Here’s the thing. It’s not hard to eat healthy. It’s actually really easy. But it’s also easy to get overwhelmed by meal planning, prepping and cooking. The good news is if you take a step back and revisit the basics meal prep can be as simple as a piece of protein and a handful of veggies. Inspiring? Not really. Creative? Nah. But not every meal needs to be an Instagram worthy culinary piece of art. There are some days I put together a plate of perfection and there are days I’m eating under seasoned chicken breast out of a plastic bag as I walk to Barry’s. The point is, if you’re having trouble meal planning start with the basics. Keep it simple. You’ll be amazing at how easy it can be.

If you’ve been an OG of The Four Percent lifestyle, you may remember this post, published WAY back when (don’t judge, this was like my FIRST post ever.). I’ve updated the meal structure to outline three different types of nutritional plans:

General Healthy Eating

Breakfast: protein + carbohydrate
Snack: protein + healthy fat
Lunch: protein + carbohydrate
Snack: protein + healthy fat
Dinner: protein + carbohydrate + healthy fat

High Protein/High Fat/Low Carb

Breakfast: protein + health fat
Snack: protein + healthy fat
Lunch: protein + carbohydrate
Snack: protein + healthy fat
Dinner: protein + carbohydrate (in the form of starchy veggies, NOT grains)

High Protein/Moderate Fat/Moderate Carb

Breakfast: protein + carbohydrate
Snack: protein + healthy fat
Lunch: protein + carbohydrate
Snack: protein + healthy fat
Dinner: protein + carbohydrate (in the form of starchy veggies, NOT grains)

When you break it down into macronutrients you can plan your meals by plugging and playing with the appropriate food sources. This isn’t an exhaustive list, okay people? It’s a birds eye overview. So if you’re like, “but where are the legumes?!” relax. If you’re wondering where your favorites fit in do a little grunt work.

How does this come to life? I’m on a high protein, high fat and low carb diet, which I’ve found works best for me after YEARS (don’t ask how long just trust me) of experimenting with dietary habits. A day of eating for me may look like this…

Breakfast: Bulletproof coffee + Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides
Snack: Greek yogurt + 1-2 tbsp cashew butter
Lunch: Chicken breast + brown rice + steamed broccoli
Snack: Walnuts + 2 slices of prosciutto
Dinner: Salmon + avocado slices + heirloom cherry tomatoes

All of the above can be prepped in less than a half hour and made ahead. In fact, breakfast and the snacks can be made in 2 minutes flat.

So that’s it. Outline your meals. Break ’em down. And choose your own dietary adventure.