Planning Low-Calorie Menus: The First Four Weeks
In This Chapter
� Understanding how this diet works
� Planning your meals for four weeks
One problem with many weight-loss plans is that they’re too rigid. That rigidity — the strict rules and regulations about what to eat and what not to eat — often causes well-intentioned dieters to lose sight of their goals and give up.
This plan is different because you have more than one way to approach the diet. You can follow it to a “T,” or you can make your own rules (within reason, of course). Most importantly, you limit your calories and stay aware of the amount of food you’re eating, regardless of which approach you take.
These first four weeks are crucial to the long-term success of your diet because during this time you’re getting used to eating fewer calories each day and establishing the habits that can help you eat better throughout your lifetime. This chapter gives you the basics on the number of calories you’ll consume and guidelines for sticking to the plan. I also provide you with four weeks of simple, delicious menus, complete with helpful tips and shortcuts.
Preparing Yourself for the First Four Weeks
Before you dive into this chapter, you need to know the basics of starting a low-calorie diet plan: the number of calories you’re going to consume, the importance of maintaining the plan, and fun ways to keep the plan interesting.
Going by the numbers
This plan is designed so you can ease into your diet by simply sticking to 1,500 calories for the first few days. To allow you to move gradually into a more restricted plan, the daily menus in this chapter begin at 1,500 calories and taper down to 1,000. If 1,500 calories is too high a limit for you, start off with 1,400 or 1,300 or whatever calorie level feels right.
You can always go back to 1,500 if you feel too restricted. If you’re looking to lose only 10 or 15 pounds and want to dive right in and start your diet at 1,000 calories a day, that’s okay, too. Just skip the first two weeks of meal plans and start with Day 14. (For more information on determining how many calories you need each day, see Chapter 3.)
If you want to cut back further on calories on any given day or within any of your meals, reduce your portion sizes, rather than eliminate foods. That way, your diet stays as nutritionally balanced as possible.
You can always eat less, if you don’t feel hungry on a particular day, but if you eat too few calories one day, you’ll likely find yourself ravished and overeating the next day. In general, 1,000 calories is as low as you should go. Remember: No less for long-term success!
Following the rules as closely as possible
If you want structure and don’t want to have to think much for yourself, follow each day’s menus closely. (I’ve done all the planning for you!) Pay attention to the serving sizes and variety of foods offered at each meal. Doing so can help you master portion control and nutritional balance. (See Chapter 3 for more about portion sizes.)
Planning is everything when you’re living a low-calorie lifestyle. Take the time to plan a week’s worth of menus in advance. How do you do that?
� Choose your menus for the week from the selection you find later in this chapter, or use the menus in this chapter as guides to create your own.
� Use the menus to make up shopping lists.
� Shop only for those items you need to prepare your planned meals and snacks throughout the week.
� Stick to your shopping list. Chapter 5 contains plenty of good advice for navigating the aisles of your supermarket.
� Try to get all your shopping done in one weekly trip to avoid having to go back to the supermarket and be faced with the temptation of buying foods that aren’t on your original list for the week.
Stick to your calorie limit each day. But remember that your limit is an approximate number and you’re working within a range of calories. For instance, if you find you’re simply starving at the end of the day, eating an apple or a 1⁄2 ounce of cheese that adds 50 or 75 calories won’t break your calorie budget for the day. Eating a few extra calories is much better for the overall success of your diet than feeling so hungry and deprived you end up bingeing in the middle of the night.
While you’re following this plan, don’t worry about the calorie content of individual foods. I’ve already done the math for you. All you have to do is follow the menu plans and rest assured. The calorie counts for each day are included with the menu plans, so you’ll know how many calories you’ve consumed.
At some point, however, you’ll find yourself in situations where you have to deviate from your plan or you’ll have questions about how to make substitutions without adding additional calories. When this happens, refer to Appendixes A and B for calorie counts of both individual foods and food groups.
Coffee, tea, water, seltzer, and diet beverages are all “free foods” that aren’t tallied against your daily calorie count. (You can find more “free foods” in Chapter 3.) If you use milk in your coffee or tea, take it from the measured amounts of milk or other dairy products allocated at meals. If you add sugar to your drinks, you must take those calories from someplace else. For instance, if you choose to put sugar in your coffee at breakfast, compensate for the calories by eliminating or reducing the amount of pancake syrup, jelly, or other condiment you use throughout the day.
