Fitness Expert's $5 a Day Meal Plan for Fat Loss

Jeremy Ethier is a kinesiologist fitness influencer with over 6.1 million YouTube followers and one million Instagram followers. His channel is wildly popular for sharing science-backed training and nutritional videos, helping people lose weight and get into great shape. He recently shared a YouTube video that went viral for a very good reason: A meal plan to help you lose fat the healthy way and costs less than $5 per day. 

A Fitness Expert Claims You Can Eat Healthy on $5 Per Day

In the video, he claims it is "the world's cheapest fat loss meal plan," with a total of four meals costing just over $5 per day. "They're absolutely delicious and dead simple to make," he maintains, explaining that is going to ante up all the necessary information, from what to buy and how to prep each meal, to how much fat can be lost by following the plan for just 7 days. 

The Meals Total 2,000 Calories Per Day

"So each meal contains a minimum of 20 grams of protein with a grand total of around 2,000 calories and over 150 grams of protein," he says, explaining that it might be the "perfect amount of calories and protein" for some people to lose fat, but can be tweaked based on body weight and gender. 

Related: I Lost 70 Pounds With Help From Yoga and These Other Workouts

Shopping at the Right Store Will Save You Money

He does point out that shopping at the "right grocery store" will get you the best deals possible. "And to find the best option, I created a sample healthy food cart across five of the most popular grocers and then rated them from most to least expensive." The most expensive was Whole Foods, with Trader Joe's $20 cheaper followed by Kroger, and Walmart. The winner? Aldi, "half the price of the exact same cart at Whole Foods."

Meal 1: Breakfast Oats

BREAKFAST OATS (582 calories, 40g protein)

• ⅔ cup (60g) oats
• pinch salt
• ½ scoop (15g) protein powder
• ¾ cup (150g) plain fat free greek yogurt
• ½ cup (125 mL) water
• 1 banana
• 1 tbsp (15g) peanut butter

How to Make Overnight Oats

• Use a mason jar or any container and first add in the oats, 0% plain Greek yogurt, and protein powder. 
• Pop it in the fridge.
• In the morning you can top it with a banana, a tablespoon of peanut butter and a pinch of salt.

Meal 2: Freezer Lunch Burrito

FREEZER LUNCH BURRITO (497 calories, 41g protein):

• 1 large white flour tortilla
• 4oz (110g) chicken breast
• ½ onion
• ½ bell pepper
• ⅓ cup (60g) canned pinto beans
• 1oz (28g) cheddar cheese
• Salt, pepper, garlic powder, soy sauce for seasoning

How to Make Freezer Lunch Burritos

• Dice up your chicken and cook in a pan with your pinto beans. 
• Transfer that to a plate after it's done then chop up your onions and green peppers and cook them in the same pan until soft. 
• Once cooked, drain any liquid, mix in your chicken and beans, and let it all cool for about 5-10 minutes. 
• Add one portion of the vegetables and one portion of the chicken and bean mix to the middle lower third of the tortilla. 
• Top it with a serving of cheddar cheese. 
• Roll her up then wrap her in aluminum foil or saran wrap, toss in the freezer.
• Once you're ready to eat, simply unwrap and heat it up in the microwave. 

Snack

For an "optional fat loss meal plan snack," Ethier recommends an apple, orange or kiwi, "between lunch and dinner." 

Related: #1 Way to Flatten Your Stomach for Women, According to a Pelvic Floor Expert

Meal 3: Egg Fried Rice

EGG FRIED RICE (587 calories, 35g protein):

• 3 whole eggs
• 1.5 cups (~160g) cooked white rice (can use 1 pack of instant rice)
• 1/2 cup green peas (frozen)
• 2 carrots (diced)
• Salt, pepper, garlic powder, soy sauce for seasoning

How to Make Egg Fried Rice

• In a pan, scramble 3 whole eggs, then set aside on a plate. 
• Next, dice your carrots and cook them in a pan with your green peas and some garlic.
• Once the veggies are soft, add in your white rice. 
• Next, add some soy sauce to your liking and then stir in your scrambled eggs, and you're done with the third meal of your cheap meal prep! 

Meal 4: Dessert Smoothie

DESSERT SMOOTHIE (333 calories, 35g protein):

• 1 scoop (30g) protein powder
• 1 banana (frozen)
• 1 tbsp (15g) peanut butter
• 5-10 ice cubes
• 3/4 cup (175mL) water 

How to Make the Dessert Smoothie

• In a blender simply add a frozen banana, 1 scoop of protein powder (chocolate usually works best), 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, 3/4 cup of water, and about 5-10 ice cubes depending on how thick you like your smoothies.
• Blend together

His Friend Lost 1.8 Pounds in a Week

Ethier claims that his friend Jeff followed the meal plan for seven days and lost a total of 1.8 pounds." Now some of this is probably water weight from just eating better, but some of that was definitely fat and you can actually see some slight differences in his physique," he says. "He also didn't follow the meal plan perfectly as he had a few meals out for family birthdays. Just goes to show you that this meal plan and the calorie deficit in general clearly works if you stick to it and you don't need to be perfect. Nutrition is key. So many people look the same year after year simply because they never prioritize their diet."

Related: The Best 20-Minute Full-Body Workout, by Selena Gomez's Trainer

Meal Prepping Will Help You Lose Weight, According to Science

There is scientific evidence supporting the benefits of meal planning. Studies the more meals you eat prepared away from home, the higher your risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and early death. And, one study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity found meal planning was associated with a healthier diet and less obesity.

💪🔥Body Booster: Make sure that each meal includes a minimum of 20 grams of protein—the ideal balance of calories and protein for some individuals to lose fat, with adjustments possible based on body weight and gender.