Do you ever get confused by all of those easy weight loss diet plans out there?
Yeah me too…
Low carb, low fat, high protein, high fiber, Chinese tea secrets, 2-day fasts, detox diets…. It’s all WAY too confusing for new dieters. Dieting should be simple to follow. If it’s simple, all you need to do is stick to your diet and you’ll see REAL RESULTS (quickly I might add). Check this easy weight loss diet plan.
We’ve broken this easy weight loss diet plan down so that it’s better for you to follow. This diet is made for people who want to…
- lose body fat quickly (which equals weight loss)
- keep lean muscle mass
How To Lose Weight
Weight loss, in the most basic sense, comes down to a simple plan. You need to eat less calories than you burn. Period. The best way to do this, is to diet and exercise. But you already knew that. So, let’s get to the meal plan. . .
I can sum up the meal plan up in six simple words: Eat small, well balanced meals throughout the day. But you want more specifics than that, right? Ok, here we go.
Eat 3 meals and 2 snacks every day. If you need to, you can add a third snack. Space each meal/snack about 3 hours apart.
Easy Weight Loss Diet Plan
Eat and drink the following:
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Green, Red, or Yellow Pepper
- Cucumber
- Apples
- Asparagus
- Cauliflower
- Green Beans
- Kale
- Celery
- Pretty much any green leafy vegetable (except iceberg lettuce)
- Water (can add some fruit flavors using the fruit infuser water bottle)
Eat 2 – 4 servings of the following throughout the day:
- Carrots
- Bananas
- Berries
- Peaches
- Plums
- Oranges
- Pretty much any fresh fruit you like
Eat one 4 – 6 ounce lean serving of the following with each meal. These foods can be grilled, steamed, baked, or stir fried. No breaded or fried foods!
- Turkey breast
- Chicken breast
- Steak
- Pork
- Fish
- Eggs (2 or 3)
Eat one serving of the following with each snack. I do recommend not eating dairy during your weight loss plan, but if you feel you need it, eat it with you snacks:
- Almonds
- Walnuts
- Cashews
- Natural peanut butter (no sugar, no salt added)
- Yogurt
- Low-fat cottage cheese
- Low-fat milk
Eat these only with a meal after you workout and only small amounts:
- Oatmeal
- Brown rice
- Legumes
- Potatoes
- Whole wheat bread
- Whole wheat pasta
- Other whole grain food items
Use the following in extremely limited portions or not at all:
- Salad dressing
- Butter
- Cheese
Food And Drinks You MUST Stay Away From To Lose Weight
- Soda (tons of sugar and lots of empty calories)
- Alcohol (empty calories and usually leads to bad food choices when drinking)
- Sugar
- Fast Food
- Creamy salad dressings (Ranch, 1000 Island, etc.)
Example Of Weight Loss Meals
Ok, so what does a day’s worth of meals and snacks look like? Check out the sample below:
6:00am Fitness Training.
7:30am 2 eggs scrambled in non-stick pan with chopped green pepper and onion, 1 piece of wheat toast dry, small fruit cup of berries, melon, and pineapple, 1 cup of black coffee.
10:30am 10 almonds, 1 apple.
1:00pm Large spinach salad with cucumber, celery, grilled chicken breast, and 1/2 tablespoon of Italian dressing.
4:00pm Handful of walnuts, 1 orange.
6:30pm Grilled steak, large portion of steamed asparagus, small side salad with lettuce, tomato, and small amount of vinaigrette dressing.
9:00pm 4 celery sticks with small amount of natural peanut butter.
Some other final tips:
- Drink a large glass of water with each meal and snack.
- Pre-cook and prepackage your meals and snacks for the rest of the week. I usually do this on Sunday. This is MUCH easier if you eat the same meals each day.
- Keep a food journal and track your weight loss. You should be losing about 2 pounds per week. If you’re losing less than that, you probably need to tighten it up. If you’re losing more than that, it might be time to add that third snack. Whether you need a beginners workout, or
how to gain muscle mass for skinny people, your diet will play a huge role.
- If it comes in a wrapper or other packaging, don’t eat it
-Terry Asher
Did you like this easy weight loss diet plan? If you have any comments or questions, feel free to post them below!
Terry
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Nice… thanks for boiling it down to the essentials.
GREAT GREAT GREAT…………it really works
Thanks, Nimat. It sounds like you have gotten some good results. Keep up the great work.
Good post
Nice, I really like the format of this diet.
Seems like it would be easy to follow. I’ll give it a try this week and post some results. How much protein should I be eating to build muscle tho???
Vic,
I like this approach. I do a bit of Eat Stop Eat, but “try” to eat like this on my non-fasting days. Great article.
Also…I’m blown away by the layout of your site…and completely jealous! Can I ask you who did your design? I need to hire your theme designer! I have look at over a dozen blogs per day (minimum) for the past year and 1/2. This is one of the best I’ve seen. Very “reader friendly”.
Rusty
How much weight can I lose in 2 months if Im 254 lbs right now?
It depends on how bad you want it. I was 252 lbs exactly 7 weeks ago, and I am 219 lbs today.
I would be so grateful if you could give an example of a vegetarian meal plan (but eggs included:-since Ieat those). Thanks so much for all the amazing info!
one more thing. To start my regimen at 6 means I have to wake up around 5. Should I not eat anything till 7.30 am?
@ Matthew – If you stick to a good diet like this one, and workout 3 times per week 20 lbs wouldn’t be out of the question.
@ Sangita – I would use the diet above and cut out the meat obviously. You’ll need to get more protein from somewhere, which is where I would suggest eating more eggs, tofu and beans/rice in limited portions.
Watch your quantity of rice/beans. I would keep it to about a half cup each cooked.
In regards to the time, I would suggest something small like a banana before your workout and then eat your breakfast after you workout.
Thanks Vic! Will keep you posted. This obviously means I have to take some effort in planning (and executing) my meals. High time I started doing that!
what is a BURPEE please..:(
Basically, Push-up, Jump, Repeat. Check Youtube for excellent examples.
