Bad eating habits are the main reason why so many people are overweight. While lack of inactivity plays its part, it’s the consumption of unhealthy foods high in sugar, calories, and fat that causes weight gain. If you are looking for healthy ways to lose weight and to get thin, start by changing your eating habits by making a point to eat healthier meals. Once you make it a practice to eat healthier meals while incorporating a regular fitness routine, problems with your weight will finally become a thing of the past.
To begin, try eating less processed foods that are bad for you while choosing healthy meals to lose weight like fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, lean meats, fish, whole grains, and legumes. Also, don't forget to count calories! Although I do like some of the diet recipes you can find in health and fitness magazines or online, I prefer to create my own healthy meal plans with foods I like to eat. You can too. However, if you are not sure of what good foods to eat to lose weight or you find some diet recipes too complicated, here are a few healthy meal ideas that are simple and easy to make (choose one from each category).
Breakfast
-1 cup of healthy cereal with 2%, 1%, skim, or fat free milk (Healthy cereals to choose from include Cheerios, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, Kellogg’s Special K, Fiber One, raisin bran, etc. Try to avoid sugary cereals as much as possible).
-1 or 2 scrambled eggs using ½ teaspoon of fat free butter or cooking spray, a slice of toast with jelly, and 1 cup of orange juice
-1 cup of slow-cooked oatmeal and 1 cup of orange juice (Add raisins, dried cranberries, or a ½ teaspoon of brown sugar for taste).
-1 small frozen bagel toasted with 1 teaspoon of fat free butter, low fat cream cheese, peanut butter, or jelly (To avoid racking up extra calories, don’t pile on the butter or cream cheese).
-Fresh fruit salad
Lunch
-½ can of tuna with ½ teaspoon of mayo and 6-8 unsalted crackers
- ½ turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with lettuce, tomato, and a slice of real cheddar cheese (Use a spread of your choice like ½ teaspoon of mayo, mustard, avocado, or hummus).
-Chicken soup with a garden salad (Always have salad dressing on the side instead of pouring it all over your salad. Salad dressing is loaded with extra calories and extras calories causes unwanted weight gain. For a healthier food choice to lose weight, use extra virgin olive oil or use extra virgin olive oil with balsamic vinegar).
-Medium salad with chicken, flank steak, shrimp, or tuna
-A slice of plain cheese pizza with a small side salad
-A small to medium sized toasted bagel with 1 teaspoon of mayo, 2 slices of real cheese, lettuce, and tomato
Dinner
-Baked fresh salmon with ½ cup of brown rice and steamed broccoli
-Chicken pasta salad using baked or grilled chicken breast, ½ cup of cooked pasta like penne, bow ties, or rotini, and extra virgin olive oil. (Use salad ingredients of your choice like tomatoes, almonds, cucumber, green pepper, red onion, steamed peas, avocado, carrots, etc. Also, season your chicken pasta salad with fresh pepper, basil, parsley, and oregano for taste).
-1 cup of whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce and a side salad (You can use fresh vegetables in your tomato sauce like green and red pepper, onion, zucchini, celery, etc., or meats like sausage, ground beef, chicken, or turkey. If you like bread with your pasta, eat only one slice and use olive oil as a dip) TIP: Since people tend to eat large portions of pasta than needed, make your salad the bulk of your meal as part of eating healthy to lose weight.
-Grilled chicken with roasted potatoes and steamed green beans
Snacks
-1 cup of low fat yogurt with granola
-A medium banana, apple, or orange
-Trail mix
-Low fat granola bar
-Celery, baby carrots, or green pepper with hummus
-2 slices of real cheese with 4-6 crackers
-Fruit salad
-A handful of unsalted pretzels
-1 or 2 hard-boiled egg
-½ cup of healthy cereal without the milk
Again, these are just a few healthy meal ideas to help you with your weight loss goals. To prevent hunger, I suggest eating 5-6 smaller meals everyday. Search for diet recipe ideas in your favorite health or fitness magazines, online, or create your own diet plan by using foods that are low in sugar, calories, and fat. Remember, to lose weight you will need to make it a habit to select healthier food choices and workout regularly. Once you change the way you eat as a part of a healthier lifestyle, you will achieve the body you always dreamed of in no time!
Good Luck!
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