Practical Eating, Sample High-Protein Meal Plan & Rule of 200 Grams
Simple is sustainable.
This is the motto that encompasses my approach to all aspects of health and fitness - really everything in life.
In regards to nutrition, the “simple is sustainable” approach emphasizes a straightforward and practical way of eating that focuses on high-protein, healthy meals that are easy to plan, track, prepare and cook.
Nutrition tends to be the hardest part for most people. A simple, structured approach to your nutrition will help you stay on track, no matter how busy life gets.
| Focus Area | Guidance |
|---|---|
| Meal Structure | 3 meals and 1-2 snacks will provide structure and consistency with your nutrition. |
| Minimal, Easy-to-Find Ingredients | Try to stick with 5 ingredients or less for the majority of your meals. |
| High-Protein Meals | Your protein choice should be the foundation that you build every meal around - most meals should contain 50+ grams of protein. |
| Nutrition Planning | Sticking with simple ingredients makes it easy to plan your grocery shopping. Consider building meals around 6-10 “staple items”, then mixing & matching. Use sauces and seasonings for additional variety. |
I recommend choosing at least two different protein sources to prep in bulk every week, then mix and match these to build your meals.
Sample Meal Plan Structure
This sample meal plan structure is for educational purposes only. It provides you with meal ideas and a visual representation of portion sizes and food combinations that coincide with the specified calories and macronutrients. It is not intended to be used as an exact meal plan.
Sample Meal Plan: 2490 Calories
225 Protein | 240 Carbs | 70 Fats
Breakfast - Egg White Omelette and Protein Oatmeal
- 6 egg white omelette with spinach, mushrooms, and 1 oz feta cheese
- 1/2 cup (dry) oatmeal topped with cinnamon and a teaspoon of honey
- 1/2 cup blueberries or strawberries
- 1 scoop protein powder mixed into oatmeal
Lunch - Turkey and Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers
- 150g (cooked weight) lean ground turkey
- 3/4 cup cooked quinoa
- 2 large bell peppers (halved and filled with the mixture)
- 1/4 cup low-fat cheese on top
Dinner - Beef Stir-Fry with Vegetables and Brown Rice
- 6 oz (cooked weight) lean beef sirloin, sliced
- 2 cups mixed vegetables (carrots, broccoli, bell peppers)
- 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil (for stir-frying)
Snack 1 - Cottage Cheese and Fruit
- 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
- 1 small peach, sliced
Snack 2 - Protein Bar
- 1 high-protein bar
Rule of 200 Grams
This is a simple jumping off point for structuring meals that include any sort of meat - 200 grams (cooked weight) is the equivalent of about 7 oz and is a “one size fits most” portion size to ensure your meals are packed with plenty of protein.
On a standard large dinner plate, this portion size should cover roughly 1/3 to ½ your plate.
| Type | Calories | Protein (g) |
|---|---|---|
| 90% Lean ground beef | 460 | 57g |
| Skinless chicken breast | 346 | 62g |
| Venison or deer steak | 316 | 60g |
| Wild Atlantic salmon | 364 | 51g |
| Flank steak | 408 | 61g |
| Ground chicken | 378 | 47g |
| 93% Ground turkey | 426 | 54g |
| Tilapia | 256 | 52g |
| Pork chops | 504 | 54g |
| Ribeye steak | 518 | 38g |
| Elk meat | 324 | 61g |
| Shrimp | 238 | 46g |
| 80% Lean ground beef | 508 | 51g |
Closing Thoughts...
As you can see, nutrition doesn't have to be complicated. You don't need elaborate recipes or fad diets to reach your goals. Implementing the simple principles I've outlined above will provide you with a sustainable structure for healthy, high-protein nutrition that works with any lifestyle.