Weight Loss Meals - Critical Facts You Should Know

     Losing weight requires a lot of serious planning and follow-through. To ensure the success of any weight loss regimen, you need to carefully look at your food choices and plan your weight loss meals accordingly so you're not tempted to snack on those that would derail you on your program. Clean your pantry of any food that's not going to help you lose weight. If you're serious about your quest, you've got to start anew and fill your refrigerator with foods that will help you burn fat. Then, you've got to plan your meals so you maximize your weight loss goals.

The healthy way to begin is to make an inventory of what you have on your cupboard. Here's a general guide of foods you have there that you might like to give away to charity: Your cans of soda, all kinds of processed fruit juice, sugary stuff like donuts, cakes and other sweets, cured meats like hotdogs and bacon, chips and other junk food. Replace these with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats like chicken and/or beef, fish, beans and legumes. Instead of ice cream, fill your freezer with yogurt.

Then it's time to craft healthy meal plans to aid you in your weight reduction program. Aim to eat 4-6 mini meals a day so you keep your metabolism running. Drink water before and after every meal and all throughout the day.

Here is a one-day sample weight loss meal plans to get you started:

Breakfast:

Yogurt, Berry and Oats Trifle Recipe

Ingredients (serves 2):

100g strawberries (approx 8)

200g strawberry yoghurt (low fat or reduced fat)

50g oats

50g sultanas or raisons

Method:

1. Wash, hull and cut strawberries into quarters, set aside.

2. Using a clean wide lipped glass place 1/4 of yogurt in glass.

3. Sprinkle sultanas over the yogurt followed by oats, then strawberries, next 1/4 of yogurt and repeat with sultanas, oats and finish with strawberries.

4. Repeat in other glass.

5. Serve.

Morning Snack:

1 Apple or Banana

Lunch:

Peppered Chicken Salad with Mango and Red Wine Dressing Recipe

Ingredients for Salad (serves 2):

100g skinless chicken breast, cubed

1 leaf iceberg lettuce

80g fresh mango, sliced into cubes

50g avocado, sliced into cubes

60g red capsicum, diced

Sprinkle of freshly cracked black pepper

Ingredients for Dressing:

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Method:

1. Preheat non stick frying pan, add chicken to pan and cook under golden brown.

2. Place lettuce leaf on plate, arrange chicken, mango, avaocado and capsicum on top of leaf.

3. Mix red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard together until mixed well, drizzle over salad.

4. Serve immediately.

Afternoon Snack:

1 glass Green Smoothie

2 Dry Crackers

Dinner:

Aromatic Beef Stew With Butternut Squash

Ingredients (serves 4):

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound stew beef, cut into cubes

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 1/2 cups)

1 can (14.5 oz) no-salt-added diced tomatoes

1 can (8 oz) no-salt-added tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

3 cups cooked whole-wheat couscous

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown, 2 minutes

4 teaspoons minced fresh parsley

Method:

Heat oil in a 4-qt saucepan over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer meat to a plate, leaving juices in saucepan. Add onion; cook, stirring, until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and ginger; cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Return beef to pot; stir in squash, tomatoes, sauce, broth, cumin, cinnamon and pepper flakes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer until beef is tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Divide couscous and stew among 4 bowls. Sprinkle with almonds and parsley.

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