The Bodybuilding.com New Year Diet Journal For Fast Results!

With 2011 upon us it is again time to re-focus on achieving our health and fitness goals and one of the most important ways to do this is through using a diet journal to document our successes and failures. By maintaining a detailed journal we can constantly re-evaluate our progress to ensure we are on the right path. Having access to a specific nutritional framework will allow us to chart our daily meals; we will, as a result, be better able to stay focused on what we should be eating and make any necessary adjustments to our existing program. Fat loss results will, therefore, come much faster through the consistency such an approach encourages.

When designing any diet it is important to know exactly how you will stick to it; the best nutritional advice will amount to nothing if it is not consistently followed. In the following article I will outline two diets that have helped many of my clients to achieve their own fat loss success and which will be provided in journal format so one can simply print each relevant section of pages and take it to the gym/work/on holiday. Given that individual variability is often as much a factor for fat loss progress than is consistency to following a particular program - if something does not work for a certain individual then, for them, continuing it is pointless - I will provide options both for those who may be more inclined to add weight and those who are aiming more for weight loss maintenance.

Having Access To A Specific Nutritional Framework Will Allow Us To Chart Our Daily Meals.

With each diet featured below, a list of food options will also be given -with certain meals - to alleviate boredom and to keep the gains coming. For example in meal schedule 1, Meal 3 features 1 Whole-Wheat Sandwich with Tuna, 1 Whey Protein Shake containing 30 grams of protein and 1 Apple. An alternative meal featured directly below this is one Chicken Breast, 1 cup of Rice (cooked) and 1/2 cup of Green Beans. Here I would suggest alternating these meals or, depending on individual preference, sticking with the first of these meals for four days, then switching to the alternative meal for the remaining 3 days of the week. Either way, it is smart practice to eat as wide a variety of foods as possible to ensure one's overall nutrient intake is sufficient and to encourage consistency.

Note: Whey Protein is included with certain meals (as its nutritional content is calculated along with the foods it is featured with), not under the supplements section (where calories and nutritional breakdown are not considered). And while performance supplements such as Creatine and pre-workout products are not featured in these fat loss plans, it is advised that one find selection of these products that work best for them and incorporate them as prescribed on the label.

It Is Smart Practice To Eat As Wide A Variety Of Foods As Possible To Ensure One's Overall Nutrient Intake Is Sufficient.

Meal Schedule 1

For the overweight person (over 15% body fat for men, over 25% body fat for women) who in the past has found it hard to lose weight.

Meal 1:

Egg Whites

6
Whole Egg

1
Sweet Potato

1 medium
Melon

1 cup

Protein: 30.9g Fats: 6g Carbohydrates: 35.7g Calories: 298

Meal 2:

Potato

1 medium (baked)
Cottage Cheese

1 cup

Protein: 32.6g Fats: 2.5g Carbohydrates: 44.6g Calories: 331

Meal 3:

Tuna

1 can
Whole Wheat Bread

2 slices
Whey Protein Shake

33g serving
Apple

1 medium

Protein: 55.9g Fats: 3.9g Carbohydrates: 44.6g Calories: 331

Alternative Meal:

Chicken Breast

1 medium sized (boiled without skin)
Brown Rice

1 cup
Green Beans

1 cup

Protein: 45.4g Fats: 6.7g Carbohydrates: 54.7g Calories: 460

Meal 4 (post-workout):

Whey Protein Shake

33g serving
Brown Rice

1 cup

Protein: 30g Fats: 3.3g Carbohydrates: 47.8g Calories: 346

Meal 5:

Chicken Breast

1 medium sized (boiled without skin)
Broccoli

1 cup (uncooked)
Potato

1 medium (baked)

Protein: 45.1g Fats: 5g Carbohydrates: 44.3g Calories: 398

Alternative Meal:

Lean Red Meat

110 grams
Pumpkin

1 cup (cooked)
Sweet Potato

1 medium sized
Broccoli

1 cup (uncooked)

Protein: 40.7g Fats: 9.4g Carbohydrates: 36.2g Calories: 469

Meal 6:

Casein Protein Shake

33g serving

Protein: 24g Fats: 1g Carbohydrates: 3g Calories: 120

Daily Totals:
Protein: 218.5g Fats: 21.7g Carbohydrates: 217.1g Calories: 1922

Alternative Meal Plan:
Protein: 203.6g Fats: 28.9g Carbohydrates: 222g Calories: 2024

Click for a printable version of Meal Schedule 1

Meal Schedule 2

For the moderately overweight person (Between 10-13% body fat for men, between 22-25% body fat for women) who does not usually struggle with weight loss, and who wishes to achieve and maintain low body fat levels.