If you are a meat eater who wants to eat a healthy and balanced diet, creating a meal plan is a good idea. Meal plans help you to consume the necessary micro and macronutrients such as protein, fat, carbohydrates, iron and magnesium.
In this article, you will learn how to create a healthy and balanced meal plan for meat-eaters.
Choose the Right Meat for your Needs
Before you can start creating a meal plan, you need to identify your specific needs. For example, would you like to lose weight? Are you a bodybuilder? Are you trying to put on weight? If you are trying to lose weight, you will need to pay attention to your calorie intake, as a bodybuilder, you need to build muscle and keep your body fat low therefore, more protein, moderate carbs and lots of healthy fats would be beneficial.
Red meat such as beef contains more fat than chicken or other white meats. Therefore, red meat should be combined with lots of green vegetables for fat loss and muscle growth and maintenance.
Choose good quality meats as opposed to processed or cured meats. For example, a good quality prime bone in ribeye is a nice choice for an avid meat eater.
Lots of Vegetables
Vegetables should be the key component in a meat-eater diet, lots of dark leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach and swiss chard are excellent for meat lovers. Saute, steam or consume raw, just make sure your plate contains 50 percent vegetables.
Healthy Carbs
Include healthy carbohydrates into your diet such as sweet potato, brown rice, quinoa and bulgar wheat. Healthy carbs should cover 25 percent of your plate.
Healthy Fats
Healthy fats include extra virgin olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, coconut oil and avocado oil. If you are on the ketogenic diet, healthy fats should dominate your diet. Your diet should be 80 percent fat, 10 percent protein and 10 percent healthy carbohydrates.
Grill or Bake your Meat
Instead of frying your meat, grill or bake it to reduce the calories from the excess oil. Remember that meat already contains fat, therefore, if you are not on a low-carb, high fat diet, reduce your fat intake by grilling or baking your meat.
Make Salad
Make chicken, grilled beef or any other type of meat. Include meat in your simple salads using lettuce, spinach, kale or mixed greens base.
Here is a quick and simple steak salad recipe:
Ingredients
2 cups grilled steak (sliced)
1 cup spinach, chopped
½ cup red onions, chopped
½ cup green peas, slightly mashed
½ large avocado, slightly mashed
½ cup sweetcorn
Sea salt
Black pepper
Dressing
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp dijon mustard
½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
½ tbsp honey
Pinch of salt
To make the dressing combine all ingredients and whisk together in a bowl until well combined.
Pour the dressing over the salad and season with black pepper and sea salt.
Create a simple and healthy meal plan for meat-eaters by identifying your nutritional needs first. Always include vegetables, either steamed or sauteed vegetables. Make quick and easy salads and choose healthy carbohydrates and fats.