Diet

Healthy eating is not about strict dietary limitations, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, improving your health, and stabilizing your mood. If you feel overwhelmed by all the conflicting nutrition and diet advice out there, you’re not alone. It seems that for every expert who tells you a certain food is good for you, you’ll find another saying exactly the opposite. But by using these simple tips, you can cut through the confusion and learn how to create a tasty, varied, and nutritious diet that is as good for your mind as it is for your body.

Healthy Diet Plan for Women

A balanced diet is a cornerstone of health. Women, like men, should enjoy a variety of foods, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, low-fat dairy and lean protein. But women also have special nutrient needs, and, during each stage of a woman’s life, these needs change.

Eating Right

Nutrient-rich foods provide energy for women’s busy lives and help to prevent disease. A healthy daily diet includes:

• At least three 1-ounce servings of whole grains such as whole-grain bread, cereal, pasta, brown rice or oats.
• Three servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy products including low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt or cheese.
• Five to 6 ounces of protein such as lean meat, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, beans or peas and nuts.
• Two cups of fruits — fresh, frozen or canned without added sugar.
• Two-and-a-half cups of colorful vegetables — fresh, frozen or canned without added salt.

Iron-rich Foods

Iron is one of the keys to good health and energy levels in women. Iron-rich food sources include red meat, chicken, turkey, pork, fish, kale, spinach, beans, lentils and fortified breads and cereals. Plant-based sources of iron are more easily absorbed by your body when eaten with vitamin C-rich foods. So eat fortified cereal with strawberries on top, spinach salad with mandarin orange slices or add tomatoes to lentil soup.

Folic Acid During the Reproductive Years

When women reach childbearing age, they need to eat enough folic acid to decrease risk of birth defects. The requirement is at least 400 micrograms of folic acid a day. Be sure to consume adequate amounts of folic acid daily from fortified foods or supplements, in addition to food forms of folate from a varied diet. Citrus fruits, leafy greens, beans and peas naturally contain folate. There are many folic acid fortified foods such as cereals, rice and breads.

Daily Calcium Requirements

For healthy bones and teeth, women need to eat a variety of calcium-rich foods every day. Calcium keeps bones strong and prevents osteoporosis, a bone disease in which the bones become weak and break easily. Some calcium-rich foods include low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt and cheese, sardines, tofu (if made with calcium sulfate) and calcium-fortified foods including juices and cereals.

Foods to Limit

To keep weight in check at any age, women should avoid a lot of excess calories from added sugars, fat and alcohol.

• Limit regular soft drinks, sugar-sweetened beverages, candy, baked goods and fried foods.
• Limit alcohol intake to one drink per day. One drink is equal to 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of liquor.
• Opt for low-fat dairy and meat products instead of their full-fat counterparts.

Eat fewer foods that are high in saturated fat — the kind found in fatty meats, sausages, cheese and full-fat dairy products, baked goods and pizza.

Balancing Calories with Activity

Since women typically have less muscle, more fat and are smaller than men, you need fewer calories to maintain a healthy body weight and activity level. Moderately active women need 1,800 to 2,200 calories a day. Women who are more physically active may require more calories.

Exercise is an important part of a woman’s health. Regular daily activity helps with weight control, muscle strength and stress management.

Healthy Diet Plan for Men

If you analyzed every “popular” weight-loss plan ever created, they’d all seem to have similar strategies – usually involving eating less, blaming certain foods for your problems, or prescribing “cheap” approaches that over-promise on results.

While these approaches can work in the short term, they’re usually not sustainable because the plan is so strict you almost feel like you’re a prisoner to your dietary warden.

Breakfast

• 5 eggs (2 palm-sized portions)
• 1 cup (1 fist-sized portion) of spinach
• 1/2 cup (1 cupped handful) of old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup (1 cupped handful) mixed berries
• 1 tbsp (1 entire thumb) chopped walnuts
• 1 glass water/green tea/black coffee

Lunch

• 8 ounces (2 palm-sized portions) of chicken
• 2 cups (2 fist-sized portions) mixed greens
• 1 cup (1 fist-sized portion) chopped carrots and cucumbers
• 1/2 cup (1 cupped handful) black beans
• 2 tbsp (2 entire thumbs) guacamole
• 1 glass water/green tea/black coffee

Mid-Afternoon Snack

• 2 scoops (2 palm-sized portions) protein powder
• 1 cup (1 fist-sized portion) pumpkin
• 1 cup (1 fist-sized portion) spinach
• 1/2 cup (1 cupped handful) old-fashioned oats
• 2 tbsp (2 entire thumbs) chopped walnuts
• 8 ounces unsweetened vanilla-almond milk
• Ice cubes as desired

Dinner

• 8 oz (2 palm-sized portions) of wild salmon
• 2 cups (2 fist-sized portions) of zucchini
• 1 tbsp (1 entire thumb) of extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium (2 cupped handfuls) sweet potato
• 8 oz water

Totals

Calories: 2,257

Protein: 216g

Carbs: 157g

Fiber: 48g

Fat: 85g

Staying On Track

The most common question we receive is: “How do I know if it’s working?” Well, your strategy should be based on what your body weight is doing and what you’re seeing in the mirror. On this plan, you can expect to lose about 2 to 3 pounds per month.

However, keep an eye on things to determine if you need adjustments. If you’re losing weight too quickly, simply eat a bit more by increasing your calories/portion sizes. And if you’re gaining weight (or not losing at all), simply eat a bit less by decreasing your calories/portion sizes.

Over time, you will have to adjust. Based on preferences, based on variety and based on your results. That’s the beauty with a flexible approach to nutrition: There are unlimited variations.

Keys to a Healthy Diet

Developing healthy eating habits isn’t as confusing or as restrictive as many people imagine. The essential steps are to eat mostly foods derived from plants—vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes (beans, peas, lentils)—and limit highly processed foods. Here are our guidelines for building a healthy diet.

Consume a Variety of Foods

Not all the nutrients and other substances in foods that contribute to good health have been identified, so eating a wide assortment of foods helps ensure that you get all of the disease-fighting potential that foods offer. In addition, this will limit your exposure to any pesticides or toxic substances that may be present in a particular food.

Keep an Eye on Portions

Sure, you can eat all the broccoli and spinach you want, but for higher-calorie foods, portion control is the key. In recent years, serving sizes have ballooned. In restaurants, choose an appetizer instead of an entree or split a dish with a friend. Don’t order anything that’s been “supersized.” When reading food labels, check serving sizes: some relatively small packages claim to contain more than one serving, so you have to double or triple the calories, grams of fat and milligrams of sodium if you’re planning to eat the whole thing.

Eat Plenty of Produce

Aim for 2½ cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit a day, for a 2,000-calorie diet. If you consume more calories, aim for more; if you eat fewer than 2,000 calories, you can eat less. Include green, orange, red, blue/purple and yellow produce. The nutrients, fiber and other compounds in these foods may help protect against certain types of cancer and other diseases. Legumes, rich in fiber, count as vegetables, though are moderately high in calories. Choose whole fruits over juice for more fiber. Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are good options.

Get More Whole Grains

At least half your grains should be whole grains, such as whole wheat, barley and oats. Whole grains retain the bran and germ and thus all (or nearly all) of the nutrients and fiber of the grain. Look for a product labeled “100% whole wheat” or “100% whole grain.” If it doesn’t say that, look for a whole grain listed as the first ingredient, though there still may be lots of refined wheat (also called “white” or “enriched” flour) and/or sugar. Another option is to look for the voluntary “Whole Grain Stamp” from the Whole Grains Council.

Limit Refined Grains, Added Sugar

The refined carbohydrates in white bread, regular pasta and most snack foods have little or no dietary fiber and have been stripped of many nutrients. On food labels, watch out for “wheat flour” (also called “white,” “refined” or “enriched” flour) on the ingredients list. Also, limit foods with added sugar, such as soda and candy. These are sources of empty calories that contribute to weight gain. Many sugary foods are also high in fat, so they’re even more calorie-dense.

Enjoy More Fish and Nuts

Nuts, fatty fish, avocados and vegetable oils supply healthy unsaturated fats. Recent research suggests these foods, though high in calories, tend not to promote weight gain because they are satisfying. Still, it’s best to eat them in place of other high-calorie foods. For instance, substitute olive or canola oil for butter. Fatty fish helps reduce heart disease risks and has other benefits, largely because of its omega-3 polyunsaturated fats.

Cut Down on Animal Fat

Saturated fats, especially from red meat and processed meat, boost LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. To limit your intake, choose lean meats, skinless poultry and nonfat or low-fat dairy products. It’s also a good idea to replace saturated fats with “good” fats, found in nuts, fish and vegetable oils, not with refined carbohydrates such as white bread and snack foods.

Shun Trans Fats

Trans fats are supplied by partially hydrogenated vegetable oils used in many processed foods (such as commercial baked goods, snack foods and stick margarines) and fast foods (such as French fries). Trans fats raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and also reduce HDL (“good”) cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart disease. Since 2006, when a trans fat labeling law went into effect, many food makers have eliminated or greatly reduced these fats in their products.

Don’t Worry About Cholesterol

Though a 300-milligram daily cap on cholesterol intake has long been advised, there’s abundant evidence that cholesterol in food has little, if any, effect on blood cholesterol in most people. Thus, many experts no longer recommend limiting dietary cholesterol (found only in animal foods, notably eggs and shrimp). The best way for most people to lower their blood cholesterol is to reduce saturated fats (as in meats) and trans fats (from partially hydrogenated oils in processed foods). A possible exception is people with diabetes, who should talk to their doctor about their overall diet.

Keep Sodium Down, Potassium Up

Excess sodium raises blood pressure in many people and has other harmful effects. People over 50, blacks and those with hypertension, diabetes or chronic kidney disease—that’s most adults—should limit sodium to 1,500 milligrams a day (about two-thirds of a teaspoon of salt). Everyone else should aim for less than 2,300 milligrams a day. At the same time, consume more potassium, which lowers blood pressure. Potassium-rich foods include citrus fruits, bananas, potatoes, beans and yogurt.

Watch Your Calcium and Vitamin D

These nutrients are vital for bone health. Get calcium from low-fat or nonfat dairy products and fortified foods such as some orange juices and soy drinks. If you can’t get 1,000 to 1,200 mg a day from foods, take a calcium supplement. It’s hard to consume enough vitamin D from foods, and getting it from sunlight is risky. Many people—especially those who are over 60, live at northern latitudes or have darker skin—may need a D supplement (800 to 1,000 IU a day).

