Meal Mentor

Lose 10lbs a year by simply skipping 100 calories a day

Can you lose 10lbs a year by simply skipping 100 calories a day? Absolutely.

Here's how to works:

By leaving out 100 calories per day, you are eating 36,500 less calories a year. (100 calories a day x 365 days in a year = 36,500 calories). It takes a deficit of 3,500 calories to lose one pound of fat and a deficit of 35,000 adds up to 10 pounds of lost fat.

I first came across this 'formula' when reading one of my favorite books, Mindless Eating

The author of the book said the same thing, you can lose 10lbs a year but shaving off 100 calories a day, but he also put 100 calories in perspective. He said it was as easy as not eating three jelly beans.

I think the author might have had a flair for dramatics, though, because 3 jelly beans is not quite 100 calories. Still, the point is accurate. It doesn't take much to shave off 100 calories if you know what 100 calories looks like.

Here are 10 great examples of 100 calories you can shave off (without missing them!)

1 tbsp mayonnaise 2.25 oz guacamole 15 potato chips/French fries 1 pretzel rod 1 slice of bread 1 tbsp peanut butter 1 oz pasta 2 tbsp salad dressing 6 crackers 1 beer/soda/liquor shot/wine

• some of these items may exceed 100 calories (depending on brand).

How easy is it to use 1 tbsp less mayonnaise? Very easy.

(For a longer list, see 100 examples of 100 calories you can do without.)

Keep in mind that the reverse is also true. You need to only exceed your daily calorie needs by 100 calories to GAIN 10lbs a year.

One of the reasons our meal plans are so helpful with weight-loss and weight management is because we're doing all the counting for you and you can make sure you don't accidentally go over. Similarly, if you need to lose, we help ensure you shave off the excess without feeing deprived.

Get the latest meal plan now.

What the heck is that? Mystery ingredients unmasked (part 2)

A few weeks ago I asked my fans on Facebook to look at packaged foods and send in names of ingredients that were unfamilar to them. Most of these names I can't even pronounce!

One quick scan at packaged foods in the supermarket and I found these "mystery ingredients" in all sorts of products.

Here is what they really are and a reminder why fresh food made from scratch is best. (Remember: You can cook ALL your meals for the week in 2-3 hours (total!) using our meal plans. Simply grab-n-go and reheat all week long! Eat fast and fresh!)

What the heck is that? Mystery ingredients unmasked (part 2)

Thiamin mononitrate - a synthetic form of vitamin B1.

Calcium carbonate - a white crystalline salt occurring in limestone, chalk, marble, calcite, coral, and pearl: used in the production of lime and cement.

Guar Gum - used as a thickening agent and stabilizer in foods and pharmaceuticals.

Ferric Phosphate - a phosphate of iron. It is one of the few molluscicides approved for use in the practice of organic farming.

Niacinamide - a water-soluble vitamin and is part of the vitamin B group and is essential in the diet for the prevention of pellagra.

Monocalcium phosphate - used in the food industry as a leavening agent to cause baked goods to rise.

Red#40- It is used as a food dye and despite the popular misconception, Allura Red AC (red#40) is not derived from any insect, unlike the food colouring carmine.

Triticale - a hybrid of wheat and rye. Only recently has it been developed into a commercially viable crop.

Tocopherols - class of chemical compounds of which many have vitamin E activity. All of these various derivatives with vitamin activity may correctly be referred to as "vitamin E".

Sorbitan monostearate - primarily used as an emulsifier to keep water and oils mixed.

Disodium EDTA - widely used to dissolve limescale.

Carrageenan - several varieties of carrageen used in cooking and baking: breading and batter due to its gelling nature; non-gelling variety that assists in binding, retaining moisture. vegan alternative to gelatin.

Did you miss part 1?

Get the latest meal plan now.

What the heck is that? Mystery ingredients unmasked (part 1)

A few weeks ago I asked my fans on Facebook to look at packaged foods and send in names of ingredients that were unfamilar to them. Most of these names I can't even pronounce!

One quick scan at packaged foods in the supermarket and I found these "mystery ingredients" in all sorts of products.

Here is what they really are and a reminder why fresh food made from scratch is best. (Remember: You can cook ALL your meals for the week in 2-3 hours (total!) using our meal plans. Simply grab-n-go and reheat all week long! Eat fast and fresh!)

Psyllium - a grain, the husks of which are used medicinally as a laxative, reduce blood cholesterol levels and sometimes added to foods as a dietary source of soluble fiber.

Ammonium Bicarbonate- a white, crystalline, water-soluble solid, used chiefly in the manufacture of baking powder.

Xanthan gum - derived from a bacteria. Works as a thickening agent and is used in cosmetics and as a food additive. It's frequently used in gluten-free baking.

Riboflavin- a yellow water-soluble vitamin of the B complex that occurs in green vegetables, germinating seeds, and in milk, fish, egg yolk, liver, and kidney.

Ferrous Sulfate -A bluish-green crystalline compound that is used in sewage and water treatment, and as a pigment and fertilizer. It is also used in medicine to treat iron deficiency.

Maltodextrin - a food additive, It is commonly used for the production of sodas and candy. It can also be found as an ingredient in a variety of other processed foods.

Silicon Dioxide - the dioxide of silicon, occurring naturally as quartz, cristobalite, and tridymite. It is a refractory insoluble material used in the manufacture of glass, ceramics, and abrasives polyethylene glycol - used as an emulsifying agent and lubricant in ointments, creams, etc.

