Diet expert Geraldine Georgeou's simple eating plan will help you budge those last stubborn kilos.
It's specially prepared for
Woman's Day readers, as part of our three-month diet and exercise program
A New You!
The Rules:
- Adults have at least four alcohol-free nights a week.
- Aim for 45 minutes of high-intensity walking a day as a family
- You MUST keep a food diary. It's been proven the number-one way to lose weight.
- Free! Eat as much as you like of these snacks, which are almost completely kilojoule-free: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, celery, carrots, buk choy, passionfruit, cucumbers, Vegemite, tomatoes.
Portion power
How to quickly determine portion sizes for your meals...
- 1 serve of rice or pasta = a fist
- 1 piece of meat, fish or chicken = the size and width of a deck of cards
- 1 serve of cheese = one slice, or 4 small cubes that could fit in a matchbox
- 1 serve of butter = your fingertip
Note: All meals are for one person, and each day is roughly 6400kJ-6500kJ.
We have a huge archive of other purpose-built meal plans — see our meal plan section to find out more!
Exercise
Once you've got the low-down on diet, don't miss
fitness expert James Menage's housework exercises
Day one |
Day two |
Day three |
Day four |
Day five
Day one
Breakfast
30g Bircher muesli with 1 cup low-fat milk
1 apple
Snack
95g tuna in springwater on 4 wholegrain crackers
Lunch
1-2 tortillas with 190g kidney beans, 1 tablespoon tomato salsa, ¼ avocado, 1 matchbox-sized serve reduced-fat feta and baby spinach
Snack
Smoothie made with 1 cup blueberries, 1 cup low-fat milk and 1 tablespoon low-fat yoghurt
Dinner
Chicken with noodles. Cook in clear chicken broth, 150g sliced chicken breast, ½ cup rice noodles and Asian greens. Add fresh coriander, soy sauce, ginger and crushed garlic for flavour.
2 tablespoons low-fat ice-cream
Day two
Breakfast
Wholegrain toast with 95g tuna and corn, and 1 tablespoon reduced-fat cheese
1 small pear
Snack
Cucumber, capsicum, celery and carrot sticks with 1 tablespoon low-fat cream cheese
Lunch
Small wholegrain roll with 50g shaved ham, 1 pineapple ring, 1 slice reduced-fat cheese and salad
Snack
1 apple
10 pistachios
Dinner
Chicken pasta: Sauté 200g skinless chicken breast. Cook 1 cup of low-carb pasta in 1 litre low-salt stock. Cook ½ sliced onion, 1 clove garlic, sprig rosemary, 1 cup mushrooms, 1 chopped tomato and 1/3 cup extra light cream. Add chicken and pasta.
200g tub low-fat yoghurt
Day three
Breakfast
Wholegrain muffin with 100g low-fat cottage cheese and a grilled tomato
Snack
2-4 corn cakes with 1 slice reduced-fat cheese and ½ avocado
Lunch
2 slices wholegrain toast with 100g sardines in water, served with Greek salad (made with a matchbox-sized serve of feta)
2 small mandarins
Snack
140g tub peaches in natural juice
Small handful mixed nuts
Dinner
Fish and salad: Bake in foil 200g white fish fillets with parsley, dill and lemon juice. Serve with cucumber and tomato salad and 1 small baked potato topped with 1 tablespoon low-fat cream cheese
Day four
Breakfast
45g wholegrain cereal with 1 cup low-fat milk and 5 strawberries
Snack
200g tub low-fat fruit yoghurt
Lunch
Small wholegrain roll with 100g can salmon, ½ red onion, dill, alfalfa, cucumber and lettuce
Snack
2 plums
10 cashews
Dinner
Vegetable stir-fry: Stir-fry capsicum, baby corn, zucchini and carrot in a wok with ½ sliced onion, 1 clove garlic and ginger. Add 2 teaspoons sweet and sour sauce, 1 cup shredded cabbage, 150g tofu and bean sprouts just before serving. Serve with 1 cup cooked brown rice
Day five
Breakfast
2 slices toasted wholegrain raisin bread with 100g low-fat ricotta
Snack
1 orange
10 almonds
Lunch
Mountain Bread wrap filled with mexican bean salad, 1 apple. Make bean salad with 190g kidney beans, corn, capsicum, tomato, ½ avocado and 1 tablespoon salsa
Snack
200g tub low-fat plain yoghurt with 10 blueberries
Dinner
Beef stir-fry: Marinate 150g rump steak strips in mix of plum sauce, teriyaki sauce and ¼ cup salt-reduced stock. Stir-fry meat in a wok, add ½ sliced onion, ¼ sliced capsicum, snow peas and buk choy, then 1 teaspoon sesame oil and ½ teaspoon ground ginger. Serve on 1 cup cooked hokkien egg noodles
Exercise
Now you've got the low-down on diet, don't miss
fitness expert James Menage's housework exercises
We have a huge archive of other purpose-built meal plans — see our meal plan section to find out more!
Do you have a weight loss story to share with us? We'd love to hear about it. Email: womansday@acpmagazines.com.au
Go back to A New You! index