For those vegetarians out there…Morning star farms products (vegie burgers, tofu chicken patties, etc.) are good protein substitutes, easy to cook and low in calories (they can substitute a meat source). but they are a little pricey if you are on a budget. Boca brand products are cheaper, but not as delicious.
What are your thoughts on diet soda? Is it ok to have one everyone once in a while?
Quick question…
What are the benefits of avoiding the complex carbs of potatoes (sweet and regular), brown rice, and oatmeal? I eat at least one of these daily, whether or not it’s a gym day…
Thanks!
The benefits are. . . it works! We tested this diet with a group of 12 people before posting. 6 out of 12 lost 20 lbs. or more in only 8 weeks. The other 6 lost a minimum of 11lbs. in 8 weeks. The test group exercised 2 or 3 times per week for approximately 30 minutes per session.
The real answer to your question lies in the GI index of carbohydrate rich foods and the role they play in body fat. The scientific data I cannot personally spout at this time. But I do know, from direct experience, that avoiding the carbs is effective for weight loss.
A great site!!! Thank You
Great tips. You recommend avoiding salad dressings…does that apply to balsamic vinaigrette too?
can you tell me what one serving of nuts amounts to? 1oz? 10 nuts? one “handful”? how many calories are we looking at for one serving size?
thanks. i look forward to trying this plan.
@ Tim: If you can, just go with vinegar and a touch of olive oil. Bottled dressings are usually filled with crap you don’t want.
@ nicole: I’d go with the “handful” and make it a small handful to start out. With the nuts, plus a piece of fruit for the snacks, we’re looking at a total calorie count of around 300 – 350 calories.
Wow! Week one is done, and i’m down 9 lbs (from 215-206)! Great meal plan Vic. I’m finding it really easy to follow, I have enough energy for my workouts and I don’t feel hungry all the time.
Do you have any other suggestions for breakfast. I’ve been eating 2 eggs every morning with a side of fruit salad. I’d like another “palatable” morning protein option. I don’t think I can do tuna in the morning
@nicole: AWESOME JOB ON LOSING 9 POUNDS! There’s no way I’m doing tuna for breakfast, myself. I’ve had clients use lean ground beef or turkey for breakfast and not have their results compromised. Just be sure to watch your portions and continue to track your weight weekly.
Vic: I’m an 18 year old at 240 pounds and plan on becoming a cop after college. Needless to say, I need to get in shape. I have tried dieting (not this specific one, just a self-made one with 3 meals 2 snacks a day with small meals) and exercising 5 days a week. I find myself hungry constantly and after running half an hour and lifting on a balanced mix of machines (I know, but I don’t wish to do free weights) 5 days a week for a month and a half, I haven’t lost even 5 pounds. Any advice?
@ Ed: Oh, Ed. . . I’m going to start this off by paraphrasing Einstein, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results”. If after a month and a half you haven’t even lost 5 pounds, it’s obvious you need to do something different than what you’ve been doing. Start with following the diet; it’s been proven effective with several of my personal clients. Next, replace your half hour runs with sprints – run as fast as you can for 30 seconds, walk for 30 seconds and repeat until you cannot do another sprint. That might mean only 1 or 2 sprints your first time and that’s fine; gradually add sprints until you can do 6 – 10. And finally, and I only put this after the sprints because it seems you feel pretty strong about NOT doing this, ditch the machines and replace them with free weight movements. THIS IS CRUCIAL, especially given your chosen profession. Keep us posted on your progress and best of luck!
Thanks a lot. I hadn’t weighed myself in the month and a half because I was hoping to see a decently big number around 15 pounds. My main trepidation with free weights is that I’ve never done them before. I don’t know where to start, or how to make it safe. Because of that, and the fact that I don’t know anyone at my gym besides the football team from my high school that lounge around the free weight area, it would feel extremely awkward to do free weights. I don’t know any gym etiquette (when it’s okay to slip in and do my reps? the people who do this on a daily basis pretty much hang around and talk while they take turns doing their reps) let alone what weight to start at.
Alright, I’ve watched the videos on the squat and dead lift, but I guess the main point is I don’t know what weight to start at, and it’d be pretty awkward to fiddle around to find the right weight with the regulars waiting around for their turn.
One more thing, the thanks in the first comment wasn’t intended to sound sarcastic at all, sorry if it came off as such. Great site you have here and thanks for the advice
@ Ed: It’s obvious you feel very self conscious in the gym, so I have three suggestions. Workout at home, hire a trainer, or find another gym where the football guys don’t train. Hiring a trainer to help you learn the basic barbell movements and starting poundages is your best bet. Yes, it will cost you some money but it is money well spent (if you find a good trainer). Working out at home is always an option. You can use bodyweight movements (push ups, burpees, bodyweight only squats, etc.) or you can find a barbell and some plates at a garage sale or on Craig’s List pretty easily. But if you need to get out of the house to get motivated to train, then I suggest going to a different gym – one where these ex-football players won’t be standing around. Do your best to not compare yourself to others in the gym and just focus on becoming the best “you”.
Hello, im 5ft 7in 170 most of my weight is in the ab area, I like my weight and just want to get stronger. If I work out often do you recommend that I follow a diet plan to lose weight in the ab area, I also hit the tread mill on non lift days…
@Money Mike: If you want to get rid of the weight around your midsection, your diet is the most important piece of the puzzle. For getting stronger, stick to the basic barbell lifts. And if you can, ditch the treadmill for some intense circuit training. Train hard!
[…] Easy Weight Loss Diet […]
[…] If you are currently working out and not seeing the results you want, I highly suggest you focus on these compound movements and a healthy diet. Results don’t come from miracle supplements or infomercial ab machines…. They come from busting your ass, eating right, and staying consistent. If you need help putting a plan together, we have free workouts on our site such as our How to build muscle workout, and also our How to lose fat workout. And if your eating habits could use some improvement, you’ll probably like our caveman style weight loss diet. […]
It occurs to me that I might have a drinking problem. Probably have to get back on the anti-depressants before I can start a good diet like this. As of now, beer’s far too important to me.
