An Easy 6-Day Plan To Lose 10 Pounds

DINNER

500 CALORIES PER SERVING

29. 4 oz lean sirloin steak; ½ baked potato with 2 Tbsp nonfat plain Greek yogurt; 2 cups mushrooms sautéed in 2 tsp olive oil

30. Lemon pasta with salmon and asparagus: 2 oz grilled salmon + 2 oz whole-wheat penne, cooked and tossed with + 1 Tbsp olive oil + 2 Tbsp lemon juice + 1 clove garlic, sliced + 1 cup chopped asparagus + 1 Tbsp fresh basil

31. Mexican burrito bowl: ⅓ cup* brown rice, cooked + ½ cup pinto beans + ½ cup grilled vegetables cooked with 2 spritzes of olive oil cooking spray + ½ cup shredded lettuce + ¼ cup corn salsa + ¼ cup guacamole

32. Takeout! 3 oz ginger chicken with broccoli + 6 oz brown rice

33. Italian tilapia: 6 oz tilapia baked with 1 cup canned diced tomatoes + 4 chopped green olives + 1 tsp olive oil + pinch Italian seasoning; ⅓ cup whole-wheat couscous, cooked

34. 6 oz roast pork tenderloin; 1 baked sweet potato; 2 cups green beans sautéed in 2 tsp olive oil

35. Chicken stir-fry: 4 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast strips + 2 cups broccoli florets + 1 sliced scallion + 2 tsp peanut oil; ½ cup brown rice, cooked

36. Pasta with cannellini and feta: 2 oz whole-wheat pasta, cooked + ¾ cup cannellini beans + 1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes + 2 tsp olive oil + 1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil + 1 Tbsp crumbled feta

37. Spaghetti and meatballs: 2 oz whole-wheat spaghetti, cooked + 3 turkey meatballs (1 oz each) + ½ cup marinara sauce; 2 cups tossed salad + 1 Tbsp Italian vinaigrette

38. Portobello burger parmigiana: 1 portobello mushroom cap, misted lightly with olive oil spray and broiled or grilled + ¼ cup marinara sauce + 1-oz slice part-skim mozzarella + fresh basil + whole-wheat hamburger bun; ½ romaine lettuce heart + 1 large sliced tomato + 1 Tbsp balsamic vinaigrette

39. 5 oz tuna steak; ½ cup brown rice, cooked; 2 cups broccoli sautéed in 1 tsp peanut oil

40. 1 cup summer chili: ¼ cup chopped onion + 2 oz lean ground turkey breast sautéed in 1 tsp olive oil + ½ cup canned white beans + ½ cup corn niblets + ½ cup canned diced tomatoes + hot sauce to taste; ½ cup brown rice, cooked

41. Pasta with chicken and spinach: 2 oz whole-wheat pasta (or mix 1 oz whole-wheat pasta with 1 oz regular), cooked + ½ cup shredded skinless rotisserie chicken breast + 1 cup baby spinach + 1 clove garlic, sliced and sautéed in 1 Tbsp olive oil + 1 Tbsp Parmesan

42. BBQ! Grill 4 oz skinless chicken breast, then baste with 1 Tbsp barbecue sauce; 1 ear corn; ½ cup potato salad

*Measure this amount of pasta, rice or couscous before cooking.

150 CALORIES PER SERVING

•6-oz container 0% fat fruit-flavored Greek yogurt

•45 pistachios

•6-oz glass wine

•½ pear + two 1″ Brie cubes

•Three 2½” cinnamon graham cracker squares + 4 Tbsp nonfat ricotta

•1 hard-cooked egg sprinkled with celery salt; ten 1″ whole-grain crackers

•1 sliced bell pepper + ¼ cup hummus

•12 oz beer

•½ banana + 1 Tbsp peanut butter

•¾ cup light chocolate ice cream

•4 cups lowfat microwave popcorn tossed with 1 tsp cocoa + pinch chili powder

•12 oz nonfat latte; 1 Oreo

•1 mini cinnamon raisin bagel + 1 Tbsp soy butter

•½ cup soft-serve vanilla frozen yogurt + 1 cup mixed berries

•1.14-oz bag of pretzel M&M’s

You’ve made smart choices six days in a raw—now it’s time to indulge a little. On the seventh day (or another day you choose), relax the rules and do one of the following:

•Add a third treat or snack from the “Snacks, Sweets & Treats” list above.

•Follow the slim-down plan for breakfast and lunch, skip the snacks, and eat whatever you want for dinner.

•Forgo the snacks and have dessert after dinner.

START YOUR DIET ON SUNDAY. Research finds that this guarantees the biggest weight loss success. The worst day to start? Tuesday.

EAT A FOOD THAT’S A CONTRASTING COLOR TO YOUR PLATE (think pasta marinara on a white plate). It can trim how much food you take (and eat) by 21%.

USE A BIG FORK TO EAT LESS. Researchers believe a big fork helps you gauge how much you’ve eaten better than a small one.

TURN OFF THE COOKING SHOWS. When dieters watch food-related TV programs, they inhale 60% more snacks than nondieters.

CHOOSE ONE STARCH (PASTA, BREAD, RICE) PER MEAL. Too many carbohydrates can spike your blood sugar, making you hungrier later.

HAVE WHOLE GRAINS AT BREAKFAST (like oats or whole-wheat toast). Their filling fiber curbs midmorning hunger pangs.

EAT EVERY 4 HOURS TO KEEP YOUR APPETITE IN CHECK. Wait too long between meals and you’ll end up hungrier and more likely to overeat.

KEEP HEALTHY MUNCHIES IN YOUR GLOVE COMPARTMENT. Try a granola bar, a single-serving bag of whole-wheat pretzels or a 1-oz bag of nuts.

STOCK THE FRIDGE WITH LOWFAT DAIRY PRODUCTS. They’ve got whey protein, calcium and vitamin D, which help burn fat and curb hunger.

EAT 15 TO 20 G PROTEIN AT EVERY MEAL (about 2 to 3 oz of meat, chicken or fish). Spacing it out is key to keeping your metabolism revved.

ADD PRODUCE TO MEALS. Fruits and veggies are the ultimate eat-less tool: They fill you up for fewer calories plus have crucial nutrients.

*Measure this amount of pasta, rice or couscous before cooking.