My 1900 Calorie Diet
Below is my post for those of you who keep asking me exactly what I ate as I went through Round 1. It may not be super-exiting, but it worked! Enjoy!
For those of you who are really crazy and want to do exactly what I did (haha), let me break down for you exactly what I ate. Feel free to do what you want, but if you’d like to use what I did as an example (or just plain copy it), I believe you’ll get great results like I did! Here it goes! These are some sample days, taken straight out of my Tap & Track. (Adjust your serving sizes to meet your specific calorie goals for the day)
Sample Day 1 (1896 cals, 244 protein/158 carb / 34 fat) (51%/33%/16%)
Breakfast =
Shakeology (1 scoop Shakeology, 1 scoop GNC Wheybolic Extreme 60, 2 tablespoons PB2 powdered peanut butter) = 256 cals / 40 p/22c/2f
2 slices wheat toast (Nature’s Own) = 100 cals / 8p/20c/2f
AM Snack =
Beef jerkey (2 oz) =160 cals / 30 p/6c/2f
Apple (1 large) = 116 cals / 0p/30c/0f
Lunch =
Chicken lunchmeat (8 oz.) =225 cals / 36p/8c/4f
Baby carrots (20) = 70 cals / 0p/16c/0f
Pure Protein bar = 180 cals / 20p/17c/4.5f
PM Snack =
Almonds (24 nuts) =160 cals / 6p/6c/14f
Low fat string cheese (Crystal Farms) = 50 cals / 7p/1c/2.5f
PM Snack =
1.5 scoops Whey protein powder (Wheybolic Extreme 60) = 140 cals / 30p/3.4c/0.5f
Dinner =
Chicken breast (12 ounces) =300 cals / 60p/0c/3f
Steamed green beans (3.5 cups — a LOT!!) = 140 cals / 7p/28c/0f
Sample Day 2 (1923 cals, 222 protein / 187 carbs / 29 fats) (48%/36%/15%)
Breakfast =
Shakeology (1 scoop Shakeology, 1 scoop GNC Wheybolic Extreme 60, 2 tablespoons PB2 powdered peanut butter) = 256 cals / 40 p/22c/2f
Cheerios (1 cup dry, no milk) = 100 cals / 3p/20c/2f
AM Snack =
Pure Protein bar = 180 cals / 20p/17c/4.5f
Lunch =
Tuna (canned Albacore tuna in water, 2 cans) = 240 cals / 44p/0c/2f
Baby carrots (20) = 70 cals / 0p/16c/0f
Banana (1 large) = 120 cals / 1p/31c/0f
PM Snack =
Beef jerkey (2 oz) =160 cals / 30 p/6c/2f
Apple (1 large) = 116 cals / 0p/30c/0f
PM Snack =
2 scoops Whey protein powder (Wheybolic Extreme 60) = 186 cals / 40p/4.5c/0.5f
Dinner =
Taco Salad (5 oz romaine lettuce, 8 oz ground turkey with taco seasoning, 1/2 cup canned black beans) (*No chips or tortillas. Suck it up!) 485 cals/ 50p/29c/16f
These are just a couple sample days that you can use as a template. You can either follow them exactly, do something similar, or make substitutions that suit your tastes. You can do fish, yogurt, other types of fruits, etc. There are lots of options.
The key, though, is to learn how to TRACK YOUR NUTRITION so that you can make changes to the diet and yet still hit the daily target %. I’ve written much about Nutrition Tracking and how I dialed in my calorie deficit in the Nutrition Tips resource, so be sure you look at that for more details!
They key is to try to stay under 20% fats and close to or over 50% protein. Your carbs can be in the 30% range, unless (like me) you prefer to go a bit lower on fats so that you can exchange them for a few extra carbs. I prefer carbs over fats anyways.
Don’t get me wrong, there were MANY other things I ate during the 90 days, but these sample meals cover over 90% of what I ate as a default daily diet. My dinners were usually a lean meat (chicken, fish, etc.) and lots of veggies. Sometimes I got creative and did something like that taco salad I mentioned above. But usually it was run of the mill lean meat and veggies (like broccoli or green beans).
