Confessions of a Nutrition Expert: What I Actually Eat (Including My Abuela's Tamales)
- Z-MealPlanner
- Sep 23
- 5 min read
Real talk about real meals from someone who creates meal plans for a living—spoiler alert: it's not always Instagram-worthy.
The Truth Behind the Meal Plans
Yesterday, a potential client asked me, "So what does a nutrition expert actually eat?" I could practically see her imagining my perfectly portioned mason jar salads and color-coordinated smoothie bowls. Instead, I told her about Tuesday.
Tuesday, when I ate leftover pizza for breakfast while standing in my kitchen at 6 AM, trying to caffeinate myself enough to function. Tuesday, when my "balanced lunch" was a protein bar eaten in my car between errands. Tuesday, when dinner was scrambled eggs because I forgot to defrost the chicken. Again.
Her face was priceless. "But... you're the meal planner!"
Exactly. And that's why I know what actually works.
What I Really Ate Yesterday (No Filter)
6:15 AM - Coffee + ChaosBlack coffee (because I forgot to buy creamer) and half a banana while packing my kids' lunches. Did I sit down? Absolutely not. Did I check my phone while eating? Guilty as charged.
8:30 AM - Actual BreakfastTwo scrambled eggs with spinach and a slice of whole grain toast. Eaten while helping with homework and mentally planning my day. Not exactly mindful eating, but it got protein and vegetables into my body before 9 AM, so I'm calling it a win.
12:45 PM - Lunch Reality CheckLeftover chicken and rice from Sunday's meal prep (yes, I actually do meal prep sometimes), mixed with whatever vegetables I found in the fridge. Added hot sauce because everything's better with hot sauce. Ate it while responding to client check-ins.
3:00 PM - The Snack That Saved MeApple slices with almond butter. This was strategic—I knew I'd be tempted by whatever the kids were eating after school, so I ate something satisfying first. Smart? Yes. Planned? Absolutely not. I was just hungry.
6:30 PM - Dinner (The Real Confession)Here's where it gets interesting. My kids were at my mom's house, and she sent them home with a container of my abuela's tamales. The ones made with lard and love, wrapped in corn husks and tied with strips of the same husks. The ones that definitely don't fit into any macro calculator.
Old me would have felt guilty. Would have calculated the calories, stressed about the fat content, maybe even skipped them entirely. But current me? I heated up two tamales, served them with a simple salad, and savored every single bite while thinking about my abuela's hands making these same tamales for our family for decades.
8:00 PM - Evening FuelGreek yogurt with a handful of berries. Not because I was still hungry, but because I knew my protein intake was lower than usual, and this was an easy way to boost it before bed.
The Lessons in the Mess
Looking at this day, you might think, "That's it? That's what a nutrition expert eats?" And honestly, that's exactly the point.
Lesson 1: Perfect doesn't exist.I didn't hit my exact macro targets. I ate standing up more than sitting down. I had leftover pizza for breakfast, and you know what? The world didn't end. My body didn't immediately store everything as fat. I didn't ruin my progress.
Lesson 2: Culture and health can coexist.Those tamales? They're part of my heritage, my family's love language, my connection to generations of strong women who came before me. Rejecting them in the name of "clean eating" would be rejecting a part of myself. Instead, I enjoyed them mindfully, balanced them with vegetables, and moved on with my life.
Lesson 3: Consistency beats perfection.Even on this imperfect day, I got protein at every meal, included vegetables when I could, stayed hydrated, and listened to my hunger cues. That's not accident—it's the result of years of building sustainable habits, not following rigid rules.
What My Clients Don't See
When I create meal plans for my clients, they're seeing the organized, strategic side of nutrition. The part that helps them build structure and learn about balanced eating. But what they don't see is that I don't follow my own meal plans to the letter every single day.
Because life happens. Kids get sick. Work runs late. The grocery store runs out of the organic spinach you planned your whole week around. Family sends you home with tamales made with love.
The difference between someone who succeeds long-term and someone who gives up isn't perfection—it's flexibility. It's knowing that one imperfect day doesn't erase weeks of progress. It's understanding that food is fuel, but it's also culture, comfort, and connection.
The Real Rules I Live By
Instead of obsessing over perfect macros, here's what actually guides my daily eating:
1. Protein at every meal.Not because I'm trying to build massive muscles, but because it keeps me satisfied and energized. Whether it's eggs at breakfast, chicken at lunch, or Greek yogurt at night, I make sure I'm getting enough to fuel my body.
2. Vegetables when possible, not mandatory.I aim to include vegetables in most meals, but I don't stress if it doesn't happen. Spinach in my eggs? Great. Salad with my tamales? Perfect. No vegetables at breakfast because I was rushing? Not the end of the world.
3. Honor your heritage.Food is culture. Food is memory. Food is love. I'm not going to reject my abuela's tamales or my tía's tres leches cake in the name of fitness. Instead, I enjoy them mindfully and balance them with nourishing choices the rest of the time.
4. Listen to your body.Hungry between meals? Eat something. Not hungry at your usual dinner time? That's okay too. Your body is smarter than any meal plan, including the ones I create.
5. Progress over perfection, always.Every day that I nourish my body, move in ways that feel good, and model healthy habits for my kids is a successful day. The scale, the macros, the perfect Instagram photo—none of that matters as much as how I feel and how I'm showing up for my life.
What This Means for You
If you're reading this while feeling guilty about your own imperfect eating day, I want you to take a deep breath. You're not failing. You're not broken. You're human.
The goal isn't to eat perfectly every day. The goal is to build a sustainable relationship with food that supports your health, honors your culture, and fits into your real life. Some days that looks like perfectly balanced meals. Other days it looks like tamales and gratitude.
Both are okay. Both are part of the journey.
Your Turn
I shared my imperfect Tuesday with you—now I want to hear about yours. What's one "imperfect" food choice you made recently that you actually don't regret? Maybe it was your mom's cooking, a meal shared with friends, or just something that brought you joy in a chaotic day.
Share it with me, because I guarantee you're not alone in thinking that real life doesn't always match the meal plan. And that's exactly what makes us human.
Con amor (y tamales), Zaida
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