Lucas, we all have our cross to bear. Get help and good luck.
hi Vic. i’m a little confused … this plan diet is for loosing weight right? but what happens if i just wanna lose fat but i don’t really wanna lose weight because i’m thin but i have too much body fat ( 20%)
I’d stick to this diet and implement solid resistance training. If you feel you are getting too light, you can always increase the calories after you’ve lost some fat.
I know packaged food is not part of the diet, but what are your thoughts on fiber one cereal – super high in fiber, low fat, whole grain- and Kashi go lean cereal (NOT kashi crunch)- high fiber high protien fairly natural? I just got to have my cereal in the morning. It keeps my carb cravings at bay.
I suggest eating cereal only post workout and only in minimum quantity. Give it a shot for 31 days. You can always return to your cereal after that if you have not noticed a favorable difference.
What about protein shakes or protein bars? Where can I incorporate those into the diet? I usually have a protein shake as a meal replacement for breakfast and work out in the morning. Can I add a protein bar (such as a zone bar or balance bar) as my afternoon snack instead of nuts or fruit?
Also, what about whole grain high fiber cereals such as fiber one for breakfast or lunch? okay to eat?
thanks for your time!
Hi Lauren, I’m not a fan of protein powder and prepackaged bars – especially for weight loss. The real reason I think most of us use these things if for convenience. So they can be avoided with a little preplanning – precooking and packaging all meals for the week on one day, getting up a few minutes early to cook breakfast, etc.
The cereal may be fine for part of a post workout meal. Other than that, I do not recommend cereals as part of a weight loss diet.
The bottom line is that you have to give it a try and find out for yourself. Give it 30 days without the cereal, protein shakes, or bars and see how you feel. If you feel like you really need them in your diet and your haven’t seen an improvement in your weight loss, then you can consider adding them back to your diet.
are 0 calorie sodas bad too?
Usually they still have harmful things in them that make it worse than regular sodas.
I would stay away from ALL SODAS if you are trying to lose fat…
Hi Vic. Are any sauces/marinades allowed with the diet. I have tried sticking with dried herbs and salt and pepper, but my meals are still rather bland. Can I stirfry with soysauce or marinate with vinegar? What about BBQ sauce or mustards?
Soy sauce and vinegar should be ok (I use them both). Mustard, you have to be careful of the type you use (Dijon probably fine, Honey mustard probably not). BBQ sauce is usually pretty high in sugar, so I’d steer clear of it.
Hey I am in an odd situation where I am living with a family in germany. The family does not have a ton of money by any stretch, and eating the amount of meat you suggest is not even remotely possible with their budget. The most I could do is about 5 ounces of chicken daily, and that would be pushing it, actually. The only options I feel like I have are red kidney beans and soy beans (edamame). Any suggestions? I’d really like to make this work!
also eggs are still an option for me, I forgot about those. Just as a general rule, germans don’t eat much meat other than sausage, and it’s questionable whether they even know what a steak is.
Beans and rice can work as a complete protein source. Keep your portion low (size of your fist total for both) and be careful not to eat too much. What about eggs? They are usually pretty cheap and easy to find. Good luck!
Hey thanks! Do I have to eat rice with the beans? And what about quinoa? So far I’ve been steaming about 5 oz of green beans and eating a half fist-worth of edamame or kidney beans (150 grams). The green beans fill me up without the rice. Does the rice “complete” the protein I get from the beans?
Also, how much do you care about calories? I’m 5’4′ female 128 and your meal plan puts me at around 1500. More? Less? Okay the way it is?
Thanks a ton for doing this, I’m totally psyched and greatly appreciate it !!!
For the salad dressings – consider an oil substitute: whisk 1Tb of cornstarch into 1 cup of water and bring to a boil on the stove. Let cool and use to make homemade dressings. The only adjustment is watch the amount of ‘hot’ spices in recipes. Some may find it a bit vinegary, in which case a touch of sweetener (your choice, but I don’t bother) helps.
Anne, Im not a nutrtionist but I cant imagine something with cornstarch in it being good for you if youre trying to lose fat.
Corn has pretty much no nutrtiion value, and is used as filler in most foods.
I think Olive oil/balsamic vinegar is the way to go!
– Justin
Justin – don’t know, I’m not a nutritionist either, but I’ve used this for more than a year and I’m quite a bit lighter than I was. A Tb of cornstarch has 30 calories in it, which lets you lighten salad dressings. That makes a little less than a cup, which when mixed up with vinegar and spices goes weeks for me. I seriously doubt it’s affected my weight loss.
I’ll chime in here. . .
My preferred salad dressing is 3 parts olive oil, 1 part vinegar. That being said, I have used corn starch with soy sauce as a glaze for stir fried chicken (just ate some for lunch in fact) and do not feel it has caused excess weight gain.
This is why it is so important to write down everything you eat and to weigh in weekly. If at the end of the week you haven’t lost weight, you can look at your food journal and decide where to make an adjustment. Maybe the cornstarch based salad dressing has to go. Then again maybe it’s the 3 donuts for breakfast. The 3 donuts thing is obviously tongue in cheek – track and make educated choices is the point.
I found this a few days back- planning on trying it tonight in an attempt to make something resembling fried rice. With only egg and chicken and spices of course, not ACTUALLY fried
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarbsidedishes/r/caulirice.htm
Vic, possibly a stupid question, but when you say stay clear of soda does that include zero sugar diet versions also?
Thanks
Yep! No soda at all when trying to lose fat! Stick to tea, water or coffee (black)
Hi, I am wondering your thoughts on a healthier soda option called “Zevia”…cola sweetened only with Stevia! a WONDERFUL soda alternative to those of us that drank diet…
to all of you asking about diet sodas, these contain aspartame and can cause all kinds of bad side effects….i had hives for 3 months from coke zero! and i do food journal and i know that is the only thing i did differently! i was a coca-cola junkie, and started out subbing with unsweetened tea – because half of my issue was the caffeine. i removed all soda from my house…and now do much better without any soda. after about a month, i decided to reward myself with a coke, and was grossed out by how sweet it was!!!
