The 14-Day No Sugar Diet(20)
Some helpful notes before following this plan:
On Counting Calories.
Counting calories, and grams of carbohydrates, protein, fat and fiber, is kind of unpleasant. It sort of turns mealtime into math homework for me, so I don’t do it. What’s more, studies have demonstrated that nutrition information on most food labels is inaccurate and may be off by as much as 25 percent. That’s another reason why I don’t normally add up the numbers when I eat. However, I do eyeball these nutrition numbers on occasion. Even if they aren’t perfectly accurate, I find that the nutrition facts help me to be aware of the general makeup of a meal so I can be more mindful of my food choices and portion sizes. I wouldn’t recommend calorie counting; it’s a hassle. But I do encourage everyone to practice mindful eating and that means understanding what’s in your food.
A more useful tool, I find, is the hand method of guesstimating how much of each macronutrient to eat at a given meal. You may find it “handier” than calorie counting, too. (See Helpful Techniques: Control Your Portions on page 70.)
On Total Calories.
You’ll find daily calorie totals below each menu list. Without an evening snack (which is optional), each day delivers roughly 1,500 calories. You will lose weight on that moderately low-calorie diet.
Men, depending on their size, may require a few hundred more calories per day. You can easily adjust by taking a slightly larger portion size, or adding a little more protein and fat and more vegetables, whole grains or fruit, or an evening snack.
Man or woman, if you still feel hungry after a meal, have a second glass of water and wait five or 10 minutes. Usually hunger will subside. If still hungry, have some more vegetables to fill up. The goal is to learn to listen to your body’s hunger cues and make adjustments according to your body’s needs. Strengthening your mindful eating skills is the secret to long-term weight-loss (and blood sugar control) success.
On Being Prepared.
It’s easier to eat healthy when you have healthy food to eat. At the start of your 14-Day No Sugar Diet, go food shopping to stock up on the ingredients you’ll need to prepare healthy meals.
Tip: Start the plan on a Monday. The day before, prepare some snacks and meals for the week. Doing so will help you avoid rushing out for fast food when hunger strikes and healthy alternatives aren’t at hand.
On Being Realistic.
Dining out is an enjoyable experience. There’s no reason to sacrifice that part of your life. Just be realistic. Restaurants serve oversized portions of calorie dense foods. You can still go out to eat on occasion and follow the no sugar diet if you simply recognize that being handed a menu is not a pass to stop eating mindfully. Go with a plan. Know what you want to order before you arrive and keep portion size and meal content in mind. And remember to …
begin your meal with a tall glass of water
send back the breadbasket
start with an appetizer of broth-based soup or salad
don’t rush through the meal
be sure your plate includes protein, a little fat and mostly vegetables.
14-Day Sample Meal Plan
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DAY 1
BREAKFAST
Spinach & Cheese Omelet (recipe page 119)
1 slice whole-wheat toast with butter
SNACK
Handful of walnuts or raw almonds LUNCH
Greek Salad (recipe page 126) SNACK
Hummus & Pepper Roll-Ups YOU’LL NEED:
2 Tbsp. hummus
1 8-inch low-carb, multi-grain tortilla
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
DO THIS:
Spread hummus on tortilla.
Top with slices of red bell pepper, roll up and cut into wheels
PER SERVING:
170 calories, 6.8 g fat (3 g saturated), 22 g carbohydrates, 2 g sugars, 324 mg sodium, 6.5 g protein, 5.8 g fiber DINNER
Chicken Parmesan (recipe page 134) Add 2 oz. lentil and quinoa spaghetti with 1/2 cup marinara sauce Add garden salad or steamed broccoli SNACK (optional)
BEVERAGES
Eight or more eight-ounce glasses of water per day.
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ + water (Other beverages: unsweetened coffee, tea, or iced tea, fruit and herb-infused waters) Day 1 Nutrition Total (approx.) 1,469 calories, 58 g fat (19.6 g saturated), 117 g carbohydrates, 93 g protein, 27 g fiber
* * *
DAY 2
BREAKFAST
Oatmeal & Berries (recipe page 119) SNACK
Key Lime Pie Smoothie (recipe page 109) LUNCH
Roast Beef and Horseradish Wrap (recipe page 128) Homemade potato salad with egg and mayonnaise SNACK
5 baby carrots with 2 Tbsp. chickpea hummus DINNER
Chicken & Vegetable Kebabs with Quinoa (recipe page 135)
1 slice watermelon
SNACK (optional) BEVERAGES
Eight or more eight-ounce glasses of water per day.
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ + water (Other beverages: unsweetened coffee, tea, or iced tea, fruit and herb infused waters) Day 2 Nutrition Total (approx.) 1,450 calories, 44 g fat (6.4 g saturated), 98 g carbohydrates, 69.3 g protein, 26.8 g fiber
* * *
DAY 3
BREAKFAST
Fiber One Original Cereal with 1/2 cup skim milk and fresh blueberries