Phase 1 Cut - Week A: UPDATED 1,850 Calorie Plan
PRECISION TARGET: 1,850 kcal | 167g P | 140g C | 69g F
TDEE: 2,218 kcal (Katch-McArdle) | Deficit: ~370 kcal/day (~0.75 lbs/week)
Key Changes: Collagen taken with Meal 2, added hard boiled eggs snack, using Transparent Labs products
DAILY STRUCTURE:
- 6:00am - Morning Protein Shake (1.5 scoops TL Whey)
- 11:00am - Meal 1: Garlic Chicken with Rice
- 1:30pm - Hard Boiled Eggs (snack)
- 2:30pm - Meal 2: Ginger Lime Salmon + Collagen (1 scoop)
WEIGH EVERYTHING:
- COOKED = Weigh AFTER cooking (chicken, salmon, rice, vegetables)
- RAW = Weigh before eating/cooking (oils, nuts, fruits, kimchi)
- Use digital food scale, log in MyFitnessPal as "cooked" or "raw" accordingly
Morning Protein Shake (6am)
Product: Transparent Labs 100% Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate (Vanilla Peanut Butter)
Per Scoop: 28g protein | 3g fat | 1g sugar | 150 cal
| Ingredient |
Scoops |
Cal |
P(g) |
F(g) |
C(g) |
Notes |
| TL Whey Protein Isolate |
1.5 |
225 |
42 |
5 |
2 |
Mixed with water |
| SHAKE TOTAL |
225 |
42 |
5 |
2 |
|
Meal 1 (11am): Garlic Chicken with Rice & Kimchi
| Ingredient |
Grams |
Cal |
P(g) |
F(g) |
C(g) |
State |
| Chicken breast (cooked with garlic + soy sauce) |
125 |
174 |
33 |
4 |
0 |
COOKED |
| White rice (jasmine/basmati, cooked in broth + turmeric) |
130 |
158 |
3 |
0 |
35 |
COOKED |
| Broccoli (steamed or roasted) |
110 |
42 |
4 |
1 |
8 |
COOKED |
| Bell pepper (sauteed or roasted) |
80 |
28 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
COOKED |
| Spinach |
45 |
11 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
RAW |
| Extra virgin olive oil (for cooking vegetables) |
9 |
79 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
RAW |
| Blueberries |
75 |
43 |
1 |
0 |
11 |
RAW |
| Almonds (whole, unsalted) |
8 |
46 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
RAW |
| Cucumber |
65 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
RAW |
| Kimchi |
45 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
RAW |
| Brazil nut (1 nut, selenium) |
5 |
33 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
RAW |
| Lemon juice (fresh squeezed) |
15 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
RAW |
| Soy sauce |
5 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
RAW |
| Garlic (fresh, minced) |
5 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
RAW |
| Turmeric powder |
2 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
RAW |
| Black pepper |
0.5 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
RAW |
| MEAL 1 TOTAL |
652 |
47 |
21 |
73 |
|
Meal 1 Courses
MAIN PLATE:
- Garlic chicken breast (125g) over turmeric rice (130g)
- Sauteed broccoli (110g) + bell peppers (80g) in olive oil (9g)
- Fresh spinach (45g) on the side
- Drizzle soy sauce + lemon juice over chicken
SIDE PLATE:
- Cucumber sticks (65g) + kimchi (45g)
DESSERT/SNACK:
- Blueberries (75g) + almonds (8g) + Brazil nut (1)
Hard Boiled Eggs (1:30pm - snack)
| Ingredient |
Grams |
Cal |
P(g) |
F(g) |
C(g) |
Notes |
| Hard boiled eggs (large) |
100 |
156 |
12 |
10 |
1 |
2 eggs (~50g each) |
| SNACK TOTAL |
156 |
12 |
10 |
1 |
|
Meal 2 (2:30pm): Ginger Lime Salmon with Sweet Potato + Collagen
Product: Transparent Labs Grass-Fed Collagen Peptides (Unflavored)
Per Scoop (22.2g): 20g protein | 0g fat | 0g carbs | 80 cal
| Ingredient |
Grams |
