{"id":109980,"date":"2023-08-04T14:08:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-04T18:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=109980"},"modified":"2023-08-07T12:22:44","modified_gmt":"2023-08-07T16:22:44","slug":"bigger-leaner-stronger-meal-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/bigger-leaner-stronger-meal-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"The 5 Steps to Creating Your Bigger Leaner Stronger Meal Plan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Are you looking to burn fat and build muscle? What nutrients will help you do that? Are supplements recommended?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In <em>Bigger Leaner Stronger<\/em>, personal trainer Michael Matthews promotes flexible dieting\u2014a method of eating that helps you trim fat and build muscle without sacrificing the foods you love. He shares five steps to creating a <em>Bigger Leaner Stronger<\/em> meal plan that works for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Read more to get the details on determining your goal, calculating your calorie target, calculating your calories-per-macro target, planning your meal schedule, and creating your meals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-step-1-decide-how-you-want-to-change-your-physique\">Step 1: Decide How You Want to Change Your Physique<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before you can create your own <em>Bigger Leaner Stronger<\/em> meal plan, you must decide how you want to start changing your physique. <strong>You can prioritize losing fat, maintaining your current physique, or building muscle.<\/strong> Matthews explains that, unless you\u2019re new to strength training, you can\u2019t effectively lose fat and build muscle at the same time: trimming fat requires reducing calories, and having fewer calories available hinders your body\u2019s ability to build muscle. Getting stronger <em>and <\/em>leaner typically requires alternating between phases of losing fat and building muscle. Matthews suggests you decide what to focus on first based on your body fat percentage<em>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s now look at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/the-three-ways\/\">the three ways<\/a> to start changing your physique: <em>cutting <\/em>to lose fat, <em>maintaining <\/em>to stay at your current weight, or <em>lean bulking<\/em> to build muscle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Option #1: Cutting<\/strong>\u2014The purpose of cutting is to trim fat. This approach requires you to eat <em>fewer<\/em> calories than you burn. Matthews suggests you start with a cutting phase if your body fat percentage is over 15%. Higher body fat takes longer to cut, requiring you to resist cravings longer, so working to reduce your body fat first makes it easier to succeed in subsequent cuts. End your cutting phases at around 10% to 12% body fat, as it\u2019s harder to get leaner without intense diet control and exercise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Option #2: Maintaining<\/strong>\u2014The purpose of maintaining is to stay at your current weight and slowly build muscle. To do this, you must eat the <em>same<\/em> amount of calories you burn. According to Matthews, you should maintain if you&#8217;re happy with your physique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Option #3: Lean Bulking<\/strong>\u2014The purpose of lean bulking is to build muscle and strength. This phase requires you to eat <em>more<\/em> calories than you burn. While this optimizes muscle-building, you\u2019ll also gain some fat in the process. Matthews suggests you end your lean bulk when you have around 15% to 17% body fat so you don\u2019t gain too much fat you\u2019ll need to cut later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 2: Calculate Your Daily Calorie Target<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you know if you want to cut, maintain, or lean bulk and whether to add or subtract calories from your diet, you must<strong> figure out the <\/strong><strong><em>right<\/em><\/strong><strong> amount of calories to eat daily.<\/strong> Consider three factors when calculating your target calories:<strong> <\/strong>your body recomposition goal, how active you are, and your weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Matthews suggests different ranges of calories to target when cutting, maintaining, and gaining. You should aim for the higher or lower end of this range depending on how active you are. If you\u2019re less active, aim for the lower end. If you\u2019re very active, aim for the higher end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>If you\u2019re cutting:<\/strong> Consume <em>eight to 12 calories <\/em>per pound of body weight daily. For most, this creates the 20 to 25% calorie deficit necessary to lose weight.<\/li><li><strong>If you\u2019re maintaining: <\/strong>Consume <em>12 to 16 calories <\/em>per pound of body weight daily.<\/li><li><strong>If you\u2019re lean bulking: <\/strong>Consume <em>16 to 18 calories <\/em>per pound of body weight daily. This typically creates the 10% calorie surplus needed for building muscle without gaining too much fat.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 3: Calculate Your Target Calories for Each Macronutrient<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you know how many calories you should eat in a day, <strong>calculate how many calories you need to allot to each macronutrient (protein, carbs, and fat). <\/strong>The percentages that Matthews recommends are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Protein should make up around 30% to 40% of your daily calories. One gram of protein has about four calories.<\/li><li>Carbs should make up around 30% to 50% of your daily calories. One gram of carbs has about four calories.<\/li><li>Fats should make up around 20% to 30% of your daily calories. One gram of fat has about nine calories.