Choose Food Over Supplements

Supplements cannot substitute for a healthy diet, which supplies countless other potentially beneficial compounds besides vitamins and minerals. Foods also provide the “synergy” that many nutrients require to be efficiently used in the body. Still, for many people a basic multivitamin/mineral pill can provide some of the nutrients they may fall short on. In addition, many people need calcium as well as vitamin D supplements to meet recommended intakes.

Be Aware of Liquid Calories

Beverages supply more than 20 percent of the calories in the average American’s diet. Some liquid calories come from healthy beverages, such as milk and 100 percent fruit juice. But most come from soda and other sweetened beverages and alcoholic drinks, which have lots of calories yet few, if any, nutrients. Soft drinks are a major source of sugar and calories for many Americans, especially children. Though juice is more nutritious than soft drinks, it’s also high in calories, so most people should drink no more than one cup a day.

Limit Alcohol

If you drink, do so in moderation. That means no more than one drink a day for women, two a day for men. Older people should drink even less. A drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1½ ounces of 80-proof spirits. While alcohol in moderation has heart benefits, higher intakes can lead to a wide range of health problems. Even moderate drinking impairs your ability to drive and may increase the risk of certain cancers. Some people, including pregnant women and those who have certain medical conditions, should avoid alcohol altogether.

Enjoy Your Food

Be mindful of what you eat, which may help you eat less and enjoy your food more. Many cultures around the world emphasize the enjoyment of food, which often includes cooking and eating with others, as an integral ingredient to good health. Even our own Dietary Guidelines for Americans touch on the idea that eating healthfully involves “enjoying food and celebrating cultural and personal traditions through food.” According to some research, shared mealtimes, especially during childhood, may act as a “protective factor” for many nutrition health-related problems as well as increase prosocial behavior in adulthood.

Like the name suggests, liquid diets mean you’re getting all, or at least most, of your calories from drinks.

Some liquid diets are limited to fruit or vegetable juices, or shakes, that replace all of your meals, taken three or four times a day. You do some of these diets on your own. Others need medical supervision.

Other types of liquid diets replace just one or two meals (usually breakfast and lunch) with drinks, and then you eat a healthy dinner. You may also get snacks on some of these plans.

Liquid Diet Foods

A clear liquid diet helps maintain adequate hydration, provides some important electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium, and gives some energy at a time when a full diet isn’t possible or recommended.

The following foods are allowed in a clear liquid diet:

• Water (plain, carbonated or flavored)
• Fruit juices without pulp, such as apple or white grape
• Fruit-flavored beverages, such as fruit punch or lemonade
• Carbonated drinks, including dark sodas (cola and root beer)
• Gelatin
• Tea or coffee without milk or cream
• Strained tomato or vegetable juice
• Sports drinks
• Clear, fat-free broth (bouillon or consomme)
• Honey or sugar
• Hard candy, such as lemon drops or peppermint rounds
• Ice pops without milk, bits of fruit, seeds or nuts

Any foods not on the above list should be avoided. Also, for certain tests, such as colon exams, your doctor may ask you to avoid liquids or gelatin with red coloring.

Tips for Going on a Liquid Diet

When, how to skip solid food

People with Crohn’s disease often struggle to digest food, particularly when symptoms flare up. Sometimes a liquid diet is the answer.

However, check in with a doctor or dietitian before going on a solely liquid diet (anything more than a meal or two).

Commercial drinks

Even if your Crohn’s disease symptoms are under control, you may still have trouble keeping on weight.

If so, have a bottle of Ensure or Boost along with meals or make yourself a drink that has 200 to 300 calories, Freuman says.

Liquid can help a flare

Liquid meals can be lifesavers during flare-ups, when symptoms like diarrhea, cramping, and constipation are at their worst.

Rosenau recommends consuming as many calories, either as liquids or solids, as you can tolerate during flares.

Make it convenient

Making your own liquid meals can save money and be convenient if you make a batch and save it in the fridge.

Skip the milk

“One thing across the board that would be true of almost everyone who has Crohn’s disease is that they are unlikely to tolerate dairy products in a flare,” Rosenau says.

After a flare, try to reintroduce dairy such as yogurt, to see if you can tolerate it, Rosenau says.

Watch the sugar

Look for liquid meals that contain calories from fat and protein so you know that not all the calories are coming from sugar.

Artificial sweeteners may be a problem

Sugar-free products are not necessarily diarrhea-free, Freuman points out. They often contain sugar alcohols that can make diarrhea worse. (Look for ingredients like mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol.)

Get your vitamins

Vitamin deficiencies can plague people with Crohn’s, depending on the location and severity of their disease.

People often have vitamin B12 and vitamin D deficiencies, especially if the disease affects the ileal or lower section of their small intestine, as is often the case, says Stephen Hanauer, MD, chief of gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition at University of Chicago.

Damage higher up in the small intestine is associated with deficiencies in zinc, iron, and B vitamins.

Explore your options

When it comes to liquid meals, taste and tolerance vary between people almost as much as Crohn’s disease itself, Dr. Hanauer says.

You might find that brands like Ensure or Boost upset your stomach, or you don’t like the taste. “I hear from a lot of people that they’re intensely sweet,” Rosenau says.

Luckily, there are other options in your grocery or natural foods store. Rosenau says that some of her clients do really well with Mix1 protein shakes and GoodBelly juices, which are dairy-free and contain probiotics.

Make it tasty

It can be a challenge to spark your appetite, especially if you are limited to liquid meals.

Chew your food

A common dietary tip for people with Crohn’s disease is to chew your food well.

You can also make solids easier to digest by cooking them well—think mushy, boiled vegetables or rice. These steps can make the solids you eat (or reincorporate after a flare) go down almost as smooth as the liquids.

Plan for a Liquid Diet

Breakfast

You can start your morning off with fruit juice without pulp and, depending on your doctor’s orders, you may be able to eat cooked cereal like oatmeal or cream of wheat or rice, especially if you thin it down with extra milk. Milk and liquid nutritional supplements, such as Boost or Ensure, are also included on this diet. You can add variety throughout your seven-day diet by rotating different types of juices and cereals. You can also have fruit smoothies made with yogurt and pureed skinless and seedless fruits, or some kefir, which is a type of drinkable yogurt. If you need to add calories, include honey or maple syrup to sweeten your smoothie and cereal, and use a little melted butter on the cereal as well.

Lunch and Dinner

A pureed soup is a good choice for lunch and dinner. You can make your own or use an already prepared soup. If you puree it yourself, you may need to strain it to catch any chunks. Consider adding yogurt, avocado or silken tofu to add more nutrients. You can increase your protein intake by adding skim milk powder or protein powder to the liquids or using a meal replacement drink. Serve your soup with tea with lemon and honey, milk or a glass of vegetable juice. Strained baby foods without lumps can also be eaten on some liquid diets, although you may need to thin them with water, milk or broth.

Desserts and Snacks

You’ll only be able to eat so much liquid food at one time, so have snacks as well as meals, especially if you aren’t trying to lose weight. Milkshakes, gelatin with whipped cream, pudding, sherbet, ice creams without any chunky add-ins, fruit juice bars and ice pops, and custard-style yogurt are all allowed on a liquid diet.

If you like tea, and you like healthy beverage options, you’ve joined the ranks of the other 158 million Americans who are enjoying a cup on any given day. It’s estimated that last year, over 80 billion—that’s right, billion—servings of tea were consumed by the tea lovers of America. That translates into roughly 3.60 billion gallons.

Although black tea is the most popular—it accounts for about 84 percent of all tea consumed—green tea is reported to be growing at a much higher volume than black. Our guess is that’s because of green tea’s potential role in weight loss. We decided to take a closer look at how you can drink green tea for weight loss.

Green Tea Can Help You to Losing Weight

Green tea is more than just hot, flavored water.

The bioactive substances in the tea leaves dissolve in the water and make it into the final drink.

When you drink a cup of quality tea, you’re actually getting a large amount of beneficial substances with potent biological effects.

The best known of these is caffeine. A cup of green tea contains much less caffeine (24-40 mg) than a cup of coffee (100-200 mg), but still enough to have a mild effect.

Caffeine is a well known stimulant that has been shown to aid fat burning and improve exercise performance in numerous studies.

But where green tea really shines is in its massive range of antioxidants… being loaded with potent antioxidants called catechins.

The most important of these is EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate), a substance that can boost metabolism.

Keep in mind that these benefits can be derived both from drinking green tea as a beverage, as well as taking green tea extract as a supplement. Most of the studies used extracts.

Green tea DOES help you lose weight but you need to drink seven decaff cups a day, study finds

• Scientists tested the effects of decaffeinated green tea extract on weight
• 14 men divided into two groups were asked to cycle three times a week
• Seven given capsule of green tea extract, while others were given placebo
• Group taking green tea reduced their body fat by 1.6% compared to control

Preparing Green Tea for Weight Loss

All calories count when you’re trying to lose weight. And while the weight-loss benefits of green tea aren’t that great, if you’re drinking it to give yourself a little extra boost, you don’t want to negate any benefits by adding extra calories from sweeteners such as honey or milk or cream. A cup of plain green tea has only 2 calories, making it a healthy addition to your weight loss diet. Adding 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of cream bumps up the calories in your very low-calorie tea to 86 calories. That may not sound like much, but drinking 3 cups a day adds an extra 258 calories, which may add a little more than 2 pounds a month if you drink them in addition to your regular meal plan.

Additional Benefits and Warnings

Green tea is widely consumed and associated with a number of health benefits, including decreasing risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer. It’s also used to help reduce inflammation for those with inflammatory bowel disease and may aid in blood sugar control in people who suffer from diabetes. And when consumed as a beverage, green tea is considered safe.

However, as a source of caffeine, you may want to talk to your doctor before you brew your first cup if you have a history of heart problems, high blood pressure or anxiety. The tea may also interact with medications, including chemotherapy, antibiotics, blood thinners and blood pressure medication.

Lose weight while eating steak, burgers, cheese, and bacon? High-protein, low-carb plans like Atkins and the Zone can work. But you should consider the pros and cons before you decide to try one.

How Much Protein?

Women need at least 50 grams of protein a day — men about 60 grams per day. With a high-protein diet, it can be much more than that. This extra protein can come from beans, meat, nuts, grains, eggs, seafood, cheese or vegetarian sources like soy. These diets often restrict carbs like cereals, grains, fruits, and possibly vegetables.

