Feel Great Weight - Your Meal Plan

By Kimberly Dawn Neumann
From Health magazine

We’ve loaded this tasty 1,500- to 1,600-calorie-per-day plan with fat-burning, supersatisfying foods to help you lose up to a pound-and-a-half per week. (You will likely lose more when you factor in our strength and cardio plans.) For every inch taller or shorter than 5′ 4″, add or subtract 50 calories per day to reach the perfect Feel Great Weight calorie prescription.

Download this menu (pdf): http://www.health.com/health/static/downloads/fgw-menu-week.pdf

Weekly Menu: Monday

Breakfast: Coat 1 medium barely-ripe banana with 1 Tbsp natural-style peanut butter; roll into 1 whole-wheat tortilla. (277 cals, 5.6gm fiber, 9gm fat)
Snack: Dip 1 cup cucumber slices or celery sticks into a mixture of 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1 squeeze fresh lemon juice, and dash each salt and curry powder. (115 cals, 1.4gm fiber, 2gm fat)
Lunch: Fill 1 whole-wheat pita with a mixture of 4 oz solid white tuna in water (drained), 1 Tbsp light mayonnaise, and 2 Tbsp dried cranberries. (375 cals, 4.4gm fiber, 9.6gm fat)
Snack: Have 3/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt with 1 cup cubed peeled cantaloupe. (177cals, 1.5gm fiber, 3gm fat)
Dinner: Combine 1/2 cup cooked chilled orzo, 1/4 cup chopped baby spinach, 1 Tbsp chopped red onion, 1 tsp crumbled feta, 1 tsp pine nuts, and dash each dried basil and black pepper; serve cold with grilled asparagus and 5 oz boneless skinless chicken breast sautéed in 2 tsp olive oil. (470 cals, 2.6gm fiber, 17gm fat)
Snack: Top 1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries with 1/2 oz mascarpone and 1 tsp brown sugar. (149 cals, 5.7gm fiber, 7.5gm fat)

Tuesday

Breakfast: Layer 1 cup plain fat-free yogurt with 1 cup blueberries, 2 Tbsp sliced almonds, and 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed. (288 cals, 7gm fiber, 10gm fat)
Snack: Nosh on a high-fiber granola bar. (130 cals, 5gm fiber, 3gm fat)
Lunch: Spread 1 Tbsp natural-style peanut butter onto 2 slices whole-grain bread, and top with 1/2 medium sliced barely ripe banana; have 10 each carrot and celery sticks. (394 cals, 14gm fiber, 11.6gm fat)
Snack: Eat 1 cup non-cream-based tomato soup sprinkled with 1 oz shredded part-skim mozzarella. (180 cals, 1gm fiber, 7gm fat)
Dinner: Combine 1/2 cup cooked chilled quinoa with 1/2 cup mixture of chopped tomato, cucumbers, and onion; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1 Tbsp lemon juice; 1 tsp olive oil; and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with 5 oz roasted pork loin topped with 2 Tbsp low-calorie (50 calories or less) marinade. (470 cals, 2.7gm fiber, 15.5gm fat)
Snack: Enjoy 3/4 oz dark chocolate (70% or more cacao content). (115 cals, 2gm fiber, 7gm fat)

Wednesday

Breakfast: Eat 1 cup high-fiber, whole-grain cereal, 1 cup skim milk, and 1 cup strawberries. (255 cals, 10gm fiber, 2gm fat)
Snack: Layer 1 large tomato slice with 1 oz part-skim mozzarella and 2 basil leaves; drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste, and sprinkle with dash of salt. (106 cals, .3gm fiber, 7gm fat)
Lunch: Stir-fry 5 oz grilled firm tofu with 1 cup mixed vegetables and 2 tsp peanut oil; serve over 1/2 cup brown rice. (382 cals, 10gm fiber, 15gm fat)
Snack: Make ahead by tossing 1/4 cup drained canned chickpeas with 1 tsp each canola oil and sugar; spread on ungreased baking sheet, and roast at 350° 45 minutes or until crunchy, stirring occasionally. Toss beans with dash each of cinnamon and salt. (124 cals, 3gm fiber, 5.7gm fat)
Dinner: Heat 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil and 1 garlic clove, minced; add 1 squeeze fresh lemon juice. Pour over 1 cup cooked whole-wheat spaghetti, 6 oz cooked peeled shrimp, and 1 cup chopped tomato; top with 1 Tbsp Parmesan. (492 cals, 4.6gm fiber, 25 gm fat)
Snack: Squeeze juice of 1 lime wedge over 1 broiled mango. (134 cals, 3.7gm fiber, .5gm fat)

