Frozen dinners, fast food and processed snacks do not support your weight loss efforts because they are high in calories and low in nutrition. In order to lose weight, you should focus on a low-calorie meal plan that features healthy foods from a variety of food groups. These meals do not have to be complicated, time-intensive productions, however. You can create easy, low-calorie diet menus with just a few specific strategies and key ingredients.
Breakfasts
A low-calorie breakfast contains between 300 and 400 calories. Ready-to-eat cereal is one of the easiest options and can support a diet plan. Your optimal cereals contain fewer than 5 g of sugar and more than 5 g of fiber per serving -- have one serving with a cup of skim milk and 1 cup of fresh berries. If you crave something warm, opt for a microwavable packet of plain instant oatmeal and stir in 1 tbsp. of raisins, 1 tbsp. of natural peanut butter and 1/2 cup skim milk. Stash several hard-boiled eggs in the refrigerator early in the week and grab two in the morning for an easy breakfast with a serving of whole grain crackers and a glass of orange juice.
Lunches
Low-calorie lunches contain between 300 and 500 calories. An easy 300-calorie lunch menu might feature a cup of low-sodium vegetable soup with a whole-wheat English muffin topped with 2 tbsp. of hummus and slices of tomato. You could also toss together three cups of pre-washed spring greens with 10 grape tomatoes, a drained can of water-packed tuna, eight baby carrots and 1 tbsp. of low-fat dressing. Have five woven wheat crackers and an apple on the side for about 400 calories.
Dinners
Your dinner menu should emphasize fresh vegetables to keep the count to 400 to 500 calories. A low-calorie menu might feature tacos made with 1 cup assorted vegetables, such as eggplant, bell peppers and red onion quickly sautéed in 1 tsp. of olive oil, 1/2 cup of black beans, 1/4 of an avocado,1/4 cup of tomato-based salsa and 2 corn tortillas. If you prefer not to cook, you can create an easy dinner by purchasing a rotisserie chicken, removing the skin and eating 1/2 of the breast alongside a salad made with pre-washed, bagged spinach, 1/2 cup of mandarin orange slices, 2 tbsp. toasted almonds and low-fat sesame-ginger dressing. In a pinch, a frozen, low-calorie meal will work -- but choose one with less than 700 mg of sodium and add a green salad or steamed vegetables on the side.
Snacks
Planning to not snack at all on a diet plan is unrealistic. Instead of denying yourself between meals and risking extreme hunger that can lead to poor choices later, include healthy, portion-controlled snacks as part of your low-calorie diet menus. Each snack should contain between 100 and 250 calories and feature satisfying, nutritious foods. The easiest choices include a piece of fruit with a handful of nuts, carrot sticks with hummus, deli meat with avocado in a corn tortilla or low-fat yogurt with whole-grain cereal.
Method
Planning ahead makes low-calorie dieting easier. Make a grocery list from your diet menus and purchase all the ingredients in one shopping trip. If you have the ingredients on hand for low-calorie meal, you are less likely to resort to take-out or eat a dinner of snack-foods.
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