THE ULTIMATE MEAL

PREP GUIDE
Introduction

In today’s world we are used to things being quick and convenient. Anything
that takes too much time and energy, more often than not gets left behind.
That’s why preparation is key when it comes to our health and nutrition-the
right prep can help set ourselves up for success and to avoid any possible
resistance towards eating properly throughout the week.

An investment of 2 to 4 hours can save 7 to 14 hours a week when it comes to

cooking. Crazy! Right? But how?

Preparation and planning ahead are two major factors to help you and me
stay aligned with our health and personal goals. Imagine how much less
stress and mental peace you can have by knowing you have food waiting in
the fridge every day of the week. All you need to do is slap it on a plate and
reheat it (or something along those lines). Simple enough.

That’s exactly what you’re going to get out of this guide. Through this
empowering platform, I will teach you next how to pre-prepared proteins,
carbs, fruits and veggies according to your specific individual needs, so that
the only thing you need to do on a daily basis is cook them rapidly in the oven,
reheat them, or eat them.

Lastly, and most importantly, I will teach you how to use measuring cups and
tablespoons, plus a weight scale, to adjust each macronutrient to fit your
individual needs. You will find educational material that will serve you as
guides for the future, and some recipes to get started and get your creative
juices flowing. Cooking can be fun and simple, and my intention is to show
you that here.

Food is fuel, and fuel helps you achieve the greatness you seek after. My
intention here is to support you in enjoying cooking, and to open your eyes to
simple methods that save you time throughout the week, knowing each meal
you eat supports you in taking one step forward towards your goal. All while
staying on top of your health!
 Table of Contents

Intro to Nutrition Basics.......................................................................................................... 3

Carbohydrates........................................................................................................................................... 4
Simple sugars (Mono- and Disaccharides)......................................................................... 5
Complex Carbohydrates............................................................................................................. 5
Fiber............................................................................................................................................................ 6
Fruit............................................................................................................................................................. 6
Protein.............................................................................................................................................................. 6
Fat........................................................................................................................................................................ 7
Non-Starchy Vegetables.................................................................................................................... 7

Food Portioning Guide............................................................................................................ 6

Food Lists....................................................................................................................................................... 10

Building Your Meal Plan.......................................................................................................... 13

Step 1: Establish Your Nutrition Goals..................................................................................... 14
Step 2: Calculate Your Portion Servings................................................................................ 14
Step 3: Build Your Daily Plan.......................................................................................................... 15
Step 4: Use Food Lists to Plan Your Menu........................................................................... 16
Tips for Success.................................................................................................................................. 16

A friendly reminder…................................................................................................................ 17

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How This Works Preparation is key
You have probably heard of the meal prepping methodology. This can be
useful, but a bit overwhelming at the same time. Though I present some
similarities here, this program presents you with two-ish options:

Cooking ahead of time and storing foods separately to use as pleased later on
the week

or…

1) Cooking ahead of time and pre-portioning all meals for the week

or…

2) A combination of both

The goal here is to get ahead of the curve by preparing enough food for a
week, for both lunch and dinner, so that during the week, the effort in the
kitchen is minimal to non-existent. This will save you tons of hours during the
week, and most importantly, it will bring you a huge peace of mind knowing
that you have food ready waiting for you! All with the added benefit of the
nutrition focus on the side.

The portion methods used in this guide were originally developed for diabetics
and named the “Diabetic Exchange,” with the intention of supporting diabetics
count their carbohydrate servings, to help them control their blood sugar
levels. However, the method has also been adopted throughout the nutrition
world and can be used by anyone looking to improve their health through
meal planning. I have used this same method in the kitchen on a daily basis
with professional athletes, including the UFC.

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Intro to
Nutrition Basics
Learning how to plan a meal for your personal health goals starts with
understanding the basics of good nutrition. Here, I breakdown the core
components of food to help you understand how what you eat impacts your
everyday energy levels and long term health.

There are three major food groups: carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Vegetables
are also included as their own group - mainly because they tend to provide
unique benefits. Each of these groups play a different role in supporting your
health and daily needs and learning how to balance your food choices and
portions from each is key to your success.

