Today’s Daily Food Blueprint is proof that you don’t have to give up your favorite comfort foods to hit your fitness goals! I am fueling my day with a perfect balance of clean energy, featuring a fresh breakfast milkshake, a protein-packed egg scramble for lunch, and a rich, hearty homemade Instant Pot beef and gravy stew for dinner. Check out the full mathematical breakdown below to see how these comforting classics fit perfectly into a lean, high-protein lifestyle!
Evening Update
Well, my comfort food of beef and gravy was a flop. I didn’t want to use a bouillon cube because of all the sodium in it so I substituted with a salt free seasoning. That seasoning was laced with pepper and so hot, it made my stew unpalatable. I only ate 1 cup of it and I made myself eat that. I had a cup of low fat milk with it to help keep my protein up and cool my mouth down from the stew. I also added a cup of grapes to my Nightcap Bridge to gain a few more calories. My total calories for the day fell just under 1500 while my carb/protein/fat ratio remained good.
Notes
- Milkshake – 1 cup low-fat milk, 1 banana, 1/2 cup frozen strawberries, and 1 tablespoon chia seeds.
- Slot Metrics: 294 kcal | 12.0g. Protein | 50.9g Carbs | 6.9g Fat | 8.7g Fiber | 400mg Calcium | 111mg Sodium
- Whole Grain Oatmeal – ½ cup cooked oatmeal, topped with ½ cup blueberries and 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup.
- Slot Metrics: 142 kcal | 3.3g Protein | 29.7g Carbs | 2.0g Fat | 3.0g Fiber | 15mg Calcium | 6mg Sodium
- Yogurt Berry Bowl – 1/2 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt with 1/2 cup unsweetened frozen raspberries and 1 teaspoon of pure honey.
- Slot Metrics: 97 kcal | 11.2g Protein | 11.0g Carbs | 1.4g Fat | 3.0g Fiber | 140mg Calcium | 45mg Sodium
- Egg Scramble, Salad, Cottage Cheese & Hot Tea – 1 whole large egg and 2 egg whites scrambled in ½ teaspoon of butter. Served alongside a fresh garden salad on a bed of spinach with 1 slice of cheddar cheese, 1 Tablespoon of 3-cheese dressing, and 1/4 cup of low-fat cottage cheese. Accompanied by 1 cup of hot tea with 2 teaspoons of pure honey and 1/4 cup of low-fat milk.
- Slot Metrics: 461 kcal | 26.5g Protein | 19.8g Carbs | 29.1g Fat | 1.1g Fiber | 373mg Calcium | 734mg Sodium
- Instant Pot Beef & Gravy Stew – 4 oz lean beef cubes seared in 1 tsp olive oil, cooked with onions, pepper, 1/8 tsp salt, 1 cup pan-dripping broth, red potato, and carrots, thickened with 2 tbsp flour.
- Slot Metrics: 418 kcal | 29.8g Protein | 41.6g Carbs | 14.1g Fat | 5.2g Fiber | 48mg Calcium | 362mg Sodium
- Fruit Bowl – 1 cup of fresh cubed cantaloupe melon.
- Slot Metrics: 54 kcal | 1.3g Protein | 13.0g Carbs | 0.3g Fat | 1.4g Fiber | 14mg Calcium | 25mg Sodium