Mary's Mini Weight Loss Menu

My Mary's Mini Weight Loss Menu Day 1

 Day 1 Lunch:  Butternut squash chili fries and sauteed veggies

I hope you all had a wonderful New Years Eve filled with yummy food, friends and fun!  I found myself giving in to temptation at every corner over the holidays.  This is very unlike me but the reality is I just wanted DESSERT!!!  All day, every day, all the time!  I found that it started with just a little sugar and it grew into a monster of addiction to sugar in everything.  It probably came about due to the large amount of stress this past year but here I am 7 pounds heavier after a Holiday season of feasting!

In the spirit of full disclosure I DO NOT like mentioning my weight gain, but I think as I go through the next 10 days it will be very important to be frankly honest. 

My blog is going to take a very different turn over the next 10 days! 

I will be embarking on what is called Mary's Mini.  You are probably wondering, "What in the world is Mary's Mini?"  It is a 10 day 'Diet'  that helps with quick weight loss and refocusing your taste buds.  If you want detailed information on Mary's Mini here is the link:   

Mary's Mini Diet Information

 While I am describing my plan for the next 10 days I thought I would also publicly commit to being COMPLETELY sugar FREE!  I have recovered my health in so many ways since adopting a plant based diet, however, there are a couple of major issues that I have not been able to fully recover from because of one culprit in my diet.....SUGAR!

I have fought long and hard to keep sugar in my diet, but I can no longer deny the damage it is doing to my health......so I'm kickin it to the curb!

What do I mean by NO SUGAR?

This can mean a lot of things you a lot of people, many people think it means no white sugar, nope, that is not what I mean.

NO Sugar means.....

• No maple syrup
• No brown rice syrup
• No succanut
• No turbinado
• No coconut sugar
• No concentrated sugar of ANY KIND!!!  Period.  

I may add in some date sweetened desserts at some point but for now I am focusing on losing my sweet tooth. 

Here are the basics of the diet plan

• You select a 'Starch' as the basis of your diet
• You can add fruits and vegetables for variety
• Use condiments and flavorings:  oil free dressings, ketchup, BBQ sauce, salsa, salt and pepper, herbs and spices.
• Enjoy!  

Examples of Starches you can choose from:

• brown rice
• quinoa
• potatoes
• squash
• sweet potatoes
• buckwheat
• corn
• millet
• barley
• wheat berries 
•   any whole intact grain you prefer......

Whole wheat flour products or any grain that is ground or in anyway altered is not acceptable. 

I chose Squash! 

There are a myriad of reasons why I chose squash but you can select anything that appeals to you.

Day 1

Breakfast:  Lemon water

Why in the world did I only have lemon water for breakfast!!  Because I WAY   over did it last night, in fact I was so overfull I couldn't hardly sleep last night and when I woke up I was not hungry so I decided to wait until  hunger truly set in before eating!  

Lunch:  Butternut Squash Chili Fries and Sauteed Veggies

I know this may sound boring but I enjoyed it!  The recipe is simple.

Peel the butternut squash and cut into 'fries', place the fries in a small baking dish and sprinkle on:  chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, and salt if desired.  Bake 375 for 35-45 minutes or until softened.

Cut up your favorite veggies:  broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, tomato, bell pepper, mushrooms, spinach and sautee them in 1/3 c. water until softened.  I added a touch of salt and lemon juice for flavor.  You can add garlic powder or other seasonings as desired.  ENJOY!

Dinner :  Butternut Squash Curry Soup and Steamed veggies

I know you are asking.... 

What about nutrition? 

What about protein????  

Won't you be nutrient deficient?   

In short, Absolutely NOT! 

Here is the nutrient breakdown for JUST LUNCH today!

  

Nutrition  Breakdown for:  

 2 c. chili squash fries

1 c. sauteed spinach

1/2 c. broccoli

1/2 c. cauliflower

2 slices onion

Calories.....................334

Protein.......................14.5 g

Fat.............................1.7 g

Omega 3's..................43%

Vit. A.........................2821%

Folate......................... 124%

B1..............................58%

B2..............................62%

B3..............................41%

B5..............................56%

B6..............................113%

Vit. C..........................232%

Vit. E..........................68%

Vit. K..........................1125%

Calcium....................... 50%

Copper........................80%

 Iron............................56%

Magnesium..................100%

Manganese..................161%

Phosphorus..................50%

Potassium.....................56%

Selenium.......................14%

Zinc..............................34%

In some squash and veggies you get 14.5 grams of protein!!

The simple reality is with this simple 'Mini Diet' you will be getting MORE NUTRITION than you usually get!!  This simple diet is an EXCELLENT tool for weight loss but not only does it work extremely well for weight loss it also retrains your taste buds you enjoy, simpler, healthier foods!!

I see this 10 day diet as so much more than just 'weight loss'  I am providing myself with superior nutrition and refocusing my tastes toward foods that are healthy.

So come on and jump on board with me!!