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These percentages don\u2019t need to add up to 100%\u2014leave up to 20% free for treats (we\u2019ll discuss how to add these to your diet later). To calculate your target calories for each macro, multiply your total daily target by the appropriate percentage in decimal form. For example, 2400 (total daily calorie target) x 0.3 (protein calorie target) is 720 calories of protein daily (or 180 grams).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 4: Plan Your Meal Schedule and What Foods to Eat<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve calculated your target calories, you can start <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/planning-your-meals\/\">planning your meals<\/a> accordingly. While flexible dieting gives you the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/freedom-to-choose\/\">freedom to choose<\/a> foods that you like, Matthews suggests you<strong> eat several portions of vegetables and fruits and get most of your calories from vegetables, fruits, whole grains, healthy fats, legumes, and tubers.<\/strong> When selecting proteins, Matthews recommends proteins from animal rather than plant sources because animal proteins tend to be better for building muscle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Create Your Food List With the Traffic Light System<\/strong><br><br>Another way to choose foods that are both enjoyable and nutritious is to consult physician Michael Greger\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/how-not-to-die\/part-2#diet-by-traffic-light\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">traffic light system<\/a>.<br><br>In this system, green light foods are unprocessed plant foods, which you can eat in unlimited amounts (such as vegetables, fruits, and beans). Yellow light foods include processed plant foods and unprocessed animal foods (such as bread or chicken). If possible, Greger suggests you replace these with green light foods. Lastly, red light foods include heavily processed plant foods and processed animal foods (such as cupcakes or sausages), which Greger suggests you avoid.&nbsp;<br><br>You\u2019d likely want the majority of your proteins, carbs, and fats to be green and yellow foods and to reserve red foods as treats.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>First, decide how many meals to eat each day and when so you can plan out portions that meet your daily targets. For the most part, this should depend on your appetite, schedule, and overall preference. Matthews writes that most people eat four to six meals a day (including snacks) and suggests you eat at least two to improve your body\u2019s ability to build muscle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: There\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/is-it-better-to-eat-several-small-meals-or-fewer-larger-ones\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ongoing debate among researchers<\/a> about whether <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/meal-timing\/\">meal frequency<\/a> matters when it comes to health and weight loss. Some argue that eating frequent small meals is more beneficial than eating fewer large meals. They cite studies showing that eating frequent meals lowers the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease and enhances athletes\u2019 physical performance and overall body composition. However, eating frequent small meals may increase hunger and make it more difficult to stick to diet plans. if you struggle with controlling meal portions or are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/always-busy\/\">too busy<\/a> to prepare many nutritious meals, you may benefit more from sticking with three large meals a day.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, create a list of your favorite proteins, carbohydrates, and fats (that are, ideally, nutritious and minimally processed) and write down some of your favorite treats. Include any drinks that contain calories. Matthews recommends you get no more than 10% of your daily calories from these drinks because they\u2019re typically less nutritious and filling than foods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: What does it mean for a food to be nutritious? Nutritious foods are nutrient-dense, which means <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthcentral.com\/nutrition\/most-nutrient-dense-foods\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">they give you more vitamins and minerals per calorie<\/a> than foods with <em>empty<\/em> calories\u2014foods that give you few to no nutrients for the calories they contain. Nutrient-dense foods can help reduce the risk of obesity, heart disease, and certain cancers.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 5: Create Your Meals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, you can use your daily calorie target, your macro calorie targets, and the list of foods you like to create your meal plan. To calculate how many calories a certain food or meal has, Matthews suggests you use online resources and find simple recipes that provide sufficient nutritional information for you to make your calculations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: The <a href=\"https:\/\/fdc.nal.usda.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">USDA National Nutrient Database<\/a> can be a helpful resource for determining the calories in foods and planning meals that meet your macronutrient targets. To use the database, enter the food item you\u2019re interested in. Then, if applicable, select the brand to receive detailed nutritional information about the food. If you want to calculate the calories in a recipe, you can look up the calorie and macro information for each ingredient and enter it into a spreadsheet.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Focus on one macronutrient at a time to make calculations easier. Each time you add a food to your daily meal plan, subtract its calories from your daily macro target. Add foods until you meet about 80% of each macronutrient target. Many foods overlap in carbs, fats, and proteins, which will make up for the rest of the calories needed for each target.