Thursday

Breakfast: Blend 1 cup mixed berries, 1 cup plain fat-free yogurt, 1 Tbsp agave nectar, 2 Tbsp wheat germ, and 1 cup ice. (357 cals, 6gm fiber, 1.8gm fat)
Snack: Sprinkle 5 cups low-fat microwave popcorn with Cheddar–flavored salt. (120 cals, 4gm fiber, 2.75gm fat)
Lunch: Place 3 oz turkey breast, lettuce, tomato, one-fourth of a peeled sliced avocado, and 1 Tbsp hummus on 2 slices whole-wheat bread; serve with 1/2 cup grapes. (394 cals, 8gm fiber, 13gm fat)
Snack: Have 3/4 cup shelled edamame. (150 cals, 1.5gm fiber, 3.75gm fat)
Dinner: Top 1 whole-wheat pita with ¼ cup marinara sauce, 2 oz shredded mozzarella, 1/4 cup chopped broccoli, ¼ cup sliced tomato, ¼ cup sliced mushrooms, 2 oz low-fat turkey Italian sausage; bake at 350° until cheese melts. (440 cals, 6.8gm fiber, 11.6gm fat)
Snack: Enjoy 1 low-fat ice-cream sandwich. (140 cals, 3gm fiber, 2gm fat)

Friday

Breakfast: Mix 2 Tbsp chopped walnuts and 8 diced dried apricots into 1/2 cup cooked plain oatmeal. (285 cals, 6.5gm fiber, 12gm fat)
Snack: Nosh on 1 small pear and 1 Tbsp almonds. (133 cals, 4.5gm fiber, 5gm fat)
Lunch: Combine 1/2 cup beans (any kind), 1/3 cup reduced-fat shredded cheese, 2 Tbsp salsa, 2 Tbsp guacamole; roll into 1 whole-wheat tortilla. (390 cals, 13gm fiber, 12gm fat)
Snack: Spread 1 Tbsp almond butter onto mini-whole-wheat pita. (177 cals, 3gm fiber, 9gm fat)
Dinner: Have 1 cup miso soup, 1/2 cup edamame, and 1 non-tempura sushi roll. (490 cals, 15gm fiber, 18gm fat)
Snack: Microwave 1 chocolate kiss candy and 1 marshmallow between 2 graham cracker halves. (106 cals, 0.5gm fiber, 2.88gm fat)

Saturday

Breakfast:Spread 1 Tbsp cashew butter onto 1 frozen multigrain waffle; serve with 1 cup fat-free yogurt. (300 cals, 2gm fiber, 12.5gm fat)
Snack: Dip 1 cup baby carrots into 2 Tbsp hummus. (100 cals, 4gm fiber, 2.5gm fat)
Lunch: Serve 2 cups bean or lentil soup with 1 cup mixed-greens salad, 1/2 oz chopped nuts, and 1 Tbsp light vinaigrette. (392 cals, 20gm fiber, 20gm fat)
Snack: Wrap 1/2 cup arugula, 1 oz prosciutto, and 1/2 oz Parmesan in a mini-tortilla. (170 cals, 1gm fiber, 8gm fat)
Dinner: Top a veggie burger with 1 oz light cheese, 1 Tbsp ketchup, one-eighth of an avocado, lettuce, tomato, onion, and sprouts; serve on whole-wheat bun with 1 ear corn. (488 cals, 15gm fiber, 15gm fat)
Snack: Microwave 3/4 cup pitted frozen cherries until warm; top with 2 Tbsp part-skim ricotta and 2 tsp slivered almond. (155 cals, 3gm fiber, 6gm fat)

