Sample Step One meal plan
All men and active women under 40 years of age (women under 40 who do at least 60 minutes of cardiovascular exercise at least 6 days a week) may have unlimited lean protein (skinless poultry, fish and seafood, lean meat, egg whites, and tofu) at breakfast, lunch, and dinner — but not with snacks and/or during the rest of the day.
Breakfast: Egg white omelet with fruit
Prepare 4 egg white omelet with any blend of non-starchy vegetables (spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, onion, etc.); top with 1/4 cup shredded reduced fat cheese
Enjoy with 1 whole grapefruit, 1 apple or 1 banana.
Lunch: Open-faced turkey sandwich with veggies
Top one slice whole grain bread with 4 ounces sliced turkey breast, optional mustard and/or 1 tablespoon reduced fat mayo, and unlimited tomato slices, lettuce and onion.
Enjoy with unlimited baby carrots and celery sticks (or substitute any other non-starchy raw or steamed vegetables).
Snack: Nuts and fruit
10 raw almonds + fruit of your choice (orange, palm-sized apple, or 1/2 grapefruit)
Dinner: Sirloin steak with sautéed spinach
LIFE Dinner Salad (any non-starchy vegetables, topped with 2 tablespoons reduced calorie dressing)
- or -
2 cups LIFE Veggie Soup (*see recipe)
Grilled sirloin steak
5 ounces lean sirloin steak, seasoned as desired with allowed marinades/herbs/seasonings.
Preheat a large skillet or grill to medium-high heat and cook to preferred temperature.
Sautéed spinach
Coat sauté pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil and heat to medium. Add 1 clove garlic, minced, and sauté until light brown, 1-2 minutes. Add 4 cups washed spinach leaves and sauté until wilted, 3-5 minutes; season with black pepper.
Dos and Don’ts during Step One
Dos
- DO ... eat on a schedule and enjoy three meals and one afternoon snack each day.
- DO ... drink lots of water throughout the day, including two 8-ounce glasses 30 minutes before lunch and two 8-ounce glasses 30 minutes before dinner. Enjoy as much additional water as you want during meals and throughout the day.
- DO ... begin dinner with a large tossed salad (non-starchy vegetables only, including carrot, celery, mushrooms, tomatoes, cucumbers, and broccoli) or LIFE Veggie Soup (see recipe).
- DO ... indulge in non-starchy vegetables in unlimited quantities at any time throughout the day, particularly when you get hungry between designated meal and snack times. See non-starchy vegetables list above.
- DO ... engage in at least 30 minutes of exercise everyday (walking is fine).
Don’ts
- DON’T ... add sugar or other natural or artificial sweeteners to anything
- DON’T ... add salt to anything
- DON’T ... eat starches during or after dinner (including bread, rice, pasta, peas, corn and potatoes)
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