While some diet books and plans want you to believe that you must follow complex combinations of food to lose weight, a simple diet plan can be just as effective. Weight loss is a matter of taking in fewer calories than you burn. Prepare simple meals to fulfill this equation while still obtaining adequate nutrition and feeling satisfied.
Features
Each meal in your simple menu should contain one to two servings of a healthy carbohydrate and three ounces of lean protein. Strive to take in two to three 8-oz. servings of non- or low-fat dairy daily and make unsaturated fats comprise about 30 percent of your daily menu's calories says Joanne Larsen, R.D. on Ask the Dietitian. A serving of carbohydrates is equivalent to ½ cup of grains or a standard slice of bread, a piece of fruit or several cups of fresh vegetables.
Types of Foods
Try to include a variety of foods every day to expose yourself to a wide range of nutrients. Each simple diet menu features foods that come from whole sources, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, beans, low-fat dairy and whole grains. Choose watery, fiber-rich fruits and vegetables to help fill you up and provide volume without a lot of calories, suggests the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Good sources of protein are chicken breasts, fish and extra lean beef burgers in single serving packages. Purchase nuts in bulk and portion out in 1-oz. servings to store in your freezer so you can grab them for snacks without being tempted to overeat. Purchase frozen, microwavable brown rice and 100 percent whole grain breads, pitas and wraps for quick, easy sandwiches.
Sample Meals
Having a few stand-by meals means you can always develop a simple diet menu without a lot of preparation, weighing and measuring or grocery shopping. Simple breakfasts may be composed of four scrambled egg whites with two slices of whole grain toast and a piece of fruit, a whole wheat English muffin with two tablespoons of almond butter and a banana or a bowl of quick-cooking oats with soy milk and a sprinkle of walnuts. For lunch and dinner, grill, bake or broil 3 oz. of chicken or fish and serve with a ½ cup of brown rice, quinoa or barley. Fill the rest of your plate with steamed broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower or spinach. Serve a large green salad with cucumbers and bell peppers on the side of these meals and drizzle with lemon juice and a teaspoon of olive oil. Snacks, such as 200-calorie energy bars, nuts, string cheese, fresh fruit and whole grain crackers with hummus are portable and easy to keep on hand.
Flavor Boosters
To add flavor to your simple menus, use herbs, citrus and vinegar. Toss steamed vegetables with chopped fresh basil and oregano or sprinkle with dill and chives. Squeeze lemon or lime over white fish or marinate chicken in balsamic vinegar and rosemary before baking. Cook grains in broth rather than water or add chopped onion, mushrooms and garlic to the cooking water. These additions make your meals more interesting without adding a lot of work or calories.
Misconceptions
Dieting does not require complex meal preparation. For a non-cook, a simple daily diet menu might feature a bowl of whole-grain oat cereal with non-fat milk and strawberries for breakfast. Brown bag a deli turkey sandwich on whole grain bread with tomatoes, lettuce and mustard with bell pepper and carrot sticks and an orange for lunch. At dinner, pick up a rotisserie chicken and pull off the skin. Serve yourself 4-oz. of the breast meat with green salad made with bagged lettuce, chopped cucumber and a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice. Snack on 1-oz. portions of nuts, fresh fruit or whole grain crackers and low-fat string cheese.
Member Comments