Xylitol -a sugar alcohol sweetener used as a sugar substitute. found in the fibers of many fruits and vegetables.

Farro - food product composed of the grains of certain wheat species in whole form.

Chlorella - any microscopic unicellular green alga of the genus Chlorella: some species are used in the preparation of human food.

Calcium chloride - Common applications include brine for refrigeration plants, ice and dust control on roads, and desiccation.

Monoglyceride - commonly added to commercial food products in small quantities. They act as emulsifiers, helping to mix ingredients such as oil and water that would not otherwise blend well.

Propellant - Examples of can propellants include nitrous oxide that is dissolved in canned whipped cream, and the dimethyl ether or low-boiling alkane used in hair spray.

Sodium Diacetate - As a food flavoring agent sodium diacetate is most often used to impart a vinegar flavor in snacks, breads, and soups. As a preservative, it can effective in preventing the development of several mold strains and is also used as an antibacterial agent to prolong the shelf life of many food types.

Ribose- used to improve athletic performance and the ability to exercise by boosting muscle energy. It has also been used to improve symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), fibromyalgia, and coronary artery disease.

TBHQ - used as a preservative for unsaturated vegetable oils and many edible animal fats.

Get started with our meal plans - no mystery ingredients!

5 Best Tips to Achieve Weight-Loss

I have no idea how I ended up on so many PR lists but I get a dozen emails every day from PR people pitching stories/articles/recipes to run on my other website, happyherbivore.com. 99.9% of the emails are deleted but every so often an interesting one bubbles up. Here's one from Dr. Wayne Andersen, Co-Founder of Take Shape for Life. I'm unfamiliar with Dr. Andersen and his book/website, but I do think he has some great tips for weight-loss (In addition to following our meal plans, which are perfect for those looking to shed some weight!!)

1. Do not over exercise.
2. Eat a healthy breakfast within the first hour of waking up.
3. Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water daily. This will help the body to better detoxify, protect and moisturize joints, kick start metabolism and absorb nutrients among other benefits.
4. Keep a food journal. This will help to create a conscious awareness of food intake and eating patterns.
5. Find a weight loss buddy and support system.

Don't Forget! We provide a support system with our meal plans -- email me anytime, I'm here to be your personal cheerleader!

Now excuse me, I have a glass of water to drink ;)

Get started with our meal plans now.

5 Strategies for Surviving the Holidays

This week's meal plan comes with our FREE Holiday Survuval Guide ebook -- our tips and tricks for survival the holiday without breaking your nutrition and weight-loss goals.

In addition to the 10 tips in the ebook, here are 5 more:

1. Offer to bring a healthy, plant-based dish that you can eat and share with others.

2. Eat a nutritious snack before heading to a party or dinner. (p.s. our meal plans come with heathy 50-cal and 100-cal snack sheets)

3. Wear a comfortable, but somewhat tight and fitted outfit that will help prevent overeating. No baggy clothes.

4. Don't linger around the food table or bar.

5. Always sit down when you eat.

(and a bonus for the Ladies!) carry a clutch handbag. It'll keep one had occupied, reducing the urge to nibble and drink in excess.

Want more tips? Get the ebook with this week's meal plan now.

5 Biggest Workout Mistakes

Have you been working out like crazy but still don't have the results you want? Or perhaps you've hit a plateau?

In addition to cleaning up your diet with our meal plans (a healthy diet is the *most* important factor with weight-loss, health and fitness!) here are 5 common workout mistakes that can prevent results.

1. Performing cardio over weight training: While cardio gets your blood pumping and calories burning, weight training will tone your muscles. Weight-training also improves your body's ability to burn muscle 24/7 (cardio cannot do this. Once you stop doing cardio, the burn stops!) Remember: Muscle is metabolically active tissue, so adding a few pounds of muscle can help you burn up to 1,500 extra calories a week, even when you are inactive.
2. Using weights that are too light. (This is usually not a problem for guys, but many gals do not lift enough weight.) In order to tone up your body, you need to challenge it. Make sure your last few reps are at their maximum. If you aren't breaking a sweat at the end, you didn't push yourself enough. Be strong ladies! Grab that bigger weight!
3. Not having a game plan. We all know it's a bad idea to walk into the grocery store hungry and without a shopping list (our meal plans come with a shopping list!) and the same is true for hitting the gym without a plan. It is all too easy to walk into the gym knowing you are going to work out, but leave it up to choice as to what and how long you will work out when you get there. This can cause distractions throughout the workout, since you are not committed completely to the workout, you are thinking of what else you want to do. Plan out what you're going to do or what muscles you're focusing on so you can stay focused during the workout. (You'll also get your workout done quicker if you have a plan in place!)
4. Training too frequently. You can work out too much. Remember: When you workout, you are actually creating micro-tears in your muscle, so you are not "building" them, you are actually tearing them apart. Your body needs at least 48 hours in between training. This is why a lot of work out plans are laid out as "upper body" day, "lower body" day, day off, repeat. If you train too much, you can mess up the recuperation system and cause your results to a halt. Your heart needs a break too! Only do cardiovascular training 5 times a week with 2 full days off.
5. Expecting results too fast. Training and exercise is not an instant gratification process. Typically people start to see some results in about 4 weeks with significant changes noticeable after 8-12 weeks and the most impressive changes after 4-6 months. Keep up the regular routine -- it's a long game but worth it!

To read more, click here.

Get the current meal plan now.