Cal |
P(g) |
F(g) |
C(g) |
State |
| Salmon fillet (cooked with garlic, ginger, fish sauce) |
115 |
213 |
26 |
11 |
0 |
COOKED |
| Sweet potato (roasted) |
130 |
111 |
2 |
0 |
26 |
COOKED |
| Broccoli (steamed or roasted) |
100 |
38 |
3 |
1 |
7 |
COOKED |
| Cherry tomatoes |
100 |
18 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
RAW |
| Celery |
60 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
RAW |
| Blueberries |
70 |
40 |
1 |
0 |
10 |
RAW |
| Extra virgin olive oil (for salmon/vegetables) |
9 |
79 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
RAW |
| Pumpkin seeds |
8 |
40 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
RAW |
| Cucumber |
55 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
RAW |
| Kimchi |
45 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
RAW |
| Dark chocolate 85% |
18 |
109 |
2 |
9 |
5 |
RAW |
| Pomegranate juice (shot) |
25 |
18 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
RAW |
| Lime juice (fresh squeezed) |
15 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
RAW |
| Ginger (fresh, minced) |
4 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
RAW |
| Garlic (fresh, minced) |
4 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
RAW |
| Fish sauce |
3 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
RAW |
| TL Grass-Fed Collagen (1 scoop, with water) |
22 |
80 |
20 |
0 |
0 |
SHAKE |
| MEAL 2 TOTAL (incl. collagen) |
786 |
58 |
33 |
66 |
|
Meal 2 Courses
MAIN PLATE:
- Ginger-lime salmon (115g) with garlic + fish sauce glaze
- Roasted sweet potato cubes (130g)
- Steamed broccoli (100g) drizzled with olive oil (9g)
- Squeeze fresh lime juice over salmon
SIDE PLATE:
- Cherry tomatoes (100g) + cucumber (55g) + celery (60g)
- Kimchi (45g) on the side
DESSERT/SNACK:
- Blueberries (70g) + pumpkin seeds (8g)
- Dark chocolate 85% (18g) + pomegranate juice shot (25ml)
WITH MEAL:
- TL Collagen shake (1 scoop in water) - drink alongside meal for joint/skin support
DAILY MACRO SUMMARY (Target vs. Achieved)
| Meal/Snack |
Time |
Cal |
P(g) |
F(g) |
C(g) |
| Morning Protein Shake (1.5 scoops TL Whey) |
6:00am |
225 |
42 |
5 |
2 |
| Meal 1 (Chicken + Rice) |
11:00am |
652 |
47 |
21 |
73 |
| Hard Boiled Eggs (2) |
1:30pm |
156 |
12 |
10 |
1 |
| Meal 2 (Salmon + Sweet Potato + Collagen) |
2:30pm |
786 |
58 |
33 |
66 |
| DAILY TOTAL |
1,819 |
159 |
69 |
142 |
| Nutrient |
Target |
Achieved |
Delta |
% of Target |
| Calories |
1,850 |
1,819 |
-31 |
98.3% |
| Protein (g) |
167 |
159 |
-8 |
95.2% |
| Fat (g) |
69 |
69 |
0 |
100% |
| Carbs (g) |
140 |
142 |
+2 |
101.4% |
PRECISION ACHIEVED: 1,819 calories (31 cal under 1,850 target - acceptable variance)
Protein: 159g (2.3 g/kg - optimal for cutting, preserves muscle)
TDEE: 2,218 kcal (Katch-McArdle) | Deficit: 399 kcal/day = ~0.80 lbs/week
Macro Split: 35% protein | 34% fat | 31% carbs
MPS (Muscle Protein Synthesis) Timing
| Time |
Protein Source |
Protein (g) |
MPS Trigger |
| 6:00am |
TL Whey isolate (1.5 scoops) |
42g |
STRONG (fast absorbing, ~3.5g leucine) |
| 11:00am |
Chicken breast |
47g |
STRONG (complete protein, ~3g leucine) |
| 1:30pm |
Whole eggs |
12g |
MODERATE (complete protein, good fats) |
| 2:30pm |
Salmon + TL Collagen (1 scoop) |
58g |
STRONG (salmon triggers MPS) + collagen for joints |
MPS Strategy: 3 strong MPS triggers spread across eating window (6am-2:30pm).
