Forget what you think you know — you can eat a vegan-based diet and have it all. All the protein, that is! This vegan meal plan contains 56 grams of plant protein — perfect for a day you have a tough workout planned.
Good news if you're trying to uncover those abs in time for bikini season: many of Summer's in-season produce are just what you need to debloat and slim down your midsection. Take a trip to the farmers market and stock up — this meal plan features fresh Summer produce that help blast belly fat!
Breakfast: Blueberry Green Monster Smoothie
Start your day on the right foot with a light, nutrient-packed breakfast. This blueberry green monster smoothie lets the Summer berry shine — and for good reason, since a diet rich in blueberries may help you shed abdominal fat. With a good helping of protein from Greek yogurt and protein powder, this smoothie will help you power through your morning.
Snack: Cantaloupe Bowl
Make snack time a little more fun by making a cantaloupe boat. Cantaloupe is an ideal Summer food if you're trying to fight bloat — the fruit is high in potassium to combat a salt overload and also is a good source of fiber. This cantaloupe boat features nonfat Greek yogurt, granola, chia seeds, and almonds. The calcium in dairy (and other foods) has been shown to help suppress fat cells as well, but if you're cutting back on dairy, opt for sliced fruit and a sprinkle of nuts or seeds to fill your cantaloupe instead.
Lunch: Avocado Strawberry Lime Salad
Avocado is so delicious, it's an added bonus that it contains high levels of healthy fats called monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), which have been shown to help melt away belly fat. Load up at lunch with this creamy, summery salad: avocado, strawberries, almond slivers, and kiwis, topped with a honey lime dressing.
Dinner: Thai Basil Pesto Zucchini Pasta
Summer squash like zucchini are prime choices for your flat-belly plan, since they're a good source of fiber as well as a pectin that may help regulate blood sugar. Additionally, Summer squash has anti-inflammatory properties to help quiet digestive upset. Flat-belly benefits aside, all you'll be thinking as you eat this Thai basil zucchini pasta is just how light, flavorful, and satisfying it is!
While a diet full of clean, unprocessed foods and a consistent workout is the recipe for success, sometimes things don't go according to schedule. Suddenly you find yourself panicking that you only have one day to go before a beach-filled vacation. Instead of worrying about what you can and can't eat for each meal — or worse, starving yourself — opt for this fresh and tasty day of clean, light, and debloating meals that will help you feel your best once you slip on your suit.
Breakfast: Papaya Ginger Smoothie
Start the day off right with the tropical flavors of this papaya mint ginger smoothie. From the papaya and fresh ginger to the probiotic-laden Greek yogurt, nearly every ingredient in this recipe has debloating or digestive power.
Midmorning Snack: Dry-Roasted Edamame
Go for an inventive twist on the traditional steamed soybeans, and opt for dry-roasted edamame instead. This 102-calorie snack is full of fiber and protein, while keeping the sodium levels and carb counts in check.
Lunch: Apple Detox Salad
This detoxifying and diuretic apple and cabbage salad is delicious all year round. Apples and cabbage combine for a fiber-filled meal that aids in digestion. The addition of fennel seeds adds to the fiber factor, too. For extra protein, serve it with a small side of lean grilled chicken or fish.
Afternoon Snack: Fresh Cherries
Nothing screams Summer more than a bowl of sweet and fresh cherries. These should serve as your go-to healthy snack all season long, since in addition to aiding in digestion, they're high in vitamin A, potassium, and magnesium.
Dinner: Chilled Cuke Soup
Cool off and hydrate with this chilled cucumber and avocado soup with ingredients that support your flat-belly motivations. The high-fiber avocados may help decrease belly fat, while the hydrating cucumbers have anti-inflammatory properties.
Dessert: Mango Ice Cream
With a refreshing flavor reminiscent of a sorbet but the creaminess of a cup of froyo, this vegan mango ice cream is the perfect sweet and fiber-filled treat to end your day of clean eating.