Sunday

Breakfast: Scramble 1 egg and 2 egg whites with 1 cup vegetables; serve with 1 whole-wheat English muffin. (276 cals, 7gm fiber, 7gm fat)
Snack: Top 1 cup raspberries with 2 Tbsp plain low-fat yogurt, and 1 tsp honey. (100 cals, 8gm fiber, 1 gm fat)
Lunch: Combine 4 oz cooked cooled unpeeled cubed potato, 1 hard-boiled egg, 2 hard-boiled egg whites, 1/4 cup corn, 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper, 1/4 cup chopped onion, 2 Tbsp light mayonnaise, and cracked black pepper and sea salt to taste; serve over arugula. (382 cals, 5gm fiber, 15gm fat)
Snack: Crunch on 1 oz baked tortilla chips with 3 Tbsp black bean dip. (155 cals, 3.5gm fiber, 1gm fat)
Dinner: Top 6 oz halibut with 2 Tbsp light mayonnaise and 2 Tbsp Parmesan; bake at 350° 15–18 minutes or until fish flakes easily. Serve with 1/2 cup wild rice and 1 cup mixed greens with 2 Tbsp light vinaigrette. (498 cals, 2.6gm fiber, 15.7gm fat)
Snack: Have 1/2 cup sorbet. (100 cals, 0gm fiber, 0gm fat)

Last Updated: March 17, 2009
Filed Under: Feel Great Weight

Eat Chinese, Weigh Less

From Health magazine

Worried that Chinese food is bad for your diet? No need to be, says Lorraine Clissold, author of Why the Chinese Don’t Count Calories. She points to recent research showing that the Chinese consume 30 percent more calories than people in other countries and yet weigh 20 percent less. The secret? They choose nutrient-packed fare over foods full of sugar and fat. Here, a few more Chinese eating secrets:

Worship veggies
In China, vegetables are as prized as meat. Order more veggie dishes, and ask to have your meat served on vegetables instead of rice or noodles.

Use the “rule of five”
Pack your plate with five tastes—sweet, sour, pungent, salty, and bitter—not just one. The Chinese believe that helps control weight.

Think yin and yang
Yin foods (which are often steamed) provide a cooling effect. Yang foods (often grilled) warm you. The balance is thought to prevent weight gain.

Drink (hot) tea
Enjoy it at body temperature (warm but not superhot) to aid in fat digestion. But avoid iced tea; it can lead to obesity and lethargy.

Related Links: (Please search)
Low-Calorie Restaurant Meals Busted
America’s Healthiest Restaurants: How We Ranked Them
Lose Weight on Fast Food (Really!)

Last Updated: February 26, 2009
Filed Under: Dining Out

Is Fasting Dangerous?

From Health magazine

Q: Is fasting a couple of days a week dangerous?
A: If you plan to eat and drink nothing, then, yes, it’s risky. It could cause dehydration and dangerously low blood sugar levels, which can make you pass out. If you’re otherwise healthy and still drink water, 100 percent fruit juice, and no-calorie beverages, you probably won’t suffer health consequences if you do it only for a day at a time every once in a while (not twice a week). But get your doctor’s OK first, and know that most of the weight lost will be water and muscle, not fat. Our advice: Forget the fast and make small changes you can live with for a lifetime.

Q: I need to lose 30 pounds. If I do will I go down a bra size?

A: Breast tissue is virtually all fat, so it shrinks when you lose weight. But exercises that build up chest muscles can help keep breasts looking full. Every other day, do Push-Ups (2–3 sets of as many as you can). Then do Chest Presses (2–3 sets of 12–15 reps): Lie on your back with a 5- to 8-pound weight in each hand, arms open, and elbows bent. Press weights up toward the ceiling, then lower.

Julie Upton, MS, RD, is a media resource for the American Dietetic Association.

Last Updated: February 26, 2009
Filed Under: Experts and Bloggers

Lose Weight on Fast Food (Really!)

By Mary Kate Frank
From Health magazine

You’d love to drop some pounds, but it’s tough to find time to breathe during the holidays, never mind prepare calorie-conscious meals. That’s why we’ve created a 1,500-calorie-a-day plan that lets you shed 10 pounds in five weeks, eating packaged meals, salad bar offerings—and even fast food.

Our grab-and-go diet is based on research showing that eating convenience foods can actually help you lose weight. The benefit: Built-in calorie and portion control. “Most people are not that good at judging what constitutes a portion,” says LeaAnn Carson, RD, MS. “With frozen entrées, the choice of how much to eat is already made for you.” That’s probably why in an eight-week study that Carson coauthored at the University of Illinois, women who ate two frozen entrees daily lost four pounds more—a total of 12.3 pounds—than women who cooked their own meals.

