Let me explain just what this is and what it isn’t. This is my plan for losing weight; it is what I believe to be the strategy that is most likely to work for me in both the short and long run.
It isn’t low-fat, low-carb, sugar-free, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, clean, or even balanced. I make no claims whatsoever that it will do anything at all for you. I take no responsibility if you use this site in any way. I do not claim to be an expert in health or fitness.
This is simply an attempt to reach two of my goals in an organized way. I decided to put my efforts online in the hope that someone else might find something useful.
The first goal is weight loss. Over the years I have tried and failed at many diets and have come to the conclusion that portion control is my best bet. I know myself well enough to know that if any food is off-limits, I will rebel, eat it and give up on the diet. I love food and love to feed others. I need something that will allow me to feed my family in the usual way. I also eat out frequently and want the flexibility to order the foods I love.
This plan is simple math. There are many calorie calculators out there that will estimate the number of calories you should eat to lose weight. I decided that 1500 calories seemed like a good goal for me, balancing a desire for fairly rapid weight loss against not wanting to feel too restricted or deprived. My plan is not original but based on using the myfitnesspal app or site. This super easy, user-friendly app is completely free.
I’ve decided to divide my 1500 calories up as follows:
It will be broken down as follows:
Breakfast: 300 calories
Lunch: 350 calories
Dinner: 450 calories
2 Snacks: 200 calories each
There is nothing magic about dividing the calories up this way; I just believe this will be the best approach for me personally. The reason for dividing the calories up this way is to help facilitate my second goal.
The second goal is meal planning. I have long wanted to create an organized way to rotate through the meals my family likes and make shopping and preparation easier. My goal is to create a large bank of meal and snack ideas that fit the above calorie numbers, making it easier to decide what to eat and how much of it.
My hope is to get to the point that I can scroll through meal and snack ideas and be able to plot out the meals for the week and make a grocery list in a matter of minutes and know that I have a feasible plan for weight loss at the same time. My plan is to regularly add new meals to create a resource that is large and varied.
There is nothing special about these meals; they are mostly just the quick, simple things we usually eat. I don’t claim that they provide balanced nutrition; they most certainly don’t. But since there is nothing exceptional about the combinations, it is easy to swap out any items to don’t like or don’t have with something that has a similar number of calories.
The 1500 calorie plan can also be easily modified by adding or subtracting calories from any meal to reach a different calorie goal. I may do this myself if I find that the 1500 calorie plan that I think will work isn’t actually right for me.
I will be blogging about my journey here.
Questions and suggestions are not only welcomed but appreciated.
