Renaissance Diet Meal Plan

Our Renaissance Diet is very easy to follow and based on the Official Food Pyramid. If you have less than 75 pounds to lose we recommend that the calorie amount be at no lower than 1,500 calories per day. And of course, always get your doctor's approval before dieting.

Be sure to incorporate a healthy snack into your daily menu. Skipping meals will likely do more harm to your weight loss goals than help as the body's metabolism slows to conserve precious calories when nourishment isn't provided when required by the body. The body has no way of knowing that you are purposely restricting calories to promote weight loss. It has to think that it's in a dire situation - that food sources might be depleted and so forth. The body's response to starvation is to slowly expend stored energy, thus slowing the metabolism.

Diet Bites contains hundreds of free diet plans and menus which list particular foods and recipes to prepare and enjoy for weight loss. In our Renaissance Diet Plan we're providing a general menu planner of foods that were available in the golden era of dieting - the Renaissance era. While calories aren't calculated, they are geared towards a natural diet plan. The less that foods are processed, the less calories they contain. For free low calorie recipes, you'll find a plethora at this Diet Bites link.

Simply build your diet menu around the suggested food choices. Roast, grill, bake, boil or broil the meats. Stay away from meat coatings as well as cooking oils and fat.

For vegetables, after a good cleaning peel them if necessary. Cut into chunks and drizzle with olive oil. Place into the oven and roast until tender. Sprinkle with spices and seasonings if desired. For fruits - enjoy them in their fresh state, inside of Mother Nature's wrappers.

You can enjoy up to one regular soda per day and all of the zero calorie beverages desired. For meal times, enjoy 1 serving of skim or low fat milk with your meal. Water is your best source when it comes to a healthy beverage choice. Stay away from alcohol which is high in calories and damaging to your liver. Fruit and vegetable juices can also be healthy choices but limit yourself to one serving. When drinking tea and coffee, keep an eye out for sugar and cream content.

Renaissance Diet Menu

There are a plethora of great food choices for our healthy breakfast. Here are a few suggestions:

- Hot or cold cereal and low fat milk.
- Bagel spread with light cream cheese and topped with fresh sliced strawberries.
- Boiled egg and toast.
- Pancakes and waffles served with fresh fruit and a serving of whipped cream rather than syrup.

Lunches

When it comes to lunch menus I tend to use this rule of thumb: Summer equals salads on the lunch menu, Fall equals sandwiches on the menu, Winter equals hearty soups on the menu and Spring equals light fair such as cracker and cheese trays with fresh veggies. When you plan your menu around the seasons and the current weather, you're likely to feel better while losing weight. If you've ever eaten a heavy Italian or Mexican meal amid a blazing hot day in the summer you probably felt overstuffed and miserable in the hot and humid outdoors.

Here are some fabulous lunch menu choices:

- Sandwiches prepared with lean cuts of meat with all visible fat removed. Fill sandwich with seasonal vegetables. Opt for mustard over Mayo OR light salad dressings which can add unique flavor to your sandwiches. When adding cheese, opt for low fat versions. Serve with a side of soup.

- Kangaroo and pita pockets make a great change from bread. Simply stuff with healthy lean meats, low fat cheese and veggies.

- Cream soups contain a few more calories per serving than clear broth soups or soups with a vegetable base. However, they can fit into a healthy diet plan. Enjoy with a few salad croutons or crackers.

- Prepare a salad containing lean meats and vegetables. Use light salad dressing if desired and enjoy a serving of croutons.

- Taco shells stuffed with cook lean ground beef and fresh vegetables makes a low calorie lunch. Watch the regular sour cream and cheese and stay away from the guacamole.

- A baked potato with a pat of butter, low fat cheese, low fat sour cream - topped with chopped tomatoes makes an awesome lunch.

Suppers

For supper opt for lean proteins and roast, boil, bake or grill. Some excellent choices include: roasted rosemary chicken with a side of spaghetti noodles that have been tossed with dill and a pat of margarine, carrots, a whole grain dinner roll and unsweetened ice tea. Another menu suggestion is grilled salmon sprinkled with lemon pepper, brown rice, green beans, a whole grain dinner roll and unsweetened ice tea. Or you may enjoy a serving of pinto beans, a square of cornbread, corn on the cob, and a glass of unsweetened tea.

The menu possibilities are endless. Simply choose a lean protein, a couple of servings of vegetables, a whole grain, and a dairy serving such as skim milk, low fat cottage cheese, yogurt or low fat cheese.

Snacks

Fresh fruit makes the most sensible choice for snacks while dieting. For proteins, jerky and peanut butter make delicious choices. If you're in the mood for grains, reach for the hot air popcorn. And of course fresh vegetables always make an excellent snack choice. Enjoy with a little light salad dressing or your favorite low fat yogurt.

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Free Renaissance Diet Meal Plan

Renaissance Diet Menu