I tried to keep bread and rice to a minimum since they pack so many carbs. They are HEALTHY carbs, so you can use them if you want, but be sure you are tracking it so that you know how much you are getting and to be sure it doesn’t blow your fat shredder %.
When I ate out, I always looked for green salad with grilled chicken, or steamed veggies with either chicken or fish. Dressings, butter, and bread will KILL your diet. Avoid them like the plague!!!
2,072 Responses to “My 1900 Calorie Diet”
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Is consuming 50% of your daily calories from protein ok? I have read that you should have a lot less than that. I am not currently doing p90x but I just do about 30 mins of cardio a day. Is it ok to eat 50% protein. (It seems to have worked pretty well for you!)
Thanks
Hey Spencer, 50% protein is the fat shredder P90X diet. It’s fully explained and discussed in the P90X nutrition guide as to how it coordinates with the exercise schedule for those doing the P90X program. I know that doesn’t make a lot of sense to you since you aren’t doing the workouts or the nutrition plan, but if you ever decide to, it will :-)
Hey, first Id like to apologize for being such an annoying one with questions non stop! I’m just really lost right now..
So yes, I have started Insanity and will be on day 5 tomorrow. Its going well except my diet is collapsing on itself. Im starting to really hurt myself and not follow the plan( no, I’m not eating mcdonalds or anything bad, its just extra calories..)..I feel like I know WHY I’m doing this. It’s because I have been trying my best to stay at a fat shredder diet and very LOW calories each day for so long( approximately mid september till now) that my body just can’t handle it anymore. I feel like the best thing for me to do might be to move onto a bulk now and work on putting that extra muscle on until I feel Im capable of going back to a shredder diet. What do you think? i REALLY need your help coach!
Hey Justin, no worries man! I’m happy to try to help!
If that’s what your body is telling you (and you’d know because you’ve been doing it long enough to develop the habits), then go ahead and switch it up. Do a bulking phase for 2-3 months, give your body a new goal, and then come back to cutting. You may find that more effective since you’ve been doing basically the same strategy for close to 6 months.
Coach, I continue to bring it!!!
Over the past week I learn to stay within my calorie intake (1900 Cals 50/30/20) and so far I feel energized, even in the morning when I get up to work out. This weekend is going to be a challenge; I am going to be away for 3 days, skiing (good cardio), I am packing my DVDs but I am a bit concern about my diet. I read your article on eating out, and I am also packing my snacks. It is going to be challenging but I am working hard and will stay within my range.
I am 5’2 203 33%body fat. how many calories do I need doing the p90x I need to lose and tone. really confused I am just starting the program.
Hey DeAnn, check my “getting started” tab, especially the nutrition links like “dialing it in”. Welcome!!
if Im bulking and trying to gain as much muscle as possible, What should keep my macronutrients at? would it be carbs proteins fats: 50-30-20 or 40-40-20?
also I’ve heard different things about creatine monohydrate, a friend of mine tells me to take it 45 mins before a workout, yet from others at supplement stores tell me to add it into my shake after workout, which is best?
PS its creatine mono pure from all max
Hey Justin, you will want 50% carbs while going for max bulking. And with creatine, if you are taking a PWO with creatine before your workout, take your creatine mono after the workout with your recovery drink. If you aren’t taking a PWO, take your creatine before. Hope that helps!
Sounds good! and since I’m just doing one phase of a p90x program, to get the maximal results, is it best to just do P90X phase 3? since it has more variety?
Yes Justin, that’s what I would do.
Hey coach,
You think 1500 cal/day will be sufficient for p90x for me; I’m 6′ 200lbs. My diet will be 50/30/10 protein carbs fats… Whatcha think?
You can start with that and see Ethan. You may need to bump it up a bit, but just listen to your body and see how you feel at that level.
Will do, thanks again!
Coach do you measure your food cooked or raw? Just curious because I just cooked a chicken breast for lunch and it was 10oz raw and dropped to 8oz after cooked. Quite a big difference on tracking it.
