Winter may be creeping in fast, but that doesn’t give you the green light to fatten up and prepare for hibernation. Quite the opposite, in fact - sticking to your fitness routine and meal plan through the holidays and cold weather season can help you come out on the other side better than ever.
Introduction
Embarking on a workout and diet plan tailored for women can be a transformative journey. This article outlines key considerations and practical strategies to help women achieve their fitness goals, whether it's weight loss, muscle gain, or overall well-being. It emphasizes a balanced approach, incorporating both exercise and nutrition, and encourages sustainable lifestyle changes for long-term success.
Understanding Your Body and Goals
Before jumping into any weight loss plan, it's essential to understand your starting point and define your goals. There are many reasons you may start a weight loss plan. You may want to lose weight for one or more of many reasons, including:
- To lessen the effects of other health conditions you might have
- To look or feel different
- To feel more energy and improve how well you get around
Whatever the reason, you may be more likely to reach your weight loss goals if they’re unique to you and based on a personal drive to achieve them.
Body Mass Index (BMI) and Its Limitations
Body mass index (BMI) is one criteria doctors use when diagnosing obesity. Your BMI may make you eligible for obesity medication, for example, or bariatric surgery. But it’s far from the whole picture. It's important to acknowledge the limitations of BMI as a sole indicator of health. BMI is a much better measure than just weight alone, so it’s valuable to some extent, but it also has huge limitations,” says Scott Kahan, MD, MPH, director of the National Center for Weight and Wellness in Washington, D.C. “For example, BMI doesn’t account for many differences other than height, such as lean mass versus fat mass, differences in body composition, differences in health, or weight-related health burdens at any given weight,” he says.
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Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) and Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
That’s why it’s important to use other measurements as you look at your whole health picture. One is total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). This is a calculation of the total number of calories your body uses - for everything, not just exercise - in 24 hours. To do this, you also need to know your basal metabolic rate(BMR). This is the number of calories your body burns just doing daily functions such as breathing, digesting food, and circulating blood. Your BMR depends on multiple factors, including height, weight, age, and sex. You can find TDEE and BMR calculators online or ask your doctor to find your numbers for you. Once you know how much energy you use through TDEE and BMR, you can adjust your calorie intake and exercise goals to meet your needs.
Setting Realistic Goals
A realistic weight loss plan should fit into your lifestyle so you can lose weight in a healthy, sustainable manner over time and keep it off. Identify what you struggle with and what your strengths are. If you tend to overeat, focus on portion control and calorie counting, for example. If you’ve been inactive, slowly add more movement into your days. Once you have your baseline, goals, strengths, and weaknesses, you’ll be better equipped to figure out which diet and exercise plans work for you.
One way to approach it is to set two different types of goals: action and outcome. An action goal names a healthy action you’ll take to lose weight, such as “Exercise for 30 minutes at least 5 times a week.” An outcome goal is something you’re aiming toward, such as “Lose 10 pounds.” Action goals are the tools that get you to outcome goals. If you’re looking for a number on the scale to aim for, talk to your doctor about what’s reasonable. But also consider other goals that you won’t find on a scale. “We define a goal weight as a weight you feel comfortable at,” says Kahan. “Maybe you're off blood pressure medications, you're off cholesterol medication, you sleep better, and you move better.”
The Importance of Adherence
Studies show that weight loss success depends less on the type of diet or meal plan you pick and more on adherence, or in other words, sticking with it. The goal is to make your new habits a way of life and not just a “lose weight quick” scheme. On the whole, self-monitoring is a tried and true strategy for most people who are trying to stay on track with their weight loss. Keeping tabs on certain things you can measure helps you see your progress and also lets you know if you seem to be going off course. That can be tracking your weight over time, logging the foods you eat, counting your daily steps,or other lifestyle changes. You may find it helpful to keep a daily food or exercise journal. You can make note of benchmarks along the way, such as “ran for 10 minutes without stopping” or “tried a new vegetable.” Some people work best with a partner or group for accountability. Kahan says one of the most consistent predictors of long-term progress with weight management is having support and interaction. “That could be meeting with a specialist like myself, it could be meeting with a dietitian, it could be meeting with a trainer, or it could be meeting in an ongoing group session,” he says.
The Role of Exercise
Research shows that diet has significantly more impact on weight loss or gain than exercise, but both are important. In fact, weight loss without physical activity can make you weaker. And as you age, bone density and muscle mass decrease. You need exercise to maintain both.
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If you’re tracking your TDEE, exercise also helps you use more calories than you take in each day, which is the recipe for weight loss. Department of Health and Human Services, you need both aerobic exercise and strength training as part of a workout plan. Aerobic exercise conditions your heart and circulatory system, while strength training helps you maintain muscle mass. Healthy adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a mix of the two. You should train each major muscle group at least twice a week.
