Photograph courtesy of Tiffany Kessler
Read about Tiffany's full weight loss journey here.
Breakfast: "I start my day with a cup of coffee mixed with a teaspoon of coconut oil. Then I'll have breakfast, which might be Grape Nuts with 2% milk and a banana; or two fried eggs, and oats with raw honey and cinnamon." (Give one of these oatmeal recipes a try.)
Snacks: "I eat snacks between meals, which often consist of fruit with either low-fat vanilla yogurt or almond butter on wheat toast."
Lunch: "I love fresh, homemade salads with all kinds of greens and veggies, cheese, and balsamic vinegar and olive oil dressing; or some leftover turkey chili and roasted veggies."
Dinner: "Sometimes it's homemade pizza on pita bread with salsa and Munster or mozzarella cheese. Other nights, it's a protein like pork tenderloin, baked chicken, or tacos with ground turkey with sides like roasted veggies, brown rice, or quinoa."
Dessert: "If I have a sweet craving at home, I'll eat kettle corn, an apple with almond butter, or pineapple. If I'm dining out, which is pretty rare, I'll splurge and have a shake or slice of cheesecake—everything in moderation!"
Drinks: "Nothing but water and coffee."
Sara Kaplan
Age: 38
Weight Lost: 97 lbs
Photograph courtesy of Sara Kaplan
Read about Sara's full weight loss journey here.
Breakfast: "Mini chicken apple sausages with apple slices is one of my favorite quick and easy morning meals."
Snacks: "I usually go for a Quest Cookies & Cream protein bar, or a single-serving package of cashews from Trader Joe's between meals." (Here are 6 reasons to go grab a handful of nuts.)
Lunch: "A hamburger (no bun) with bacon, sliced avocado, various veggies, and a side salad. I've found that if I don't eat flour, dairy, and sugar that I feel more full and satisfied."
Dinner: "Often it's roasted chicken and roasted veggies, usually sweet potatoes and something else."
Dessert: "One or two dark chocolate peanut butter cups. I have dark chocolate almost every day—I love it and it helps me avoid feeling deprived or restricted."
Drinks: "Mostly water and unsweetened tea."
Jenny Jahn-Hudec
Age: 36
Weight Lost: 100 lbs
Photograph courtesy of Jenny Jahn-Hudec
Read about Jenny's full weight loss journey here.
Breakfast: "I have two go-to breakfasts: either two slices of bacon with two eggs fried in olive oil, an apple, and coffee with unsweetened almond milk; or, apple slices dunked in my healthy 'fruit dip'—a mixture of vanilla Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon chia seeds, and Epicure's carrot cake seasoning."
Lunch: "I eat a variety of meals that I prep on the weekend, like romaine salad with grape tomatoes, red onion, chicken breast, croutons, and Greek dressing." (Try one of these mix and match salad recipes for the ultimate healthy lunch.)
Dinner: "Some of my go-to dinners are bruschetta chicken, mini meatloaves, zucchini lasagna, and turkey sausage with apple-stuffed acorn squash. If it's not already a veggie-heavy main dish, I'll serve it with steamed veggies and broccoli-cheddar quinoa bites."
Snacks: "I don't always snack, but if I do, it's usually fresh fruit or a specialty flavored loose tea. I use tea like a snack because you sip it slow, and it keeps the hand-to-mouth action going without consuming extra calories."
Drinks: Plain water, fruit-infused water, tea, and coffee.
Chiara Gravell
Age: 47
Weight Lost: 150 lbs
Photograph courtesy of Chiara Gravell
Read about Chiara's full weight loss journey here.
Breakfast: "It usually consists of a smoothie with berries, almond or soymilk, and protein powder; and coffee with almond or soymilk and stevia." (Find out the healthiest protein powder for your smoothie.)
Snacks: "Between meals, I'll usually eat veggies and hummus, an apple with nut butter, or popcorn—usually with more coffee (coffee and I are friends!)."
Lunch: "A salad with various veggies and some sort of protein (like chicken), and dressing."
Dinner: "I always pair a protein and a complex carb. A typical dinner is stuffed peppers with ground turkey, brown rice, quinoa, and tomatoes."
Dessert: "If I eat dessert, it's usually chocolate covered almonds, part of a dark chocolate bar, or a protein bar."
Cheryl Parker
Age: 42
Weight Lost: 100 lbs
Photograph courtesy of Cheryl Parker
Read about Cheryl's full weight loss journey here.
Breakfast: "I'll often do some sort of breakfast sandwich like a Lean Cuisine turkey sausage English muffin, along with a banana; or an egg white omelet loaded with veggies and some provolone cheese, and a side of turkey sausage." (Try adding THIS breakfast food to eat 31% less at lunch.)
Snacks: "Usually it's a serving of roasted and salted cashews, a Skinny Cow ice cream treat, or a black cherry Greek yogurt."
Lunch: "A flatbread sandwich with light mayo, tomatoes, jalapeños, turkey breast, and cheddar; or a premade salad loaded with greens, hardboiled eggs, dried fruit, and nuts."
Dinner: "Dinner often consists of a protein and veggies, like a ready-to-grill Beef Florentine pinwheel with mozzarella cheese and spinach from BJ's, corn on the cob, and some green peas. Or I might do a healthier take on pizza, with a multi-grain and flax crust, tomato sauce, mushrooms, spinach, turkey pepperoni, and cheddar."
Drinks: "I stick to water and decaf herbal teas. Caffeine is rare for me—maybe once or twice a year."