If you choose not to use lean, lowfat, or reduced-fat versions of products, such as milk, yogurt, mayonnaise, and lunch foods, and you choose the higher-fat version instead, cut the amount called for in half to avoid extra calories. And when you’re confronted with a choice between small, medium, and large sizes of foods such as whole fruits or breads and other baked goods, opt for small to medium to be on the safe side.
Doing your own thing to keep the plan fresh
Most people who need to lose weight benefit from a disciplined eating plan, one that has you eating three square meals a day and maybe a snack or two, regardless of your personal or work schedule. This type of discipline helps prevent you from losing control over what and how much you eat.
That said, no law says that you can’t have spaghetti for breakfast or raisin bran for dinner, just as no law dictates that you must eat your snack at 2 p.m. You can certainly look at your day’s menu plans and decide to eat your lunch in the morning, use your dinner menu as a guideline for ordering lunch, and eat your breakfast foods at 8 p.m.
If you get bored with following the menu plans so precisely, or if that simply doesn’t appeal to you from the start, you can personalize the menus and rearrange them somewhat to suit your taste. You can do this by:
� Substituting equal amounts of similar foods. For instance, you can substitute a pear for a small banana or half an English muffin for a slice of toast.
� Exchanging menus from day to day. For instance, you can eat Wednesday’s breakfast on Monday, or next Thursday’s lunch today. Just be sure you’re substituting meals that contribute approximately the same number of calories.
� Incorporating this book’s recipes. You can add the breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes and the ideas for snacks and desserts from Part IV into your low-calorie menu plans. Just make sure that the recipe you select fits in with your calorie intake for the day.
Taking the Plunge: Week 1
When you make any significant diet change, you first have to get used to a new way of eating. In this case, even if a 1,500-calorie plan doesn’t kick off any weight, it’s still a good place to start because you’re getting used to the idea of eating a specific amount of food at each meal and a specific number of calories in a day. You’re breaking the habit of eating whatever you want, whenever you want, and instead, getting used to structured meals.
Day 1: 1,500 calories
On a 1,500-calorie day, each of the meals — breakfast, lunch, and dinner — provide up to 400 calories, which is 100 calories more per meal than you’ll eat on your 1,000-calorie days. You also get two snacks that contribute about 150 calories each or one snack or dessert that provides up to 300 calories, twice what you’ll be getting from snacks on your 1,000-calorie days.
Breakfast
1⁄2 grapefruit
1⁄2 medium bagel
2 tablespoons light cream cheese
2 tablespoons fruit spread
1 cup skim milk
Lunch
1 cup black bean soup
1 cup baked tortilla chips
1⁄4 avocado with lettuce, tomato, and 1 tablespoon light salad dressing
1 medium orange
Dinner
3 ounces skinless roast chicken
1⁄2 cup cooked rice
2 cups steamed broccoli
1⁄2 cup baby carrots
Snacks
1 cup fresh fruit salad
1⁄2 cup regular ice cream or frozen yogurt
Day 2: 1,500 calories
Day 2’s menu plan is structured just like yesterday’s menu, but with different foods. If you prefer, you can substitute any meal or snack from yesterday’s menu for a meal or snack in today’s plan.
Breakfast
1 blueberry muffin
1⁄2 cup applesauce
1 cup skim milk
Lunch
1 ounce lean deli ham
1 ounce reduced-fat Swiss cheese 2 teaspoons mustard
2 slices light bread
1 cup mini carrots
1⁄4 cup coleslaw
Dinner
Cucumber and radish salad made with 1⁄2 cup sliced cucumbers and 1⁄4 cup sliced radishes, sprinkled with 1 or 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 cups tofu and vegetable stir-fry
1⁄2 cup cooked rice
Snacks
1 apple
10 thin pretzel twists
Day 3: 1,500 calories
You can eat your snacks any time of the day. If you’re not a snacker, you can use your snack calories to add more food at each meal.