Ironically I started following the advice in this article long before I ever read it. I decided to eat healthy when I noticed myself starting to get a gut. I probably eat lower quantities than you recomend but that is because I do not get much exercise. End result is that after 13 weeks I lost about 11 lbs. Next up is exercising.
Awesome, Jhet! Adding exercise to your regimen will help with the weight loss, for sure. Good luck!
This post is excellent! Very similar to what I paid a trainer a lot of money to tell me when I was competing in Miss America and Miss USA pageants and had to keep the swimsuit figure. You are awesome for giving out this free and very solid advice. I just found this site today and I love it already! Thanks so much!
Thanks Charissa, and welcome to GymJunkies!
Is eating deli meat (such as turkey slices) when I cannot directly cook meat acceptable (I might be limited to a microwave and fridge for a few weeks), or does the sodium content make this a bad idea?
Sometimes you do what you have to do. I’ve had to resort to deli meat at times (which can be high in sodium as you indicate). Sure, cooking lean meat yourself is better than deli meat. Just ask yourself if you are really doing your best in the given situation. And if you are, then don’t beat yourself up about it.
Vic ~ How do you feel about the Atkins shakes (and/or bars) as a meal replacement? Thanks! *SmiLes* Suzanne
Hi,
I’m curious to know why you suggest avoiding dairy.
I’ve been told this is what could be causing me serious stomach aches and all that goes with it.
I love your blog! It’s a life saver!
What about oatmeal?
It’s a low glycemic food but you don’t really advocate it. I have it every day for breakfast.
Should I replace it with something else?
Are you losing weight? If so, then keep the oatmeal. If not, consider cutting it back a bit (maybe every other day or just cutting the serving size in half). Do that for a week and then weigh in. Have you lost weight? If so, cutting back the oatmeal might have been the trick. I say it over and over again here: test and track, test and track. And it’s not a cop out. It’s the only way to know for sure what works for you. Good luck.
I’ve been doing oatmeal every day and a sweet potato almost every night and thinking I’m doing so good…and not losing weight. Always room for improvement, heh?! OK…I’m going to give yours a try for a month. I have a feeling it’s going to work! : -)
Im 13 years old and really self conious and i though maybe finding a new life style and way of life would make me feel abit more conifdant.
I around wiegh 120 and im pretty short . I was wondering if i were to do this for around a month how much wieght i would lose
Thaanks alot.
it seems easy enoughto follow .
I can’t predict how much weight you will actually lose. I can tell you that a good average weight loss is 1 – 2 pounds per week. And often the first week of following this diet people see a 5 pound or more loss. Everyone is different.
At your age, it is much more important to establish healthy eating habits than worrying about dropping a ton of weight fast. Slow and steady wins the race. Good luck.
Hello,
I am trying out your diet plan. I have a question. I train Jiu Jitsu for 2 hours at night and never get home before 10pm. what should i eat after training? Is it to late to eat? pleae advise.
thanks
Gene
I would eat after training for sure. But like I always say, it is important to track what you are eating and compare that to the progress towards your goals. Start out with a balanced meal of small portions and see how that treats you. Try a spinach salad with grilled chicken and slivered almonds as an example. Good luck.
Hi Vic, thanks for simplifying the diet to its essential “what to eat” & “what to avoid”. I have been looking for a specific diet to lose weight and you have a perfect one listed here. Thanks a ton.
My pleasure. Good luck in your weight loss quest!
Hi Vic, I was wondering, if I do my workout around 5PM, is it ok to eat around 4 PM? How much time should I allow between eating and working out? Thanks!
You should be fine with eating about an hour before training. Everyone is a little different, so experiment with different amounts of time between eating and training to find what works best for you. Good luck!
[…] Easy Weight Loss Diet […]
Hi Vic. Thanks for all the good information and all the previous quesitons from the others. I take medication for hypothyrodism and have so for 9 years. Any weight I lose is a battle and then so easy to put back on if I don’t exercise regularly. I’m 5ft 6 in and now back up to 186 from a first time adult low of 168. This came about due to lack of exercise for various reasons and some emotional eating. I like your insanity quote, and it’s way past time to change things around. I’ll be training again soon for my 6th marathon. Do you have any suggestions that relate to food intake and marathon training? Yes, I do want to run this one at a much lower weight. Thanks in advance for your comments.
For marathon training, you will need more carbohydrate rich foods than I usually recommend.
But be clear with yourself as to why you are running a marathon. Is it to lose weight? If so, you may find yourself a bit disappointed with the results. Is it because you love running for a few hours straight? If so, then you are on the right track. It’s important for all of us that we match our activity with our goals.
What is wrong with running on a treadmill?? will it interfere with the exercise routine?? I like to run on the treadmill for at least 30 minutes 3 times a week? is there any harm in continuing to run on the treadmill in addition to this workout routine?
What have your results been with the treadmill runs? If you are getting the results you desire, then there is nothing wrong with them. My experience is that clients get much better weight loss results with high intensity circuit training and strength work combined with solid nutrition than long slow cardio. It all comes done to the results. If you are happy with your results, keep the treadmill. If you are not happy with your results, it’s time to try something else.
Vic,
I am an artist that is trying to improve his stage performance. I like to give a high energy show but being almost 6’5 and 300 lbs it gets very tiring VERY early on. After reading your diet plan I feel that just initially changing my diet plan will help in a huge way. Thanks for creating this site.
The Kid Money
Adjusting your diet will go a LONG way. If it comes in a box or a wrapper, don’t eat it. Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and some nuts and seeds. Avoid all grains (breads, pasta, rice, oatmeal, etc.). Don’t drink alcohol. Stick to this for two weeks. Even without adjusting your exercise habits, I bet you cut 10 pounds. Let us know how it goes!
Hello Vic
I love the idea of this diet but unfortunately I am hypoglycemic so if I don’t eat a certain amount of carbs in a day I either faint, become lethargic, have brain fog and have absolutely no energy to work out at all!