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 Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates (CHO) are your body’s favorite source
of energy, not your enemy. Think of CHOs as the fuel
you put into your beautiful car. The quality of the fuel is
important for the performance of it, both in the short
and in the long term.

Similarly, the type of carbohydrates you intake can

support you to improve your energy levels in the short
and/or long run. The type of carbohydrate can be
separated into two different categories: simple and
complex carbohydrates.

From a dietary perspective, these two can be separated

into slow versus rapidly absorbing respectively.

Types of Carbohydrates:

Simple sugars
(Mono- and Disaccharides)
These are simple sugars easily absorbed — they
provide a very quick burst of energy.

Complex Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates are absorbed at a much
slower rate due to their molecular composition.
Complex carbs will release sugar into the
bloodstream at a slower rate. These will also help you
stay satiated (AKA full) for longer. In short, consume
a majority of complex carbs.

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 Fiber
Fiber is a component of carbohydrates that cannot be
digested or absorbed, but presents positive health
aspects. It is mainly found on complex carbs and it
keeps our intestinal tract healthy. Fiber promotes
regularity and slows the rate of absorption of foods,
which causes a slower release of glucose (sugar) to the
blood over a longer period of time - preventing spikes of
glucose. Fiber also helps you stay satiated and is an
essential component of a balanced diet.

Fruit
Most fruits are also considered a carbohydrate
source since they are high in natural sugars. They
also tend to be naturally higher in fiber and

Intro to
important nutrients, making them a quality
carbohydrate choice.

Protein
Dietary protein is essential to get specific amino acids
that our body cannot produce (also known as essential
amino acids, while nonessential can be made by the
body as byproducts of other foods).

When we ingest protein, our stomach enzymes break

down the protein into amino acids and distribute these
to wherever they are needed in our body.

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These amino acids are then used to build, maintain, and repair just about every
cell in your body - including your skin, nails, DNA, and muscle mass.

Proteins also help with the production of red blood cells, form hormones, create
enzymes, aid with the immune system, help buffer the pH level of the body, and
help regulate the fluid balance of the body. In short, get enough protein.

Fat
Dietary fat is an essential macronutrient needed in
a balanced diet to aid the body in serving
important functions, like the production of
hormones, cholesterol, bile, and vitamin D (and in
turn affecting your bone density).

Non-Starchy Vegetables
It is worth quickly mentioning that vegetables are
considered carbohydrates due to their molecular
structure; however, these types of carbs are often referred
to as non-starchy carbs - with the exception of legumes,
corn, and potatoes.

For the purpose of this book, we will use non-starchy

vegetables separately, thinking of them as our main
micronutrient (vitamins and minerals) source, plus an
extra layer of fiber.

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Food Portioning
Guide
Here I lay out the most beautiful part of this program: how to match your ideal
serving size with your nutrition needs.

Often times, nutrition needs are given in grams/kg and calories (kcal) per day.
These numbers can be confusing and more often than not, scary for those
simply seeking to eat a healthful oriented meal.

Instead, I am breaking down each macronutrient into their specific individual

serving size, using friendlier measuring units found in most households: cups,
tablespoons, and a weight scale.

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As explained earlier, food is classified into specific macronutrients - carbs,
proteins, fats - which have an appointed individual serving quantity, based on
the individual molecular gram content of carbs, proteins, and fat found on the
food. Example:

Macronutrient Grams per serving Measuring per serving

1 each = 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup

Carbs 15 g
varied per individual carb

Protein 21 g* 1 each = 3 oz*

1 each = 1 Tbsp, 1.5 Tsp, 2 Tbps

Fat 5g
varied per fat

Table 1

What table 1 shows is that, 1 serving of carbohydrate, regardless of whether it is

rice, quinoa, beans or legumes, sweet potatoes, bread and so forth, will equal 15
grams of carbs per serving. Meaning, 1 serving of rice = ~15 grams carbs = 1/3 cup
of cooked rice, and is inherently translated into calories, based on the food itself.

