There are some diets out there that tell you to eat 1000 or under calories a day and do 2 hours exercise a day along with it. Whilst you may lose weight doing this, in the beginning, you won’t be able to maintain it for very long and even if you could, you would eventually stop this crazy “diet” and the weight would come piling back and bring lots of their fatty friends with it. Besides that, eating that little is not good for your body, and is that not the reason you want to lose weight anyway? To be better to your body? I have done the under 1000 calorie a day diet and trust me, the weight does come back. I have tried all the diets, and they only one that works is a balanced diet and eating enough. You NEED to exercise alongside the healthy eating and that is so difficult to do whilst eating under 1000 calories a day.
It is tempting to want to lose a lot of weight in a short space of time, but the truth is, it may take you a couple of years. It has taken me around 2 years to lose the 7st I needed to and I was hoping to do it in under a year – that just wasn’t realistic.
I thought it would be helpful if I posted a healthy eating plan, very similar to the one that I followed when I first started losing weight, for you to also follow, if you are looking to lose weight. It is a 3 week kick start plan, that, if followed, you can expect to lose around 2lb a week with. Maybe more in the beginning, depending on your start weight and what your diet consisted of before. Please don’t sit there and think “2lb a week is not enough”. It really is the right amount. If you lose weight too quickly, there are a lot of negative effects, like loose skin. Take it slow, allowing yourself to still enjoy food and you will get there in the end. Most importantly, you will have a healthy relationship with food at the end of it. By all means, carry this on after the 3 weeks. Don’t go back to your old unhealthy diet, because it goes without saying, the weight will pile back on. The only reason I say it is a 3 week plan, is that you would get bored with the same meals after that. When the 3 weeks is up, stick to a similar plan, and choose some of the great choices in the recipe section.
You should eat a breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. You can pick whatever one from the list below that you like. There isn’t enough choices on there to have different things everyday for the whole 3 weeks, so repeat the ones you like, but try not to have the same thing for dinner on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday etc. If you really like one meal, try to leave a day in-between having it, just so your body doesn’t get too used to the same food.
You should also choose 2 snacks a day and eat one between breakfast and lunch and one between lunch and dinner. If you are still hungry after dinner, have a healthy snack.
Each breakfast will be around 350 calories, lunch will be around 400 calories and dinner will be around 500 calories and the snacks will be around 100-200 calories each. This will mean you are eating around 1500-2000 calories a day (depending on the meals you are choosing), which is enough to keep you going, but a good amount to mean you should lose around 2lb a week if you are exercising as well. Take a look at this calorie counter to see how many calories you should be eating – it differs for everyone. If you need extra calories in your plan, add another post workout snack. You can find some exercise tips here. But you should be aiming to do at least 40 minutes of exercise 5 times a week – a mix of cardio and weights.
Don’t have any fizzy drinks, try to avoid fruit juice and don’t drink any alcohol. It will have a seriously negative effect on weight loss. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day and green tea will help too. Also, don’t have any coffee or anything with caffeine. Basically, just drink water and green tea – your body will thank you for it.
So, choose a choice from each of the sections each day for 3 weeks and you could lose at least 6lbs. I have tried to make sure the meals are as cheap and easy to make as possible and included options for lunch that you could take to work. Leave a comment at the bottom of the post to let me know if you are going to give it a try and keep me updated on how you are getting on. You can use a fake name if you want to be anonymous 
I have also uploaded recipes for a lot of the meal options here, and you can click on the options to take you to the recipes. As you can see, not all of them have links, yet. I am in the process of putting them all up, but in the mean-time there should be about a weeks worth of meals with links for you to be starting with. Keep checking back for the other recipes. Some of them won’t link to any recipes, as they are pretty self explanatory. You don’t need me to post a step by step guide to making a sandwich do you? I will also add more options as and when I create them. I am always in the kitchen coming up with new and healthy recipes, so I will make sure they fit in with this diet plan and I will update as and when.
