So you're in search of some ideas and suggestions for a daily diet plan that not only works, but lasts. I assume you've made the decision to lose some weight and want to make real dietary changes to your life.
I will share with you simple and delicious meal ideas that are not only guaranteed to help you lose weight, but to keep you full and satisfied throughout your day. It's my hope that at the end of reading this article, you'll have the knowledge and confidence to create your own diet plan.
But first, let me explain a little about understanding calories and how to workout your daily allowance for speedy weight loss.
Calories: A good way to understand calories is to think of them as energy. A person becomes overweight usually because they consume more energy (food & drink) than they use up through exercise during the day. This is such a simple way of looking at it, but although most people know this, many believe that their just big boned or heavy set.
So being honest with yourself is the first step, no excuses. Although the metabolism can have a small part to play, your physical body that you see before you, is the result of this energy imbalance. To lose weight you must eat less calories than your daily recommendation until you reach your goal weight. Simple right?
The average woman needs around 2,000 calories a day. The average man needs 2,500 calories. To lose weight you must consume 500 calories less each day. So it's very important to get use to reading food labels and writing down your calorie amount.
Breakfast: This is commonly thought of as the most important meal of the day, for good reason. Your brain expects to be refueled several times a day, otherwise it can't function at it's full capacity. A healthy breakfast can provide some of the vitamins and minerals you need for good health. By skipping breakfast, your also more likely to be hungry and over eat later in the day.
If breakfast cereal is your thing, choose a wholegrain variety instead of the many sugar-coated cereals on the market. Fresh or dried fruit adds a sweet hit instead of sugar, and only use skimmed milk or fat-free yoghurt.
Wholemeal and wholegrain toast or bagels with a low fat spread is a quick and healthy way to start the day. These contain B vitamins, vitamin E and lots of fibre, which keeps you fuller for longer. White breads also contain a range of vitamins and minerals, but has less fibre and is sometimes higher in calories.
Eggs are a great choice as part of a healthy breakfast. Their high in minerals and vitamins and are a fantastic source of protein. Try eggs, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms on a wholegrain bagel or slice of toast. With a crack of fresh black pepper, this breakfast will certainly set you up for the day and keep you satisfied till lunch.
Lunch and evening meal: Try to space out your breakfast, lunch and evening meal as equally apart as you can. They do say to eat before 6pm in the evening, but in my experience, this is not essential as long as you eat within at least 2 hours before bed if you can.
The key to a successful diet plan is to never be hungry. Studies show that eating small amounts more often (5 to 6 times a day) is much more affective than eating 3 large meals. In between your 3 main meals, get in the habit of snacking on fruit and low calorie foods, staying within your daily calorie allowance.
For lunch and evening meal, try to experiment with flavors as often as possible. This is a good way of getting away from boring, bland and unexciting plates of food. Don't be afraid to spice up your cooking and try new things.
Choose lean cuts of meat, chicken and fish and try marinading them for a few hours before cooking, although this is not essential. Most marinades and rubes are not fattening, but if any recipes you find are quite high calorie, then you can always tweak them to suit you. Here are some low fat, simple marinades to get you started...
Garlic, mustard marinade: Easy yet delicious! This works best with chicken, pork and beef. Simply mix all ingredients together and coat the meat.
1 Clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoons Dijon mustard (or any other mustard if preferred)
1 teaspoons thyme (optional)
Spicy Indian marinade: This is definitely one for the barbecue or simply baked in the oven. Perfect for chicken, lamb and firm white fish such as cod or monkfish.
4 tablespoons low-fat natural yoghurt
1 clove garlic crushed
1 inch fresh root ginger, peeled, finely grated
Juice of half lemon
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
Pinch of salt
I hope I've inspired you here, to create quick, healthy and delicious meals, and not the usual boring rabbit food that we normally associate with dieting. The trick for a successful daily diet plan is to make each meal a little more interesting, while sticking to the food groups we discussed in this article.
Rob Davies is a diet and weight loss researcher with a wealth of personal experience and a real passion for the weight loss problem.
To discover how anyone can lose 4 lbs in 7 days without joining a gym or starving them selves... Grab your FREE special report today at http://www.weightlosswithrob.com/free-special-report/ while it's still available.
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