Reboot Your Metabolism – Part 2

Weight Maintenance

When you are losing weight, remind yourself that every time you lose weight and keep it off, you are helping to redefine your set point. During this period, no foods are off limits. You can eat all kinds of vegetables including starchy ones, and all kinds of fruit. The aim is to eat slightly more than you were consuming during the weight loss period, so that you sustain that loss without losing more. This amount differs from person to person.

Make Sure You…

Eat a Bigger Breakfast

If you have rye toast, add some nut butter and a piece of fruit. If you have eggs, follow them with a small serve of yoghurt and fruit. This will reassure your body that you are not in danger of famine after your overnight fast during sleep.

Eat Out

Enjoy takeaway or restaurant food once a week, but follow some simple rules. Go for grilled rather than baked or roasted. Order a vegetable stir-fry rather than a green curry. Choose tomato-based pasta rather than cream-based. Select two starters such as vegetable soup and salad instead of a high-kilojoule main.

Make Fat Your Friend

Healthy fats found in foods like avocados, nuts, and a dash of olive oil can be nutritious and filling.

Eat a Small Sweet Treat

Depriving yourself of foods like chocolate makes your brain's reward centres light up more when you think about or eat them. Allow yourself a small treat.

Enjoy Morning and Afternoon Tea

That doesn't mean raiding the biscuit tin. Keep snack portions small and healthy.

Avoid Skipping Meals

Having coffee for breakfast or skipping lunch are big no's. This triggers your body to defend its set point.

Watch Out For…

A Continued Drop on the Scales

You don't want to lose any more weight right now. Don't get excited when you see weight coming off and be tempted to continue weight loss during a maintenance month — this is the complete opposite of what you should be doing.

Feeling Fear as You Eat More

This fear may drive you to keep trying to lose rather than maintain weight. Remind yourself that what you are doing now is reassuring your body by keeping weight steady.

Impact of Exercise

If you have been doing intense workouts to speed weight loss, switch to a different form of exercise to ensure you stay in maintenance mode. Simple walking is a good option.

Continue alternating weight loss and maintenance months. Set a goal of another two kilograms during the third month, maintain all weight loss during the fourth, and so on until you reach a healthy weight. This will ensure your weight returns to a new, lower set point.

Your Seven-Day Metabolism Boosting Meal Plan

To help get you on track, this seven-day meal plan will kickstart your internal weight loss program.

Monday

Breakfast — Bircher Muesli
1/3 cup natural muesli, 1/2 cup plain yoghurt, 1 grated apple, 1/2 cup blueberries and 1 tbsp chopped almonds, soaked overnight.

Lunch — Smashed Avo & Black Bean Wrap
1 tbsp smashed avocado, 1/2 can mashed black beans, tomato, carrot, baby rocket and a pinch of chilli flakes in a wholegrain wrap, plus a mandarin.

Dinner — Grilled Salmon & Vegetables
1 small grilled skinless salmon fillet (120g), 1 small baked potato, 2 cups steamed broccoli and asparagus.

Snacks
1 boiled egg sprinkled with 1/4 tsp dukkah, 1 cup carrot and celery sticks with 2 tbsp hummus, 15 almonds.

Tuesday

Breakfast — Vita-Brits & Fruit
Vita-Brits topped with 200ml milk, 1 banana, 2 large strawberries, 1 tbsp pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

Lunch — Tuna & Chickpea Salad
1 x 95g tin tuna, 40g feta, 1/2 cup chickpeas, tomato, 1 sliced cucumber and 2 cups salad leaves with 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar.

Dinner — Chicken Stir-Fry with Brown Rice
Stir-fry 100g chicken, 2 cups vegetables, 2 tsp olive oil, 1 tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce and 2 tsp honey, served with 1/4 cup steamed brown rice.

Snacks
1 sliced apple with 3 tsp nut butter, 1 cup plain popcorn.

Wednesday

Breakfast — Nut Butter & Banana Toast
2 slices wholegrain toast with 2 tsp nut butter and sliced banana.

Lunch — Takeaway Sushi
2 vegetarian or salmon hand rolls (without mayo) plus 1 cup edamame beans.

Dinner — Baked Chicken with Vegetables
1 medium baked chicken breast (125g) served with 1/2 cup each of roasted pumpkin, broccoli, cauliflower and green beans.

Snacks
170g tub plain yoghurt topped with 1 tbsp chopped almonds and 1/2 cup raspberries, 1 cup plain popcorn.

Thursday

Breakfast — Bircher Muesli
Same as Monday.

Lunch — Egg & Salad Roll
2 mashed hard-boiled eggs, sliced tomato, baby spinach, grated carrot and 2 tsp mayo on a grainy roll, plus 170g tub reduced-fat Greek-style fruit yoghurt.

Dinner — Veggie Pita Pizza
1 small wholemeal pita pocket topped with 1 tbsp tomato paste, mixed vegetables and a sprinkle of reduced-fat cheese.

Friday

Breakfast — Fruit Salad & Yoghurt
1 cup fresh fruit salad topped with 1/2 cup plain yoghurt and 2 tbsp chopped nuts.

Lunch — Chicken Pesto Wrap
100g chicken breast, 1/4 small avocado, 2 tsp basil pesto and baby spinach on a wholegrain wrap.

Dinner — Barbecued Chicken and Salad
1 small chicken breast, 1 small jacket potato, 2 cups garden salad with 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar.

Snacks
1 tub plain yoghurt with 1 tbsp chopped almonds and 1/2 cup raspberries, 1 cup plain popcorn.

Saturday

Breakfast — Eggs on Toast
2 poached eggs on 2 slices grain toast, plus 1 cup wilted spinach and a grilled tomato.

Lunch — Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Crispbreads
4 Ryvita crispbreads with 100g smoked salmon and 2 tbsp light cream cheese.

Dinner — Grilled Chicken Burger
100g chicken breast, 1 tbsp mashed avocado, tomato, baby spinach, carrot and 2 tsp sweet chilli sauce in a small wholegrain roll.

Snacks
1 small skim latte, 170g tub reduced-fat plain yoghurt topped with 2 tsp shredded coconut and 1 sliced banana.

Sunday

Breakfast — Fruit Smoothie
100ml milk, 1 banana, 1/2 cup mixed berries, 1 tbsp plain yoghurt, 1 tbsp chopped nuts and 2 tsp honey.

Lunch — Eggs on Toast
Same as Saturday.

Dinner — Tomato Omelette
Omelette made with 2 eggs, 1/2 cup tomato, baby spinach, zucchini and basil leaves.

Snack
1 peach, 30g mixed nuts, 2 celery stalks filled with 1 tbsp nut butter.

I hope you enjoy this meal plan — feel free to swap meals around to suit your taste. Any questions? Leave a comment below. Good luck!