Read The Hungry Girl Diet: Big Portions. Big Results. Drop 10 Pounds in 4 Weeks Online
Authors: Lisa Lillien
The Hungry Girl Diet: Big Portions. Big Results. Drop 10 Pounds in 4 Weeks (7 page)
—Michelle M. (lost 16 pounds)
I really believe this is the key, and I did it daily. I’m up to drinking four to five big bottles of water with lemon a day and honestly feel better …
—Colleen M. (lost 14.5 pounds)
* WEEK 3 *
DAY 2
BREAKFAST
8 ounces hot, room-temp, or cold water
Choose one of the following:
*
Knife & Fork Avocado Chicken B-fast Burrito
* Any
Week 1 Breakfast
LUNCH
8 ounces room-temp or cold water
Choose one of the following:
DINNER
8 ounces room-temp or cold water
Choose one of the following:
*
Faux-Fried Chicken Strips with Side Salad
SNACKS
Choose any THREE snacks from the following:
Have each with 8 ounces room-temp or cold water.
HG Reminder: Dining out? Don’t wing it! Visit
here
for all the need-to-know info.
Calorie-Free Flavor-Uppers!
Personalize any meal with these virtually calorie-free enhancers …
Red pepper flakes
—I’m a fan of spicy foods. They taste great, stop me from overeating (because of how hot they are!), and make me drink more water. These flakes are especially good with Italian and Asian-inspired meals. Careful though—they pack a punch!
Onion powder, garlic powder, and chili powder
—What’s great about these staple spices is that they’re foolproof. They won’t completely alter the taste of a dish; they’ll just give it more flavor. I add them to egg mugs and stir-frys all the time.
Salt-free seasoning mixes
—Many meals on this plan call for cooking with salt-free seasoning mix, like Mrs. Dash Original Blend. It easily transforms plain chicken or fish into something completely amazing, and without adding
any
sodium! Have some fun with all the different versions on store shelves. Lemon pepper, Southwest, garlic and herb … Try some sprinkled on steamed veggies, too. Really GREAT!
Fresh basil, cilantro, or other herbs
—I LOVE fresh herbs. They make everything taste better. Sprinkle basil over your
Chicken Hungry Girlfredo Bowl
; add some cilantro to your tacos (
here
) or the
Fajita Salad
; or zazzle up tuna sandwiches (
here
and
here
) with fresh dill!
Lemon or lime juice
—Citrus juice will brighten up the flavor of your meal. Most of us have squeezed a lemon wedge over a piece of fish—a classic combo—but try a little lemon or lime juice over salads, steamed veggies … even fruit!
* WEEK 3 *
DAY 3
BREAKFAST
8 ounces hot, room-temp, or cold water
Choose one of the following:
*
The Great Greek Egg Breakfast
* Any
Week 1 Breakfast
LUNCH
8 ounces room-temp or cold water
Choose one of the following:
*
Chicken So Low Mein with Side Salad
DINNER
8 ounces room-temp or cold water
Choose one of the following:
*
Fruity Fish & Potato Foil Pack with Side Salad
*
Chicken Parm with Saucy Pasta Swap
SNACKS
Choose any THREE snacks from the following:
Have each with 8 ounces room-temp or cold water.
Five-Minute Supermarket Meals
Think you don’t have time to throw together an HG-diet-plan-friendly lunch or dinner? Guess again! With a few pantry staples at home, you can just walk into a supermarket and grab …
Frozen stir-fry veggies, frozen broccoli florets, a bottle of sauce with 25 calories or less per 1-tablespoon serving (Lawry’s Santa Fe Chili Marinade is one of my favorites!), and precooked skinless chicken breast. Nuke 2 cups stir-fry veggies with 1½ cups broccoli. Add 4 ounces chicken, 2 tablespoons sauce, and a teaspoon of oil. Heat and eat!
A 16-ounce bag of mixed lettuce, a 5-ounce can of low-sodium tuna packed in water, bagged sugar snap peas, sliced mushrooms, and canned black beans. Measure out a cup each snap peas and mushrooms and ¼ cup beans. Drain the tuna and rinse the beans, and toss it all with 1½ tablespoons vinegar and 1 teaspoon oil. Salad perfection!
A steamable 12-ounce bag of broccoli cole slaw, a tub of light sour cream, a wheel of The Laughing Cow Light cheese wedges, and a package of precooked skinless chicken breast. Steam your slaw, and stir in 2 cheese wedges and 2 tablespoons sour cream. Nuke until melted, stir, and add 4 ounces chicken. Season with garlic powder and paprika, if you like. Girlfredo goodness!
A pack of 100-calorie flat sandwich buns or light bread and 4 ounces no-salt-added turkey breast. Hit the salad bar to get lettuce and tomato for your sandwich, plus a 2-cup side salad of lettuce, tomato, and mushrooms. When you get home, assemble the sandwich, spread it with 2 teaspoons light mayo, and toss the salad with 2½ teaspoons vinegar and ½ teaspoon oil. Easy and excellent!