However, it must be noted that each carb will vary on its serving size - 1 carb
serving of sweet potatoes equals 1/2 cup, versus quinoa being 1/4 cup, and brown
rice being 1/3 cup. But they all equal ~15g of carbs per serving. More on this in the
next section.

The same structure applies for protein and fat, but with their specific grams per
serving.

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Food Lists
Without further ado, below is a breakdown of all carbs, proteins, fats cup and
tablespoon measurements equating to a total of 1 serving.

Carbs Name 1 Serving 2 Servings 3 Servings

Brown Rice, ckd. 1/3 cup 2/3 cup 1 cup

Quinoa 1/4 cup 1/2 cup 3/4 cup

Whole Wheat Pasta 1/2 cup 1 cup 1.5 cups

Barley, ckd. 1/3 cup 2/3 cup 1 cup

Farro, ckd. 1/3 cup 2/3 cup 1 cup

Sweet Potato 1/2 cup 1 cup 1.5 cups

Mashed Potato 1/2 cup 1 cup 1.5 cups

Beans (Black, Pinto,

1/3 cup 2/3 cup 1 cup
Lima, Black Eyed)

1 serving = 15 Legumes 1/3 cup 2/3 cup 1 cup

grams = 1
measuring size
Peas 1/2 cup 1 cup 1.5 cups
Consume mostly
complex
carbohydrates, Corn 1/2 cup 1 cup 1.5 cups
with at least 3+g of
fiber in them.
1 slice = 15 g/slice
Bread, whole wheat 2 slices 3 slices
(+/-2-3g ok)

Bagel, whole wheat 1/2 each 1 each 1.5 each

English Muffin,
1/2 each 1 each 1.5 each
whole wheat

Corn tortillas 2 each (4”) 4 each 6 each

Oatmeal 1/2 cup or 1 package 1 cup or 2 packages 1.5 cups or 3 packages

1/2 - 3/4 cup

Cereals, cold (varies per cold cereal) Varies Varies

Graham Crackers 2 each 4 each 6 each

Pretzels 3/4 cup 1.5 cup 2.25 cups

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 Protein Name 1 Serving 2 Servings 3 Servings

Salmon
Shrimp
Tuna
3 oz 6 oz 9 oz
Cod
Halibut
Scallops

Beef (fat trimmed)

Turkey breast
Ground Turkey 3 oz 6 oz 9 oz
Deli meats
Pork

Chicken breast,
1 serving = 21 3 oz 6 oz 9 oz
grams = 1 skinless boneless
measuring size

Choose lean Turkey Jerkey 1/2 oz 3 oz 4.5 oz

proteins low in
saturated fats,
balanced with Beef Jerkey 1/2 oz 3 oz 4.5 oz
proteins that
contain
anti-inflammatory Greek Yogurt, nonfat 1 cup 2 cups 3 cups
fats. Read labels, as
some products Cottage cheese,
vary in nutrition 3/4 cup 1/2 cups 2 cups
2% fat

Milk, 2% - - -

Eggs 2 eggs 4 eggs 6 eggs

Egg whites 4 egg whites/1 cup 8 egg whites/2 cups 3 cups

Egg substitute 1/4 cup 1/2 cup 3/4 cup

Tofu, extra firm 1/2 block 1 block 1/2 block

Edamame beans 1/2 cup 1 cup 1/2 cups

1 banana 2 bananas
1/2 banana
2 cups mixed 4 cups mixed
Fruit 1 cup mixed fruit/berries
fruit/berries fruit/berries
1 med whole fruit 2 med whole fruit 4 med whole fruit

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 Fats Name 1 Serving 2 Servings

Nut Butter 1 Tbsp. 2 Tbsp.

Nuts (Walnuts,
Pecans, Almonds, 10-15 each 20-30 each
Brazil Nuts)
1 serving = 5 g = 1
measuring size
Focus on healthy
fats, like seeds, Seeds 2 Tbsp. 4 Tbsp.
nuts, oils, avocados

Plant oils 1.5 Tsp. 3 Tsp.

Butter 2 Tsp. 4 Tsp.

Cheeses 1 oz. 2 oz.

