Emergency diet plan for weight loss was carefully created by our experts and is based on years of experience. It contains foods that help you lose weight fast. These nutritionists suggest this emergency diet if you have 10 pounds (or more) to lose in a month, or if you need to lose a few pounds before an important event (wedding, upcoming vacation, etc.).
The phrase emergency diet plan comes from the title of a book by Lisa Lillien, which lays out the rules for those trying to lose weight fast. The overall idea is to follow a diet with some food restrictions during the time you are following it so your body feels the need to burn fat and conserve energy.
The Hardcore Emergency Diet (That Actually Works)
Looks like it could be the end of the pitiful summer diet regime. A new study has shown that a man with weight to lose can get rid of 5 kilos in 4 days and – crucially – still have it off a year later
Summer. It hits, the sun scorches and men across the country are slammed with the realisation that they’ll soon have to get their bodies out.
The good news is that finally it looks like there might be a short-term pain, year-long gain way to make topless afternoons in the garden less Johnny Vegas and more Matthew McConaughey.
Perhaps.
Researchers from the Spanish University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and the Swedish Mid Sweden University have just released a study which shows that a cohort of 15 overweight men kept a 5 kilo weight loss off, a year after losing it. Plus – here’s the kicker – it was achieved after just four days of intense diet and training.
So, how did they do it? And, more importantly, could it work for you? Here’s a four point plan of, what seems to be, a miracle regime.
1 | They were overweight to begin with. The men who took part in the study all had a BMI of over 30 – a number which sticks you in the ‘very overweight’ category according to our pal the NHS.
2 | They only ate 320 calories a day. Divided into two groups, half of the men were given their daily allowance in the form of liquid whey protein, and others in the form of liquid sucrose. This all stopped at the end of the four days, with the guys then allowed to eat what they wanted for the rest of the week, and only allowed to do very little exercise. (If you give this a go, take the whey option – the guys who consumed the sucrose lost lean muscle mass).
3 | They exercised all day for four days. The determined gents put up with an extreme exercise program on such little fuel. Forty-five minutes on an arm-crank-ergometer (the one where you pedal your arms) daily, followed by eight hours of walking, combined with the lack of food, creates a 5,000 calorie deficit.
4 | They relaxed. After the week, the men went home, with no instruction to change their regular routines. The researchers checked back in with them a month, and then a year later, with any decrease in lean muscle mass that had resulted from the crash training back in full swing.
Sound hard? We think so too. But the sport scientists who led the study – Jose Calbert and Hans-Christer Holmberg – report that none of the participants quit, and, most surprisingly, none said they were hungry.
The only explanation provided for the sustained weight loss is that the men were so happy with the rapid results that it had a knock-on effect on their day-to-day lives, making them healthier in the long term.
Now, we’re not recommending you tale four days off work to not eat and go roaming around your town all day long: local wandering crackhead is not a good look. But we are curious as to if this will spawn a program with a similar gist that we could get on board with.
SHORT-TERM EMERGENCY MEAL PLAN FOR ANY SITUATION
Find out which foods you should be eating and storing next time there’s an emergency.
The Covid-19 pandemic has taught us that there’s two types of people during every emergency. On one hand you have the doctors, nurses, first responders, healthcare workers, caretakers, and public service workers working hard to keep us safe, informed, and healthy. On the other hand you have the fearful, misinformed, stockpilers and oportunists looking to benefit from desperate situations.
One thing is for certain: When it comes to your own well-being you should only depend on yourself. Some may disagree and have failth in strangers and their fellow neighbors, but have you ever watched those Black Friday videos? Yeah, those aren’t the people you want to trust to take care of you or your loved ones.
When an emergency pops up, they’re going to grab the toilet paper and canned foods for themselves before making sure you’re taken care of.
You’re always going to need a stash of shelf-stable foods and meals on hand for any type of emergency. If its not a highly-contagious disease, it might be a natural disaster. It’s still early and 2020 isn’t looking too good right now.
So with that in mind, here’s a list of stored foods that should be in your survival kit. If you don’t already have one maybe you should make one when this whole thing blows over.
Check out these healthy dinner recipes showcasing canned products.
1 OF 6
Carbohydrates
In any emergency situation, preparation is key. From a nutritional standpoint, you’ll need to efficiently prepare your body. You don’t know what conditions you’ll run into. If a situation arises where you need to leave your home, you’ll want to slightly up your carb intake along with your protein and fat. This will make room for more carbs in the next loading phase.
