Shape up for Summer Diet
Nutritionist Sarina Lococo shows you how you can shape up for summer
If you’ve been thinking about shaping up for summer but are not sure what to do about your diet, here are some simple nutritional meal suggestions. Not only will these meal plans get you started, they will also boost your energy which will help you stick to an exercise program. In order to lose weight, we have to satisfy two parts of the fat burning equation. Lower your energy intake and increase your energy expenditure. The following meal suggestions are low in fat and energy but power-packed with nutrients that enable you to burn body fat. Fight fat with ease and enjoy!
Countdown diet plan
Each day choose:
1 Breakfast
1 Lunch
1 Dinner
2 Snacks
1 Dessert
7 Boosting Breakfasts |
½ cup natural muesli
½ cup low-fat milk
1 small sugar banana |
1 slice sourdough bread toasted
2 scrambled eggs
1 sliced tomato |
2 slices raisin toast
2 tbsp ricotta cheese
1 tbsp jam |
1 tub low-fat plain yoghurt
2 tbsp muesli on top of yoghurt
1 tsp honey |
1 ½ cup wholegrain or high-fibre breakfast cereal
1 tbsp sultanas
½ cup low-fat milk |
1 slice lean ham (grilled)
½ cup baked beans
1 English muffin (toasted) |
½ cup raw oats
½ cup low-fat yoghurt
½ cup fresh berries |
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| 7 lean lunches |
| 1 chicken breast (100g), sweet corn (½ cup), snow peas (½ cup) and baby tomato (½ cup) salad with 1-2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce |
2 slices sourdough bread,
½ avocado spread on bread, roast turkey (100g)
½ cup alfalfa sprouts |
1 slice Turkish bread (100g),
100g canned tuna in springwater or brine, 1 slice low-fat Swiss cheese (melted on top of tuna)
Add you own salad on top or on the side with balsamic vinegar as the dressing |
1 serve Italian pasta
(see below) |
1 serve Pasta with chickpeas and roasted capsicum
(see below) |
| 2-egg omelette with 1 cup sliced brown mushrooms and asparagus on 2 grainy toast slices |
| 1 small wholemeal pita wrap with 30g low-fat fetta or ricotta cheese and salad |
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| 7 delicous dinners |
| 1 serve Pasta with Broccolini, pine nuts and Cheese (see below) |
| 1 serve Gnocchi with tomato and basil sauce (see below) |
| 1 small lean beef steak (65-100g) grilled, ½ cup cooked peas, 1 cup steamed and mashed sweet potato, ½ cup steamed zucchini |
| Stir-fried chicken (100g) with 1 cup Chinese vegetables, and your favourite stir-fry sauce (2-3 tbsp) with 1 cup boiled Asian noodles |
| 2 cups mixed vegetables and bean soup with 1 small dinner roll with 1 tbsp low-fat cream cheese |
| 2 slices roast lean lamb or pork (65-100g) with 1 small roast potato, 1 small bowl garden salad with balsamic vinegar or lemon juice |
| 1 fish fillet (120g) steamed or grilled with garlic, ginger and lemon juice for flavour, 1 cup steamed rice, ½ cup steamed green beans, 1 cup steamed mixed vegetables e.g. cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, mushrooms |
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7 satisfying snacks
» ½ tub low-fat plain yoghurt with ½ chopped banana
» 1 wholegrain muesli bar
» 1 slice fruit bread with 1 tbsp naturally-sweetened jam
» 1 tub (200g) low-fat Fruche
» 1 slice (25g) low-fat cheese with 20g unsalted nuts
» 1 glass low-fat milk with 1 tsp almond or hazelnut meal and 1 tsp honey
» 1 piece medium fruit eg. apple, pear, peach, orange, banana or 2 small pieces eg. apricots, plums or kiwifruit
7 divine desserts
» 1 small piece of low-fat fruit cake (50g)
» 2 scoops low-fat vanilla ice-cream with 1 tbsp crushed nuts and 2 tbsp stewed apple
» ½ cup canned fruit with 1 cup low-fat natural yoghurt
» 1 cup low-fat hot or cold chocolate milk
» 1 cup chopped mixed melon
» 1 small low-fat sticky date pudding (available at your local supermarket in frozen section) with 1 tbsp low fat custard
» 1 small piece of good quality chocolate (25g)
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Spaghetti with broccolini, cheese & pinenuts
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked spaghetti
2 cups cooked broccolini
Few shavings of parmesan cheese
2 tbsp of roasted pine nuts
1 tsp of olive oil
Method:
Place pine nuts on a roasting rack and place in pre-heated oven (180˚C) for 2-to-3 minutes or until golden brown. Add pine nuts and cooked brocolini to cooked pasta and top with parmesan shavings and olive oil.
