I need to lose most likely 50 through 100 pounds. I probably weigh about 250. I am 5’9. What would be a good meal plan, food restrictions, anything, to help me start to lose weight?
First, figure out your recommended daily calorie intake here:
http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
Then, raid your fridge and your pantry and throw out any foods with:
1. Hydrogenated oils: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-hydrogenated-oil.htm
2. Refined sugars: http://articlesunlimited.holisticnetworkexchange.com/hidden-sugar-in-foods.html
3. Color dyes: http://www.feingold.org/effects.html
4. MSG: http://www.sellingsalesmanship.com/msginfo.html
Avoid these things as much as you can to not only lose weight, but live healthier and, perhaps, longer.
Now for a meal plan, it’s good to keep a food log and maybe even schedule when and what you’ll eat (if you have the time). You should eat within 30 minutes of waking up to kick-start your metabolism, and go to sleep before 10pm so you body gets its best rest for an optimal tomorrow.
For breakfast, team up a protein with a carb. Protein takes 4 hours to digest so will keep you full until lunch if you eat at 8am, plus it helps build muscle which burns fat! And the carbs act as brain food (just don’t eat too many; about 150g a day). Also, protein helps prevent the carbs from turning into fat, but avoid simple carbohydrates found in white rice, white bread, white potatoes, etc. and veer towards complex carbohydrates found in brown sugar, whole grain bread, beans.
Lunch should contain plenty of fiber to help you stay regular (about 20-35g a day). Some foods with fiber are: beans, bran, brown rice, peas, fruit, figs, broccoli, and oats. Of course all your meals should contain fiber, but I find it easiest to get it at lunch or in a fruit snack.
Dinner should be your smallest meal, around 5 or 6 o’clock. This is where you should should be getting the rest of your fiber, carb, protein, vitamin quota. If you didn’t eat enough fiber or were a little lacking in carbs, fill in the blanks. Example, a burrito with a side salad. It’s carbs, protein, and fiber because you’ll probably use beans and/or veggies inside.
Snacks should be around 2 or 3, just to take the edge off of waiting for dinner. Don’t have another full-on meal just because you’re a little hungry. Something like a piece of fruit with yogurt (plain Greek yogurt is best when you mix it with some fruit), or maybe some hard-boiled eggs, a handful of nuts, hummus with carrots, anything healthy and fulfilling.
Once you start eating healthy, you won’t want to stop. And of course you can have dessert, but I’d save it for the weekends so you can really, really enjoy it. Plus, knowing you can have some goodies on a Saturday or Sunday is sometimes of incentive to stay on track. Oh! and don’t forget to drink plenty of water. Don’t listen to that "drink 8 glass a day" crap, it’s just a ploy by the people who sell water to make more money. Truth is, when you drink water it goes right through you and is best absorbed through food. Only drink when you’re feeling thirsty (unless it’s very hot, then sip it through-out the day).
Exercise is also very important. Even a 30 minute walk on a treadmill (going about 3mph) every day will help you! Just be sure to start off easy, cuz you don’t want to burn yourself out (literally and figuratively).
So that’s about it! I hope this helps you, I really do. Good luck. 🙂
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