1. health and fitness
2. weight loss

www.GinasDiet.com
How to Lose Weight Fast
(with the easiest weight loss plan ever!)
Before you get started…
Please check with your doctor before starting this weight loss program, especially if you have medical
conditions including heart disease, diabetes, gout, IBS, thyroid disease, celiac disease or if you are
pregnant, nursing, have been recently hospitalized, had surgery or are on prescription medications.
It‘s time for a New You…
I want to congratulate you on your decision to lose weight and change your life. As you lose weight, not
only will your clothes get loose, you’ll have more energy, more confidence, a better mood and outlook,
you’ll probably smile a lot more, but most importantly… you will look and feel healthier and live longer!
Getting started…
The hardest part in starting any diet is the expectation of immediate results. You didn’t put the weight on in
a week, so you are not going to lose it in a week. So please, don’t be discouraged if you only lose a couple
of pounds the first week or two. It may take a couple of weeks before your body & brain are in sync with
your intentions of losing weight. It will take a commitment from you to continue it each day, whether you are
up or down on the scale that day. Think about the “Big Picture” which is a thinner and healthier you.
What to expect out of this weight loss plan…
This very easy plan will help you to transform your body into a Fat Burning Machine! The weight loss
methods I use are strategies I have found to be extremely effective in helping people reach their goal
weight and stay there without feeling deprived. It is inspired by a combination of other weight loss programs
and just good ole’ common sense.
This plan will put you on the right path to weight loss whether you need to lose 5 pounds or 100 pounds! By
making the changes to your lifestyle as suggested, your “Fat Switch” will be turned “OFF” and your body
will go into “Fat Burning” mode. When you’re in fat burning mode, your body will do everything it can to get
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you to the perfect weight for you.
This is not a “No Sugar”, “No Salt“, “No Carbs”, “No Coffee”, “No Soda”, “No Alcohol“, “No Eating Out”, “No
Fun” diet. Those diets are hard for everyday people to follow. We’ll leave those diets for the individuals who
have the kind of willpower to cut out all the bad at once. This plan will work for most people who want to
make changes but aren’t ready to go to the extreme just yet.
I remember the days of my mother being on the “Cabbage Soup Diet” and for weeks the house smelled like
cooked cabbage and stewed tomatoes. But she still had to cook a full meal each night for the rest of the
family while she ate her bowl of stinky stuff. Most of us have families and need a food plan that their
spouse and children will also eat. And wouldn’t it be great for your family to benefit from healthy eating too?
Is there a Secret to Weight Loss?
Yes, there is! Your body is either programmed to burn fat or store fat. The “SECRET” to weight loss is to
find out why YOUR “Fat Switch” is turned “ON” so that you can turn it off. Turn it off and you’ll STOP
storing fat and become a “Fat Burning” machine.
What exactly is the Fat Switch?
The “Fat Switch” is part of our genetic makeup. Our bodies store fat if it feels it needs to do this to survive.
Our ancestors endured the threats of famine and freezing to death among other life-threatening perils and
having excess fat on one’s body acted as insulation to help keep our bodies heated and to protect our
organs. Even though we aren’t threatened by famine or freezing today, the fat switch is still part of our
genetic makeup. Animals that hibernate store significant weight prior to hibernation to help them to survive
the winter. We still tend to gain a few extra pounds each winter when it’s cold.
When your body senses a “threat” to your survival, its genetic programming will perceive it as possibly
starvation or freezing to death and will turn “ON” the fat switch because it thinks that being fat, for whatever
reason, will protect you and help you to survive.
When the Fat switch is turned on, your metabolism (simply put, the process in which food is converted to
energy) is slowed way down and your body will ensure that you get fat and stay fat.
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Fad diets don’t work and neither does a pill nor surgery!
No two people are alike and nobody became overweight the same way their friend or neighbor became
overweight. That is why the “cookie cutter diets” don’t work. You must identify why your “Fat Switch” is on
so that you can turn it off. If you diet or take weight loss pills or even worse… have surgery, it doesn’t solve
the problem that got you to that weight in the first place. If your body feels it needs to be fat for your
survival, it will do everything it can to get you back to that weight even after having surgery. So before you
start the easiest weight loss plan ever, you need to know how you got where you are and why your Fat
Switch is turned on in the first place.
Why is my Fat Switch turned “ON“?
Below are the most common reasons your Fat Switch may be turned on. Most people are guilty of a
combination of the below reasons. And as long as you continue to do these things, no diet will ever work. It
is the reason your body feels it needs to be fat for survival.
Skipping breakfast - You’ve been “Fasting” all night. You are low on energy and your body expects
food when you wake up to “BREAK the Fast”. If you skip that important first meal, you are starving your
body. If there is no food for energy, your body is not going to pull from your “Fat Reserves” because it
needs that fat for survival (remember your body is thinking FAMINE or FREEZING). It is going to create
energy from any muscle mass you have built up, because it doesn‘t need that. When you starve
yourself… your muscles shrink and your body stores everything you eat to build up more fat reserves. If
you wake up and are not hungry, it is a sign that you have a slow metabolism. So let’s trick your brain
to speed up your metabolism. Even if you are not hungry, eat something nutritious and filling within one
hour of waking up to jump start your metabolism. Eventually, you will wake up hungry. This is a sign of
a healthy metabolism.
Going long periods without eating - When your brain sends you the “I’m Hungry” signal, you need
to eat. If you ignore the signal, your body thinks food is scarce and needs to start storing food as fat. A
person with a healthy metabolism will be hungry every 2-3 hours (except when sleeping). If you are not
hungry for 4, 5, 6 or more hours, it is a sign of a slower metabolism, but that’s ok, we can fix that. Just
start eating when you get the “I‘m Hungry” signal, even if it is just a small snack such as nuts, a yogurt,
grapes or string cheese. By doing this routinely throughout the day, every day, your body will realize
that food is plentiful and there is no reason to hold onto the fat any longer and that is when the weight
will start rapidly coming off. Eventually, you will be hungry every 2 to 3 hours which is the sign of a
healthy metabolism. With a healthy metabolism, instead of being stored as fat, the food you eat will be
used like it supposed to… nourishing and hydrating the body, producing energy, repairing cells, building
muscle, and stimulating brain function.
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Eating the wrong foods - Have you ever eaten a full meal and still been hungry? If you eat fried
foods or dead foods (processed food with no nutritional value), your body is actually hungry for
NUTRIENTS such as those found in veggies, nuts, fruits and whole grains. If you crave certain foods, it
is your body’s way of getting you to eat foods it needs for survival. For example, if you crave steak or
hamburgers, you could be low in iron. If you crave chocolate, you may be low in magnesium and other
essential minerals. If you crave fried foods, your body is actually craving healthy fats which can be
found in nuts, seeds, olives, avocados, salmon, tuna, trout and olive oil. Start listening to your body’s
“Cravings” and give it the healthy nutrients it needs.
Eating too fast - People are so busy; they tend to eat fast and don’t even realize it. People shove
down a quick breakfast in the car or they “rush” through lunch so they can “rush” back to work. School
kids and teachers get about 20 minutes to walk to the cafeteria, get through the lunch line, eat, clean
their trays and get back to class. No wonder our kids are struggling with obesity. Is anyone really
enjoying their meals? Most people say they eat until they are full and then they stop. It takes
approximately 20 minutes for your brain to receive the signal that the stomach is full. For example, if a
person who eats fast finishes a meal in 10 minutes, the brain has not received the signal of being full
yet, so that person is likely to continue eating because they don’t realize they are full after only 10
minutes. By eating too fast and too much, your stomach will stretch to accommodate the extra food and
a larger stomach will need more food to fill it up next time. You must break this cycle and allow yourself
more time to eat. If you have trouble slowing down your eating, make yourself put your fork down after
every bite. You can also take a drink of water or wipe your mouth with your napkin after each bite.
Not drinking enough water - Water is essential for weight loss. Drinking water takes up space in
your belly and helps your body to metabolize stored fat. Our bodies need 64 oz of water each day and
six diet cokes a day do not count as water. Diet sodas actually cause you to crave sugary foods. If you
don’t drink enough water, your body will store water on the outside of your cells and give you a bloated
look and feeling. The lack of water also causes many ailments… headaches, fatigue, constipation, dry
brittle hair, premature aging, digestive problems, colon cancer, high cholesterol, stomach ulcers,
eczema, kidney infections and rheumatism. Think of your body as a toilet that needs water to flush.