How Do High-Protein Diets Work?

When you cut out carbohydrates, you lose weight quickly because you lose water. Then, with no extra carbs, the body begins burning more fat for fuel. This can lead to ketosis, which may make losing weight easier because you feel less hungry. Ketosis may cause temporary headaches, irritability, and nausea but appears to be safe long-term.

The Best Protein Sources

Choose protein sources that are nutrient-rich and lower in saturated fat and calories, such as:

• Lean meats
• Seafood
• Beans
• Soy
• Low-fat dairy
• Eggs
• Nuts and seeds

It’s a good idea to change up your protein foods. For instance, you could have salmon or other fish that’s rich in omega-3s, beans or lentils that give you fiber as well as protein, walnuts on your salad, or almonds on your oatmeal.

How much protein are you getting? Here’s how many grams of protein are in these foods:

1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese: 10-14g

3 ounces tofu, firm: 7-13g

1/2 cup cooked lentils: 9g

2 tablespoons natural-style peanut butter or almond butter: 6-8g

3 oz skinless chicken breast: 25g

3 oz fish fillet (depending on type of fish): 17-20g

1 ounce cheese: 7g

Health Benefits of Eating Foods with Protein

Boost Muscle Mass

Eating enough protein is necessary to build and maintain healthy muscle mass, while also supporting tendon, ligaments and other body tissue. When your diet is lacking in amino acids, “muscle wasting” (or muscle atrophy) can take place when your muscle fibers are broken down to support your body’s energy needs.

Protein is especially important after exercise, since physical activity like strength training purposefully damages muscle tissues so they can repair and grow back stronger. For the process to happen effectively, you need some extra protein to help repair the damage. While protein alone won’t enhance athletic performance, research shows that eating protein before and after exercise helps increase muscle recovery, promotes muscle synthesis and serves as effective muscle ache treatment.

Help Manage Your Weight by Filling You Up

Although some research studies show conflicting results regarding high-protein diets versus low-protein diets for maintaining an ideal weight or losing weight fast, there’s plenty evidence that protein helps make you feel full and can prevent overeating. While dietary or lifestyle change must be personalized for weight loss to be effective, studies show that controlled calorie intake in association with a moderately high protein intake can be an effective and practical weight-loss strategy.

Some of the reasons this is true? High-protein foods cause increased satiety to a greater extent than carbohydrates or fats, so they can prevent overeating and snacking. It’s usually much easier to overeat carbohydrates, especially if they’re refined or sweetened, than it is to overeat healthy protein foods. Eating protein also creates a process in the body known as thermogenesis, which requires the body to expend more energy (calories) in order to digest food. At the same time, protein helps ward off muscle loss that can result from a low-calorie diet, which makes certain proteins superfoods for weight loss.

Stabilize Blood Sugar Levels

Insulin is a hormone that’s required for carbohydrates, fat and protein to be metabolized. However, carbohydrates require much more insulin than fat or protein does. The major determinate of blood sugar levels is the glycemic index response from the foods you eat, so while eating high-carb and high-sugar foods results in fluctuations in blood sugar levels, eating protein does the opposite.

Eating foods with protein has a minimal effect on blood glucose levels and can, in fact, slow down the absorption of sugar during a meal. This means a high-protein diet can help prevent spikes in blood glucose, which is especially important for preventing type 2 diabetes, balancing energy levels, and keeping your appetite and mood in check.

Improve Your Mood

Certain amino acids from protein foods are needed to balance hormones naturally, control your mood and act as a natural remedy for anxiety. Proteins help neurotransmitters function and synthesize hormones like dopamine and serotonin that calm us and keep our outlook positive.

Many people who are lacking in key amino acids start experiencing weakness, moodiness, and increased anxiety or signs of depression for this reason. Because protein helps stabilize glucose in your blood, it also prevents mood changes, irritability and cravings that can occur due to fluctuating blood sugar levels.

Promote Healthy Brain Function and Learning

Proteins are needed to make enzymes, hormones and neurotransmitters that are critical for cognitive function. As your mother may have told you when you were a kid, eating a healthy breakfast sets the tone for the day and prepares you to learn and remember information.

The brain requires a steady supply of amino acids in order to keep concentration, focus and energy levels up. Studies show that when amino acid deprivation takes place, learning and coordination suffers, but once all necessary amino acids are reintroduced into the diet, learning and motor skills improve.

Help Maintain Strong Bones

Many studies now show that a positive association exists between eating more foods with protein and better bone health. (20) The effects of protein on bones also relate to the specific protein foods being eaten and intake of important bone-building nutrients like calcium and magnesium. A diet high in protein from whole, nutrient-rich foods can heal broken bones and prevent bone weakness, fractures and even osteoporosis by increasing calcium absorption and helping with bone metabolism.

Recent studies in the elderly in the U.S. show that the greatest bone losses occur in people with low protein intake of 16–50 grams per day. It’s believed that when someone eats a low level of protein, insulin-like growth factor production is reduced, which in turn has a negative effect on calcium and phosphate metabolism in the bones and bone formation.

Protect Heart Health

Some studies show that an inverse relationship between protein intake and risk of heart disease has been observed in adults, as higher protein diets appear to one of the natural remedies for high blood pressure. Also, substituting carbohydrate foods with protein results in lower LDL “bad” cholesterol and triglyceride levels. One reason this might be true is because higher protein diets balance blood sugar and tend to help prevent other heart disease-related causes, including obesity and diabetes.

Slow Aging and Promote Longevity

One of the key roles of protein foods is helping the body synthesize glutathione, often called the “master antioxidant.” Glutathione is stored within our own cells and helps us detox and reduce carcinogens that age us. Animal and human studies both show that adequate protein intake is crucial for the maintenance of glutathione and helps the body stay in a state of balanced “homeostasis.” Glutathione deficiency contributes to oxidative stress, which plays a key role in age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, liver disease, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, cancer and viral infections.

Research shows that a diet high in balanced amino acids from protein foods can help treat muscle loss due to aging (called sarcopenia). A diet that has adequate levels of protein helps slow the aging process by keeping muscle mass intact, supporting strong bones, and maintaining high cognitive and immune function. In the elderly, amino acid deficiencies can potentially lead to eye problems like cataracts, heart problems, muscle loss, weakness and mood changes.

As you age, your body is less capable of synthesizing amino acids on its own, which is one reason why the amount of muscle you have tends to decrease over the years while fat accumulates. This makes it even more important for you to eat plenty of protein-rich foods to support not only a healthy body weight, but to keep your memory sharp, energy up, and strength and balance in place.

No single food will automatically target your turkey neck (fat loss only happens when you burn more calories than you ingest, leading your body to preferentially break down lipid stores for energy). But alongside a proper fitness regimen, what you eat will help you torch body fat.

Whether it’s turning off fat genes, helping to build muscle that robs energy from adipose cells, revving your metabolism and ability to burn fat, or helping you feel fuller longer so you consume fewer calories, these foods have been proven to show an increased rate of fat loss. Find these fat burning foods below.

Fermented Foods

Fermented foods like miso, tempeh and sauerkraut contain probiotics, a.k.a. friendly bacteria that help boost immunity, regulate gut function and banish bloat. Unsweetened plain Greek yogurt and skyr can provide probiotic benefits too. Choose ones that have five strains or more of bacterial cultures per 6-ounce serving.

Oats

Probiotics introduce useful bacterial to your system, but the prebiotics in oats feed the good bacteria already living there, helping it proliferate.

Nuts

Almonds, peanuts, walnuts, pistachios — at GH, we’re nuts about nuts! People who snack on nuts may have lower abdominal fat than those who munch on carb-based treats, according to a 2015 study in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Nuts are rich in monounsaturated fats, a heart-healthy (and more satisfying) pick than their grain-based counterparts.

Berries

Berries are packed with fiber (up to 9 grams a cup!) and antioxidants but contain less sugar than most fruits. That combo makes them a satisfying and healthy choice.

Olive Oil

Plant-based oils like extra-virgin olive oil create that “full” feeling and help you slim down overall. Skip battered foods deep-fried in oil, though! Fried snacks are associated with weight gain, so you’re better off enjoying them only once in a while.

Eggs

High-protein breakfasts, especially ones that include eggs, have been linked to weight loss, reducing belly fat in the process. Add eggs to salads, stir-frys and sautés, or pair them with 100% whole-grain toast and veggies for a hearty breakfast.

Beans and Lentils

Pulses — the dry edible seeds of beans, lentils, chickpeas and peas — are everywhere these days, and we couldn’t be happier about it. They’re filled with fiber and plant-based protein, plus minerals and B-vitamins. Overall, pulses reduce bloat by aiding your nervous and muscular systems, helping you build lean body mass.

Fish

It doesn’t get any better than fish when it comes to healthy protein, especially salmon, tuna and sardines. They’re filled with important omega-3s and lean protein, helping you fill up and curb cravings.

Leafy Greens

Plant-based omega-3s belong in any healthy eating plan, but leafy greens and cauliflower are especially helpful for tightening up. They’re loaded with minerals like potassium, which can help offset the bloat-inducing effects of sodium.

Avocados

Good news for lovers of this fruit (yes, it’s a fruit!): A 2013 study linked regular avocado-eaters to lower waist circumference and BMI. What’s more, the monounsaturated fats are heart-healthy and filling, reducing the urge to graze on processed foods later on.

Bananas

Filled with potassium and magnesium, bananas offset the bloat caused salty processed foods and pack in plant-based prebiotics, “feeding” your good bacteria. Snack on one a day with a tablespoon of nut butter, or slice it into your morning cereal.

Asparagus

As a prebiotic-filled veggie, asparagus is a great addition to soups, pastas and omelets, or served as a side dish. For extra bloat-beating benefits, try pairing asparagus sticks with other crudité and dipping in hummus.

Salad Staples

Mushrooms, carrots, tomatoes and cucumber all help you stay hydrated due to their high H2O content. That extra water can offset fluid retention caused by excess salt.

Citrus Fruits

The potassium in citrus helps combat bloat while the antioxidants fight inflammation, which is associated with belly-fat storage. Since a key part of beating the bulge is proper hydration, adding citrus to your H2O can help non-water drinkers to sip up and ultimately slim down!

Alliums

You already know that garlic, onion, leeks, scallions and shallots add lots of flavor, but they also provide tons of prebiotic fiber. Sneak them into savory dishes, like omelets and salads.

