One week diet plan to lose 5 pounds is a nutritional approach that has been carefully designed and created by experts. It is aimed at helping you achieve your health and fitness goals. This is a healthy eating plan based on the premise that when you restrict your caloric intake by one thousand calories per day, you can lose a pound per week.
The one week diet plan refers to eating specific foods, in specific quantities in a one week period of time. Your target is to lose 5 pounds, 3% body fat, or 17.5 cm, over the 7 days.
How Does “Lose 5 Pounds In A Week Meal Plan” Works?
The main question that you need to ask first is: “Can you lose 5 pounds in 7 days?”. To answer that question, let’s take a look at how exactly the fat burning process works.
Your body stores excess energy in a form of fat. When you are dieting, you tend to create a caloric deficit, meaning that you consume fewer calories than your body needs to perform all your daily activities and maintain the functioning of your body. Because of that lack of calories from food, your body starts using the energy from the deposited fat. That is how you burn more calories than you consume and lose weight.
Weight Loss Pace
Another important aspect of a slimming process that you need to understand before getting down to dieting is the weight loss pace. You see, a very slow weight loss pace will take a lot of time and may leave you with no motivation, but it is still better than a very rapid weight loss. The latter is reached with the help of very low-calorie diets that can create an extreme caloric deficit. Such diets should only be prescribed to people with severe cases of obesity by specialists and followed under medical supervision. If an average person creates a drastic caloric deficit, they put their health in jeopardy since rapid weight loss can lead to health issues such as nutrient deficiencies, gallstones, dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, headaches, irritability, dizziness, constipation, muscle loss, and others. That is why an optimal variant is gradual but safe weight loss.
How Much Weight Can You Lose In A Week?
Now, back to the “Lose 5 pounds in a week meal plan”. Can you lose 5 pounds in 7 days? Technically, yes, but that weight might not be only fat. You see, 1 pound of fat contains 3,500 calories, so, to lose 5 pounds of fat, you will need to burn 17,500 calories in a week, which equals to 2,500 calories a day, and that is a problem because of two things. First, a diet of an average adult man consists of 2,500 calories, and an average adult woman consumes 2,000 calories a day.
This means that to burn 2,500 calories a day, an average adult man will have to restrain from eating at all, and an average adult woman will have to starve all day while performing additional physical activity that would burn 500 more calories. As you can see, this is not only difficult for those whose diet consists of 3,500 calories but also extremely dangerous and almost impossible for those whose diet is less than 2,500 calories. Second, the recommended healthy and sustainable weight loss pace is 1-2 pounds (0.45-1 kg a week), which comes down to reducing your daily energy intake by 500-1000 calories. Therefore, the experts do not recommend creating a daily caloric deficit of 2,500 calories.
A Healthy Diet To Lose 5 Pounds In A Week Meal Plan
As seen above, it could be dangerous to follow a diet to lose 5 pounds in a week’s meal plan if you want to achieve a healthy and sustainable result. However, some people are ready to risk their health and stick to this kind of diet meal plan. If you want to know what is the best diet to lose weight fast and safely, then intermittent fasting may be the best option.
The Concept Of Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is not like other calorie-restricting diets. It is a nutritional pattern that doesn’t necessarily limit what and how much you eat, rather when you do it. The main rule of intermittent fasting is that you are only allowed to consume food during the so-called “eating windows”. Now, you may ask, how is intermittent fasting related to the “lose 5 pounds in a week meal plan”? The thing is that intermittent fasting can help you successfully slim down without wreaking havoc on your body.
Although there are no limitations on the types or amounts of food that you can eat during eating windows, healthy eating patterns are strongly encouraged. This will naturally create a caloric deficit, which will help you lose weight. You should also remember that consumption of any food during the fasting period is strictly prohibited unless it is a type of intermittent fasting that allows such exceptions.
