Step 1: Set the targets
Start from the client's measurements: weight, height, age, activity and goal. That gives the daily calories and the protein, carb and fat targets. Write them down before you pick a single food.
Step 2: Pick carbs first
Carbs almost always bring some protein and fat with them (bread, rice, oats, fruit). If you start with carbs, the protein and fat you add later fill what's really missing, instead of overshooting.
Step 3: Add protein, then fat
Now add protein foods until protein is close to target, then the fats. Think in portions (a slice, a cup, a palm), not in grams. Portions are faster for you and easier for the client.
Step 4: Picture the dishes
Imagine the dishes the client will actually eat, and add foods one macronutrient at a time to build them. A plan that looks like real meals is a plan that gets followed.
Step 5: Fit to target
Check the totals against the targets and adjust a few portions up or down. This is where most of the time goes when you do it by hand.
Step 6: Split into meals
Only now divide the foods into breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Doing this last means you never rebalance the whole day for one meal.
Step 7: Make it easy to follow
- Give a shopping list, so the plan survives the supermarket.
- Offer swaps of the same kind and similar calories, so one missing food doesn't break the day.
- Check in between visits, so you catch problems before week three.
Doing it in about a minute
Diet in a Minute is built around this exact method. Your go-to foods are ready, servings update the totals as you tap, Fit to target does step 5 in one click, and the plan goes to a PDF, a shopping list and the client's phone app. See the diet plan software
Questions
Why pick carbs first in a diet plan?
Carb foods usually also contain some protein and fat. Choosing them first means the protein and fat you add afterwards fill the real gap, so you hit the targets with fewer changes.
Should I plan in grams or portions?
Portions are faster to build and easier for clients to follow. Grams are useful for precise plans and athletes. Good software lets you use either.
How long should a custom diet plan take?
By hand, often 30 to 60 minutes. With a portion method and software that does the math, a custom day or week can take about a minute.
Try the portion method in the app
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