Breakfast
1⁄4 cantaloupe
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raisin bran cereal
1 cup skim milk
Lunch
1 fast-food small hamburger, small taco, or regular slice plain cheese pizza
1⁄2 small order French fries
Side salad with 1⁄2 package light dressing
Dinner
1 cup tomato soup (made with skim milk)
5 large steamed shrimp
1⁄2 cup cooked barley or orzo pasta
1 cup steamed green beans
1 tablespoon light salad dressing
Snacks
1 small banana
1 cup lowfat frozen yogurt
1 tablespoon light chocolate syrup
Day 4: 1,400 calories
One good thing about convenience foods, such as frozen waffles and bottled juices, is that they often contain added vitamins and minerals. Eating and drinking these fortified foods is helpful on a low-cal plan because the more you cut back on calories, the more difficult getting all the nutrients you need is. (See Chapter 4 for more about shopping for convenience foods.) On a 1,400-calorie plan, each meal contributes 350 to 400 calories and your snacks contribute 200 to 250 calories.
Breakfast
1 (4-inch) frozen waffle
2 tablespoons light syrup
1 cup cut-up fruit or berries
1 cup skim milk or 6 ounces flavored lowfat yogurt
Lunch
2 slices light bread
2 ounces reduced-fat cheddar cheese 2 teaspoons mustard
1 sliced tomato
1 tablespoon light salad dressing 1 cup watermelon chunks
Dinner
1 cup canned vegetarian bean chili topped with 11⁄2 ounces shredded, reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1 small (2-inch) square cornbread
Snacks
1⁄2 banana spread with
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1⁄2 cup vanilla pudding with
1⁄2 cup sliced strawberries
Day 5: 1,400 calories
Today, your snack calories are being used up by two glasses of wine with dinner. You can substitute a mixed drink or a couple of light beers for the wine, if you prefer, or use those 250 calories elsewhere.
Breakfast
1 bran muffin
2 tablespoons fruit spread 1 cup skim milk
1 orange
Lunch
2 cups tossed salad with 2 tablespoons light dressing
1 ounce soft cheese, such as Brie or Camembert
6 saltine crackers
1 medium apple
Dinner
1 cup pasta with 1⁄4 cup tomato-based meat or seafood sauce
1 cup steamed spinach, arugula, or broccoli rabe
1 small roll or slice garlic bread
Snack
2 (6-ounce) glasses red or white wine
Day 6: 1,300 calories
On a 1,300-calorie day, your meals contribute 350 to 375 calories and your snacks contribute between 150 and 200 calories.
Choose juices that contain no added sugar or corn syrup. Some juices that would normally be too tart, such as cranberry juice, must be sweetened. Choose brands that are sweetened with other types of juices.
Breakfast
1⁄2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
1⁄2 cup lowfat yogurt
1⁄2 cup fresh blueberries sprinkled with
1⁄4 cup lowfat granola
Lunch
3 ounces tuna packed in water, drained
2 tablespoons lowfat mayonnaise
1 small (6-inch) pita bread
1 kiwi fruit
Dinner
2 cups tossed green salad with 1 tablespoon light dressing
1 cup cooked pasta tossed with 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 cup cut-up steamed asparagus, 1 ounce shredded provolone cheese, and 1 ounce chopped lean ham
Snacks
1 ounce reduced-fat Swiss cheese
1⁄2 cup apple slices
Day 7: 1,300 calories
To jazz up the flavor of plain rice without adding significant calories, add bouillon cubes or seasoning powder to the rice cooking water.
Breakfast
2 small (4-inch) frozen pancakes
1⁄2 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup skim milk
Lunch
1 cup minestrone soup
1 ounce deli-sliced chicken
1 tablespoon reduced-fat mayonnaise 2 slices light bread
1 pear
Dinner
5 ounces swordfish, broiled with lemon
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup steamed sugar snap peas
Snack
6 ounces lowfat flavored yogurt
Whittling Down Your Calorie Intake: Week 2
You’re tapered down to 1,300 calories a day, and by the end of this week, you’ll be down to 1,000 calories.
Day 8: 1,300 calories
You’ll probably never know exactly how many calories are in the prepared foods you pick up from a salad bar. Thus, you need to know how to eyeball cup measurements and concentrate more on portion control. (See Chapter 3 for more details on portions.)
