As far as meal plans, you can go online and a lot of websites will have pre made meal plans that are suitable for "the general public". I have used these and they tend to become a hassle because it isn't the food I like so what I do is alter them. Find a meal plan you like online that is made for the intended goal you have. Once you find this meal plan try it out for a a few days and see how you like it. if you feel it is too dificult or not enough food or anything try a new plan. If you find a plan that seems to be good for you, but you are not enjoying the foods switch it up. If the meal plan calls for a cup of brown rice you can replace it with similar foods that have the same macros. Use one website for your source though, and look up how many carbs are in one cup of brown rice. Lets say it is 50 grams of carbs, you can then find out how much sweet potato is 50 grams of carbs and substitute it. If you want a simple meal plan to build muscle, just fill your plate and eat five meals a day. 3 out of 5 meals should be 50% proteins (chicken, steak, ground beef, etc.) 25% carbs (rice, potatoes, etc.) 25% veggies. the other 2 out of 5 meals should be 25% proteins 50% carbs 25% healthy fats.

thatis just a simplified idea tho, good luck!

Matthew,

First off, stop eating egg whites and eat whole eggs. All the nutrients are in the yolks as well as healthy and essential fats and cholesterol (yes, fat and cholesterol are healthy and essential). Add in some extra virgin coconut oil to one of your meals to get some healthy saturated fats. Just doing this alone will help bump up your fat macros. I put 2-3 tablespoons in my rice or quinoa when I have my chicken breast and veggies or I use it on a sweet potatoe as a pre-workout meal. Saturated fat is the key component along with cholesterol of all your hormones like testosterone and GH. You need higher testosterone and GH levels if you want to get lean.

For carbs, add in sweet potatoes, oats, and quinoa. For protein, eat whole eggs versus egg whites and try to eat more oily fish like tuna or salmon as this hits both the protein and fat macros. Personally, I would avoid anything from Bush's as it is processed beans. It is best to buy your own beans and cook them yourself. It doesn't take that long and they will be better quality, have no sodium, and be more nutritious than any crap from Bush. You really don't need to switch it up too much. Just re-adjusting your carb and fat macros should give you an idea of how your body will respond. I would give it at least 6 months again to see how your physique reacts and then tweak your macros again if needed. Sometimes it takes a few tweaks to hit the best ratios and it took me some time to get it right for my body.

John

Matthew,

This looks good but you are just eating chicken breast all the time. If that is not an issue for you, then no worries. Personally I get my protein from a variety of sources like chicken breast, tuna steaks, whole eggs, greek yogurt, and occassionally red meat and tofu/edemame.

As for the beans, I really would stay away from the canned stuff regardless of if it is reduced sodium. If you go and buy your own beans and cook them yourself you will be much better off. The sodium that is still in the canned version (as it is only reduced not eliminated) will cause you to hold water and the Bisphenol-A which lines the inside of the can is a potent hormonal disruptor and estrogen imitator. 2 things you definitely don't want as a male. ALL canned food is processed and should be avoided.

John

Matthew,

I totally understand and many times too much info or choice can be confusing. Nutrition is very simple if you look at it holistically:

In general:

1) Eat when you are hungry. Your body will tell you when it wants food.

2) Try to have a lean protein, a complex carb, and a healthy fat with every meal.

3) Try to chose a wide selection of foods to give you variety and to maximize your ingestion of all critical micro-nutrients.

In relation to weight training and fat loss:

1) Carbs fuel your workouts, contribute to muscle building, but can increase body fat if you eat too much or the wrong kinds.

2) Protein is thermogenic and burns calories in the process of digestion. It also is the building blocks for all cells - not just muscle tissue - and supports muscle growth.

3) Fats are critical for all hormones as well as the maintenance of all cell membranes and your entire brain and nervous system.

4) Your body is most receptive to these nutrients first thing when you break your fast from sleep (breakfast) and right after you have worked out.

5) If you are trying to put on size and strength, you must eat and eat plenty of all 3 macros with every meal. Try not to exceed 500 calories over RMR so it is lean gains.

6) If you are trying to get lean and lose body fat, you must still eat plenty of protein and healthy fats but you must modulate your carb intake totals and frequencies and run no more than a 500 calorie deficit from RMR to preserve muscle.

As for whole eggs, the total nutrition is on the label. What I will add is the egg white is just pure protein (1/2 of the total). The yolk is the other 1/2 of the total protein but it also includes all the vitamins, especially B vitamins and D, omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, cholesterol, and other micro-nutrients. It has all the complete building blocks and necessary vitamins and pre-cursors to build a whole chicken. Due to this fact, whole eggs have the perfect ratios and nutrients in the most bio-available form for our bodies to use and absorb and are the gold standard by which all other proteins are measured.

John

Add some type of fruit to your diet too