FOOD PLAN & DAILY FOOD GOAL

Note #1: With any new diet program, before you begin, check with your doctor.
Note #2: We do not accept affiliate fees for referrals from this page. We work with many companies and naturally develop a liking for some over others, so we can’t claim to be completely without bias. Nonetheless, this is intended as a fair (non-commercial) description of the most popular diet strategies.

What to Do:

1. Choose your Food Plan

2. Choose (and write down) your Daily Food Goal

FOOD PLAN	PROS	SETTING YOUR DAILY FOOD GOAL	DAILY FOOD GOAL EXAMPLE
Calorie Counting Free phone apps & websites that we love: Lose It! MyFitnessPal SparkPeople FitBit	Calorie counting and keeping a food log provides a better understanding of what you’re truly consuming in a day Better identify serving/portion sizes Increase awareness of the what, when, how and why of eating. Cost: $0	Focus on daily calorie limits and/or percentages of nutritional values to calorie limits (ie. no more than 20% calories from fat). Include your selected tracking method and when/how often you will track.	"I will consume no more than 1,500 calories per day with only 20% of those calories from fat. I'll track every snack and meal via the LoseIt! app."
ww ww is the largest commercial weight-loss program in the world. The diet is based on calorie and portion control while eating regular food, exercise, and behavior modification.	Huge flexibility and tons of additional education, support and accountability either online, via coaching, or through in-person, group meetings. Virtually no foods are considered “off limits” “SmartPoints” ratings can be found on many prepackaged and restaurant foods Their newest program "myWW" matches you with a eating plan that best fits your lifestyle and goals. A long history of success, plus a “lifetime” member program to help you keep the weight off once you lose it.	Base your goal around your allotted SmartPoints value. Include your accountability method, such as if you'll use online tools or when you'll attend meetings.	"I will stick to my daily SmartPoints allotment of 30 and use no more than 20 of my extra weekly points. I will attend meetings every Tuesday night at 8:00pm."
Common Sense Unless you have a consistent pattern of success with discipline, we don't recommend this plan for you. However, it's extremely flexible and can easily be incorporated into your daily life. Portion control is a large part of this way of eating, as is mindful eating, which focuses on the mindful connection with the body, intention, attention to the where and how meals are consumed, and to how the body reacts to the foods consumed.	Encourages listening to the body’s needs and wants, so it can be a more natural and intuitive way to lose weight. Can be particularly helpful to those that struggle with emotional, stress or binge eating, helping to uncover the roots of our biggest triggers. Easy to incorporate into any lifestyle as it does not require special foods, tools, or time commitments.	Consider portion sizes and mindful eating components, such as emotional triggers and physical eating mechanisms.	"1. I'll eat only one measured serving of everything I eat each day. 2. I'll chew every bite 30 times before swallowing. 3. I'll journal my emotions instead of eating when I'm stressed."
Meal Replacement Programs There are a number of meal replacement programs available, and they vary in number of total calories and overall nutrition. Most encourage replacing two of three main meals and all snacks with prepackaged foods and shakes, and a “healthy dinner.” Some options include Optifast, Slimfast, Beachbody/Shakeology, and Special K.	Convenient and takes a lot of the “thinking” out of weight loss, providing calorie controlled, prepackaged foods in place of home prepped meals. Some meal replacement programs offer online peer support and/or online or in-person “expert” guidance. Check with your doctor before choosing a meal replacement program.	Focus on not veering off track from your provided meal replacements. Include a specific, actionable plan for those meals and snacks that you select on your own.	“I will have a shake for breakfast and lunch plus a replacement bar or piece of fruit for a mid-morning snack. I’ll eat a healthy dinner of no more than 500 calories.”
Meal Delivery Programs As with meal replacement programs, meal delivery programs have been building in popularity. They appeal to the super busy, the food prep avoiders and the folks who just don’t want to think about what they need to do in order to lose weight. Some popular meal delivery programs include: Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, Medifast, Diet-to-Go and many smaller, more local and regional delivery programs.	Highly convenient, and provide calorie controlled, prepackaged foods in place of home prepped meals. Some programs offer fresh meals prepared and delivery daily, while some offer frozen meals, and some offer almost exclusively packaged and dehydrated meals and snacks. Special dietary considerations may be available (such as paleo, gluten-free, vegetarian or vegan plans).	Be sure to include drinks and other items that are not part of the program. Concentrate on those meals that are not provided for you.	“I will eat all of my provided meals and snacks, and consume no more than 100 calories in drinks throughout the day. I will not eat anything after 8:00pm”
Ketogenic/Low-Carb (Atkins, Dukan, South Beach, etc) This is a “low-carb” approach to eating that emphasizes proteins, fats, and green/salad veggies. Fruits, starchy vegetables, grains and sugars are considered off-limits but may be added in limited amounts as the program progresses.	Initial weight loss is typically high and provides a good boost in motivation. Online support through websites/blogs and specially labeled, convenient food items are available. Considered controversial by some, but others are staunch supporters.	Figure out how you’ll avoid carb-based temptations. Focus on what you CAN eat and not what you can NOT. Plan for future progressions.	“I will be prepared for carb-cravings with pre-prepped substitutions, such as beef jerky, zucchini “chips,” etc. I will drink a glass of water and then wait 15 minutes before I have a snack to see if I'm really hungry.”
Paleo The Paleo diet is a high-protein low-carbohydrate diet that is based on the foods eaten by early humans of the paleolithic era. Early humans hunted animals, fished, and gathered plants for food. There were no crops, such as rice or wheat, and no milk products.	Naturally gluten free and low in added sugars, trans fats, salt, and high-glycemic carbohydrates. Complete elimination of certain types of food eliminates the need to count calories or guess on portion sizes. Some people swear by the weight loss and potential health benefits, such as increased energy, while others find it controversial.	Includes the basic principles of the plan in your goals so that it’s easier to stay on track. Focus on planning and preparation. If you eat out of the home or travel on a regular basis, be sure to include a plan of attack for those situations.	“I will prepare my lunches for the week every Sunday so that I don't have any excuse to vary from the plan. I will eat 3 meals and 2 snacks each day.”
Macrobiotic Macrobiotic dieters are encouraged to eat regularly, chew their food extremely well, listen to their bodies, stay active, and maintain a perky, positive mental outlook. Whole grains, vegetables, and beans are the mainstays of the diet.	Load up on as many vegetables as you can handle. Seasonal eating Encouragement to chew slowly, eat mindfully, pay attention to your appetite, and avoid overeating - habits that can last a lifetime.	Center your goal around the mindfulness components of the diet. Focus on what you can eat instead of the off-limit items.	“I will stop before each and every time I eat and take two minutes to quietly listen to my body. I will put my fork down in between bites.”

FOOD PLAN & DAILY FOOD GOAL

What to Do:

1. Choose your Food Plan

2. Choose (and write down) your Daily Food Goal

FOOD PLAN

PROS

SETTING YOUR DAILY FOOD GOAL

DAILY FOOD GOAL EXAMPLE

Calorie Counting

ww

Common Sense

Meal Replacement Programs

Meal Delivery Programs

Ketogenic/Low-Carb (Atkins, Dukan, South Beach, etc)

Paleo

Macrobiotic

Featured In:

Log In

Log In

Sign Up