FWTFL: What I Eat on Regular Macro Days

Last week I shared a post devoted to what I eat on low carb days, so I wanted to follow up this week and share what I eat on regular macro days. If you are new here, you can catch up on my Faster Way to Fat Loss journey by starting here, and if you are ready to register for the next round, you can do so here! The next round starts March 11th!

On “regular macro days”, I am simply tracking my macronutrients, which is my daily intake of protein, fat, and carbs. One of the most common questions I receive regarding macro days is “what foods should I eat to meet my carb goals?” I get this question because most people are shocked at how many grams of carbs they are supposed to consume on these days, especially if they are doing the program after living a low carb lifestyle. I’ve broken this post up into three sections – one is some examples of go-to carbs, then a section on some of my go-to meals, and lastly some of my favorite snacks.

Quick disclaimer before I go any further…the FWTFL program promotes a grain-free and dairy-free diet. I opted not to cut either of those things from my diet as I am not intolerant to them and I still saw results. Just do what works for you!

Go To Carbs:

• Allllll the fruit, especially bananas, apples, pineapple and grapes. I also love adding dried cranberries to my salads! These are all carb heavy and a great source to help you hit your daily goal.
• Potatoes – I usually do baby red potatoes or sweet potatoes.
• Rice/Quinoa – I LOVE the Uncle Ben’s Brown Rice & Quinoa with garlic. The brand “Seeds of Change” carries it as well. It comes in a microwaveable pouch so it is very easy to prepare and makes two servings. I have found it at both my local Food Lion and Harris Teeter.
• Bread/Wraps – I would limit intake of these, but they are a good source for getting in some carbs as well.

Meals

• Protein Pancakes, Bacon & Eggs – I love to cook breakfast for dinner and probably do it about once a week. The Kodiak brand of protein pancakes is my favorite – I find them at Target and Harris Teeter. I follow the instructions on the box and add milk and eggs to the batter for added protein. I usually serve them with bacon and scrambled eggs, and then I use organic maple syrup on the pancakes (which is another great source of carbs).
• Shrimp or Sausage with Veggies, Pineapple and Rice – I like to cut up fresh pineapple and sauté it in a pan with either shrimp or sausage (my favorite is pork andouille sausage – also like the chicken andouille from Trader Joe’s). The pineapple is a great way to incorporate carbs into your dinner. I also sauté onions and peppers in a separate pan (I would cook it with everything else, but my husband does not like onions/peppers so I cook them alone). I also usually cook a side of jasmine rice and use that as the base for the meat and veggies/fruit – the rice is another great way to get in some carbs.
• Meat with veggies and potatoes – Similar to low carb day, I usually pick up a chicken from the rotisserie at the grocery store, or I will cook some pork chops or chicken breasts, then serve them with green beans and a sweet potato or red potatoes.
• Banana Wrap – If you’re running low on carbs for the day, this is a great option for getting them in! I start with a wrap, then layer on peanut butter (could also do almond butter). Then I slice a banana and layer the slices on top of the peanut butter. Next I will add a little bit of banana nut granola for crunch, and lastly I top with honey. Then I roll it up and enjoy! This is very filling!
• Arugula Salad with Fruit & Meat + Brown Rice/Quinoa – This is usually my go-to lunch during the week. The salad is similar to what I do on low carb days with a few tweaks – I start with the arugula, then add about a tablespoon of sliced almonds, a tablespoon of dried cranberries, some red onion, about a cup of fresh strawberries, a little parmesan cheese, then I top with either sliced ham or grilled chicken. I dress it with my fave Marie’s Raspberry Vinaigrette. Then, I have a serving of the Brown Rice + Quinoa on the side to make sure I get in plenty of carbs.
• Black Bean and Quinoa Veggie Burgers on Whole Wheat or Whole Grain buns – I usually find the burger patties in the frozen section of the grocery store. I melt a slice of pepperjack cheese on them, and usually top with pickles and sriracha ranch.
• Cauliflower Pizza – I recently had this on low carb day for the first time ever, and I topped the cauliflower crust with pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese and pepperoni. I am planning to have this on regular macro day soon, and I’m going to do a barbecue chicken style spin on it by starting with a barbecue sauce base, then adding grilled chicken and red onion. I think the pizza crust has around 24 carbs, so it would be good for a regular macro day.
• On-the-go – If I am eating out for lunch, my favorites are the Fuji Apple Chicken Salad or the Spicy Thai Salad with Chicken from Panera (with the bread on the side – hello carbs!). I also love the #7 on a flour wrap at Jersey Mikes. If I am eating out for dinner or date night on the weekends, I just do my best with making healthy choices – I try to log food into My Fitness Pal ahead of time to see where it falls in my macros, and that gives me a good idea of what I can or can’t eat when going out.

Snacks

• Cottage cheese + Fruit – I like to add frozen peaches, raspberries, cherries, etc. to my cottage cheese on regular macro days.
• Rice Cake Multiple Ways – Lately the chocolate rice cakes by Quaker have been my favorite. I will add a little bit of cream cheese, to the top, then add some raspberries and a few chocolate chips for a yummy, carb-filled snack. Another option is to add a layer of peanut butter or almond butter, and add banana slices to the top and sprinkle on some cinnamon. Just get creative!
• Protein Shake – If I have access to a blender, I like to thrown in a banana for carbs. This is the protein powder I use.
• Apple + Cinnamon – I slice the apple then add cinnamon.
• Hummus + Crackers – My favorite hummus lately has been the Lantana Sriracha Carrot (found at Food Lion and Harris Teeter) and the Horseradish Hummus at Trader Joe’s. I like to pair them with the Crunchmater multi-grain crackers (I have found these at Target and Sam’s club – I also saw them recently at Harris Teeter in the cheese section).
• Raspberries + Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – one of my favorite night-time snacks for satisfying a sweet tooth!

I definitely do not eat perfect 100% of the time. I try to stay really tight during the week, and on the weekends I am not always as strict. If I want to indulge in something that isn’t so healthy or clean on a regular macro day, then I just make sure to log it, then adjust all of my other meals to make sure I make the “treat” fit into my macros. It’s all about balance!

I hope you found this post helpful! I will add to this list as I think of more things, and if you have go-to meals or snacks for macro-tracking days, leave them in the comments below for others to see!

I’ll leave you with a few fun pictures wearing some of my favorite workout gear! You can shop this look at the bottom of the post!

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