Without water, your body can’t flush out the waste or fat. It will just stay there causing unnecessary
weight gain, health and digestive problems. Some people hate water and only drink diet soda. If you
need to add “Flavor” to your water to make it a little less boring, then do it. Do whatever it takes to make
water your favorite drink. My favorite flavors are Mio Mango Peach by Kraft and Raspberry Green Tea
by Crystal Light. There are hundreds of Flavor sticks & squirts available. Experiment to find your own
favorites. Add a flavor to your 16.9 oz bottles in advance and put them in the fridge to chill. If your old
habit was to reach in to get a diet coke, now you can reach in to get a flavored water instead.
Lack of Sleep - Your body knows you need more sleep and will turn on the “Fat Switch” to make you
tired and lazy and want to get more sleep. Or worse, it will make you sick and FORCE you to get more
sleep.
Reduced-calorie dieting - If you have spent years on various fad diets where you forced yourself to
starve, your fat switch will most likely be turned on because your body thinks food is scarce. Even if you
lost a few pounds on the diet, you may have gained every pound back and then some. Your body will
work hard to get you back to a weight it feels safe at.
Stress - Whether you’re stressed because of work, kids or other, our bodies reacts by releasing
cortisol, the stress hormone which causes weight gain and the “Fat Switch” is turned on.
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Alcoholic Drinks - Alcohol is viewed as a toxin (poison) by the body. It is generally high in calories and low in nutrients.
When your liver breaks down alcohol, it turns the alcohol into fat and can make you gain weight. Alcohol also stimulates your
appetite and reduces your willpower. Many foods that accompany drinking are salty… pretzels, chips and peanuts, which can
make you thirsty, encouraging you to drink even more. To avoid overdrinking, drink water while drinking alcoholic beverages.
Smoking - Some people smoke because they are afraid they will gain weight if they quit. Smoking
does suppress your appetite, but that is because it destroys your taste buds. It also gives the illusion of
being thinner because it shrinks your muscle mass. Smoking is toxic to your body and can cause
cancer, emphysema, premature wrinkling, tooth decay, bad breath, hormonal imbalance and a
weakened immune system. It also causes you to be lethargic and have no desire to do healthy
activities. If smoking makes you thin, then every smoker would be thin and they just aren’t. The truth is
people don’t gain weight because they quit smoking. They gain weight because they confuse the
craving of nicotine for hunger and often overeat to make the feeling go away. They also have the
constant need of doing something with their hands. To keep from gaining weight when you quit, try
these things:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Drink water when you get the craving for nicotine. This will help give you a full feeling.
Resist the urge to chew on pencils and pens which can severely damage your teeth, chew on
carrot or celery sticks instead. Even chewing on straws might help.
Keep busy to take your mind off smoking.
Exercise will keep you from wanting to smoke and make you healthier.
Be prepared! Always have healthy snacks and water convenient.
Be prepared for challenges. If you do gain a couple of pounds at first, resist the urge to go back
to smoking. The first couple of weeks may be the toughest, but you will find it will get easier after
that.
Have a support group. Tell friends and family members that you quit smoking and welcome their
encouragement. Having positive energy flowing around you will help keep you going.
Get rid of all smoking paraphernalia from your home… lighters, ashtrays, etc…
What happens when the Fat Switch is turned “ON“?
You will crave the wrong foods - Your fat switch is on, so the goal at that time is to fatten you up.
Foods that appeal to you are often high in calories, high in sugar, high in fat and low in nutrition. You
will never crave nutritious foods, only fattening foods. My list of naughty cravings consisted of donuts,
Big Macs, McDonalds fries, Arby’s beef n’ cheddar, cheese sticks, Onion rings, Kit Kats, Butterfingers
and break n’ bake cookies. What my body REALLY wanted was… healthy fats, fruit, more iron and
magnesium. What cravings do you battle each day? Let’s turn the fat switch “Off” and those cravings
for the WRONG foods will go away. When the Fat Switch is off and you are in Fat Burning Mode, you
will start to crave delicious healthy foods such as fruits, salad and water! I know it may seem
impossible, but it really happens!
Your metabolism will slow down – If you are not sure if you have a slow metabolism, ask yourself,
“Do I wake up in the morning not hungry? Do I go long periods throughout the day without being
hungry?” If you answered, yes, then you may have a slow metabolism. Everyone knows people who
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can eat everything all day long and never gain a pound. These people have a fast metabolism. Having
a slow metabolism will cause your body to store foods you eat as fat instead of burning calories for
energy.
You become a slug – tired, lethargic and lazy - Your body wants to store more fat and burn
fewer calories. Your brain will make every excuse as to why you should not exercise that day because
exercise will require calories and your body needs the calories to make you fat.
Your body goes into “Fat Storage Mode” – Everything you eat seems to go “straight to your
hips”. Your body becomes very efficient at storing fat! All calories you eat are stored in your fat cells
and it creates a chain-reaction of fat storage all throughout your body. The excess fat stored in your
abdomen and around your organs will attack your body and make you even more tired and sicker. It
becomes nearly impossible to loose even the smallest amount of weight.
Now you know the things that can make your body turn “ON” the Fat Switch
and what happens when it is “ON”. Are the reasons you have been carrying
around a few extra pounds becoming clear to you? Let’s get started with the
“Easiest Weight Loss Plan Ever” and turn “OFF” the Fat Switch and make
your body a fat burning machine!
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Gina’s Diet Plan
I hope you’ll find this to be the easiest diet plan you’ve ever tried. If you do the things as suggested, the
plan will work and you WILL lose weight. If you stray from the plan or make a bad choice here and there,
don’t beat yourself up over it, just get back on plan. The plan works.
The Plan Rules – Do these things every day to turn OFF the Fat Switch
Hot Lemon Water (HLW) Detox - Drink one 6-8 oz cup of hot lemon water each morning before
you eat breakfast to detox your liver and assist in cleansing your digestive system. Heat water to a nice
warm temperature. Squeeze the juice from half of a lemon or use 1 Tablespoon of Pompeii lemon juice
(plastic lemons found in produce next to the real lemons). Pompeii lemon juice is all I use. You can buy
several at a time and never have to worry about them going bad like lemons do. If it tastes too sour to
you, add a little Stevia natural sweetener. You can also drink HLW later in the day to get double the
benefit. Brush your teeth after drinking HLW to protect your enamel.
3 Meals, 2 to 3 Snacks - Eat 3 meals and 2 to 3 snacks each day spaced out to where you are
eating every 2 to 3 hours starting with breakfast within the first hour after waking up. As you do the
plan, you will notice you are getting hungry every 2 to 3 hours around the clock. Listen for the “I’m
Hungry” signal. Eat slowly and when you are starting to become full… STOP EATING because
everything over FULL will be stored as FAT.
Drink 64 oz. of water every day - You can have coffee or diet sodas in addition to the water but
they do not count as any of your water. Speed up your weight loss by drinking 16 oz of water before
each meal which will help you get full by filling up space in your belly.
Green Tea - Drink Green Tea (1 to 3 cups) every day in addition to your 64 oz. of water. It will speed
up your metabolism, give you energy and burn fat. It can be cold or hot. Use a variety. (My favorite
brands: Tazo mint green tea bags, Crystal Light Peach Mango, Crystal Light Raspberry Green Tea, and
Diet Snapple Peach Tea)
Nutrition Labels - Learn to read the nutritional information on food packages (even condiments).
Follow the package’s recommended serving size. Avoid foods with Saturated and Trans Fat - these are
the “Bad Fats”. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are “Good Fats” and can be consumed in
moderation. Avoid foods with “Hydrogenated Oil” in the ingredient list. Select foods low in sodium and
high in fiber.
Portion Sizes – Learn what a proper portion size is so that you do not over-consume. I love the new
“100 CALORIE” individually portioned snack foods that are available. These are great if it is a challenge
for you to eat only a few chips, for example. You are not likely to grab 3 or 4 of these items at a time
which is what you may be eating if you “sit down with a bag of chips”, for example. The Weight
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Watchers 100 Calorie Carrot Cakes are so tiny that they last about two bites. Can you imagine the
calories in an actual piece of carrot cake?
Pre-packaged portions can also be very deceiving. For example, “Chick-fil-a” has a great grilled chicken
salad which only has 180 calories. However, the packet of Ranch dressing has 150 calories per serving
and there are 2 ½ servings in the one packet which makes the dressing 375 CALORIES! Most people
assume a packet of dressing that comes with a salad is only one serving, but if “Chick-fil-a” had put 375
calories on the package, consumers would have flipped out. You’re better off getting the Light Italian
Dressing there which has only 15/calories per serving or bring your own bottle of your favorite reduced
cal. dressing).