Types of Exercise for Weight Loss
What exercises should be in a workout plan for weight loss? Any type of intentional movement can help you burn calories and improve your fitness, whether it’s running, yoga, dancing, or martial arts. Choose the activities you want to do, so you feel drawn to them.
Examples of aerobic activities include:
- A brisk walk
- A 30-minute bike ride
- A hike through the woods
- Swimming laps
- Mowing the lawn
- Running
Strength training involves the use of:
- Body weight (pushups, sit ups, planks)
- Resistance bands
- Weight machines
- Rock climbing
Nutrition and Meal Planning
There’s no one “perfect” meal plan that guarantees weight loss. The eating patterns and choices that work for you may not work for someone else. Find a meal plan that fits your lifestyle and preferences. “What has been shown repeatedly is that for effective weight loss, type of diet doesn't seem to matter,” says Kahan. “Whereas some people definitely do better with a low-carb diet and other people definitely do better with a low-fat diet or the like, by and large, it does not matter as long as people are making some reasonably healthy and reasonably sustainable changes in what they're eating.”
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Key Components of a Healthy Meal Plan
What should a meal plan for weight loss include? Although there’s no one type of diet that doctors agree on for this, they do agree that a “healthy” diet:
- Is plant-heavy
- Includes healthy fats, such as olive oil or those found in fish like salmon
- Stays away from simple sugars, including sweets and sugary drinks
- Is low-sodium
Experts also promote eating whole, natural, unprocessed foods instead of pre-packaged, processed fare.
Popular Diet Approaches
You can follow a specific diet, if that helps you stay on track. Research has shown certain types of eating patterns to be healthy for large groups of people, including:
- The Mediterranean diet. The name for this diet comes from the common dishes people eat near the Mediterranean Sea. It focuses on fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains, as well as small amounts of yogurt, cheese, poultry, and fish. Olive oil is its primary cooking fat, and it leans away from red meat and foods with added sugars.
- The Nordic diet. Based on Scandinavian eating patterns, the Nordic diet is heavy on fish, apples, pears, whole grains, and cold-climate vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, and cauliflower.
- The DASH diet. This stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension and is a common choice for people focused on a heart-healthy diet. It features low cholesterol and saturated fats, lots of magnesium, calcium, fiber, and potassium, with little to no red meat and sugar.
Sample Meal Plans: 1,500 and 1,200 Calories
In general, you may lose 1 to 1.5 pounds per week by cutting 500 calories from your diet every day. But this depends heavily on lots of other things such as your height, starting weight, activity level, and age. You should always consult your doctor before restricting your calories.
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, a 1,500-calorie “traditional American cuisine” meal plan would look like:
- Breakfast (402 calories): 1 slice of whole wheat toast with 2 teaspoons of jelly, half a cup of shredded wheat cereal with 1 cup of 1% milk, 3/4 cup of orange juice, and a cup of coffee with 1 ounce of 1% milk
- Lunch (366 calories): Roast beef sandwich on whole wheat with lettuce, tomato, one slice of American cheese, and 2 teaspoons of mayonnaise plus a medium apple
- Dinner (625 calories): 3 ounces of salmon with 1.5 teaspoons of oil, a baked potato with 1 teaspoon of margarine, 1/2 cup carrots cooked in margarine, 1/2 cup green beans cooked in margarine, medium dinner roll, 1/2 cup of 1% milk
- Snack: 2.5 cups of popcorn with 1.5 teaspoons of margarine
Similarly, a “traditional American cuisine” 1,200-calorie meal plan would look like:
- Breakfast (389 calories): 1 slice of whole wheat toast with 2 teaspoons of jelly, half a cup of shredded wheat cereal with 1 cup of 1% milk, 3/4 cup of orange juice, and a cup of black coffee
- Lunch (305 calories): Roast beef sandwich on whole wheat with lettuce, tomato, 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise, and a medium apple
- Dinner (625 calories): 2 ounces of salmon with 1.5 teaspoons of oil, a baked potato with 1 teaspoon of margarine, 1/2 cup cooked carrots, 1/2 cup green beans cooked in margarine, small dinner roll
- Snack: 2.5 cups of popcorn with 3/4 teaspoon of margarine
Energy Density
When it comes to food choice, think about energy density. Energy density is the number of calories in a specific amount of food. A food with high energy density means that there are a lot of calories in a small amount. Low energy density foods have few calories in a large amount. Low energy density foods can promote weight loss by helping you feel fuller longer while adding fewer calories to your body. In general, these foods will be high fiber, moderately low fat, or full of water.
Good choices include:
- Fruits and vegetables. They’re high in both fiber and water, which gives you volume and weight but not calories.
