Are you looking for a diet plan to kick-start your weight loss? Following a healthy diet plan and working out regularly can help you to bring down your weight to the desired level. It’s all about choosing the right foods that burn down your calories and maintain a healthy weight. Sticking to a healthy diet plan can be difficult. You can do several things to get yourself motivated, like making a list of specific reasons why you want to get healthier and referring to it when you need a reminder, carrying healthier snacks which can help keep your appetite in check until you’re able to have a full meal, practicing mindful eating and avoiding watching TV while having your food. Meanwhile, monitor your progress and reward yourself for completing a goal.
Breakfast
Having a cup of oolong tea and avocado toast can be a healthy choice for your morning meal. Oolong tea works to boost metabolism and thereby burning the amount of fat in your body. Oolong tea has the potential to burn 2.9 to 3.4% calories per day. Green tea is one of the healthiest beverages on the planet. Green tea contains EGCG, a substance that can boost metabolism. Avocado toast, loaded with vitamins and minerals, can help you to reduce massive weight by reducing cholesterol, and targeting belly fat.
Mid-day snacks
An apple is a healthy choice to gain fiber and crowd out less healthy choices. Soup is another watery snack that will keep you from overeating during lunch. You can also have roasted edamame, blueberries or popcorn, which is another low-fat choice. Bananas and peanut butter with low salt are great sources of potassium and protein.
Lunch and dinner
Substitute your cooking oil with an extra virgin olive oil. This will help you to best meet your diet goals. It will lead you to have a greater feeling of fullness. It does contain calories but all of those are healthier fats. It will help you in supporting your diet goals by increasing the level of antioxidants in your blood and aid weight loss. Moreover, you have to replace traditional carbohydrates with non-starchy veggies. There are unlimited non-starchy veggies that are rich in fiber and lower in glycemic load. Cucumber, fennel, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, capsicum, sprouts, tomato, eggplant, celery, zucchini, leek, onion, green beans, asparagus are great choices. You can consume one palm full of animal protein such as chicken, duck, fish, pork, beef, lamb, turkey, shellfish and eggs for protein intake.
Drinks
Some drinks will help you to cut craving without ruining your diet routine. You can have low-calorie margaritas will help you to lose weight without giving up cocktails. Coconut margarita, peach margarita, watermelon margarita, mango pineapple margarita and low-calorie Pina Coladas. Furthermore, a 21 days fix daiquiri is another recipe for all the cocktail nerds out there.
Appetizer
You can have some healthy appetizers too but avoid going overboard. It can be a powerful source to avoid overeating. Always chose vegetables based soups those are without cream while vegetable-based salads those are without cheese with a low-fat dressing or you can even have a fruit salad. Having a salad or soup as a supper will help you avoid nibbling on the food. There is so much variety of healthy appetizers out there such as baked vegetables, grilled paneer veggies, corn tomato salad and fruit salad. You’ll end up eating fewer calories overall, but you will also get to enjoy your meal.
Snacks-2
This will help you not to eat a lot at one meal by spreading your food throughout the day. Clementine (cutie) oranges, apple slices, dried fruit chips (with no added sugar), chocolate peanut butter protein smoothies, string cheese, grapes, sliced avocado and homemade trail mix are great choices for snacks. Healthy and delicious snacks can help you to cut craving. You can have up to two snacks per day.
Things to Eliminate
Added sugar increases calorie-intake in your body. You need to cut out soda for water with lime and lemon in it and you’ll cut your sugar intake in a huge way. Eat deserts on even days, or on weekends, or on special occasions. If you still need some sweetness, making your own plain yogurt and adding fresh fruit is a good option. Moreover, stop buying processed foods to go sugar-free for 21 days.
Scientists from the University of Manitoba, Canada conducted a research that showed the relationship between consumption of artificial sweetener intake and weight gain,
“The results showed a statistically significant association between consumption of artificial sweeteners and higher risks of diabetes and heart disease, as well as increased weight gain”
Things to Limit
Limit the intake of poultry, eggs, fish, meat or any animal protein and dairy products. All dairy products carry a varying amount of lactose (the milk sugar), which drop down weight loss. Therefore, cutting down on dairy products may accelerate weight loss.
Sometimes it is easy to go overboard with the food consumption. Especially when you see a tasteful plate in front of you during the festive season, during holidays or when you are very hungry after long hours of work, you may end up eating twice as much. Eating less and making healthy choices is a prerequisite to living a longer life.
