If you are trying to achieve a flat belly, then careful meal planning can really make the difference in how quickly you achieve your goal. Avoiding processed foods and opting for whole, organic and unprocessed ingredients can help you shed pounds and inches rapidly, but most of us find that stopping in at a fast food restaurant is easier than planning a meal.
But you can actually craft a meal plan in just a few minutes that is easy to implement and follow, even in a busy modern lifestyle. Here are three flat belly meal plans that you can adapt to your own daily routine:
Breakfast~
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, the best way to stoke your energy for the remainder of your day. Skipping breakfast is like starting out on a road trip with an empty gas tank. Don’t do it! Instead, make sure to start with a serving of protein (in fact, you should have protein at every meal) and a variety of complex carbohydrates such as fruit, vegetables, and sprouted grain bread. Here are a few meal suggestions to get your day started right:
2 whole eggs, scrambled with a bit of butter, sliced tomatoes and 1 slice of grain bread
Cooked quinoa with coconut milk, sweetened with honey or stevia, and a small serving of berries
Low sodium bacon with ½ grapefruit and grain toast
Lunch~
You should include a serving of protein with lunch as well. Reheating leftovers from dinner is always a good bet, but you can also try the following healthy meal plans:
Grilled salmon over a bed of sautéed zucchini, brown rice pilaf, and ½ cup of strawberries
Stir-fried chicken with peppers, mushrooms, and broccoli
A sandwich made with nut butter and grain bread and a green salad with oil and vinegar dressing
Dinner~
Dinner is your chance to get creative and seek out new recipes to satisfy your palate. Make extra to serve for lunch the next day, and you are set! Just make sure you always include a serving of protein with a healthy balance of carbohydrates. Here are a few suggestions:
Baked Tilapia over asparagus tips, a cup of fruit, and a green salad with oil and vinegar dressing
Taco Salad made from lean ground beef, avocado, salsa, tomato and lettuce (never buy iceberg lettuce, which is nutritionally valueless)
Gluten-free meatloaf with a side of spaghetti squash and sautéed peppers and onions
Snacks~
It’s important to keep your blood sugar level by including at least two snacks as part of your eating plan. The portions should be smaller than your meals, but these snacks are a way to keep your hunger at bay so you won’t be tempted to overeat at meals. Opt for a healthy mix of protein and carbs, as in these examples:
Cottage cheese with blueberries or other fresh fruit
A handful of raw nuts and pumpkin seeds with raisins
2 Tbs nut butter on 1 slice sprouted wheat bread
Just a little careful planning on your part with these healthy weight loss meals will help you achieve your goal of getting a flat belly. And you won’t be tempted to hit the drive-thru on the way home!
~BEYOND Diet