During the next phase, increase your carb intake to almost 60 percent of your daily calories. While you’re upping the carbs, cut back on the fats and make sure to get a substantial amount of rest. Your body will need the additional energy to keep pushing forward. Loading up on carbs is a smart strategy to increase the amount of energy that’s housed in your muscles.
On the go, you still need about 45 percent of your daily caloric total to come from carbs. To help maintain that, be sure to have dry cereal, granola bars, crackers, energy gels, and evaporated milk. Evaporated milk has an extremely long shelf life and eight ounces of it contains 26 grams of carbs. As for energy gels, they’re made with a carbohydrate blend that can be easily digested.
2 OF 6
Protein
Your emergency survival kit should also include high-protein, non-perishable foods. Look for protein powder, canned beans, canned meat, nuts, protein bars, and peanut butter. Canned meat doesn’t sound pleasant, but when you’re presented with limited food options it’s a valuable protein source. Stock up on canned white albacore tuna, salmon, chicken, turkey, and even beef. All non-perishable food products are easily transportable and can last for several months to years until they’re opened.
You might also want to look into diversifying the types of meat you eat. Deer, rabbit, fish, or squirrel — the list goes on. Venison is lean and rich in protein, which has an array of health benefits.
Four ounces of deer contains about 170 calories and 34 grams of protein, and that protein is packed with B-complex vitamins and iron. Both iron and B-complex vitamins work to help balance energy levels in the body. When your stomach is rumbling, you won’t think twice about eating wild game. Rabbit is another high protein meat that’s also abundant in B-complex vitamins, and it also has some powerful antioxidants. Squirrel is another solid choice: three ounces contains 25 grams of protein.
3 OF 6
Fat
In a situation where you need to be on the go, you’ll need an adequate amount of fat stored up from your diet. 20 percent of your caloric intake should come from fat — that’s still the same amount of fat you would be consuming pre-emergency, and you shouldn’t just limit your fat intake to the healthy fats.
Saturated fats can positively impact your testosterone levels. When your testosterone levels are enhanced it becomes easier to build muscle. So make sure five to ten percent of your total caloric intake comes from saturated fats.
4 OF 6
Antioxidants
Survival mode means “bring on the stress.” Stress can greatly impact your health, making it harder to survive. It can fog your thinking; hinder your immune system; and decrease overall physical performance. That’s why it’s important to either find food or have food that’s rich in antioxidants.
Antioxidants can help counteract any free radical damage, especially any damage caused by stress. In the wild keep an eye out for the following: blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, dandelions, and asparaguses. Stock up on canned and dried vegetables and dried fruit. A dried vegetable is any root vegetable like a sweet potato or beet. Also, make sure to add multivitamins to your pack — they can provide that extra boost of nutrition that you need.
5 OF 6
Water/Electrolytes Tablets
You can last a month without food, but only three days without water. Have a stockpile of bottled water. The recommended water intake is about three liters per day. A good sign that you’re dehydrated is if you have extreme thirst and can’t shake off a headache.
To prevent dehydration consider carrying electrolyte tablets, they easily dissolve in water.
6 OF 6
Emergency Situation Menu
Breakfast
- Protein shake
- Dried cereal
- Evaporated milk
Snack
- Beef Jerky
- Dried fruit
- Nuts
Lunch
- Canned tuna
- Crackers
- Protein shake
Snack
- Granola bar
- Canned chicken
Dinner
- Venison
- Canned vegetables
- Canned beans
Foods You Need in Any Emergency
Natural disasters, power outages, and other unexpected events can leave you scrambling for what to eat — unless you planned ahead and stocked up on these shelf-stable supplies.
Shelf-stable foods can be just as healthy as fresh ones if you know what to choose.
Canva; Everyday Health
A dinner emergency used to be when you ran out of bread crumbs halfway through making chicken Parm. But within the last year, most of us have had a glimpse of situations that are a little more dire: power outages, natural disasters, and an ongoing pandemic that has forced us to reevaluate our usual strategies in the kitchen.
If there is a lesson to be learned from it all, it’s this: It pays to plan ahead. Stocking your pantry with healthy and shelf-stable foods means you’ll never go hungry, and you’ll always have a solid meal strategy in place. And that can help with regular, run-of-the-mill weekday emergencies, too.
Below is a list of emergency foods to keep stashed in your pantry. As the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) notes, unless otherwise indicated, their shelf life ranges from one month to five years.