Download your plan (A week’s worth of convenient meals (PDF)): http://www.health.com/health/static/downloads/fast-food-plan.pdf

Last Updated: February 26, 2009
Filed Under: Dining Out

Get the Body of Your Dreams: Karen Clark

Karen Clark, 49
Knoxville, Tennessee
Loves: Rowing

Sports were never Karen Clark’s thing as a kid. But when, in her early 40s, she couldn’t budge a large flowerpot, the computer consultant and married mom of two started to long for muscles. Clark hired a personal trainer and enjoyed the workouts, but was looking for more. Then he had her try a rowing machine, and she liked it enough to sign up for a three-day workshop on the Tennessee River. She came home a changed woman.

“You’re working with a team, and everyone’s focused on the same goal. The sun’s coming up over the water. And I’m thinking, ‘I want to do this as often as I can,’” she says.

Clark now rows three times a week, typically in a shell with eight other women. “When a row goes well, you’ve pushed yourself beyond what you thought you could do. That is exhilarating,” she says.

Now, not only is Clark able to move her own flowerpots, but she’s gone from a size 12 to a size 8. The sport has also brought Clark closer to her daughters, Isabel, 20, and Olivia, 17, who delight in cheering her on. “When your children tell you they’re proud of you, that’s great stuff,” she says.

Last Updated: July 23, 2008
Filed Under: Fitness

Get the Body of Your Dreams: Pamela Brown

Pamela C. Brown, 30
Indianapolis, Indiana
Loves: Kickboxing

Pamela Brown’s worst high school grade wasn’t in some brainiac subject like trigonometry or physics. It was in PE. The now-30-year-old, single college administrator barely passed the class after refusing to suit up. “I didn’t like to sweat,” she says.

Brown started running during her college years to lose weight (prompted by a remark from a tactless ex-boyfriend), but gave it up when she moved to Indianapolis in 2001 and experienced her first brutally cold winter. It wasn’t until three years ago, when she walked into a kickboxing class on a whim, that she found a workout she actually looks forward to. The class—turbo kickboxing, a tough, dancelike workout to a hip-hop beat—is a physical escape from day-to-day stresses. “You’re completely in the moment,” she says. “You can’t think about your next move. You just do it.”

Now 20 pounds lighter, Brown says her muscles aren’t her only reward. She hasn’t had a cold in years and has loads of energy. “I’m more upbeat and confident,” she says. “I can do a lot more than I ever imagined.”

Last Updated: July 23, 2008
Filed Under: Fitness

How to (Finally) Get the Body of Your Dreams

There are plenty of us who don’t think of ourselves as sporty types. Maybe you don’t like to sweat, or maybe you’ve gotten real cozy with your couch. That was the story for these five women until each stumbled onto an unexpected surprise: a new kind of workout that not only got her body in motion but was actually fun, too. Find out how they discovered their fitness passions—and get inspired to explore your own. You just might be a late bloomer, too.

Last Updated: July 23, 2008
Filed Under: Fitness

New Study: Do Exercise Ads Make You Fitter…or Fatter?

By Amanda MacMillan

When I signed up for my first half-marathon back in 2007, I tore a full-page ad for the event out of Runner’s World magazine and hung it on my bedroom wall, so it was the first thing I saw when my alarm went off in the morning. Good thing I didn’t hang it in my kitchen. New research from the University of Illinois suggests that advertisements designed to promote physical fitness may have an unexpected consequence—they actually make people eat more.

The study published this month in Obesity observed 53 college students as they looked at posters from an exercise campaign and later looked at posters that did not mention exercise. The participants were given a handful of raisins after each session. And after looking at the exercise posters they ate one-third more than they did after looking at nonfitness pics—an average of 18 calories, compared with only 12.

Similar results were found with a second test, in which different students played a computer game involving either action words like “active” and “go” or neutral words like “pear” and “moon.” Those who heard the action words ate more peanut M&Ms afterward than the neutral group.

Where and when these ads appear is also an important factor, says Dolores Albarracin, the study’s lead author and a professor of psychology at the University of Illinois. “When the setting of the advertising is more conducive to eating than exercise, people eat,” she told The New York Times last week. “If you just wallpaper everyplace with these kinds of posters, it may not do much good.”