Breakfast
1 cup lowfat yogurt fruit smoothie
1 mini corn muffin
1 tablespoon fruit spread
Lunch
1 cup chicken noodle soup
1 small bread stick
1⁄2 cup salad bar rice salad with vegetables
Dinner
1 medium baked potato topped with
1⁄2 cup vegetarian (bean) chili,
1 ounce shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese, and
1⁄2 cup plain lowfat yogurt
Snacks
1 flavored rice cake 1 orange
On a 1,200-calorie day, your meals contribute about 350 calories and your snacks contribute no more than 150 calories.
Anytime you see “fruit spread” on the menu, you can substitute a low-sugar or sugar-free jelly, jam, or marmalade.
Breakfast
1 scrambled egg
2 reduced-fat breakfast sausage links
2 slices light bread with
2 tablespoons fruit spread
Lunch
1 cup split-pea soup with ham 4 saltine crackers
1⁄2 slice watermelon (1-inch thick)
Dinner
2 cups fresh spinach leaves with 1 tablespoon light dressing
1 small bean burrito (as found in your supermarket’s frozen-food section) 2 thin slices avocado
1⁄2 cup fat-free salsa
Snack
1⁄2 cup low fat rice pudding
Day 10: 1,200 calories
These menus are designed for a general population of calorie counters with varied tastes, so, for instance, butter is allowed on today’s breakfast toast but if you’re happy with fruit spread or low-sugar jam, which has fewer calories and no fat, go right ahead and substitute an equal amount.
Breakfast
2 slices light bread
2 teaspoons butter or margarine
1⁄2 cup pineapple cubes (fresh or packed in juice) 1 cup skim milk
11⁄2 cups salad bar pasta salad with vegetables and cheese
Dinner
6 ounces steamed or broiled salmon 1 cup steamed green beans
1⁄2 cup mashed potatoes with 1 teaspoon butter or 2 tablespoons gravy (See “Day 26: 1,000 calories” for tips on eating mashed potatoes.)
Snacks
1⁄2 cup chocolate sorbet
1⁄2 cup sliced strawberries
Day 11: 1,200 calories
Instead of commercial fat-free dressing on salads, try a sprinkling of freshly squeezed lemon juice or balsamic vinegar. These options are also good for flavoring plain steamed vegetable side dishes without adding calories.
Breakfast
1 small carrot or raisin bran muffin 6 ounces lowfat yogurt
1⁄2 cup orange juice
Lunch
2 cups tossed salad with 1 tablespoon light dressing
Egg salad sandwich: 2 slices light bread, 2 hard-cooked eggs, and 2 table- spoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
Dinner
2 cups green salad with 1 tablespoon light dressing
1 cup cooked ziti or other stubby pasta shape with 1 cup mixed cut-up vegetables sautéed in 1 teaspoon olive oil and topped with 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Snacks
1 cup strawberries
1⁄2 cup creamy cottage cheese
When you see cheese on a menu, feel free to substitute the same amount of any type you like. If you substitute a full-fat cheese for reduced-fat, cut the amount in half to stay within your calorie allowance.
Breakfast
1⁄2 cup pineapple juice
1 (4-inch) potato pancake
1⁄2 cup unsweetened applesauce
Lunch
1 cup lentil soup
2 slices light bread
2 ounces lean deli ham 1 tablespoon mustard 1⁄2 cup sliced cucumber 1⁄2 cup mixed fruit salad
Dinner
3⁄4 cup cooked cheese or meat tortellini
1⁄4 cup marinara sauce
1 cup steamed broccoli tossed with 1⁄4 cup halved cherry tomatoes
Snacks
1 ounce reduced-fat Swiss cheese 1 small apple
Day 13: 1,200 calories
When sugar is included on a menu in this chapter, the calories have already been factored in. But that doesn’t mean you have to use it!