- Lean proteins. Fish, poultry breast, egg whites, low-fat dairy, tofu, and beans are healthy options.
- Nuts, seeds, and plant-based oils. You need fats as part of a complete diet, so choose healthy ones.
The energy density concept can also help you enjoy small portions of your favorite treats from time to time instead of banning them completely. When you deprive yourself of foods you like, it can lead to cravings and emotional “binge eating.” Having those less-healthy treats in moderation will help long-term commitment to a diet plan.
Practical Tips for Meal Planning
- Always buy in bulk, stocking up on as much of an item as you need for a week’s worth of meals. For example, if sweet potatoes are on the meal plan for eight consecutive days, buy eight.
- Cook in bulk. Don’t just make enough brown rice for today and tomorrow - instead, make enough for the entire week. You can even take it a step further and measure out portions ahead of time.
- What you don’t eat, freeze. Made too much chicken or fish or are just tired of it?
- Take advantage of pre-portioned foods. Pick 100-calorie packs of almonds over a large bulk bag so you can save time counting and bagging appropriate portion sizes.
- Plan ahead. Look at the meal plan for the week to create your grocery list, then buy everything you need for the week so you’re prepared.
- Try frozen veggies. This timesaving (and money-saving) convenience food is just as nutritious as the fresh variety and tastes just as good.
What Should a Woman Eat to Lose Weight and Gain Muscle?
First things first: While it can be tempting to go on a crash diet to try to lose weight quickly, it's just not a good idea. Fad diets, cleanses, and rapid weight loss in general can bring on a slew of dangers, and chances are that you'll gain the weight back as soon as you resume eating normally.
Instead, aim to take a slower, more gradual approach to weight loss, and lose 1 or 2 pounds per week. To lose 1 to 2 pounds weekly, you need to reduce your daily calorie consumption to 500 to 1,000 calories below the amount you’d need to maintain your current weight. For example, a moderately active person - someone who gets about 30 minutes of exercise per day - would calculate their weight maintenance calorie level by multiplying their current weight by 15.
Avoid letting your daily calorie intake fall below 1,200 calories, since that could cause you to miss out on essential nutrients. If a diet creates a deficit of more than 1,000 calories and you're exercising on top of that, weight loss may start to stall. A process called adaptive thermogenesis occurs right after the initial weight loss - when your metabolism slows to match your low-calorie intake.
What Foods to Eat for Weight Loss and Muscle Gain
It's not just the number of calories that matters. A meal plan for weight loss and muscle gain needs to look at the quality of the calories, too.
Not all calories are created equal - a calorie of junk food is not equal to a calorie of a healthy food. While the former usually has little to no nutrition, the calories in the latter are usually accompanied by essential nutrients that your body needs.
You want variety in each meal; a good diet is a balanced, colorful diet. Opt for high-quality foods that provide you with both calories (energy) and nutrition. This includes:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Whole grains like brown rice and quinoa
- Good fats like avocado and nuts
- Lean proteins
An easy way to make sure things are balanced is to make half your plate fruits and vegetables (look to include high-fiber options), one-quarter whole grains, and one-quarter lean protein.
Your body can multitask - that is, you can build muscle while losing weight.
"Food doesn't make you gain muscle. You need to exercise; you need to lift weight for that," says Nancy Clark, RD, the author of Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook, who is in private practice in Newton Highlands, Massachusetts.
"But the body needs the tools to build the muscle, and that would be protein-rich foods like Greek yogurt, chicken, turkey, tofu, beans - any protein-rich food will build and repair. Carbs, like grains, fuel the muscle to do the exercise," Clark says.
Of course, the rate of muscle growth is different for everyone in a strength-training program. Age, sex, hormone levels and overall genetic makeup all contribute to the rate of your muscle growth. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that each week, adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, or at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity. Adults are also advised to engage in muscle strengthening activities targeting all the major muscle groups at least two days out of each week.
What Foods to Cut Out to Get Lean
Avoid certain foods if your goal is to get lean, including:
- Refined grains
- Highly processed foods and snacks, including cured meats
- Added sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose, refined table sugar)
- Sugary foods and drinks
- Fried foods and foods with trans fats or significant amounts of saturated fat
- Salt in excess of 5 grams per day, unless you have a medical condition that dictates a lower or higher sodium limit
That said, keep in mind that a too-restrictive diet just isn't realistic for long-term weight loss and maintenance. "The minute you say 'Don't eat apples,' the person starts craving apples," Clark says.
Sample Meal Plan Ideas for Leaning
It's a good idea to visit a dietitian for a meal plan that is customized to your age, preferences, lifestyle, medical conditions and food allergies. A weight-loss plan for a woman over 60 may be different from a weight-loss plan for a woman over 40, for instance - a dietitian can help you navigate the best path for you.
