Ever get confused by all of the weight loss diets out there?
Yeh me too…
Low carb, low fat, high protein, high fiber, Chinese tea secrets, 2 day fasts, detox diets…. It’s all WAY too confusing for new dieters. Dieting should be simple to follow. If it’s simple, all you need is the will to stick to your diet and you’ll see REAL RESULTS (quickly I might add).
We’ve broken this weight loss diet down so that it’s as simple as possible for you to follow. This diet is intended for people who want to…
- lose body fat quickly (which equals weight loss)
- maintain lean muscle mass
How to lose weight
Weight loss, in the most basic sense, comes down to simple arithmetic. You must eat less calories than you burn. Period. And the best way to go about creating this caloric deficit is a combination of diet and exercise. But you already knew that. Let’s get to the meal plan. . .
I can sum the meal plan up in six simple words: Eat small well balanced frequent meals. But you want more specifics than that right? Ok, here we go.
Eat 3 meals and 2 snacks each day. And if you must, you can add a third snack. Space each meal or snack about 3 hours from the previous meal or snack.
Weight loss meal plan
Eat and drink the following with reckless abandon:
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Green, Red, or Yellow Pepper
- Cucumber
- Apples
- Asparagus
- Cauliflower
- Green Beans
- Kale
- Celery
- Pretty much any green leafy vegetable with the exception of iceberg lettuce
- Water
Eat 2 – 4 servings of the following throughout the day:
- Carrots
- Bananas
- Berries
- Peaches
- Plums
- Oranges
- Pretty much any fresh fruit you like
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Eat one 4 – 6 ounce lean serving of the following with each meal. Preparation should be grilled, steamed, baked, or stir fried – no breaded and fried foods!:
- Turkey breast
- Chicken breast
- Steak
- Pork
- Fish
- Also consider eggs (2 or 3)
Eat one serving of the following with each snack. Truth be told, I recommend you avoid dairy during your weight loss quest, but if you feel you need it, eat it with you snacks:
- Almonds
- Walnuts
- Cashews
- Natural peanut butter (no sugar, no salt added)
- Yogurt
- Low-fat cottage cheese
- Low-fat milk
Eat these only with your meal that follows your fitness training and only in limited portion:
- Oatmeal
- Brown rice
- Legumes
- Potatoes
- Whole wheat bread
- Whole wheat pasta
- Other whole grain food items
Use the following in extremely limited portions or not at all:
- Salad dressing
- Butter
- Cheese
- Other condiments
Foods and Drinks you MUST stay away from to lose weight
- Soda (tons of sugar and lots of empty calories)
- Alcohol (empty calories and usually leads to bad food choices when drinking)
- Sugar
- Fast Food
- Creamy salad dressings (Ranch, 1000 Island, etc.)
Example of weight loss meals
Ok, so what does a day’s worth of meals and snacks look like? Check out the sample below:
6:00am Fitness Training
7:30am 2 eggs scrambled in non-stick pan with chopped green pepper and onion, 1 piece of wheat toast dry, small fruit cup of berries, melon, and pineapple, 1 cup of coffee black.
10:30am 10 almonds, 1 apple.
1:00pm Large spinach salad with cucumber, celery, grilled chicken breast, and 1/2 table spoon of Italian dressing.
4:00pm Handful of walnuts, 1 orange.
6:30pm Grilled flank steak, large portion of steamed asparagus, small side salad with Romaine lettuce, tomato, and small amount of vinegrette dressing.
9:00pm 4 celery sticks with small amount of natural peanut butter.
Some other final tips:
- Drink a large glass of water with each meal and snack.
- Pre-cook and prepackage your meals and snacks on one day for the rest of the week. I usually do this on Sunday. This is MUCH easier if you eat the same meals each day.
- Keep a food journal and track your weight loss progress. You should be losing about 2 pounds per week. If you’re losing less than that, you probably need to tighten it up. If you’re losing more than that, it might be time to add that third snack.
- If it comes in a wrapper or other packaging, don’t eat it
If you have any comments or questions, feel free to post them below!
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GREAT GREAT GREAT…………it really works
Thanks, Nimat. It sounds like you have gotten some good results. Keep up the great work.