* WEEK 3 *
DAY 4
BREAKFAST
8 ounces hot, room-temp, or cold water
Choose one of the following:
* Any
Week 1 Breakfast
LUNCH
8 ounces room-temp or cold water
Choose one of the following:
DINNER
8 ounces room-temp or cold water
Choose one of the following:
*
Balsamic BBQ Chicken with Side Salad
SNACKS
Choose any THREE snacks from the following:
Have each with 8 ounces room-temp or cold water.
Pssst … One of tomorrow’s breakfast options is a chilled oatmeal parfait. To save time in the morning, cook your oatmeal tonight, and refrigerate it overnight.
Secrets of Successful HG Dieters: Incorporating Week 1 Meals Throughout the Plan
I would use the newer recipes off and on, but when I found one I liked, I stuck with it. For example, the Girlfredo Bowl. I used that one A LOT.
—Amy D. (lost 10.2 pounds)
I mixed it up. I felt the Week 1 meals were so easy that I gravitated toward them, especially for lunch.
—Gary M. (lost 21.6 pounds)
I went back to the Week 1 meals when I didn’t feel like making the meals that were offered for a particular day or if I just didn’t feel like “cooking.” They were easy to prepare.
—Donna F. (lost 8 pounds)
I did some of both. I liked the burger, fajitas, and Chinese chicken salad a lot, but I also found the Girlfredo Bowl and sandwich platters delicious.
—Emily R. (lost 7.5 pounds)
* WEEK 3 *
DAY 5
BREAKFAST
8 ounces hot, room-temp, or cold water
Choose one of the following:
*
Strawberry Peach Oatmeal Parfait
* Any
Week 1 Breakfast
LUNCH
8 ounces room-temp or cold water
Choose one of the following:
*
Sesame-Ginger Salmon & Veggies
DINNER
8 ounces room-temp or cold water
Choose one of the following:
*
Pizza-fied Chicken with Saucy Spaghetti Swap
SNACKS
Choose any THREE snacks from the following:
Have each with 8 ounces room-temp or cold water.
Plan-Ahead Ideas! (Time-Saving Tips)
Chicken
Cook up a lot of chicken at once (see
here
), and use it for several days in meals that call for raw or cooked chicken.
If it calls for … | | Use this … |
4 ounces raw | | 3 ounces cooked |
6 ounces raw | | 5 ounces cooked |
Vegetables
Chop up your favorite veggies ahead of time, so they’re ready to go when you need them. You can also find pre-chopped veggies in the produce section, both individual and mixed. Many meals on the plan call for high-fiber or high-volume vegetables, giving many options for each. (Full lists are
here
.) So if you love red bell peppers and mushrooms, buy and chop a bunch and use them all week in lots of different meals.
Dressings
Make a big batch of your favorite
HG dressing
, rather than preparing it at each meal.
Hard-Boiled Eggs
Cook a dozen eggs at once, so you’ll have some on hand for whenever you need them. See
here
for specific tips!
* WEEK 3 *
DAY 6
BREAKFAST
8 ounces hot, room-temp, or cold water
Choose one of the following:
*
Knife & Fork Avocado Chicken B-fast Burrito
*
Tropical Fruit ’n Yogurt Bowl
* Any
Week 1 Breakfast
LUNCH
8 ounces room-temp or cold water
Choose one of the following:
*
Balsamic BBQ Chicken with Side Salad
DINNER
8 ounces room-temp or cold water
Choose one of the following:
SNACKS
Choose any THREE snacks from the following:
Have each with 8 ounces room-temp or cold water.
HG FYI: Craving a cocktail? Check out the
Happy Hour
section and the
margarita recipe
!
Packed-Lunch Pointers
Top Tips!
Pack your afternoon meal in an insulated lunch bag so that your lunch stays cool during your commute. Then refrigerate it once you get to the office. No fridge? Toss a heavy-duty ice pack in with your lunch.
Sandwiches
Lightly toast your bread or bun to avoid a soggy situation. You can also pack any high-moisture ingredients (like tomato slices and tuna salad) separately, and assemble them at lunchtime.
Salads
Put all ingredients
except
dressing in a large sealable container. Pack the dressing separately, or store a bottle with your name on it in the office fridge.
Stir-Frys, Noodle Bowls, and More Hot Meals
Prepare these the night before, allow them to cool, and refrigerate in microwave-safe containers with lids. Pack ’em up, and microwave at work. Some can even be enjoyed chilled … It totally depends on what your personal preferences are!
* WEEK 3 *
DAY 7
BREAKFAST
8 ounces hot, room-temp, or cold water
Choose one of the following:
* Any
Week 1 Breakfast
LUNCH
8 ounces room-temp or cold water
Choose one of the following:
*
Chicken Parm with Saucy Pasta Swap
DINNER
8 ounces room-temp or cold water
Choose one of the following:
*
Crunchy Beef Tacos with Side Salad
*
Fruity Fish & Potato Foil Pack with Side Salad
SNACKS
Choose any THREE snacks from the following:
Have each with 8 ounces room-temp or cold water.