Serving Sizes

Vegetables 1/2 cup cooked; 1 cup raw; 6 oz juices.

NON-CALORIE
2 Tbsp
SAUCES

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Building Your
Meal Plan

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Step 1: Establish Your Nutrition Goals
Once you know how many calories and grams of carbs, fat, and protein you need
each day, you can start building your menu using the portion guide and food
lists above.

If you don’t know your nutrition goals, you should speak with a registered
dietitian or use a simple online calculator to estimate your needs.

For example:

Client description -

Name: Mario Activity level: sedentary

Weight: 240 lbs Total calorie needs: 2,700-2,900
Goal: Lose weight Nutrition Needs: 105 grams of protein, 195 grams of
carbs, and 68 grams of fat

Step 2: Calculate Your Daily Portion Needs

Based on the food portioning chart above, you can divide your daily nutrient
needs by the # of grams per portion to get how many portions of each you need
every day.

Daily
grams per portion # of portions
Nutrition Need

Protein 105 g 15 g 5 portions

Carbohydrate 195 g 21 g 13 portions

Fat 68 g 5g 13 portions

Fruit Shares portions with Carbs

Veggies As a general rule of thumb: include 2-3 servings per day

Note: veggies are not included in the exchange list, but it is recommended you
include 2 to 3 servings per day for their nutrition and health benefits.

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Step 3: Build Your Daily Plan
Now you can begin building your meal schedule. It is recommended to spread
your portions for each nutrient throughout the day and aim to eat at least 2 to 3
times each day to keep your energy levels consistent. This will also help you get
more balanced nutrition.

It can also be helpful to eat more carb portions around the time of day you are
most active and less when you are not. For exampoke, most people move
around more in the morning or during the day than in the evening.

Remember to include fruit as part of your carb portions.

Here’s an example:

Food Breakfast Snack Lunch Snack Dinner Snack

Carbs 3 3 3

Pro 1.5 2 1.5

Fruit 1 2 1

Fat 3 2 3 2 3

Veg 3 3

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Step 4: Use Food Lists to Plan Your Menu
The last step is to plug in actual food choices that align with your portions. Use
the food lists and servings sizes above to plan out some basic meals and a many
to get you started.

For example:

Mario’s lunch -

3 carbs, 2 proteins, 3 fats, and 3 veggies.

By referring to the charts I can then pick any specific food within a macro
category and create a plate. How would this look like?

3 carbs could be: 1/2 cup sweet potatoes, 1/4 cup quinoa, 1/3 cup brown rice.

2 proteins could be: 6 oz of salmon

3 fats could be: 1/4 of an avocado, and 2 tbsp of chimichurri (oil based sauce)

3 veggies could be: 1.5 cups of cooked veggies

The combinations are endless, but by knowing my serving quantities, which

translate directly to both my body’s needs in grams/kg and hence in calories, I
know for a fact that every meal I make will be exactly what I need.

Keep it simple

Pick foods you enjoy eating

Don’t forget to account for any added sauces, cooking oils, toppings, and

beverages!

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Meal Prep Tips to Live By
Be patient. This is a living breathing system that adjusts as your body
changes, and making it work for can take practice. Stick with it and focus on
being consistent, not doing it perfectly.

Gauge your level of commitment. Be realistic with yourself and your level of
cooking expertise - how much do you want to cook and how often? If you
aren't a culinary expert, opt for more quick cook foods, pre-chopped produce,
and simple recipes.

Tackle your weak spots first. What meals or snacks need the most attention?
If you're eating out every night, but doing all right when it comes to lunches,
you may want to start with dinner.

Start small. Begin by prepping for only 2 to 3 days or meals each week. Or start
with something easy like breakfast or snacks.

Pick a day to plan and execute. You can dedicate one or more days per week
to prepping. And don't forget to set aside some time to plan for the following
week. For many, Sunday works as a great day to menu plan and cook for the
week.

Stock up on food containers and cooking equipment you will need. Having
reliable meal prep containers can help you portion your food better, and keep
meals tasting fresh and stored safely. And be prepared with any travel coolers if
needed.

Remember, you got this!

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