What does breakfast look like when you’re following The Vain Diet? Appealing and full of fiber-rich foods, such as fruit and whole grains, that can keep you feeling pleasantly full for hours. Fresh fruits and vegetables are the heart of The Vain Diet way of eating.
Simple & complex carbohydrates are an important part of our diets. Some whole-wheat pasta with broccoli fills that void. Add a tossed salad and whole-grain roll to round out the meal. Red wine, with its heart-health benefits, is an optional addition. Dieting? Substitute sugar free iced tea or water.
Fish such as tuna, herring, salmon and sardines are rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. If you haven’t been a fish fan, start by trying mild-flavored mahi-mahi, cod or tilapia. Salmon is another popular choice. Add flavor with thyme, oregano, basil, garlic or lemon juice.
You can follow The Vain Diet without breaking the bank. Canned water-packed tuna, for example, is an inexpensive way to add fish to your diet.
Make a vegetarian meal one night a week. Build these meals around beans, whole grains and vegetables, and heighten the flavor with fragrant herbs and spices. When one night feels comfortable, try two nights a week. Get started with a vegetarian flatbread pizza.
For dessert, eat fresh fruit. Choose from a wide range of delicious fresh fruits — from fresh figs and oranges to pomegranates, grapes and apples. Try a twist on fruit salad by topping fruit with walnuts and a teaspoon of sweetened fat-free sour cream.
Have ¾ cup of these nuts each day for protein, copper, magnesium, and fiber. Try walnuts, almonds, cashews, pecans, Brazil nuts, and macadamia nuts.
The goal is to have approximately 1200-1500 calories per day when maintaining weight yet 800-1000 calories while dieting. Carbohydrate counting is extremely helpful. There are a number of online calculators that can assist anyone learn how.
Example Daily Diet
Breakfast
Shredded Wheat cereal with almond milk
365 calories
Lunch
Salad (all green vegetables including broccoli) with water
240 calories
Dinner
¼ protein, ¼ carbohydrate, ½ fiber with water or iced tea
500 calories (calculated)