RULE #1: Every meal and snack MUST contain some form of protein from the grocery list.

When creating all meals and snacks, START with protein in mind first.

NOTE: So for this program for example...

a "fruit" is not an acceptable snack unless you add a portion of protein like 1/2 protein bar or full protein bar or small protein shake along with it.

Similarly, oatmeal is not a balanced breakfast unless you add a portion of scrambled eggs.

Neither is rice and beans unless you add chicken or beef or steak to it.

Here is an easy example on meal creation done the right way:

Start with protein so let's go with a portion of skinless chicken breast (see portion control images in the grocery list)

RULE #2: After you have selected your choice of protein, feel free to add a portion of healthy fats AND/OR a portion of veggies from the grocery list.

ex: the chicken (which is the protein) + portion of olive oil for cooking (which is the healthy fat) + a portion of asparagus (which is the veggie)

if you're eating out and not doing the cooking yourself... then the chicken plus the asparagus is fine. 

or

ex: salmon (which is the protein) + portion of olive oil for cooking (which is the healthy fat) + a portion of broccoli (which is the veggie)

or

ex: lean ground burger patty (which is the protein) with no bun + portion of fat-free Italian dressing (which is the healthy fat) + a portion of greens, red peppers, cucumbers etc (which is the veggies for a nice salad)

RULE #3: We need to lower our carbs (not completely... but we need to lower them so here is how we are going to do that)

You are allowed ONE portion of a COMPLEX CARB PER DAY (see the grocery list and remember PORTION CONTROL)

You don't have to add them at all if you don't want to but...

the rule is NO MORE THAN ONE portion of complex carbs per day.

For example, if you wanted some eggs and oatmeal in the morning that's fine but you cannot have brown rice, sweet potatoes or Ezekiel bread or any other complex carb on our grocery list for the rest of the day.

Another example, if you wanted steamed chicken with a portion of brown rice for lunch that's fine, but you cannot have oatmeal at breakfast or sweet potatoes for dinner or or any other complex carb on our grocery list for the rest of the day.

Get it? Got it! GOOD!

RULE #4: We ALSO need to lower our simple carbs known as FRUIT (not completely... but we need to lower them as well so here is how we are going to do that)

You are only allowed ONE portion of  FRUIT PER DAY (see the grocery list and remember PORTION CONTROL)

You don't have to add them at all if you don't want to but...

the rule is NO MORE THAN ONE portion of fruit per day.

Most fruit we allow still has 15-17 grams of sugars per serving.

Mix that with everything else we will eat for the day, your sugars can get out of control quickly.

So keep it to ONE A DAY if you wanna get lean, drop fat and flatten your tummy FAST!

Trust me 🙂

P.S. Quick Note About Protein Bars, Cookies and Shakes:

If you're having a protein bar, protein cookie or a protein shake as a snack or meal replacement, you don't "need" to add anything else to it, that's enough by itself but...

if you wanted to, you "could" add a portion of berries to a protein bar in the mid-afternoon or...

if you make a protein shake in the morning with protein powder, almond milk, crushed ice you could add a portion of frozen berries here as well.

Just remember, you can't have more than ONE portion of fruit per day so if you have both a self-made shake and a protein bar daily, one of those has to be void of fruit.

Before we get into meal and snack ideas...

let's go over how many times a day we need/should eat. The answer is a flexible one...

BETWEEN 3 AND 5.

In other words, if you wanna just stick with breakfast, lunch and dinner that is fine.

However, if you feel more comfy adding in 1-2 snacks in the midmorning and or mid-afternoon that is ok as well.

Some days, you may have a few protein shakes and just a meal or two because you're running around.

Other days, you will be able to get in 3 square meals and maybe just one protein shake.

Some days... like for example on days you workout with us, you may be more hungry and need an extra protein shake... while on rest days or just "cardio" days you may feel less hungry.

Just try to listen to your body! There is plenty of room for flexibility.

As long as it's about 3-5 small meals and or shakes/bars per day you will do GREAT!

What we are trying to avoid is having only 1 or 2 feedings per day.
We don't feel that will yield the best results.

Ok, now that we went over that, let's get into some meal/snack ideas.

