Plan! Prep! Plan! Prep! Plan!
Keys to success!
Haylie Pomroy wrote this plan- here is how I do it. This step is crucial- in all honesty, I thought when I started that I could skip this step. I love to cook, I am good at it, I can easily whip up something for lunch or snack. Right? Boy, was I wrong! I spent that first week constantly in the kitchen, planning, checking this list and that list and double checking. Going to the fridge and re-checking that master food list. I became super frustrated. That is not a good thing! Stress can be worse than added sugar!
The second week, I filled out the meal map. And while I may switch Monday with Tuesday- I generally was able to follow it and it took all of that checking and searching out of the picture. SO much easier to follow FMD after that point. Now, when I do any of Haylie's other plans- I Burn or Hormone Rx- I sit down, make a meal map, grocery list and prep list. BEFORE I start the plan. I hate being frustrated and I am sure you do too.
Meal Planning for FMD
Remember, this is a meal MAP- this document will help guide you, as you journey through the week. You don’t drive to a new destination without a map, right?
Use this to guide your FMD journey. Having this filled out, whether you are new or tenured, will help you prep, it will help you save money, it will help you save time. It also eliminates stress from trying to figure out what to eat 5x a day.
Be sure to read Haylie's book, The Fast Metabolism Diet Plan (you can buy on her website) before you start this process.
Getting started:
Step 1: Print out the blank meal map, or write out the requirements, by copying from Haylie’s book. I use Excel, since it is easy to copy, format and type everything in. It is also easy to keep the menu for the week, and to use it for another week. Have each phase listed, each meal and snack listed for every day of the week, and what is required for each one. For example: Breakfast: Grain and Fruit. Snack: Fruit.
Step 2: Grab a copy of the portion chart- either from a Facebook group that may have it, or from Haylie’s site or books.
Step 3: Get the Master Food List- again, from a Facebook group, or Haylie’s book. Most groups have more extensive lists, collected from Haylie’s updates since the book came out.
Pro Tip: Highlight the foods you like for each phase to make it easier.
Step 4: Decide how you want to eat. Do you want something simple, where you are not following recipes and just eating the components required? Do you want to use Haylie’s recipes or other recipes from blogs or Pinterest or other sites? Either way is perfectly fine- do what you need to do to make this stress free. If you are not used to cooking, or do not like to cook, going simple is the way to go. If you like to cook and are familiar with following recipes, look at a few to see what sounds delicious. Check the ingredients to see what phase they would fit into. Every ingredient has to be on a phase food list in order to work for that phase.
For a simple plan:
A. Start with Protein. Fill in the protein (using the portion amount… 4oz chicken, for example) you want to eat for each meal and snack that requires it. Go through the entire week. Choose proteins that you like to eat and check the master food list to ensure the protein is compliant for the phase you're working on. Check this list every time you want to write down a protein. Keep in mind you want to mix it up (Confuse it to lose it) but you can cook a large batch of meat or beans to eat in several meals through the week. Check the portion chart for your portion for each meal and snack. You will measure meat by weight and raw.
B. Next, fill in the Grains for Phase 1 and Phase 3. Be sure to put the portion size for each meal. For example: 1 cup cooked oats or 17 Spelt Pretzels. Grains are measured by volume (cup or half cup, etc) after they are cooked. Or follow the chart for breads, bagels, muffins portions.
C. Go back to Phase 1 and fill in the Fruits you want to eat for each meal and snack. List the portion sizes for reminders and to make it easy. Fruit is measured raw. Go to Phase 3 and fill in the fruits you need for breakfast and lunch. Don’t forget to check the Master Food List as Phase 3 fruits are not always the same as Phase 1 fruits
D. Now for the Veggies. Haylie says to eat lots and lots of veggies and she has on her website a portion guide for veggies- 2 cups of veggies with meal and 1 cup with snacks that require it or double those amounts if you have the higher weight loss goal. Be sure to eat different veggies- do not eat the same ones every meal. Try to have more than one veggie in each meal. You will measure veggies raw but you can cook them. Think about how you want to cook them or if you want them raw. Look at new ways to cook veggies you think you may not like. There are may ways to prepare veggies and each method can make them taste different. Also, remember that veggies are unlimited and can be added to any snack that doesn’t have veggies listed, such as in Phase 1 or Phase 2. You can also add veggies to Phase 1 breakfast.
E. Finally, go to Phase 3 and fill in your Healthy Fats for every meal and snack. Check the portion chart for each one, so you make sure you are eating the right amount. Try to mix up the fats- you do not want to eat nuts every single day for 5 meals/snacks. You will have a HF in every meal and snack.
F. Now, you are ready to fill out a grocery list and go shopping. Since you wrote down the portions amounts you need for each food, it will be easy to estimate how much you need to buy of each food.
G. Prep. Cut up the veggies you need to cut up, portion your meat so it is ready. Pre-cook anything you can cook ahead.
H. Tips: Use spices and herbs liberally- they are unlimited (fresh or dried) so go for it. Lots of herbs like garlic, ginger and parsley, help with digestion.
Check the Condiment list for ideas on how to spice things up. Do not eat boring food (unless that’s your thing)
Use nonstick pans to cook in, parchment paper or silicone mats to roast veggies on.
Set aside a few hours each week to prep- this will cut down cooking time each day. Enlist the help of your children or spouse/partner to make things go faster. This is a wonderful teaching moment for the kids and can be a bonding time with the spouse.
Use a food processor to chop, slice or shred veggies. Carrots, celery, jicama onions, root veggies and other hard veggies can be chopped several days ahead. Bell peppers, tomatoes and softer veggies will last a couple of days in the fridge once they are chopped.
For a map using recipes:
A. Find the recipes that sound good to you, that are within your cooking skill range. Read each one and see what phase and what meal they are for. See how many portions the recipe makes and decide if you want to freeze some or eat it multiple times in the week. Be sure to check the ingredients with the master food list to ensure they are actually phase appropriate.
B. Fill in the meals you have recipes for. For these meals, check to make sure they include all components. Often, you need to add more veggies, or a fruit or more fat- not every recipe is an all-inclusive meal. Check your meal map for the components you need. Fill in the foods the recipe may be missing for each of those meals and snacks.
C. Double check that all snacks and other meals that are not using recipes are filled in. Refer to the master food list to ensure each food is from the correct list. Don’t forget to fill in the portion amount you need to eat.
D. Once you have all the meals and snacks filled in, make your grocery list and go shopping. If the recipes can be cooked or prepped ahead of time, do that.
E. Tips: If you are new to this, I suggest starting out with one recipe per phase. If the recipe makes a lot- like a pot of chili- freeze some for next week. Be sure to label your containers with date, the phase it is for and what is in the container (I cannot tell you how many containers of mystery meals I have thrown away!)
Print your recipes and put into plastic sleeves in a 3 ring binder. That way, you can make notes, or changes and keep the recipe for use again.
Do not be afraid to adjust seasoning on any recipe. If it is too spicy, reduce the hot spices. If it is bland, maybe add salt or pepper or garlic. Herbs are never crucial to the recipe other than flavor, so they can easily be adjusted up or down.
To divide most recipes- if the recipe says it serves 4, you will need to simply measure out 4 equal servings. This is easy to do if you are packing up containers to freeze. Not every recipe will measure into cups.
Now, go enjoy that first week, or that first EASY week and relish in all the good things you are doing for your body and health!!
