Starting a new diet plan can be an awesome task if you don't lay out a few basic ground rules for your eating habits. Since eating healthy is a lifestyle change meant for long-term health benefits, you should begin by setting simple dietary goals. A five-day meal plan is the perfect way to get started without risking burnout. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, you should aim to lose no more than 1 to 2 pounds per week on a sound diet plan. Healthy foods can be mixed and matched during each meal for variation and taste.
Meals
In order for your five-day plan to be effective, try to eat five to six small meals daily. Eating more often puts your metabolism to work longer and helps with weight loss, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. Eating smaller portions also prevents overeating and gives your body's appetite signals time to reach your brain. Try to plan your meals in advance and use the same healthy foods so you're not constantly trying to figure out what to eat. Make sure to include one source of complex carbohydrates and protein for every meal and snack. Try to limit healthy sources of fat -- such as olive oil and avocados -- to no more than 3 tsp. per day. A smaller goal would be to try to include them at breakfast, lunch and dinner during your five-day plan.
Breakfast
At breakfast your five-day plan should include egg whites, oatmeal, fruits and turkey bacon -- low-sodium choices are best. Each day, try to alternate between the fruits you enjoy so you widen the number of vitamins you consume during your diet. You can try chopping up various fruits and eating 1/2 cup's worth every morning to start. Egg whites are a solid source of protein without including the added cholesterol or fat found in the yolk. You can try eating two to three egg whites alone or make a small omelet using turkey meat or some vegetables like onions or green peppers. Oatmeal is a powerful food that contains load of fiber and can help you lose weight and lower your bad cholesterol. Roughly 1 cup of oatmeal gives you about 7 g of fiber. Have a small bowl every morning.
Lunch
At lunch during your five-day plan you can stick to lean meats like turkey, chicken or fish. The protein in chicken and turkey help you build lean mass. According to the American Council on Exercise, lean muscle requires extra energy from your body to maintain and build. More energy spent to maintain muscle raises your metabolism and helps you lose weight. A good sample meal would be a turkey sandwich with spinach, tomatoes and olive oil. Sprinkle some Mrs. Dash on it for extra flavor. You can also cook the chicken and make a small salad with 1/2 cup's worth of vegetables and use olive oil and lemon for dressing. Your portion of protein for each meal should be roughly the size of a deck of cards.
Dinner
For dinner you can use the same foods you would for breakfast and lunch or make a different meal. It may save you time to prepare enough food at lunch so that you can eat the rest for dinner. Try to cook your chicken ahead of time and keep your fruits and vegetables cut so all you have to do is pull them out of the fridge and eat them. Dinner should include either a serving of vegetables or of fruits. Soups can be made with lean meats and vegetables and is a great way to get your water intake up during your diet. The key to sticking to your meal plan is to create a simple, easy-to-use menu with the presented healthy foods. Doing so can help get you more motivated to make long-term dietary changes that will positively benefit your health.
References
- "Lifestyle and Weight Management Consultant Manual"; American Council on Exercise; 2008
- "ACSM's Resources for the Personal Trainer"; American College of Sports Medicine; 2010
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