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: If you don\u2019t want to do macro calculations manually, you can use a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.verywellfit.com\/best-macro-tracking-apps-5096757\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">macro tracking app<\/a> that allows you to log your foods, set target calories, and plan meals that fit your macronutrient needs.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Matthews recommends you build your meal plan in this order:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. Add your proteins<\/strong>. Try to eat protein three times a day because it helps build muscle and manage hunger. Matthews suggests you eat at most 30 to 40 grams of protein per meal because there\u2019s a limit on how much muscle your body can build from protein consumed in a single serving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: There\u2019s some research that supports Matthews\u2019s suggestion to eat protein multiple times a day. Most people eat the majority of their daily protein for dinner. However, according to one study, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0022316622009087\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">people who ate protein-rich breakfasts<\/a> had increased 24-hour muscle protein synthesis (which leads to greater muscle gains during strength training) compared with people who ate most of their protein in the evening.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. Add your carbohydrates. <\/strong>To ensure you get your nutrients in, Matthews suggests you add at least three portions of vegetables and then move on to other nutritious carbs like fruits and whole grains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: Whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes are considered <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hsph.harvard.edu\/nutritionsource\/carbohydrates\/#ref1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the healthiest sources of carbohydrates<\/a>, allowing you to get the proper minerals, vitamins, fiber, and phytonutrients. If you find it hard to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hsph.harvard.edu\/nutritionsource\/what-should-you-eat\/vegetables-and-fruits\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">eat more vegetables and fruits<\/a>, try buying a wide variety from the store, finding recipes that include them, and making them more readily accessible when you\u2019re hungry\u2014by keeping pre-cut fruit in your fridge, for example.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. Add your fats. <\/strong>Matthews suggests you focus on foods containing mostly unsaturated fats, such as nuts, dairy, meats, and eggs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: There\u2019s considerable debate around the healthiness of different types of dietary fats. However, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/healthy-lifestyle\/nutrition-and-healthy-eating\/in-depth\/fat\/art-20045550\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">unsaturated fats are generally considered healthy<\/a>, as they typically elevate \u201cgood\u201d HDL cholesterol while lowering \u201cbad\u201d LDL cholesterol. High saturated fat and \u201cbad\u201d cholesterol levels, on the other hand, may be linked to heart disease and Alzheimer\u2019s.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4. Add your treats. <\/strong>These can be anything from your favorite sweets to drinks, including alcohol. Treats should make up the remaining calories after you subtract proteins, carbs, and fats from your total target calories. Matthews writes that you can allot up to 20% of your daily calories to treats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Matthews, it\u2019s occasionally acceptable to stray from your meal plan and have \u201ccheat meals\u201d or \u201ccheat days\u201d where you don\u2019t worry about calories or macros. However, be sure to limit these to no more than two a week. Also, he advises you to avoid eating out at restaurants more than once a week when cutting and more than twice a week when maintaining or lean bulking. It\u2019s often harder to estimate the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-calculate-calories-and-macros\/\">calories and macros<\/a> in meals you don\u2019t prepare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Cheat Meals and Treats: Do They Help or Hurt?<\/strong><br><br>While some fitness experts and nutritionists recommend avoiding cheat meals altogether, others argue that cheat meals are not only acceptable but necessary for healthy eating. Let\u2019s compare their opinions with Matthews\u2019s advice and explore some factors to consider when figuring out how to fit cheats and treats into your diet.<br><br>Instead of cheat meals, some nutritionists say that a better approach is to simply <a href=\"https:\/\/www.self.com\/story\/registered-dietitian-eat-dessert-every-day\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">eat dessert every day<\/a>. By leaving some room in your daily diet for treats, as Matthews suggests, you\u2019ll avoid the temptation to binge eat and blow your diet. To stay healthy while eating treats every day, avoid eating foods with added sugars that you don\u2019t count as treats.<br><br>If you do decide to incorporate cheat meals or days into your diet, experts recommend you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/nutrition\/cheat-meals#effectiveness\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">plan them in advance<\/a>.&nbsp;<br><br>All in all, most experts agree that having some flexibility to your diet\u2014whether you allow yourself the daily treat, occasional \u201ccheat meal,\u201d or both\u2014helps you stick with your diet longer and sustain a healthy eating lifestyle.