Each solid meal exceeds 0.4g/kg protein threshold (28g minimum for 69.4kg bodyweight).
Collagen (low leucine) taken with Meal 2 - salmon's leucine triggers MPS, collagen adds joint/skin support.
Changes from Original 1,900 cal Plan
| Item |
Original (1,900) |
Updated (1,850) |
Change |
| Morning shake |
Whey + Collagen + almond milk |
TL Whey (1.5 scoops) + water |
Using Transparent Labs products |
| Collagen |
In morning shake |
TL Collagen (1 scoop) with Meal 2 |
Taken with last meal for convenience |
| Eggs |
None |
2 hard boiled at 1:30pm |
+156 cal, +12g P, +10g F |
| Rice (Meal 1) |
195g cooked |
130g cooked |
-65g (-79 cal, -17g C) |
| Sweet potato (Meal 2) |
180g cooked |
130g cooked |
-50g (-43 cal, -10g C) |
| Chicken (Meal 1) |
119g cooked |
125g cooked |
+6g (+8 cal, +2g P) |
| Salmon (Meal 2) |
110g cooked |
115g cooked |
+5g (+9 cal, +1g P) |
| Total calories |
1,869 |
1,819 |
-50 cal |
| TDEE used |
~2,270 (estimated) |
2,218 (Katch-McArdle) |
More accurate calculation |
Week A Shopping List (Sunday Bulk Buy)
| Category / Ingredient |
Total Needed (7 days) |
Approx. Cost |
Notes |
| PROTEINS |
| Chicken breast (raw) |
1,050g (2.3 lbs) |
$11 |
Yields 125g cooked x 7 days (~15% shrinkage) |
| Salmon fillets (raw) |
950g (2.1 lbs) |
$24 |
Yields 115g cooked x 7 days |
| Large eggs |
14 eggs |
$4 |
2 eggs x 7 days |
| TL Whey Protein Isolate (Vanilla PB) |
10.5 scoops (~370g) |
$15 |
1.5 scoops x 7 days |
| TL Grass-Fed Collagen Peptides |
7 scoops (~155g) |
$8 |
1 scoop (22g) x 7 days |
| CARBS |
| White rice (jasmine/basmati, DRY) |
305g (~1.7 cups) |
$2 |
Yields 130g cooked x 7 days (3x expansion) |
| Sweet potatoes |
1,140g (2.5 lbs) |
$3 |
Yields 130g roasted x 7 days (~20% shrinkage) |
| VEGETABLES |
| Broccoli (fresh crowns) |
1,750g (3.9 lbs) |
$7 |
210g total per day (110g + 100g cooked) |
| Bell peppers (any color) |
670g (~4 peppers) |
$5 |
80g cooked x 7 days |
| Spinach (fresh, bagged) |
315g (11 oz bag) |
$3 |
45g raw x 7 days |
| Cherry tomatoes |
700g (1.5 containers) |
$5 |
100g x 7 days |
| Cucumbers |
840g (~3 cucumbers) |
$3 |
120g total per day (65g + 55g) |
| Celery stalks |
420g (1 bunch) |
$2 |
60g x 7 days |
| FRUITS |
| Blueberries (fresh or frozen) |
1,015g (2.2 lbs) |
$10 |
145g total per day (75g + 70g) |
| Lemons |
3 lemons |
$2 |
~15g juice x 7 days |
| Limes |
3 limes |
$2 |
~15g juice x 7 days |
| FATS & NUTS |
| Extra virgin olive oil |
126g (~9 tbsp) |
$2 |
18g total per day (9g + 9g) |
| Almonds (raw, whole) |
56g (~1/3 cup) |
$1 |
8g x 7 days |
| Brazil nuts |
35g (7 nuts) |
$2 |
5g (1 nut) x 7 days for selenium |
| Pumpkin seeds (raw) |
56g (~1/4 cup) |
$2 |
8g x 7 days |
| Dark chocolate 85% |
126g (1 bar) |
$4 |
18g x 7 days |
| FERMENTED & SEASONINGS |
| Kimchi (store-bought jar) |
630g (22 oz jar) |
$6 |
90g total per day (45g + 45g) |
| Garlic (fresh bulb) |
63g (~2 bulbs) |
$1 |