I have been training quite heavily (6 days a week, upper body, lower body and cardio) for the last two weeks but the scale has not budged. I am not fat but flabby especially around the tummy region.
Would love your thoughts.
cheers
Gaya
Training 6 days per week and the scale hasn’t budged in two weeks and you see some flab in the tummy? My guess is diet. I’d bet my Chuck Taylor’s that it’s diet.
Try reducing portion sizes a bit. And track this carefully if we are dealing with health issues here. My go-to is to eliminate grains, dairy, and processed foods for stubborn fat loss. If this is not an option for you, portion control is my next suggestion. Good luck.
I’ve just found your website – awesome thanks!
I’m wondering about frozen berries – are they OK also? Is a frozen berry, oj “smoothy” OK for part of breakfast or as a snack?
Thanks for your advice.
Frozen berries for smoothies are great. I’d go easy on the OJ, due to high glycemic index. Use mostly water with just a little OJ for flavor and you should be fine.
I just found your website. I have paid tons of money to get to what you are saying, so THANK YOU!
I plan on losing about 60 pounds over the next year or so. One of the things I have done is sign up for a marathon in 7 months to push me to get some cardio in, since the only cardio I truly enjoy is running. I also work with a trainer 3 days a week, so I know that the weight will come off as long as I focus on the diet (which is the most difficult part for me).
So – I have two questions:
1 – Do I need to make any changes to my diet to accomodate for the marathon training when it ramps up into longer mileage in about 3 months?
2 – Are there any other protein sources that I can pull from? The only item on the list above that I like is chicken, which can get very dull when eaten multiple times a day.
Yes, for marathon training you will likely need to eat more carbohydrate rich sources such as potatoes and grains. But be careful if weight loss is your goal. Do your best to find the balance between fueling your workouts and achieving your weight loss goals.
The best protein sources are going to be animal sources: chicken, turkey, beef, pork, fish, and eggs. Oh sure you have your obscure bison and venison and ostrich and what not. . . But the aforementioned sources are the most easily accessible for most.
Outside of those, there are vegetarian protein options. Personally I have not had much success with weight loss clients using vegetarian protein sources. But other trainers have – it can be done! Good luck.
is it possiable to lose just under about 3.4 pounds in just 2 days ? i used this diet and seemed to happen . only testing it out and what the scales said went 12 to 11.8
Yep, it’s possible. I just personally lost about 4 pounds in 3 days. It depends on several factors. . . but it can definitely be done.
[…] Easy Weight Loss Diet […]
[…] you’re basically just needing to lose weight, Vic Magary over at GymJunkies.com has some great advice about the kind of foods you (we) really need to be […]
[…] you’re basically just needing to lose weight, Vic Magary over at GymJunkies.com has some great advice about the kind of foods you (we) really need to be […]
Great site, thanks.
You say you pre-cook and package foods on a Sunday for the rest of the week. Do you mean you pre-package your b’fast, daytime snacks and lunch, and cook dinner once you get home? How long does a pre-boiled egg last, for instance? Or grilled chicken etc. I like the idea of having everything packaged and planned for the week, but I’d be worried the food would go off!
This seems like a silly question, but it would helpful to know the logistics of how you precook and package a week of food in advance.
Thanks
You need to take of all the Testomonilas and put them somewhere else,Norman the sex god LOL
Vic, just wanted to say that today marks the start of week 5 for me since finding your site. I started this diet a month ago, and in 4 complete weeks I have lost 22lbs! The sad part is that I could have lost more, but I only exercised about %50 of the days I was supposed to. :-/
I did stick to the weight loss diet plan though, every single day, and I think that was the big kicker. Today I am starting strength training 101, thanks Vic!
Tommy, your results speak for themselves. Amazing results, my friend. Keep it up and as always, Train Hard!
I’m at 200lbs currently and I am prob around 22% body fat. I was a one point a solid 200 and I think that just by doing a few workoutss a week that my muscle will come back. I am drinking a gallon of water a day and eating egg beaters in the morning, a can of greans and a packet of tuna for lunch, and usually a chicken breast and mixed veggies for dinner. What type of weight loss do you think I could expect from this? Do I need to do more strength training than once a week if I am not too worried about building muscle?
Thanks brother,
Benjamin
Your diet sounds good for fat loss. Maybe a little low on calories for a guy your size, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing especially at the beginning. If you were to do one good day of strength training and then a few days of circuit training through the week, I think you’d be on a good path.
But you have to track to know for sure. Weigh in once per week on the same day and time. If your weight or measurements are not going down, something needs to change. Good luck!
I have a garden and have access to a lot of fresh vegtables. I was wondering where things like squash, turnips, and beets would fit? If they would be a 2-4 servings or in the eat with recless abandon.
Thank You
Squash, I think you’ll be ok with.
Turnips and beets, you might want to stick with the 2 – 4 servings suggestion. But the only way to know for sure is to write down what you eat and then check your results each week. If you are not losing weight, you can consider cutting back the turnips or beets. I’m not saying they will necessarily be the culprit, just that you can consider the option. Good luck.
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Hi Vic….
Fabulous site….I’m lovin’ it!
Just a question…..in the list of foods u suggest we can eat with reckless abandon, you say “Pretty much any green leafy vegetable with the exception of iceberg lettuce”…..what’s the difference between other types of lettuce and iceberg…..does iceberg contain more calories?
Just wondering……
And tks once again……
Margaret
Iceberg does not contain more calories. It is just not very nutrient rich. Why eat icerberg when you can eat spinach?
Vic,
I am starting your diet plan and had a question about the veggies part. You say that if it comes in a bag/wrapper not to eat it; well I recently bought frozen mixed veggies (steam bag of broccoli, water crests, carrots, pea pods & cauliflower ) from my local BJ’s and was wondering if I needed to go fresh instead? Do these contain preservatives or something? They are so convenient, just toss in the microwave for 5 min and you have a full meal! Is this ok or should I go and get them all separately?
