Last updated : Tuesday, May 12, 2009

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Week 1 Menus

The following meal plan is part of iMag's new summer weight loss series, The 10 Pound Takedown. Click over to our blog to get started! 

The 10 Pound Takedown: Week 1 Meals

Click here for the grocery list needed to prepare these meals. 

Monday 

Breakfast : Pump up the Fiber

Wake up your metabolism with a high energy breakfast! 1 cup whole grain cereal (any brand, 120 calories or less per serving and 3+ grams fiber) with 1/2 cup milk (skim, 1% or soy milk); enjoy with a small whole fruit or 1/2 cup sliced fruit (1/2 sliced banana, 1 ounce box of raisins, 1/2 cup berries, etc.).

Lunch: BYOB - Bring Your Own Brown Bag Lunch

Preparing your own lunch is a powerful weight loss tool and an effective way to keep a lid on calories. You can prep lunch items a day ahead to save time during those rushed mornings. Store your salad without the dressing to avoid soggy vegetables.

Spring Mix Salad: 

Unlimited mixed greens lettuce leaves topped with 3 ounces lean protein: Purdue grilled chicken (1/2 cup) canned light tuna, or canned salmon (3 ounce can or 1/2 of a 6 ounce can). Optional: mix tuna or salmon with 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise; sprinkle salad with 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese or reduced fat cheese shreds. Mix in 1/4 cup beans or chickpeas (rinse beans before eating)

Salad Dressing Options: 

4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) fat-free or light dressing (any brand, 40 calories or less per tablespoon); 1-2 tablespoons of regular dressing; salad dressing spray; or 2 teaspoons of olive oil mixed with squeezed lemon or 1-2 tablespoons of flavored vinegar.

Dinner: Dijon Chicken or Baked Salmon

Click here for the full recipe. Each recipe makes 4 servings. Prepare the entire recipe and store 2 servings in your refrigerator for immediate use and 2 servings in your freezer for later use.
Serve with a salad and 1/2 cup cooked whole grains.

Snacks: Eating every 3-4 hours can help tame your hunger and prevent overeating later on. Choose 2 snacks daily and on vigorous workout days, enjoy 3 snacks. Vegetables are free and do not count towards your snack allowance unless they are starchy. If you dunk your vegetables in a dip, follow recommended portions for yogurt dip, hummus, salsa, and dressing.

If you are under a time crunch, you can swap the meals above for an "emergency meal". A few options are shown below and are included in this week's grocery list:

On-the-go Breakfast: Swap the bowl of cereal for a high fiber cereal bar (refer to snack list for bar suggestions). Add a cheese stick on the side.

Time Crunch Lunch: 3 ounces (around 3 slices) of deli meat on Sari's skinny bread options; use 1 tablespoon of light mayo or hummus as a spread on the bread; add a fruit, raw veggies or a yogurt on the side.

Time Crunch Dinners: Frozen meal with a salad, yogurt or fruit on the side or 1 cup whole grain Buitoni pasta, 1/2 cup pasta sauce and steam fresh vegetables. You can cook an entire package of frozen veggies, (which makes around 2.5 servings) and save leftovers for another meal.

Tuesday

Breakfast: 6-ounce container of nonfat plain Greek yogurt mixed with 1/2 cup sliced fruit, 1/2 cup high fiber cereal, 1 tablespoon chopped nuts or ground flaxseeds. Optional: drizzle with 1 teaspoon honey.

Lunch: Leftover salad or sandwich

Re-heat baked salmon dijon from last night in the microwave and either:

1) Put it over mixed salad greens with chopped vegetables; select a salad dressing option from menu #1; enjoy with 50-60 calories worth of whole grain crackers on the side (2 Wasa or 7 Kashi TLC crackers).

2) Place leftovers into a "skinny bread" option: Arnold's sandwich thin, 2 thin slices of reduced calorie bread, a whole grain pita or tortilla.

Dinner: Chicken & Spinach in Creamy Dijon sauce

Wondering what to do with leftover sour cream and Dijon mustard? Here's a great way to put leftover ingredients to use. This nutrient-rich recipe reveals the secret to a cream sauce that is rich in taste, but not in calories. Shop at your local farmer's market for seasonal produce, and feel free to swap the spinach for any other dark green vegetable such as asparagus, swiss chard, broccoli or kale.

This recipe makes 4 servings. Prepare the entire recipe and store 2 servings in your refrigerator for immediate use and 2 servings in your freezer for later use.

Serve with a small baked sweet potato (about the size of a computer mouse or 1/2 large potato). Season the potato with black pepper or cinnamon.