Hey Jason, you can do it either way. But whichever way you measure it, make sure that matches to how you track it (there is tracking data for chicken raw and chicken cooked). I use the tracking info for raw frozen breasts since that matches the way it’s packaged when I get it.
Coach,
Quick question. I noticed that on your lift days you eat more. About 300 calories or so. Why is that? I feel like I burn more during my cardio days than I do on my lift days. Or is it that you are just adding extra protein to supply your muscles?
Hey Marlon, I only did that on my bulking diet as a way to fuel the muscles more for recovery on lift days. I have never done that on a maintenance or fat shredder diet.
Got it. Thanks Coach.
Im kinda starting to feel less energy and weaker the past 3 days since moving to a 50/30/20 diet.. I used to be doing 40/40/20 to start my first month, but didnt get quick fat loss results so Ive been trying 50/30/20 exactly the past 3 days. So ive excluded lots of carbs. Is this normal to feel weaker and stuff?
Should i keep it going at 50/30/20 until I lose all the fat that I set out to lose? I played around with my diet and came up with a plan where I eat 1853 calories with 47% protein 33%carbs and 20% fats. Would that work for fat shreddar mode?
Also.. My total calorie intake of 1853 calories includes 220 calories for recovery drink I take after workouts. Does that mean that im actually only getting 1633? Or are we supposed to include the recovery formula in our overall daily calories? Do we add the recovery formula into the daily protein/carb/fat ratio? thanks coach!
Yes Michael, it’s normal to have less energy on a fat shredder diet. Read the article “energy balance” in my nutrition all in one section for more details on that!
You can do it either way Michael. Read this article I wrote about that = http://teamripped.com/rr-in-round-1
Coach,
I am following the 1900 calorie diet (6.1″, 196.8lbs, 41years old). My energy level is still high and I am able to get through the workouts. My body fat when I started almost 2 weeks ago was 23%. Should I lower my calorie intake to 1800 or 1700 calories to increase my fat burning or continue with the 1900 cal diet. As of this morning my weight was 193.8lbs. I have not checked my body fat since I started.
BTW…Based on my initialnutrition calculation I should be consuming 2,962 cals daily but I decided to stay with 1900.
Hey Saul, you can try 1700-1800. That’s fine. It sounds like you are doing great though. Keep it up!
Hey coach, I’m just a little confused. I’m 6 feet tall and 210, so the P90X Nutrition Guide says I need about 3000 calories to maintain my weight. If I eat about 2000 calories, then I already have a deficit of 1000 cals, but what about the workout itself, won’t it burn like 500-600 calories as well? That would put me at a total deficit of 1500 calories, is that safe and part of the plan or should I account for that with my diet, by eating about 2500 cals a day?
Hey Al, the P90X guidebook already has exercise factored into their levels. They assume you will be doing P90X (obviously), so you don’t need to double count the exercise. If you shoot for 2000 cals, that’s a 1000 cal deficit including your workouts.
Oh, I got it now, thanks again Coach!
Hey everybody, I just wanted to share this great nutrition tracking site I found called http://www.myfitnesspal.com, it allows you to set your own custom nutrition goals, and it’s got a free app for iPhones and iPods so you can track remotely as well.
Hey Coach how are you? This is my second week taking Shakeology and I LOVE IT!!! It’s amazing!! I have a question though, do I still have to eat vegetables? I know Carl Deikler said he hated them so he drinks Shakeology, but does that really cover my daily veggies? Thanks Coach :)
I’m doing the fat shredder diet and I just ordered a recovery drink but I’m worried about getting too much sugar on the diet. Is 43g a day too much or am I worrying for nothing?
Hey Alex, technically you are covered by Shakeology on your nutrient needs. It’s still a good habit to try to eat some veggies :-)
Hey Jackson, R/R formula only has 26g of sugar in a full 2 scoops, not 43. You must be using a different brand. I suggest taking half the dose of the R/R for those on a fat shredder plan, which is only 13g of sugar. So in your case, maybe take 1/4 of the dose of the brand you got so that you don’t get too much sugar. Your body needs some after a workout, but not too much.
