Let’s face it: life is busy, and fitting weight loss into your schedule can often be difficult.
When beginning a new eating routine, I often recommend following an “auto-pilot” eating approach that consists of easy-to-make meals. In other words, for the first few weeks, keep variety to a minimum and pick a few favourite meals and…repeat! This approach takes the thinking out of eating and forces you to stick to the plan. When I lost all of my baby weight (75 whopping pounds!), I literally ate the same breakfast for over 2 months!
So, in the vein of making life a little simpler, here are a few of my “go to” 10-minute meals. Quick, easy and on plan! However, if you do want more variety, we have two 7 -day meal plans posted for you in the 2015 Cityline Weight Loss Challenge section, and more recipes and meal plans coming each and every week.
10-minute breakfast options
Apple cinnamon yogurt parfait
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 red or green apple, sliced
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseeds or hemp seeds
- ½ tsp of cinnamon
- 1 handful of bran buds (optional to enhance fiber and crunch!)
Add yogurt to a bowl, top with apple and flax or hemp seeds. Sprinkle cinnamon and bran buds on top and enjoy!
Blissful berry smoothie (*vegan!)
- ½ cup mixed frozen berries
- 1 cup unsweetened cashew, almond or soy milk
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (brown rice or soy protein powder)
- 3-4 ice cubes
- Handful of kale or spinach
Blend on high and enjoy!
Cheesy scrambled eggs
- 1-2 full eggs or 3-4 egg whites scrambled
- 1 oz. goat’s cheese
- 1 slice sprouted grain toast
Lox and cream cheese bagel
- 1 whole wheat, high fibre bagel
- 3 oz. lox
- 1 tbsp light cream cheese
- 8-10 capers
Please note: On the challenge, you are allowed 1 grain per day. If you use your grain option at breakfast, the rest of the day is grain free in the initial days of the challenge.
10-minute lunch options
Tuna avocado wrap
- 1 high fibre, whole wheat wrap
- 4 ounces white tuna
- ½ tbsp mayonnaise
- Cherry tomatoes, halves
- Celery, chopped
- ½ avocado, sliced
- Baby spinach leaves
Mix tuna with mayonnaise. Place tuna and vegetable on wrap, roll up and enjoy!
Turkey sandwich
- 4 oz honey turkey slices, gluten- and nitrate-free
- 2 pieces sprouted grain bread
- 2 tomato slices
- 1 lettuce leaf
- Mustard
Chicken Greek salad
- 3-4 oz. chicken breast, sliced
- 1 hard boiled egg, cut in half
- Cucumber, chopped
- Tomatoes, chopped
- Red onion, diced
- 6-7 olives
- 1 Tbsp feta cheese
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil + lemon juice + 1 tsp dried oregano + salt and pepper
10-minute dinner options
The bunless hummus burger
- 1 4-6 oz patty (beef, chicken, turkey or vegetarian), cooked through
- 1 tbsp. plain hummus (or sundried tomato hummus)
- Cucumber slices
- Tomato slices
- Avocado slices
- Lettuce leaves
Cook burger in a non-stick pan. On a large lettuce leaf, spread hummus and add cucumber, tomato and avocado slices. Top with burger and top with an additional lettuce leaf – enjoy!
Low carb nacholess salad
- 1 1/2 cups Iceberg lettuce, shredded
- 4-6 oz ground chicken, cooked
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives
- 1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped
- 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
- 1/4 cup low-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
On a baking pan lined with tin foil, spread a fresh bed of shredded lettuce. Distribute meat, olives, chopped tomatoes, green onion and any additional toppings. Sprinkle with cheese. Heat oven to 350F and broil for 3 minutes or until cheese is bubbling. Remove immediately and serve. Serve with guacamole or low-fat cottage cheese if desired.
“Pasta-less” pasta
- 1/2 cup broccoli florets
- 1/2 cup chopped cauliflower
- 1/4 cup whole grain pasta, cooked al dente
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 4 oz sliced chicken breast, cooked
- 1 tbsp. Parmesan cheese
Cook pasta to al dente (undercook by 2 minutes). Stir fry or steam cut up vegetables of choice (i.e. cauliflower or broccoli). Mix pasta and vegetables together. Top with tomato sauce, sliced chicken and 1 tbsp. of Parmesan cheese and enjoy!
Please note: Grain is not allowed at night during the initial start-up phase. However, the small amount of pasta above will not fluctuate weight and lends the “feel” of pasta to this tasty dish.
Courtesy Dr. Joey Shulman
www.drjoey.com
@drjoeyshulman