Use these visuals to help you recognize what a proper portion size is:
Meat - 3 to 4 oz. / the size of a deck cards
Fish Filet – 3 to 4 oz / a checkbook
Cooked rice or pasta – 1/2 cup / a tennis ball
Cheese - 1 oz. / 4 dice
Fruit - a baseball
Nuts – 1 oz / a handful
Butter - 1 tsp - one dice
Baked Potato - a computer mouse
Salad Dressing - 2 Tablespoons / a golf ball
Note: DO NOT feel like you have to eat an entire portion of anything… just don’t go over the
recommended portion size. I rarely eat a full portion of chicken at one time. That is too much food by
the time I add salad, tomatoes, a little bit of cheese, some nuts, salad dressing, etc…
Cook at Home the Healthy Way - Prepare your foods at home so that they are not loaded with
extra salt, butter and unhealthy fats. Cook your foods by grilling, steaming, baking, broiling, roasting or
in a slow cooker. Never fry your foods. Use nonfat cooking spray instead of butter, oil or fat.
Frozen Meals - Most frozen meals can be high in calories and preservatives and low in nutrition. But
let’s be honest, they are fast and when you’re low on time, you can whip up a meal in about 10 minutes.
I especially love the family size meals in a bag. But you can healthy them up so not to feel guilty about
eating them every now and again by adding fresh vegetables such as mushrooms, carrots, broccoli,
cauliflower, onion pearls, fresh spinach and water chestnuts. Add healthy meats to it such as precooked grilled chicken or frozen shrimp which has already been peeled, de-veined and cooked.
Make Good Choices when Dining Out - If you do eat out make good choices and try to follow the
rules of your plan. (A list of Dining Out Rules will be available soon)
Cut back on Salt - Switch to Morton’s Lite Salt which has 50% less sodium than regular salt. It will
help break the cravings for salt and salty foods. **Should not be used by persons on a restricted
potassium or sodium diets unless approved by your physician.
Change to a Healthier Sugar – Stevia is an all-natural, zero calorie sweetener made from the
leaves of the Stevia shrub in Brazil. It can be used to sweeten coffee or tea, sprinkle on fruit, add to
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unsweetened cereals, used in sauces, salad dressings and any recipe that calls for sugar. (Favorite
brand: Stevia Extract in the Raw or Truvia)
Alcohol - Avoid or limit your alcoholic drinks. Drink water while you are drinking alcoholic drinks and
follow up with a “Hot Lemon Water” before bedtime.
Exercise at least 3 times per week to accelerate your weight loss. You don’t have to train for a
marathon. A 30-minute brisk walk five days each week is all most people need or you can do more
vigorous activity three days a week—jogging, biking, aerobics, or tennis, for example. Build strength
and muscle mass by getting a set of dumbbells. Pound per pound, muscle burns more calories than fat.
Any exercise is better than none so get off that couch and get moving!
Shopping - Prepare a shopping list in advance. Never go to the grocery store hungry. Eat a meal or
snack first to help you resist junk food and impulse buys. Shop the outside aisles of the grocery store.
This is where fresh produce, meats and dairy are located. Do not go up and down the inside aisles. It is
too tempting because that is where the snacks and processed foods are located. Shop at the same
store so you can get in and out quickly and avoid wandering past unhealthy foods that may tempt you.
Stock up on fruits and veggies from the freezer section. They are “flash frozen” immediately after being
picked so they are very nutritious and convenient to have at home.
Make a Plan - Plan what you will eat in advance. Write out a menu plan using your food choices in
“The Food Plan” section which is on the next few pages below. Make sure to have all the foods you
need so that you do not find yourself going through a drive-through.
Make your new foods “Grab and Go” - Measure portions out and put them in individual sandwich
bags or containers making them convenient to reach for. This will work for most of your foods. To save
time, buy fruits and veggies that have already been washed and cut. Cook chicken in advance. Shred it
and season it so you can just pull a baggie out of the fridge and throw it on a salad. For a quick
breakfast, cook boiled eggs in advance and just quickly heat them in the morning.
Don’t obsess over calorie-counting - I’m not a calorie counter because the number of calories
you eat will vary depending on your age, height, gender and level of exercise. I have seen people
obsess over the number of calories they are eating and it isn’t healthy and it WON’T turn off your Fat
Switch. Calorie-restricted diets are almost never done correctly because 2000 calories a day of Ding
Dongs and Ho Hos are not the same as 2000 calories of healthy foods.
But if you are curious to know approximately how many calories you will be consuming, there is an
easy formula:
(Your Current Weight) X 10 + (Your Current weight) = Approximate number of calories you should be
eating each day. Again, this number will greatly vary depending on the variables mentioned above.
For example, if your weight is 175, the approximate calculation would be:
(175) X 10 +175 = 1925 calories per day
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The Food Plan
You need to eat every time your body gives you the “I’m Hungry” signal, which should be about every 2-3
hours except for while sleeping.
Your food plan each day will be:
•
•
•
•
•
•
3 Meals
2 - 3 Snacks
Hot Lemon Water
64 oz of Water
Green Tea
Supplements
Naturally a 6-foot-2 guy should eat more than a 5-foot-4 woman, but without knowing your specific size, I
cannot tell you exactly how much food you will eat each day. But use the servings below as a guideline and
adjust them if you need to for your size. As you put your meals together, think about a good combination of
Proteins for FULLNESS and Carbohydrates for ENERGY. For example, you wouldn’t want to eat a serving
of chicken with a serving of fish and a serving of nuts. They are all PROTEINS and you will get FULL, but
you will not be getting energy from these foods like you would from Carbohydrates. Instead, eat Chicken
with a Salad and Whole Grain crackers. This would be a balanced meal with both Protein and Carbs.
Throughout the plan, I will mention specific brands of many of the food choices. This is because I have
checked the nutritional info on each of those brands. Don’t feel like you have to find the EXACT BRAND
because each grocery store carries different varieties and it can be frustrating having to go to 3 different
stores to pick up items. Feel free to compare and use your favorite brands at your favorite grocer.
Your food plan consists of:
Lean Meat Proteins – No limit (Protein - FULLNESS)
Vegetarian Proteins – Limit because of “Good” Fat content (Protein - FULLNESS)
Vegetables – Eat at least 2 to 4 servings per day (Carbohydrate - ENERGY)
Fruits – Eat 2 servings per day (Carbohydrate - ENERGY)
Probiotic Foods – Eat 2 servings per day (Protein - FULLNESS) or take Probiotic Supplement
Starches – Limit to 2 servings per day (Carbohydrate - ENERGY)
Good Fats – Eat 1 - 2 servings per day (Protein - FULLNESS)
Condiments - Use in moderation (Neutral)
Granola Bars / Protein Bars - Eat in moderation (Protein & Carb – FULLNESS & ENERGY)
No More Happy Plates! If you make a plate of food and become FULL, stop eating! You’ve got
to stop cleaning your plate. Everything over FULL, gets turned to FAT! Make breakfast and lunch your
larger meals because you can burn them off throughout the day. Dinner should be your smallest meal.
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Lean Meat Protein Choices - (unlimited) - Protein helps give you fullness and
helps to burn fat and increase muscle mass. A portion size is 3-4 oz cooked. (deck of cards) Don’t feel like
you “have to” eat an entire portion, however.
Fish - Salmon, Sole, Catfish, Tilapia, Flounder, Mahi Mahi, Roughy, light tuna packed in water.
“StarKist Lunch to Go” tuna kits are perfect for a quick lunch.
Shellfish - Crab, Lobster, Scallops, Shrimp (A bag of frozen shelled & de-veined shrimp is a great
product to have on hand for fast meals)
Chicken - No dark meat or skin. “Perdue Short Cuts Carved Chicken Breast” are fully cooked, lowcalorie and delicious! Add them to your salad, in a chicken wrap or make an easy stir fry dish.
Ground chicken breast is a great replacement for beef in your Asian or Mexican recipes.
Turkey - Breast Meat only. Ground turkey is a great substitute for ground beef recipes. For variety
try “Perdue Italian Style Turkey Meatballs”, “Honeysuckle White Turkey Breakfast Sausage Links”,
“Jennie O Turkey Italian Turkey Sausage”, “Jennie O Turkey Burger Patties”, and “Honeysuckle
White Turkey Breast Tenderloin”
Eggs - (2 eggs = 1 serving), Egg beaters (¼ cup of liquid = 1 serving) Limit your egg yolks to only 4
per week if you have high cholesterol. Egg whites can be eaten without restriction. Add boiled eggs
to tuna, a salad or make an egg salad sandwich. Cook breakfast in under 3 minutes using Nordic
Ware Microwave Omelet Pan or Chef Buddy Egg Cooker to make a healthy English Muffin
sandwich.
* Tip - Satisfy your craving for bacon in the morning by adding a tablespoon (25 calories) of Hormel
or Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Pieces to your breakfast Omelet.
** Note - Beef is not on this plan because it takes up to four days to completely digest, whereas the
lean proteins above digest in only one day. Beef is also higher in saturated fat than lean proteins.
After you begin to lose weight, you can add beef to your diet once per week and notice if your
weight drops, stays the same or goes up.
Vegetarian Proteins – Nuts are a great source of protein and contain “Good Fats”,
however, if you eat too many of them, you could gain weight. So limit your servings of nuts to no more than
2 servings per day.
Beans - Canned (rinse, soak & rinse again), Any variety Dried & cooked - ¾ cup
Nuts - (raw, unsalted, no sugar, not roasted) Nuts have “Good Fats”, but you still need to have
portion control when eating them. A portion size is 1 oz. (a handful) - Almonds, Cashews, Walnuts,
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Peanuts, Pecans, Pine Nuts, and Pistachios. Raw nuts are located in the produce section, not in
the potato chip or snack section. If you like “trail mix” for variety, add healthy raw nuts to the mix to
make it healthier.
Natural Nut Butters - Must be organic or all natural with no sugar or salt (1 oz. is a portion) Peanut
Butter or Almond Butter are popular. Make sure it has no hydrogenated oil in the list of ingredients.
No Nutella Brand, which is mostly sugar.
Vegetables - Non-starchy (unlimited) - Must be fresh or frozen, not canned.
Veggies support detoxification in the intestines, blood and liver. They provide fiber and bind with fats to be
carried out of your body. They are “good carbs” and provide energy. Raw veggies are better for you, but for
variety cooking is fine too. Frozen vegetables are just as healthy as fresh because they are “Flash” frozen
as soon as they are picked to maintain nutrition and freshness.
Artichoke / Artichoke Hearts
Asparagus
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Garlic
Greens - Collard, Kale, Mustard, Turnip
Lettuce - any variety
Mushrooms
Onions - any variety
Parsley
Peppers - any variety
Spinach (raw or cooked)
String Beans - any variety
Tomatoes
Watercress
* Time saver: Many Vegetables and Fruits can be purchased already washed and cut in most
produce sections. They may be more expensive but worth it if you find yourself not having the time
to do the prep work yourself.
** Time saver: “Dole” bags of pre-washed salads have pairing suggestions on the bag to help you
choose what meat, veggies & fruits taste best in each of their 40 varieties of salads.
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Fruits - 2 servings per day - Fresh or frozen, not canned. Fruit is “Nature’s
Candy”. By eating fruit daily, you will not crave sugary desserts and pastries as often. You will, in fact, start
craving fruit instead. Low-sugar fruits are high in fiber and digest slowly, helping you feel full longer. They
are low in calories and great for weight loss. Try not to eat the same fruit every day or you may get bored.
Eat a variety of colors, textures and flavors. (Serving Size: Baseball)
(Low sugar Fruits)
Apple
Apricots (4)
Berries, all types (½ - 1 cup)
Cantaloupe
Cherries (about 12)
Clementine
Grapefruit (½ of a grapefruit) (Do not eat if you take statin medications. Grapefruit prevents
the liver from breaking down the drug resulting in a higher dose entering the bloodstream.)
Grapes (black or red grapes)
Honey Dew Melon
Orange
Peach
Pear
Plums
Prunes
Strawberries
Watermelon
(Higher sugar fruits) Limit these and eat mainly the low sugar fruits above.
Bananas
Grapes (White)
Kiwi
Pineapple
(Dried fruits) Such as dried cranberries (craisins), dried apples, etc… Eat just a small amount of
these because they can be high in sugar. Eat primarily fresh fruit or frozen fruit.
Probiotic Foods - (2 servings per day) - A Probiotic is live bacteria that helps to
balance your digestive system and fight obesity. Studies show it can help treat or prevent some illnesses
such as IBS, Yeast infections, Crohn’s Disease and Colitis. Most people love the “regularity” you get when
eating Probiotic foods daily. If you are lactose-intolerant or don’t like Probiotic foods, you can take a daily
Probiotic supplement such as Phillips Colon Health or Align Probiotic. (See Supplement Section below)
Yogurt - (6 oz is a serving, around 100 calories) any type, fruit flavored or low-fat. (good brands:
Dannon, Yoplait, Activia, Kroger) Greek Yogurt: Available with zero fat grams. (good brands: Fage,
Athenos, Dannon Oikos and Chobani)
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Suggestions:
Add ½ packet of Crystal Light to give it a new flavor.
Put yogurt in the freezer for about 15 minutes to make it taste more like frozen yogurt.
Add your favorite frozen fruit to yogurt (blueberries, yum!)
Plain Greek Yogurt is sour and fat-free. It is a great substitute for Sour Cream and can
be used to make your own healthy salad dressings. See recipes on page 27.
Low-Fat Milk (Skim, Almond or Coconut milk) - (1 cup is a serving, around 80 calories) Use milk
to make smoothies or in recipes. Almond and coconut milk are perfect for people who are lactoseintolerant and can be used in recipes instead of cow’s milk. Avoid Soy Milk products.
Low-fat acidophilus milk - (1 cup is a serving, around 120 calories) “Purity Sweet Acidophilus
Milk” is a popular brand.
Low-fat Cottage Cheese - (1/2 cup is a serving) Cottage cheese is a great side item for your salad,
and tastes great when mixed with pineapple or cantaloupe. Breakstone LiveActive Cottage Cheese
is available in 4oz individual snack cups, around 100 calories.
Sauerkraut (½ cup is a serving, canned or in a bag, 5-25 calories) Eating sauerkraut boosts your
immune system and even fights the flu! Look for brands higher in vitamins and minerals such as
Bush’s Best, Kroger brand, or Libby’s.
Low-calorie Cheese – (1 oz is a serving) Low-fat cheddar, brie, feta, goat, ricotta, swiss, skim
mozzarella. Good brands of low-fat cheese: Sargentos Lite Mozzarella String Cheese, Cabot,
Babybel and Laughing Cow. Jarlsberg Lite and Sargento Preferred Light make great low fat Swiss
cheeses. Laughing Cow wedges are spreadable and great on crackers.
Starches – Limit 2 servings / day - (keep your choices approx 100 calories) Eat whole
grain foods (such as whole wheat bread) instead of refined grains (white bread). Whole grain foods have
more fiber and metabolize slowly so you feel fuller longer. Make sure there are no Trans Fats and no
Hydrogenated Oils in the list of ingredients. White breads cause you to crave sugar so avoid these.
Breads, Bagels and Buns - Good choices:
Breads: Whole Wheat, Multi-grain, Oat Bran. (Sara Lee, Nature’s Own, Ezekiel 4:9 Whole
Wheat Bread)
Bagels: Whole Grain Bagels, Pepperidge Farms, Sarah Lee, Thomas
Buns: Nature's Own Sandwich Rounds, Merita Lite Wheat Buns, Arnold’s Sandwich Thins,
Thomas 100% English Muffins.
Pita Bread: Sara Lee 100% Whole Wheat “Mr. Pita” Pita Bread, only 80 calories
Tortillas: La Tortilla Factory Smart & Delicious Low Fat Tortillas, Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain
Tortilla or Multi-grain Tortilla
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Cereals - (¾-1 cup is a serving) Cereal can be low in protein and high in sugar grams which will
cause you to crave more sugar. There are whole wheat options, however, which are high in fiber,
protein, Iron and Vitamin B’s. Good choices:
Cheerios, 110 calories
Food for Life Ezekiel 4:9 Almond Cereal
Honey Nut Cheerios, 110 calories
Multi Grains Cheerios, 110 calories
Post Spoon Size Shredded Wheat, 167 calories
Kellogg’s Frosted Mini-Wheat Cinnamon Streusel, 180 calories
Post Spoon Size Vanilla Almond Shredded Wheat, 190 calories
Fiber One Caramel Delight, 180 calories
Raisin Bran Extra!, 190 calories
Kashi Go Lean Crisp! Toasted Berry Crumble, 190 calories
Crackers - Choose crackers that are low salt and high-fiber such as: Low Fat Triscuits (5 crackers),
Reduced Fat or Multi Grain Wheat Thins (10 crackers), Wheat Thins Fiber Selects (15 crackers)
Read the box’s nutritional label to see how many crackers are in a portion. (keep it around 100
calories)
Grains
Pasta, Whole Wheat or Vegetable-based- (1/2 cup cooked)
Couscous - (1/2 cup cooked)
Quinoa - (1/2 cup cooked)
Brown Rice - (1/2 cup cooked)
Udon Noodles - (1/2 cup cooked)
Oatmeal - (serving size is ½ cup cooked) Steel cut oats are great. Add cinnamon and stevia
sweetener for flavor. Throw in some chopped walnuts, apples, dried cranberries, apple sauce or
pecans to make it a more filling breakfast. Oatmeal in individual “packages” usually has a lot of
sugar.
Starchy Snacks
Popcorn - Orville Redenbacher’s Smart Pop Microwavable Mini Bag has only 110
calories. No saturated fat, no cholesterol and 4 grams/fiber. You can also pop your own
kernels with a Nordic Ware microwave Popcorn Popper.
Tortilla Chips - Baked Guiltless Gourmet tortilla chips or Mission Tortilla chips are good
choices. (1 serving is about 18 chips)
Starchy Vegetables – Some vegetable are considered a “Starch” because they are high in carbs
and can make you gain weight if overeaten. So limit these.
Corn (½ cup cooked)
Hummus (¼ cup)
Peas (½ cup)
Sweet Potato (1 small)
Baked Potato (1 small)
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Healthy Fats – Consume 1 to 2 per day. Healthy fats help to maintain healthy skin
and hair, promoting healthy cell function, aids in digestion, muscle toning and helps reduce the risk of heart
disease, stroke, cancers and diabetes. It’s also good for your joints, encourages fat loss and muscle toning.
Olive Oil or Flaxseed Oil - (1 Tablespoon) Drizzle the oil over salads, steamed vegetables or
roasted potatoes. Splash flaxseed oil over brown rice or oatmeal. Flaxseed adds a nutty flavor
when added to a smoothie of milk and berries (fresh or frozen). Use Olive Oil to cook & sauté meats
& vegetables.
Nuts – (1 oz – a handful) Keep unsalted nuts in a snack-size baggie for when you get the
munchies. Always portion them out in advance. Never eat straight from a can because you may
forget to stop at one ounce.
Avocado or Guacamole - (2 Tablespoons) Great in Salads, Dips and Wraps
Olives - (2 Tablespoons - approx. 10) Green or Black
Sesame Seeds - (1 Tablespoon) Add to your favorite Asian recipe or Asian salad
Sunflower Seeds - (1 Tablespoon) Toss in with your salad to add crunch & bulk
Condiments & extras - Some condiments are low-calorie and help spice up
normally dull foods. Other condiments are high in calories and need to be used in moderation. Read the
nutritional labels and chose products lower in calories, fat and sodium.
Apple Cider Vinegar - If you can handle the sour taste of 1 tsp before each meal, Apple Cider
Vinegar is widely used in weight loss because it breaks down fat and balances insulin levels. It is
also a home remedy used to treat sinus infections, sore throats, flu, high cholesterol, acid reflux,
arthritis, acne, Diabetes, obesity, chronic fatigue and gout. (Drink 1 tsp before each meal or drizzle
on salads or veggies or mix into water.) *If you are diabetic or take prescription drugs, check with
your doctor before using apple cider vinegar to make sure it doesn’t interfere with your
prescriptions.
Banana Pepper Rings - 20 rings - 10 calories (Mt. Olive Mild)
BBQ Sauce, Light - 2 Tablespoons - 20 calories (Kraft Light Original BBQ)
Chili Sauce - 1 Tablespoon - 20 calories (Del Monte or Hunts)
Coffee Creamer - Fat Free or Sugar Free - 1 Tablespoon - 15 to 25 calories (Coffee Mate)
Cream Cheese - Fat Free (Philadelphia) or Reduced Fat (Weight Watchers individual containers)
Honey Mustard - 1 tsp - 10 calories (Hellmann’s)
Horseradish Sauce - 1 tsp - 0 to 10 calories
Hot Sauce - 1 tsp - 0 calories (Texas Pete) - taste great on eggs!
Hummus - 25 cal per Tablespoon
Ketchup - 1 Tablespoon - 20 calories
Mayonnaise - Reduced Fat - 1 Tablespoon - 35 cal. (Hellmann’s Light), 50 ca. (Kraft Light)
Mustard - 1 tsp - 0 to 5 calories
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Pickles - 5 to 35 calories per serving. Sweet pickles are HIGH in calories.
Pickle Relish - 1 tsp - 20 calories - 1 Tablespoon - 25 calories
Preserves – No sugar. Main ingredient needs to be fruit and fruit juice. Polaner, Smuckers
Salsa - 2 Tablespoons - 10 to 15 calories (Tomatillo or Tomato-based salsa)
Sour Cream – Use Plain Fat Free Greek Yogurt instead. It taste just like sour cream but has no fat
grams. 2 Tablespoons - 20 calories (Fage, Athenos, Dannon Oikos)
Soy Sauce - low sodium - 1 tsp - 10 calories
Steak Sauce - 1 Tablespoon - 15 calories (A1 Steak House Steak Sauce)
Worcestershire Sauce - 1 tsp - 0 calories (French’s)
Butter or Margarine - Butter is big on taste, but high in saturated fat and calories which is bad for
you and your waist line. Margarine may be lower in trans-fat, but it may be high in hydrogenated oil
which is very bad for you. Use butter (1 tsp) or margarine (1 Tbsp) in moderation. Try “I Can't
Believe It's Not Butter Spray” when you want just a hint of butter, it has 0 fat and 0 calories. Other
butter/margarine choices are “Smart Balance Lite with Flax“, “I Can’t believe it’s not Butter Light
Soft Spread”, “Promise Light”, and “Land O’ Lakes Whipped Lite Butter”.
** Tip - Break your addiction to “Buttered Toast” by putting No-Sugar Preserves on your toast
instead. There are many delicious choices available and the main ingredient is FRUIT. Available
flavors: Strawberry, Apricot, Grape, Orange Marmalade, Blackberry, Raspberry, etc…
Salad Dressings – I’ve included recipes for healthy homemade dressings on page 27. As far as
store-bought, try the Vinaigrette dressings which are low calorie such as Kraft Raspberry
Vinaigrette Fat Free Dressing (30 calories for 2 Tablespoons), Ken’s Steakhouse Lite Balsamic &
Basil Vinaigrette (50 cal., 2 T), Wishbone Balsamic Vinaigrette (60 cal, 2 T), Newman's Own
Lighten Up Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing (35 cal, 2 T). Store-bought creamy based dressings
such as Ranch or Blue Cheese can be very high in fat and calories and should be avoided. Make
your own with the recipes included on page 27.
Granola Bars & Protein Bars - Eat in moderation. Break your addiction to
candy, doughnuts and chocolate bars by switching to healthier granola and protein bars. Some bars are
high in sugar & salt, while low in protein and fiber, but there are healthy options available that won’t blow
your diet out of the water if you have one occasionally. These are great to keep in your gym bag, desk or
car just in case you need to eat something and don’t have anything prepared.
My favorites are South Beach Diet Whipped Peanut Butter, Kashi TLC Peanutty Dark Chocolate Layered
Granola Bar, Atkins Caramel Nut Chew Bar (Visit www.atkins.com for 3 free Atkins bars), Special K
Strawberry Protein Meal Bar, and Special K Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Meal Bar. It is important to
only eat one. If you are tempted to eat several at a time, avoid them altogether. I look for bars whose main
ingredients are quality proteins, fruits and grains such as Oats, Peanuts, Almonds, Whey Protein, cherries
and dates. Less expensive bars use cheap ingredients such as chicory root (may cause gas) and soy
protein isolate which I try to avoid. You can even experiment with making your own protein bars using
quality ingredients. There are many recipe videos on YouTube.
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Spice it up - Many spices are concentrated sources of natural antioxidants.
Antioxidants help to prevent cell damage that leads to disease and infections. These spices can be good
for everything from easing arthritis pain, keeping your heart healthy to preventing cancer.
Cayenne Pepper - The capsaicin in cayenne peppers is a powerful anti-inflammatory that will kill
prostate cancer cells. It also boosts your metabolism, improves circulation, rebuilds blood cells,
lowers cholesterol, heals ulcers, removes toxins from the bloodstream and improves overall heart
health. Cooking: Use in fajitas or other Mexican dishes, tastes great in chili, add to dips such as
guacamole or hummus, sprinkle into omelet mixtures.
Cinnamon - Reduces inflammation, reduces cholesterol and can lower blood sugar in people with
type 2 diabetes. Cooking: Great in Oatmeal, sprinkle on top of baked apple.
Garlic - Can help regulate the number of fat cells in your body and actually kills cancer cells.
Cooking: Sauté fresh garlic in olive oil over low heat before adding chicken. Great in Pasta Dishes,
Soups and many recipes.
Ginger - Can decrease motion sickness and nausea; may also relieve arthritis pain. Cooking:
Chopped ginger is great in Asian stir-fry dishes. Sprinkle ground ginger on cooked carrots.
Mint – Destroys cancer cell. Cooking: Make mint cubes to put into lemonade. Place 2 to 3 mint
leaves into each cell of an ice cube tray. Boil about 2 cups of water and pour into tray. Freeze until
solid.
Oregano - One of the highest in antioxidants of all fresh herbs. Cooking: Add 1/8 teaspoon dried
oregano to scrambled eggs, salad dressings, and homemade marinara sauce.
Paprika - Contains capsaicin, whose anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects may lower the risk of
prostate cancer. Cooking: Rub on chicken before sautéing in non-stick spray or olive oil.
Rosemary - Helps reduce the risk of heart attack, stops gene mutations that could lead to cancer.
Cooking: Combine 2 tsp of rosemary with 2 tsp of Mrs. Dash & 1/2 tsp thyme leaves for a delicious
chicken rub. Add dried crushed rosemary to vegetable omelets.
Thyme - A natural remedy for chest and respiratory problems including coughs, bronchitis, and
chest congestion. Cooking: Use when roasting chicken, puts sprigs of thyme on fish dishes, great
in pastas, add to scrambled eggs or omelets, great seasoning for pinto or kidney beans.
Turmeric - Contains curcumin, which can inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Cooking: Add to
chicken or seafood casseroles. For an Indian flavor, add dry turmeric to water when cooking rice.
Mrs. Dash - A great combination of your favorite spices and they’re all salt-free and sugar-free.
Cooking: A variety of spices for any meal… Original Blend, Southwest Chipotle, Tomato Basil,
Fiesta Lime, Caribbean Citrus, Italian Medley and Extra Spicy. View Mrs. Dash Recipes here.
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Use when cooking to cut calories - Instead of cooking in oil and butter, add flavor to
your meals with the following low calorie foods:
Cooking Spray - 0 calories - Olive oil spray is the healthiest choice
Buttery Spray - 0 calories - When you need a hint of butter flavor (I Can't Believe It's Not
Butter Spray)
Chicken Broth - 10 calories - 1 cup (Swanson Low Sodium, No MSG Chicken Broth)
Diced tomatoes in a can - 25 calories per ½ cup and full of nutrients
Malt Vinegar - 0 calories - Great on tilapia fish (Holland House)
Minced Garlic in a jar - 0 to 10 calories. Sauté before adding chicken or veggies to the pan
Minced Ginger in a jar - 0 to 5 calories. Add to your Asian stir-fry dishes. A little bit goes a
long way and adds amazing flavor.
Supplements:
Note: Do not take supplements if you are pregnant or nursing. Check with your doctor before taking
supplements if you are taking prescription medications.
Probiotics – (also called Lactobacillus Acidophilus) Probiotics create a healthy and efficiently running
digestive system and also boosts your immune system. This is the acid-bacteria found in yogurt. If you
don’t eat Probiotic foods, you need to take Probiotic supplements. It works effectively if you take the
Probiotic first thing in the morning before you eat anything and then take another at night before bedtime.
Popular brands are Philips Colon Health, Spring Valley, Align, Culturelle and Pearls. They can range from
1 Billion Active Cultures to 3 Billion Active Cultures per caplet.
Multivitamin – There are many benefits to taking a Multivitamin. Basically, the body needs 13 essential
vitamins to function properly… vitamins A, B, C, D, E, K, B12, and B-complex vitamins. Most of these
vitamins can be obtained in our foods but sometimes vegetables are picked too early or cooked which
removes some of the vitamins. Look for vitamins that contain “Chromium" which reduces body fat and
Green Tea which increases your energy and metabolism. If you are deficient in Vitamins and minerals, you
will not be able to lose weight efficiently. If you work out and sweat a lot, you will sweat out essential
vitamins and minerals that may trigger food cravings. For example, a deficiency in the mineral Magnesium
will cause you to crave chocolate and sugar. If your iron levels are low, you may feel low in energy and
may have cravings for beef. Take your multivitamin in the morning after you eat breakfast because some
vitamins can upset your stomach when taken without food, especially if it contains Iron.
If your stomach is sensitive to multivitamins, take a children’s vitamin such as Flintstones Chewable. (Good
choice: GNC has a range of multi-vitamins for different age groups, gender-specific, activity level specific,
etc…)
Calcium – Calcium raises your metabolism, burns more fat and helps prevent fat storage. Women
especially need to take a daily calcium supplement. If calcium levels are too low, your body must pull from
your skeleton, possibly weakening your bones and causing osteoporosis. Calcium Citrate (a high quality
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calcium derived from citrus fruits & vegetables) is a better choice than Calcium Carbonate (grinded sea
shells). Good brands of Calcium Citrate are Citracal, GNC Calcium and Nature’s Way.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids / Fish Oil / Krill Oil - Take 1,000 mg/day for weight loss. Omega 3’s reduce your
insulin levels throughout the day when taken daily. Keeping insulin levels stable is key to avoiding diabetes.
Fish oil also increases the breakdown of fat in fat cells so they are important in accelerating weight loss.
Omega 3’s from Krill Oil are a better supplement because they are completely free of the unhealthy toxins
found in regular fish oil. (Good brands: ArcticPure Krill Oil, MegaRed or GNC Ultra Omega Krill Oil)
Vitamin B-Complex - Vitamin B-Complex helps convert food into energy. Most multi-vitamins don’t have
adequate amounts of Vitamin B. This is the high-energy vitamin combination found in “Five Hour Energy”,
but you can find Vitamin B-Complex by Nature Made and other popular brands.
Iron - If you cut red meat out of your diet, you may have low levels of iron which can make you feel tired or
sluggish. Choose a multi-vitamin with Iron.
Fiber Tablets - Chew two tablets of “Fiber Choice Fiber Supplement for Weight
Management”. This is a great way to curb cravings and promote weight control. Chew
two tablets 30 minutes prior to eating with a glass of water. These are also great if you
have nighttime cravings. (Visit www.fiberchoice.com for a free sample and coupon)
Fiber Sticks - “Benefiber Stick Packs” can also help curb your appetite and give you a
“Full feeling”. Just pour one into your 16.9 oz water bottle.
Tools for your success:
Healthy cookbooks or take your favorite recipes and “Healthy them up”
Sandwich Bags, assorted sizes including “Snack” size
Single serving containers with lids
Microwave egg dishes
Microwave popcorn popper
Microwave rice cooker or countertop rice & veggie steamer
Slow Cooker / Crock Pot
Stove-top Grilling Pan
Apple peeler/corer (The cast-iron countertop model is great)
Save your old salad dressing bottles. These are perfect containers to mix up your new healthy
dressing combinations in.
Health magazines and books. Surround yourself with weight loss success stories.
A scale so you can track your success. New scales available can perform bones scans;
calculate your body fat and BMI (Body Mass Index).
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Sample Menu
Traditionally, people have grown up eating a small breakfast or even NO breakfast, a light lunch and then
sitting down to an enormous four course dinner with the family. It is time to change that mindset. Start your
day with a full breakfast, a full lunch, and then tapering off to a light dinner. This is why I have combined
lunch & dinner suggestions, because dinner shouldn’t be an elaborate meal with the fine china any more.
Food is just something you need for energy and survival. You need more energy in the morning and during
the day, but at night, you don’t need to go to bed trying to digest “steak, potatoes, green beans and a roll.”
It will just get turned to fat.
Breakfast Ideas:
Egg Sandwich (Cook egg beaters in a microwaveable egg dish. For variety, add Texas Pete Hot
Sauce, a slice of tomato, a slice of Canadian bacon or 1 T Oscar Mayer Bacon Pieces. Put on a
toasted Arnolds Sandwich Thins)
Strawberry Cream-Cheese Toast – Toast whole wheat bread, Spread Fat Free Cream Cheese on
and then spread sugar-free Strawberry preserves on top.
Poached Eggs (Cook 1 or 2 eggs in a microwaveable egg poacher). Eat with Jenny O’ Breakfast
Turkey Sausage Links
Multi-grain Bagel with Fat Free Cream Cheese (Philadelphia brand). Sprinkle cinnamon, a pack of
stevia and crushed walnuts on top.
Single serving container of low-fat Greek or low-fat yogurt. Add frozen berries or top it with chopped
walnuts
Egg Bread – Mix egg substitute with salt and pepper. Coat wheat bread with the mixture & cook in
pan coated with non-stick cooking spray.
Steel-cut Oatmeal with cinnamon, walnuts or pecans, chopped apple or dried cranberries, sweeten
with Stevia.
