Meal Plans

Measure Portions Accurately
Underestimating portion sizes can sabotage even the most well conceived weight loss program. If you have a diet scale, use it. However, estimating portions can also be done without a scale using the following general guidelines:

• 3 oz. of meat, fish or poultry is about the size of a deck of cards.
• 1/2 cup of vegetables is about half the size of a tennis ball.
• A medium piece of fruit is about the size of a baseball.
• 1 1/2 oz. of cheese is approximately the same size as a pair of dice.
• 1 tsp. of butter or margarine is about the size of a bottle cap.

Avoid Skipping Meals
Skipping meals can unwittingly ’trick’ your body into slowing down its metabolism in an attempt to conserve calories where limited fuel is available. To keep your metabolism high, eat 4 to 6 meals throughout the day. Studies indicate that consuming several small meals can contribute to greater weight loss by keeping your metabolism working more continuously and efficiently than if you eat just the three traditional meals per day. Start with four meals and gradually increase to six.

Log Your Food Intake For Two Weeks
Logging your food intake will help you understand your eating patterns and show you how it affects your weight. Document daily activities and feelings in the journal section so you can see how time of day, emotions and stress affects your eating patterns and weight loss. Download our Daily Journal Here and use it to stay on your food plan.

Tips For Eating On-The-Go
Complete Nutrition understands that a busy lifestyle doesn't always allow us to stick to a strict diet plan. Download our Healthier Choices Chart Here to help make smarter food choices if you're in a time crunch and have to eat fast food.

Eat Some Fat
Dietary fat can take up to 3 1/2 hours to digest, whereas refined carbohydrates (the kind that are most prevalent in the American Diet, including cereals, pasta, bread, potatoes, rice, etc.) emtpy from the stomach in much less time. Consume carbohydrates mainly from natural sources (vegetables and whole grains). These sources are high in carbohydrates, so limit intake in the evenings. Consume the majority of carbohydrates early in the day so your body can metabolize them before bedtime.

Regular consumption of ’healthy fats’ containing Omega-3 and Omega-6 essential fatty acids can help keep hunger at bay and may contribute to effective and fast weight loss in other ways. These ’healthy’ fats can be found in vegetables oils (like canola, olive and flaxseed), nuts, seeds and fish.

Drink Plenty of Water
Water does not directly assist in burning fat, but it is essential for several body functions, including: temperature regulation, food dissolution, nutrient delivery, and toxin excretion. Many claim that water increases weight loss success because it fills the stomach allowing less room for food (less food=less calories=weight loss).

Fiber Intake
Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are relatively low in calories, high in nutrients and absorb water to create bulk, which helps to fill you up while trying to attain weight loss. Fiber also helps to promote regularity, controls blood sugar fluctuations and even binds and transports natural toxins out of the body. Shoot for at least 25-35 gram everyday.

Individuals who find it difficult to obtain sufficient fiber on a regular basis, or desire more fiber than is typically possible on a low carbohydrate diet may find a fiber supplement to be an effective solution.

Sample 1 Week Meal Plan

Day 1
Breakfast
1-2 Scoops of your favorite Protein supplement in a shake.

Mid-Morning Snack
1 c. Cottage Cheese
1 Peach

Lunch
Lettuce Salad, with chopped Ham and topped with Cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, balsamic vinaigrette dressing

Mid-Afternoon Snack
1-2 Scoops of your favorite Protein supplement in a shake.

Evening Meal
1-6/8 oz. Grilled Chicken Breast with Steamed Broccoli

Day 2
Breakfast
1 c. liquid egg substitute
2 slices Canadian bacon
1 slice whole grain bread.

Mid-Morning Snack
1-2 Scoops of your favorite Protein supplement in a shake.

Lunch
Tomato stuffed with chicken salad
Fresh Melon Wedge

Mid-Afternoon Snack
1-2 Scoops of your favorite Protein supplement in a shake.

Evening Meal
1-6/8 oz. Grilled Steak
Bibb lettuce salad w/olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste.

Day 3
Breakfast
1-2 Scoops of your favorite Protein supplement in a shake.

Mid-Morning Snack
String cheese and and apple.

Lunch
Roast Beef wrap
Sugar Free flavored gelatin

Mid-Afternoon Snack
1-2 Scoops of your favorite Protein supplement in a shake.

Evening Meal
Grilled salmon with tomato salsa
Grilled asparagus
Tossed salad (mixed greens, cucumbers, green peppers, cherry tomatoes) Olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste.

Day 4
Breakfast
1 grapefruit
1 c. old-fashioned oatmeal mixed with 1 c. non-fat milk
Add cinnamon and 1 Tbsp chopped walnuts.

Mid-Morning Snack
1-2 Scoops of your favorite Protein supplement in a shake.

Lunch
Open-faced ham and Swiss cheese sandwhich on Rye
Fresh Apple

Mid-Afternoon Snack
20 Peanuts

Evening Meal
Stir-fry chicken and vegetables
Arugula, spinach, and walnut salad. Olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste

Day 5
Breakfast
1-2 Scoops of your favorite Protein supplement in a shake.

Mid-Morning Snack
1 Tbsp. Peanut butter with sesame breadstick.

Lunch
Turkey-tomato pita (3 oz. slice turkey, 3 tomato slices, 1/2 c. shredded lettuce, 1 tsp Dijon mustard in a whole wheat pita)

Mid-Afternoon Snack
Small Granny Smith apple with 1 wedge of light cheese

Evening Meal
6-8oz. Baked Chicken
1/2 c. Couscous
Grilled vegetables

Day 6
Breakfast
1 c. fresh strawberries
1 c. high-fiber cereal with 1 c. non-fat milk

Mid-Morning Snack
1-2 hard-boiled egg

Lunch
Chopped sirloin beef patty with 1 slice tomato and 1 slice onion in 1/2 whole wheat pita

Mid-Afternoon Snack
1-2 Scoops of your favorite Protein supplement in a shake.

Evening Meal
6-8oz. Baked Orange Roughy
Tomato and Mozzarella salad with olive oil, garlic and fresh basil to taste

Day 7
Cheat Day!
Enjoy the foods you love!