Orange Veggies

Sweet potatoes, butternut squash, pumpkin and other good-for-you tubers are lower in calories and chock-full of potassium and beta-carotene. Their mineral-rich and fiber-full properties make them bloat-beating all-stars.

Herbs and Spices

Flavor foods with herbs and spices whenever you can. It’ll encourage you cut back on high-sodium staples and avoid the salt shaker, a major player in bloating. Plus, many have mild diuretic effects, helping you flush out excess water. We love basil, cilantro, rosemary, sage, tarragon, mint, oregano and black and red chili peppers, to name a few.

Cayenne Pepper

Who knew there was a connection between a spicy pepper scorching your mouth and burning your belly fat? Scientists did! According to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, daily consumption of one of the compounds found in pepper (capsaicin) speeds up abdominal fat loss by boosting the body’s ability to convert food into energy. It also acts as a natural appetite suppressant: men who ate spicy appetizers consumed 200 fewer calories at later meals than those that did not, a study by Canadian researchers found. All you have to do to reap the benefits is use a pinch of cayenne pepper to season grilled fish, meats, and eggs.

Guacamole

A scoop of guacamole is one of the most effective fat-burning, hunger-squashing snacks known to man. Not only are avocados rich in vitamin B6—which directly counteracts the belly-fat-building stress hormone, cortisol—they’re also full of monounsaturated fat. This healthy fat may actually prevent body fat distribution around the belly by down-regulating the expression of certain fat genes, according to research in the journal Diabetes Care. These same satiating fats may also be the reason behind another study that found people who ate half a fresh avocado with lunch reported a 40 percent decreased desire to eat for hours afterward.

Sweet Potatoes

The phrase “slow carb” is anything but sluggish when it comes to blasting fat. Slow carbs are digested slowly, which keeps you feeling fuller and energized longer—and sweet potatoes are one of them. Among the magic ingredients here are carotenoids, antioxidants which stabilize blood-sugar levels and lower insulin resistance, which prevents calories from being converted into fat. And their high vitamin profile (including A, C, and B6) give you more energy to burn at the gym.

White Tea

If there’s such a thing as a muffin-top-melting tea, this is it. White tea works in three distinct ways to help strip away fat from your body. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism showed that white tea can simultaneously boost lipolysis (the breakdown of fat) and block adipogenesis (the formation of fat cells). Another group of researchers found that the tea is also a rich source of antioxidants that trigger the release of fat from the cells and help speed the liver’s ability to turn fat into energy.

Dark Chocolate

If you thought losing weight would mean giving up all your indulgences, look no further than dark chocolate. A study at Louisiana State University found that gut microbes in our stomach ferment chocolate and boost our body’s production of gut-healthy polyphenolic compounds, including butyrate, a fatty acid that encourages the body to burn fat as fuel and turns off genes linked to inflammation. (Add fruit to the chocolate to boost fermentation and the release of the compounds.) Make sure you go with chocolate that has a cacao content of 70 percent or above—these have the highest concentrations of antioxidant polyphenols.

Coconut Oil

It’s a dietary miracle: A fat that makes you skinny. Dietary supplementation of coconut oil actually reduced abdominal obesity in a study published in the journal Lipids. Of the participants, half were given two tablespoons of coconut oil daily and the other half were given soybean oil, and although both groups experienced overall weight loss, only the coconut oil group saw smaller waistlines. And other researchers have also pointed to the waist-whittling effects of the tropical oil. In a separate study of 30 men, those who ate 2 tablespoons of coconut oil a day shrank their waists by an average of 1.1 inches in one month. Thank C.O.’s medium-chain triglycerides, which are burned as energy instead of being stored as fat, and lauric acid, which has been shown to pinpoint belly fat and torch it.

Lime

Add a squeeze of this tart citrus in your water. Or, try it on top of salads or yogurt. Lime is also a great addition to smoothies and tea, and delicious in marinades and sauces.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are delicious and abundant in the summer months. Slice them up and eat them on their own, or incorporate tomatoes into salads and sauces.

Oysters

Known as an aphrodisiac, these briney bivalves are also a great fat-burning food to add to your diet.

Shrimp

Top your salad with shrimp or have them boiled with cocktail sauce. This fat-burning food is used in nearly every cuisine around the world.

Greek Yogurt

It’s good for your immunity, your digestive system, and weight loss. Greek yogurt will help you stay full. Have it as a snack, or use it within sauces, as a substitute for mayonnaise, or within salad dressing.

Get a glimpse of what a day of eating is like during Live It! and Lose It! These easy and delicious recipes will allow you to eat well and enjoy life on your weight-loss journey.

1200-Calorie Meal Plan

Day 1

Breakfast

Combine 3/4 cup bran flakes, 1 banana and 1 cup fat-free milk in a bowl.

Lunch

Build a sandwich with 1 mini whole wheat pita, 3 ounces turkey breast, 1/2 roasted pepper, 1 teaspoon light mayonnaise, mustard and lettuce. Serve with 1 stick part-skim mozzarella string cheese and 2 kiwifruits.

Dinner

Serve 4 ounces broiled flounder or sole with 2 sliced plum tomatoes sprinkled with 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, broiled until just golden; 1 cup cooked couscous; 1 cup steamed broccoli; and 1 fat-free pudding cup.

Day 2

Breakfast

Blend 1 cup frozen berries, 1/2 banana and 8 ounces fat-free milk. Spread 1/2 English muffin with 1 teaspoon light margarine.

Lunch

Heat up 1 cup vegetarian vegetable soup and serve with 1 veggie burger in a mini whole wheat pita with lettuce and salsa; 6 ounces light yogurt; and 15 grapes.

Dinner

Brush 4 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast with barbecue sauce and grill. Serve with 1/2 cup vegetarian baked beans and 3 small boiled red potatoes topped with 1 teaspoon light margarine and a pinch of dill.

Day 3

Breakfast

In the microwave, cook 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats with 3/4 cup fat-free milk. Add 1/2 apple (chopped), 1 teaspoon honey and a pinch of cinnamon.

Lunch

To make a chicken salad, toss 4 ounces shredded skinless roast chicken breast with 1/4 cup sliced red grapes, 1 tablespoon slivered almonds, 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon fat-free sour cream. Serve over lettuce. Eat with 1 banana.

Dinner

Serve 4 ounces steamed shrimp with 1 baked potato topped with 3 tablespoons salsa and 1 tablespoon fat-free sour cream; 3 cups spinach, steamed; and 1 low-fat frozen fudge bar.

Day 4

Breakfast

Top 1/2 toasted English muffin with 1/2 small apple, sliced, and 1 ounce shredded reduced-fat cheese, any type. Microwave 30 seconds on high. Serve with 6 ounces light yogurt sprinkled with 1 tablespoon slivered almonds.

Lunch

Heat 1 cup tomato soup. Serve with a sandwich made with 1 mini whole wheat pita, 3 ounces thinly sliced roast beef, 1 teaspoon horseradish, mustard, tomato slices andn lettuce. Eat with 1 cup raw veggies and 1 pear.

Dinner

Serve 3 ounces poached salmon with a slaw made by tossing 1 1/4 cups coleslaw mix and 2 sliced green onions with 2 tablespoons fat-free dressing (no more than 30 calories per 2 tablespoons). Add 3/4 cup cooked brown rice and 1/2 cup pineapple chunks in juice on the side.

Day 5

Breakfast

Combine 1 cup Cheerios, 1/2 cup berries, 1 tablespoon slivered almonds and 8 ounces fat-free milk in a bowl.

Lunch

Make a quesadilla by spreading 1/4 cup fat-free refried beans over 1 small whole wheat tortilla. Sprinkle on 1 ounce shredded reduced-fat cheese. Top with salsa and another tortilla; microwave 45 seconds on high. Serve with 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese topped with 1/2 cup mandarin orange sections and cucumber spears.

Dinner

Serve 3 ounces roasted pork tenderloin with 1 cup baked acorn squash, mashed with a pinch of cinnamon; 2 to 3 cups salad greens with 2 tablespoons fat-free dressing; and 1/2 cup vanilla fat-free frozen yogurt topped with 1 cup berries.

Day 6

Breakfast

Toast 1 frozen waffle, spread with 1 tablespoon peanut butter and top with 1/2 sliced banana. Serve with 8 ounces fat-free milk.

Lunch

Make a tuna pita with 1 mini whole wheat pita, 2 ounces water-packed light tuna, 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise, mustard and cucumber and onion slices. Serve with 10 baby carrots and 6 ounces light yogurt mixed with 1/2 banana.

Dinner

Make jambalaya by combining 3/4 cup cooked brown rice; 1/2 cup corn; 2 ounces cooked turkey sausage, sliced; 1/3 cup salsa; and 1/4 cup canned kidney beans. Heat through. Eat with 3 cups spinach, steamed, and 1 medium apple.

Day 7

Breakfast

Layer 1/2 toasted English muffin with 1 ounce reduced-fat cheese, sliced; 1 tomato slice; 1/2 cup steamed spinach, drained; and 1 poached egg. Serve with 1 grapefruit.

Lunch

Make black bean salad by tossing 1/2 cup canned black beans, 1/2 cup mandarin orange sections, chopped red bell peppers, red onion and scallions with 1 teaspoon vinegar. Serve over salad greens. Eat with 1 mini whole wheat pita and 1 pear.

Dinner

Serve 3 ounces broiled or grilled flank steak with 1 baked sweet potato with 1 teaspoon light margarine; 1 cup steamed zucchini; and 1/2 cup pineapple chunks in juice.

1500 Calorie Diet Plan Sample Menus

This plan calls for three meals and two snacks each day. Here is the basic breakdown for the 1500 calorie diet plan:

Breakfast: 1 Protein + 1 Fruit (+ vegetables if desired)

Lunch: 1 Protein + 1 Vegetable + Leafy Greens + 1 Starch/Grain + 1 Beneficial Fat

Snack: 1 Protein Snack

Dinner: 1½ Proteins + 2 Vegetable + Leafy Greens + 2 Starch/Grain 1 Beneficial Fat

Snack: 1 Protein Snack

Daily Totals: 3½ Protein, 1 Fruit, 3 Vegetable + leafy greens, 3 Starch/Grain, 2 Protein Snacks, 2 Beneficial Fats

Daily Totals: 4 Protein, 3 Fruit, 4-5 Vegetable, 2 Starch/Grain, 1 Protein Snack, Leafy Greens – no limit, 2 Taste Enhancer

As long as you don’t exceed the daily totals for each food group, feel free to move your portions around. But try to keep the same general pattern of three meals and at least one snack. It’s not recommended that you skip meals and then “double up” at the next one. More evenly spaced meals will help keep your energy level up, and protein at each meal (and for the afternoon snack) will help to keep you from getting too hungry.

