Fitness & Bodybuilding Nutritional Plan (Sample)
A sample nutritional program built on a simple formula — each meal 20–30% complex carbohydrates, 60–70% lean protein, and 10% or less fat — with six meals a day and calorie targets that cycle between 1,200 and 1,400.
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How each meal is built
Each meal in this nutritional program should consist of 20%–30% complex carbohydrates, 60%–70% lean proteins, and 10% or less fat. The food choices below show what fits each category — and what to leave out.
Complex carbohydrates
Pasta, egg white noodles (Mrs. Weiss), potatoes (30 calories/ounce), yams (45 calories/ounce), rice, oatmeal, cream of wheat, cream of rice, Malt-O-Meal, and pita bread (60 calories/slice).
Simple carbohydrates (sugars) — avoid all of these
Avoid all simple sugars, fruits included. Although they do not have any fat grams, they still raise your insulin levels very dramatically, which makes a perfect avenue for fat to be stored.
Fibrous carbohydrates (vegetables)
Lettuce — for every 100 calories of lettuce, it takes your body 120 calories to burn — so eat as much as you want. Most vegetables are OK to not count as calories, but check them in your nutrition manual. These include green leafy vegetables, broccoli, and green beans.
Lean protein
Boneless skinless chicken breast (25 calories/ounce), turkey breast (30 calories/ounce), egg whites or Egg Beaters (20 calories/ounce), and fish — certain types of fish, not all fish, are lean (orange roughy is not lean): tuna in water, cod, flounder, sole, and scrod. Pure Protein meal replacement supplement: 180 calories. Beans (lima, black, kidney, chick peas, or lentils).
Snacks
Rice cakes (watch sugar content) and popcorn (air-popped only). You can eat almost any non-fat, low-sugar food in moderation — just be certain to add the calorie intake of anything you eat into your daily calorie count.
The ground rules
Avoid dairy products, as dairy contains lactose, which is a form of sugar and thickens the skin. Drink at least 1 gallon of water daily.
For salad dressing, use balsamic vinaigrette — you can sweeten it with Equal and Splenda. Many non-fat dressings have sugar; you may use any that don’t.
The calorie targets cycle across three days: the 1st and 2nd days, the calorie target intake should be 1,200; the 3rd day, the calorie target intake should be 1,400.
Days 1 and 2 — 1,200 calories
Eat one meal every three hours, six meals in all:
Meal 1 — 120 calories
Lean protein. Example: 6 egg whites — 120 calories.
Meal 2 — 200 calories
Lean protein, 8 ounces, and a fibrous carbohydrate (vegetable). Example: 8 oz chicken or turkey breast, cod, or tuna — 200 calories; salad — 0 calories.
Meal 3 — 180 calories
Lean protein. Example: Pure Protein shake — 180 calories.
Meal 4 — 300 calories
Lean protein, 8 ounces, and a fibrous carbohydrate (vegetables). Example: 8 oz chicken or turkey breast, cod, or tuna — 200 calories; broccoli — 50 calories; salad — 0 calories.
Meal 5 — 300 calories
Lean protein, 8 ounces, and a fibrous carbohydrate (vegetables). Example: 8 oz chicken or turkey breast, cod, or tuna — 200 calories; green beans — 50 calories; salad — 0 calories.
Meal 6 — 120 calories
Lean protein. Example: 6 egg whites — 120 calories.
Day 3 — 1,400 calories
Day 3 raises the target and adds complex carbohydrates to the first two meals:
Meal 1 — 220 calories
Lean protein and complex carbohydrate. Example: 6 egg whites — 120 calories; cream of wheat or oatmeal — 100 calories.
Meal 2 — 355 calories
Lean protein, 8 ounces, a fibrous carbohydrate (vegetable), and a complex carbohydrate. Example: 8 oz chicken or turkey breast, cod, or tuna — 200 calories; salad — 0 calories; yam, 3.5 oz — 145 calories.
Meal 3 — 180 calories
Lean protein. Example: Pure Protein shake — 180 calories.
Meal 4 — 300 calories
Lean protein, 8 ounces, and a fibrous carbohydrate (vegetables). Example: 8 oz chicken or turkey breast, cod, or tuna — 200 calories; broccoli — 50 calories; salad — 0 calories.
Meal 5 — 300 calories
Lean protein, 8 ounces, and a fibrous carbohydrate (vegetables). Example: 8 oz chicken or turkey breast, cod, or tuna — 200 calories; green beans — 50 calories; salad — 0 calories.
Meal 6 — 120 calories
Lean protein. Example: 6 egg whites — 120 calories.
About the author
Allen Smolenski, M.D.
Emergency Medicine physician and founder of Coastal Medical Clinic in Surfside Beach (2009). After losing nearly 60 pounds himself — and placing third in his class at the 2008 NPC Natural Northern USA Bodybuilding Contest — he completed a fellowship in Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine through the A4M, and now helps patients across the Grand Strand optimize their hormones, metabolism, and long-term health.
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