Fuel Your Day Like Bob: A Daily Meal Plan

Hi everyone, Trainer Bob here, I wanted to share a little about what my nutrition is like on a daily basis. Examples of practicing what we preach. We focus on being as responsible as possible for everything we eat – cooking most of our own meals/snacks, researching where our ingredients come from, keeping things as natural/organic as we can. We cook very large portions to allow for lots of leftovers, even freezing many meals for future use when we are in a pinch. (Helps avoid that temptation for the ease of last minute take-out when we are extremely busy.) Both Tracy and I contribute equally to everything that needs to be done. We generally have the entire week’s menu planned out, and as many meals cooked ahead of time as possible.

We have a seasonal garden, growing as many vegetables as we can and freezing much of our yield for year round use. Our beef is from a local farmer (Reynolds Farms). We try and support seasonal local farmer’s markets for many other ingredients. We use local produce stores (Produce Depot) and more sustainable-minded corporate stores like Whole Foods. Finally, we will at least use the organic sections of other stores for anything else we may need. We’ll have one or two restaurant/take-out cheat meals (notice I said meals, not days) on the weekend where anything goes.

While what we do is basic and straight forward, it can be a little overwhelming for most, as it’s completely opposite of the fast/processed/cheap/easy food mindset our society has. You have to educate yourself on where your food comes from and why that is important. You have to allow time for shopping and cooking. The goods news is that over time, it becomes part of your routine and easier to manage. (I highly recommend watching the documentary ‘In Defense of Food’ on Netflix.) I cannot emphasize enough how eating like this can improve your physical and mental health. Eating a balanced, natural diet is the best medicine for everything. Likewise the choices we make also have more positive economic and environmental impacts.

Anyway, here is my daily menu! Water is my main beverage, with unsweetened tea at lunch. (I tend to repeat what works for me, so I usually have this every weekday. Portion sizes can drastically change depending on what workout program I am on.) Keep in mind things like tastes and allergies will be unique for everyone, so this is by no means the only options out there.

Breakfast: Plain yogurt mixed with raw oats, seeds (ground flax, pumpkin, chia, sunflower), honey, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, anise
Snack: peanut/almond butter mixed with extra dark cacoa chips, banana
Lunch: casserole consisting of ground beef, 9 grain rice mix, salsa made of tomato, kale, pumpkin puree, avocado, olive oil, and a variety of spices – pepper, onion, garlic, chipotle, hot chili, basil, tumeric, and an apple
Pre/post workout smoothie: water, chocolate natural vegan protein powder, spinach, chard, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries, cranberries, maple syrup, bee pollen, fish oil, multicolor carrots, multicolor beets, and a powdered fruit/veggie variety mix consisting of nutrient dense items like acai, maca, goji, wheatgrass, phytoplankton, etc.
Snack: mixed nuts – dry, lightly salted peanuts, almonds, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachio and grapes
Dinner: Fish, shrimp, chicken, or pork entree with mixed veggies and multicolor potatoes, spring mix salad with vinaigrette dressing
Snack: Smoothie made of water, chocolate natural vegan protein powder, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, parsley
Categories: Metal Musings, Recipes & Food