If you found it difficult to stick to your plan, there are plenty of ways to get yourself motivated. Make a list of reasons and read it every day, especially at those vulnerable times of the day. Enjoy what you eat by eating sitting down, and slowly whether or not you feel like it. Although it may be difficult, weigh down the benefits you would be gaining in the long term and the cost you’re bearing right now.
About The Author
Michelle Hannan is a nutritionist, and she’s on a mission to give you all the information you need to successfully lose weight. She also blogs regularly at https://www.hcgdietinfo.net/
Its that time of the year again – when you feel all pumped up and ready to do this!! Until its time to start!! For me at least lol
I definitely need to find motivation this time round!!! I’m taking this week to prepare mentally (which i think is also extremely important) and hopefully next week I will be able to hit the ground running – so to speak 🙂
Tamara…how did the mental preparation go and have you started? I’m in desperate need to loose weight and I also need a lot of motivation. Are you doing any exercise because that for me is another mental preparation. LOL
@elena I am busy working on a new blog post as we speak… I struggled with losing weight last year – I tried all the eating properly and exercising stuff, yes I lost a little and then put it back on again. However this year I tried something new and I lost 3.9kgs in ONE WEEK. All natural and healthy too! Keep your eyes open for it!
WOW I will definitely keep a look out. I started last week with the herbalife breakfast shake and just eating salads for lunch and supper and I lost 3.8 kg but I had a allergic reaction to the herbalife so that’s a no-go for me. Can’t wait for your blog!
I’m keeping my eyes peeled. :-O
It’s been a TOUGH week getting started with school – my daughter has just started Grade 1 – I was hoping to have that post out by Wednesday already but I have not been able to get to it because it has been so busy with other work coming in that I have had to attend to first! I’m hoping to find some time this weekend to get to it 🙂
Looking foward to the article.
Would definitely love to try this. My addiction… Coke! If it comes to exercising, I’ve found speed walking works just as great.
I know!! But since I’ve changed to a more healthier lifestyle, I had to give up Coke and my chocolate. The chocolate was really difficult. But I try to not avoid them completely otherwise I’ll never stick to my new regime. I eat healthy during the week and then I reward myself over the weekend with a glass of coke or a chocolate or chips that is usually now allowed during the week. After all, one can’t just diet all the time. 🙂
I’ve been trying to loose weight since baby was born, 14 months later I’m still trying.. feeling so down and out about it.
On herbex, on eating plans ..
Need motivation, so difficult when you on the go.
Samantha, don’t give up hope. It is so easy to gain weight but so hard to lose it. I hate exercising and I hardly get any time for it, especially with a busy lifestyle. So, I rather make up in other areas. I have tried different diet pills and diet aids but they only work while you take them, but once you stop you always gain the weight back and sometimes even more. 🙁 But last year October I’ve decided to actively do something about my weight. I couldn’t look at myself in the mirror anymore. I’ve joined a Facebook group and paid a once off fee of R250.00. The lady that started the group shared her weight loss secrets with me and she sends me a menu every week on whatsapp. I don’t follow her menu religiously but I adapt to it according to what I have in my cupboards. It help to share your progress with like minded people and to motivate each other. For the first time in years, I’ve done something that seems to work. I’ve lost 8kg already and I feel happier. Your mindset also needs to be right. I see it as a more healthy lifestyle, not a diet. It’s not something temporary but a lifestyle change. And I don’t feel like I’m starving myself. I just eat more healthy. I use to hate salads when I made it the boring way with just cucumber, tomato and lettuce. I now make salads the way I enjoy them. I prefer chicken salads, so I add fresh fruit and cheese or feta cheese and they are so tasty. I actually look forward to eating my salad. I also drink at least 2.5 litres of water a day. If you don’t like water, you can add lemon juice, fresh lemons or lime cordial. Good luck and don’t give up. x
Thank you so much for the encouragement, I’ve started with more salads, and I have 1.5 litters of water.. will get there
Yes I think a big part of any eating plan goes into preparation. Im going to try and cook most of my meals on a Sunday for the week ahead. That way I will also have more time with my family during the week.
I know what you mean Lynne. Since January started and I’m back at work and JD is back at day care, it feels like I’m always trying to catch up. But I’ll get there. 🙂
I cant wait for your article Lynne. I’m at a point of no return. I just promised myself again this evening that tonight is the last time i will have that piece of cake. Seriously, i am starting tomorrow. I lost so much weight last year because i walked every morning for an hour after dropping kids at school but i stopped walking and eating healthy and picked it all up and even more. When i lost the weight i felt so good. I also cut out carbs and sugars. The most important thing here is to get your mindset right. If your mindset is still with that last chocolate, you’re not gonna make it. So wish me good luck for tomorrow!