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Hi Vic….
Fabulous site….I’m lovin’ it!
Just a question…..in the list of foods u suggest we can eat with reckless abandon, you say “Pretty much any green leafy vegetable with the exception of iceberg lettuce”…..what’s the difference between other types of lettuce and iceberg…..does iceberg contain more calories?
Just wondering……
And tks once again……
Margaret
Iceberg does not contain more calories. It is just not very nutrient rich. Why eat icerberg when you can eat spinach?
Vic,
I am starting your diet plan and had a question about the veggies part. You say that if it comes in a bag/wrapper not to eat it; well I recently bought frozen mixed veggies (steam bag of broccoli, water crests, carrots, pea pods & cauliflower ) from my local BJ’s and was wondering if I needed to go fresh instead? Do these contain preservatives or something? They are so convenient, just toss in the microwave for 5 min and you have a full meal! Is this ok or should I go and get them all separately?
Thanks,
Dan
I admit that I use frozen vegetables myself fairly often due to convenience (I’m a fan of the green beans myself). Of course fresh is going to be best, but frozen is a fine second choice. If it’s going to keep you eating the veggies, then go with the frozen. Just be careful not to overcook (a problem I always had with frozen broccoli).
I dont eat meat to much, mostly vegetarian but im going to start eatting more chicken for now but my question is, i go to the gym 5 days a week already. I do 1 hour of free weight lifting, each day for each set of muscles, and 40 minutes of ellipitical machine that burns around 540 calories. Is this enough excercise to lose fat? and how do you feel about drinking a glass of whey protein an hour before working out? and do you have any other recommendation for fixing my diet?
So you’ve been working out for an hour and 40 minutes per day and you are still looking for a plan for weight loss? Time to change things up apuzilla! First, ditch that damned elliptical machine (and other forms of long slow cardio). Start hitting the interval and circuit training as hard as you can tolerate. Next, forget about the magic powder whey drink and stick to real food. If weight loss is your goal, getting your protein from lean meats is going to be much better for you. Good luck and train hard!
As far as oatmeal goes, I recommend adding flax seed powder to it. I replaced my breakfast with oatmeal and about two tablespoons of flax seed powder, every day for a few weeks, and basically followed the above diet for about 2 of 3 meals a day (before I found this site) and that’s the only time in my life I’ve lost weight! Flax seed contains proteins and good fats (Omega 3). Is this a viable option to add to the diet?
Is it a viable option? Well, you said using this method is the only time you’ve lost weight so it is definitely viable. I’m all about results. As long as you are getting results, stay the course. Thanks!
I absolutly love the direct lay out of the diet plan, however I am about to start college and am concerned that I may become limited as to cooking my own food (a mini fridge and a microwave plus pre cooked college food). I really don’t want to sucomb to the freshman 15; I was just wondering if you had any suggestions on how to make it easier with the constraints?
Hi Vic, I’ve had a look at your food plan & want to follow it to the T. I have one question though…I have an allergy to nuts & dairy!…’Could I subtitute my protein source for lentil soup instead with an apple also?
Cheers, Tia 8)
Did you see my recent video about what I eat when I don’t have time to cook? If not, here’s the link:
http://www.gymjunkies.com/quick-healthy-meal/
You could definitely do this with nothing but a mini fridge and a microwave. Good luck!
Sounds like an alternative worth trying. The only way to know for sure is to give it a try and track your results. Do your best to keep the lentils to only your post workout meal if you can. Good luck.
Hi,
Me again! I wanted to have the lentil to replace the nuts…What could I have to replace them, since lentils sounds like it shouldn’t be regular thing?
Great info THANK YOU. Im trying to drop 20 pounds. Ive been watchin calories but i struggled to find out what foods are good, id rather not eat then eat something that ithink is bad.This info was very helpfull.
I was wondering what your feeling is on homeade shakes.Im never hungry in the am and i workout at 9am.So what do i eat before the gym.I have weight control oatmeal ill usually eat after but is it better to eat before or do a fruit smoothis type shake before?
THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE
You might try a small amount of dairy instead of the nuts. Again, you have to keep track of your food intake and progress (weight loss) to see if what you are doing is working for you.
