Healthy Meal Plans to Lose Weight

Modernization has changed, or rather re-engineered the nature of food that we eat. Unbalanced intake of nutrients and lack of physical exertion, aided with unhealthy lifestyle, has damaged our bodies considerably.

Thus, problems such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol levels, and other such ailments have gripped us. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to follow healthy diet plans to lose weight, and also to keep the body well maintained.

One should keep in mind that one cannot just jump into any diet or routine. It is better to introduce new eating habits gradually. Only eating vegetables or fruits, drinking shakes, or eating microscopic proportions of food is a nonsensical approach. This way, one loses weight at the cost of serious damage to the body. Your body needs proper nutrition. General rule of thumb is to - eat healthy, eat on time, and eat till you are satisfied (not full).

For an average-sized, working adult who does a reasonable amount of exercise, the 1200 calorie diet menu is a good one. Other healthy menus include 1600, 1500, or even 2000-calorie meal plans. The kind of plan you choose, depends on your daily physical exertion, and your body's requirements. It must be noted that all weight loss plans should be backed up with a suitable exercise routine for better results.

In order to reduce weight there are three things that are needed to make the plan a successful one - eating on time, eating in appropriate amounts, and exercising. It is not necessary to opt for hour-long workouts. Taking a 30-minute brisk walk, or performing Yoga or home based workouts is sufficient too. Lastly, abstain from smoking and alcohol consumption.

Breakfast
Baked beans with multi-grain toast, any fruit or fruit juice, tea or coffee

Mid-morning Snack
A sandwich with only vegetables, or raw fruits and vegetables

Lunch
French tuna sandwich with raw vegetables or fruits

Tea Snack
A sandwich, a cracker, a crumpet, or a single pancake (strictly low-fat)

Dinner
Layered vegetable casserole with some cottage cheese, or a couple of slices of bread, or rice. A strict accompaniment is a raw fruit, or vegetable salad with no meat or heavy oil. You may also include a vegetable soup.

Breakfast
Bacon and eggs with very less fat, fruit juice, tea or coffee

Mid-morning Snack
Fruit salad

Lunch
Baked tilapia and a vegetable salad, accompanied with some meat.

Tea Snack
A veggie burger, a fruit, or a muffin

Dinner
Maple-dill chicken breast and vegetable salad, with bread or rice.

Breakfast
Hard-boiled eggs with a slice of bread or toast or fruits and cereal, with tea or coffee

Mid-morning Snack
A single bakery item which is low in fat and sugar.

Lunch
Grilled sandwich (with less meat and fat) accompanied with soup or salad

Tea Snack
A low-fat muffin

Dinner
Spicy pork and peppers with salad, soup, rice or bread

Breakfast
Burritos made up of egg, salsa, and beans, with fruit juice.

Mid-morning Snack
Vegetable salad

Lunch
Sandwich with roasted or smoked meat, and vegetable salad

Tea Snack
A muffin with a fruit

Dinner
Spinach lasagna with ricotta and mozzarella cheese

Breakfast
Cooked oatmeal with fruit, and tea or coffee

Mid-morning Snack
Raw fruit, or vegetable salad

Lunch
Chowder (low in cheese and meat), crackers or bread, with vegetable salad

Tea Snack
Salad with a vegetable sandwich

Dinner
Grilled meat in small quantities, along with salad and mashed potatoes

Breakfast
2 small pancakes (less syrup)

Mid-morning Snack
A salad or a fruit

Lunch
Any stir fried vegetable with rice

Tea Snack
A fruit or a bakery item

Dinner
You can follow your usual dinner routine.

Food nutrients can be classified into macro nutrients, energy providers, and metabolism boosters.

The first class of nutrients are macro nutrients. The nutrients constitute of several substances that make up the body such as water, carbon, calcium, oxygen, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, etc. Apart from these, there are also several other elements and chemical compounds that constitute the body.

Proteins, carbohydrates, and fats are other nutrients that are found in the body. They are replenished in the body from time to time, and a small proportion of the nutrients gets assimilated into the body from the diet. Macro nutrients are something that one might refer to as the 'building blocks of the body'.

The next category of nutrients is the energy providers. Energy providers include, carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Apart from these prominently known ones, simple sugars, vitamins, and minerals also come into this category.

Metabolism boosters basically support the fuel-burning processes in the body. In case of healthy meal plans for weight loss, you will have to emphasize on the metabolism supporting dietary nutrients as they help you burn excessive fats easily. Enjoying the combination of healthy food and a good exercise regime is the ideal way to lead a healthy life.

Well-balanced and disciplined diet plans like the ones mentioned above, will result in gradual and healthy weight loss. When you start off these healthy meal plans, make it a point to reduce the quantity of fat that you consume.

The time of meals also have to be considered. A breakfast should be as early as 7 am in the morning, and there should be a 3 to 4 hour gap in between two meals. Also, never over-stuff yourself while eating. Apart from that, make sure you exercise regularly.

Disclaimer: This Story is for informative purposes only and does not in any way attempt to replace the advice offered by an expert on the subject.