How to Plan an Eating Plan Using the 40-30-30 Plan

A 40-30-30 eating plan requires eating a diet that is 40 percent carbohydrate, 30 percent protein and 30 percent fat. When it was first introduced, the 40-30-30 plan was dismissed by nutritionists and popular hype as being unhealthy, since it requires a diet that is low carbohydrate, high protein and relatively high fat. However, the 40-30-30 plan can actually be healthy while facilitating weight loss. According to the Zone Perfect organization, nutrition professionals recommend the 40-30-30 plan, as long as dieters design their meal plans around healthy foods in the right proportions.

Instructions

• 1

  Eat foods high in healthy carbohydrate foods as 35 to 50 percent of your daily caloric intake. If you are physically active and participate in aerobic exercise frequently, eat 50 percent carbohydrate, while if you are more sedentary, eat 35 percent carbohydrate. Ensure that the carbohydrate foods that you consume are high quality and contain fiber and whole grains, such as whole wheat bread and pasta, as well as fruits and vegetables.

• 2

  Consume a diet that consists of 25 to 35 percent protein, focusing on lean sources such as fish, soy or white meat, as lean protein limits your consumption of saturated fat. Protein is the most important part of the 40-30-30 eating plan, since it makes you feel full longer and will prevent you from snacking on empty calories throughout the day. Controlling the types of protein you consume and eating large amounts will help you maintain a lean body mass without feeling constantly hungry or deprived of energy.

• 3

  Obtain fatty foods such as vegetable oil, nuts and avocados, and consume these as 20 to 35 percent of your diet. Although it may seem counterintuitive to diet by eating fats, seeking healthy foods free of saturated fat contributes to the effectiveness of the 40-30-30 eating plan by providing your body with essential fatty acids.

• 4

  Divide your food into five or six small meals that you consume throughout the day, instead of eating three traditional large meals. Delivering small amounts of food to your body at regular intervals allows you to better absorb nutrients and helps you work off calories.