Breakfast Ideas:

Note: Coffee is totally fine! Have it black or with "no sugar" creamer. Stevia or other no calorie sweeteners are fine. It's all good. Coffee is LIFE!

scrambled eggs (1 yolk for every 3 eggs) or egg whites + proper portion of rolled oats (oatmeal)

scrambled eggs (1 yolk for every 3 eggs) or egg whites + 1 slice of Ezeikel bread dry (there is fat in the yellow yolk)

3-5 egg whites + 1 slice of Ezeikel bread + a portion of grassfed butter (since you're having egg whites, you can a add a portion of fats here)

scrambled eggs + a portion of fresh cantaloupe

scrambled eggs + a portion of honeydew melon

scrambled eggs + portion of red and green peppers and onions mixed in

scrambled eggs + 1 slice of low calorie (40 calorie) high fiber bread

3 hard boiled eggs + a portion of fresh cantaloupe

3 hard boiled eggs alone is fine also (eggs have both protein and fats)

0-1% Greek yogurt + a portion of nuts on top with a packet of Stevia (stevia is a free food)

0-1% Greek yogurt + a portion of berries on top with a packet of Stevia (stevia is a free food)

0-1% cottage cheese + a portion of nuts on top with a packet of Stevia (stevia is a free food)

0-1% cottage cheese + a portion of berries on top with a packet of Stevia (stevia is a free food)

3-4 slices of turkey bacon (which is about a portion which would be about 15-20 grams of protein) + a fruit from the allowed list like an orange or a grapefruit

3-4 slices of regular nitrate/nitrite free bacon (which is about a portion which would be about 15-20 grams of protein) + a fruit from the allowed list like an apple or an orange.

Quest protein bar

Quest protein cookie

Atkins Advantage Protein bar

Ready-to-drink protein shake from the grocery list (premier protein shake or muscle milk light or "100")

Make your own protein shake. For example, 1 scoop of whey protein powder, almond milk or water, 1 portion of all natural almond or peanut butter, crushed ice and stevia!

3-4 Veggie sausage links (from Morning star farms for example.) You can have it alone or add a portion of fruit like grapefruit or some berries

2-3 Veggie sausage patties (from Morning star farms for example.) You can have it alone or add a portion of fruit like grapefruit or some berries.

Note: It's ok to have a breakfast idea for lunch or dinner. It's ok to also have a protein bar or shake as a "meal placement" as well.

All of these ideas on this page are completely interchangeable. Have a bunless turkey burger for breakfast if you wish, have a protein shake for lunch or have scrambled eggs for dinner.

Grilled chicken over a mixed greens salad with fat-free dressing

Grilled shrimp over a mixed greens salad with fat-free dressing

Grilled steak over a mixed greens salad with fat-free dressing

Hard boiled eggs over a salad with light oil and vinegar

Combo: Grilled chicken and grilled steak over a mixed greens salad with fat-free dressing. If you ever mix protein sources in the same meal, make sure that each is a 1/2 portion size so for example 1/2 portion of chicken and 1/2 portion of steak will equal ONE FULL SIZE PORTION OF PROTEIN FOR YOU.

Bunless burger (make sure it's lean like 90% lean or better) with small side salad

Bunless salmon burger with side of asparagus

Bunless turkey burger with side of mixed veggies

Bunless veggie burger (from the companies I listed on the grocery list) with side salad

Sirloin steak with riced cauliflower

Sirloin steak + sweet potato + riced cauliflower (remember if you go with a carb like potato, you can only have one portion per day. You cannot have rice and potatoes in the same day)

Salmon (or any fish) with asparagus

Salmon (or any fish)  + brown rice + asparagus (remember if you go with a carb like rice, you can only have one portion per day. You cannot have rice and potatoes in the same day)

Grilled chicken breast with broccoli

Any vegetarian source of protein like veggie burgers, veggie cold cuts, veggie sausage links or veggie sausage patties, + any serving of veggies from the grocery list is a totally acceptable meal.

Protein bar (quest bars or the Atkins advantage protein bar we suggest - see the pics on the grocery list)

Protein cookie (the only acceptable one is the QUEST cookie)

Ready-to-drink protein shakes we suggest (see the grocery list)

Protein shake (that you can make yourself with almond milk or water, crushed ice, portion of all natural almond or peanut butter, stevia and ONE SCOOP of protein powder) *Remember... we have a protein recipe guide for more delicious shake ideas!

