A number of years ago, I determined I was going to get down to 125 lb., what I had weighed when I got married (and looked good). I went on Weight Watchers but I found that my weight loss fit a pattern and lost about 25-30 pounds. When I regained some of that weight and wanted to take it off again, I returned to the pattern, and lost again. I now weigh only 120 lbs. and clothes look great (for a 66 yr. old woman). The secret for me has been the half cup diet! This diet may not work for over 50 lb. and it may not work for men who need more protein but for most women wanting to shed 50 lb or less, this is a simple, nutritious diet that makes weight loss easy and uncomplicated.
A healthy diet consists of grains, at least two servings of fruit, three servings of vegetables, protein (the size of the palm of your hand), a small amount of unsaturated fat such as olive oil or canola oil, dairy (which can contribute to your protein). Sugar should be reduced or a healthy, natural substitute such as xylitol or stevia or fructose (found in fruits naturally) Most people eat way more protein than is necessary. Protein can be gained from not only lean meats, fish but also beans, peanut butter, nuts, and dairy foods. A small amount of fat (1 tbsp a day) (unsaturated healthy canon oil or olive oil) is important as well.
Sample Menu:
Breakfast: one half cup oatmeal with several tablespoons of flax seed, ¼ cup raisins or dried fruit cooked with it. Eat with ¼ to ½ cup low fat milk. You don’t really need sugar with the fruit added but if you feel you need a little, use a pitch of brown sugar or ½ tsp. honey or even better a little bit of sylitol or stevia. One serving of fruit such as small apple, half cup of grapes, small banana, orange, ½ cup blueberries or raspberries. Fresh fruit is best. Once a week, you could have one or two eggs with one slice of whole wheat or multi-grain toast. A multi-grained muffin with flax seed and fruit such as blueberries could substitute for the toast. However, oatmeal is the lowest in calories and high in nutrition.
If you have a juicer, you could substitute a drink made of carrots, celery, a little spinach, and apple for a different breakfast. Make sure, however, you have grains every day.
Lunch: one piece oven baked chicken or one small piece of chicken breast or fish ½ cup vegetables such as broccoli or green one medium sized baked or microwaved potato, sweet potato or ½ cup brown rice, one serving fruit OR: ½ cup macaroni & cheese, or ½ cup.spaghetti or ½ cup vegetable/macaroni goulash, or ½ cup baked beans or ½ cup of any favorite casserole. One serving fruit. Supper: One or two cups salad consisting of romaine lettuce, spinach, carrots, celery, broccoli or cauliflower, green pepper, tomatoes, almonds (a few), cucumber. Use 1 TBSP of your favorite dressing. Add four small multi grain or whole wheat crackers preferably with little or no salt. (If you limit your intake to 1 TBSP you don’t have to be concerned about having low fat dressing.) Instead of a salad, you could have one cup of freshly made potato/broccoli soup, vegetable soup, beef/vegetable soup, chicken/rice soup, etc. Do not use canned soups which are high in sugar, salt, and fat. It does not take long to make fresh soup and if you make a big batch, you have enough for several meals or you can freeze it. Make sure there are a lot of vegetables in your soups and only a little meat.
OR ½ cup yogurt and fruit, 4 small multi-grained crackers
If you like sandwiches, add raw or cooked vegetables and count it as your heavier meal. For this diet, you have to have one meal a day very light in calories. Soup or salad adds fiber and nutrients with very few calories. You may want to limit yourself to once or twice a week having sandwiches.
Tips: Suggested snacks: raw carrots, broccoli, celery, green pepper. Limit yourself to one cup icecream PER WEEK. (NO cakes or cookies!)
DRINK six or seven cups of water at least daily. Add lemon or lime or cucumber to spike up your water.
DO NOT DRINK ANY POP! Regular pop is like drinking a cup of syrup. Diet pop has ingredients that may be harmful to brain cells and the calories are empty. Fruit juice is not as good as fresh fruit. Orange juice or grape juice is good but limit it to ½ cup instead of the fruit. Don’t overdose on fruit but raw vegetables are a great way to crunch on something but not add calories.
Whenever possible, eat your heavier meal at noon and the lighter meal at night. You will lose more this way.
Exercise by walking, swimming, bicycling etc. at least one half hour five or six times a week!
To begin, I would recommend writing down what you eat and exactly how much (measure it). It is so easy to gain with just a little bit more. Do not snack except for recommended fruits or vegetables!