I’m a big fan of fruit and a small amount of nuts (almonds and walnuts are great) for breakfast. Stick to real food and do your best to keep things to fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and raw nuts and see how your results go. Good luck.
Hey Vic,
Thanks for the diet, seeing it laid out like this was a key instigator in my decision to really stick to something that will help me with my weight loss goals.
Some background:
I recently graduated college and I weigh 240 after weighing 195 when I entered). I put on some muscle but no doubt a lot of the 45 pounds i gained was fat. My goal is to get back down to 195 and I plan to reach that this year with the help of this diet and some strength training 3 times a week (mostly bodyweight exercises until I can afford a gym).
I’m hoping that on this diet, I can lose 30 pounds by June. The next 15 pounds will be tougher as that involves getting my bodyfat from about 17% down to 10% (I have never had less than 22% bodyfat as an adult so this is exciting for me).
So I’m on the 2nd/3rd day of this diet and I just had a few things I wanted to run by you:
For protein: Is shrimp okay? I guess it falls under (shell)fish and it is lowfat with 19gm of protein per serving (7 in this case) but the sodium seems high. I’ve been adding it to my spinach/cucumber salad.
For nuts: I think I need to ease up the cashews as I’m eating about 25 Planters cashews (labeled with a hint of salt) alongside a fruit for snacks. Should I be going unsalted?
Does the 3/2 meal/snack number have to be followed? I’ve been getting in two meals these first couple days, maybe 3 snacks. Do I need to be more aggressive about eating times?
Lastly, soy milk? I like to drink Silk brand Vanilla Soy milk. These first two days i’ve kept it to one cup each day but do i need to treat it like low-fat dairy milk or is it OK as a beverage option with tea and water?
I wanted to post that I just saw the shredded for summer bodyweight program and since i’m already on the diet, i’m going to use that as my program (though I have a pullup bar). The results some people got were great.
I have been trying to lose weight and have followed so many advices from different people and nothing seems to work for me. Now I will try your advice and I hope and wish that this work for me this time. Thank you.
Shrimp is ok. Probably not the best choice, but probably not the worst choice either. The bigger problem is the nuts. . .
Do your best to only eat nuts labeled as “raw” – that means no salt and no additional oils. Quantity should be kept small. By small I mean what fits in the center of your palm in one layer (not a big mound). That breaks down to 6 – 8 almonds for most people. I’d guess cashews would be pretty close to that.
Snacks should be used as your hunger dictates. Missing a snack here and there should not be a problem. It might even help in your fat loss quest.
Treat the soy milk like dairy milk and limit it as much as possible.
Good luck!
Stay the course. Really stick to the plan for 31 days and you WILL lose weight! You can do it!
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Hi Vic,
I’ve been following your beginner’s workout plan for almost two weeks and I’m starting to feel great although there isn’t much to show just yet. I’m ready to start the diet from week 3. However, I’m looking more along the lines of a “weight gain plan”. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Sivesh
If you’re looking for a weight gain plan you have to EAT! And take a look at my muscle building program here:
http://www.gymjunkies.com/build-muscle/
It depends on how bad you want it. I was 252 lbs exactly 7 weeks ago, and I am 219 lbs today.
to all of you asking about diet sodas, these contain aspartame and can cause all kinds of bad side effects….i had hives for 3 months from coke zero! and i do food journal and i know that is the only thing i did differently! i was a coca-cola junkie, and started out subbing with unsweetened tea – because half of my issue was the caffeine. i removed all soda from my house…and now do much better without any soda. after about a month, i decided to reward myself with a coke, and was grossed out by how sweet it was!!!
