev, I think this is how I will attack P+F meals with the family. I’ve made some decisions around meal type & timing that I am hoping will make this diet a bit easier. I will have a P+C dinner on the days when I lift after work and P+F on days that I don’t. This should allow me to both follow JMB’s recommendations on meal timing and provide the variety of meals for the wife and kids. Time will tell if this is truly the best of both worlds (and if I end up driving the wife nuts with meal planning!).