What A 7-Day Diet Meal Plan Looks Like

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Meal planning is a short term for taking your time to think and sketch out nutritious meals and snacks for a specified period. Once you have laid the framework for your diet plan, you can purchase the related ingredients for the specified meals on the menu scheme. A healthy eating plan gives your body theRead More »

 

Meal planning is a short term for taking your time to think and sketch out nutritious meals and snacks for a specified period. Once you have laid the framework for your diet plan, you can purchase the related ingredients for the specified meals on the menu scheme.

A healthy eating plan gives your body the nutrients it needs everyday while staying within your daily calorie goal for weightloss. It will significantly lower your risk of heart disease and other health conditions.

A healthy eating plan stresses mostly fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat or fat-free dairy products. It includes lean meats, poultry, fish, nuts, eggs, and beans. The diet plan limits saturated and trans-fats, sodium, and added sugars. It controls portion sizes.

So how would you go about planning calories? To lose weight, you need to reduce the number of calories you get from beverages and food and must increase your physical activity.

For example, if your goal is to lose 1-11/2 pounds on a weekly basis. You must reduce your daily intake to 500 to 700 calories.

Eating plans that contain 1,200 calories-1500 calories will help most women lose weight safely. Eating plans that contain 1,500-1,800 calories are suitable for men and women who weigh more or who exercise regularly.  It is not advisable to use very low-calorie diets of fewer than 800 calories per day without being monitored by your doctor.

Health Benefits Of Structured Diet Meal Plans

With the busy lives that we live in planning ahead to have the right food choices at the right times can help you to stay focused and achieve your weight loss goals.Successful diet planning relies on nutrition knowledge, portion control, understanding food labels and calorie awareness.

Research studies have looked at whether structured daily diet plans and shopping lists or providing the actual food is more favorable than less structured guidance.

A US research study found that though calorie targets were similar for everyone in the study. People who followed the formal diet plan or who ate the actual food (that was provided to them based on a diet plan) lost more weight over six months (an average of 11.8 kg) than people using less formal guidance (8 kg loss).

Benefits:

  • Structured meal plans encourage three regular meals per day
  • Improve the nutrition of foods kept in the house
  • Helps in effective meal planning
  • Helps people to cope better with barrier situations for example what to eat at work, suitable snacks, proper family meals, and time constraints.
  • Improves portion control
  • Makes diary keeping easier
  • Helps in balanced meal preparation and calorie reduction that promotes weightloss
  • Diet plans enable flexibility within the diet. You can enjoy some favorite foods and meals to stay satisfied and in control.

How To Get Started With One-Week Healthy Plan

Healthy eating is about including whole food groups in your diet. But you can also go in for an occasional treat. Usually,we make a mistake of sketching the diet plans too strict and unrealistic. You should look at healthy eating as more of a lifestyle rather than a rigorous and restrictive diet regime. Always remember that moderation is the cornerstone of healthy eating.

If you stick to portion control, it results in successful weight loss. Avoid fizzy soda drinks and diet drinks. They contain artificial sweeteners and chemicals which make it harder for you to lose weight. Try to avoid processed foods, sauces and packet foods.

Have an idea of what you’re going to eat everyday. Write down a shopping list and stock your kitchen well with fresh goodies. Meal prep ahead to make the cooking easier. In case if you come home late, waiting for the rice to cook or peeling vegetables doesn’t seem so appealing.

You can prepare ahead by cooking up brown rice or quinoa. This action reduces your workload, so you will just need to toss it through stir fries, veggies or reheat in the microwave. You can bulk cook a large tray of mixed roast vegetables and use them in salads and curries for the next few days.

Separate out meals and place them in the freezer, so you have pre-prepared ready and healthy meals. This process also helps in portion control.

7-Day Healthy Eating Plan

Monday

Breakfast

  • 1 cup ginger tea
  •  Oats cooked with organic skim or soy milk. Top up with sliced apples and garnish with walnuts.

Morning Snack

  • A handful of mixed nuts preferably Brazil nuts, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, cashew butter and peanuts.

Lunch

  • Baby spinach tossed with balsamic vinegar and Italian dried herbs that are free of salt. Top it up with a scoop of chilled red quinoa, cannellini beans, and sliced avocado.

