One Week Diet to Lose Weight

Losing weight is a big decision for anyone to make, since it takes commitment and that drive to be able to watch yourself live healthier, and eat even healthier. When you take that step to change your overall appearance, you don't have to worry about clothes fitting, falling ill or even what people will say. If you qualify as being overweight - then it is time you did something about it. Consciously decide that it is time you think about your body before you reach out for that next greasy or sugar-ridden food.

The first few days into it aren't easy. You're giving your body a small portioned intake of food, cutting down on calories and anything that would prove to be pernicious. So the next time you wholeheartedly dunk into a pack of salted potato crisps or load on the extra greasy bacon with high cal mustard and other sauces, ask yourself how much you'd put on in a single day, if you continued at that unhealthy momentum.

Recently on the Dr. Oz show, which is a very famous health show that covers all kinds of illnesses and lifestyle habits, they were doing a program on unhealthy eating. Two women were asked to step up on stage and uncover their number one food craving, which was set atop a table masked by a cloth. The first heavyset woman lifted off her cloth, and revealed a bowl full of salted potato wafers. She said she ate two family packs a day, and saw it as a necessity. The second woman revealed a tall glass full of coke, where she cannot go by a single day without about a liter of this down her system. Can you imagine the amount of salt and saturated fat consumed by the former woman? And what about all that sugar and unhealthy addition of god knows what in woman number 2's obsession?

It's insane how people gorge down food, and drink things like it were water to them. Know how much your body can take and cannot take. It isn't wise to cause such harm, fall ill and then lead a life of just medically treating yourself everyday with no access to things you once loved.

Turning Your Diet Around in One Week

There are three dangerous food items that need to be tossed out into the trash can - preservative-ridden foods, greasy junk from fast food joints and aerated / pre-packed drinks. Sugary items if you notice aren't mentioned because you can indulge in your favorite desserts and sweets but on a minimal basis. For example, opt for sugar-free desserts and instead of milk chocolate, go for dark. Managing your dietary needs in a smart and well-thought out manner will prove to be worth it in the long haul.

Be sure to take these in small portions and not pile these so high onto your plate, where you can't even see where your going. The perfect plate to use, which is the trick to manage portions, is to eat out of a quarter plate, and not a full one. While on the diet, switch to red wine instead of hard alcohol since calorie hikes are hidden within its content. If this is too much to do, enjoy one drink a week at best.

Breakfast
Start your morning nice and early at say 7:30 am so that you make the most out of your high metabolic rate. In the morning one's metabolic rate is at its highest, making the body burn much more calories in this time span. Load on the breakfast with healthy foods, although not to a point where you're stuffed but satiated. Start out with this choice of breakfast eats.

1. A bowl of oatmeal or bran flakes coupled with milk (skimmed / non fat) and fruit (usually berries or banana slices; half cup each) / 2 eggs (poached / omelet-style using mushrooms, herbs, carrots and bell peppers) with two slices of whole wheat toast / a big bowl of fruit (assorted).
2. Tall glass of freshly squeezed juice / a protein milkshake / a fruit shake using non-fat milk / low-fat cream.
3. 2 bagels with non fat and unsalted butter with a cup of black coffee (use stevia for sweetness).

Snack Time
The importance of having a mini snack two hours after breakfast is to keep that metabolism running and burning continuously throughout the day. Opt for one of the following snack / drink choices (keep snack portions at a hand full each).

1. Nuts (unsalted)
2. Seeds like sunflower or pine.
3. Baked chips or crackers (unsalted).
4. Assorted olives
5. Drink lots of water if not snack on anything, it dampens food cravings.
6. A mug of green tea, with a slice of lemon and stevia.
7. Black coffee (add stevia, leave out cream)

Lunch
Make it a habit to prepare your own lunch, using fresh produce where you can trust yourself to make it from scratch in a hygienic manner. Choose from one of the following lunch alternatives, which you can interchange with one another everyday.

1. Grilled salmon with a side of stir fried veggies (olive / sesame oil) vegetables (like baby corn, bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots or broccoli).
2. Grilled chicken steak with a small bowl of salad (the salad could include lettuce, olives, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, chili flakes, vinegar, lemon juice and assorted herbs).
3. Shrimp with brown rice (poach / grill the shrimp and then toss them in a pan with the cooked rice, coupled with spices / herbs).
4. Beef gravy with whole wheat pita bread / brown rice (beef should be eaten in moderation, like once a week with fat completely trimmed off).
5. Tuna / tofu salad (using ingredients you prefer).

Evening Meal / Dinner
This last meal of the day has to be extremely light, with no heavy food choices during this meal. After lunch, wait for an hour and 30 minutes to have a mug of plain green tea (slice of lemon and stevia), or a small bottle of water kept on hand. In the evening (ideally you need to eat before 8 pm and nothing after) you can have either one of the following.

1. First drink a glass of water 10 minutes before you start your meal.
2. A small fruit bowl / unsalted crackers with low-fat cream cheese or butter (unsalted) / homemade vegetable broth / hummus with whole wheat pita bread.

Foods need to be fresh and most importantly not ready-to-eat or soaked in preservatives / additives. Drinks lots of water and also incorporate some form of activity into your lifestyle like using the staircase or walking briskly early the morning before you sit down for breakfast. 30 minutes of brisk walking / jogging every other day will greatly help when following the one week diet program. Have a healthy tomorrow.