I admit, when I’m really being good about working out every day, I tend to allow myself a few (hundred) extra calories—especially in the form of desserts, drinks, or other “rewards” for making it to the gym. So maybe that’s what subconsciously happened to the people in this study. They thought about exercising and decided to indulge a bit more in return.

But this makes me wonder about the age-old practice of using motivational photos or objects—such as hanging up a bikini, a pair of skinny jeans, or a picture of a celebrity role model—as an inspiration to lose weight or get in shape. I recently replaced that old half-marathon ad with the brand new Team in Training jersey that I’ll wear for my first triathlon in July. Now, whenever I spot it in my bedroom, I’ll try to be aware of any mysterious hunger cravings!

Have you ever used fitness-related props like these as a gentle reminder of your goals? Have they worked? And do you think we need to watch out for absent-minded eating?

Last Updated: March 13, 2009
Filed Under: Get Fit Blog

Get Your Family Involved in Changing Your Eating Behavior

In the spring of 2005, after four pregnancies, Julie Marsh weighed 240 pounds. “I wasn’t happy with myself,” she told Health magazine in April 2007. Inspired by her sister Cathy Andrew, who had resolved to lose weight in 2005, the sisters joined forces in dieting and exercising and had better success.

Research shows that dieters are more likely to change their ways if they feel they have the support of family, a close friend, or a coworker. It worked for this sister team: Along with eating more vegetables and smaller portions, they lifted weights three times a week and went on four to five mile walks at least four days a week. The workout buddies even tried activities they wouldn’t have done alone, like yoga and badminton. A year later, Julie had lost 85 pounds, and her sister had shed 105—a whopping 190 pounds of combined success.

Here are some tips for getting friends and family to support your desire to lose weight:

• Be up-front. Let friends and family know you’re making changes in your eating habits. It may stop loved ones from offering you foods you’re trying to avoid and encourage healthy cooking at group events. Asking them for help also adds accountability.
  
• Buddy up. The fact is, two-thirds of American adults are overweight and, chances are, you have friends or coworkers who may be interested in changing their eating behavior as well. Research shows that when one person slims down, those around him or her are more likely to lose, according to a 2007 study by researchers at Harvard Medical School and the University of California, San Diego.
• Start small. If you’re worried about food pushers, make small, less noticeable changes instead of obvious ones. It will help you ease into weight loss and avoid unwanted attention. For example, at the next family dinner, use a salad plate when you go through the buffet. Chances are, no one will notice your little switch, and you’ll be consuming less food.
  

Last Updated: February 27, 2009
Filed Under: Healthier You

How This Mother of 3 Lost More Than 70 Pounds

By Rachel Crawley
From Health magazine

Hilary Andreas didn’t want to settle for her postpregnancy shape—so she dropped 70-plus pounds.

After having her third baby last October, Hilary Andreas was thrilled about her expanding family—but not about her expanding body. At 198 pounds and wearing a size 18, this Portland, Ore., mom wanted to slim down. “I made a pact with myself that I’d do whatever it took to lose weight,” says Hilary, now 30. She took strategies from plans like the South Beach Diet and the Fat Flush Plan, such as cutting sugar—mostly by keeping her hands off her kids’ snacks. Hilary started walking five times a week and lifting weights; she slowly started running until she could jog more than four miles four to five times a week. In five months, Hilary lost 60 pounds, and she has shed 13 more since then. “When I was heavier, I didn’t feel as full of life,” she says. “I’m a totally different person now.”

Sweet reward
Here’s Hilary’s special treat: A scoop of Breyer’s Fat Free Vanilla Ice Cream topped with a tablespoon of Adam’s Organic Chunky Peanut Butter and 10 to 15 chocolate chips.

How she curbs cravings
Hilary mixes 1 cup of Trader Joe’s 100% Cranberry Juice and 7 cups of water in a pitcher and sips on it throughout the day to control her sweet tooth.

A fit family
Hilary and her husband are training for a marathon, and their kids are taking gym classes so they stay active, too.

Her gift
Hilary wanted a pair of skinny jeans—so we got her a pair from one of her favorite designers, Rock & Republic, to congratulate her on her weight-loss success.

Last Updated: February 19, 2009
Filed Under: Healthier You