Thanks,
Dan
I admit that I use frozen vegetables myself fairly often due to convenience (I’m a fan of the green beans myself). Of course fresh is going to be best, but frozen is a fine second choice. If it’s going to keep you eating the veggies, then go with the frozen. Just be careful not to overcook (a problem I always had with frozen broccoli).
I dont eat meat to much, mostly vegetarian but im going to start eatting more chicken for now but my question is, i go to the gym 5 days a week already. I do 1 hour of free weight lifting, each day for each set of muscles, and 40 minutes of ellipitical machine that burns around 540 calories. Is this enough excercise to lose fat? and how do you feel about drinking a glass of whey protein an hour before working out? and do you have any other recommendation for fixing my diet?
So you’ve been working out for an hour and 40 minutes per day and you are still looking for a plan for weight loss? Time to change things up apuzilla! First, ditch that damned elliptical machine (and other forms of long slow cardio). Start hitting the interval and circuit training as hard as you can tolerate. Next, forget about the magic powder whey drink and stick to real food. If weight loss is your goal, getting your protein from lean meats is going to be much better for you. Good luck and train hard!
As far as oatmeal goes, I recommend adding flax seed powder to it. I replaced my breakfast with oatmeal and about two tablespoons of flax seed powder, every day for a few weeks, and basically followed the above diet for about 2 of 3 meals a day (before I found this site) and that’s the only time in my life I’ve lost weight! Flax seed contains proteins and good fats (Omega 3). Is this a viable option to add to the diet?
Is it a viable option? Well, you said using this method is the only time you’ve lost weight so it is definitely viable. I’m all about results. As long as you are getting results, stay the course. Thanks!
I absolutly love the direct lay out of the diet plan, however I am about to start college and am concerned that I may become limited as to cooking my own food (a mini fridge and a microwave plus pre cooked college food). I really don’t want to sucomb to the freshman 15; I was just wondering if you had any suggestions on how to make it easier with the constraints?
Did you see my recent video about what I eat when I don’t have time to cook? If not, here’s the link:
http://gymjunkiesmain.wpengine.com/quick-healthy-meal/
You could definitely do this with nothing but a mini fridge and a microwave. Good luck!
Hi Vic, I’ve had a look at your food plan & want to follow it to the T. I have one question though…I have an allergy to nuts & dairy!…’Could I subtitute my protein source for lentil soup instead with an apple also?
Cheers, Tia 8)
Sounds like an alternative worth trying. The only way to know for sure is to give it a try and track your results. Do your best to keep the lentils to only your post workout meal if you can. Good luck.
Hi,
Me again! I wanted to have the lentil to replace the nuts…What could I have to replace them, since lentils sounds like it shouldn’t be regular thing?
You might try a small amount of dairy instead of the nuts. Again, you have to keep track of your food intake and progress (weight loss) to see if what you are doing is working for you.
Great info THANK YOU. Im trying to drop 20 pounds. Ive been watchin calories but i struggled to find out what foods are good, id rather not eat then eat something that ithink is bad.This info was very helpfull.
I was wondering what your feeling is on homeade shakes.Im never hungry in the am and i workout at 9am.So what do i eat before the gym.I have weight control oatmeal ill usually eat after but is it better to eat before or do a fruit smoothis type shake before?
THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE
I’m a big fan of fruit and a small amount of nuts (almonds and walnuts are great) for breakfast. Stick to real food and do your best to keep things to fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and raw nuts and see how your results go. Good luck.
Hey Vic,
Thanks for the diet, seeing it laid out like this was a key instigator in my decision to really stick to something that will help me with my weight loss goals.
Some background:
I recently graduated college and I weigh 240 after weighing 195 when I entered). I put on some muscle but no doubt a lot of the 45 pounds i gained was fat. My goal is to get back down to 195 and I plan to reach that this year with the help of this diet and some strength training 3 times a week (mostly bodyweight exercises until I can afford a gym).
I’m hoping that on this diet, I can lose 30 pounds by June. The next 15 pounds will be tougher as that involves getting my bodyfat from about 17% down to 10% (I have never had less than 22% bodyfat as an adult so this is exciting for me).
So I’m on the 2nd/3rd day of this diet and I just had a few things I wanted to run by you:
For protein: Is shrimp okay? I guess it falls under (shell)fish and it is lowfat with 19gm of protein per serving (7 in this case) but the sodium seems high. I’ve been adding it to my spinach/cucumber salad.
For nuts: I think I need to ease up the cashews as I’m eating about 25 Planters cashews (labeled with a hint of salt) alongside a fruit for snacks. Should I be going unsalted?
Does the 3/2 meal/snack number have to be followed? I’ve been getting in two meals these first couple days, maybe 3 snacks. Do I need to be more aggressive about eating times?
Lastly, soy milk? I like to drink Silk brand Vanilla Soy milk. These first two days i’ve kept it to one cup each day but do i need to treat it like low-fat dairy milk or is it OK as a beverage option with tea and water?
Shrimp is ok. Probably not the best choice, but probably not the worst choice either. The bigger problem is the nuts. . .
Do your best to only eat nuts labeled as “raw” – that means no salt and no additional oils. Quantity should be kept small. By small I mean what fits in the center of your palm in one layer (not a big mound). That breaks down to 6 – 8 almonds for most people. I’d guess cashews would be pretty close to that.
Snacks should be used as your hunger dictates. Missing a snack here and there should not be a problem. It might even help in your fat loss quest.
Treat the soy milk like dairy milk and limit it as much as possible.
Good luck!
I wanted to post that I just saw the shredded for summer bodyweight program and since i’m already on the diet, i’m going to use that as my program (though I have a pullup bar). The results some people got were great.
I have been trying to lose weight and have followed so many advices from different people and nothing seems to work for me. Now I will try your advice and I hope and wish that this work for me this time. Thank you.
Stay the course. Really stick to the plan for 31 days and you WILL lose weight! You can do it!
