Use this dietitian-designed sample menu to lose 3kg in just six weeks.
Sit down to breakfast
“You need to eat first thing in the morning or your body switches into conservation mode, which means you’ll burn kilojoules at a slower rate,” says Tanya Zuckerbrot, author of The F-Factor Diet (Putnam). Dietitian Ria Buys recommends fuelling up with a fruit and a bowl of fibre cereal, like Bokomo Right Start.
Drink water
When German researchers had 14 volunteers drink two cups of water, their metabolism jumped 30% after 40 minutes — and stayed at a higher rate for an hour.
Have a 400kJ snack
“Eat something every four hours,” says Zuckerbrot. “When you consistently give your body food, your metabolism doesn’t have a chance to slow down.”
Eat a mix of lean protein, veggies, and wholegrain
The protein will help you build lean muscle, and the veggies and grains provide long-lasting energy.
Need to know
- Have a maximum of 4 fats per day
- Roast chicken on Day 2 can be bought ready-made from the supermarket
- Drink 3 cups herbal or rooibos tea/coffee, 6 glasses of water
| DAY 1 | ||
| Breakfast -1/2 cup low-fat milk -1 cup fibre cereal -1 banana |
Lunch Chicken Salad -1 grilled and sliced chicken breast (80 g) plus a big salad -1 slice health/seed/rye bread -Dressing: 1 T olive mix with lemon juice and herbsSnack -1 mango |
Dinner -90 g lean beef mince made into (2 small) meatballs with a tomato/ onion gravy. -minted peas, baby carrots and green salad -3 slices of pineapple |
| DAY 2 | ||
| Breakfast -1/2 cup fat-free/low-fat yoghurt -2/3 cup muesli -1 cup fresh fruit salad |
Lunch Mixed salad with cold meats -4 slices lean ham or pastrami served with mustard on 2 Ryvita crackers -Mixed salad using a variety of salad ingredients including 1/2 small avocado pearSnack -1 apple |
Dinner -120 g oven-roast chicken (1/2 breast) with lemon and rosemary (skin removed after roasting) -Variety of roasted vegetables eg. mushrooms, butternut, carrots baby marrow, onion, patty pans -2 kiwi fruit, sliced |
| DAY 3 | ||
| Breakfast -1/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese with sliced tomato -1 slice rye/health bread toast -1 cup cubed paw paw |
Lunch Tuna corn SALAD -1 tin tuna (canned in brine) plus a mixed salad (using a variety of salad ingredients) -1/2 tin corn kernels Dressing: 2 T low-fat mayonnaiseSnack -2 naartjies |
Dinner -120 g yellowtail/Cape salmon grilled with olive oil, lemon juice, herbs and spices -Broccoli, diced butternut and beetroot salad -1 pear, sliced and poached with cinnamon and touch of sugar |
| DAY 4 | ||
| Breakfast -1/2 cup low-fat milk -2/3 cup muesli -1 pear, sliced |
Lunch Salad with turkey -4 slices lean, shaved turkey -1 slices health/seed/rye bread -vegetable mix: baby carrots, baby corn, rosa tomatoes, pepperdews OR chunky vegetable soupSnack -3 prunes |
Dinner -90 g lean beef cut into strips and made into a stir-fry with soya sauce, herbs and spices -as well as a variety of stir-fry vegetables -1/2 cup cooked brown/wild rice |
| DAY 5 | ||
| Breakfast -1/2 cup fat-free/low-fat yoghurt -1 slice health/rye bread toast with 2 t peanut butter -1 cup cubed melon |
Lunch Large chickpea and brown rice SALAD -2/3 cup canned chickpeas mixed with a variety of salad ingredients, including 1/2 cup (leftover) brown/wild riceas well as 1/2 small avocado pearSnack -3 plums |
Dinner Take out -120 g Nando’s chicken (skin removed) -coleslaw and Portuguese salad -10 fresh strawberries, sliced |
| DAY 6 | ||
| Breakfast -1/2 cup low-fat milk -2/3 cup fibre bran cereal -1 apple, sliced |
Lunch Restaurant Open sandwich -2 slices smoked salmon with 2 T chunky, low-fat cottage cheese -1 slice health/rye bread -Side salad Dessing: 1 T olive oil with a drizzle of balsamic vinegarSnack -1 pear |
Dinner Restaurant -210 g grilled calamari or 150 g catch of the day (no lemon butter) -Vegetables — as served -Dressing: 1 T olive oil with a drizzle of vinegar -1 cup fresh fruit salad |
| DAY 7 | ||
| Breakfast -1 slice health/rye bread, toasted -1 egg, poached/scrambled -grilled tomato and mushroom -1 cup fresh fruit salad |
Lunch Braai: main meal -120 g chicken breast (skin removed) or 90 g lean beef fillet/rump steak or kebabs -3 baby potatoes — boiled in skin and brushed with olive oil and herbs -variety of salads e.g. carrot, beetroot and three-bean saladSnack -4 mango strips |
Dinner Light meal: soup -3 Provita crackers -4 T ricotta cheese or 4 T hummus -chunky vegetable soup |
i would like these diets be emailed to me please
Please email these diet realy wana lose weight
can you designed an eating plan that is cheap and easy
This looks great – can it be emailed to me please?
please mail me this diet, needto lose at least 4kgs desperately
Please email me this diet
ples email me the above diet plan as i am despretely lookin to lose weight as i want to have a baby an i have pcos
Please mail me the diet plan. Thanx
Please email me this diet plan? Thanx
Er – there is a great big DOWNLOAD button. Why on earth would you need it to be emailed?
I’ve wondered the same thing….
Definitely going to try this out!
This diet plan is really great. I’ve been doing it for myself. Practicing over to eat the right food is definitely the best way to have a healthy lifestyle and avoid sickness. I’d really like to have these meal plans emailed to me.
Thank you so much!
I am loving your recipes
I am pescetarian, vegetarian who eats fish and seafood, but no chicken, beef, lamb etc. Do you guys have a diet to suit this? Find it difficult to get enough protein and apparently beans are full of carbs!?!?
hi, just wanted to know – does bread make one put on weight / stomach bulge?
thank you
Any chance of putting a shopping list together for this diet…? Would really help!!
This plan looks good. My only concern is a possible lack of calcium?
I would like to know how effective it would be if you have an under active thyroid should one follow this diet. I have tried many diets before and log atleast 30mins 4 days a week of mixed cardio and weight training but im not loosing
Done a few days ago. What a versatile diet plan!
Whoopa Thanks Shape Magazine.
Could you please email the diet to me as the download option doesnt work with my Adobe. Thanx
I will try this definately, i nearly lost my job because of being overweight, i get 4times ayear different size of uniform.