To Microwave-Baked Sweet Potato:

1. Wash sweet potato
2. Puncture a few times with a fork. Place on paper towel on microwave-safe dish. Cook on high for 4-5 minutes. Turn over potato halfway through cooking.
3. If you cook a large potato, store the remaining half in your refrigerator covered for 3-4 days.

Snack Tip: Eating every 3-4 hours can help tame your hunger and prevent overeating later on. Choose 2 snacks daily and on vigorous workout days, enjoy 3 snacks. Vegetables are free and do not count towards your snack allowance unless they are starchy. If you dunk your vegetables in a dip, follow recommended portions for yogurt dip, hummus, salsa, and dressing.

Wednesday

Breakfast: Waffles in a Flash
Microwave 2 frozen waffles. Top with 1/2 cup sliced fruit (you can thaw frozen berries) and pick a protein topper: spread 1 tablespoon of natural nut butter or 1/2 cup yogurt onto waffles.

Lunch: Quickie Quesadilla

Re-heat leftover chicken, spinach and sauce (from Tuesday night's dinner) in microwave and spread on a whole grain tortilla. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup reduced fat shredded cheese and microwave until cheese melts. Optional: add 2 tablespoons of beans.

Dinner: Sushi

Starter: 1/2 cup soybeans (edamame) or 1 cup of seaweed salad (chukka sarada)
Entree: 1 roll (tuna, salmon, California, nothing tempura style, which is fried, request rolls without mayonnaise (kewpie) + 2 pieces sashimi (fish only) or 1 piece nigiri sushi (fish on rice bed)

Snacks: Eating every 3-4 hours can help tame your hunger and prevent overeating later on. Choose up to 2 snacks daily. Click here for our super snack list. Vegetables are free and do not count towards your snack allowance (hint: make room for those baby carrots).

Thursday

Breakfast: Natural Nut Butter Sandwich

1 leveled tablespoon of natural nut butter and 1 tablespoon all natural fruit jam spread on a skinny bread option or 1 and 1/2 leveled tablespoon natural nut butter spread on a sliced medium-sized apple.

Lunch: Mandarin Chicken Salad

Unlimited mixed greens topped with chopped vegetables, 1/2 cup Purdue precooked grilled chicken, 1/2 cup canned mandarin oranges and 1 tablespoon of chopped nuts. Dress your salad with 2 tablespoons of Sari's very easy vinaigrette or select a dressing option from menu #1.

Recipe: Sari's 5-minute Very Easy Vinaigrette:

Combine 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard. Mix well, makes about 1/2 cup. Use up to 2 tablespoons on your salad and refrigerate leftover dressing in a covered container. 

Dinner: Grilled Cheese with Gazpacho

If you are under a time crunch, substitute the gazpacho with 1 cup (1/2 can) of reduced sodium tomato soup (try Amy's Light Cream of Tomato soup)

Recipe: Guiltless Grilled Cheese
Preheat skillet to medium heat and melt 2 teaspoons of soft margarine. Place 1 slice of whole grain bread on heated skillet, 1/2 cup reduced fat shredded cheese or 2 slices low fat cheese (50 calories per slice), and sliced tomato (if you have on hand). Top with second slice of whole grain bread. Grill bread for about 2-3 minutes, flip and grill other side until cheese melts and bread is golden brown.

Recipe: Easy Gazpacho

This chilled tomato soup is a classic and chock full of healthy, fresh vegetables:

3 medium tomatoes, peeled & chopped
1/2 cup cucumber, seeded & chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
2 green onions (scallions), sliced
2 cups low-sodium vegetable juice cocktail
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp basil, dried
1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce
1 clove garlic, minced

Directions:

1. In large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.
2. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for several hours.
*You can used canned peeled chopped tomatoes instead of fresh. Use 1/2 of a 14 and 1/2 ounce can.
Makes 4 servings. 1 serving= 1 1/4 cups. The skinny: 52 calories

Snacks: Eating every 3-4 hours can help tame your hunger and prevent overeating later on. Choose up to 2 snacks daily.

Friday

Breakfast: Oatmeal with the Works

1 cup cooked oatmeal (dry measurement: 1/4 cup steel cut oats, 1/2 cup dry rolled oats or 1 instant packet). Toppers: 1 cup frozen berries with 1 tablespoon chopped nuts or ground flaxseeds.

Lunch: Turkey Roll Up with Cheese and Apples

Spread 1 light Laughing cow cheese wedge on a whole grain tortilla. (You can also use 1/4 cup reduced fat shredded cheese or 1 slice low fat cheese.) Top with thin slices of granny smith apple, 3 ounces lean deli meat (about the size of a deck of cards, around 3 thin slices) and mixed greens. Roll it up and enjoy!