Evening Snack

  • Drizzle a teaspoon of organic honey on a cup of non-fat Greek yogurt, add some sliced bananas and top it off with shredded almonds.

Dinner

  • Sauté halved grape tomatoes, onion and chopped green bell pepper in extra virgin olive oil until slightly tender. Add chicken breast or organic tofu for extra flavor. Serve over whole wheat penne.

Health Benefits

  • Ginger tea has rich amounts of vitamin C. It fights stress and increases
  • Oats contain a healthy soluble fiber called beta-glucan. Whole oats have a rich supply of antioxidants including
  • Nuts: Brazil nuts, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, cashew butter and peanuts help in weight loss.
  • Vitamins K and A are abundantly present in baby spinach. It is also a good source of
  • Greek yogurt is a high protein dairy food when consumed in moderation helps it in weight loss.
  • Chicken includes a good supply of protein content and is a major source of minerals and vitamins.

Tuesday

Breakfast

Morning Snack

  • Chopped egg in a lettuce cup

Lunch

  • 100g tinned tuna salad with lemon olive oil dressing.

Evening Snack

  • A small orange

Dinner

  • Grilled lean steak with steamed sweet potato and a yogurt lemon dressing.

Health Benefits

  • Green tea increases metabolism and helps in weight loss.
  • Chia seeds: They are one of the most nutritious foods and are naturally free of gluten. Chia seeds are excellent sources of fiber, omega 3 fatty acids, proteins and various micronutrients.
  • Egg: They areachiefsource ofhigh-quality The whites are rich sources of selenium,vitamin D, B6, B12 and minerals such as zinc, iron, and copper.
  • Tuna: It has very high levels of omega 3 fatty acids that boost heart health.
  • Orange: They are anexcellent source of vitamin C and dietary fiber.
  • Lean steak: It is a rich source of iron which boosts the health of red blood cells.

Wednesday

Breakfast

  • One whole wheat English muffin
  • ½ cup blueberries
  • 1 cup skim milk
  • One teaspoon fat-free cream cheese

Morning Snack

  • One small apple

Lunch

  • 1 cup tossed salad mix
  • Spanish Tortilla
  • One tablespoon fat-free blue cheese salad dressing
  • One slice reduced calorie oatmeal bran bread
  • ½ cup fresh pineapple

Dinner

Health Benefits

  • Whole wheat muffin: They are low in calories. They contain complex carbohydrates whichprovide long-lasting energy.
  • Blueberries: They are rich sources of fiber, vitamin C,vitamin K and manganese and boost heart health.
  • Blue cheese prevents cardiovascular disease, ischemia, and osteoporosis. It is rich in calcium and phosphorous.
  • Quinoa: It is a protein rich food and has fiber content twice as other grains.
  • Nectarine is rich in beta-carotene, and vitamin A. It is a good source of fiber, potassium and vitamin C.

Thursday

Breakfast

  • 1 cup chamomile tea
  • Slices of carrot, beetroot, and zucchini in stuffed omelet. You can fry it in coconut oil.

Morning Snack

  • ½ cup blueberries

Lunch

  • A glass of smoothie prepared with coconut milk, berries, almonds and protein powder
  • Evening Snack
  • ¼ cup of walnuts

Dinner

  • Brown rice, veggies, and steak.

Health Benefits

  • Vegetables are important sources of potassium, dietary fiber, folate, vitamin A and vitamin They are naturally low in calories and fat.
  • Coconut milk: It is lactose-free and is rich in fiber, vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5, and B6. It is also rich in Minerals such as iron, selenium, sodium,calcium, magnesium and phosphorous.
  • Walnuts: They are rich in omega 3 and are an excellent source of monounsaturated fatty acids. The EFA’s present in nutsimproves your bone health.