3-day menus for a 1500 calorie diet

DAY 1

Breakfast

Protein Shake made with protein powder, nonfat or low fat milk and 1 cup berries

Lunch

Large salad made with:

• Leafy greens (lettuce, spinach) – any amount
• 1 cup (80g) chopped mixed vegetables (carrots, peppers, tomato)
• 4 ounces grilled chicken breast
• ½ cup (150g) cooked white beans
• 2 tablespoons (30g) reduced-calorie salad dressing
• 1 tangerine

Snack

• 1/3 cup prepared hummus
• raw vegetables sticks (cucumber, carrots, celery)

Dinner

• 6 ounces (200g) grilled salmon with lemon
• 2 cups (160g) steamed green beans with garlic
• ½ cup (150g) cooked brown rice
• Mixed leafy greens salad – any amount
• 2 Tablespoons (30g) reduced calorie salad dressing

Snack

1 single-serve (about 5 ounce/150g) Greek-style vanilla yogurt + ½ cup berries

DAY 2

Breakfast

Breakfast Bowl:

• Fresh or frozen spinach, steamed or microwaved until hot
• Topped with 2 eggs, cooked any style, and tomato salsa
• 1 cup (80g) cut melon

Lunch

Veggie and Tofu stir-fry. Sauté veggies in oil, then add tofu and seasonings:

• 1 tablespoon oil to stir-fry
• 1 cup (80g) broccoli florets
• 2 cups chopped Chinese cabbage
• 3 ounces (about ¼ block or 125g) firm tofu, cut into cubes
• Season with soy sauce, garlic, pepper and ginger
• ½ cup (150g) steamed brown rice

Snack

• 1 Protein snack bar
• Dinner

Grain salad with protein. Toss together:

• 6 ounces (200g) grilled shrimp
• ½ cup (150g) cooked quinoa
• 2 cups (160g) chopped mixed vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, carrots, cucumber, onion)
• Dressing made with 1Tablespoon olive oil and vinegar; salt and pepper to taste
• Place on a bed of leafy greens

Snack

Decaf nonfat latte

DAY 3

Breakfast

• 1 cup (250g) plain nonfat Greek-style yogurt
• 1 cup diced mango
• Sprinkle with nutmeg

Lunch

Tuna pita pocket:

• 4 ounces (100g) tuna mixed with
• 1 Tablespoon low fat mayonnaise
• Chopped mixed veggies (i.e., green onion, cucumber, peppers)
• ½ whole grain pita bread
• Mixed leafy greens salad – any amount
• 1 Tablespoon reduced calorie salad dressing

Snack

• 2 ounces roasted turkey breast
• 2 whole grain (brown) rice cakes

Dinner

• 6 ounces (170g) grilled lean steak
• 2 cups (160g) roasted Brussels sprouts (halve, toss with olive oil, roast at 400 F / 205 C for 20 minutes)
• 2 Tablespoon olive oil (for Brussels sprouts)
• Steamed kale, spinach or Swiss chard with vinegar
• 1 medium baked sweet potato sprinkled with ginger

Snack

1 ounce roasted soy nuts

7 Day Meal Plan

Day 1

Breakfast

Untoasted muesli + reduced-fat milk + tinned apricots

Lunch

Medium wholemeal pita bread wrap filled with tuna and salad greens, plus a tub of reduced-fat yoghurt

Dinner

Sweet potato, rocket and asparagus frittata + bean salad + multigrain bread, plus a tub of reduced-fat yoghurt mixed with frozen berries.

Day 2

Breakfast

Multigrain toast + cottage cheese, honey & banana

Lunch

Salmon potato cakes + spinach and sweet corn salad + multigrain bread

Dinner

Grilled lemon chicken wraps + green salad, plus spiced apple compote + reduced fat ice cream

Day 3

Breakfast

Wholegrain cereal flakes + reduced-fat milk + canned peaches

Lunch

Ham, cheese & salad sandwich, plus some carrot sticks

Dinner

Salmon + chickpea salad, plus a tub of reduced-fat yoghurt with fresh rockmelon

Day 4

Breakfast

Two thin slices fruit toast + a banana smoothie

Lunch

Pumpkin & chickpea salad

Dinner

Spaghetti bolognaise + a green salad + soughdough bread, plus grilled plums + a tub of reduced-fat yoghurt

Day 5

Breakfast

Wholegrain cereal flakes + reduced-fat milk + banana

Lunch

Sushi rolls (salmon, tuna, avocado or salad fillings), plus small coffee or hot chocolate, made with skim milk

Dinner

Lean steak + potato + steam vegetables + multigrain bread, plus a small reduced-fat cheese & fruit platter

Day 6

Breakfast

‘Breakfast bruschetta’ with sourdough bread, avocado & tomatoes

Lunch

Medium wholemeal pita bread wrap filled with roast beef, wholegrain mustard & salad greens, plus milkshake made on reduced-fat milk

Dinner

Chicken, rocket & leek risotto + side salad, plus tinned peaches + reduced fat ice cream

Day 7

Breakfast

Multigrain toast + avocado + a poached egg and a grilled tomato

Lunch

Chicken, lettuce & mayonnaise sandwich, plus tub of reduced-fat yoghurt

Dinner

Tofu, vegetable & cashew stir-fry + hokkien noodles, plus banana smoothie made from reduced-fat milk

Do you need to lose weight? Have you been thinking about trying a weight-loss program? Diets and programs that promise to help you lose weight are advertised everywhere—through magazines and newspapers, radio, TV, and websites. Are these programs safe? Will they work for you?

This article provides tips on how to identify a weight-loss program that may help you lose weight safely and keep the weight off over time. It also suggests ways to talk to your health care provider about your weight. He or she may be able to help you control your weight by making changes to your eating and physical activity habits. If these changes are not enough, you may want to consider a weight-loss program or other types of treatment.

What should I look for in a weight-loss program?

Successful, long-term weight control must focus on your overall health, not just on what you eat. Changing your lifestyle is not easy, but adopting healthy habits may help you manage your weight in the long run.

Effective weight-loss programs include ways to keep the weight off for good. These programs promote healthy behaviors that help you lose weight and that you can stick with every day.

Safe and effective weight-loss programs should include

• a plan to keep the weight off over the long run
• guidance on how to develop healthier eating and physical activity habits
• ongoing feedback, monitoring, and support
• slow and steady weight-loss goals—usually ½ to 2 pounds per week (though weight loss may be faster at the start of a program)

Some weight-loss programs may use very low-calorie diets (up to 800 calories per day) to promote rapid weight loss among people who have a lot of excess weight. This type of diet requires close medical supervision through frequent office visits and medical tests.

8 Easy Steps To Weight Loss

Drink more water

Forego the sugary sports drink during and after every workout. Instead, be sure you’re drinking water all day, every day. “Most people, especially active ones, run around with their H20 tanks near E,” says Neiman. “Water helps to keep your body optimize, your cells hydrated, your skin healthier, and it can help you grind harder in the gym. On a hard training day, Neiman suggests consuming at least a gallon of water.

Change the look of your plate

We’re talking literally. Try using a smaller plate and switching over to glass. Why? “This way less will look like more on your plate,” says Leslie Bonci, MHP, RDN, owner of Active Eating Advice. Then change what’s on it. “Increase the protein and produce to provide that full factor, and to help keep you fuller longer,” says Bonci. “Aim for 40 percent protein, 40 percent product and 20 percent grains.”

Skip the long jog and opt for weights instead

When you envision that lean body look you so badly want to achieve, it’s important to note that you aren’t just looking to lose weight, but also increase muscle mass or visibility. “Cardiovascular based weight training is akin to a hamster spinning a wheel—you go nowhere fast,” says Neiman. “In weight loss and improved body composition, strength training reigns supreme and should be the priority.” His recommendation? Try full body strength training at least three to five times a week.

Don’t eat mindlessly

This is where you want to slow things down. If you generally eat lunch while checking email and dinner while watching television, it’s time to switch it up. Try going into an office or conference room for lunch, and instead of having dinner in your living room, sit at your kitchen or dining room table with no TV on. This will let you focus and enjoy the food you’re about to eat. “Take the time to chew and swallow, and try putting your utensils down between each bite,” says Bonci. “You’ll eat less and enjoy more.”

Cardio isn’t evil—just overrated

At least in Neiman believes so. “If you’re going to do it, train like a predator and not prey,” he says. Meaning? “I like the word and mentality of conditioning over cardio. Conditioning is high intensity. Shorter intervals, that get your heart rate and body amped up, dumping hormones to help keep your body explosive and lean.” How can you incorporate it into your regimen? Lots of different ways—sprints, battles ropes, jump rope, heavy bag, rower…pick your poison! Go hard for 30 to 45 seconds, then rest for 30 to 60, says Neiman.

Try metcon

It stands for metabolic conditioning and can involve many different kinds of exercises. The goal is to help you burn the most calories during and after your workout (also known as your “afterburn”). “My favorite focuses on full body lifts, performed at eight to 12 repetitions at a moderate weight and combined with any of the conditioning tools mentioned above.,” says Neiman. “You have to train hard if you want a hard body—and that can be the hardest to do.” Want to try it? Here’s Neiman’s favorite metcon workout:

5 Rounds Of:

Deadlifts: 135-225 pounds (8-12 reps)

Toes to bar (12 reps)

Push-ups (12 reps)

3 minute round on heavy bag

Clean out your pantry

“If your pantry is a buffet, you may have more trouble helping extra weight go,” says Bonci. And she’s right. Yes, you want to vary your produce, but it’s important to keep the calorie dense foods to fewer choices. Try having just one type of cereal, one type of cracker, one type of nut, and so on. “The less temptation, the more likely you are to have success,” says Bonci.

Don’t stock up on beer

Unfortunately — or maybe fortunately — this may be a reason to think twice about hosting Sunday football. Because that means stocking your fridge full of beer that likely won’t be finished entirely by friends. And chances are, if it’s left there, you’ll be tempted to drink it.  “The more you have, the more you’ll drink,” says Bonci. So avoid the excess alcohol by avoiding the booze all together.