[…] You do not have to do a single crunch or sit up to get rock-solid abdominal muscles. Now getting lean so you can actually see those rock-solid abs. . . that’s a topic for an entire different article. That’s where your nutrition is going to come in – and I suggest you follow a plan like this… […]
Hi Vic,
I’ve been following your beginner’s workout plan for almost two weeks and I’m starting to feel great although there isn’t much to show just yet. I’m ready to start the diet from week 3. However, I’m looking more along the lines of a “weight gain plan”. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Sivesh
If you’re looking for a weight gain plan you have to EAT! And take a look at my muscle building program here:
http://gymjunkiesmain.wpengine.com/build-muscle/
Hello Vic, I have a few quick questions for you. I have already read through all of the comments as well as your replies. What I want to know is how long do you think that it will take me to loose around 125lbs? I am 5ft nothing, and I weigh 245. I know that for my height that I should weigh a heck of a lot less than I do. I am a female, and I want to join the marines. To be able to join I have to weigh 125 MAX. What I want to know is how long do you think it would take me to loose this weight? What can I do to speed the process? And what kind of work-out should I do? I have a version of phen pills that my doctor gave to me to decrease my appitite, and I would love some more detailed meal plans if you are willing to give them. I would also love some reccommendations on what kind of work-outs I should do, as well as how often and for what amount of time. I go to physicial therapy because I have knee pains as well as back pains from all the weight that is weighing down my body. If I have to pay you some money to get some answers on what to do, I would be very willing to. I just want to be healthy and not feel so disgusted by what I see in the mirror (no self-esteem issues, just don’t like my body…love myself though…:) I know that I cannot expect miracles in a VERY short amount of time, but I am willing to do what needs to be done to get to my goal weight. The weight that I used to weigh BEFORE my son. Thank you for this awesome sight. And is it a bad thing to drink 16.9 fluid ounces that is 5 calories per serving? It is one of those things you just mix into your water.
Gemma, I recommend patience with your fat loss efforts. I would set a goal to lose 10 pounds per month – that should get you to your overall goal in a year.
Focus on diet first. Eat lots of vegetables, some fruit and nuts, and healthy protein sources such as chicken, fish, and eggs. Drink only water (unsweetened coffee or tea may also be ok depending on your caffeine tolerance). Eliminate all starchy carbohydrate sources such as bread, pasta, rice, and cereal. Also nix the dairy.
Your weight loss quest comes down to about 80% diet, so get that in line first an then worry about your training regimen.
I drink those things that are something you just mix in with your water, what do you think about these types of beverages. And can I loose MORE than 10lbs a month? Or is that not a healthy thing to do? Also, I am 21 years old, will my skin just hang there like some people I have seen on TV? Or will it snap back?
I think if you are trying to lose weight, you should avoid all “powders”. If you need some flavor with your water, squeeze half of a lemon or lime in there.
Yes, you can lose more than 10 lbs per month. The greatest weight loss to date with my 31 Day Fat Loss Cure program is 29 pounds. And as long as you are eating real foods in necessary quantities and exercising properly – yes, it is safe.
As far as the skin thing. . . the honest answer is that I have no idea. But forget about that for now; the amount of weight you need to lose is crucial for your HEALTH. You can worry about aesthetics later.
Hello I was ok to eat the last meal at 9pm as your about to go to bed and won’t be hungry?
Hello,
I was wondering what your thoughts were on hummous as alternative to beans as part of your diet? I’m talking home-made hummous (add chick peas, garlic cloves, and some lemon juice into a blender) with whole grain pita bread or vegis for dipping. Personally, I’m a huge fan of the stuff and wondering if eaten in moderation if it’ll work.
When talking about almonds, can they be the dark cocoa roasted type?
Hello Vic. I am starting your program with a group of teachers in the school we work in. We are doing a workout everyday after school and I am leading the workout. We have no equipment so I am going to use body weight and cardio to help us all get fit. I have exercised for years and can pretty much pick up where I left off even though I have about 20 pounds to lose to reach my goal, but some of the other women have never worked out before and have lots of weight to lose. Any tips on what to start them working out on and how to keep them motivated? Any advice would be great, I do not want them to get down and quit. Thank you!
Whitney
these are some great weight loss tips. Eating right and exercising proper dieting can lead to a person losing weight
Hi Vic
I have just found your website and find it fascinating and very helpful. My main concern is I need to increase my weight, I am currently 10kg under weight, I also need to build muscles. Would this diet be ok for me? Or should I look for something with more fat?
Thanks
Emidio
Eat 2 – 4 servings of the following throughout the day:
* Carrots
* Bananas
* Berries
* Peaches
* Plums
* Oranges
* Pretty much any fresh fruit you like
when you say this does that mean you eat about 2 carrots a day, 2 bananas a day, 2 peaches a day..etc?
Hi i am just wondering can you add avocardo to the diet plan and if so how much would you recommend? Thanks
hi Vic,Im in the military and have an APFT Coming up in 30 days and i want to loose weight so that it can boost my rn time will this diet help,but keep me conditioned for my push ups and sit ups.
hey , i m meenu .. ur diet plan is good but will it realy work? and give me some suggestionz tht which type of sandwich we cn hve . like which type of filling in brown bread we cn hve ?
Wow, I’ve been looking through your website for about 2 hours now! I’ve been kind of doing a diet, didn’t really have anything to reference too, so I’ve just been eating better. And I haven’t seen results….. This is going to REALLY help! I’ve got it all laid out and am going to do some major butt kicking, or big butt loosing
Hello, I enjoy reading all of your article. I wanted to write a little comment to support
you.
Nice
Hi
Hi Terry! already took notes on this plan and want to use every bit of it. I workout like crazy and am obsessed with things like the Lesmills program with dance, weightlifting, cardio, and kickboxing. I eat healthy and never eat junk food or sweets but still struggle with the best balanced meal plan for the day to help some weight come off. I was told that eating your carbs in the morning and less and less as the day goes on was best. Do you have any good breakfast suggestions that are pretty simple but get in the good carbs?
Hi Molly,
First off sorry for the late response. I think it’s important to remember that ALL carbs aren’t bad and they are a major fuel source for our body. With that being said you should stick to non-processed carbs. Personally I eat a lot of sweet potatoes, yams and grains(full of fiber).
