Making a meal plan, shopping, and prepping your breakfast, lunch, and dinner is clutch for weight loss. Problem is, it can be super overwhelming.
Here's what a perfect day of eating for weight loss looks like
You need to power up your meal plan to lose weight fast.
So to lighten your load, we've come up with a list of five weight-loss friendly foods that will help get you to your goals in a flash and crazy-easy recipes you can nom all week long. Let's do this:
1. LEEKS
At a scant 54 calories a cup, these mild-flavored onions (no crying here!) are teeming with prebiotic fiber, which can help fuel the good bacteria in your gut.
2. LAMB LOLLIPOPS
This tender meat can be high in fat, but it may also help burn fat, thanks to conjugated linoleic acid. Lamb contains about five times as much CLA as beef.
3. FRESH ROSEMARY
Like all herbs, it adds flavor for few calories, but it's also got carnosic acid, which early research indicates may slow digestion so you feel full longer.
4. ASPARAGUS
These woody spears are rich in inulin, a type of soluble fiber that research has shown makes food much more filling. That's well worth funny-smelling pee.
5. DRIED APRICOTS
Potassium-packed foods like these may be key to a humming metabolism. People who downed the most of the mineral had the greatest lean muscle mass.
BREAKFAST
BAGEL WITH HERBED APRICOT SPREAD
Simmer 6 apricots in 2/3 cup water with 1 tsp brown sugar and 1/4 tsp chopped rosemary, about 5 minutes. Puree with 1 oz cream cheese and 1/2 tsp orange zest. Chill. Spread 1 oz cream cheese and all the jam over 1 toasted bagel and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp chopped pistachios.
Makes 2 servings
LUNCH
SHAVED ASPARAGUS AND LAMB SALAD
Remove bones from 2 chops and sear, 5 to 8 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice. Shave 2 stalks asparagus over 2 cups greens. Whisk together 2 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp red wine vinegar, and 1/4 tsp chopped fresh rosemary; toss with greens. Top with lamb and 1/4 cup orange sections.
SNACK
CARAMELIZED LEEK DIP WITH STEAMED ASPARAGUS
Steam 4 asparagus spears until tender, 1 minute. Heat 1 tsp olive oil over medium. Add 1 sliced leek, 1 minced clove garlic, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook until very soft, 10 minutes. Stir in 2 Tbsp reduced-fat sour cream and 1 Tbsp shredded Gruyere. Serve warm, with asparagus spears.
DINNER
BROILED LAMB WITH CHARRED ASPARAGUS AND LEEKS
Heat oven to 450°F. In a cast-iron skillet, toss 4 halved asparagus stalks, 1 leek, halved lengthwise and crosswise, 1 tsp olive oil, and a pinch each of salt and pepper; roast until tender, 8 minutes. Combine 1 tsp olive oil with 1/2 tsp each chopped rosemary and garlic and rub on 3 lamb chops. Remove pan from oven, push vegetables to edge, place chops in center, and set oven to broil. Cook, flipping chops once, for 5 minutes (for medium).
DESSERT
APRICOT COMPOTE WITH CHEESE
Simmer 6 chopped apricots in 1/3 cup fresh orange juice with 2 tsp chopped leeks, 1 tsp red wine vinegar, 1/4 tsp finely chopped rosemary, and a pinch of salt until apricots are soft and liquid is nearly evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Chill and serve with 2 oz Gruyere slices.
Makes 2 servings
JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:
Email: eyewitness@pulse.com.gh