Making all of these healthy changes to help you lose weight doesn’t mean it’s going to be simple. You may face challenges and a bad day, or two, here and there. But don’t let that hold you back. “We all have them—it’s just about perspective and how you deal with the challenge,” says Neiman. “It’s hard at times, but find comfort knowing it is always worth it. It will show you far greater things than just a smaller waistline and some number drops on the scale as well, though who doesn’t like that, too?”

The Best Women’s Workout Plans for the Fastest Weight Loss

Losing weight is tough, especially for women. You need to burn lots of calories, eat clean and stay motivated. There are tons of exercise programs that will get you results; many will help you become stronger, faster and leaner. How long it takes for weight loss depends on your commitment and body type. Combining diet with a vigorous cardiovascular exercise and strength-training plan is the fastest way to lose weight safely.

Cardiovascular Exercise

Cardiovascular exercise is any type of steady exercise that you can maintain for at least 20 minutes. Your goal is to work up to 60 minutes per day. Because you’re looking to lose weight quick, aim for five days per week of cardio. Whether you’re a man or woman, cardio is the number one type of exercise for weight loss. Walking, biking, jogging, swimming, the elliptical or taking aerobics classes are all effective ways to lose weight via cardio.

Get Intense With Intervals

Interval training is a simple format to follow but it is not for the faint of heart. On a treadmill, begin walking at a pace you’re comfortable with. After one minute, increase the elevation to a level that is challenging and continue walking up this elevation for one to five minutes. Then, when you can’t walk anymore, lower the incline back down. After one minute raise the incline again. Keeping the speed constant throughout the entire exercise, repeat this for 20 to 30 minutes three times per week. Interval training on a treadmill is an effective workout plan for women who want to tone up and slim down.

High Intensity Interval Training

High intensity interval training, HIIT, is a type of interval training. It’s also called “sprint” training. On the treadmill, begin walking up an incline of 8 to 10 percent for one minute. Then, immediately after that first minute, begin to run up the incline for an interval of 20 to 30 seconds. This “work” interval should be so hard that you don’t want to do another second. Immediately after the 20 seconds, return to walking until your heart rate lowers to 135 to 145 bpm, then go back to “work.” Do this for 20 minutes three times per week with one or two days of regular steady cardio in between for best results. HIIT training is excellent for weight and fat loss.

Strength Training For Weight Loss

The best type of strength training for weight loss is circuit training. Circuit training is a workout where you hit every major muscle group all at once, performing exercises one after the other without resting so that you’re also getting a cardiovascular workout. This type of training will ensure you get toned and sculpted. Perform the following circuit three times per week at a weight that is challenging to complete 20 repetitions: Lat pulldown, leg press, chest press, leg extension, shoulder press, leg curl, fly and back extension. Repeat the circuit as many times as you can in 30 minutes, three times per week for weight loss benefits. If you can go longer, do so. The longer you can perform the circuit the greater calories you’ll burn, the more weight you will lose.

Eat Clean, Weigh Less

Avoid cake, cookies and other unhealthy, high fat, sugary treats to help you lose weight the fastest. Eat nutrient dense, low calorie foods — lean proteins like chicken and egg whites are healthy options. Fiber-rich veggies such as broccoli and legumes like lentils should also become a big part of your diet. Eat whole grains with about 4 to 5 g of fiber in each serving.

Whether you’re trying to lose a significant amount of weight or the last 10 pounds, dropping fat is incredibly difficult. Low-calorie diets are unreasonable and you’re hungry all the time. That’s why nutritionists urge dieters to eat quality, nutrient-dense foods—the benefits of which equal to or outweight their caloric impact.

Weight loss comes down to simple math. You have to eat fewer calories than you burn.

“Certain foods can help you shed body weight,” says Heather Mangieri, RD, a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, “because they help you feel full longer and help curb cravings.”

Cucumber

This summer veggie has a higher concentration of water than any other food—in fact, 96.7% of the fruit is made up of water. It’s also incredibly easy to integrate into your meals. Toss some sliced cucumber on salad, dip some sticks in hummus for a snack, or try whipping up refreshing cucumber soup!

Grapefruit

A powerhouse for heart health, grapefruit contains vitamin C, folic acid, and potassium, along with pectin, a soluble fiber that may be a strong ally against atherosclerosis. Pink and red varieties also have vitamin A and lycopene, a phytochemical that protects arterial walls from oxidative damage. To get the juiciest specimens, select fruits heavy for their size and make sure to try them in this refreshing salad.

Spinach

Tender and flavorful, this leafy green is rich in iron, folic acid, and vitamin K. It also contains disease-fighting antioxidants beta-carotene and vitamin C, as well as the phytochemical lutein, which protects eyes against age-related macular degeneration. Use as a substitute for lettuce in salad, lightly sauté with shredded carrot, sliced mushrooms, and garlic for a savory omelet filling, or try this simple Seasoned Spinach recipe for a quick and nutritious side dish.

Salmon

Oily fish like salmon is incredibly healthy.

It is also very satisfying, keeping you full for many hours with relatively few calories.

Salmon is loaded with high quality protein, healthy fats and also contains all sorts of important nutrients.

Fish, and seafood in general, supplies a significant amount of iodine.

This nutrient is necessary for proper function of the thyroid, which is important to keep the metabolism running optimally.

Studies show that a huge number of people in the world aren’t getting all the iodine they need.

Salmon is also loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to help reduce inflammation, which is known to play a major role in obesity and metabolic disease.

Mackerel, trout, sardines, herring and other types of oily fish are also excellent.

Avocados

Avocados are a unique type of fruit.

Whereas most fruit is high in carbs, avocados are loaded with healthy fats.

They are particularly high in monounsaturated oleic acid, the same type of fat found in olive oil.

Despite being mostly fat, they also contain a lot of water, so they aren’t as energy dense as you may think.

Avocados are perfect as additions to salad, because studies show that the fats in them can increase the nutrient uptake from the vegetables 2.6 to 15-fold.

They also contain many important nutrients, including fiber and potassium.

Coconut Oil

Not all fats are created equal.

Coconut oil is high in fatty acids of a medium length, called Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs).

These fatty acids have been shown to boost satiety compared to other fats, as well as increase the amount of calories burned.

There are also two studies, one in women and the other in men, showing that coconut oil led to reduced amounts of belly fat.

Of course… coconut oil still contains calories, so adding it on top of what you’re already eating is a bad idea.

So this is not about adding coconut oil to your diet, it is about replacing some of your other cooking fats with coconut oil.

Extra virgin olive oil is also worth mentioning here, because it is probably the healthiest fat on the planet.

Apples

There’s a reason apples are number one on the list! Probably one of the most versatile fall foods around, nutrient- and fiber-rich apples can be used in everything from beverages to main courses to desserts. Apples are the perfect addition to your weight-loss plan, says Karen Langston, a certified nutritionist and board member of The National Association of Nutritional Professionals. Low-cal, full of vitamins and minerals, and full of fiber, apples help maintain your blood-sugar level, staving off cravings for high calorie no-no foods. Plus, the low-sodium content in apples can help prevent excess water weight and retention, Langston says. Try one of our five favorite apple recipes this fall.

Pears

Pears are high in fiber, which can help regulate your digestive system, and their pectin promotes fullness, Inge says. At only about 100 calories per pear, this juicy, sweet fruit is great as a stand-alone snack, with a meal, or pureed into dessert.

Soups and Stews

As the weather outside turns crisp, soups and stews make hearty fall appetizers or main dishes. Soups are a great go-to food when trying to lose weight, Mendez says. “Including complex carbohydrates such as beans or rice, vegetables in soups, combined with the broth, allows the carbohydrates to absorb more fluid in the gut and expand, further contributing to satiety,” Mendez says. And several studies have shown eating broth-based or vegetable soup before a main course can help you consume fewer calories overall. Just be sure to keep them low calorie by avoiding cream bases or too many noodle ingredients.

Think of it like a scale of what’s best and what’s not. At one end you have fried, processed carbs, cakes, sweets, ice cream. At the other end, very little carbs, whole foods, and no packaged goods.

Don’t think it is impossible. Just do the best you can and each step is a step closer. Every step you can take to reduce your carbohydrate consumption is fantastic.

At one end you have fried, processed carbs, cakes, sweets, ice cream. At the other end, very little carbs, whole foods, and no packaged goods. Don’t think it is impossible.

Just do the best you can and each step is a step closer. Every step you can take to reduce your carbohydrate consumption is fantastic. If you eat 3 meals a day and maybe 3 snacks, that equates to 42 opportunities (or food choices) to improve.

How about you start by just changing your snacks to begin with. Already you have improved 21 of your food choices each week. You’re halfway there.

Once you are comfortable with this, now improve your breakfast. Now you have improved 28 out of 42. Next your dinner, and then your lunch. This is sometimes the hardest as so many eat out at lunch.

Each meal you have which is a good choice, is one less bad meal. Ditch the processed carbs!

Diet details

As the name says, a low-carb diet restricts the type and amount of carbohydrates you eat. Carbohydrates are a type of calorie-providing macronutrient found in many foods and beverages.

Many carbohydrates occur naturally in plant-based foods, such as grains. In natural form, carbohydrates can be thought of as complex and fibrous such as the carbohydrates found in whole grains and legumes, or they can be less complex such as those found in milk and fruit. Common sources of naturally occurring carbohydrates include:

• Grains
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Milk
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Legumes (beans, lentils, peas)

Food manufacturers also add refined carbohydrates to processed foods in the form of flour or sugar. These are generally known as simple carbohydrates. Examples of foods that contain simple carbohydrates are white breads and pasta, cookies, cake, candy, and sugar-sweetened sodas and drinks.

Foods to eat

Meat: Any type: Beef, pork, lamb, game, poultry, etc. Feel free to eat the fat on the meat as well as the skin on the chicken. If possible try to choose organic or grass-fed meats.

Fish and seafood: All kinds: Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines or herring are great. Avoid breading.

Eggs: All kinds: Boiled, fried, scrambled, omelets, etc. Preferably organic eggs.

Natural fat, high-fat sauces: Using butter and cream for cooking can make your food taste better and make you feel more satisfied. Try a Béarnaise or Hollandaise sauce, check the ingredients or make it yourself. Coconut fat or olive oil are also good options.

Vegetables that grow above ground: Cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts, kale, collards, bok choy, spinach, asparagus, zucchini, eggplant, olives, spinach, mushrooms, cucumber, lettuce, avocado, onions, peppers, tomatoes etc.