Breakfast
1⁄2 grapefruit sprinkled with 1 tablespoon brown sugar
1⁄2 cup lowfat yogurt
1⁄4 cup granola
1⁄2 cup three-bean salad
1 small (6 inch) pita pocket 2 ounces sliced turkey
1 tablespoon reduced-fat mayonnaise 2 slices tomato
lettuce leaves
Dinner
1 cup Manhattan clam chowder
4 ounces broiled flounder or lemon sole 1 steamed artichoke with lemon juice
1⁄2 cup corn kernels
Snacks
1⁄2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese sweetened with 1 teaspoon sugar
1⁄2 cup sliced strawberries
Day 14: 1,000 calories
On a 1,000-calorie day, your meals contribute about 300 calories each and your snacks contribute no more than 100 calories.
When you’re not sure about how much you can eat of a particular food, think small, especially when it comes to snack foods. For instance, if your plan says you can eat 30 pretzel sticks, that doesn’t mean 30 thick, braided pretzel rods. It means 30 skinny, little sticks!
Breakfast
11⁄2 cups corn flake cereal
1⁄2 cup skim milk
1⁄2 cup peach slices
Lunch
1⁄2 bagel or small roll, toasted and topped with 1⁄3 cup tuna salad 2 cups tossed green salad with 1 tablespoon light dressing
3 ounces lean pork loin roast
1⁄3 cup cooked rice
1 cup snow peas
Snacks
1 cup tomato or vegetable juice
30 small, thin pretzel sticks (about 1⁄2 ounce)
Making Adjustments: Week 3
Congratulations! You’re halfway through your first month of low-calorie living. By now you’ve adjusted to eating less food, and from now on you’ll be following a 1,000 calorie-a-day plan until you reach your goal weight.
Day 15: 1,000 calories
The light breads called for on these menu plans are based on 40-calorie slices. If your bread has more calories, “borrow” those calories from another food.
Breakfast
1 kiwi fruit
1⁄2 toasted English muffin 1 teaspoon butter
1 slice tomato
1 scrambled egg
1⁄2 cup skim milk
Lunch
2 cups spinach and mushroom salad with 1 tablespoon light dressing
Sandwich with 2 slices light bread, 2 ounces lean deli roast beef, 2 table- spoons reduced-fat mayonnaise, 2 slices tomato, and lettuce leaves
Dinner
3 ounces broiled lean ham steak
1⁄2 cup mashed winter squash
1⁄2 cup creamed corn
1⁄2 cup steamed greens such as kale, collards, or spinach
Snack
1 cup grapes
Day 16: 1,000 calories
The calorie counts of soups, stews, and chilis can vary greatly, depending on where you buy them and how they’re prepared. Just stick to the recommended portion size, and you won’t go too far off course.
Breakfast
1⁄2 cup orange juice
1⁄2 medium bagel, toasted and topped with 1⁄4 cup light cream cheese and 1 tablespoon fruit spread
Lunch
2 cups spinach and orange salad with 1 tablespoon light dressing
1⁄2 cup chili
1 small (2-inch) square corn bread or 1⁄2 corn muffin
Dinner
1 (3-ounce) lean turkey, beef, or veggie burger, 1 hamburger bun with 2 tablespoons ketchup, 2 thin tomato slices, and lettuce leaves
1 cup mini carrots
Snack
1 rice cake topped with
2 tablespoons apple butter
Day 17: 1,000 calories
If you get tired of tossed green salads, go ahead and substitute 1 cup of any raw or steamed vegetable. You can still use the dressing for flavor.
Breakfast
1 cup bran flakes 1 cup blueberries 1 cup skim milk
Lunch
11⁄2 cups Chef’s salad (made with lettuce, raw vegetables, and an ounce or two of cold cuts such as ham, roast beef, and turkey)
1 tablespoon light dressing
Dinner
2 cups tossed salad with 1 tablespoon light dressing
1⁄2 cup cooked rice
1⁄2 cup pinto beans
2 tablespoons shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
Snack
6 ounces skim milk with 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup
Day 18: 1,000 calories
Dinner on today’s menu is from a Chinese restaurant. Feel free to substitute equal amounts of a light soup, stir-fried meat and vegetables, and rice that you cook at home.
Familiarize yourself with the size of a 1⁄3-cup serving of food. It’s a very handy cup size for low-cal dieters because, very often, 1⁄2 cup of a food contains too many calories and 1⁄4 cup isn’t enough food.
