Beyond Macro Counting: The Blueprint’s Core Philosophy
So you probably know CBG doesn’t promote tracking macros, and you have probably heard about the CBG Blueprint.
But what exactly is the Blueprint and how does it differ from macro tracking?
This was my question exactly, which is why I reached out to CBG founder Justin Romaire. He explained all that went into the creation of the Blueprint, and how he and his team of coaches use it today to help their client reach their goals.
The Making of the CBG Blueprint
Like many of us who do four or five WODs a week, Romaire used to track his macros, but it quickly felt like “a part-time job,” he remembered.
At the same time, it just didn’t make a lot of logical sense, as it didn’t consider nutrient timing at all. For example, macro tracking meant he could eat all of his protein in the morning and all of his carbs at night. That also made it very difficult to stay consistent.
“It was like playing Tetris trying to put everything together,” he said.
To create a little more structure, Romaire decided to split his macros up into specific meals that he then organized into his day around his schedule.
He quickly realized having his nutrition set up this way made it a lot easier to be consistent. He could get repeatable, predictable results instead of randomly plugging in numbers into an app throughout the day until his specific targets had been met.
At the same time, Romaire realized what people love about going to the gym and doing a group class—where the workout is written out for them on the whiteboard—is that they don’t have to think about it. They just show up four or five days a week and know they’ll see results.
Ultimately, Romaire wanted to take this same concept and “mimic it” to apply it to nutrition so that the thinking and stress is taken out of the equation for his clients. That way they can build healthy habits that are easily repeated everyday, just like going to the gym.
The CBG Blueprint Explained
In a nutshell, the CBG Blueprint is a “simplified, yet personalized way to help people understand how much, what and when they need to be eating,” Romaire explained.
The blueprint considers a person’s goals, their daily schedule, and when they workout, as these factors play a big role into what they should be eating, as well as portion sizes and nutrient timing. The goal is to build a practical nutrition plan that “actually fits your life,” Romaire said.
Worth Noting: The same person might require multiple blueprints depending on their schedule. For example, they might have a blueprint for the weekdays and another for the weekends. Their schedules may differ, thus the Blueprint ensures a practical, customized plan that is more likely to foster compliance and success.
Setting up the Blueprint
Step 1: When a new client teams up with a CBG coach, they start with a relationship-based assessment to help understand the person’s personality, goals, and previous experience with nutrition coaching.
Step 2: The new client fills out a questionnaire assessment form that digs into their schedule, lifestyle, as well as their anthropometric, meaning their bodyweight, height, age, activity level etc.
Step 3: All of the data gets plugged into CBG’s proprietary formula and the blueprints are created.
Step 4: The coach delivers the client their blueprint, or blueprints.
Worth Nothing: The CBG program requires a 16-week commitment. However, many people choose to sign up with their coach for an additional eight months after that. Many athletes and others still continue to work with their coach for years as their goals and blueprint is always changing.
What the Blueprint Looks Like
Each CBG Blueprint contains your goals at the top, as a reminder of what you’re trying to achieve.
- From there, one axis contains carbohydrates, protein, vegetables and supplements.
- Along the other axis are the time, or time frames when you will be eating based on your schedule and workouts.
- When put together, they align and you can see what to eat, approximately how much to eat and when.
That being said, there is flexibility, both in terms of specific foods you should be eating (it’s not a meal plan, per se) and in terms of exact portion sizes.
For example, the blueprints might tell you to eat protein the size of a fist or a cell phone, or carbohydrates the size of a peach, a cup of vegetables, or a fat source the size of a golf ball.
An Example Blueprint:
The Final Piece of the Puzzle: The CBG Coach
The biggest thing that sets the CBG Blueprint approach apart from macro counting is having a coach in your corner to meet you where you’re at and keep you accountable, ultimately to ensure that you’re reaching your goals.
The CBG coaching approach is built on a three-tiered accountability and relationship-based system that includes:
1. Daily Support: You will receive daily support should you have any question or concerns in need of an immediate answer.
2. Monday Text Check-Ins: On Mondays, you and your coach will check in via text or via voice notes. This is so that the coach has all the data and information to make sure you’re moving in the right direction.
3. Bi-Weekly Video Calls: Every two weeks, you and your coach will have a video call to dig deeper. This is so the coach can get to know you on a more personal level, help you with your mindset, and ultimately build trust.
The Big Picture: CBG’s Blueprint is Built for the Long Term
Justin Romaire knew there was a better way than being married to your phone every meal, stressed out, plugging numbers into an app.
He knew there was a better way to develop consistency and build healthy habits that become as automatic as brushing your teeth. Habits that last, not just for 16 weeks, but for life.
That’s why Romaire built the CBG Blueprint, and that’s why thousands of lifestyle gym go-ers and high level athletes keep putting their trust in Romaine and his team. The Blueprint provides results in the form of life-long, sustainable habits, “which is the ultimate goal for everyone,” Romaire said.