Tortilla substitute: You can use any skinny bread option on the grocery list. Other optional spreads on tortilla: 2 tablespoons hummus, 2-3 tablespoons salsa, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard or 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise.

Dinner: Nuke a Nutritious Meal:

Reheat frozen leftovers: Baked Salmon Dijon and throw it over steamed vegetables (time saver: microwave frozen veggies) or a salad of unlimited mixed greens with chopped vegetables. For salad dressing, use 2 tablespoons of Sari's very easy vinaigrette or select a dressing from menu #1. On the side: reheat leftover baked sweet potato or enjoy 1 and 1/2 cups leftover gazpacho

Snacks: Eating every 3-4 hours can help tame your hunger and prevent overeating later on. Choose up to 2 snacks daily.

Saturday

Breakfast: Omega-3 French Toast with Fruit

Recipe: Combine 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts and 1-2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds in a bowl. Set aside. In a separate bowl, scramble 1 egg with 1/4 cup water and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Preheat skillet and lightly coat with non-fat cooking spray. Dip 2 slices whole grain bread in egg and then in flaxseed-nut mixture. Grill toast until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Top with 1/2 cup sliced fruit. Bananas and berries go very well with this dish! Optional: use 1 tablespoon light syrup or sprinkle with sugar substitute.

Lunch Protein Packed Fruit Salad
Mix 1 and 1/2 cups sliced fruit with a 6 ounce container of nonfat Greek yogurt or a 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese.

Dinner: Tuna or Chicken Melt
Preheat broiler. Mash 3 ounces water-packed light tuna (or 1/2 cup Purdue precooked grilled chicken or 3 ounces of lean deli meat) with 1 tablespoon light mayo. Add minced onion & celery (optional), and freshly ground black pepper. Spread on a skinny bread. Top with sliced tomato and 1/4 cup reduced fat cheese or 1 slice low fat cheese and place in oven until cheese melts; enjoy with crunchy raw or steamed vegetables on the side. For bagel lovers: buy a single mini bagel and prepare it as a bagel melt!

Snacks: Eating every 3-4 hours can help tame your hunger and prevent overeating later on. Choose up to 2 snacks daily.

Sunday

Breakfast: Egg Scramble with Salsa

Preheat skillet and saute chopped fresh or frozen vegetables in 2 teaspoons of soft spread. Whip 1 whole egg with 2 egg whites and pour onto sauteed vegetables. Scramble until eggs are fully cooked. Melt 2 tablespoons reduced fat shredded cheese on eggs. Top egg scramble with 2-3 tablespoons of salsa. Enjoy with a mixed green salad tossed with 2 tablespoons of Sari's very easy vinaigrette or select a dressing from Monday's menu. 

Lunch: Veggie Burger & Hummus Sandwich

Choose a skinny bread and spread with 2 tablespoons hummus. Microwave a frozen veggie burger. Stuff sandwich with veggie burger and mixed greens. On the side: 1 1/2 cups leftover gazpacho, 1/2 cup sliced fruit, 1 medium whole fruit or a 6-ounce yogurt.

Dinner: Enjoy a meal out, but practice damage control. For the most part, that means, eat a 1/2 portion and brown bag the rest. Check out my slideshow on Healthy Dining Out Tips on imag! Alternative options: Reheat frozen leftover Chicken & Spinach and enjoy with 1/2 cup cooked whole grains.

Snacks: Eating every 3-4 hours can help tame your hunger and prevent overeating later on. Choose up to 2 snacks daily. 

Click over for the week 1 workout plan! 

Be part of iMag's 10 Pound Takedown summer weight loss series! Join two iMag viewers as they take on the challenge to reach their goals. Check our blog daily for great menus, workouts and easy recipes from our fitness and nutrition team, Registered Dietician Sari Greaves and Trainer Ken Szekretar. You'll be slim, toned and healthy in no time.

Sari Greaves works as a registered dietitian at Step Ahead Weight Loss Center in Central New Jersey where she provides nutrition counseling to a wide variety of patients seeking weight loss and healthy lifestyle modification. As a national spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, she appears regularly on television and has done interviews on ABC News, New York 1, MY9 News, NBC News, Fox News, CW11 News and Bloomberg News. She has been quoted in a variety of print and Internet publications including the Wall Street Journal, Daily News, New York Post, Newsday, Food & Fitness Advisor, Self Magazine, Shape Magazine, MSN News, Men's Health Magazine, Women's Health Magazine, Prevention Magazine, Consumer Reports on Health, Fitness Magazine, Health Magazine among many others. You can email her at sari@stepaheadnj.com

 

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