Breakfast Wrap: Egg whites, turkey bacon and tomato on a Multi-grain tortilla
Egg white omelet filled with sautéed mushrooms & onions with sliced Roma tomatoes on the side
Cereal - 1 cup of Cheerios, ½ cup of coconut milk, ½ cup of mixed berries or ½ banana
Egg and Turkey Sausage Link Sandwich on Thomas Everything Bagel Thin
Smoothies:
Cherry Chocolate Smoothie: One scoop of chocolate whey protein (GNC Whey Protein), 1 cup milk
(coconut, almond or skim), frozen dark cherries. Blend & enjoy.
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Berry Shake: ½ cup Sugar-Free Ice Cream or sugar-free frozen yogurt, ½ cup Almond Milk, 1 T
Sugar-Free Raspberry Preserves, 2 T frozen raspberries, 2 T frozen blackberries.
Creamy Fruit Smoothie: ½ cup greek yogurt, ½ cup milk (coconut, almond or skim), frozen fruit
such as strawberries, mixed berries, bananas, peaches, etc… You can also add a scoop of whey
protein powder (Choc or vanilla) to make it more filling.
Snacks Ideas:
•
Fruit & Cheese Sticks (Red Grapes & Sargentos Light Mozzarella String Cheese are a great
combination)
•
Tortilla Chips (Baked Guiltless Gourmet or Mission) with dip made from combining salsa and Greek
yogurt.
•
Baby carrots or celery sticks with ¼ cup of hummus with cayenne pepper sprinkled on top
•
Yogurt with frozen berries or crushed walnuts on top
•
Cucumber slices with homemade Ranch dressing drizzled on top
•
Cottage cheese cup with pineapple or cantaloupe
•
Protein Bar or granola bar
•
A trail mix of nuts, raisins, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, dark chocolate or other healthy
favorites
•
Grill pineapple slices on a grilling pan sprayed with Olive oil non-stick spray
•
Box of Sun-maid raisins (45 cal.)
•
Motts – Natural Applesauce or Healthy Harvest Granny Smith Applesauce.
•
Pringles - 100 calorie individual serving cups
•
Baked apple: Slice an apple and sprinkle with cinnamon and a packet of stevia. Cook in the
microwave for about 1 ½ minutes
•
Grapefruit cup - Sprinkle a packet of stevia on top to reduce the tartness.
•
Apple with peanut butter
•
Celery with peanut butter or low fat cream cheese
•
Toasted nuts: Spread onto single layer and toast at 350 degrees in the oven for about 5 minutes,
stirring halfway. Nuts can be eaten as a snack, or chopped and tossed into a salad or added as
granola to your yogurt.
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•
YoCrunch Greek Vanilla Parfait with Real Strawberries. Comes in a 4 pack of 4 oz containers, 110
calories each.
Lunch & Dinner Ideas:
Salads:
•
Chicken Veggie Salad – Iceberg / Romaine Salad Mix with carrots. Add cherry tomatoes,
cucumbers, fresh broccoli, low-fat cheddar cheese, pre-grilled chicken breast (Perdue Shortcuts),
sunflower seeds and vinaigrette dressing.
•
Chicken & Fruit Salad - Iceberg / Romaine Salad Mix with carrots. Add strawberries, red grapes,
chopped apple, pineapple chunks, low-fat cheddar cheese, pre-grilled chicken breast, toasted
almonds and vinaigrette dressing or Homemade Ranch Dressing (see recipe on page 27).
•
Mango, Avocado and Bacon Salad: Romaine Salad Mix. Slice Mangoes, sliced avocado and pine
nuts, add “Hormel Real Bacon Pieces.” Top with blue cheese vinaigrette dressing or Homemade
Blue Cheese Dressing (see recipe on page 27).
•
Cobb Salad – Romaine lettuce mix. Add Bacon Pieces (Hormel Real Bacon Pieces), cooked egg
whites (cooked in the microwaved with egg-poaching dish), avocado, diced tomatoes, black olives.
Top with your choice of dressings.
•
Asian Salad – Iceberg salad mix. Add slivered almonds, sesame seeds, green onions, mandarin
oranges, grilled chicken, fresh ginger, “Fresh Gourmet Wonton Strips”. Season with “Chinese 5
Spice” and top with Newman’s Own Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing
•
Chopped Pecan Salad – Spinach or Spring Mix with grilled chicken, chopped toasted pecans, fresh
raspberries and gorgonzola cheese. For dressing: Mix ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 3 tsp red wine
vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp chopped shallot and a packet of stevia.
•
Shrimp Salad – Romaine with tomatoes, sweet Vidalia onions, avocados, shrimp that has been
sautéed in olive oil & garlic. Add Vinaigrette dressing.
Sandwiches & Wraps
•
Grilled Chicken Sandwich – Season chicken breast with salt & pepper, Grill on grilling pan coated
with non-stick spray for about 7 minutes each side. When cooked, add a slice of pepper jack
cheese, melt. Put on whole grain bun with lettuce, tomato, and reduced fat mayo.
•
Turkey Manwich – 1 lb Ground Turkey Breast & 1 can Hunt’s Original Manwich Sauce. Follow the
directions on the can and eat on a whole wheat bun.
•
Turkey Wrap - Sliced deli-meat turkey with lettuce, mustard, reduced fat mayo and diced tomatoes
•
Egg salad sandwich - Crack 1 or 2 eggs in an egg poacher microwaveable dish. Chop the cooked
egg. Add salt, pepper and a tablespoon of reduced fat mayo and spread onto whole wheat bread.
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•
Tuna Sandwich – Drain “white tuna packed in water”. Combine tuna with mayo, Dijon mustard,
pickle relish, and onion powder. Cook egg whites (Egg Beaters 100% egg whites) in microwave egg
poacher dish. Slice cooked egg whites and add to tuna mixture. Spread onto wheat bread.
•
Turkey Burgers – Combine minced onion, minced garlic, minced bell pepper, salt & pepper with
ground turkey breast to make patties. Grill on both sides in a grilling pan. Top with Reduced-Fat
Pepper Jack Cheese. Eat on whole grain bun with your favorite “burger toppings”.
Seafood
•
Tilapia Tacos – Heat oven to 350. Place 2 lbs of tilapia filets in casserole dish. Sprinkle minced
garlic, Cajun seasoning, pepper and malt vinegar on top of all filets. Chop ½ white onion and add to
dish. Pour 1 can of fire roasted chilies, 1 can of fire roasted crushed tomatoes and ½ can of any
beer on top. Cover & bake for 35-40 minutes. Spoon into heated corn tortilla shells.
•
Chipotle Shrimp Tacos - Toss together 1lb of peeled & deveined shrimp (thawed and dried), 1 T of
olive oil and 1 tsp chipotle seasoning or chili powder. Sauté in a pan until cooked. Spoon into
heated corn tortilla. Add Avocado Salsa (see recipe on page 26)
•
Tuna Kit – “StarKist Lunch to Go Albacore Tuna” includes 6 crackers
•
Tilapia – Drizzle olive oil on both sides of Tilapia filets, Season with your favorite spices… Cajun or
lemon-pepper. Broil in the oven till crisp on the edges.
•
Sautéed Shrimp Scampi - Toss together 1lb of peeled & deveined shrimp (thawed and dried), 2 T
olive oil, minced garlic, salt & pepper, 2 tsp chopped parsley, ¼ tsp dried oregano and 2 T white
wine. Sauté in a pan until shrimp is cooked. Serve with “steam in the bag” broccoli.
•
Stir-Fry Shrimp – Combine a bag of peeled & deveined shrimp (thawed and dried) with olive oil,
ground ginger, cayenne pepper, and sesame seeds. Sauté minced garlic in olive oil, add seasoned
shrimp, add low-sodium teriyaki sauce. Steamed Veggies and Rice a Roni Lower Sodium Chicken
Flavor Rice for the side dishes.
•
Shrimp with Ginger Sauce – Heat until melted: 1/2 cup Polaner Apricot Preserves with 1 T of fresh
ginger and ¼ tsp of kosher salt. Place one lb. of peeled & deveined shrimp (thawed and dried) on a
baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray. Drizzle apricot sauce over shrimp and season with black
pepper and kosher salt. Broil for 3 to 4 minutes. Serve with remaining sauce.
Chicken & Turkey
•
Chicken Taco Salad Bowl – Heat Perdue Shortcuts southwestern grilled chicken in a pan with a can
of green chilies or salsa & ground cumin. Make your own taco bowl - coat a tortilla with olive oil on
both sides, put in an oven-safe bowl and bake until it forms a crispy shell. Build your taco bowl by
adding chicken, low-fat Monterey jack or cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, sliced black olives,
diced tomatoes, chopped green onions. Top with Creamy Salsa Dressing (see recipe on page 26).
For a faster meal, use Mission Restaurant Tortilla Triangles instead of making your own taco bowl.