I just meant 43g total food and recovery drink included. I do the 50/30/20 but I’m just worried my daily sugar intake is too high. The recovery drink has 18g of sugar I it.
Well there isn’t a set rule of thumb for daily sugar. The key is to avoid all added sugars and let the only sugars you get be natural sugars in fruits and such (with the one exception of your recovery drink).
hi coach iv looked over the gettin started part and red the nutrition article then looked at your 1900 calories part and it has baffled me. iv no idea what anyof it means or what is what im compleately lost this is not good..
also i basically want to do what u have done by getting toned then getting muscle mass was that the p90x phase 1,2,3 in that order??
Don’t worry Derrick. It’s a lot to take in at first, but as you read through the nutrition guide that came with P90X and as you read through my nutrition all in one posts (like “round 1 nutrition” and “the P90X nutrition guide”) it will start to come together.
ok thanks coach ill keep taking it in to see if i can make sence out of it.
Hey coach,
First of all thanks for putting all this info up, its really nice to have a sample diet similar to mine. Im having a problem getting enough cals in throughout the day. Im 6’2 and 175, ive got a pretty slim frame but i just have some extra body fat around my stomach and chest im trying to get rid of. P90x said i need to be taking in 2400 a day so ive been running a deficit of 500 so around 1900. Im finding it hard to eat that much in a day, im really not a big eater. But im not loosing any fat either, im a month into p90x but im still trying to get rid of the fat..my ratios are good and i eat every 2 to 3 hours so im really never hungry..so i really dont know whether im in starvation mode and need to keep eating more, or whether i should just run a higher deficit..
Really frusterating seeing myself eat clean for a month and still no fat loss. Maybe im just a late bloomer and my fat loss comes in the last half of p90x but i thought id have noticed something by now. Just wanted to get your opinion on my diet. Today for example, im writing this at 930 at night and ive taken in 1400 cals and i feel content with that..because i dont want to eat more this close to going to bed either..
Thanks coach! Much appreciated
Hey Bill, try to get as close to the 1700-1900 range as possible. You may be going too low if you are at 1400, which could hurt your progress and slow your metabolism (which will sabotage your efforts). Keep working to increase the portions so that they are similar to my sample diet, and the results will come. Don’t get frustrated! You got it!
hi, thanks so much for all the info. i am going to try and follow your nutrition as close as i can. i am 6’1″ 215lbs i will be doing 50/30/20. i think i will start with 2,100 calories and adjust. i noticed you dont have the p90x peak performance drink. just wanted to ask if i work out in the morning would i have peak performane drink along with shakeology&whey?
Hey Alonzo, I started taking the recovery formula about half way through my first round, and since I was already at a big deficit I didn’t start counting it (although I have since). Here’s the article that explains it = http://teamripped.com/rr-in-round-1
Hey Coach
I have a quick question do these number look ok for Fat shredder cal 1,761, carbs 148, 45 fat and 260 proteins.
That looks great Chad!
Thanks for the reply Coach! I’ll try to up my portions than. You mentioned in round 1 you avoided sugars like the plague – does that mean sugars from fruit etc as well? For my post workout drink I use vanilla protein and a blueberry yogurt with frozen bluberries so my ratio is roughly 3 carbs to 1 protein. But if you say to avoid the sugars, maybe I should stop making those?
Thanks again
Hey Bill, that post workout shake is fine. Keep doing it. That window right after your workout is the exception to the rule on avoiding sugar.
Coach,
What about eggs? I am not really on the fat shredder anymore. I typically do more egg whites than whole eggs. I stay within the percentages though.
Eggs are fine Marlon if they fit into your daily totals. I prefer to do just egg whites when I do eggs just because I’d rather save the fat and calories for something else (like peanut butter or nuts).
Gotta. That’s how I felt about it. In the past, I never knew those fats where good for you so to me it’s a treat. Some days when I do whole eggs, I skip the almonds or PB. If I want to do PB and almonds, then I go egg whites. Thanks Coach.
coach
I see on your diet that you dont use any oil to cook your meals, so i was wondering how you could do that. for example how to you cook your chicken.