In the meantime, Clark recommends that you get at least three or four different kinds of foods in any given meal. "You would need some sort of protein to build and repair your muscles, some sort of grain to fuel your muscles, some sort of fruit or veg for vitamins and minerals and some kind of calcium-rich food for your bones," she says.
Also, make sure to drink enough water. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends that most adult men consume 3.7 liters (L), or about 125 ounces (oz) total water daily, and most adult women consume 2.7 L, or about 68 oz of total water daily - with about 80 percent of that coming from drinks, and the rest from foods like fruits and vegetables. If you’re physically active, in hot weather, have certain health conditions or take certain medications, you may need to increase your water intake further. Your dietitian or doctor can help you calculate how much you need.
There's a link between obesity and inadequate hydration, according to one research review, which also noted that increased water intake is associated with less weight gain over time. Dehydration is also associated with negative effects on athletic performance and cognitive function, as well as increased chronic disease mortality.
Breakfast Ideas
Here are some lean meal plan ideas for breakfast, based on a 1,600 calorie daily intake:
- Whole-wheat toast with jelly, shredded wheat cereal with 1 percent milk, orange juice, and regular coffee with 1 percent milk
- Oatmeal (made with 1 percent milk), English muffin with light cream cheese, orange juice, and coffee with 1 percent milk
You should also add a serving of protein, according to Clark, like eggs or cottage cheese.
And don't forget those good fats!
Seeking Professional Guidance
Even if you only consult them once as a springboard, a health professional can be a great tool for forming and sticking to a weight loss plan. “We have very good data showing that thoughtful counseling and supportive counseling around obesity management is quite helpful,” says Kahan, adding that not many people know that his specialty - obesity medicine - even exists.
In addition to doctors, there are dietitians, nutritionists, health coaches, and even psychologists trained in obesity management. Not everyone responds to behavioral approaches, but other scientifically proven treatments are available, including FDA-approved obesity medications and bariatric surgery. A doctor can help guide you through these options and see if you qualify for GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. These drugs work by turning off the “food noise” in your brain so you’re not constantly managing the urge to eat. Bariatric surgery changes the way your digestive system works to make losing weight easier. “Taken together those three broad sets of treatments have been well developed, and for a significant portion of the population, if they have access to those treatments, they can significantly improve their weight status and more importantly their overall health and wellness,” says Kahan.
Keep in mind the benefits of weight loss drugs typically last only as long as you take them. You may need other strategies once you stop in order to keep the weight off.
Staying Motivated and Overcoming Plateaus
Think outside the box when it comes to reasons to stay the course. There will almost certainly be times when you hit a plateau: Your progress seems to stop, even though you’re sticking to your program. At these times, it can be hard not to give up and slip back into old habits. It may help to focus on what you hope to gain? For some people it’s the ability to keep up with grandkids. For others it’s preventing disease they’ve seen family members live with.
Keep your weight loss plan goals “bite-sized” so you can check them off and then create more. You may want to start by losing 5% of your body weight, for example. If you weigh 200 pounds, that’s a 10-pound weight loss goal. As you achieve smaller goals, you’ll gather momentum toward bigger ones. “A message I find empowering instead of overwhelming is that modest steps and modest goals can both lead to meaningful weight loss and weight loss that is reasonably sustainable,” says Kahan.
Sample Two-Month Meal Plan
This two-month no-fail meal plan will set you up for success in 2021. It’s packed with nutritious and satisfying meals and snacks designed to ramp up muscle accrual while keeping fat in check. Every week consists of two different meal schedules that you will alternate every other day. On Sundays, you can choose to follow either Plan A or Plan B of that week and replace one meal with a treat meal. Remember, it’s not a free-for-all, though. It’s one meal, not an entire day. Use it to enjoy a special occasion, holiday, date night or night out with friends. When the week is over, move to the next set of meal plans and so on and so forth.
Sunday: Treat Day!
- Zucchini Fries: Whisk egg whites lightly in shallow bowl and set aside. Dip zucchini strips into egg mixture and then into breadcrumbs. Cook on grill, turning once, until golden brown, about 20 minutes. If cooking in oven, preheat oven to 425 degrees and cook 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.
- Rosemary Roasted Potatoes: Heat olive oil, potatoes, rosemary, garlic and salt over medium heat in medium saucepan. Cover and cook 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are fork-tender (about 12 to 15 minutes).
- Sautéed Greens: Spray small skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add fresh greens and dash of salt and pepper. Cook until greens are wilted, stirring frequently.
- Egg White Almonds: Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Add almonds to large bowl and pour lightly beaten egg white over almonds. Spread almonds out onto lined baking sheet. Bake in oven for four minutes. Remove and stir, then bake for another four minutes. Allow almonds to cool before storing in airtight container for up to four weeks.