According to the Mayo Clinic website, a group of researchers who formed the National Weight Control Registry discovered that people who lost weight and kept it off had diets that were low calorie and low fat. Almost all of them incorporated exercise into their schedule. Staying at a healthy weight requires a commitment to making and maintaining lifestyle changes. In an article on the Good Housekeeping website, author Jim Karas advises eating small meals more frequently rather than large meals less often to keep your energy and metabolism levels balanced.
Sunday
Start the morning with a breakfast of whole grain, low sugar cereal and fruit. Have a single serving of low-fat or fat-free yogurt mid-morning. For lunch, have a tuna salad mixed with salsa, diced bell pepper and a low-fat salad dressing and a side of 1/2 cup of cottage cheese. Snack on baby carrots and celery sticks dipped in a fat-free salad dressing mid-afternoon. A dinner of 4 ounces of grilled or baked chicken, a mixed green salad, a small baked potato and an apple will give you a healthy last meal of the day.
Monday
A breakfast of oatmeal and blueberries should keep you going until at least the middle of the morning. When you hear the first rumblings of you stomach, take a moment for a snack of 1/2 cup of cottage cheese and fruit. Treat yourself to a turkey, cheese, lettuce, tomato and bell pepper wrap in a whole grain tortilla for lunch. A couple of hours later snack on low-fat popcorn and a stick of string cheese. For dinner, enjoy a fish filet, 1/2 cup of brown rice seasoned to taste and fresh, steamed asparagus spears.
Tuesday
Have 2 poached or hardboiled eggs, one slice of whole grain toast and a handful of blueberries for breakfast. A low-calorie granola bar mid-morning should hold you over until lunch when you can enjoy a bowl of low-fat vegetable soup with whole wheat crackers. Mid-afternoon, have some pretzels and a couple of slices of cheddar cheese. Finish the day with a 4 ounce steak, 1/2 cup of oven fried potatoes and steamed broccoli.
Wednesday
Start your day with 1/2 cup of cottage cheese, a slice or two of whole grain toast and a small banana. You can have a morning snack of an apple and a couple of slices of your favorite low-fat cheese. For lunch, enjoy a chef salad with turkey, romaine lettuce, spinach, red cabbage, tomatoes, bell peppers and low-fat dressing. An afternoon snack of whole grain crackers and cheese will keep your hunger at bay until dinner when you can have a soft chicken taco---a whole grain tortilla filled with 4 ounces of chicken, shredded cabbage or lettuce, salsa and shredded cheese.
Thursday
For breakfast, eat whole grain toast with peanut or almond butter topped with a sliced banana and drink a glass of fat-free milk. For lunch, enjoy chopped chicken, walnuts and grapes on a bed of romaine lettuce and spinach. Have 1/2 cup of yogurt mid-afternoon. Dinner can be a 4 ounce pork chop, baked sweet potato and a steamed vegetable medley.
Friday
Start the last day of the work week with a whole grain English muffin topped with a slice of tomato and cheese melted under the broiler. Snack on a hard boiled egg and a handful of raisins. For lunch, eat a bowl of low-sodium soup, whole grain crackers and a piece of fruit. Snack on raw vegetables with yogurt dip. A whole grain tortilla pizza is perfect for Friday night's dinner if you keep the toppings low fat.
Saturday
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast of French toast made with whole grain bread and eggbeaters. Top with strawberries or blueberries. Your mid-morning snack of yogurt should keep you satisfied until a tuna salad made with low-fat dressing for lunch. Snack on a handful of nuts in the afternoon. Enjoy a dinner of whole grain spaghetti with marinara sauce and an apple and a pear.
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