Breakfast
- 40g porridge made with 140ml skimmed milk and topped with banana or any fruit you like. Sprinkle some cinnamon or some agave/honey if you want it to be a little sweet.
- Banana and almond butter stuffed French toast
- Apple, cinnamon and vanilla pancakes
- Healthier wholewheat pop tarts
- 3 ingredient flourless pancakes
- 1 slice of wholemeal toast, 60g grilled mushrooms and scrambled eggs made with 1 whole egg and 2 egg whites.
- 70g home-made muesli with 200ml skimmed milk and an apple
- 2 eggs (poached, boiled or scrambled with skimmed milk) and spinach on 1 slice of brown bread and a banana.
- 2 slices brown bread with 1 tablespoon of almond butter with sliced banana on it
- Banana porridge made with 170ml skimmed milk, 30g oat and 1 small banana
- Banana, Berry and Almond Smoothie
- Wholewheat Pancakes with 2 tbsp 0% Fage Greek yogurt and blueberries
- Homemade bagel topped with 1 tsp almond butter, half a banana and some cinnamon
- 2 pieces of Shredded Wheat with 200ml skimmed milk topped 20g raisins and half a banana.
- Spinach, Sun-dried tomato and cheese Frittata
- 250g Fage 0% Greek Yogurt topped with whatever fruit you like and a slice of brown bread with 1 tbsp almond butter
- Egg baked in Roasted Tomatoes
- Scrambled egg (made with 2 eggs and 100ml skimmed milk) on 1 slice of brown bread with grilled mushrooms and tomatoes
- Breakfast Burrito using whole wheat wrap
- Tomato, Egg and Spinach wrap
- Banana, Almond and Cinnamon Muffin
- Grilled full English Breakfast
- Oven baked hash browns with eggs
Lunch
- Mushroom omelette made with 1 whole egg and 2 egg whites, 80g mushrooms and 60g red peppers. Sweet potato on the side
- Chicken Pasta Salad and an apple
- Medium sized baked potato topped with either 1 portion of homemade baked beans or half a tin of tuna mixed with a tbsp of balsamic vinegar or 100g low fat cottage cheese. Eat 2 pieces of fruit after.
- Sopa de Calabaza with a homemade bagel and an orange
- Chicken and sweetcorn soup with 1 slice of wholemeal bread and some fruit for dessert.
- Mexican bean and tomato soup
- Oven baked falafel in a pita
- Creamy chicken, mustard and basil wrap and a salad
- Lemon and herb chicken with couscous
- Marinated chicken skewers with rice/couscous
- Tuna, Bean and couscous salad
- Tuna Pasta Salad
- Honey and mustard chicken salad
- Salmon fishcakes and a salad
- Egg mayonnaise sandwich (made with 2 slices of brown bread, 2 mashed up boiled eggs, 1 tbsp extra light mayo, lettuce, cucumber and tomato) and a piece of fruit (not banana).
- Tomato soup with egg nests
- Mexican bean burrito using whole wheat wraps
- Quinoa salad with feta and avocado
- Homemade bagel with half a chicken breast, 1 tbsp extra light mayo, salad and an apple
Dinner
- Medium grilled salmon fillet with 180g new potatoes and a whole head of broccoli
- 150g well-trimmed grilled/George Foreman steak with 200g butternut squash and sweet potato cubes, roasted in 1tbsp olive oil. Serve with a head of broccoli.
- Beef stir-fry with avocado salad
- Lemon and herb chicken with couscous
- Miso salmon noodle soup (you could use a chicken breast instead of salmon if you want)
- Grilled curries prawns with mango couscous
- Prawn Korma (you could use chicken instead)
- Mushroom omelette with one medium baked sweet potato and a portion of home-made baked beans
- Portobello mushroom pizzas with new potatoes
- Chicken Quesadillas with an apple for dessert. You could use 150 calories worth of tofu/quorn/pinto beans instead of chicken.