Serves 2
Analysis per serve:
Kilojoules 1567
Fat 14g
Carbohydrate 46g
Protein 15g |
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Pasta salad with roasted capsicum & chickpeas
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked bow-tie pasta
2 red roasted capsicums
200g tinned cooked chick peas
1 tsp olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Method:
Cut capsicum into quarters and remove seeds. Place in pre-heated oven (200˚ C) for 5 minutes on each side. Take out capsicum and place in an airtight container for 10 minutes (this will help you remove the skin easily). Thinly slice capsicum and add olive oil and vinegar. Place all the ingredients including the pasta in a bowl and mix together.
Serves 2
Analysis per serve:
Kilojoules 1567
Fat 14g
Carbohydrate 46g
Protein 15g |
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Italian pasta salad
Ingredients:
2 cooked spiral pasta (cooled)
2 cups baby spinach
4 tbsp of semi-sun-dried
tomatoes (with oil)
1 chicken breast poached
and shredded
Method:
Poach chicken on low heat for about 8 minutes and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Shred chicken by hand when cool. Add spinach, sun-dried tomato and chicken to pasta in a bowl and toss through until pasta is coated with oil from tomatoes.
Serves 2
Analysis per serve:
Kilojoules 1567
Fat 14g
Carbohydrate 46g
Protein 15g |
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Tomato & basil gnocchi
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked gnocchi
1 cup of your favourite pasta
tomato sauce
½ cup of shredded fresh basil
2 tbsp grated cheese
Method:
Place the gnocchi into boiling water and remove from pot once it has floated to the top. Place gnocchi into your serving dish and add heated sauce, basil and cheese.
Serves 2
Analysis per serve:
Kilojoules 1567
Fat 14g
Carbohydrate 46g
Protein 15g |
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Top 10 foods on the menu
 Sourdough bread
Tastes great and is low in GI (glycaemic index), thus satisfies for longer than traditionally-baked breads. |
 Nuts and seeds
Packed with protein and healthy fats that help protect from heart disease and inflammatory diseases like arthritis. |
 Avocado
Healthier alternative to butter and margarines as avocadoes are high in anti-ageing and anti-cancer antioxidants, and are also high in healthy fats, particularly the monounsaturated type. |
 Low-fat dairy
Important calcium source, which we need for healthy bones and muscles, calcium is also necessary for efficient fat metabolism. |
 Legumes
Peas and beans are important high-fibre and high-protein foods – good for hunger control and keeping cholesterol levels down. |
 Turkey
Great lean protein food, low in fat and extremely satisfying. |
 Wholegrain breakfast cereals
A great way to start the day, high in slow- release carbohydrates, fibre and good iron source for vegetarians. |
 Bananas
One of the best fruits as they are filling, high in potassium (good for kidney function) and regular consumption may protect against kidney diseases like kidney cancer. |
 Tomatoes
Just one glass of tomato juice a day has been shown to prevent blood from clotting. Tomatoes are also a great source of vitamin C, beta carotene (vitamin A) and lycopene which helps prevent prostate cancer. |
 Lemons
Lemons add lots of flavour especially to salads and fish and the acidity in lemons slow down the rate of carbohydrate digestion. |
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