If you are a recovering foodie lover, dieting can be one of the hardest things you can do. But we're here to help! Here at Doctors Best Weight Loss, your wellbeing is our priority. For today's post, we will be discussing our advice for a successful meal plan.
1. Determine a Specific Diet Type
The ultimate goal for most is to lose fat and achieve that "bikini bod." For others, dieting can be used to prevent exposure to certain allergens and other health-related issues. Here are some diet types we adhere to on our website.
This diet limits the number of carbs you eat on a daily basis. By restricting yourself from carbs you will begin to see the pounds dwindle quickly. You are forcing your body to eat the stored fat as a source of energy, resulting in a quick weight loss.
This diet fills your body with protein needed to help you lose fat without losing muscle mass. Protein is an important micronutrient found mostly in animals, beans, and nuts needed to help build up muscles. Many bodybuilders and athletes look to this diet to help maintain their physique and prevent soreness days after a workout. High amounts of protein also suppress your appetite and allow you to feel full for longer periods of time.
Not many know this but fiber is actually a very important carbohydrate. This special kind of carb helps feed a certain bacteria living in your gut. But not to worry, this bacteria is not harmful and helps keep your body functioning properly. Fiber can be found in fruits, vegetables, beans and other whole grain foods. It helps move things along through your digestive system. If you need a way to slim down quickly then this is one of the diets you should consider.
Watching calories can be one of the most difficult things to do. Keeping count, taking measurements, doing math can be tiring. Many doctors do recommend a low-calorie diet to those who are trying to lose an extreme amount of weight. Eating to meet a daily caloric limit can be difficult especially if you are unaware of how many calories are in your meal. But thanks to nutrition facts and keeping a food diary this can be possible for many. Low-calorie foods don't have to be tasteless and dull. Just take a look at our low-calorie options and find something to fit your craving and calorie needs.
Like a low carb diet, this diet focuses on little to no carbs in order to lose weight. Veggies and protein are a must to maintain your health during this diet. After the body is no longer dependent on carbs as an energy source, it looks to your stored fat for help. Burning the stored fats results in quick and effectively weightloss.
Did see a diet that fits your need here? You can always browse through our different diet types page to find the just the fit for you.
2. Create a Grocery List
Now that you are aware of the type of diet you need to follow, it’s time to compile a list of appropriate foods you can eat. Drive-through windows and fast food places cannot help you with this one, create your own delicious meals. Pay attention to sales at your local grocery store and use coupons to save on great deals. Or order some of your non-perishable diet products online.
Oh, never shop while hungry. Believe me when I say this helps prevent you from impulse buying and breaking your diet. Pay attention to products with nutritional facts labeled on the back of the box. In doing so allows you to see what exactly you are eating and how it can help maintain
3. Get to Cooking
Now the fun part in meal planning for success, cooking. Search on different cooking websites, social media pages, and old cookbooks for delicious and healthy recipes you can create for yourself and family. Pinterest is always a great place to look for exciting, easy to make, healthy dinners. It is important to utilize healthy spices in your recipes to keep each dish unique and to keep you from becoming bored with your diet.
Use spices like:
- Cumin
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- Sage
- Rosemary
- Nutmeg
- Oregano
- Saffron
- Basil
- Black Pepper
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Paprika
- Garlic
- Cayenne Pepper
- Turmeric
When cooking your meal prep, try cooking two or three different kinds of dishes at the same time to keep your menu different each day. It is important to properly portion your dishes as well. There are several different ways to portion your meal plans such as purchasing sectioned containers, measuring out each part of your meal with scales, or using the hand portion technique. For those of you who are unsure of the portion technique, here’s a quick rundown about this simple to use portion control method.
Using our hands as a form of portion control can help create healthier eating habits. Everyone is different but using our hands are a great way to determine what works with our body’s ability to eat properly. Use this criterion next time you sit down and have a meal.
For Men:
- 2 palm-sized portions of protein with each meal
- 2 fist-sized portions of veggies with each meal
- 2 cupped hand portions of carbs with most meals (not all)
- 2 entire thumb length portions of fat dense foods with most meals (not all)
For Women:
- 1 palm-sized portion of protein with each meal
- 1 fist-sized portion of vegetables with each meal
- 1 cupped hand portion of carbs with most meals (not all)
- 1 entire thumb length portion of fat dense foods with most meals (not all)
If you can't find the time to meal prep, don't worry! We here at Doctors Best Weight Loss have created customizable meal plans you will love! Just pick the products you love and enjoy your weight loss journey with ease.
