Preparing the kinds of foods you should be eating on a weight-loss plan can be tough so here are five steps to help you make a quick, easy meal on your own steam, without breaking the bank, or your brain!
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But first things first. If you’re feeling hungry, do this before you do anything else. rink a big glass of water, then wait ten minutes. You’ll feel fuller, your body will function better with the added hydration, and you’ll ultimately make better food choices.
Now you’re ready to design your ideal diet meal:
1. Select a plate. Choosing a plate to put your meal on is vital. You need the right size plate, because however big it is, you will want to fill it with food. So choose wisely.
2. Decide on a good base ingredient. The base ingredient of every meal on a weight-loss plan should be vegetables of some sort (except, maybe, for breakfast where complex carbs or proteins might be considered the base). Fresh veg is the easiest, especially if you can chop them ahead of time, or buy them pre-chopped. That way, a salad or stir-fry is only minutes away. Just make sure you have a healthy base ingredient that’s also tasty, and enough to covers 70 percent of your plate.
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3. Choose a protein. Every meal you eat should have a good source of protein included in it, which occupies 10 to 20 per cent of your plate – the exact amount depends on the amount of carbohydrate you choose, not the amount of veggies. It’s filling, healthy, low in junk calories (if it is a plant or a lean animal source) and will help your metabolism stay on track.
Some easy choices are precooked chicken breast or steak, tuna, whey protein powder, last night’s leftovers or scrambled eggs.
4. Pick a carb. What carbs should you choose? Potatoes with the skin on, brown rice, butternut, sweet potatoes, wholegrain bread or pasta… whatever takes your fancy! The issue here is that it should occupy 10 to 20 per cent of your plate, depending on how much protein you are having. Also, it should not be deep-fried, obviously!
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5. Opt for a dessert (…maybe). Having something sweet to end a meal is important to some people. So don’t necessarily skip it! Choose your favourite fruit and have one piece. Fruit is sweet, full of nutrients, and packs in a fibre-punch too.
You can also freeze grapes for a delicious summer after-dinner treat. And de-stoned dates kept in the fridge are also very tasty. Just don’t overdo it on the calories.
Enjoy!
The post How to design your ideal diet meal in 5 easy steps + RECIPESappeared first on All4Women.
