Going on a weight loss journey doesn’t have to be painful, restrictive or boring. You’re meant to enjoy your life regardless of your health goal.
And it starts with eating right. That’s why we created this nutrition-focused weight loss guide for you!
Featuring a sample meal plan with serving sizes, cooking and exercise guides, this weight loss guide will help you make more informed choices that align with your weight loss goals, and provide you with meal options that are healthy, delicious & contain the right amount of nutritional value that you need.
An Overview of Weight Loss
The core principle of weight loss is being in a calorie deficit. It can be achieved by consuming fewer calories than your body burns. Maintaining this balance over time eventually leads to weight loss as the body starts to use stored energy (such as fat) to make up for the deficit.
A required first step is to determine your calorie needs using this calorie calculator. The number of calories your body needs depends on various factors such as your age, gender, weight, and activity level, among others.
To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than your body burns. Aim for a calorie deficit of around 250-500 calories per day to lose weight at a steady pace. It is better to start by reducing your calorie intake gradually and monitor your progress over a week or two before making further adjustments.
It is important to note that while being in a calorie deficit is required for weight loss, you shouldn’t go below a minimum recommendation of 1,500 calories a day.
Weekly Meal Plan for Weight Loss
Are you ready to kickstart your ultimate weight loss journey? We’ve got you covered with Eden’s specially curated meal plan designed to support your goals. This meal plan features a variety of nutritious and flavourful Nigerian dishes, carefully balanced to provide the right amount of calories and nutrients for effective weight loss.
Most of the meals featured on this weekly plan (and more!), can be found on Eden’s monthly menus, exclusive to Eden Subscribers! As an Eden subscriber, you can easily access low & moderate-calorie, nutrient-rich meals under the “Weight loss” category on the menu.
Download Your 7-Day Weight Loss Meal Plan
Cooking Guide
On Fats & Oils
- Aim to minimise your consumption of fried foods to reduce your overall fat intake.
- Use cooking methods such as boiling, grilling, steaming, stir-frying, and roasting.
- Opt for cuts of red meat that are labelled as “loin,” “lean,” or “round” as they tend to have lower fat content.
- When using poultry, choose leaner light meat like breasts instead of the fattier dark meat found in the legs and thighs. Remember to remove the skin.
- Be mindful of your oil consumption. Even if you’re using a “healthy” oil, it still contains calories (45 calories per teaspoon or 5ml).
Use the following tips to help manage your oil intake:
- Measure the oil: If cooking for one person, try to limit yourself to 1-2 teaspoons of oil.
- Use non-stick pans: These pans prevent food from sticking, reducing the need for excessive oil.
- Consider oil sprays: Oil sprays offer two advantages: easy measurement by counting the sprays and better coverage across the pan. To determine the number of sprays needed, check the volume of oil dispensed with each spray and adjust accordingly.
- Substitute water for oil: Instead of adding more oil to a dish for moisture or to prevent sticking, try using a small amount of water as an alternative.
On Vegetables:
Avoid overcooking vegetables, as this can result in a loss of flavour and texture. Steaming vegetables is an excellent method for preserving their flavour, colour, and essential nutrients.
Check out these guidelines for eating healthy.
Exercise Routines for Weight Loss
To maximise the benefits of your physical activity, it’s important to maintain a well-rounded exercise routine that includes aerobic exercises, strength training, and stretching.
Aerobic Exercise Aerobic exercises, also referred to as endurance or cardiovascular exercises, elevate your heart rate.
Engaging in activities like brisk walking, jogging or running, swimming, skipping, and cycling fall under this category. Aim to incorporate aerobic exercise into your routine most days of the week.
Strength Training Strength training, also known as resistance exercise, helps build muscle and increases your metabolism, aiding in weight loss or weight maintenance.
You can perform strength exercises that don’t require weights, such as squats, press-ups, lunges, sit-ups, planks, and heel raises. You can choose to incorporate hand weights or perform these exercises two or three times a week.
Stretching Exercises Including stretching exercises before and after your workout routine helps reduce soreness, reduce the risk of strains, ease arthritis pain, and prevent falls.
Incorporating Exercise into Daily Life
Here are some simple ways to increase your activity level during your daily routine:
- Walk around while talking on the phone.
- Engage in household chores.
- Park your vehicle a bit farther from entrances.
- Opt for stairs instead of elevators when going up one or two flights.
Consult a professional fitness trainer for a more comprehensive fitness plan and ongoing support.
If you do not have an Eden Life food plan, you can get one and start enjoying all the many benefits here.