So personally I would evaluate the carbs you’re eating first before evaluating when you are eating them.
Hope this helps
Terry
Hey! I’m wondering if this is still a thing? Thanks in advance regarding any reply!
Hii.. Terry. I’m 20 years old and my weight is 69. I want to lose fat from my belly, buttocks and thighs. I follow my dietitian and also do some cardio like walkin and also some floor exercise. No gym is available nearby. So I do it at6 home without any traininer. I have started to lose weight but from face and chest. I have read that we can’t locate the fat loss our body decides from where to use fat first abbs workout will act only on muscle not on fat loss. Please suggest me some fat loss workout that help to lose my fat pads.
Hi Ruchi,
Remember it’s important to remember you cannot spot reduce. Check out http://gymjunkiesmain.wpengine.com/home-workout-for-beginner/ if you don’t have a gym.
I would def try to do more resistance training as to create more muscle mass and help you lose weight further.
Thanks
Terry
Ruchi,
Yes your right you cannot spot reduce. I would continue on your program as you have already began to see weight loss from it. Always record your body fat % and don’t worry about your weight as it could change from adding muscle mass. Check out http://gymjunkiesmain.wpengine.com/home-workout-for-beginner/ for more information.
Thanks
Terry
Hi,
Interesting article, thanks for helping others.
I was wodering vegetarians can follow your diet? for example replacing chicken for seitan, tofu or tempeh?
I dont like meat. can I replace it and follow your meals plan to training?
cheers
Hey Maria,
Yes, you most certainly can replace with tofu or other options.
I would just suggest you make sure they contain the same amount of protein as the meat options.
Thanks
Terry
Hi there. I have been looking for a diet plan for a long time, and I really enjoy how easily explained yours is and covers what one needs to get cut fat without having to go out of the way and buy specific foods that can often be pricey!
What I want to know is, what do you recommend I do in order to reduce(preferably eliminate!) my manboobs? They are embarrassing and dampen confidence. Will rowing help combined with weight-based chest exercises? Please help and give examples and guidance of what I can do!
Thanks – Chris.
Hi! Thanks so much for all your helpful tips. I just recently started your body weight work out and have enjoyed it so far. My only question is if you could recommend any other work outs that might replace high “impact/noise” ones like the squat jump. I live in apartments and sometimes it’s hard to avoid being “that neighbor” to those living underneath. If not, I’ll just continue following the plan as is! Thanks for keeping things so simple!
Hey Gizzele!
I am assuming you are following http://gymjunkiesmain.wpengine.com/home-workout-for-beginner/. I would just replace squat jumps with standard body squats or if you want something more challenging you can always do body squats with dumbells in your hands. Another variation you could try is squats with a stability ball placed on a wall.
Thanks for stopping by
Terry
Hey Terry,
Love the diet plan my boyfriend and I have been looking for a good diet with out workout. We both used to be athletes in high school but kind of dropped of since college (still in shape just not as defined as we used to be). The reason we wanted a diet was because I was noticing that it seemed like I was becoming less cut and my abs and such less defined than they were before we started working out, even though I feel stronger than i was and the workouts are gradually getting easier. I am 5’1 and weigh about 115-117pounds. I was wondering if you knew why this less definition thing was going on and i figured it might have to do with our diet before I saw yours.
Second question… I was reading a lot about finding your personal calorie deficits and burning that daily amount depending on your weight and height, etc. How can I count calories and such with these foods that don’t have pre-measured packing and such… also how can I measure how many fruits and veggies to eat each meal. or can i just eat as many as i want?
Sorry if this is a lot or if it’s confusing. So many internet workout/diet plans get really confusing and this one seems like one I can latch on to!!!
As a health and weight loss specialist, I’ve helped hundreds of people lose weight, and it can be done… fast. As long as you are committed, with the right expertise and guidance… anything is possible. I have created a unique program that maps out everything you need in order to successfully lose 23 pounds in just 3 weeks! (a step by step guide, if you will).
If you are serious about losing weight you can check it out at http://www.3weekfatburner.com
Also if you have any questions or need any advice, just let me know. You can send me a message or find me on social media.
Appreciating the time and effort you put into your website and in depth
information you offer. It’s good to come across a blog every once in a
while that isn’t the same out of date rehashed material.
Great read! I’ve bookmarked your site and I’m adding your RSS feeds to my Google account.
Thanks appreciate it!
Terry
Hi..vic …
..awsm vil definitely gonaa do this ..bt Lil prblm is there which is …m a Indian n..a vegetarian too yeah i can eat eggs ..bt. Chiicken n AL…..i can’t so cn u prefer me what should i eat on breakfast lunch n dinner to burn my fat and to get a good height. ..from today only i have started gym…so it would bi kind of uhh ..if u give me a good advice
Hi Terry,
I’ve followed this meal plan using different variations on and off for the past year now and I’ve lost 45lbs… amazing what you can do when you make simple adjustments. I found once I cut the sugar out that weight started melting away.
Thanks
What if some fruit that you’ve mentioned isn’t available in the present season and some vegetables that you’ve mentioned aren’t available in my country. what should i do?
hello, Im going to follow your meal plan, but I have a few questions
1) at 7:30 how much green peppers and onion
2) at 1pm do I measure my salad
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what a good analysis you’ve done, i’ll try to put it into practice lately just like by hunger anything i can get my hands on, i know you can’t take care of yourself like that, when you really want what you want you can get it, it’s only through your mind ,i would like to recommend you a free recipe book that contains 5 more recipes to accompany a bit.ly/easily_recipes diet, and a course given by an expert nutritionist, you could keep an eye on it while it’s still on sale bit.ly/Course_Diet
Thank you for allowing me the space, and please take care of yourselves in this dark quarantine, I will try to take into account what you have shared with us, tranks
Gymjunkies is the BEST BLOG about weight loss, I read it practically every day. I am also happy that I was able to find https://bit.ly/3173GFL because it not only allowed me to lose weight, but also to maintain a great figure, I hope it will help others!
This is really fascinating informatic article. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I truly appreciate your efforts.