Custom Meal Plan: The Ultimate Guide for Weight Loss

There is a great deal of interest and discussion regarding weight loss, and some of the information is conflicting. This can lead to confusion and yo-yo dieting for many people, creating a disturbed metabolism and potential health hazards. If you are among them, you will discover that this meal plan for weight loss is unlike the others you have likely encountered. It focuses on developing a healthy understanding of food and having a positive relationship with it.

CHANGE YOUR HABITS

Rather than removing all of your favorite snacks from your home and replacing them with foods you may not even be familiar with, you need to select a few of those items to still eat, BUT only in moderation. The fact is, if you try to never eat chocolate cake again, you are likely to begin hyper-focusing on it until you indulge in several pieces or binge eat. This can thwart your efforts and leave you feeling like a failure.

However, you will need to change your consumption habits. Selecting healthy foods to replace your existing meals can actually be quite simple. Most processed foods are not going to help you lose weight. It is important that you realize that as you are replacing them with healthier choices to assist you with losing weight that your taste buds will have to undergo changes. Once you begin to appreciate the flavors of healthier options, you are likely to discover that many of the processed ones no longer taste as good as they once did to you.

You need to have a reasonable plan for three meals each day and some snacks. Skipping meals will leave you deprived and hungry, willing to stop at the nearest fast food joint to fill your stomach or stabilize your blood sugar. This is one of the reasons it is essential to have some healthy snack options replacing your previous choices.

MACRO BALANCE AND SOURCES

The body requires a balance of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates in order to function properly. In addition, there are many vitamins and minerals that are necessary for cells to work well. Learning about this will help you to look at your meals in a different manner. For example, thinking about the vitamin C in tomato sauce or the carotene in carrots is preferable to a mindset that says “I hate…” Eat to Live, don’t Live to Eat,
that’s a North American mentality, as you can see they have a high obesity epedemic.

Your carbohydrate content should be primarily from whole grains and fresh produce. If you don’t want to begin with a thick multigrain cereal, instead consider oatmeal, which you probably enjoyed as a child. Buy the slow cooking kind and add some dried fruit and water while it is cooking. Alternatively, chop up some fresh fruit when it is done. If you want to add a little almond milk or butter, that is okay. Just don’t overdo it.
Again, if you feel deprived it will be challenging and frustrating to lose weight.

Buy meats and seed products. If you really want to become actively involved in your dietary habits, you may even want to begin making your own raw vegan meals, such as a vegan high protein energy bar.

Eating fruits and vegetables is vital to good health. They contain plenty of nutrients and fiber which is essential to digestive health. Fruit salads are delicious and easy to make. Most stores even have them already made in the produce section now. If you want a little something different, add some plain yogurt and fresh honey to the mix.

Vegetable salads are a tricky point for many people. If lots of salad dressing and other high fat ingredients are added, it can quickly thwart your efforts. When you are first beginning, try to eat at least one small salad a day with a low fat dressing or try Walden’s Farm dressing which are calorie free.

When you are selecting produce options for the week, try to purchase different colors. The vitamins and minerals in them create the various hues. By making sure you eat all of the colors in a rainbow, you should find it easier than attempting to memorize the content in each one.

There are some healthy fats that you can add to salads to increase the flavor. Avocado, olives, Macadamia oil, and cooked salmon all contain fats that are good for your body. Depriving your body of fat is not good; you need to simply make proper selections about them.

Low fat meats and healthy proteins are the other food you will need to purchase. Avoid those with added chemicals. Salmon, trout and sardines are high in omega-3 fatty acids which will benefit your body while giving your body the protein it needs to function.

SHOPPING LISTS

Do your shopping for the week all at once, taking a list with you and shopping when you have already had a meal. Impulse purchases are far more common for hungry shoppers. The one exception is that you may want to make a small mid-week trip to ensure your produce is fresh.

DRINK MORE WATER

Drink plenty of water each day and replace your favorite sugary beverages with herbal teas sweetened with a touch of honey or stevia. Soon, you will discover soft drinks have an unnatural flavor to them.

INCREASE YOUR ACTIVITY LEVEL

As you are learning how to eat well, you must also remember to increase your level of activity. The only way you can lose weight is if you burn off more calories than you consume each day. If you have a difficult time getting more active, find small ways to boost your metabolic activity. Good ideas include working out or parking away from the door at shopping centers and walking. Using a single flight of stairs can lead to two,
then three. It takes time for your body to adjust to your new lifestyle.

PROVEN TIP TO AVOID POOR CHOICES

When you are feeling hungry, eat a piece of fruit, a protein shake or have a glass of lemon water, followed by a brisk walk. The more you think about doing good things for your health, the easier it will become. Your body will begin to respond to the influx of vitamins and minerals, giving you more energy than you had previously. And, remember, if you want the occasional treat, you should not deprive yourself. You are certain to reach your desired weight if you follow these suggestions.