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•
Teriyaki Chicken – Brush chicken tenders with low-sodium teriyaki sauce. Cook in grilling pan
sprayed with Non-Stick spray. Grill on each side about 5 min. or until cooked. In the last minutes of
cooking, brush with teriyaki sauce and sprinkle each tender with ½ tsp of toasted sesame seeds.
•
Stir-Fry Chicken and Rice – In a pan with 1 T of olive oil, sauté sliced mushrooms, bok choy and
“Perdue Short Cuts Grilled Chicken Breast”; add low-sodium soy sauce and cooked brown rice.
•
Marinate Chicken breasts in Lite Zesty Italian Salad Dressing for at least 4 hours, Grill or Broil until
done.
•
Lemon Chicken – Heat oven to 350 degrees. Brush chicken breasts with olive oil on both sides,
sprinkle with salt & pepper, put in baking pan. Cut lemons into slices and place a slice on each
breast. Top with chopped fresh herbs: parsley, rosemary and thyme. Cover with aluminum foil.
Bake for 30-45 minutes depending on thickness.
•
Chicken Salad with Apples: Combine “Perdue Short Cuts Grilled Chicken Breast” with diced Granny
Smith Apples, chopped celery and Greek Yogurt.
•
Whole Wheat Pasta & Meatballs: Cook Barilla Plus Whole Grain Pasta. Put Perdue Italian Style
Turkey Meatballs (they are pre-cooked) into Barilla Marinara Sauce, cover and heat. I use Barilla
Marinara Sauce because the first ingredient is “diced tomatoes”.
Sides
•
Baked Potato with Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese and ½ cup of chopped cooked broccoli. Top with
Greek Yogurt instead of Sour Cream.
•
Almond Green Beans – Cook 1 lb of fresh green beans in 1” of boiling water, covered. Drain beans.
Toast almond slivers in the oven. Add 1 T of olive oil to pan & heat, toss the drained beans in the
heated oil, add lite salt. Remove from heat, add slivered almonds & serve.
•
Cavatelli & Broccoli – Sauté minced garlic in olive oil. Add in ½ cup broccoli and red pepper flakes.
Cook till tender. Add broccoli mix to 1/2 cup of cooked cavatelli pasta. Top with grated Parmesan
cheese.
•
Antipasto – In a bowl, toss together diced fresh tomatoes, a can of artichoke hearts (drained), lowfat mozzarella cheese, deli-style fat free turkey (cubed), fat-free balsamic vinaigrette and cracked
black pepper to taste.
•
Brussels sprouts soup: Put frozen brussels sprouts in a bowl, cover with chicken broth and
microwave for 2 to 3 minutes. Tastes like baby cabbages.
•
Mix sliced tomatoes with Light Zesty Italian Salad Dressing. Let marinate in the fridge for at least
1/2 an hour.
Slow Cooker
• 1 lb. turkey kielbasa and 2 lb. bag of fresh sauerkraut. Stir in 1/3 cup water; cook 4 to 6 hrs.
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• One “Honeysuckle White Turkey Breast Tenderloin” with ½ cup of chicken broth; cook for 4 to 6 hrs.
• Sauté in grilling pan: 1 large sliced white onion and 1 large bell pepper (sliced & seeded). Put one
package of “Honeysuckle White Turkey Brats” with ½ cup of chicken broth into crock pot. Add the
onion & pepper mixture to the Brats and broth; cook 4 to 6 hrs. Serve on a whole-wheat hoagie bun.
• One boneless Turkey Breast, ½ envelope of dried onion soup mix, one can of cranberry sauce;
cook for 4 to 6 hrs.
• Healthy Party Meatballs – Serve a healthy appetizer to your friends. 3 packages of Honeysuckle
White Italian-Style Turkey Meatballs. Add a 10 oz jar of Smucker’s Low Sugar Concord Grape and
a 12 oz jar of Heinz or Del Monte Chili Sauce (found in steak sauce section); cook for 2-4 hrs.
Desserts & Treats
• Line a cookie sheet with wax paper, slice fresh Bananas into 1" disks, drizzle with Hershey’s SugarFree Chocolate Syrup, sprinkle with crushed walnuts, freeze and eat.
• Pour a jar of unsweetened applesauce into a bowl, add a small box of sugar-free Jell-O, and stir.
Put in fridge to “set”
• Grill pineapple slices in a grilling pan sprayed with non-stick spray
• Baked apple: Slice an apple and sprinkle with cinnamon and a packet of stevia. Cook in the
microwave for about 1 ½ minutes
• Yogurt Berry Parfait – Mix frozen raspberries with Sugar-Free Raspberry Preserves; Mix frozen
blackberries with Sugar-Free Blueberry Preserves, Layer the berries with Greek Yogurt, top with a
granola cereal such as “Food for Life Ezekiel 4:9 Almond Cereal”
• Ice Cream – Sugar-free ice cream or sugar-free frozen yogurt
• Frozen fruit bar
• Sugar-free Pudding cup
• Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwich or 100 calorie Fudgesicle
Dips & Salad Dressings
• Minty Fruit Dip – 2 cups Greek yogurt, 2 tsp agave, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp cinnamon, 2 packs
stevia in the raw. Stir mixture and fold-in 12 fresh mint leaves (chopped)
• Avocado Salsa – 1 small onion, 1 tsp Mt Olive Diced Jalapeno, 1 tsp minced garlic, 4 tomatillos or
2-3 Roma tomatoes, ½ of an avocado, ¼ cup of fresh cilantro leaves. Finely chop onion, jalapeno
and garlic in a food processor. Add in tomatoes, avocado and pulse it until chopped but still chunky.
Stir in the cilantro.
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• Blue Cheese Dressing – Mix ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 3 T red-wine vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard,
1/3 cup blue cheese crumbles, 1 tsp chopped shallot, salt & pepper to taste
• Tangy Dressing - Mix 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2 T red-wine vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, salt &
pepper to taste
• Ranch Dressing – Mix ½ cup Reduced Fat Mayo, ½ cup plain Greek yogurt, ½ cup buttermilk, 1 tsp
white vinegar, ½ tsp dried chives, ½ tsp dried parsley, ½ tsp dried dill weed, ¼ tsp onion powder, ½
tsp garlic powder, salt & pepper to taste. If it is too thick, add 1 T of lemon juice or skim milk to
dilute. (Add Worcestershire sauce and crumbled gorgonzola cheese to make this recipe Blue
Cheese dressing)
• Red-wine vinaigrette – Mix 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ cup red-wine vinegar, 1 tsp dried
oregano
• Creamy Salsa Dressing – Mix ½ cup Salsa, ½ cup plain Greek Yogurt, 1 tsp minced garlic, juice
from ½ lime.
A sample day might look like this:
• Wake up
• (Take 1 probiotic with 16 oz water)
• Drink hot lemon water while breakfast is cooking
• Breakfast – Scrambled Egg Beaters with mushrooms, onions and hot sauce, a diced Roma tomato
on the side, whole wheat toast with sugar-free apricot preserves, and hot Green Tea
• (Take Multivitamin, Omega-3 supplements and Vitamin B-Complex with 16 oz water)
• Snack – A handful of Walnuts, a Sargentos Mozzarella String Cheese Stick, Red Grapes and
Lipton Diet Green Tea
• Lunch – Tuna Salad on pita bread, sliced cucumbers, and 16 oz water with Mio Peach Mango
Flavor Packet
• (Take Calcium supplements and Omega-3 supplements with 16 oz water)
• Snack – Cottage Cheese with cantaloupe, 16 oz water with “Benefiber Stick”
• Dinner – Chicken Taco Salad Bowl (see recipe on page 24)
• (Chew 2 Fiber Choice tablets and take 1 probiotic with 16 oz water)
• Drink hot lemon water
• Bed time
I wish all the success in the world to you in reaching your weight loss goal!
- Gina O’Neil
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Contents
Before you get started…
It‘s time for a New You…
Getting started…
What to expect out of this weight loss plan…
Is there a Secret to Weight Loss?
What exactly is the Fat Switch?
Fad diets don’t work and neither does a pill nor surgery!
Why is my Fat Switch turned “ON“?
What happens when the Fat Switch is turned “ON“?
Gina’s Diet Plan
The Plan Rules
The Food Plan
Lean Meat Protein Choices
Vegetarian Proteins
Vegetables
Fruits
Probiotic Foods
Starches
Healthy Fats
Condiments & extras
Granola Bars & Protein Bars
Spice it up
Use when cooking to cut calories
Supplements
Tools for your success
Sample Menu
Breakfast Ideas
Smoothies
Snacks Ideas
Salads
Sandwiches & Wraps
Seafood
Chicken & Turkey
Sides
Slow Cooker
Desserts & Treats
Dips & Salad Dressings
A sample day might look like this
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