9g total per day (5g + 4g) |
| Ginger (fresh root) |
28g (small knob) |
$1 |
4g x 7 days |
| Soy sauce |
35g (~2 tbsp) |
$1 |
5g x 7 days |
| Fish sauce |
21g (~4 tsp) |
$1 |
3g x 7 days |
| Turmeric powder |
14g (~1 tbsp) |
$1 |
2g x 7 days (for rice) |
| Black pepper |
4g |
$0 |
Already in pantry |
| Pomegranate juice |
175ml (~6 oz) |
$3 |
25ml x 7 days |
| WEEKLY TOTAL |
~$122 |
$17.40/day for high-quality whole foods + TL supplements |
Meal Prep Instructions (Sunday Bulk Prep)
Step 1: Hard Boil Eggs (15 min)
- Eggs: Place 14 eggs in pot, cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to boil, remove from heat, cover for 12 minutes. Transfer to ice bath. Peel and store in fridge up to 7 days.
Step 2: Cook Proteins (45 min)
- Chicken: Season all raw chicken with salt, pepper, minced garlic. Bake at 375F for 25-30 min until 165F internal. Let cool, portion into 125g servings in containers.
- Salmon: If using fresh, cook 2-3 portions fresh daily. If frozen, thaw in fridge overnight. Season with garlic, ginger, salt before cooking.
Step 3: Cook Carbs (30 min)
- Rice: Cook all 305g dry rice in one batch (rice cooker easiest). Add turmeric + black pepper to cooking water. After cooking, portion into 130g servings. Refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze.
- Sweet Potatoes: Wash, cube into 1" pieces. Toss with tiny bit of oil, roast at 425F for 30 min. Portion into 130g servings.
Step 4: Prep Vegetables (20 min)
- Broccoli: Cut into florets. Store raw in containers. Cook fresh each day (5 min steam) OR pre-cook all and reheat.
- Bell Peppers: Slice. Store raw, cook fresh daily with vegetables.
- Cucumber: Slice into sticks, store in water-filled container (stays crisp).
- Cherry Tomatoes: Wash, halve, portion into 100g servings.
- Celery: Dice, store in portions.
Step 5: Portion Everything (15 min)
- Use 14 meal prep containers (7 for Meal 1, 7 for Meal 2)
- Weigh each component on scale: 125g chicken, 130g rice, 110g broccoli, etc.
- Keep separate: Oils, nuts, kimchi, chocolate (add fresh daily to prevent sogginess)
- Label containers with day + meal number
Daily Fresh Additions (2 min per meal)
- Morning (6am): Mix 1.5 scoops TL Whey with water
- Meal 1 (11am): Drizzle 9g EVOO on vegetables, add 8g almonds, 45g kimchi, squeeze lemon on chicken
- Snack (1:30pm): Grab 2 pre-boiled eggs from fridge
- Meal 2 (2:30pm): Drizzle 9g EVOO on salmon, add 8g pumpkin seeds, 45g kimchi, squeeze lime, add 18g chocolate
- With Meal 2: Mix 1 scoop TL Collagen with water, drink alongside meal
Storage Times:
- Hard boiled eggs: 7 days refrigerated (peeled or unpeeled)
- Cooked chicken: 4-5 days refrigerated, 3 months frozen
- Cooked salmon: 3 days refrigerated (cook fresh after Day 3 or freeze)
- Cooked rice: 5-6 days refrigerated, 6 months frozen
- Cooked sweet potato: 5 days refrigerated
- Raw vegetables: 5-7 days refrigerated