Mr Z

AI Prompt for Brunch Without Blowing Macros: By a Coach

Francesco Zen, founder of ZTraining · Published 9 July 2026 · Updated 9 July 2026

The prompt

Copy-paste prompt, built from 18 years of coachingAct as my coach for a brunch where I still want to stay roughly on track. Before answering, ask me for: what is left of my calories and macros for today, whether this brunch replaces a normal meal or is in addition to my usual eating, the type of menu if I know it, and whether bottomless drinks or similar are involved. Once you have that: 1. Point me toward the more protein-forward options on a typical brunch menu, eggs-based dishes over pastry-based ones, and tell me what to watch for even within a good-sounding choice. 2. Flag the specific extras that usually do the real damage, sauces like hollandaise, sides like extra bread or pastries, sugary drinks, and tell me what to ask to leave off or swap. 3. If bottomless drinks are involved, help me think about pacing against the rest of my day rather than either avoiding them awkwardly or losing track of how many I have had. 4. Tell me clearly whether this brunch should replace a normal meal in my day or sit on top of it, based on what I have left, so I am not accidentally double-counting or under-eating elsewhere. 5. Keep this practical for a social occasion, do not make it feel like I am declining to enjoy brunch with everyone else. 6. Remind me one brunch handled reasonably does not need compensating for later in the day. Ask me the setup questions now, before giving me guidance.

Why this prompt works

Brunch is deceptive because the headline dish is rarely the actual problem, the sauces, sides, and pastries surrounding it usually account for more of the damage than the eggs or protein at the centre of the plate. This prompt directs attention to those specific extras rather than treating the whole meal as one vague category to be cautious about.

Whether brunch replaces a meal or adds to the day matters more than most people account for. Treating a large brunch as simply one more meal on top of a normal day's eating is a common, avoidable way the day's numbers quietly come apart, so the prompt makes that distinction explicit rather than leaving it assumed.

A real-world example

Take a weekend brunch with bottomless mimosas, intended to replace both breakfast and lunch. The right output picks an egg-forward main, flags the hollandaise and any bread basket as the real levers to adjust, treats the bottomless drinks as a real part of the day's total rather than a separate category, and confirms this meal is standing in for two, not adding a third on top.

Handled this way, brunch stays what it is meant to be, an enjoyable social occasion, without quietly costing far more of the week than intended.

Where a single prompt hits its ceiling

Brunch menus, like most restaurant menus, rarely list real nutritional information, so portion sizes and preparation methods are estimated from how these dishes are typically made, not measured.

It also cannot track how many bottomless drinks actually got poured once the occasion is underway, that number is easy to lose count of in the moment, and a plan made beforehand has no way to adjust for it in real time.

Common questions

What should I order at brunch to stay on track?

An egg-forward, protein-focused main over a pastry-based one, with attention to what surrounds it. Sauces like hollandaise and sides like extra bread or pastries usually cost more than the main dish itself.

Does brunch count as one meal or two?

It depends how much you eat and when. A large weekend brunch often reasonably replaces both breakfast and lunch, and treating it as an additional meal on top of a normal day is a common way calories quietly stack up.

How do I handle bottomless drinks at brunch without losing track?

Decide roughly how many fit your day before you sit down, and treat each one as counting toward that total rather than losing count once the occasion is underway. Deciding in advance beats deciding after the third glass.

Francesco Zen is the founder of ZTraining and ZLIFE, with 18 years of coaching experience working with executives across the UK, US, and UAE. He built Mr Z, an AI coach trained on his methodology to bring the same approach to a wider audience.