The Dash Diet Weight Loss Solution: 2 Weeks to Drop Pounds, Boost Metabolism, and Get Healthy (A DASH Diet Book) (4 page)

Unsweetened or artificially sweetened yogurt (one per day)

Heart-Healthy Fats

Avocados

Vegetable oils, especially olive oil, canola oil, and nut oils. (Coconut oil and palm oil are excluded, since they are high in saturated fat.)

Salad dressings, especially those based on the above oils

Foods That Are Protein-Rich and Contain Healthy Fat

Nuts (preferably nonroasted and unsalted) and seeds

Fatty fish

Enjoy as Much of These Foods as You Want

Sugar-free gelatin. (This becomes your fruit and dessert substitute.)

Nonstarchy vegetables. (Exclusions include potatoes, winter squash, corn, etc.)

Avoid These Foods

Starchy foods (other than beans). This means no bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, etc. No foods fried in batter.

Sugary foods, including fruit

Alcohol

Milk

Caffeinated beverages other than with meals or snacks

Seven Steps to Success

1.
Do not skip any meals or snacks.
This will keep your blood sugar steady, and help you avoid hunger. People who think that they will speed up the weight loss by

skipping meals or snacks have reported feeling shaky or light-headed. Your goal is

to learn how your hunger is easily controlled when your blood sugar is more

modulated.

2.
Limit exercise to no more than 30 minutes of light or moderate activity per day
during the initial phase; you do not want to drive your blood sugar too low.
While exercise is not essential during Phase One, we know that moderate activity such as

walking helps with burning belly fat, without burning off muscle.

3.
Go to sleep earlier.
You will feel less energetic during the “jump start,” and will find yourself wanting to go to sleep earlier than normal. This is okay; don’t worry about

it. Your energy level will go back to normal at the end of the first two weeks.

4.
Don’t be overly restrictive with salt, and get plenty of fluids, at least eight glasses per
day.
(Yes, even caffeinated beverages count, as does the gelatin.) This will help boost energy. The initial 14-day program can be dehydrating. Without starchy and

sugary foods in your diet, your body will flush out excess fluid. Allowing yourself

to have a moderate amount of salty foods will help prevent too much fluid loss.

5.
Tell yourself that you just need to stick with the program “today.”
You can stick with the plan for just one meal, then another, and then another to get through one day.

Build a series of these days to complete the two weeks. The one-meal-, one-day-at-a-

time philosophy does work.

6.
Try to relax.
You may get cranky in the middle of the jump-start period. It is not unheard of for someone to have a mini-“meltdown” in the middle of this phase.

Walk away and try to relax. Your body is going through a lot of changes, all for the

better. Keep going; it will get easier tomorrow.

7.
Focus on your weight loss results.
Your success will keep you focused and make it easier to stay on track. It is absolutely okay to weigh yourself daily, especially during this phase; it will build an aura of success. For women, you may find that your

weight loss gets a little stalled at the end of the second week. Don’t worry about this; it will pick up again when you start the next phase.

Phase One Eating

In
Chapter 4,
you will find detailed menus for the next 14 days. Below, though, are general guidelines and suggestions when preparing meals during Phase One.

Breakfasts

Egg substitutes (may use real eggs with some cheese 1–2 days)

1–2 slices Canadian bacon or ham (both are considered lean meats), or soy

alternatives

Tomato juice or V8 juice if desired

Egg alternatives: the lunchtime roll-ups, or an unsweetened or artificially sweetened yogurt

Midmorning Snacks

At least two of the following:

Low-fat cheese, such as The Laughing Cow Light Wedges, Mini Babybel Light, light

string cheese, or light cottage cheese (4-ounce size)

Veggies, including celery, radishes, carrots, cucumbers, sliced peppers, grape or

cherry tomatoes

Nuts, ¼ cup or less. If having nuts and cheese, limit nuts to 1 tablespoon.

Lunches

Choose one of the protein-rich main courses, and all of the other side dishes.

Salad loaded with a variety of veggies and protein foods. No croutons. Although

light cheese is preferred, you can occasionally have regular cheese.

Stuffed tomato with egg salad, egg white salad, chicken salad, and/or tuna salad

Roll-ups made with ham, turkey, or lean roast beef and low-fat cheese and/or lettuce

as the wrap

Veggies and/or side salad with dressing

Sugar-free Jell-O

Midafternoon Snacks (and Before-Dinner Snack, If Needed)

Same as the morning snacks. Additional choices include:

Pepper strips dipped in guacamole or salad dressing

Peanuts in the shell. A serving is 10, which would be 20 individual peanuts.