&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Additional Nutrition Tips<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you know how to create a meal plan for flexible dieting, let\u2019s consider some additional nutrition tips from Matthews for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/why-more-is-less\/\">maximizing<\/a> muscle gain and fat loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Eat Protein Before or After Your Workout<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Matthews recommends you eat 30 to 40 grams of protein either within three to four hours <em>before <\/em>your workout or within an hour <em>after<\/em>. Eating protein before a workout provides your body with the necessary nutrients for muscle growth and helps start its muscle-building process. As your workout progresses, your body begins to break down muscle proteins at a higher rate. Eating protein after your workout ensures your body builds more muscle than it breaks down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: Experts <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/health\/body\/protein-shake-before-or-after-workout\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">debate whether the timing of your protein intake matters<\/a>. Some believe that you have only a short amount of time to eat protein after your workout to maximize muscle growth\u2014a 30-minute period called the \u201canabolic window.\u201d However, others say there\u2019s evidence that simply eating enough protein daily is more important than timing.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Supplements Help but Aren\u2019t Necessary<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Matthews, you don\u2019t need to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/should-you-take-supplements\/\">take supplements<\/a> to achieve your ideal physique. However, there are four supplements that can make it easier to get the nutrients you need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Protein Powder: <\/strong>Powdered forms of protein (such as whey or casein) can help you to meet your daily protein goal. However, limit protein powder to less than half of your daily protein, as too much can cause gastrointestinal problems and protein-rich foods tend to be more nutritious and filling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: While protein powders can be a convenient way to meet your protein target, some experts suggest you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatingwell.com\/article\/7913676\/is-protein-powder-healthy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">choose your powder carefully<\/a>. Protein powders aren\u2019t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, meaning it doesn\u2019t verify that they\u2019re safe for consumption. Indeed, <a href=\"https:\/\/cleanlabelproject.org\/protein-powder-white-paper\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">one study<\/a> found that many protein powders contained high levels of lead and BPA, as well as contaminants like mercury and arsenic. To choose quality protein powders, look for third-party-tested products and research brands carefully.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Fish Oil: <\/strong>Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid found in fatty fish, flaxseed, and walnuts, with many health benefits such as reducing inflammation. Consuming sufficient amounts can be hard to do with food alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: In <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/in-defense-of-food\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>In Defense of Food<\/em><\/a>, Michael Pollan argues that omega-3 is possibly the most essential of all nutrients. In addition to reducing inflammation, omega-3 has <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/in-defense-of-food\/chapter-5#omega-3s-vs-omega-6s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">numerous other benefits<\/a>: It helps your brain development, vision, and metabolism, and it can even alleviate psychological disorders such as depression. Some experts caution against getting your omega-3s through fish oil, however. In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/how-not-to-die\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>How Not to Die<\/em><\/a>, Michael Greger suggests you get your omega-3s through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/how-not-to-die\/part-2-6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">algae oil or yeast products<\/a>, arguing that fish oils contain PCBs, mercury, and pollutants, which can harm your cognitive performance.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Creatine:<\/strong> A substance made of amino acids that your body naturally produces small amounts of. Creatine can improve muscle growth and recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: Creatine benefits your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/dr-amen-brain-health\/\">brain health<\/a>, too. There\u2019s evidence, for example, that regularly taking creatine monohydrate can help <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2886719\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">prevent neurodegenerative conditions like Huntington\u2019s and Parkinson\u2019s diseases<\/a>.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Are you looking to burn fat and build muscle? What nutrients will help you do that? Are supplements recommended? In Bigger Leaner Stronger, personal trainer Michael Matthews promotes flexible dieting\u2014a method of eating that helps you trim fat and build muscle without sacrificing the foods you love. He shares five steps to creating a Bigger Leaner Stronger meal plan that works for you. Read more to get the details on determining your goal, calculating your calorie target, calculating your calories-per-macro target, planning your meal schedule, and creating your meals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":109991,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,16],"tags":[1119],"class_list":["post-109980","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-food","category-health","tag-bigger-leaner-stronger","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The 5 Steps to Creating Your Bigger Leaner Stronger Meal Plan - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Are you looking to burn fat and build muscle? 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