Friday

Breakfast

  • 1 cup turmeric tea
  • Bacon and eggs

Morning Snack

  • ½ cup cherries

Lunch

  • A glass of yogurt enriched with berries, coconut flakes and a handful of walnuts

Evening Snack

  • One slice of Whole grain bread with peanut butter

Dinner

Health Benefits

  • Turmeric: It has many anti-inflammatory properties that help in treating various health problems like rheumatoid arthritis,osteoarthritis,and ulcerative colitis
  • Cherries: They reduce belly fat and support healthy sleep. They possess cancer preventive compounds and reduce your risk of gout.
  • Peanut butter: It helps in weight loss if you eat it in moderation. It is rich in protein as well as potassium which lowers your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

Saturday

Breakfast

  • 1 cup skim milk
  • ½ cup grapefruit
  • One scrambled egg
  • One slice reduced calorie oatmeal bran bread

Morning Snack

  • 6 ounces non-fat vanilla or lemon yogurt.You can add a low-calorie sweetener.

Lunch

  • Chicken and white bean soup
  • 1 cup skim milk
  • One tablespoon fat-free French salad dressing
  • 1 cup tossed salad mix
  • Two slices reduced calorie oatmeal bran bread

Evening Snack

  • ½ cup unsweetened applesauce

Dinner

Bistro BeefTenderloin

Dessert

  • Small glass of red wine

Heath Benefits

  • Grapefruits: These fruits have a powerful combination of potassium, fiber, lycopene, vitamin C, and choline all helps to maintain a healthy heart.
  • White beans: They have anti-cancer properties, detoxifies sulfites, rich in fiber and are heart healthy.
  • Applesauce: A cup of unsweetened apple sauce contains 100 calories and acts as a filling snack. It is rich in fiber and vitamin C.
  • Baby bok choy: They are rich in vitamins C, A, and K. Baby bok choy is an excellent source of magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, and

Sunday

Breakfast

  • 1 cup green tea
  • Scrambled eggs with whole grain toast, sautéed mushrooms, kale, and tomatoes

Morning Snack

  • Hummus dipped with baby carrots, zucchini, cauliflower florets and broccoli

Lunch

  • Grilled salmon with mixed veggies and a tamari dressing

Evening Snack

  • One small apple

Dinner

  • Tofu and vegetable stir-fry with brown rice

Dessert

  • Dark chocolate

Health Benefits

  • Mushrooms contain generous amounts of copper needed to produce blood cells and maintain heart health.
  • Kalehas zero fat, low in calorie and high in fiber. It has a rich supply of iron and vitamin K.
  • Hummus: A two-tablespoon serving of hummus contains around 70 calories. Hummus is rich in protein, and fiber. Thechickpeas used in hummus are rich in iron, phosphorous, folate and B vitamins.
  • Salmon: It is an excellent source of vitamin D, selenium and vitamin B12. Salmon also hasa generous supply of niacin,omega-3 fatty acids, protein, phosphorus and vitamin B6.
  • Tofu has a good supply of proteins and contains all the essential aminoacids. It is also an excellent source of iron and calcium.

Note: Before you make any dietary changes, it is important to have a health assessment by your GP. We don’t recommend this diet for people who are pregnant, lactating and individuals with the critical medical condition.

Conclusion

The above listing is an example of a 7-day diet meal plan.To achieve your weight loss efforts avoid skipping breakfast. Have your meals on time. Include lots of fruits and veggies in your diet.

Keep yourself hydrated and be more physically active. Read the food labels while shopping for goods. It is best to use smaller plates which may help you to eat smaller portions.

It is better not to stock junk foodto avoid temptation, instead of stock up your kitchen with healthy and convenient foods. Mindless eating occurs after dinner so be choosy about your night time snacks. Enjoy your favorite foods once in a while because banning foods will only make you crave more.

Try to include protein rich foods in your diet at every meal. To give a flavor boost to your foods add spices or chili.  “Food that is loaded with flavor will stimulate your taste buds and be more satisfying so that you won’t eat as much,” says American Dietetic Association spokeswoman Malena Perdomo, RD.

Lose weight slowly. Weigh yourself once a week. Get enough sleep. Limit alcohol to weekends or just avoid it. If you crave for fattening snacks, just chew sugarless gum. Maintain a food dairy, a simple paper and pencil can dramatically boost your weight loss.

Finally rewarding your weight loss success may encourage more success. So revel in your achievements. But don’t celebrate with a sundae or deep dish pizza. Instead, watch a movie. Call in support of your friends and family to cheer you along your weight loss journey.

Source: What A 7-Day Diet Meal Plan Looks Like