Breakfast
1 blueberry muffin
1⁄2 cup unsweetened applesauce 1 cup skim milk
Lunch
2 slices light bread
1⁄3 cup chicken salad
1 cup sweet red pepper strips
Dinner
1 cup egg drop soup
2 cups vegetable stir-fry with meat or tofu
1⁄3 cup cooked rice
Snack
1 cup mixed fresh fruit salad
Day 19: 1,000 calories
One way to stick to your menu plan but cut back a little on calories is to sub- stitute fat-free products for reduced-fat. Just be sure to compare product labels so you know you’re really saving calories.
Breakfast
2 (4-inch) whole grain waffles
1⁄2 cup mixed chopped fruit
1⁄2 cup skim milk
Lunch
2 slices light bread
2 ounces lean turkey pastrami 1 tablespoon mustard
1⁄3 cup coleslaw
Dinner
Open-face roast beef sandwich: 1 slice light bread, 11⁄2 ounces lean deli roast beef, heated, 1⁄4 cup gravy
1 cup steamed zucchini
1⁄4 cup cranberry sauce
Snacks
1⁄2 cup lowfat vanilla pudding
1⁄4 cup blueberries
Day 20: 1,000 calories
On a 1,000-calorie day, you can always use your snack calories for any treat you want, as long as it’s approximately 100 calories or less.
Breakfast
1 slice frozen French toast
1 tablespoon light pancake syrup
1⁄2 cup sliced strawberries
Lunch
Pasta salad: 1 cup small pasta shapes, 1⁄4 cup roasted peppers, 1⁄2 ounce light mozzarella cheese, and 1 tablespoon light salad dressing
Dinner
2 cups mixed baby greens with 1 tablespoon light dressing 2 ounces broiled flank steak
1 small baked potato topped with 1⁄4 cup plain lowfat yogurt 1 cup steamed broccoli
Snack
1⁄2 cup fat-free frozen yogurt
Day 21: 1,000 calories
Lentils, beans, and split peas are pretty much interchangeable, so when you see, for instance, a lentil salad on the menu, don’t think twice about substitut- ing a salad made with any of these other legumes.
Breakfast
2 (4-inch) pancakes
2 tablespoons reduced-calorie pancake syrup 1 cup raspberries
Lunch
1 cup vegetable soup
1⁄2 cup lentil salad (from salad bar)
1⁄4 cup olives
1 small breadstick
Dinner
4 ounces scallops, steamed or broiled with lemon juice
1⁄2 cup cooked rice
1 cup zucchini with stewed tomatoes
1 ounce Swiss cheese 1 plum
Watching Your Weight Drop: Week 4
By now you’re used to following a 1,000-calorie diet plan, and if you’ve fol- lowed this diet plan for three weeks, you’ve probably experienced an initial weight loss of about 4 to 6 pounds. This progress can help motivate you to continue on your 1,000-calorie diet plan if that’s the calorie level you feel works best for you.
Anytime you feel that you can’t stick to a 1,000-calorie day, follow a menu plan that allows 1,200 or 1,300 calories. If you stop losing before you’ve reached your goal weight, you can try cutting back to 1,000 calories a day.
Day 22: 1,000 calories
To maintain your calorie limit when making pasta substitutions, choose shapes and sizes similar to what’s on the menu plan. If the menu calls for a short, stubby pasta, such as shells, stick with other short stubby shapes, such as elbows, radiatorre, wheels, and so on, when making substitutions. If you want a substitute for spaghetti, think about linguine, fettuccine, and other long thin pasta shapes.
Breakfast
1 cup cut-up cantaloupe and raspberries 1 cup oatmeal with 2 teaspoons sugar
1⁄2 cup skim milk
Lunch
2 ounces lean sliced ham
1⁄2 cup potato salad 1 small orange
Dinner
1 cup pasta shells with 1⁄4 cup clam sauce 1 cup steamed broccoli
Snack
1⁄2 cup lowfat yogurt
Day 23: 1,000 calories
Light (low-calorie and reduced-fat) salad dressings can help make your diet life a little more exciting by acting as dips and sauces for vegetables.
