I continually get emails asking for more weight gain and weight loss meal plans. I recently received one from a female asking for a meal plan for women, too.
Therefore, this week I decided to include two very brief summaries of an interesting weight loss study and one weight gain study. I also included a meal plan at the bottom for both scenarios; both can be used by women or men, the calories just may need to differ, depending on goals.
Obviously each person is unique, so this is to serve merely as a guideline; however, this model can be followed and adjusted to meet each person's needs.
A Neat Way to Lose Weight
What if fidgeting could contribute to weight control? That would be NEAT, wouldn't it? NEAT stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis and is the energy expended by physical activities other than planned exercise (fidgeting, standing, and talking).
A study published in Science suggested that lean individuals practiced more NEAT behaviors than their obese counterparts1. Twenty self-proclaimed couch potato (10 lean, 10 mildly obese) volunteers, had their body postures and movements measured for 10 days.
It was determined that the obese participants were seated for 164 minutes longer per day than the lean participants and were upright 152 minutes less, translating to an additional 325 calories of energy expended/day!
So make sure the next time you're sitting, you're shaking your legs, moving your arms, and, pretty much doing everything possible to annoy the people around you; it will make you look better in the long run.
Fidgit While You Sit.
Weight Gain Study
The term "functional training" is now in vogue; many sport-specific movements are performed on one leg (throwing, kicking, changing running direction, etc), so training regimens often recommend resistance training in similar planes of movement rather than focusing heavily on traditional movements, like squats, deadlifts, chins, etc.
Do these more "functional" movements give the same results? A study published by researchers in Valdosta State University in Georgia compared unilateral and bilateral lower-body resistance training on measures of strength and power in untrained individuals2.
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The Functional Training Craze!
The purpose of this article is to give people an understanding of what functional training is, and what it does and does not do.
[ Click here to learn more. ] |
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The one group of trainees performed lateral squats and front squats, whereas the other group performed unilateral squats, lunges, and step-ups. Researchers found no significant differences among subjects in overall strength or power, suggesting a similar benefit in both types of training.
Moral of the story: mix it up and never train the same way for an extended period of time.
Weight Loss Plan
Meal 1
1/2 cup raw oats cooked with 1 cup skim milk, 1 banana, and cinnamon to taste
1 cup green tea
300 calories, 15 g protein, 50 g carbs, 3 g fat
or
1/2 cup hot oat bran cooked with 1 cup water, 2 TBS wheat germ and cinnamon to taste
1 medium grapefruit
1 cup green tea
280 calories, 11 g protein, 51 g carbs, 3 g fat
Snack 1
1 apple with 1 TBS natural peanut butter
1 cup skim milk
300 calories, 15 g protein, 27 g carbs, 8 g fat
Meal 2
3 oz grilled salmon over mixed greens and a variety of vegetables and tossed with 1 TBS balsamic vinaigrette dressing
330 calories, 25 g protein, 25 g carbs, 15 g fat
or
1 medium leftover sweet potato
1 can tuna fish canned in water; drain water and add salsa to taste
400 calories, 40 g protein, 50 g carbs, 1 g fat
Snack 2
1/2 cup hummus with mixed vegetables
1 sweet potato
300 calories, 15 g protein, 40 g carbs, 10 g fat
Meal 3
3 oz grilled chicken, 1 cup steamed yellow and green squash and 4 roasted red potatoes
400 calories, 25 g protein, 50 g carbs, 6 g protein
or
3 oz grilled turkey burger with 1 cup steamed mixed vegetables and 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
408 calories, 25 g protein, 37 g carbs, 9 g fat
Snack
Favorite MRP made with 1 cup frozen fruit and water to desired consistency
340 calories, 40 g protein, 40 g carbs, 2 g fat
Weight Gain Meal Plan
Meal 1
4 whole grain frozen waffles topped with 1 TBS pure maple syrup
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese with 1 cup berries
1 cup green tea
450 calories, 25 g protein, 75 g carbs, 6 g fat
or
2 Egg Muffin Sandwich: (cook 2 pieces Canadian bacon, 2 jumbo eggs over easy and toast 2 whole wheat English muffins).
Layer ingredients between muffins.
1 orange
450 calories, 35 g protein, 65 g carbs, 6 g fat
Snack
1 cup nonfat, plain yogurt mixed with 1 cup low fat cottage cheese, 1 cup black seedless grapes and 1 banana with 1 TBS ground flax seed
410 calories, 43 g protein, 45 g carbs, 8 g fat
Meal 2
4 oz grilled chicken with 1 sweet potato and 1 cup steamed broccoli
1 cup skim milk
500 calories, 40 g protein, 57 g carbs, 4 g fat
or
Triple decker: 3 slices whole wheat bread with 2 TBS natural peanut butter and 1 whole banana. Spread peanut butter evenly on two slices, divide banana between slices and layer
1 cup skim milk
445 calories, 25 g protein, 71 g carbs, 16 g fat
Snack
Favorite MRP made with 1 cup frozen fruit, skim milk and 1 TBS flax oil. Blend to desired consistency
400 calories, 40 g protein, 40 g carbs, 14 g fat
Meal 3
Large tossed spinach salad with a variety of vegetables, 2 cups red grapes, and 1 can of tuna fish
1 TBS sesame oil, soy sauce to taste and grated ginger
400 calories, 45 g protein, 50 g carbs, 14 g fat
or
Dinner Omelet: 2 whole eggs, 4 egg whites, with mixed veggies, 3 oz chopped turkey bacon and 2 TBS low-fat cheese
2 large oranges
1 cup green tea
400 calories, 35 g protein, 50 g carbs, 15 g fat
Snack
Oatmeal pudding (in a blender, blend1/2 cup raw oats, 1/2 cup cottage cheese, sprinkle raisins and walnuts and 1 scoop protein powder. Add water until consistency is like a thick pudding).
400 calories, 40 g protein, 40 g carbs, 6 g fat
* When using canned fruit, always purchase fruit that's canned in its own juice
Also, Check Out:
References
- Levine, J. A., Lanningham-Foster, L. M., McCrady, S. K., Krizan, A. C., Olson, L. R., Kane, P. H., et al. (2005). Interindividual variation in posture allocation: possible role in human obesity. Science, 307(5709), 584-586.
- McCurdy, K. W., Langford, G. A., Doscher, M. W., Wiley, L. P., & Mallard, K. G. (2005). The effects of short-term unilateral and bilateral lower-body resistance training on measures of strength and power. J Strength Cond Res, 19(1), 9-15.
chris@MohrResults.com
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