Dairy products: Always select full-fat options like real butter, cream (40% fat), sour cream, Greek/Turkish yogurt and high-fat cheeses. Be careful with regular milk, reduced fat and skim milk as they contain a lot of milk sugar. Avoid flavored, sugary and low-fat products.

Nuts: Great for a treat (in moderation) instead of popcorn, candy or chips.

Berries: Okay in moderation, if you are not super strict or sensitive. Great with whipped cream.

Benefits of a low carb diet

There are so many reasons to adopt a diet that is higher in protein and low in carbohydrates.

Protein is great for muscle building and repair, while it also provides lasting energy for the body. Atkins allows you to burn fat for energy instead of carbs, but protein will prevent any muscle loss and help to keep your metabolic rate ticking over. Put these two factors together and you’re well on your way to achieving your weight loss goals.

The combination can benefit everyone, but is particularly useful as part of a diet where the goal is long term weight control or weight loss.

FAQ

Q: Can I really cut out carbs completely and still exercise at a high level, as some proponents of low-carb and paleo diets suggest?

A: Yes, you could cut out carbs and rely on fats alone for fuel—and it is completely safe. Certain nutrients in your diet are absolutely essential, including a couple different fats, a handful of amino acids, and lots of vitamins and minerals. No sugars or carbohydrates make the “must-eat” list.

sources:

http://www.ditchthecarbs.com/howtostart/

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/low-carb-diet/art-20045831

https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/foods

http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/diet-tips/ask-diet-doctor-fueled-fats-alone

These example diet plans has been specifically created with your goals in mind. During a get-lean plan—where you want to uncover the body you’ve always wanted—the goal is shifting the way you eat to drop fat without having to feel like you’ve cut calories.

So while you will be eating less, you’ll be focusing on more nutrient dense foods that will have you feeling fuller and making the process easier than you’d imagine. More importantly, you’ll be supplying your body with the type of food you need to burn fat and reshape your body.

However, you can follow these plan as outlined or you can make small adjustments that allow you to eat the number of meals that works best for you. From a scientific perspective, it’s not how often you eat, but rather what you eat that makes the biggest difference.

This sample diet plan is for women aged 19-50 years of average height, healthy weight and light activity.

This 1,350 Calorie a Day Meal Plan Will Help You Melt Away Fat In 4 Weeks

Choose from 39 delicious dishes in this healthy meal plan designed to help you lose weight and boost your heart health.

How the Plan Works

Each day, pick one breakfast, one lunch and one dinner.

Choose three sweets, treats or snacks (two if you’re trying to lose weight).

For items with a *, swap in a new fruit, vegetable, whole grain or protein from the Swap It! list whenever you want.

Per the American Heart Association guidelines, about 30% of your daily calories will come from fat (mainly the heart-healthy type, with less than 7% from saturated fat), and you’ll have no more than 300 mg cholesterol or 1,500 mg sodium.

Breakfast: 300 calories

1. Breakfast burrito: 3 scrambled egg whites + ½ cup diced tomato* + ¼ diced yellow bell pepper + 1 Tbsp chopped sweet onion + ¼ cup no-salt-added canned black beans + 1 Tbsp salsa, wrapped in an 8″ whole-wheat tortilla
2. Peanut butter—pear toast: 1 slice whole-wheat bread + 2 Tbsp unsalted peanut butter + ½ sliced pear*
3. Orange-apricot quinoa: ¼ cup quinoa* cooked in ¼ cup calcium-fortified orange juice + ¼ cup water; stir in 4 chopped dried apricot halves + 1 Tbsp sliced almonds
4. Egg plate: 1 egg scrambled in 1 tsp olive oil + 1 slice veggie bacon + ½ grapefruit* + 1 whole-wheat English muffin
5. Whole-grain cereal crunch: 1 cup bran flakes (such as Kellogg’s or Post) + 1 Tbsp pecans + 2 Tbsp dried cranberries* + 1 cup nonfat milk (or soy milk)
6. Sweet breakfast toast: ¼ cup nonfat ricotta mixed with 1 tsp honey, spread on 1 whole-wheat English muffin, topped with ½ cup sliced grapes* and 2 Tbsp chopped pecans
7. Apple-almond pancakes: 1 frozen whole-grain pancake topped with 1 Tbsp almond butter + ½ sliced apple + 1 tsp honey. Serve with 1 cup nonfat milk (or soy milk).
8. Nutty berry parfait: 6-oz container nonfat plain Greek yogurt + 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen raspberries* + 2 Tbsp lowfat granola + 2 Tbsp chopped walnuts
9. Tropical breakfast smoothie: Blend ½ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt with ½ cup calcium-fortified orange juice + 1 medium banana + 1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple chunks + ½ cup crushed ice
10. Egg white tostada: Cook 3 egg whites in nonfat cooking spray; place on a 6″ corn tortilla that has been warmed in the oven; top with ¼ sliced avocado + ½ cup chopped tomato* + 1 sliced scallion + ½ cup no-salt-added canned pinto beans*
11. Raisin spice breakfast sundae: Whisk 1 tsp honey + dash each nutmeg and cinnamon into 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt; top with 2 Tbsp raisins* + 2 Tbsp chopped pecans
12. Strawberry ricotta waffles: Top 1 toasted whole-grain frozen waffle with ½ cup nonfat ricotta cheese + 1 cup sliced strawberries* + 1 Tbsp maple syrup
13. Spinach-feta omelet: Cook 6 egg whites in 2 tsp olive oil; stir in 1 cup chopped spinach + 1 tsp crumbled feta cheese. Serve with 1 medium orange*.
14. Overnight oatmeal Combine ½ cup plain instant oatmeal* + 1¼ cups nonfat milk (or soy milk) + 1 Tbsp flaxseeds + 1 Tbsp chopped tart dried cherries + 1 pinch cinnamon; cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve cold or warmed in the microwave.

Lunch: 400 calories

15. Open-faced roasted vegetable sandwich: Top 2 pieces whole-wheat bread with 1 cup sliced zucchini or eggplant, brushed with 1 tsp olive oil and roasted in a 450°F oven for 15 minutes; top with 1 slice reduced-fat provolone + 3 fresh basil leaves. Serve with 1 apple*.
16. Curried chickpea pita: Stuff a 6″ whole-wheat pita pocket with ½ cup no-salt-added canned chickpeas* + 1 Tbsp raisins + ¼ cup grated carrots + 2 tsp lime juice + 1 tsp olive oil + ¼ tsp curry powder; top with ¼ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
17. Chicken-avocado quesadilla: Two 6″ corn tortillas + ⅓ cup shredded precooked chicken breast + ¼ cup reduced-fat shredded Cheddar + ¼ sliced avocado, cooked in nonfat cooking spray. Serve with 15 grapes*.
18. Mexican couscous: ¼ cup whole-wheat couscous* cooked in ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth + 1 pinch cumin + 1 Tbsp lime juice + 1 tsp olive oil; toss with ½ cup thawed frozen corn* + ½ cup no-salt-added canned black beans* + ½ cup chopped tomato*
19. Chicken Parm: 3 oz precooked chicken breast + 3 slices tomato + 1 slice reduced-fat mozzarella + 1 tsp balsamic vinegar on a roll. Serve with ½ pear*.
20. Tuna salad: 3 oz canned water-packed tuna* + 1 chopped apple* + 2 Tbsp diced celery + 2 Tbsp dried cranberries* + 2 cups spinach*; toss with 2 tsp honey mustard whisked with 1 tsp olive oil
21. Salmon sandwich: Drizzle 3 oz canned salmon with 2 tsp pesto; place on 1 whole-wheat deli flat + 2 slices tomato + ¼ cup arugula. Serve with ¼ cup no-salt-added canned garbanzo beans* + 1 cup cherry tomatoes.
22. Quinoa salad: ¼ cup quinoa* cooked in ½ cup water; toss with ½ cup chopped cucumber* + ½ cup diced tomato* + ½ cup no-salt-added canned cannellini beans + 1 Tbsp lemon juice + 1 Tbsp olive oil + 2 Tbsp fresh parsley
23. Strawberry-banana wrap: 8″ whole-wheat tortilla spread with 2 Tbsp peanut butter + 1 Tbsp strawberry all-fruit spread (like Smucker’s); top with ½ sliced banana* and fold into a wrap
24. Healthy chef’s salad: 2 cups romaine lettuce* + 2 oz sliced turkey breast + 1 hard-boiled egg white + 5 grape tomatoes + ⅓ diced avocado + 2 slices red onion; toss with 1 Tbsp olive oil + 2 tsp red wine vinegar. Serve with 2 tangerines.
25. Brown rice-edamame salad: ¼ cup cooked brown rice* + ½ cup edamame* + ½ cup grated carrots* + 1 sliced scallion + 1 tsp peanut oil + 2 tsp rice wine vinegar + 2 tsp reduced-sodium soy sauce + 1 Tbsp crushed peanuts
26. Turkey burger and Asian cucumber salad: 4 oz turkey burger* + 2 tsp light olive oil mayonnaise whisked with a dash of hot sauce + 2 slices tomato + ¼ cup baby spinach on a whole-wheat hamburger bun. Serve with salad (1 sliced cucumber + 1 tsp canola oil + 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar) and 1 apple*.
27. Barley-stuffed pepper: Cook ¼ cup barley* in ¾ cup water; toss with 1 Tbsp crumbled feta cheese + 2 Tbsp chopped sweet onion sautéed in 1 tsp olive oil + ⅓ cup cooked corn; stuff into 1 hollowed-out red bell pepper. Serve with 1 banana*.

