Mix and match menus part II

Okay - 15 grams of protein, 4 grams of fat, 8 grams of carbs, 152 calories. Sounds like a pretty good weight-loss meal. Or is it? What about Vitamin C? Calcium? Fiber? Sometimes planning a healthy menu seems to demand a degree in food science and technology. The latest "get in shape overnight" book becomes more tempting; even though you suspect it isn't really healthy, at least you can get started right away.

Forget the fad diets and quick fixes. Our mix `n' match meal planner poster (featuring a three-month shape-up calendar on the reverse) lets you start right now with flexible menus that fit your busy lifestyle.

The fact is, reducing energy intake by reducing calories always causes you to lose weight. Yet two factors govern whether you'll lose predominantly bodyfat or metabolic-friendly muscle tissue along with it - how many calories and how much protein you eat.

Protein Power
Eating too few calories zaps your ability to exercise at high levels of intensity - an important factor in losing bodyfat. Also, eating too few calories each day may slow your metabolic rate, a death wish for any woman hoping to burn bodyfat. To lose fat while at the same time consuming enough fuel to train rigorously, reduce your current daily caloric intake by 15%-20%.

When you drop your calories from fats and carbohydrates, protein becomes a reserve fuel source (in addition to the bodyfat you'll be burning). If you eat too little protein each day, your body may "chew up" body protein, causing a loss of muscle, a slower metabolism and a softer appearance. Consuming 0.75-0.85 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight daily should provide you with enough protein to save your hard-earned muscle mass. Sometime we just simplify that to an even 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight.

The suggested calorie levels, along with regular weight training and cardio exercise, should produce a weight loss of 1/2-1 1/2 pounds a week. If you lose more, you may be eating too little and could lose muscle mass. If you're not losing, you may need to eat a little less and exercise a little more.

How to Mix & Match
If you know your target calorie level, select any of several combinations of meals, mini meals and snacks to add up to that amount. A typical weight-loss diet for an active woman would contain 1,800 calories per day. Rather than count those calories, just pick two meals, two mini-meals and two snacks. The "Mix `n' Match Menu Math" chart on the poster provides a number of examples, but you can easily create your own combinations. Our meals average 400 calories, mini meals 300 calories and snacks 200 calories. (To simplify even more, drop the zeroes and aim for 18 total, with meals counting as 4, mini meals as 3 and snacks as 2.) What if you want a bigger meal? Combine a meal plus a snack.

After you use the plan for a few days, you'll probably come up with other menus that have similar nutritional patterns. Go ahead and use them, too.

The math part is almost a no-brainer - the menus will provide the appropriate calories, protein, carbohydrate and fat - but you need to actively put variety into your diet. Don't choose the same two or three menus over and over again. Be vigilant about getting lots of different fruits and vegetables, and choose whole grains over more processed foods. Milk products give you calcium as well as protein and other nutrients. Get protein from different sources, such as red meat, poultry, fish, milk products and soy. Tuna morning, noon and night is not only dangerously boring but lacks certain nutrients founds in other protein foods.

Get going now - mix 'n' match, and lose that bodyfat!