Diet Meal Plans Q & A

Marc Barnes asked:


What are detox recipes and why are they needed? Let’s start by defining what detoxification is. Detoxification is the process of getting rid of harmful toxins from your system. The accumulation of toxins is usually a side effect of the foods and substances we eat on a consistent basis. Detox recipes are foods we can prepare to assist in the elimination of the toxins from your body leading to greater health and in some cases weight loss.

Fresh Fruit Detox Recipes
This recipe is composed of a specific set of fresh fruit. This includes strawberries, apples and bananas. The idea is to make a salad composed of these fruits and green leafy vegetables. The same fruits can used to prepare desserts where you can add lemon zest and honey and extra soft tofu to the ingredients if you like.

There is also a specific fruit detoxification recipe that only involves apples. This recipe calls for three days where you will exclusively consume only applesauce, apples,cider and apple juice. Besides the detoxing attributes associated with fruit it is also a great way of bringing increased vitality and wellness to your current lifestyle.

Lemon Detox Diet Recipe
This detoxification recipe will call for substituting a lemon drink for solid food for a length of one to two weeks time. If that is a little extreme for your current situation then you can also substitute the drink for an existing meal or two throughout the day for the same time period. The lemon drink is composed of two tablespoons of brown rice syrup, two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and a full glass of water. Mix all of the ingredients up and you can add a dash of freshly grated ginger to add some zing to the mixture.

Before You Start
There are some things you need to do before you jump right in and start using these detox recipes. This means for a minimum of seven days before starting your diet should consist of nutritional food like vegetables, fresh fruits, seeds, unsalted nuts and herbal teas. This also means eliminating junk foods from your diet during the same time.

Fit Yummy Mummy!

Nikki Davila asked:


Learning how to make diet shakes at home is a great way to save money on expensive brand name shakes. Plus, you’ll be able to create exactly the flavor you like without any of the added preservatives or artificial ingredients supermarket shakes contain.

The basic recipe

You can base your diet shakes on either the milk shake or the fruit smoothie. Basically, the first uses milk, whereas the second uses juice. A good basic recipe is to put 1 ½ cups liquid (see below), 1 cup of fruit, and ½ ice in the blender and blend smooth. Try combos of the ingredients below:

Liquids

Low-fat or skim milk

Yogurt

Milk substitute (soy milk, almond milk, etc.)

Fruit juice

Fruits

Bananas

Mangos

Apricots

Peaches

Berries

Mangos

Pineapples

Pears

Melons

Kiwis

For thick diet shakes, bananas, melons, and frozen berries are great choices. Less solid fruits like fresh berries and pineapple can be added for flavor. It may sound a little strange, but avocado is a great addition to a diet shake because it mashes well and is high in nutrients and healthy oils.

Fun ingredients

Jazz up your diet shakes with some extra flavorful additions. Just remember when you choose you extras that you’re trying to keep this low fat and low calorie. You can also add in some extra nutrition like wheat germ, oat bran or flaxseed. Add just a teaspoon and it won’t change the taste of your shake. Here are some additions to try:

1 tbsp Grenadine syrup

1 1/2 tsp instant coffee

Coffee liqueur, such as Kahlua or Tia Maria

A few drops of brandy or rum flavoring (or the real thing, if you prefer)

A dash cinnamon or nutmeg

½ tbsp vanilla

A teaspoon of maraschino cherries

A word of warning about diet shake recipes

Make sure you don’t accidentally copy a shake recipe from a body building site. Body builders often drink “diet shakes” with delicious ingredients like cream, chocolate syrup, and peanut butter, but these are meant to be high protein weigh gain shakes. If you’re working out a lot, they can help you build muscle, but if you’re not (be honest, now!) they’ll just add fat.

Remember, too, that diet shakes can’t replace wholesome, well-rounded meals. Don’t use it as an excuse to avoid fresh vegetables and whole grains. That said, it can be a big help in your weight loss plan. Learn how to make a diet shakes and you’ll save money, get more fresh fruit with no artificial ingredients, and be able to get exactly the flavor you want every time.

Fit Yummy Mummy!

Gina E Clark asked:


Whether you are looking to lose weight or to eat healthy, here are some tips for a healthy diet.

Begin every meal by eating your low calorie foods first, such as fruits and vegetables. Next eat your meats and other proteins, which are very filling. It’s very important to eat protein at each meal, because these help your body to feel full. Try adding eggs and black beans to your diet. They are an excellent source of protein, with virtually no carbs or sugars. End your meal with your higher calorie starches. You will find yourself filling up more on the low calorie foods, and eating less of the high calorie ones.

Decrease the amount of carbohydrates you eat in the evening. Carbs let your body store fat. Your metabolism is the slowest during the night., so don’t put fat storing carbs into your body in the evening.

Eat smaller meals more often. For a healthy diet, it’s recommended to eat 6-8 smaller meals every day. This will actually increase your metabolism and help you lose weight faster.

Drink more water. It’s important to stay hydrated, but drinking a glass of water when you are hungry can actually curb your appetite. Water also is imperative for digestion and cleansing your body.

On the other hand, cut down on all other drinks because they all have calories. Don’t drink pop at all. If you drink juice, water it down.

Also, take a day off each week and eat whatever you want. Knowing that you can eat the food you are craving in just a few days, will help you to resist during your healthy diet days. Or consider both Saturday and Sunday as break days. Even if you gain a little bit of weight over the weekend, it will keep you motivated to eat right during the week. Eventually, you will crave less foods less often and find yourself eating healthier even on your non diet days.

Begin now to make your diet healthier. Implement at least one of the ideas in this article today and you will begin to look better and feel better.

Fit Yummy Mummy!

Jennifer Jolan asked:


Here are a couple diet lunch meals for weight loss that will help you out if you’re having trouble thinking up healthy things to eat. Look, if you’re reading this now, then you want to do something about your weight. That’s a great 1st step. Take the next 2 minutes to read this article and I think I’ll help you to expand your ability to lose weight. Go ahead, read this now.

Diet Lunch Meals

1. Black bean and chicken soup… from scratch

Come on, I know you know how to make soups. They’re not hard. This is all I want you to do. Cut up 4 ounces of chicken, add 1/2 can of black beans, add some vegetables, some broth, water, voila… a good healthy lunch. Don’t worry if you can’t eat it all. Save the leftovers and eat them BEFORE your dinner.

2. Protein shake

This is by far the quickest thing you can eat for lunch that is healthy. This is perfect for “light” eaters. Use some water and maybe a little milk if you like. Add 1.5 scoops of protein powder, mash up a banana in there, blend it up. If that’s not enough for you, eat an apple while drinking the protein shake.

3. Tuna and black bean salad

Get a can of tuna, 1/2 can of black beans, mix them up with perhaps a little Miracle Whip, throw in some mustard or a tinge of bbq sauce… boom. A quick protein-rich lunch.

I’m just trying to give you some diet lunch meals for weight loss… use these as is or use them as a guide to making your own meals.

Fit Yummy Mummy!