Snacks, Sweets and Treats: 150 Calories

• ½ cup no-salt-added canned chickpeas* sprayed with olive oil cooking spray, sprinkled with ¼ tsp curry powder and baked in a 400°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes
• ¾ cup edamame
• ¼ cup guacamole + 1 cup sliced red and yellow peppers
• ¼ cup hummus + ½ sliced cucumber
• 2 gingersnaps + 1 Tbsp peanut butter
• Two 6″ corn tortillas sprayed with olive oil cooking spray, sprinkled with ½ tsp cinnamon-sugar and baked in a 350°F oven for 12 to 15 minutes
• ⅓ cup nonfat ricotta cheese + 1 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs + 10 small whole-wheat crackers
• 14 walnut halves
• 7 Hershey dark chocolate kisses
• 6 oz red wine

Dinner: 500 Calories

28. Ginger pork stir-fry: Stir-fry 4 oz pork tenderloin* + 2 cups broccoli* + ½ tsp minced garlic + ½ tsp minced ginger in 2 tsp peanut oil; season with 2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce and top with 1 Tbsp chopped cashews; serve over ¼ cup cooked brown rice*.
29. Portobello stroganoff: 2 portobello mushrooms, sliced and sautéed in 2 tsp olive oil, cooked in 2 tsp tomato paste + ¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth + 2 Tbsp nonfat sour cream; serve over 2 oz cooked whole-wheat egg noodles. Serve with 1 cup no-salt-added canned black bean soup.
30. Steak salad: 2 cups baby spinach* + 3 oz grilled sirloin steak* + 15 grapes* + ½ cup sliced yellow peppers* + 2 Tbsp chopped walnuts; toss with 2 tsp olive oil + 1 tsp red wine vinegar. Serve with 1 whole-wheat roll.
31. Chicken fajitas: 4 oz skinless chicken breast* seasoned with ¼ tsp cumin + ¼ tsp chili powder, panfried in 1 tsp olive oil; serve in an 8″ whole-wheat tortilla with ¼ sliced avocado + ½ cup grapefruit sections + 1 Tbsp chopped red onion. Serve with ½ cup no-salt-added canned kidney beans*.
32. Pasta pesto toss: 2 oz cooked whole-wheat penne* tossed with ½ cup no-salt-added canned cannellini beans* + 1 cup cooked green beans + 2 Tbsp pesto sauce + ¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
33. Whole-wheat pasta with turkey meat sauce: Sauté 4 oz ground turkey breast* in 1 tsp olive oil with ½ clove garlic; add 1 cup no-salt-added tomato sauce + ½ tsp Italian seasoning and heat for 10 minutes; serve over 2 oz cooked whole-wheat spaghetti
34. Honey-mustard salmon: 4 oz salmon fillet* topped with 1 Tbsp honey mustard mixed with 1 tsp olive oil and broiled for 6 to 8 minutes; serve over ¼ cup whole-wheat couscous*, cooked and tossed with ½ cup chopped tomato* + 1 Tbsp pine nuts
35. Crispy chicken with sweet potatoes: 4 oz skinless chicken breast* dipped in 1 egg white and then in ¼ cup unseasoned bread crumbs, roasted in a 400°F oven for 25 minutes. Serve with 1 medium sweet potato + 2 cups spinach* sautéed in 2 tsp olive oil.
36. Pork with pears: 4 oz roasted pork tenderloin* topped with 1 diced pear + 1 stalk chopped celery, sautéed in 1 tsp olive oil + 2 tsp balsamic vinegar. Serve with 1 medium baked potato + 2 Tbsp nonfat Greek yogurt.
37. Steak and potatoes: 3 oz grilled sirloin steak + 6 oz baked sweet potato + 2 cups spinach sautéed in 1 tsp olive oil with 1 clove chopped garlic and ½ cup no-salt-added cannellini beans
38. Mediterranean chicken salad: 4 oz precooked chicken breast* + 1 sliced medium tomato + 2 slices onion + ½ sliced cucumber* + 3 Kalamata olives, drizzled with 2 tsp olive oil + 2 tsp red wine vinegar. Serve with ¼ cup cooked brown rice*.
39. Greek quinoa with shrimp: ¼ cup quinoa* cooked in ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth + 1 tsp olive oil; toss with 8 grilled shrimp* + 1 Tbsp pine nuts + ½ cup cooked asparagus* + 1 Tbsp crumbled feta + 1 cup cooked peas

7-Day Diet Meal Plan to Lose Weight: 1,200 Calories

This 1,200-calorie meal plan is designed by EatingWell’s registered dietitians and culinary experts to offer healthy and delicious meals for weight-loss. We’ve done the hard work of planning for you and mapped out seven full days of meals and snacks. The calorie totals are listed next to each meal so you can easily swap things in and out as you see fit. Note, this meal plan is controlled for calories, fiber and sodium. If a particular nutrient is of concern, consider speaking with your health care provider about supplementation or altering this plan to better suit your individual nutrition needs.

Day 1

Breakfast (266 calories)

Avocado-Egg Toast

• 1 slice whole-grain bread
• 1/4 medium avocado
• 1 large egg, cooked in 1/4 tsp. olive oil or coat pan with a thin layer of cooking spray (1-second spray)
• Top egg with a pinch of salt and pepper (1/16 tsp. each)
• 1 clementine

Morning Snack (61 calories)

• 1/3 cup blueberries
• 1/4 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt

Lunch (341 calories)

• 2 cups Ravioli & Vegetable Soup
• 1 Tomato-Cheddar Cheese Toast

Afternoon Snack (93 calories)

• 3 Tbsp. hummus
• 1 cup sliced cucumber

Dinner (451 calories)

Salmon & Vegetables

• 4 oz. baked salmon
• 1 cup roasted Brussels sprouts
• 1/2 cup brown rice
• 1 Tbsp. walnuts
• Salt and pepper to taste (1/8 tsp. each)

Vinaigrette

• Combine 1 1/2 tsp. each olive oil, lemon juice and maple syrup; season with salt to taste (1/8 tsp.).

Coat Brussels sprouts in 1/2 tsp. olive oil and bake at 425 degrees F until lightly browned, about 15-20 minutes. Coat salmon with 1/4 tsp. olive oil or a thin layer of cooking spray (1 second spray), add salt and pepper to taste (1/8 tsp. each). Bake at 425 degrees F until done, about 4-6 minutes. Serve brown rice, Brussels sprouts and salmon drizzled with vinaigrette and topped with walnuts.

Day 2

Breakfast (266 calories)

Avocado-Egg Toast

• 1 slice whole-grain bread
• 1/4 medium avocado
• 1 large egg, cooked in 1/4 tsp. olive oil or coat pan with a thin layer of cooking spray (1 second spray)
• Top egg with a pinch of pepper (1/16 tsp.)
• 1 clementine

Morning Snack (134 calories)

• 5 dried apricots
• 7 walnut halves

Lunch (295 calories)

Leftover soup

• 2 cups Ravioli & Vegetable Soup
• 1 clementine

Afternoon Snack (93 calories)

• 3 Tbsp. hummus
• 1 cup sliced cucumber

Dinner (424 calories)

• 1 1/2 cups Delicata Squash & Tofu Curry
• 1/2 cup brown rice

Day 3

Breakfast (267 calories)

• 1/4 cup Maple-Nut Granola
• 3/4 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup blueberries

Morning Snack (35 calories)

• 1 clementine

Lunch (351 calories)

Apple & Cheddar Pita Pocket

• 1 whole-wheat pita round (6-1/2-inch)
• 1 Tbsp. mustard
• 1/2 medium apple, sliced
• 1 oz. Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup mixed greens

Cut pita in half and spread mustard inside. Fill with apple slices and cheese. Toast until the cheese begins to melt. Add greens and serve.

Afternoon Snack (47 calories)

• 1/2 medium apple

Dinner (457 calories)

• 1 serving (1 pepper) Moroccan-Style Stuffed Peppers
• 2 cups spinach

Sauté spinach in 1 tsp. of olive oil and a pinch of both salt and pepper (1/16 tsp. each)

Evening Snack (50 calories)

• 1 Tbsp. chocolate chips, preferably dark chocolate

Day 4

Breakfast (267 calories)

• 1/4 cup Maple-Nut Granola
• 3/4 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup blueberries

Morning Snack (83 calories)

• 1 hard boiled egg
• 1 tsp. hot sauce, if desired

Lunch (336 calories)

• 2 cups mixed greens
• 3 oz. cooked chicken breast
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, sliced
• 1/4 cup grated carrots
• 1 clementine
• 2 Tbsp. Carrot-Ginger Vinaigrette

Combine ingredients & top salad with vinaigrette.

Afternoon Snack (86 calories)

• 4 dried apricots
• 4 walnut halves

Dinner (444 calories)

• 2 1/4 cup Warm Lentil Salad with Sausage & Apple
• 1/2 cup Quick Pickled Beets

Day 5

Breakfast (266 calories)

• 1 cup all-bran cereal
• 3/4-cup skim milk
• 1/2 cup blueberries

Morning Snack (101 calories)

• 2 medium carrots
• 2 Tbsp. Avocado-Yogurt Dip

Lunch (314 calories)

• 1 Tomato-Cheddar Cheese Toast
• 2 cups mixed greens
• 3 Tbsp. grated carrot
• 1/2 cup cucumber, sliced
• 1 hard-boiled egg
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted dry-roasted almonds

Top greens with grated carrot, cucumber, hard-boiled egg, almonds and 1 1/2 tsp. each olive oil & balsamic vinegar.

Afternoon Snack (93 calories)

• 3 dried apricots
• 1/3 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 1/2 tsp. chopped walnuts

Dinner (427 calories)

• 1 1/2 cups Quick Chicken Tikka Masala
• 1/2 cup brown rice

Day 6

Breakfast (266 calories)

• 1 cup all-bran cereal
• 3/4-cup skim milk
• 1/2 cup blueberries

Morning Snack (66 calories)

• 2 Tbsp. Avocado-Yogurt Dip
• 1 cup sliced cucumber

Lunch (325 calories)

Leftover Chicken Tikka Masala

• 1 1/2 cups Quick Chicken Tikka Masala
• 1 cup spinach

Reheat the chicken on top of the spinach in the microwave.

Afternoon Snack (35 calories)

• 1 clementine

Dinner (507 calories)

• 2 cups Korean Beef Stir-Fry
• 1/2 cup, cooked buckwheat soba noodles (about 1 ounce dry noodles)

Day 7

Breakfast (266 calories)

• 1 cup all-bran cereal
• 3/4-cup skim milk
• 1/2 cup blueberries

Morning Snack (117 calories)

• 4 Tbsp. Avocado-Yogurt Dip
• 1 cup sliced cucumber

Lunch (301 calories)

• 2 cups mixed greens
• 3 oz. cooked chicken breast
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, sliced
• 1/4 cup grated carrots
• 2 Tbsp. Carrot-Ginger Vinaigrette

Combine ingredients and top salad with vinaigrette.

Afternoon Snack (42 calories)

• 5 dried apricots

Dinner (494 calories)

• 1 serving (1/4 pizza) Wild Mushroom Pizza with Arugula & Pecorino

Sources:

https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/how-much-do-we-need-each-day/sample-meal-plan-women

http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/nutrition/advice/g1046/healthy-meal-plan/

http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/weight_loss_diet_plans/diet_meal_plans/7_day_diet_meal_plan_to_lose_weight_1200_calories