How to Lose Weight in a Week

Adjusting Your Diet 

Consume more vegetables, healthy fats, and lean protein. Shape your meals so they contain one protein source, one low fat source and one low carb vegetable source. Your carb intake should be in the recommended range of 20-50 grams per a day.^[2] Don't feel that you must restrict yourself to a small number of foods. You can enjoy a wide variety of healthy foods that provide a large array of nutrients.

• Healthy protein sources include egg whites, soy products, and chicken. Fish such as salmon and trout, as well as shellfish like shrimp and lobster are also good sources of protein in a healthy diet. Non-fat greek yogurt is also a good way to get protein and dairy in your diet.
• Low carb vegetables include: broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, kale, brussels sprouts, cabbage, swiss chard, lettuce, cucumber, and celery. Steaming or baking vegetables, rather than frying them, will ensure you receive all the nutrients and antioxidants in low carb veggies for the week.
• Healthy fat sources include avocados and nuts, as well as olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil. These oils are healthier alternatives to cooking with animal fats or heavily saturated fats.

Cut out carbs, sugars, and animal fats. Foods high in carbs and sugars cause your body to secrete insulin, which is a main fat storage hormone in your body. When your insulin levels go down, your body can start to burn fat. It also helps your kidneys shed excess sodium and water, which will help you reduce any water weight.^[3]

• Avoid foods high in starch and carbs like potato chips, french fries, and white breads. You should also avoid consuming foods high in sugar like soft drinks, candy, cakes, and other junk food.
• Animal fats found in red meat and gamey meat like lamb can be fattening and slow down your metabolism as they are difficult to digest. Skip the steak or the lamb burger for one week as part of your meal plan.

Have natural sugars, rather than artificial sugars. Rather than have a piece of candy for a quick snack, replace it with fruit that is low in sugar, such as raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, or strawberries. Replace the sugar in your morning coffee with a natural sugar like Stevia or a spoon of honey.^[4]

• Your diet should focus mostly on healthy sources of protein, fat, and vegetables. But you should also include healthy sugar options such as fruit.

Create a seven day meal plan. This meal plan should include three main meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), scheduled at the same time of day, as well as two small snacks (between breakfast and lunch, and lunch and dinner), also schedule at the same time of day. This will ensure you eat at a consistent time for all seven days and do not skip or miss a meal. Eating about 1,400 calories a day, combined with daily exercise, can lead to healthy weight loss.^[5]

• A meal plan is essential to the success of your weight-loss program. It keeps you aware of what you will be eating throughout the day and the entire week. This helps you stay on track.
• Make a grocery list based on your meal plan and go food shopping for the week on Sunday. Stock your fridge with all the necessary ingredients to make your meals for the week so you can prepare each meal easily and quickly.^[6]

Have a small, protein heavy breakfast. Kickstart your day with a protein filled breakfast that will give you energy (and keep your blood sugar up) for the rest of the day. Aim for a breakfast that is 400 calories and eat it every morning at around the same time. Go for variety and rotate two to three options. Pair your breakfast with unsweetened tea or a glass of water with lemon.^[7]

• Start the day right with a berry parfait and an English muffin. Put four ounces of low-fat yogurt in a bowl with one tablespoon low-fat granola and ½ cup sliced strawberries. Add one more layer of yogurt and granola and finish it with ½ cup raspberries. You can eat this delicious berry parfait with half a toasted whole wheat English muffin topped with two teaspoons peanut butter.
• Make instant oatmeal and add in dried fruit and nuts for a healthy, fiber packed breakfast. Add 1 ⅓ cup fat-free milk to two packets of instant oatmeal (look for no sugar added oatmeal). Cook it according to the package directions in the microwave or the stove. Once it’s cooked, mix in two tablespoons dried cranberries and one tablespoon chopped walnuts.
• Create a filling, but healthy morning meal by toasting two whole wheat waffles. Add one tablespoon pure maple syrup and one small sliced banana. Have a glass of fat free milk on the side.
• Avoid a carb-heavy breakfast, which will lead to blood sugar highs and lows throughout the day and activate cravings.

 

Eat a balanced lunch. Schedule in lunch so you eat at the same time every day and can plan out your meals in advance. Make lunches that are 500 calories or less, and rotate several lunch options so you get some variety for the week.^[8]

• Try a protein heavy meal like a bean tortilla with gazpacho. Warm up a two ounce wheat tortilla in the microwave or on the stove and fill it with ½ cup cooked black beans, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, two tablespoons shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese, and half an avocado, sliced. Serve it with one cup of ready-made gazpacho or salsa. Finish with a one ounce piece of dark chocolate for dessert.
• Integrate fish into your diet with a tilapia and rice pilaf dish. Heat up one teaspoon olive oil in a pan over medium high heat. Season a three ounce tilapia fillet with some salt and pepper. Place it in the pan for about two to three minutes per side. When the fish is done, it should flake easily with a fork. Prepare ½ cup rice pilaf (prepared from a box or made from scratch) and ½ cup steamed snap peas. Serve the tilapia with the rice pilaf and the snap peas. Finish the meal with a baked apple, topped with a pinch of cinnamon and one teaspoon honey, served with ⅓ cup low-fat vanilla ice cream.
• Have a hummus and vegetable sandwich that is high in protein and flavor. Spread ¼ cup store-bought or homemade hummus on two slices of whole-grain bread. Add baby salad greens, sliced cucumber and red bell pepper. Have your healthy sandwich with one cup of minestrone soup, six ounces of low-fat yogurt and ½ cup grapes.
• A carb-heavy lunch leads to more carb cravings and an afternoon energy crash.

 

Have a filling, healthy dinner every night. Finish your day with a dinner that is filling but will not overload your metabolism or create fat that is hard for your body to burn. Keep your dinner within 500 calories a meal and focus on a balance of protein, vegetables, and healthy fats. You can also rotate lunch and dinner options every day for variety.^[9]

• Make a protein-rich dinner with grilled pork chops and asparagus. Heat one teaspoon olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Season a three ounce pork chop with salt and pepper. Place it in the pan and cook it for three to five minutes per a side. Serve with ½ cup mashed potatoes, one cup steamed or baked asparagus, and ½ cup bell pepper strips. Top the meal off with ½ cup fresh raspberries.
• Create a protein packed dinner with red lentil soup. Garnish each bowl of homemade soup with a tablespoon of non-fat yogurt and fresh cilantro. Have a slice of whole wheat bread or a handful of crackers on the side.
• Cook an easy, filling dinner by making a vegetable frittata. A frittata is an egg based dish that combines egg, a vegetable like mushrooms and spinach, and a light cheese like feta to make a kind of pie. Frittatas are great sources of protein, and vegetables, and also make good leftovers for breakfast.

 

Drink water instead of sugary drinks. Water will help your immune system stay healthy, keep your skin looking great, and keep you hydrated during your daily workout.^[10]

• Replace sugary drinks like soda with water sweetened with slices of lemon or lime.
• Unsweetened green tea is another good substitute for sugary drinks. Green tea contains a good amount of antioxidants, meaning that it helps your body fight against free radicals, which enhance signs of aging in humans.^[11]

 Source:  http://www.wikihow.com/Lose-Weight-in-a-Week