You’ve tried diets. You’ve followed meal plans. Maybe you’ve even seen results... for a while.
But then it all stops. You plateau. You lose motivation. And the fat comes back.
Here’s the truth: diets don’t work because they don’t teach you how to eat for performance and sustainability.
This post gives you the exact step-by-step strategy I teach inside Iron Forge Coaching. I call it the Protein First Nutrition Strategy, and it’s built around three simple phases.
If you follow this—exactly as it’s laid out—you’ll see real, lasting results. Fat loss. Strength gains. Better performance. Long-term success.
This is the foundation.
It’s where you follow a strict meal plan for at least 2 weeks—no swaps, no guessing, just doing.
Pick your goal weight
Eat 1g of protein per pound of goal weight
Eat 0.5g of fat per pound of goal weight
Carbs depend on activity level:
Sedentary: 0.5g/lb
Active: 1g/lb
Highly active: 1.5g/lb
Example (200 lb goal weight):
Protein: 200g
Fat: 100g
Carbs: 200g (active)
Total Calories: ~2,500/day
Then divide it into 4–6 meals per day based on your schedule.
Each meal = Protein + Veggie + (Carbs timed around activity)
Track your results weekly:
Weight
Waist measurement
Mirror/photos
If progress stalls or weight goes up: cut carbs by 10%.
Never drop protein below 0.8g/lb.
Do this for at least 8 weeks before moving on.
You’ve mastered consistency. Now you earn flexibility.
Still hit your macros. But now you can swap foods freely as long as:
Protein = protein
Carb = carb
Fat = fat
Add fiber and greens to every meal
Start using a food tracker like MyFitnessPal or our Iron Forge app to make it easy.
This phase is all about learning to eat around your lifestyle without falling off track.
You’ve built discipline and results. Now you can relax—but not quit.
Here’s how this works:
Focus on hitting your protein target every day
Know that your fats will mostly come along for the ride (from protein sources)
Add carbs only when needed—based on activity or hunger
No tracking. No weighing. Just listening to your body and keeping your meals based on:
Protein first
Carbs second (based on activity)
Fiber and veggies always
This is long-term sustainability.
Carbs fuel performance
Eat most of your carbs around workouts and active periods. Skip them when you’re sedentary.
Fiber matters
Add fruits with skin, veggies, or beans to stabilize insulin and improve digestion.
Alcohol?
It’s fine if accounted for. Just remember: it has calories but no nutritional value.
Cravings?
If you’re following the plan, your sugar addiction will fade fast. Most cravings go away in 10–14 days.
Pick your phase.
If you’re new or you’ve been struggling, start with Phase One. No shortcuts.
Need help building your meal plan?
We’ll build it for you based on your goals, schedule, and lifestyle.
We’ll remove the guesswork. You just follow the plan and get results.
