isten up, ladies! It’s time to get
over the “low cal is best” attitude
toward eating. Sure, it makes
sense — to lose weight we need
to create a caloric deficit. But if
you’re looking to stack on some lean
mass and ramp up your strength goals,
you’ll have to bump up your food intake
on a daily basis. Don’t let this scare you
— when done right, you can maintain
the lean look you worked all summer for
while building muscle and eating more
than you ever imagined.
So why is the thought of adding
calories to your diet so cringeworthy?
Because calories in vs. calories out has
been ingrained in us since the dawn of
time. This has made us fear eating too
much in an effort to avoid unwanted
weight gain. The reality is, to build
muscle, we need calories. You heard
that right. Eat more to reach your fitness
goals faster. Skimp out and you’ll end up
burning the candle at both ends, leaving
you with a sluggish metabolism and
at risk for overtraining. But we’re not
talking any kind of calories. We’re talking
lots of lean protein, moderate complex
carbs (yes carbs!) and a moderate
amount of healthy fats. Throw in some
fruits, veggies and a few delicious recipes
and we have a meal plan!
Here’s how it works: Pair this four-
week meal plan with your fave mass-
building workout program. If there’s a
protein you’re not fond of or if you want
to take the vegetarian route, simply swap
it for the same portion size of something
you do like; the same goes for carbs and
healthy fats. Stick with lean protein
sources and high-fiber complex carbs
rather than high-sugar, simple carb
sources.
Plug your postworkout shake in
wherever it belongs. Whether you’re
an early riser or evening warrior, your
postworkout shake is meant to be
guzzled immediately after a tough sweat
session no matter what time of day it is.
If it’s an off day, drink your protein shake
before bed or skip it altogether — your
choice.
Feel free to enjoy a flex day. Take
this opportunity to enjoy a dinner out,
weekend brunch or holiday treat by
swapping out up to two meals per week
for an off-plan meal of your choice.
Just remember, it’s a treat meal, not a
treat day. The rest of the day you should
follow the meal plan as is. And don’t go
overboard with whatever you do choose
to treat yourself with. After all, it’s not a
free-for-all.Build muscle and stay lean
with our four-week meal plan.
By Shoshana Pritzker, RD, CDN, CSSD, CISSN
l