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 (8 page)
WEEK 4
Congratulations! You are in the HOMESTRETCH!
It’s truly an accomplishment to stick to
any
weight-loss plan for this long, and whether or not you’re doing it perfectly, you’re DOING it. (But I sincerely hope you’re sticking to the plan, because you WILL see great results!)
It’s time again to hop on the scale to see how you’re progressing. Broken-record alert: Weigh in at about the same time of day as in earlier weeks and in similar clothes. If you’ve been sticking to the plan, chances are you’re looking at an impressive week of weight loss. AWESOME. If your eating wasn’t perfect during the past week, don’t beat yourself up or throw in the towel. You have an entire week to turn things around, and you can always extend the plan or repeat it to continue losing weight.
What’s different about Week 4? While you still have carefully crafted meal plans at your fingertips, this week gives you complete freedom to choose from ALL the breakfasts, lunches, and dinners found throughout this book. So revisit favorites or try something completely new and different.
Remember, planning is one of the keys to successful dieting. So look ahead at the meal suggestions, and decide what you want to have for the next several days. Then hit the supermarket to stock up! If you feel like changing things up a little this week, pick up a few new salt-free seasoning mixes and low-calorie sauces, marinades, and salad dressings. These can totally transform the flavor of many meals on the plan.
Wanna REALLY maximize your weight-loss results this week? Skip dining out altogether. It’s only one week, and you can do pretty much anything for just one week! This will ensure your daily calorie count is exactly where it should be for weight loss. And challenge yourself to get in a little extra exercise this week as well. See
Hungry Girl’s Guide to Exercise
for some ideas.
Hope you’re hungry, because Week 4 starts in three, two, one …
Budget-Friendly Advice
Top Tips!
Staples like fat-free Greek yogurt, old-fashioned oats, and nuts can be purchased in large multi-serving packages. For big bags of snacks (like baked chips), immediately break them down into single servings for portion control.
Wait for deals, and then stock up. Keep an eye out for special offers on frozen foods, foods that can be frozen, and foods with long shelf lives.
Collect coupons. Check out the Sunday paper, or seek them out online. There are SO many coupons available, from those found on money-saving sites to ones provided by food companies themselves. Some websites don’t even require printing; they simply apply savings to your supermarket discount card.
Fruits and Vegetables
Choose seasonal produce, for both snacks and meals. There’s generally a lot of whatever’s in season, so stores lower the prices to sell it all while it’s still fresh. And since many meals on the plan call for high-fiber or high-volume veggies, giving lots of options for each, you can choose the cheapest. Find the full lists
here
.
Un-prepped vegetables like heads of celery, stem-on green beans, and unwashed lettuce are generally less expensive than ready-to-eat packaged varieties. Sure, they take a little extra time to prepare, but they’ll save you some cash.
Frozen fruits and veggies can also be money savers. Stick with store brands, or just go for the most inexpensive packs. Check the ingredients to make sure nothing’s been added.
* WEEK 4 *
DAY 1
BREAKFAST
8 ounces hot, room-temp, or cold water
Choose one of the following:
*
Tropical Fruit ’n Yogurt Bowl
* Any HG Diet Plan Breakfast (
here
and
here
)
LUNCH
8 ounces room-temp or cold water
Choose one of the following:
* Any HG Diet Plan Lunch or Dinner (
here
and
here
)
DINNER
8 ounces room-temp or cold water
Choose one of the following:
*
Chicken So Low Mein with Side Salad
* Any HG Diet Plan Lunch or Dinner (
here
and
here
)
SNACKS
Choose any THREE snacks from the following:
Have each with 8 ounces room-temp or cold water.
More Budget-Friendly Advice
Meat and Seafood
Compare prices at the meat counter, fresh packaged section, and freezer aisle. You never know where the best deal might be. You can also stock up when there’s a sale, and freeze it until you need it!
Bread
Store in the fridge or freezer to lengthen its shelf life.
Make the Most of Leftover Ingredients
Choose meal options by what ingredients you already have on hand. You can also use leftover ingredients in snacks. In fact, we specifically developed some snack recipes for this very purpose!
* WEEK 4 *
DAY 2
BREAKFAST
8 ounces hot, room-temp, or cold water
Choose one of the following:
*
The Great Greek Egg Breakfast
* Any HG Diet Plan Breakfast (
here
and
here
)
LUNCH
8 ounces room-temp or cold water
Choose one of the following:
*
Faux-Fried Chicken Strips with Side Salad
* Any HG Diet Plan Lunch or Dinner (
here
and
here
)
DINNER
8 ounces room-temp or cold water
Choose one of the following:
*
Fruity Fish & Potato Foil Pack with Side Salad
* Any HG Diet Plan Lunch or Dinner (
here
and
here
)
SNACKS
Choose any THREE snacks from the following:
Have each with 8 ounces room-temp or cold water.
HG Reminder: Don’t forget to have two additional 8-ounce glasses of water throughout the day!