A number of years ago, I determined I was going to get down to 125 lb., what I had weighed when I got married (and looked good). I went on Weight Watchers but I found that my weight loss fit a pattern and lost about 25-30 pounds. When I regained some of that weight and wanted to take it off again, I returned to the pattern, and lost again. I now weigh only 120 lbs. and clothes look great (for a 66 yr. old woman). The secret for me has been the half cup diet! This diet may not work for over 50 lb. and it may not work for men who need more protein but for most women wanting to shed 50 lb or less, this is a simple, nutritious diet that makes weight loss easy and uncomplicated.
ReplyDeleteA healthy diet consists of grains, at least two servings of fruit, three servings of vegetables, protein (the size of the palm of your hand), a small amount of unsaturated fat such as olive oil or canola oil, dairy (which can contribute to your protein). Sugar should be reduced or a healthy, natural substitute such as xylitol or stevia or fructose (found in fruits naturally) Most people eat way more protein than is necessary. Protein can be gained from not only lean meats, fish but also beans, peanut butter, nuts, and dairy foods. A small amount of fat (1 tbsp a day) (unsaturated healthy canon oil or olive oil) is important as well.
Sample Menu:
Breakfast: one half cup oatmeal with several tablespoons of flax seed, ¼ cup raisins or dried fruit cooked with it. Eat with ¼ to ½ cup low fat milk. You don’t really need sugar with the fruit added but if you feel you need a little, use a pitch of brown sugar or ½ tsp. honey or even better a little bit of sylitol or stevia. One serving of fruit such as small apple, half cup of grapes, small banana, orange, ½ cup blueberries or raspberries. Fresh fruit is best. Once a week, you could have one or two eggs with one slice of whole wheat or multi-grain toast. A multi-grained muffin with flax seed and fruit such as blueberries could substitute for the toast. However, oatmeal is the lowest in calories and high in nutrition.
If you have a juicer, you could substitute a drink made of carrots, celery, a little spinach, and apple for a different breakfast. Make sure, however, you have grains every day.
Lunch: one piece oven baked chicken or one small piece of chicken breast or fish
½ cup vegetables such as broccoli or green one medium sized baked or microwaved potato, sweet potato or ½ cup brown rice, one serving fruit
OR: ½ cup macaroni & cheese, or ½ cup.spaghetti or ½ cup vegetable/macaroni goulash, or ½ cup baked beans or ½ cup of any favorite casserole. One serving fruit.
Supper: One or two cups salad consisting of romaine lettuce, spinach, carrots, celery, broccoli or cauliflower, green pepper, tomatoes, almonds (a few), cucumber. Use 1 TBSP of your favorite dressing. Add four small multi grain or whole wheat crackers preferably with little or no salt. (If you limit your intake to 1 TBSP you don’t have to be concerned about having low fat dressing.)
Instead of a salad, you could have one cup of freshly made potato/broccoli soup, vegetable soup, beef/vegetable soup, chicken/rice soup, etc. Do not use canned soups which are high in sugar, salt, and fat. It does not take long to make fresh soup and if you make a big batch, you have enough for several meals or you can freeze it. Make sure there are a lot of vegetables in your soups and only a little meat.
OR ½ cup yogurt and fruit, 4 small multi-grained crackers
If you like sandwiches, add raw or cooked vegetables and count it as your heavier meal. For this diet, you have to have one meal a day very light in calories. Soup or salad adds fiber and nutrients with very few calories. You may want to limit yourself to once or twice a week having sandwiches.
Tips: Suggested snacks: raw carrots, broccoli, celery, green pepper. Limit yourself to one cup icecream PER WEEK. (NO cakes or cookies!)
ReplyDeleteDRINK six or seven cups of water at least daily. Add lemon or lime or cucumber to spike up your water.
DO NOT DRINK ANY POP! Regular pop is like drinking a cup of syrup. Diet pop has ingredients that may be harmful to brain cells and the calories are empty. Fruit juice is not as good as fresh fruit. Orange juice or grape juice is good but limit it to ½ cup instead of the fruit. Don’t overdose on fruit but raw vegetables are a great way to crunch on something but not add calories.
Whenever possible, eat your heavier meal at noon and the lighter meal at night. You will lose more this way.
Exercise by walking, swimming, bicycling etc. at least one half hour five or six times a week!
To begin, I would recommend writing down what you eat and exactly how much (measure it). It is so easy to gain with just a little bit more. Do not snack except for recommended fruits or vegetables!