1
Low-Sodium Canned Beans and Other Legumes
Canva; Everyday Health
Don’t just stick to beans — the entire category of legumes, which includes lentils and dried peas, is a top plant-based source of fiber and protein, as a study published in October 2015 in Clinical Diabetes showed. From traditional red beans and rice to homemade hummus, legume recipes come together quickly and with minimal prep or additional ingredients. And when you add beans to foods like brown rice, you’re creating what is known as a complete protein. Complete proteins have all the essential amino acids (the building blocks of protein) your body needs to stay healthy, according to Cleveland Clinic. Other complete proteins mostly come from animal sources, which tend to be more perishable.
The one caveat about canned foods in general: They tend to contain a lot of sodium. For example, canned black beans have 400 milligrams (mg) of sodium per half-cup serving, which is 17 percent of the recommended amount of sodium for the day, according to the American Heart Association. To get around that, opt for a low-sodium brand at the market and give it a thorough rinse before use; Today’s Dietitian says this will reduce the amount of sodium by more than 40 percent. Bonus: Canned beans don’t need to be cooked, so if you’re without power, you can easily open a can and enjoy!
Shelf life: Two to five years
2
Dry Whole Grains
Canva; Everyday Health
Whole grains are an incredibly nutritious part of any meal, whether you’re in a state of emergency or not. A study published in October 2020 in the journal Nutrients found that the more servings of whole grain foods in your diet, the lower your risk of developing coronary heart diseases, diabetes, obesity, and certain gastrointestinal disorders. There are plenty of whole-grain options available to keep things interesting.
In general, people tend to use whole grains in savory dishes, but they’re equally delicious and beneficial in sweet dishes. For example, old-fashioned rolled oats, steel-cut oats, and quinoa all make delicious breakfast options. They will store best in their whole (rather than ground) form. The grains that tend to last the longest include barley, brown rice, popcorn (yes, it counts!), farro, spelt, oats, and quinoa, according to Oldways Whole Grains Council.
Shelf life: One to three years in the pantry (longer in the freezer
3
Unsalted Nuts and Seeds
Canva; Everyday Health
Nuts and seeds are a great calorie-dense staple, rich in fiber, plant-based protein, and healthy fats, according to the journal Nutrients. They are also incredibly versatile. You can enjoy a handful as a snack, sprinkle some on top of oatmeal, yogurt, and salads, or even use them in place of bread crumbs on meat, poultry, or fish before baking. The Nutrients study also found that eating nuts regularly is associated with lower cholesterol and lower risk of gallstones, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. In fact, another study that used data from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study found that eating nuts daily was linked to a longer, healthier life.
They’re perfect in an emergency because, while they can be added to any dish, they don’t have to be cooked. If you don’t have power, go nuts! And don’t forget seeds — chia, flax, sesame, and sunflower seeds all contain those healthy fats and fiber too, according to research, and chia and ground flax seeds are both sources of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Shelf life: Six to 12 months (bagged), 12 to 24 months (canned), per the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank
4
Natural Nut and Seed Butters
Canva; Everyday Health
These have all the benefits of nuts and seeds but in spreadable form, so you can liven up your toast or smoothie or make a good old-fashioned sandwich. Watch out for processed varieties that add salt and sugar to their jars; ideally, you want an ingredients list that’s just nuts or seeds and oil, with maybe a little salt. Any other ingredients are unnecessary additives, so skip them.
Shelf life: Six to 24 months unopened, 2 to 3 months once opened when stored at room temperature, per the University of Nebraska in Lincoln
5
Tinned Low-Mercury Fish Packed in Water
Canva; Everyday Health
Canned goods are known to last a long time, but canned meats tend to get a bad rap (looking at you, canned ham!) because they tend to be highly processed and packed with sodium, as a study published in June 2015 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found. Instead, pack your pantry with cans or pouches of fish, such as salmon and tuna, that’s packed in water (not oil) to keep calories in check. If it’s tuna that floats your boat, opt for chunk light tuna over white or albacore; it’s lower in mercury, according to the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Excess mercury in the diet can cause neurological symptoms, especially in young children, says the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The EDF recommends limiting tuna to once per week and choosing other healthy fish, such as salmon, the rest of the time. Both salmon and tuna are excellent sources of protein and healthy fats (especially heart-healthy omega-3s, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH)) and, like the best foods in an emergency, can be enjoyed straight out of the can. Who ever said an emergency can’t be an adventure, too? If you have the time and tools, mix in a little bit of olive oil, vinegar, and pepper (more on these later in the list) for a simple but delicious salmon or tuna salad.