Week 2 · Fuel

The PFC plate, and your sample week

One way to build any meal, at home or out, without weighing a thing. Then a full week of it, done for you.

Guide 4 of 9Week 26-minute read

Paddy plating high-protein meals next to a chocolate bar — **Protein first, then colour.**Learn it once and you can build it anywhere.

Protein, Fuel, Colour

Every main meal gets three things: Protein to keep you full and protect your muscle, Fuel from carbs for energy, and Colour from veg and fruit for volume and fibre. A little healthy fat finishes it. Your hand is the measuring tool, because it goes everywhere you go and it's sized to you.

Part	Your hand	Looks like
Protein	1–1½ palms	Chicken, fish, eggs, Greek yoghurt, tofu
Fuel	1 cupped hand	Rice, potatoes, pasta, oats, bread, fruit
Colour	2 fists	Any veg or salad, fresh or frozen
Fat	1 thumb	Oil, butter, cheese, nuts, avocado

Build the protein first, then add colour, then fuel. Fat usually arrives on its own through cooking oil or cheese, so a thumb is plenty.

Three rules that make it work

Protein goes on the plate first. If you only get one thing right, make it this.
Still hungry? Add colour, not fuel. More veg fills you up for very few calories.
Same plate, everywhere. At a restaurant, a wedding or your mum's, look for the protein, ask for extra veg, and keep the carbs to one cupped hand.

Rough numbers, if you like them

A PFC plate usually lands around 400–550 calories with 30–40g of protein. That's why every recipe in Recipes That Slap sits under 500.

Paddy in his kitchen with an air fryer — Most of these meals take under 15 minutes, and the BBQ chicken goes straight in the air fryer.Cook once, eat twice: make double and it's tomorrow's lunch.

Your sample week

Here's what a week looks like using recipes from your recipe book. It's an example, not a rule. Swap any meal for another from the same column, repeat your favourites, and eat leftovers for lunch.

Day	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snack	Calories	Protein
Mon	Strawberry Cheesecake Oats	Beef Burrito Bowl	Chicken Pasta Bakemake double	Protein Smoothie	1,680	144g
Tue	Cheesy Spinach Egg Muffinsbatch of 2	Chicken Pasta Bakeleftovers	Honey Garlic Salmon	Almond Protein Ballsbatch	1,450	122g
Wed	Chocolate Banana Oats	Greek Chicken Bowl	Prawn & Broccoli Noodles	Almond Protein Balls	1,580	133g
Thu	Cheesy Spinach Egg Muffins	Salmon Poke Bowl	Chicken Satay Bowl	Protein Smoothie	1,480	127g
Fri	Strawberry Cheesecake Oats	Prawn Stir-Fry	BBQ Pulled Chicken Wrap	Drinks with friends, planned inestimate	~1,590	~109g
Sat	Blueberry Protein Oats	Beef Burrito Bowl	PFC plate, eating outestimate	Protein Chia Pudding	~1,675	~130g
Sun	Egg & Avocado Bagel Thin	Beef Stir-Fry	Family roast, built as a PFC plateestimate	Protein Rice Krispie Bar	~1,680	~133g

Totals for recipe meals come from Recipes That Slap. Meals out, the roast and drinks are rough estimates. Not sure what your own daily number is? We can work it out on your Personal Plan Call.

Notice Friday night and the weekend. Drinks with friends and a family roast are planned in, not banned. The weekdays leave room for them.

Shopping list for the week

Everything for the recipe meals above, grouped by aisle. Check what you already have before you go.

Protein

Chicken breast, about 550g
Lean beef mince, 200g
Lean beef strips, 120g
Salmon fillet, 120g
Sushi-grade salmon, 100g
Raw prawns, 250g
Eggs, 10
0% Greek yoghurt, 500g tub
Whey protein (about 9 scoops)

Carbs

Oats, 200g
Brown rice or 2 pouches
Microwave rice pouches, 3
Wholewheat pasta, 120g
Couscous, 60g
Rice noodles, 120g
Bagel thins, 2
Wraps, 1 pack
Potato wedges, 100g
Rice Krispies, small box
Bananas, 3

Veg and fruit

Strawberries, 200g
Blueberries and mixed berries
Avocado, 1
Spinach, 1 bag
Peppers, 3
Onion, 1
Lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes
Broccoli, about 450g
Stir-fry veg, 2 packs
Frozen edamame
Coleslaw mix
Garlic

Dairy and milk

Reduced-fat cheddar
Mozzarella, small ball
Tzatziki
Almond milk, 1 litre

Cupboard

Chia seeds
Cocoa or cacao powder
Peanut butter and PB powder
Honey
Salsa
Passata
Light satay sauce
BBQ sauce
Honey soy glaze
Soy sauce
Sesame seeds (optional)
Vanilla extract

Spices

Smoked paprika
Ground cumin
Chilli powder
Salt, pepper and oil

My coaching clients don't get rigid meal plans. They get the plate, because it works in a restaurant, at a wedding or at your mum's, not just in your own kitchen.Paddy

Your action this week

Build three PFC plates

Make three meals this week using only your hand to portion them.
Cook two recipes from the sample week, and make double of one for lunch the next day.
Eat out once and build your plate the PFC way: protein first, extra veg, one cupped hand of carbs.

Up next · Week 2Chocolate, Wine & a Social Life