Lean Choice Planner


Meal Options

Preparing Food Plans

Key Points:
1) Eat predominantly food in the 'most often selected' or moderate to low GI foods table and protein table.
2) Eat 5-6 small meals per day (includes 2-3 snacks) to stabilise insulin levels.
3) Include a protein option into each meal to decrease the chance of the body going into a catabolic state, ie. muscle tissue breaking down. Protein will also trigger the release of a hormone glucagon, which lowers insulin levels optimising fat burning potential.
4) It is recommended you eat 3 different vegetables a day and 2 - 3 fruits per day.
5) Avoid oils and fats in cooking. Grill, bake or use a non-stick frypan. Olive and canola oils are good options if oils are needed.
6) Supplementing a protein powder or meal replacement powder between main meals is a convenient and cost-effective way of meeting daily protein requirements. Protein elevates dietary induced thermogenesis.
7) Drink 2-3 litres of pure water per day to aid digestion, regularity, hydration, elimination of toxins, and reduce water retention.

How Much Food Do I Eat?

Generally, men should eat 5-6 meals, and women 5 meals per day. Plan 3 main meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner with a midmorning and afternoon snack. For carbohydrate options and protein portions, use your fist size as a general measure for each food type (approx. 3/4 - 1 1/2 cups). For fibrous vegetables, a serve of each vegetable is measured as a handful.

Meal Option Ideas  

Breakfast Lunch Dinner Snacks After-dinner snack
Low-fat/low GI breakfast cereal, trim milk or low fat/low GI yoghurt/high protein shake/meal replacement Tuna (180g), green leaf salad (lowfat dressing), tomatoes, 1- 2 slices wholegrain bread Lean meat with weight-watchers gravy, 2-3 serves vegetables (med-low GI) plus small serving of rice/ potato/kumara Lowfat yoghurt and fruit Meal replacement /protein shake with frozen berries
1-3 eggs (recommend only 2 egg yolks per day) boiled, poached, scrambled or omelettes with thin slice wholegrain bread Lean meat, bean salad,with small amount of feta cheese Grilled or baked fish, squeezed lemon, 2-3 servings of vegetables (med-low GI) plus small serving of rice/potato/kumara Low-fat crackers and Tuna Tempters with: cottage cheese and tomato, low-fat cheese,salmon and pepper Protein shake with weight-watchers mousse
Rolled oats, trim milk/dried fruit/yoghurt Salmon, vegetable salad, lowfat dressing, 1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta Falafel, small pita bread or tabouli, large green salad, low-fat salad dressing Fruit smoothie with non-fat milk or whole milk alternative Milko (Red 8) High protein pancake mix (Red 8) with yoghurt with fresh fruit salad or lite tinned fruit salad
Bran based cereal, trim milk/low GI fruit/low-fat yoghurt/ Protein shake/High Protein Meal replacement

Grilled skinless chicken, vegetables, 1/2 cup rice or 1 potato or 1 kumara

 Grilled or baked skinless chicken garnished with lemon juice/ ginger/ garlic, stir-fried vegetables (med-low GI) with small serving of rice. Protein Shake with fruit Low-fat crackers and condiments: cottage cheese and tomato, low-fat cheese, salmon and pepper

Breakfast Lunch Dinner Snacks After-dinner snack
Baked beans/egg option with thin slice of wholegrain bread Chicken or lamb kebab, salad, rice or pita bread with yoghurt dressing. Skinless chicken casserole, low-fat sauce/chicken stock, carrots, peppers, mixed vegetables, small serving of rice High Protein Meal Replacement High Protein Meal Replacement/ Protein Supplement
High protein pancakes, (Red 8), fresh fruit, salad and low fat yoghurt. Hearty vegetable soup, 50/50 trim milk and water with pita bread or small wholemeal roll. Cooked skinless chicken breast, apricot and ricotta cheese wrapped in a filo pastry and baked (use olive oil spray). Greenleaf salad with a low-fat dressing or 2 med-low GI vegetables, small serve of rice or potatoes. Vegetables with low-fat dips (protein-based) Lowfat yoghurt
Soy Nuggets (Red 8), fresh salad and low fat yoghurt High Protein Meal Replacement Bar containing 18-25 grams of Protein Bar containing 18-25 grams of Protein Bar containing 18-25 grams of Protein

Beverages Per Meal

Freshly squeezed fruit juice (low sugar, small glass), Water, Trim milk (one glass), *Coffee (one cup), *Tea (one cup)

*Note: Coffee and tea have a dehydrating effect. For hydration, drink one cup of water for each cup of coffee or tea. Sugar in tea or coffee adds calories which can be detrimental to weight loss.


Best Food Choices

Types of Food Select Most Often Select Moderately Select Least Often
Animal Protein Lean cuts of beef/pork, salmon, halibut (broiled), canned tuna in water, poultry without skin, egg Untrimmed beef and pork, canned tuna in oil, poultry (with skin), lobster, shrimp, Canadian bacon Fatty beef, lamb, beef, pork, luncheon meats/hot dogs, fried chicken, fried fish, liver kidneys
Dairy Non-fat yoghurt, nonfat (or 1/2), nonfat dry milk, nonfat frozen yoghurt, whey protein supplements Reduced fat and part-skim cheeses, Lowfat cottage cheese, lowfat milk, lowfat yoghurt, 95% fat-free frozen yoghurt. Whole-milk cheese, (cheddar, muenster), whole milk, sour cream, ice cream, cream, half-and-half
Vegetable Protein Dried beans and peas (kidney, lima, soybeans, lentils, split peas), tofu (bean curd), natural vegetable protein (soya) Raw or dry-roasted nuts and seeds, peanut and other butters (moderate amounts) Oil processed nuts and seeds
Vegetables Raw, fresh vegetables, fresh or frozen, slightly cooked Canned tomatoes or vegetable juice Vegetables in cream or butter sauces, fried vegetables
Fruits Fresh, raw fruit, dried fruit, frozen and fresh fruit juices Canned fruit packed, canned fruit juices, frozen fruit Fruit-flavoured beverages, canned fruit packed in syrup, avocados, olives
Grain Products Shredded wheat, oats, wholegrain cereals, wholegrain breads, brown rice, wheat bran, oat bran, bagels, fig bars Refined cereals, enriched white breads, refined pastas, white rice, granolas, toast with margarine, plain cookies Cookies, cakes, pies, sweetened cereals, tortilla chips, donuts, oil-processed crackers, cream-filled doughnuts, croissants
Other Popcorn (air-popped) Low-fat salad dressing, low-fat mayonnaise, pretzels Fat-rich salad dressing, mayonnaise, gravies, cream sauce, potato chips

From Wardlow, G.M et al.,: Contemporary Nutrition Issues and Insights. 2nd Edition. St. Louis, MO, Mosby, 1992.

Ideal Flavourings, Sauces and Dressings

Spices - curry powder, cumin, turmeric, mustard etc.
Herbs - oregano, basil, thyme etc
Bottled minced ginger, chilli and garlic
Sauces - Worcester, soy, chilli, oyster, BBQ, Hol Sin, tomato based pasta sauces
Stock base (ready-prepared Tetra brick pack) or powders
Low oil salad dressing