A Very Common Weight Loss Challenges: 1. How to meet nutrient requirements? 2. How to lose weight and keep it off permanently? LOSING WEIGHT GRADUALLY Why? Because we just need to go where the evidence takes us. And there is strong evidence that crash diets results do not last. On the contrary, regaining weight is faster and more painful than you think. We don’t need endless circles of trial-and-error dieting, instead, we should try to read scientific literature on diet and nutrition from different sources. In short, we must not confuse the weight loss myths with the truth, in order to live healthier and happier. Let’s begin with small adjustments and stay away from: • Sugar, alcohol, all animal food, processed food, instant food. • Saturated (refined) oils and fats in larger amounts. Saturated fats are not bad if used/eaten in smaller quantities. Food doesn’t have to be greasy to taste good. To improve flavor you can add a tablespoon of virgin olive oil or even better, flaxseed oil per serving/meal/dish (after the cooking) as well as a variety of extras: pepper, lemon, vinegar, soy sauce, and other spices. • Sedentary lifestyle. Regular exercising (walking, cycling, Pilates, weight lifting, etc.) daily is hugely important both for good shape and good health. Without physical activity, there will be no significant changes in body posture and overall functionality. • Big plates. After the dieting is over, it is necessary to keep sticking to the “small plate” philosophy, i.e. keep controlling the size of the portions. It means that high-calorie food (sugar, animal products, alcohol, processed foods) in combination with old habits (binge eating, smoking, drinking) should be excluded for good in order to prevent the infamous yo-yo effect, i.e. weight regain. • Breakfast – until 9 a.m. Few more tips before you start: NO ANIMAL PRODUCTS √ Eat fresh fruit and vegetables (carrot sticks, oranges, etc.) as snacks, throughout the day, as you like, until evening Breakfast: • Fruit: all kind of fruit (up to 100 g) or Juiced fruit (cup=2.5 dl) from our Recipe section Midday (12 p.m. – 3 p.m.): • Fresh seasonal salad (150 g), cooked meal of chickpeas and fresh vegetables Evening meal (6.30 p.m. – 8.30 p.m.): • One piece of whole grain bread (50 g) with 1 tbsp. of organic honey or avocado spread Breakfast: Midday: Evening: Today’s grocery list: Breakfast: Midday: Evening: Cooked onions, garlic and pepper, spinach with pines; 1 piece of whole-grain bread (30g) Today’s grocery list: Breakfast: Midday: Evening: Today’s Grocery List: Breakfast: Midday: Evening: Today’s Grocery List: Breakfast: Midday: Evening: Today’s Grocery List: Extra virgin olive oil Breakfast: Midday: Evening: Today’s Grocery List:WEIGHT LOSS PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS
and naturally is the right answer. Period.
Besides animal products, this also applies to heavily advertised products — although cheap and readily available — snacks and fortified cereals.WEEKLY MEAL PLAN
The diet includes 3 main meals (daily) plus some vegetarian snacks in between:
• Midday meal from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.
• Evening meal from 7 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.
√ Portion sizes 100 – 150 g
√ Eat only whole grain cereals with honey (no sugar added)
√ No food at least 2 hours before exercising
√ Time hourly intervals between meals 3-4 hours
√ The evening meal should be light, try not to eat after 8.30 p.m.
√ No alcohol, no beverages
√ No dressings
√ No supplements, nor probiotics (consult your doctor first)7-DAY DIET PLAN
• Oatmeal (30g), one slice of mixed seeds wholegrain bread (30 g) with 1 tsp. of extra virgin olive oil
• Coffee or tea
• 100 g fruit per serving, a handful of nuts
Fresh fruit: oranges, apples, pomegranate, banana, avocado etc.
Oatmeal
Wholegrain bread
Cucumber, tomatoes
Red peppers
Arugula salad (rocket leaves)
Lettuce
Scallion
Humus
Baby Carrot
Parsley
Olive oil
• 1 cup of Berry smoothie or any other combination of fruit. No sugar added!
• Coffee, fruit tea
• Pumpkin soup
• 1 piece (50 g) of wholegrain bread
• 2 Grilled peppers with sliced tomato and ½ cucumber, piece of whole-grain bread (30g)
Berries (frozen or fresh)
Wholegrain bread
Shallot
Peppers
Carrots
Potato
Tomato
Cucumber
Cauliflower
Celery
Parsnips
Extra virgin olive oil
• Avocado with honey & lemon or any other smoothie/juice from our Recipe section, up to 100 g
• 30 g whole grain portions of cereal with 1 cup warm milk
• Coffee, (fruit) tea
• 1 large bowl of seasonal salad topped with 1 tsp. of extra virgin olive oil/flaxseed oil
• 1 piece of wholegrain bread (30 g)
Avocado
Wholegrain bread
Lemon
Honey
Carrots
Tomato, cherry tomato
Parsnips
Extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup of brown rice
1 small onion
Garlic cloves
Mediterranean spice, to taste
• A glass of juiced fruit from our Recipe section or a portion of any other fresh fruit (100 g)
• Oatmeal (30 g)
• Tea, coffee
• Cooked beans and chickpeas, pickled cabbage, seasonal salad, one piece of wholegrain bread
• Roasted Apples With Cinnamon & Bourbon Vanilla
• 1 peace (50 g) of wholegrain bread with 1 tsp. of extra virgin olive oil
Fresh fruit: oranges, apples, pomegranate, banana, etc.
Oatmeal
Wholegrain bread
1/2 cup medium pickled cabbage
Bunch of shallots, finely sliced
1 medium red onion
Garlic
Carrot
Brown rice
Red pepper
2 avocados
Honey
Lemon
Apples
Cinnamon and vanilla sticks
• Apples/oranges
• 30 g of mixed raw nuts with 1 tbsp. of honey
• Tea, coffee
• Humus (30 g) from our Recipe section on wholegrain bread (50 g) with sliced cherry tomatoes and grated baby carrot on top
• An apple.
Fresh fruit: oranges, apples
Honey
Mixed raw nuts
Wholegrain bread
Cherry Tomatoes
Carrots
Parsley
Extra virgin olive oil
• Juiced fruit or any other fresh fruit (100 g)
• Whole grain cereals (30 g) with a glass of warm milk
• Coffee, tea
•Vegetable stew (one portion, up to 100 – 150 g) from our Recipe section
• A piece of whole-grain bread (30 g).
• Cucumber sliced, crushed garlic, all sprinkled with 1 tsp. of lemon and extra virgin olive oil
• A piece of wholegrain bread (30 g)
Fresh fruit: oranges, apples, pomegranate, banana, etc.
Wholegrain cereals
Wholegrain bread
Cherry Tomatoes
Carrots
Mushrooms
Cucumber
Lemon
Garlic
Parsley
• Fruit juice or fresh fruit (100 g), Sliced tomato and cucumber
• A slice of wholegrain bread (50 g)
• Coffee, tea
• Reed Beet Salad
• A slice of wholegrain bread (30 – 40 g)
• Wholegrain cereals (30 g) and mixed nuts (1 tbsp.)
Fresh fruit: oranges, apples, pomegranate, banana, etc.
Mixed raw nuts
Cucumber, Wholegrain bread
Red beet
Tomatoes
Carrots
Garlic