- Wholewheat pasta with ricotta and roasted vegetables
- Fajitas
- Thai Chicken Cakes with new potato slices and coleslaw
- Shakshuka (Eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce)
- Slow Cooked Moroccan Chicken
- Chicken and black bean chimichangas
- Spicy meatball Asian noodle soup
Snacks
- An apple, sliced, dipped in half a tbsp of almond butter
- 1 carrot, cut into sticks, dipped in 2 tbsp hummus
- 100g Fage 0% yogurt topped with mixed berries
- 10g walnuts and a mandarin orange
- 15 almonds
- A serving of homemade frozen yogurt
- A banana
- Apple and banana mini muffin
- 1 portion of Roasted Chickpeas
- 200g strawberries with 2 tbsp of fat free yogurt
- 1 serving of chili pecans
- Hard boiled egg with a satsuma
- 70g Edamame beans (found in oriental super markets and Holland and Barratt)
- Smoothie lolly and a piece of fruit (not banana)
- Frozen banana and a piece of fruit (not banana)
- Mini crustless quiche
- Frozen banana yogurt dessert
- Healthy chocolate parfait
- Any selection of fruit that totals 100 calories
Well, that’s it. I hope you give it a go. Even if you don’t need to lose weight, the meals are still healthy, which is how everyone should eat, regardless of weight, just up the calories with good fats like olive oil and avocado if you are looking to maintain.
Let me know what you think, and good luck! You can do it!
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
most of the recipes is chicken and tune and I hate chicken, meat and tuna I’m so picky
what should I do I can’t live on eggs and mushroom 
Thanks for the tips. Any reason why fizzy drinks are a no -no?
I think you are brilliant – and obviously speaking with the benefit of experience. Although very thin my whole life, I had a hysterectomy a few years ago, compounded by hypothyroidism and through it all, I put on 25 very, very difficult pounds to lose. I’ve lost about 10 pounds so far, but still have the rest to go. And after two years, I DO understand that you can’t simply “diet” – that you must change your life style. A doctor told me a long time ago that weight loss comes with change and change comes from expanding our experience and “leaving our comfort zone.” Food is a familiar friend, she went on to explain in that we return to set of “old favorites” that most people don’t stray from. But if we have the “spirit” of change within us, we will discover these new worlds that are just as gratifying and will actually enable us to live better, healthier lives. So thank you for your website. It reminds me of her words.
Going to start this as soon as my chest infection has gone, but will let you know how I get on. I am 5’8 and 252 pounds vegetarian and needing to lose weight now. I will let you know how I go
amazing amount of work you’ve put into this fabulous site. I’ve been following you for inspiration on FB but am really glad to see your healthy eating options. THX will keep in touch with my progress.
Hi I’m starting at 270lbs and will start this tomorrow! Will let you know how I go! I look forward to getting into my clothes again!
Great ideas, this is exactly what I need to start my weight loss!
This is a great starter for those interested in weight loss. Thanks for doing this!
I have a couple of questions.
With breakfast, is it suitable to replace Shredded Wheat with Wheatabix? I know Shredded Wheat are less processed, but I really can’t stick them!
Have you got any further suggestions for vegetarian lunches (ie, what would you replace the chicken with in the Pitas?)
And finally, what are egg nests?! (I know you said you were going to get the recipes up, but I can’t wait!)
Hi, thanks for the comment.
Yes, you could replace shredded wheat with wheatabix, but like you say, they are more processed, with more salt and sugar, so try not to have them everyday for breakfast and try some of the other choices instead.
I will be uploading some more veggie options in the next couple of days, so keep checking back, but as for the chicken pitas – definitely not quorn. You could marinade some tofu or season some beans and use those instead. Roasted vegetables would work well as well, but would lower the calories of the meal so you would have to add something else to your lunch.
As for the egg nests, basically it is a small piece of bread in a ramekin, topped with some vegetables with an egg cracked on top. Sprinkle a little cheese on top and bake in the oven. They go great with soup
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