How to Make a Healthy Weight Loss Menu

Menus are not only a great way to save money while grocery shopping, but they can also help in weight loss. When you take the time to write a healthy menu each week, you ensure that you only purchase foods, and make recipes, that are right for your weight loss program. If you've never written a weight loss menu before, there are some steps you can take to ensure your menu is healthy and that will help you shed those extra pounds.

Instructions

• 1

  Research your daily nutritional goals. Each person is different and needs a different amount of nutrients each day. Thankfully, there are wonderful web sites like Calorie Connect that make it easy to learn about what your body needs. All you need to do is sign up and answer a few questions about your weight, height and age and you'll get a detailed list of the nutrients you should eat each day. You'll also have access to a handy journal that makes it easy to keep track of your daily exercise and the nutrients you consume.

• 2

  Plan to have three meals and three snacks each day. Many people make the mistake of cutting snacks out of their diet when attempting weight loss. This is a recipe for disaster. Snacks help keep you on track and ensure that you don't overeat at mealtime.

• 3

  Consult nutrition web sites to help yourself select healthy foods. If you're wondering whether or not a particular food is healthy, there are online web sites that list the nutritional value of foods. For example, The Daily Plate web site lists thousands of different foods, even brand name products. Just enter the name of the food or product and you'll quickly learn its nutritional value.

• 4

  Add whole grain side dishes and colorful fruits and vegetables. Whole grains are essential for weight loss. Whole grains are loaded with fiber that help keep you full and also help remove fat from the body. Colorful fruits and vegetables are loaded with nutrients and are also low in fat and calories.

• 5

  Choose menu items that are filling and satisfying. A weight loss menu should be designed to help you stay on track. One way to do this is to seek out foods that keep you full and satisfied. For example, high fiber snacks will stick with you longer than a sugar filled candy bar. It may take a few weeks to discover which foods keep you full and satisfied, but it's important to find foods that you're happy with or your weight loss program won't succeed.