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Let's start by agreeing that diets are a bad idea, anytime, every time. Extreme restrictions and feelings of starvation just aren't realistic for every day life, hence, no time is a convenient time to start a diet. And even if you do find the perfect few weeks or months to live by a diet, as soon as you reach your goal weight, you're likely to start a yo-yo cycle of dieting.
Really, the key to maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle is satisfying all of your body's needs before the crazy cravings and binges hit. Here is a seven-day meal plan to get you on track to treating your body right, without compromising flavor, variety and fulfillment:
Day 1
Breakfast: Oatmeal, half a cup of berries and a glass of almond milk.
Lunch: Half of a pita sandwich with lean turkey lunch meat, spinach, tomatoes and mustard, a side of carrots and hummus.
Dinner: Baked salmon flavored with lemon juice, salt and pepper, fresh sauteed green beans and a side of brown rice.
Day 2
Breakfast: Three egg-white omelet filled with spinach, tomatoes and onions with a side of melon.
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Whatever your style, chances are you won't always have time to leave your home to fit a workout into your day.Lunch: Tomato basil soup with a side green salad.Dinner: Lean chicken breast seasoned with your choice of herbs or marinade with a sweet potato and fruit salad on the side.
Day 3
Breakfast: Avocado pear smoothie sweetened with honey and half of an English muffin.
Lunch: Crisp tofu, red pepper, green beans and cabbage sauteed in a stir fry with sesame sauce.
Dinner: Halibut with a side of barley risotto and peas.
Day 4
Breakfast: Whole grain toast topped with goat cheese and raspberries.
Lunch: Turkey roll-up with light cream cheese and tomatoes with a side of veggie chips and a pear.
Dinner: Black bean burrito with caramelized onions, mushrooms and mango salsa on a whole wheat tortilla with one cup of tortilla soup.
Day 5
Breakfast: Whole-wheat pancakes topped with applesauce.
Lunch: Large spinach salad with hard-boiled egg and light honey mustard dressing.
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Many claim hCG a miracle diet: It curbs hunger and the weight just falls off. But as it continues to grow in popularity, some doctors don't think it does anything to assist in weight loss.Dinner: Pork chops with a side of mashed cauliflower and baked cinnamon apples.Day 6
Breakfast: An oat bran muffin with a side of strawberries.
Lunch: Chili with chicken, green chiles and white beans.
Dinner: Falafel in a pita with a side of cous cous and green salad.
Day 7
Breakfast: Greek yogurt parfait with honey, oats and berries.
Lunch: Portabello mushroom burger with a side of sweet potato fries.
Dinner: One California roll with one cup of edamame and one cup of miso soup.
Other
Snacks: Carrot sticks or red pepper slices and hummus, a handful of almonds, an apple with one tablespoon of peanut butter, Greek yogurt with berries, baked chips with salsa, beet or kale chips or fruit salad.
Super foods to include in your meal: red tomatoes, black beans, spinach, almonds, Swiss chard, mushrooms, kale, avocado, salmon, flax seed, Greek yogurt, pumpkin seeds, oats, grapefruit, carrots and broccoli.
Low-calorie seasonings and flavors: cinnamon, honey, Stevia all-natural sweetener, agave nectar, mustard, basil, sage, thyme, coconut oil, olive oil, garlic, ginger, saffron and red chiles.
Brooke Brown is a writer with a love of fashion, cooking and music. Her fashion advice appears on Deseret News every Monday. She also blogs daily at www.keepfashion.wordpress.com. Email questions or comments to brooke.k.brown@gmail.com.