While there is no miracle pill for a flatter stomach, what you put into your diet — and leave out — makes a huge difference. The obvious: a healthy diet of whole, natural foods helps promote healthy weight-loss efforts. But here's a secret — there are actually foods that can help you look slimmer now, thanks in large part to their debloating effects. Hang this meal plan on your fridge as a reminder of what those debloating foods are, and then check out the full meal plan with recipes here.
If you're watching your calorie intake, this meal plan takes all the guesswork out of the equation! Full of ingredients you need to stay healthy and satisfied throughout the day, it only contains 1,400 calories — perfect for a weight-loss plan. Get ready to up antioxidant levels and snack smartly with these easy dishes you can make in no time. Start by hanging this poster on your fridge as a reminder to eat healthy, and then check out all the recipes here.
If you choose to cut carbs in the evening but you're tired of a dinner that's light, then look to these seven satisfying recipes for inspiration. These delicious dishes might cut things back in the carb department, but not at the price of flavor. Click through to see what's for dinner next week.
According to the American Heart Association, most women should be consuming no more than 24 grams, or 6 teaspoons, of added sugar per day. If you know you're part of the population that needs to cut back, this 1,425-calorie meal plan will help you reach your low-sugar goals deliciously.
Breakfast: Quinoa Spinach Scramble (1.6 grams)
Whip up a quick and hearty quinoa spinach scramble that's high in essential vitamins and protein but incredibly low in sugar.
Pre-Workout Snack: Four Strawberry Banana Creams (7.2 grams)
The perfect balance of protein and carbs makes this low-cal and relatively low-sugar strawberry banana cream recipe a sweet treat you can enjoy guilt free.
Keep reading for the rest of the low-sugar meals.
Getting beach-ready isn't the only thing that's in season — so are a variety of colorful, flavorful, and nutritious produce. Get the best of both with these delicious, in-season recipes that also help you debloat.
Breakfast
A morning meal high in protein will help keep you full for hours, and one that includes asparagus — like this Spring veggie scramble — is tough to beat. The vegetable helps promote the growth of good bacteria in your gut to aid in digestion and flush excess water and toxins from your body so you'll start the day feeling bloat-free and energized.
Lunch
A hearty bowl of pasta made with creamy, cashew-based sauce will keep you smiling well into the afternoon. The artichoke in this vegan artichoke, edamame, and lemon pasta salad aids in digestion to keep your belly feeling happy. A healthy dose of lemon and parsley also help you debloat. Opt for whole wheat pasta to add even more digestion-helping fiber.
If you're trying to lose weight, understanding how many calories you're eating in a day can really help. But if you think that you have to deprive yourself and your grumbling stomach all day long in order to see the scale drop, think again. The following meal plan clocks in at 1,400 calories and is full of healthy, whole foods that will keep you full and help you get the important nutrients you need every day. Use this plan as a guide if you are looking to reduce calories safely.
Breakfast: Antioxidant Chia Berry Smoothie
Start your day off right with this fiber-rich mixed berry, pomegranate, and chia smoothie, which will keep you full and energized.
Calories: 233
Midmorning Snack: Grapes and Apples With Peanut Butter Greek Yogurt
If a late-morning hunger attack hits, don't make a vending machine trip. The creamy peanut butter and Greek yogurt spread in this recipe is a cinch to whip together and is a lower-calorie option than just dipping in regular peanut butter. Make these grape and apple snacks in the morning to take with you to work.
Calories: 150
Lunch: Chard Veggie Burger Wraps
A leftover veggie burger is perfect for lunch the next day. This recipe for chard veggie burger wraps takes almost no time at all to prepare but is filled with different textures and flavors to keep you satisfied. If you make it with these 202-calorie quinoa veggie burgers, your wrap will be around 316 calories total. Add a side salad of mixed baby greens with homemade oil and vinegar dressing (around 100 calories) to round out your meal.
Calories: 416
Click here for a printable PDF version of our Stay-on-Track meal plan. It's toner-friendly with a white background and has all the information you need. To learn how to make this meal plan work for a plant-based diet click here.
