“New Year’s Eve Party Dress” Meal Plans

So you are in crunch mode … you have 4 days to banish the bloat from your belly so you can  squeeze into your New Year’s Eve outfit (yes… guys have “outfits” too!) For those of you who really overdid it and want a little jump start diet after your holiday gorge, try a lower carb low sodium diet for the next 4 days. This will help you shed water weight as well as some fat. While I usually don’t recommend rapid weight loss or really low carb diets, there is no danger in following this type of plan for a few days. It can be motivating to see the scale drop by several pounds. You would then ease into a more realistic eating plan.
 

Sample meals for 1200 calories (guys would  want to increase to 1600 calories)

Breakfast: 170-250 calories  (pick one): 
a. 4-5 egg whites with veggies, made with cooking spray or 1 tsp. oil
b. one slice of whole grain toast with 1 T. peanut butter
c. 1 cup cottage cheese with 3/4  cup fruit
d. 5 oz high protein Greek yogurt 0% or 2% fat with 1/2 cup fruit (try frozen blueberries!)

Snack: 70 – 100 calories  (pick one):
a. 1/2 oz nuts such as 12 almonds, 20 pistachios, 14 peanuts, 9 cashews
b. a string cheese
c. piece of fruit
d. 4 oz. low fat cottage cheese
e. 0% Greek yogurt (can you tell I’m obsessed with this?)
f. hard boiled egg
g. Laughing Cow Light cheese on one high fiber cracker (Wasa, Ryvita, Kavali, etc)

Lunch: 375 – 450 calories (pick one): 
a. 5 oz grilled chicken, turkey, plain tuna, shrimp on a salad (2 cups assorted greens and veggies), 1 tablespoon oil and unlimited vinegar or ~ 100  calories of salad dressing or 1/2 avocado
b. 5 oz grilled salmon or skinless poultry and steamed veggies, 1-2 teaspoons oil or sautéed vegetables in a restaurant
c. 4 egg white omelet with veggies (sauteed with 1 teaspoon oil), one ounce cheese and 1-2 ounces of turkey or ham,  one slice of toast or a fruit
d. 5 oz turkey burger (no bun) with salad, 2 tablespoons dressing on the side

Snack: 70 – 100 calories  (pick one)  same as above

Dinner : 450-500 calories
a. 5 oz lean meat, fish or skinless poultry, grilled or baked plain, no sauce with unlimited veggies, preferably steamed plain, salad, 1 T. oil somewhere in the meal or 
sautéed vegetables in a restaurant
b. Steamed Chinese protein with veggies, 3 Tablespoons sauce on side
c. Sashimi, 6-8 pieces, assorted,  miso soup and 1/2 order edemame (note: this is a very high sodium meal, so don’t consume it  for 2 days prior to party time  as the sodium holds in water!)

Note:
1. You are allowed 2 snacks a day. Select when you would like them. I usually recommend that you eat at least one of your snacks in between lunch and dinner.
2. Drink at least 8 cups of water a day.
3. No alcohol.
4. No bread or other starch (except as allowed on meal plan).