Speaking of various types of this nutritional pattern, there are many, and here are the most popular ones:
- 16:8 Fasting
The 16:8 fasting allows you to eat during an 8-hour eating window and requires you to fast for the rest 16 hours a day. This type of fasting is quite popular and is often followed by people who are new to intermittent fasting. They usually choose an eating window from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., or noon to 8 p.m. You are encouraged to drink calorie-free beverages like water or black coffee while you’re fasting.
- 5:2 Fasting
A person that follows this type of intermittent fasting can eat what they usually eat for 5 days a week, and fast for 2 days. During these 2 non-consecutive days, men are allowed to consume 600 calories daily, and women 500 calories, respectively. If you reduce your caloric intake during your eating window, you should be able to enjoy some weight loss results.
- Alternate Day Fasting
A bit stricter type of intermittent fasting that could help you successfully shed a couple of pounds is alternate day fasting. It requires you to fast every other day. According to the rules of this type of fasting, you are to follow your regular diet for a day and then fast for the next day.
- 18:6 Intermittent Fasting
Rules of this type of fasting are similar to those of 16:8 intermittent fasting, only here you are allowed to eat during a 6-hour window and have to fast for the remaining 18 hours. During the eating window, you can have 2 full meals and a snack. People who stick to 18:6 intermittent fasting usually either skip breakfast and have an early dinner or skip dinner and have a late lunch.
- 14:10 Intermittent Fasting
This type of intermittent fasting is the best for beginners, as its eating window lasts for 10 hours, which is pretty long. You can sleep through most of your fasting time, and then have your first meal at 7 a.m. and your dinner at 5 p.m., or eat your breakfast at 8-9 a.m. and your dinner at 6-7 p.m. It is also recommended to stay hydrated and drink calorie-free beverages while fasting.
How Many Calories Should I Eat to Lose 5 Pounds in a Week?
Losing 5 pounds a week means reducing your food intake by 3500 calories over 7 days, which is unsafe and not recommended
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend aiming to reduce only 1-2 pounds of weight per week for an effective and safe weight loss. Losing more than that is not advised because it may cause more harm than good.
Losing 5 pounds a week comes to reducing your food intake by 3500 calories over seven days. The value that represents the decrease in calorie intake is known as the calorie deficit. If you want to lose 5 pounds in a week, you will need to reduce your food intake by 17,500 calories, which is a huge calorie deficit. If you weigh 250-pound, you will need to reduce your daily calorie intake to about 1,250 calories per day, an amount that is too low amounting to starvation.
Reducing calorie intake drastically can reduce your weight by 5 pounds a week. However, this weight loss is not just from fat loss.
Our body weight is composed of muscle, water content, and fat, which vary as per our diet, lifestyle, and the physical activities we perform. When rapid weight loss such as losing 5 pounds of weight a week is achieved with a highly calorie-restricted diet, you lose out on the muscle mass and water as well. Without hydrating yourself, you can fall prey to dehydration. Losing on the muscle can make your metabolism slower because metabolism also depends on your muscle mass. A slower metabolism makes it hard for you to lose weight. Your bones may become more porous and brittle.
Rapid weight loss programs are considered unhealthy in the long term because they can make you fatigued, give you headaches, compromise your digestion, and even cause hair loss. You may also develop a medical condition known as gall stones (cholelithiasis), which may need surgery.
Remember, losing a few inches around your waist and hips is more important than weighing less on the scale. The focus should be on building muscle mass as well as losing the excess fat in the body.
What are healthier ways of losing weight?
A slow and steady weight loss is a healthier and sustainable weight-loss strategy than rapid weight loss.
Instead of simply keeping a check on calorie intake, concentrate on making smart dietary changes and following exercise regimes that support a healthy body and weight.
Here are tips for safe weight loss:
- Substitute high-calorie, low-nutrition food with low-calorie, high-nutrition food
- Opt for food containing whole-grain cereals instead of processed, packaged foods, such as white bread
- Choose boiled, roasted, or baked chicken over the fried chicken
- Cut back on soft drinks and instead replace them with fruit smoothies or unsweetened fruit juices
- Look for the fat content in dairy milk and go for low-fat milk
The American Heart Association recommends moderate physical activities of 30 minutes for 5 days a week or 150 minutes of activities spread over the week. To lose more weight, you can stretch it to 300 minutes a week. To spice it up and stay motivated, you can perform a combination of various exercises or physical activities that are dispersed throughout the week.
- Aerobic activities (also known as cardio exercises, endurance activities): These include brisk walking, jogging, cycling, dancing, Zumba, and swimming.
- Strength training: Gaining one pound of muscle through strength-training exercises will help you burn 5-10 extra calories a day.
Chronic stress that is poorly managed may lead to elevated cortisol levels that stimulate your appetite. This may cause you to gain weight or make losing weight difficult for you. Activities like deep breathing, yoga, and meditation are proven stress-busters that can help you shed that extra weight.
You can stay in touch with a healthcare provider or a certified dietitian to counsel you throughout your weight loss journey. This method has been shown to accelerate the weight loss program than trying to manage it all alone.
What foods are high in protein but low in calories?
Here are the 10 best high-protein foods that are also low in calories to help your weight loss journey.
Protein is the best option when it comes to weight loss because it makes you feel fuller for much longer. A protein-rich food is also often lower in calories than most foods rich in fat and carbohydrates.
The 10 high-protein foods that are low in calories include:
- Eggs: One egg provides you with seven grams of protein and 85 calories.
- Eggs are cheap and easy sources of improving your protein intake.
- Prefer organic eggs whenever possible since these eggs are certified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and are free from antibiotics, vaccines, and hormones.
- The color of eggs does not matter because all have similar nutritional values.
- Wild salmon: Three ounces of wild salmon provides you with 17 grams of protein and 121 calories.
- Although it is high in fats, it contains more of the healthier fats known as unsaturated fats, specifically omega-3 fatty acids.
- Omega-3 fatty acids are best known for their heart-healthy effects.
- Having at least two servings of wild salmon one time a week can help you in your weight loss journey while also providing you with a whole lot of nutrients.
- Chicken: Three ounces of cooked chicken breast contain 142 calories and 26 grams of protein, which is more than half of the day’s recommended protein intake.
- Go for the leaner cuts and roasted or broiled version instead of fried one.
- Greek yogurt: Just seven ounces of Greek yogurt provides you with 20 grams of protein but 150 calories.
- Apart from being rich in proteins, the probiotic content of Greek yogurt is one of the factors that help with weight loss.
- Good bacteria in probiotics can increase your metabolism and help you maintain a healthy weight.
- While buying Greek yogurt, read the label and opt for brands that are sugar-free or low in sugar.
- Beans: Half a cup of beans provides you with 7 to 10 grams of protein and anywhere between 109 and 148 calories (depending on the type of beans).
- Beans are packed not only with proteins but also with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.
- They are one of the best protein-rich options that make you feel full for a longer duration.
- You can easily have them during dinner time with brown rice or add them to other healthier options such as soups and salads.
- Lentils: One cup of lentils provides you with 18 grams of proteins (the protein present in three eggs) and 230 calories.
- Lentils are low in fat and high in fiber and are good at fulfilling your satiety and speeding up your fat loss.
- Eat them with brown rice as sides or add them to soups.
- Artichokes: One medium-sized vegetable replenishes you with 4.2 grams of protein but only 60 calories.
- Artichoke is not only one of the richest vegetable sources of proteins but also high in fiber. One medium artichoke contains 10.3 grams of fiber.
- You can boil and eat it or have it in the form of salad.
- Almonds: One ounce of almonds contains six grams of protein and 164 calories.
- To reap the maximum benefits, have them in the form of a mid-meal snack (combined with other nuts or seeds) or just before hitting the gym.
- Pumpkin seeds: One ounce of pumpkin seeds provides you with nine grams of proteins and 158 calories.
- You can consume them in raw or dry roasted form for your workout.
- Packed with proteins, fiber, healthy fats, and various minerals, they are a good source of energy apart from boosting your weight loss.
- You can easily sprinkle them over salads and soups or add them to muffins, bread, grain dishes, or trail mix.
- Chia seeds: One ounce of chia seeds contains five grams of proteins and 138 calories.
- Chia seeds are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids.
- They can be easily added to smoothies, salads, and cereals.
What Foods To Avoid?
Knowing what foods are bad for you is as important as knowing what your diet should include. Here are the components that you should keep at bay if you want to successfully slim down healthily:
Unhealthy Fats
It was already mentioned above that there are two types of fats. Unhealthy fats include trans and saturated fats and should be avoided to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and diabetes. You should reduce your intake of saturated fats to less than 10% of your daily calories and replace them with their healthy counterparts, which are mono- and polysaturated fats.
Refined Carbs
Unlike complex carbs, increased consumption of refined carbohydrates could lead to health complications like an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, asthma, and osteoarthritis. These are only a few of the negative effects of overconsumption of refined carbs in the long term. Therefore, you need to keep such foods as white bread and tortillas, white rice, pizza, bagels, waffles and pastries, and others at bay. Instead, opt for a healthier version of these foods that use whole grains, such as whole-grain bread, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, and others.
Exercise Recommendations
Although you can lose weight without exercising, incorporating regular workouts into your routine will only increase your calorie expenditure, thus boosting your results. If you are new to exercising, then cardio is the best option for you. It makes your blood pump, strengthens your muscles, and burns a great number of calories. Cardio doesn’t require any special skills or fitness level and can be performed by anyone. There are different types of this workout so you will surely find one that will fit you like a glove. You can start with light cardio such as walking or slow jogging, and then gradually increase the intensity of your workout, progressing to running, cycling, swimming, or any other type of cardio.
If you don’t have time for a full workout, you can increase the amount of physical activity that you perform throughout the day. For example, during lunch, go out for a walk instead of using an elevator, take the stairs instead of driving a car, ride a bike when watching TV, or make small pauses and perform a couple of simple exercises while using a phone. These are only a few ways in which you can increase your activity level when doing routine tasks.
Tips On How To Lose Weight Fast
Of course, gradual weight loss with the help of a healthy diet and regular exercise is safe and sustainable, but what if you want to know how to lose weight fast without exercise? Don’t worry, this article has got you covered! Read on for some tips on how to lose weight fast.
Choose Low-Calorie, Nutrient-Dense Foods
Empty calories are your worst enemy when you are trying to trim a couple of inches of fat. Keep away from foods that can increase your caloric intake without providing you with any vital nutrients. Include in your diet a more low-calorie nutrient-dense food instead, such as romaine lettuce, cucumber, tomato, carrot, grapefruit, lemon, lime, berries, watermelon, papaya, cantaloupe, orange, arugula, asparagus, beets, broccoli, broth, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, chard, fennel, garlic, iceberg lettuce, kale, white mushrooms, onions, peppers, radishes, and others.
Eat Filling Food
Reducing your caloric intake is great and effective at helping you slim down, but no one likes the feeling of hunger. Luckily, certain foods like oats, Greek yogurt, soups, berries, eggs, popcorn, chia seeds, fish, cottage cheese, potatoes, lean meats, legumes, and a watermelon are both low in calories and filling because of their high protein and fiber contents, so make sure to add any of the above-mentioned in your menu.
Use Smaller Plates
This simple trick will help you naturally reduce your portions and prevent overeating. When finishing a meal from a smaller plate, your brain will think that your body should feel full by now, so it will seem like you have satisfied your hunger while your caloric intake is lower than usual.
Have A Proper Night’s Sleep
Sleep is overall extremely important for your body. During sleep, your body recovers and charges for the following day. Sleep deprivation will not only make you feel tired and irritable but also increase the risk of various health issues, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Another serious negative side-effect of lack of sleep is weight gain. That is why, if you want to trim a couple of inches of excess fat, you need to get enough shuteye.
Chew Slower
Chewing more slowly can help you stop eating when you are actually full, instead of when you feel like you are full. Since your brain usually takes a while before registering that you satisfied your hunger, spending more time to thoroughly chew your food can decrease your caloric intake.