Hello Vic, I have a few quick questions for you. I have already read through all of the comments as well as your replies. What I want to know is how long do you think that it will take me to loose around 125lbs? I am 5ft nothing, and I weigh 245. I know that for my height that I should weigh a heck of a lot less than I do. I am a female, and I want to join the marines. To be able to join I have to weigh 125 MAX. What I want to know is how long do you think it would take me to loose this weight? What can I do to speed the process? And what kind of work-out should I do? I have a version of phen pills that my doctor gave to me to decrease my appitite, and I would love some more detailed meal plans if you are willing to give them. I would also love some reccommendations on what kind of work-outs I should do, as well as how often and for what amount of time. I go to physicial therapy because I have knee pains as well as back pains from all the weight that is weighing down my body. If I have to pay you some money to get some answers on what to do, I would be very willing to. I just want to be healthy and not feel so disgusted by what I see in the mirror (no self-esteem issues, just don’t like my body…love myself though…:) I know that I cannot expect miracles in a VERY short amount of time, but I am willing to do what needs to be done to get to my goal weight. The weight that I used to weigh BEFORE my son. Thank you for this awesome sight. And is it a bad thing to drink 16.9 fluid ounces that is 5 calories per serving? It is one of those things you just mix into your water.
Gemma, I recommend patience with your fat loss efforts. I would set a goal to lose 10 pounds per month – that should get you to your overall goal in a year.
Focus on diet first. Eat lots of vegetables, some fruit and nuts, and healthy protein sources such as chicken, fish, and eggs. Drink only water (unsweetened coffee or tea may also be ok depending on your caffeine tolerance). Eliminate all starchy carbohydrate sources such as bread, pasta, rice, and cereal. Also nix the dairy.
Your weight loss quest comes down to about 80% diet, so get that in line first an then worry about your training regimen.
I drink those things that are something you just mix in with your water, what do you think about these types of beverages. And can I loose MORE than 10lbs a month? Or is that not a healthy thing to do? Also, I am 21 years old, will my skin just hang there like some people I have seen on TV? Or will it snap back?
I think if you are trying to lose weight, you should avoid all “powders”. If you need some flavor with your water, squeeze half of a lemon or lime in there.
Yes, you can lose more than 10 lbs per month. The greatest weight loss to date with my 31 Day Fat Loss Cure program is 29 pounds. And as long as you are eating real foods in necessary quantities and exercising properly – yes, it is safe.
As far as the skin thing. . . the honest answer is that I have no idea. But forget about that for now; the amount of weight you need to lose is crucial for your HEALTH. You can worry about aesthetics later.
Hello I was ok to eat the last meal at 9pm as your about to go to bed and won’t be hungry?
Hello,
I was wondering what your thoughts were on hummous as alternative to beans as part of your diet? I’m talking home-made hummous (add chick peas, garlic cloves, and some lemon juice into a blender) with whole grain pita bread or vegis for dipping. Personally, I’m a huge fan of the stuff and wondering if eaten in moderation if it’ll work.
When talking about almonds, can they be the dark cocoa roasted type?
Hello Vic. I am starting your program with a group of teachers in the school we work in. We are doing a workout everyday after school and I am leading the workout. We have no equipment so I am going to use body weight and cardio to help us all get fit. I have exercised for years and can pretty much pick up where I left off even though I have about 20 pounds to lose to reach my goal, but some of the other women have never worked out before and have lots of weight to lose. Any tips on what to start them working out on and how to keep them motivated? Any advice would be great, I do not want them to get down and quit. Thank you!
Whitney
these are some great weight loss tips. Eating right and exercising proper dieting can lead to a person losing weight
Hi, I am wondering your thoughts on a healthier soda option called “Zevia”…cola sweetened only with Stevia! a WONDERFUL soda alternative to those of us that drank diet…
Hi Vic
I have just found your website and find it fascinating and very helpful. My main concern is I need to increase my weight, I am currently 10kg under weight, I also need to build muscles. Would this diet be ok for me? Or should I look for something with more fat?
Thanks
Emidio
Eat 2 – 4 servings of the following throughout the day:
* Carrots
* Bananas
* Berries
* Peaches
* Plums
* Oranges
* Pretty much any fresh fruit you like
when you say this does that mean you eat about 2 carrots a day, 2 bananas a day, 2 peaches a day..etc?
Hi i am just wondering can you add avocardo to the diet plan and if so how much would you recommend? Thanks
hi Vic,Im in the military and have an APFT Coming up in 30 days and i want to loose weight so that it can boost my rn time will this diet help,but keep me conditioned for my push ups and sit ups.