Dinners

Include all of the following:

Lean meat, fish, poultry, or meat substitute

Nonstarchy veggies

Salad with dressing

Sugar-free Jell-O

Dining Out Suggestions

Breakfasts

Eggs or omelets

Some bacon is okay.

Tomato or V8 juice (6 ounces or less)

Hint
: Instead of toast and/or potatoes, ask if you can have sliced tomatoes.

Lunches

Salads topped with lean protein-rich food

Burger or chicken without the bun, with side vegetables and/or salad or coleslaw

Hint
: Eating burgers without the bun will become a habit. Remember, there is no rule against having vegetables (other than French fries) with a burger. Ask what kinds of side veggies are available. The salads work for fast-food options, or get a side salad and cut up the burger or chicken for your salad—without the bun.

Dinners

Lean meat, fish, or poultry

Side vegetables

Side salad with dressing

Hint
: Leave before dessert.

Hit the Grocery Store to Stock Up On…

Individually packaged light cheeses such as: The Laughing Cow Light Wedges, Mini

Babybel Light, light string cheese, light cottage cheese (4-ounce size), and Kraft 2%

Singles

Eggs or Egg Beaters or other egg substitute, with or without vegetables

Sugar-free Jell-O packages

Sliced light cheese and lean deli meats

Nuts, preferably not roasted in oil, such as ballpark peanuts or dry-roasted or raw

almonds, cashews, or walnuts. Choose nuts that are not addictive for you. Nuts in the shell slow you down, which will help you avoid overdoing it.

Guacamole

Canned tuna, salmon, or other fatty fish

Extra-lean ground sirloin

Beef cuts such as round, chuck, or with “loin” in the name

Skinless chicken breasts

Lean pork chops, pork loin, or tenderloin

Turkey breasts

Fish and other seafood (not breaded or fried)

Fresh vegetables such as lettuce, fresh peppers, baby carrots, radishes, tomatoes,

zucchini, summer squash, jicama, etc.

Frozen vegetables (without sauce) such as broccoli, mixed vegetables, green beans,

peas, cauliflower, spinach, Brussels sprouts, etc.

Note:
Please choose the foods you like from the above list. This plan would be much too hard if you were trying to eat foods that you hate.

Fast and Easy Tips

Check out the salad bar for sliced peppers, cucumbers, radishes, celery,

etc., and for salads.

Hit the deli counter for coleslaw; egg, tuna, and chicken salads; and

poached salmon.

Pick up a rotisserie chicken or roasted turkey breast from the ready-to-

eat section.

Stock up on ready-made Jell-O cups (artificially sweetened).

Plan, Plan, Plan

• Take your lunches and snacks to work. Either stock your fridge at the office, or

bring an insulated bag with all the right foods.

• Make sure you keep all the key DASH foods on hand.

• Do not skip any meals or snacks.

• Plan what you will eat for each meal and snack, each day.

• Cook foods ahead for quick meals.

On weekends, grill several chicken breasts, which can be used for other meals, as

salad toppings, or for chicken salad.

Make lots of hard-boiled eggs. Peel, and pop into zipper bags to store in the fridge.

Use for quick breakfasts, salad toppings, egg salad, or tuna salad.

Grill several burgers on the weekend, to use for quick meals.

Make chili, spaghetti, or sloppy joes to use for several meals.

• Plan what you will eat before you go into a restaurant.

Remember your goal. Then plan to succeed.

Overview of Phase One Diet Patterns

The following table will help you understand the daily food group patterns for the DASH

Diet Weight Loss Solution, Phase One.

Phase One Food Group Servings per Day

Smaller

Moderate

Larger

appetite

appetite

appetite

Nonstarchy vegetables

Unlimited, minimum of 5

Dairy

2

2–3

2–4

Nuts, beans, seeds

1

1–2

1–2

Lean meat, fish, poultry,

5–6 ounces

6–8 ounces

8–11 ounces

eggs

Fats

1–2

2–3

2–4

What will you have accomplished?

During Phase One, you will have learned to fill your plate with lots of colorful

vegetables, and to complement them with lean meats, fish, and poultry or other protein-rich foods, and you will have added low-fat dairy to your regimen. You will have also learned that your hunger is easy to manage when your blood sugar doesn’t have highs