Secrets of Successful HG Dieters: Limiting Dining Out, Following the Guide When They Do
I dined out only once. I stuck with the plan for the most part … Now I take a closer look at swaps when eating out.
—Nancy S. (lost 12.6 pounds)
I went out to eat three times while on the plan. I usually stuck to chicken or fish and veggies. I also would check the restaurant’s website before ordering to get nutritional information.
—Rachael D. (lost 12 pounds)
When you learn how, it is even easy to eat out. Most restaurants have egg whites, salad, and grilled chicken. Heck, even the zoo had grilled chicken salad!
—Sharon R. (lost 8.8 pounds)
* WEEK 4 *
DAY 3
BREAKFAST
8 ounces hot, room-temp, or cold water
Choose one of the following:
* Any HG Diet Plan Breakfast (
here
and
here
)
LUNCH
8 ounces room-temp or cold water
Choose one of the following:
*
Pizza-fied Chicken with Saucy Spaghetti Swap
* Any HG Diet Plan Lunch or Dinner (
here
and
here
)
DINNER
8 ounces room-temp or cold water
Choose one of the following:
*
Sesame-Ginger Salmon & Veggies
*
Chicken Parm with Saucy Pasta Swap
* Any HG Diet Plan Lunch or Dinner (
here
and
here
)
SNACKS
Choose any THREE snacks from the following:
Have each with 8 ounces room-temp or cold water.
Happy Hour
There’s no reason you can’t indulge in a cocktail while losing weight. Just make it a 100-calorie cocktail, and count it as one of your snacks. In fact, there’s an easy (and amazing!)
margarita recipe
. Here are some more drinks that fit the 100-calorie bill …
A single-shot mixed drink with a zero-calorie mixer (1½ ounces rum, tequila, or vodka with diet soda or seltzer/club soda)
A bottle of light beer (100 calories or less)
5 ounces of champagne
4 ounces of wine
With the mixed drink, watch out for tonic water. Unless it’s diet tonic, it has about as many calories and as much sugar as regular soda. As for wine, 4 ounces is smaller than the average glass. If you’re at home, measure it out. If you’re out and about, eyeball a ½-cup portion.
* WEEK 4 *
DAY 4
BREAKFAST
8 ounces hot, room-temp, or cold water
Choose one of the following:
*
Knife & Fork Avocado Chicken B-fast Burrito
* Any HG Diet Plan Breakfast (
here
and
here
)
LUNCH
8 ounces room-temp or cold water
Choose one of the following:
* Any HG Diet Plan Lunch or Dinner (
here
and
here
)
DINNER
8 ounces room-temp or cold water
Choose one of the following:
*
Crunchy Beef Tacos with Side Salad
* Any HG Diet Plan Lunch or Dinner (
here
and
here
)
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.
Plan for the Future!
Make a list (or bookmark) your favorite meals and snacks. They’re great for continued weight loss and maintenance.
Test your ability to eyeball portion sizes. The better you can commit common serving sizes to memory, the easier it’ll be to make smart decisions in the future.
And for everything else you need to know, see
Life After the Four-Week Plan! (Continued Weight Loss, Maintenance, and Survival Strategies.)
* WEEK 4 *
DAY 5
BREAKFAST
8 ounces hot, room-temp, or cold water
Choose one of the following:
*
Strawberry Peach Oatmeal Parfait
* Any HG Diet Plan Breakfast (
here
and
here
)
LUNCH
8 ounces room-temp or cold water
Choose one of the following:
* Any HG Diet Plan Lunch or Dinner (
here
and
here
)
DINNER
8 ounces room-temp or cold water
Choose one of the following:
*
Balsamic BBQ Chicken with Side Salad
* Any HG Diet Plan Lunch or Dinner (
here
and
here
)
SNACKS
Choose any THREE snacks from the following:
Have each with 8 ounces room-temp or cold water.
Secrets of Successful HG Dieters: Turning to Craving-Busting Swaps
I feel confident about going out to eat with friends and not being tempted by foods that they are eating. I know now that if I want something sweet, there are alternatives to Blizzards and cupcakes. I have fudge pops and VitaTops.
—Rachael D. (lost 12 pounds)
I loved the Chicken So Low Mein. Great Chinese alternative. And my staple, [Faux-Fried] Chicken Strips with Side Salad!!!!!
—Kier O. (lost 9 pounds)
Last week, my class had these brownies that smelled soooooo good, and I was able to resist while everyone around me was munching away because I knew I had a VitaTop in my freezer and I could toast it when I got home.
—Stevenie E. (lost 11 pounds)
I’m addicted to ice cream so my daily fudge bar rocked!
—Terri S. (lost 13.1 pounds)
* WEEK 4 *
DAY 6
BREAKFAST
8 ounces hot, room-temp, or cold water
Choose one of the following:
* Any HG Diet Plan Breakfast (
here
and
here
)
LUNCH
8 ounces room-temp or cold water