Beef jerky (tons of options and flavors from the grocery list)

Turkey jerky (tons of options and flavors from the grocery list)

0-1% Greek yogurt (feel free to add a serving of fruit OR healthy fats like nuts but not both)

0-1% Cottage cheese (feel free to add a serving of fruit OR healthy fats like nuts but not both)

Low-fat polly-o (or similar company) string cheese

Turkey or Regular nitrate or nitrite free bacon

2-3 hard boiled eggs

Low sodium cold cuts like ham, turkey or low-fat cheese or a combo of all. (2-4 slices) Feel free to add a slice of tomato and some mustard!

Veggie sausage links

Veggie sausages

1/2 protein bar or whole protein bar with portion of almonds (or any nut)

Ready-to-drink protein shake with a portion of almonds (or any nut)

DAY 1

Breakfast: 0-1% Greek yogurt with stevia and portion of almonds

Snack: Ready-to-drink vanilla protein shake (muscle milk 100)

Lunch: Grilled chicken over a mixed greens salad with fat-free dressing

Snack: Atkins advantage protein bar

Boot Camp Session

Dinner: Salmon with riced cauliflower

DAY 2

Breakfast: Quest protein cookie

Snack: 0-1% Greek yogurt with stevia and portion of berries

Lunch: Bunless turkey burger with side salad

Snack: Ready-to-drink chocolate protein shake (muscle milk 100)

Boot Camp Session

Dinner: London broil with asparagus

DAY 3

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs + oatmeal (since we are deciding to have oatmeal today, we cannot have any other source of complex carbs so no brown rice or sweet potato or bread)

Snack: 0-1% Greek yogurt with stevia and portion of berries

Lunch: Bunless turkey burger with side salad

Snack: Ready-to-drink chocolate protein shake (muscle milk 100)

Boot Camp Session

Dinner: London broil with asparagus

DAY 4

Breakfast: 1/2 portion of Scrambled eggs + 1/2 portion of turkey bacon. Remember, if you want to different protein sources in the same meal, each one needs to only be 1/2 of a portion.

Snack: 1/2 of a quest protein bar + portion of berries

Lunch: 1/2 order of the harvest salad with grilled chicken from Wendys drive-thru (awesome choice from our fast-food guide)

Snack: Ready-to-drink chocolate protein shake (muscle milk 100)

Boot Camp Session

Dinner: Lamb chops + brown rice + broccoli (since we are deciding to have brown rice tonight, we shouldn't have had have any other sources of complex carbs earlier in the day which we did not)

DAY 5

Breakfast: veggie sausage links + portion of nuts

Snack: skip

Lunch:Ready-to-drink vanilla protein shake (muscle milk 100) - running around

Snack: skip

BUSY ALL DAY - NO WORKOUT

Dinner: Salmon with broccoli

So here is an example day where you might not have the need for snacks

Not only are you running around but you didn't workout so you know you're not going to burn as many calories.

You didn't have any starchy carbs (oatmeal, potato or brown rice) on a non-workout day and kept it simple. 3 square meals and protein in every one. Totally acceptable.

DAY 1 - SUPER BAD DAY - DON'T HAVE DAYS LIKE THIS

Breakfast: oatmeal (oatmeal alone is not a meal, you need to add protein)

Snack: fruit, pineapple (not only is fruit not a meal, you need to add protein to every meal/snack but pineapple is too high in sugar and not on our grocery list

Lunch: salad only (salad only is NOT a meal/snack unless you add protein to it)

Snack: more fruit (again, fruit is not a fit figure approved meal/snack unless you add protein to it AND furthermore, the rules clearly state you cannot have more than ONE serving of fruit per day)

Did NOT workout today. Lazy. Made Excuses.

Dinner: Grilled chicken + white white + red beans. You got the protein right but everything else is wrong.

First, we don't allow white rice in this program only brown rice so see the grocery list.

Second, you can only have one portion of starchy carbs for the entire day (if you even choose to do so) so you CANNOT have both rice and beans in the same meal because it's a double carb and a recipe for WEIGHT GAIN.

Thirdly, you did not workout today (when you could have) so my advice is to only add a portion of starchy carbs to one meal a day if you have worked out hard or else there is no need for the extra calories/energy because you didn't burn many calories today.

If your days look like this beyond the first few days of being in this program, you'll need to make major changes in your diet and mindset in order to achieve your goals.

We are here to help you but you need to read the grocery list, go grocery shopping, create your meals and snacks the right way and get your bum bum to boot camp!