Homemade weight loss wraps are an easy food to prepare, transport and enjoy as you work on regaining control of your weight. Losing weight using homemade food gives you the ability to control both the ingredients and the calories. When used as part of an overall balanced diet, homemade wraps can give you a variety of nutrients -- from proteins to vegetables.
Types
There are very few foods you cannot put into a homemade wrap. When dieting, focus on wraps that combine vegetables and proteins to assist you in meeting your daily nutritional requirements and help you achieve a balanced diet. You can make Mexican, vegetarian, seafood, poultry, bean and steak wraps in a way that keeps the calories low and fills you up. Hot wraps are good for breakfast or dinner, while a cold wrap makes an excellent addition to a picnic basket or lunch box.
Wrap Ingredients
Although you can buy low-calorie wraps in most grocery and discount stores, you may desire to make your own. Combine 2 cups of whole-wheat flour, 2 tsp. of olive oil, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 1/2 tsp. of baking powder and 3/4 cup of warm water in a large bowl. Mix and knead thoroughly and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Pinch of small balls from the large dough ball, and roll out the small balls into 8 inch circles. Continue rolling and turning until very thin. Cook each individual tortilla in a preheated skillet with no added oil.
Low-Calorie Protein Ingredients
Grilled poultry, turkey, eggs or lean beef tips add animal-based protein to your wraps. Protein is the second most common substance in your body, and is important for cell growth and energy, according to Utah State University. Avoid adding fried meats to your wraps to keep the calorie content low. Non-animal sources of protein to include in your wraps are small amounts of nut butters, low-fat cheese, beans, rice and soybeans. Combine cooked brown rice with either chicken or beans, fill a wrap with a boiled, chopped egg and 1 tsp. of fat-free mayonnaise or spread mustard in the wrap and top with grilled chicken.
Vegetable Ingredients
Use vegetables to make a vegetarian wrap, or combine vegetables with an animal protein if you eat meat. Spread fat-free ranch dressing on the wrap and top with lettuce, thinly sliced carrots, julienned cucumber, sliced tomato and green pepper. Stir-fry onions and green peppers in a hot skillet and combine with cooked chicken for a fajita wrap. Make a spicy Mexican wrap with black beans, corn, cilantro, garlic, Roma tomatoes, chili peppers and cilantro.
Considerations
As you combine ingredients in your wrap, avoid adding high-calorie, high-fat sauces and large amounts of cheese. An ounce of blue cheese has 100 calories, and 1 tsp. of French dressing has 71 calories, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database. If preparing tuna or chicken salad for wraps, use low-fat or fat-free mayonnaise or substitute Greek yogurt in its place. If making your own wraps from whole-wheat flour, make several wraps during one cooking session, and freeze for later use.
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