Breakfast
1⁄2 cup lowfat yogurt 1⁄2 cup mango chunks 1⁄4 cup fat-free granola
Lunch
Turkey wrap: 1 (6-inch) fat-free tortilla, 1 tablespoon reduced-fat mayon- naise, 2 ounces thin sliced turkey, 2 thin slices tomato, and soft lettuce leaves
8 baby carrots with 2 tablespoons light ranch dressing
Dinner
2 cups spinach salad with 1 tablespoon light dressing 5 ounces salmon, steamed or broiled
1⁄2 cup cooked couscous mixed with 1 diced tomato
Snack
2 cups light popcorn
Day 24: 1,000 calories
When you don’t know the calorie counts of the prepared foods you buy from delis and salad bars, and you have a choice, go for the lower-fat version. You’re more likely to be saving calories than if you choose the classic dish.
Breakfast
1⁄2 cup orange juice 1 scrambled egg
1 slice light bread, toasted 2 teaspoons butter
1⁄2 cup skim milk
Lunch
1 cup mozzarella and tomato salad (from salad bar) 6 baby carrots
Dinner
4 ounces skinless roasted or broiled chicken breast
1⁄2 cup corn kernels
1⁄2 cup roasted pepper strips 1 cup steamed zucchini
Snack
1 cup melon cubes drizzled with 1⁄4 cup lowfat yogurt
Day 25: 1,000 calories
Check the labels on frozen desserts such as sorbets and ice creams to be sure they come in under 100 calories for a 1⁄2 cup serving.
Breakfast
1 slice cinnamon raisin toast with 2 tablespoons peanut butter
1⁄2 cup skim milk
Lunch
1 cup black bean soup topped with 1 ounce shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
6 baked tortilla chips
1⁄2 cup sliced cucumber with 2 tablespoons plain lowfat yogurt
Dinner
1 cup cooked pasta with 1 tablespoon pesto sauce 6 large steamed shrimp
1 tomato, sliced, with 1 tablespoon light dressing
Snack
1⁄2 cup raspberry sorbet with 1⁄4 cup fresh raspberries
Day 26: 1,000 calories
On this menu you find mashed potatoes, one of those foods that can be pre- pared a hundred different ways and come out with a hundred different calorie counts. No worries. Add-ins like milk and butter have been factored in, so just stick strictly to the 1⁄2 cup portion size and you won’t stray far from your calorie allowance, regardless of how your potatoes are prepared. The same is true for the meatloaf on this dinner menu. No matter how you make it (or buy it), any type of meatloaf is okay.
Breakfast
1⁄2 English muffin with 2 tablespoons apple butter
1⁄2 cup lowfat yogurt 1 tablespoon granola
Lunch
2 cups tossed salad with 1 tablespoon light dressing 1 cup mushroom barley soup
4 saltine crackers
Dinner
1⁄2-inch slice meatloaf
1⁄4 cup gravy
1⁄2 cup mashed potatoes
1⁄2 cup steamed green beans
Snack
1⁄2 cup lowfat rice pudding
Day 27: 1,000 calories
When the menu on a low-calorie diet plan says “muffin,” you can be sure it doesn’t mean Texas-size muffin. It means a normal-size muffin, like the type of muffin you make at home in a standard muffin pan. Sorry about that!
Breakfast
1 small corn muffin
1 tablespoon strawberry fruit spread
1⁄2 cup skim milk 1 small orange
Lunch
2 ounces lean ham
1⁄2 cup macaroni salad 1 sliced tomato
Dinner
1 cup cooked pasta wheels with 1 lean Italian-style turkey sausage link
1⁄4 cup tomato sauce
Snack
1⁄2 cup lowfat chocolate pudding
Day 28: 1,000 calories
A small banana means a 4-inch baby banana. If you can’t find one, split a reg- ular banana in half and save the other half for a smoothie on another day. (I provide delicious smoothie recipes in Chapter 12.)
Breakfast
1 cup shredded wheat cereal 1 cup skim milk
1 cup mixed fruit
Lunch
1 cocoa rice cake
2 tablespoons peanut butter 1 small banana
Dinner
3 ounce lean turkey or beef burger with 1 slice American cheese, 1 slice tomato, lettuce leaves, and 1 hamburger bun
1 piece (6 inches) corn on the cob
Snack
1⁄3 cup salsa
12 baked tortilla chips
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