The weighting game: Eat to lose, gain or maintain with one of these three custom meal plans

Muscle & Fitness/Hers, Feb-March, 2002 by Debra Wein

Let's face it: Nobody's perfect. Most of us wish we could either lose a few pounds, add a little definition to our arms or just keep that number on the scale from inching higher, but too often we make these goals the be-all and end-all of our existence and can't help but feel an overwhelming sense of failure if we don't achieve them. I'm here to tell you two things -- you can do it, and eating healthfully (not starving yourself!) is the key Ditch your too-strict New Year's diet and check out the easy nutrition tips here; we provide detailed suggestions as well as meal plans for weight loss, weight maintenance and weight gain.

Choose a diet high in complex carbohydrartes, moderate in protein and low in fat.

Translated into numbers, this means approximately 55%-65% of your calories should come from carbohydrates, 10%-20% from protein and 20%-25% from fat every day. Despite years of contradictory views, this is still the best method of increasing muscle mass, maximizing energy, enhancing performance and promoting health.

Strive for five servings of fruits and vegetables daily.

Your body needs the nutrients, vitamins and minerals that only these foods can provide. Plus, scientists investigating fruits, vegetables and whole grains are uncovering new compounds called phytonutrients, which are important for health but aren't available in other foods or even on health-food store shelves. Here's how to boost your intake:

* Remember, a serving is only a half-cup of mixed veggies such as zucchini or broccoli or 1 cup of the leafy stuff like red leaf or Boston lettuce. The small bowl of veggies you get with a restaurant meal is about a half-cup serving.

* Have a huge, colorful salad with most dinners. More colors on your plate means you're getting a greater variety of nutrients.

* Snack on fruits to keep you satiated and energized between meals. They're better than a soda or candy bar at providing short- as well as longer-term energy.

* Carry mini carrots, grapes or dried fruit with you (just a quarter-cup of the dried stuff counts as one serving).

Drink or eat 2 cups of skim or 1% milk or yogurt for protein and calcium.

* Have a cup of yogurt or string cheese as a between-meals snack.

* Start your day with a high-fiber cereal (more than 3 grams of fiber per serving) and milk.

* Have frozen yogurt for dessert instead of ice cream.

Choose whole grains to make sure you take in adequate carbs to fuel hard workouts.

* Have oatmeal or a ready-to-eat high-fiber cereal for breakfast.

For lunch, make your sandwich on whole-wheat or whole-grain bread instead of white.

* Choose brown rice instead of white rice whenever you can.

plan ahead

If you know you'll be away from home for several hours, bring nonperishable snacks with you so you don't resort to the vending machine at the office or the food court at the mall.

Don't go more than 4-6 hours without eating.

You'll be more likely to make poor nutritional choices, like reaching for a candy bar, when you're starving.

Eat breakfast.

This doesn't mean you must have a huge breakfast of cereal, toast, juice, pancakes and fruit. Even a small bowl of cereal and skim milk or a piece of fruit and yogurt is a good way to increase the likelihood that you'll eat well and feel energized throughout the morning.

Fuel your body when it needs it most.

Instead of having a super-sized dinner and therefore consuming most of your calories at night, try to balance your caloric intake throughout the day when you're more active and requiring calories.

Stash your kitchen and even your office with healthy snacks. Choose any of these:

* Beverages: skim or 1% milk, 100% fruit juices, water.

* Food: low-fat yogurt, fresh fruit, baby carrots and hummus, instant oatmeal packages, dried soups (just add water), high-fiber cereal.

* Snacks: whole-wheat or regular pretzels, dried fruit (raisins, cranberries), low-fat granola bars, low-fat pudding, low-fat microwave popcorn.

Read food labels.

* Consider the total calories in the food. If it's a meal, it should contain no more than one-third of your total daily calories. Calories are the most important factor in weight management, so if you typically choose high-calorie foods, your ideal weight may become harder to maintain. Calories come from carbs, proteins, fats and alcohol and that's it. Eat the correct balance of these nutrients to ensure success.

* Consider the total fat content. Look for foods that contain less than 3 grams of fat for every 100 calories (to stay under 30% of calories from fat). A 500-calorie food, then, should contain no more than 15 grams of fat per serving.

* Choose foods that are high in fiber such as fruits, vegetables, beans and lentils, oatmeal, and other high-fiber cereals and grains. Strive for 25-30 grams of fiber per day.

Weigh yourself just once a week.

Use the same scale and try to do this at the same time of day. Daily changes in weight as a result of water, digestion, etc., will only make you more frustrated.

how to win at losing

Let's say Lindsay is 5'5", 35 years old and weighs 150 pounds. She's trying to lose about 25 pounds and maintain lean muscle mass. She does relatively easy exercise for 30-45 minutes three times a week. Her recommended intake is about 1,800 calories a day, with 86-99 grams of protein (19%-22% of calories). 225-248 grams of carbs (50%-55% of calories) and about 50 grams of fat (25% of calories).(*) In addition, Lindsay should: