Are you striving to feel your absolute best? Joy Bauer, a leading nutrition expert, provides accessible and enjoyable strategies to enhance your health and vitality. With a focus on simple, delicious foods, Joy offers tips that seamlessly integrate into your daily life, from boosting energy and supporting brain health to slimming down and feeling great.
Embracing a Healthy Lifestyle
The Mediterranean Diet isn’t just a diet-it’s a delicious eating style that people all over the world embrace. It’s simple, flexible, and backed by solid science. Think colorful veggies, juicy fruits, hearty whole grains, crunchy nuts, and heart-healthy fats like olive oil and avocado. The perks? This eating plan can help with weight loss, boost energy, support your heart and brain, slow down aging (yes, please!), and even cut the risk of type 2 diabetes by about 30%. But here’s the best part: it’s not a strict “diet.” It’s a way of eating (and living) that’s meant to be joyful, social, and satisfying.
The Seven-Day Plan
This seven-day plan will clean up your diet while allowing you to still enjoy the delicious flavors and satisfying textures of good-for-you fare. This plan is the perfect guide; it contains delicious meals with the right balance of lean proteins, high-quality carbs and healthy fats to give you fast and effective results.
Day 1: Hydration is Key
Today, you’ll focus on staying hydrated by sipping half your weight in water ounces. For example: If you weigh 160 pounds, you’ll be sipping 80 ounces a day, or 10 (8-ounce) glasses.
Day 2: Meal Prep Mastery
Today is about investing time in meal prep. Take a few moments to pre-plan your meals and snacks in advance for the next few days. Then, make a shopping list, gather your ingredients and chop or cook ahead whatever you can. You can batch cook easy staples like veggies, rice, pasta, quinoa, and grilled chicken for mix-and-match magic during the week. Try my One Sheet Chicken and Brussels Sprouts or Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies. Or make this Turkey Bolognese to serve multiple ways throughout the week (I use it to top baked potatoes, toss with spaghetti squash or whole grain pasta, and sometimes I like to add a large scoop to a green salad for a delicious lunch). This makes healthy eating easy and accessible.
Read also: Recipes by Joy Bauer for Weight Loss
Day 3: Produce Powerhouse
With that in mind, your goal for today is to choose at least three different fruits or vegetables to add to each meal (bonus points for including in snacks!).
Day 4: Carb Conscious
Today, you’re going to focus on swapping out carb-heavy favorites for healthier, lighter, lower-carb options. Instead of pasta, try zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash. If you’re making a sandwich, lose the top slice of bread or enjoy crisp lettuce wraps.
Day 5: Protein Prioritization
Protein is your focus today-and you’ll ensuring you get enough! Your rough goal is to aim for half your weight in daily protein grams (if you’re pregnant, nursing or an elite athlete, you may need more). Animal sources of protein include lean beef, poultry, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, cheese, dairy milk. Plant-based sources are particularly beneficial because in addition to protein, they provide fiber, antioxidants and other key nutrients. These include lentils, beans, quinoa, nuts, seeds, soy. Aim for at least one of these at each meal or snack today.
Day 6: Savor the Flavor
Your goal for day six is to eat more slowly and to savor each bite at meals and snacks. To do so, step away from the phone, power off the computer, turn off the TV, and instead, be present. When you’re home and it’s possible, set the table with your best plates, silverware, tablecloth or placemats, and even light a candle. Notice the different flavors, textures and smells. Place your fork down between each bite and chew your food thoroughly. Aim to enjoy the meal for at least 20 minutes, and use the hunger scale throughout to touch base with yourself. I typically suggest using a range of 1 to 5; with 1 being ravenous, 5 being stuffed.
Day 7: Healthy Treat Transformation
On your final day, learn how to reimagine two of your favorite treats with a healthy twist. Then find a more nourishing version you can whip up for when a craving strikes.
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Meal Planning and Key Principles
This plan provides approximately 1,600 calories per day, offering folks seeking weight loss a reference point for portion size. Note that the plan includes three meals and one to two snacks per day, as well as unlimited non-starchy vegetables.
The "3Ps"
Follow my “3Ps”: meals must be packed with ample protein and 2 cups produce (specifically non-starchy veggies from the unlimited list), and you’ll need to power down. Protein and produce pack a one-two punch against hunger, helping to satisfy your appetite and showering your body with good-for-you nutrients. And finally, sit down and slow down. Take a seat and take the time to own your meal.
Flexibility and Customization
One of the best parts about the Mediterranean Diet is how flexible and customizable it is. You don’t have to follow the meal plan to a T: instead, think of it as a helpful guide you can tweak to fit your preferences, schedule, and dietary needs. Whether you’re vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, or just a picky eater, there’s plenty of wiggle room to swap ingredients, mix up meals, or repeat your favorites.
Sample Meal Options
Choose one breakfast, lunch, and dinner option each day, plus one to two snacks to help keep your appetite in check. You can mix and match any of the breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks. Indulge in non-starchy vegetables in unlimited quantities at any time throughout the day, particularly when you get hungry between designated meal and snack times. If you’re keeping track of calories, the meal plan provides between 1,400 to 1,600 calories per day.
Breakfast Ideas
A healthy breakfast helps fuel your brain and rev your system for the day ahead. And many studies have shown that people who regularly eat breakfast have an easier time managing their weight, as a morning meal can help regulate your appetite and prevent over-snacking or nighttime bingeing. If your current eating pattern keeps you energized and doesn’t set you up for overeating later in the day, then it’s A-OK to skip breakfast.
Read also: Beef jerky: A high-protein option for shedding pounds?
- Avocado ‘n Egg Toast: 1 slice whole grain toast topped with ¼ smashed avocado + 1 poached, hard-boiled or scrambled egg + sprinkling of preferred herbs and ground black pepper.
- PB & Strawberry Banana Sushi: 1 banana rolled in 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter, cut into thick “sushi-like” slices and topped with a thin strawberry slice (or finely chopped strawberries, like sprinkles).
- Choose between a cup (or two) of coffee or tea (black or green).
Lunch Ideas
Before starting your meal, drink 16 ounces (2 cups) of water, and have as much additional water as you’d like during your meal.
- Drop10 Salad: Mixed greens topped with 5 ounces protein (chicken, turkey, salmon, shrimp or tofu), ½ cup beans, and unlimited non-starchy veggies.
- Open-Faced Turkey & Swiss Sandwich: 1 slice whole grain bread layered with 4 ounces turkey, 1 slice of Swiss cheese, 1 tablespoon mustard or hummus, and preferred vegetables (lettuce, tomatoes, onions, etc.) + 2 cups of baby carrots on the side.
Dinner Options
Each of the Drop 10 dinner options contains no more than 500 calories. "Pre-game" before your meal! Front loading before dinner can take the edge off your hunger. Drink 16 ounces (2 cups) of water and eat one large handful (about 1 cup) of any non-starchy vegetable from this list. Then, take a seat and take your time. Slowing down the pace of your eating will enhance digestion and allow you to be more aware of hunger and fullness cues.
Burger and fries
A bun-less burger of choice (lean beef, turkey, vegetarian) layered with lettuce, tomato, onion and a squirt of ketchup or salsa with one serving of oven-roasted sweet potato fries and 2 cups steamed or roasted vegetables or a salad dressed with 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil and unlimited vinegar or fresh lemon juice (alternatively, you can use 2 tablespoons of low-calorie vinaigrette). You can also skip the fries and instead enjoy your burger on a half bun.
Cauliflower fried rice with shrimp, chicken, black beans or tofu
Enjoy 1-2 servings of cauliflower fried rice and 4 ounces cooked protein of your choice such as shrimp, fish, chicken, tofu, pork tenderloin, lean steak or poultry sausage - or 3/4 cup cooked black beans.
Baked fish with broccoli and sweet potato
Five ounces of grilled, roasted or baked fish (cooked with 1 teaspoon olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt, pepper and preferred seasonings) and 2 cups of steamed broccoli and 1/2 baked sweet potato.
Grilled chicken Parmesan
Eat this better-for-you chicken parm with 2 cups of steamed green beans or sugar snap peas.
Turkey sausage with sautéed peppers & onions
Enjoy up to 2 servings of this Italian-style dish!
Slow cooker comfort food
Chicken Curry and Vegetables or Slow Cooker Chicken and Black Bean Chili. For the Slow Cooker Chicken and Black Bean Chili, enjoy 1 serving with 1 dollop low-fat Greek yogurt + ¼ cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese + ½ cup cooked brown rice or quinoa (OR 1/2 baked potato)
Pork tenderloin, baked potato and carrots
5 ounces of roast pork tenderloin with 2 cups cooked carrots and 1/2 baked potato topped with 2 tablespoons of low-fat Greek yogurt or light sour cream and/or 2 tablespoons salsa.
One skillet lime-cilantro shrimp
Eat with roasted broccoli or cauliflower and 1 cup cooked brown rice or quinoa.
Balsamic chicken
Serve with 1 cup cooked brown rice or quinoa.
One pan chicken with roasted veggies
Serve with 1 cup steamed edamame in the pod.
Snacking Strategies
Feel like cooking? Select 1 to 2 snacks each day.
Smart Snacking Tips
Try this simple strategy to prevent overindulging in the evening: Create a list of light and healthy snacks that you enjoy (for example, 4 cups of light popcorn, a rice cake with tomato and cheese, a cup of frozen grapes or a frozen yogurt pop). Each night, plan to enjoy one of these snacks at least 1 hour after finishing your dinner, but ideally, try to push it off as late as possible. Once you finish your snack, put closure on your eating by brushing your teeth and flossing.
Before you snag a snack from the vending machine or raid the cookie jar to clear up a case of afternoon brain fog, make sure you’re not dehydrated first. Sipping water is a smart strategy for fighting fatigue. If you’re still hungry after you hydrate, opt for energy-boosting eats, ideally something that includes a mix of fiber and protein. This duo can help steady blood sugar which, in turn, sustains energy.
Produce Power
Here’s a simple change with huge health benefits: Add a produce item to every meal! Fruits and vegetables are high in volume but low in calories, so they keep you full without weighing you down. Plus, they’re loaded with nutrients that nourish your body. Some delicious ideas: At breakfast, top yogurt with berries or add spinach and onions to scrambled eggs. For lunch, try a colorful salad or pile your sandwich with lettuce, tomato, cucumber and roasted peppers. At dinner, the sky’s the limit: Try starting with veggie soup or salad, eat roasted Brussels sprouts, green beans, cauliflower and squash with your entrée or top a pizza with mushrooms and broccoli.
Absolutely! In fact, unless you’re growing your own or buying it at a farmers market, the “fresh” produce you buy at the grocery store can be less nutritious than frozen. Nutritional value starts decreasing as soon as produce is picked, so fresh fruit and veggies can be depleted of nutrients by the time they’re transported to stores and your table. Frozen produce is flash-frozen within hours of being harvested, locking in nutrients before they begin to decline. Of course, nothing beats the texture and flavor of fresh, seasonal (and local) produce, and it’s still highly nutritious.
The Importance of Protein
Protein helps support the growth and maintenance of our body’s tissues and muscles, and it plays a role in managing appetite by keeping us feeling full. An easy way to calculate your needs: Divide your weight in pounds in half. That’s the amount of daily protein grams you should aim to eat. This isn’t an exact science, but it provides a terrific reference. So if you weigh 160 pounds, you’d aim for 80 grams of protein a day. Note that populations like pregnant and breastfeeding women and serious athletes need more, and folks with certain kidney conditions often need less.
Navigating the Holidays
The most wonderful time of the year can also feel like the most stressful. Be selective with splurges: We have to remind ourselves it’s a holiday…not a holi-month.