You poor people have all heard me blather on about getting into a pattern when it comes to eating, i.e., trying to eat the same stuff every day.
Yeah, I know it’s boring. That’s why it works!
The body thrives in a pattern, and consistency and discipline are closely linked. Just ask any bodybuilder whose ever gotten super lean — there ain’t a lot of winging it.
Not to mention it’s much easier for your lazy coach to make adjustments when you can provide such reliable data.
You just have to map out your diet and the requisite macros ONCE (8 egg whites and 1/2 cup oatmeal for breakfast, 1/2 cup cottage cheese and a banana mid morning, etc). From there the focus can switch to preparing and eating those foods consistently in your daily grind, which for most is the real challenge.
Still, the boredom thing. I hear you.
Those with families, spouses, and social lives will agree that not every dinner can be 200g turkey/chicken breast and 300g sweet potato.
So here’s your solution.
Look at your diet.
Without even realizing it, 2 or 3 meals are likely the same damn thing every day with only one that tends to “vary.”
Usually breakfast, lunch, and a snack are consistent and dinner is more “open.” Or maybe it’s lunch that’s random. It doesn’t matter. (Though if more than one meal a day is a gamble then you need to address that first).
Now take the meals you consistently eat every day (ideally plug them into MyFitnessPal) and work out the portions so all told they “eat up” about two-thirds (or three quarters) of your daily calorie target.
That leaves what’s left for the “open” meal, which is where you can use an effective low stress “guesstimation” strategy:
“Palm sized portion lean protein, fist sized portion of starch, as many veggies as you want.”
Or, “divide plate into thirds, equal portions lean protein, starchy carbs, and green veggies?”
Or, for those who tend to overeat starches if left unchecked, maybe arrange it so starches are covered in your measured meals and the open meal is “lean protein and all-u-can eat green veggies?”
Or, perhaps the opposite? If you want to eat a lot of starch at dinner, maybe keep the set meals relatively low in carbs? (I don’t like this method as it can lead to or even validate uncontrolled bingeing).
The key is prepping the set meals with as much precision as possible and leaving enough of a calorie “buffer” so the open meal can have some real-world wiggle room.
And of course, the open meal can’t be a free for all — use an appropriate portion strategy built around quality whole foods.
Will this get you to ripped to shreds condition? Likely not.
But it will get you a lot closer than trying (and failing) at a “precise” plan that doesn’t fit your lifestyle.