Weight loss meal plan
Diet is one third of the formula for losing weight and getting a flat stomach. The other two components being strength training and cardio. Diet alone cannot give long term results without exercise. The weight loss meal plan is based on the nutritional programs of professional athletes who need to maximise their body’s performance without gaining weight.
The weight loss meal plan is designed with the following objectives:
- To keep your metabolic rate [the rate at which your body burns calories] high throughout the day, which will help you burn fat.
- To give your body slow releasing energy which will fuel your body as you go about your daily routine.
- To control your blood sugar levels so that you do not experience cravings for sweet or refined foods which will make you put on weight.
- To provide your body with the nutrients to build muscle.
Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. When you eat breakfast you boost your metabolic rate so that you start burning energy from the start of the day. You must never miss breakfast no matter how busy you are. If you have no time to prepare breakfast, grab a handful of raw nuts and eat them on the go.
3 Breakfast recipes:
- Boiled free range eggs with wholemeal toast
- Low fat organic yoghurt with oats, nuts and dates
- Brown rice cakes with cottage cheese
Morning snack
You should not feel guilty about having snacks throughout the day. In fact healthy snacking is recommended. You should aim to eat little and often to keep your metabolic rate up through the day to avoid overeating at mealtimes. What makes you put on weight is starving yourself and then eating a big meal which your body cannot burn up and must store as fat.
Good snack ideas:
- Raw Brazil nuts, pecan nuts
- Fresh Apple
- Lightly roasted raw peanuts with a banana
Lunch
Lunch should be the main meal in your day. By lunch time you are at your most active. Your body will need energy to keep you going. We recommend you include some complex carboydrates in your lunch to give you slow releasing energy throughout the afternoon.
During the working week, lunch will often be eaten outside your home. It is difficult to find healthy options in the shops. If you can, prepare your own lunch and bring it with you:
3 Lunch recipes:
- Brown rice, grilled chicken breast and steamed broccoli
- Baked sweet potato with cottage cheese and salsa sauce
- Brown rice pasta, no sugar tomato sauce and scrambled eggs
If you buy lunch from your local grocery store these would be good choices:
- Wholewheat couscous with grilled chicken and vegetables
- Free range eggs and roasted tomato sandwich in wholemeal bread
- Hummus and salad wrap in wholemeal tortilla
Afternoon snack
An afternoon snack is good to satisfy your hunger until dinner time.
More snack ideas:
- Dried figs and almonds
- Low fat organic yoghurt with seasame seeds and berries
- Cottage cheese with peach
Dinner
Dinner should be the smallest meal of the weight loss meal plan. You are about to go to sleep so your body does not need much energy. If you are trying to lose weight, don’t eat carbohydrates like rice bread or pasta for dinner. Too much carbohydrate late at night will be converted to fat as the body will not be able to burn it up while you are sleep.
3 Dinner recipes:
- Grilled chicken and salad
- Spicy chickpeas with spinach
- Egg white omelet with asparagus
Dessert
- Chopped fruit in low fat organic yoghurt
Fluids
Your body needs fluids and it is important to drink throughout the day. Drinking water throughout the day flushes out waste from the body. Water will also help you feel full and keep your metabolic rate up. Unfortunately most popular drinks are full of sugar and additives. Drinking sugary water is one sure way to put on weight. I also do not recommend pumping your body full of additives which are made in a laboratory.
It is commonly thought that fruit juices are healthy. I do not agree. Fruits are healthy and form an important part of your diet. However when fruits are juiced their sugars are concentrated to an unatural degree. Remember, sugary foods and drinks are converted into fat. The fact that fruit sugars are natural makes no difference to your body. Also the fibre content of fruit is lost when you drink fruit juices.
The best drinks are water and green tea.
Vegetarian options
The weight loss meal plan includes vegetarian options. There are many good reasons that people become vegetarian, including concern for animal welfare, preservation of marine life and the environment. You may also wish to consider that studies have suggested that vegetarians consume on average 500 less calories a day than meat eaters. This is despite vegetarians actually eating more food than non vegetarians.
The studies concluded that this is because vegetarians tend to consume more complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, pulses and vegetables which are high in fibre contain less calories.
Even if you do not want to give up your meat, you can try the vegetarian alternatives instead of meat for a few days a week.
Sticking to your meal plan
If you are used to eating junk food and sweets, you may find it hard to adapt to the meal plan. You may find yourself craving sweets, ice cream or pizza. Your body has become addicted to saturated fat and sugar present in the highly processed foods that are part of the modern diet. These foods are not natural but they are highly addictive. They also numb your tastebuds to the extent that you are unable to taste how delicious natural whole foods really are. You need to give your tastebuds and body time to break this addiction
Be strong and stick to the meal plan. With this plan you can eat as often as you like, and make sure you do. By eating regularly you will not go hungry and experience cravings for sugar and junk food.
After the first couple of weeks you will feel that your tastebuds have regained their natural sensitivity. You will be able to appreciate the delicious sweetness of a fresh apple and the nutty texture of brown rice. Your body will feel lighter and you will feel more alert and be charged with energy.
If you are tempted to go back to drinking soda it will taste sickly sweet. If you are tempted to eat junk food again you it will taste like processed plastic loaded with saturated fat and salt. Your body and tastebuds will have readjusted to eating natural food and you will not want to go back to your old ways.
The weight loss meal plan is a plan for life. You do not need to starve yourself or obsess about calories. Eat whole foods. Eat little and often. Stop when you are no longer hungry but before you are full. Commit to a regular workout program. You will see and feel the difference.
