How to Build the Perfect Lunch for Weight Maintenance
Article posted in: South Beach Diet South Beach DIYNow that you’ve reached your weight loss goal, you will be adjusting your meal plan. Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered with all the guidance you need to build a healthy lunch that’s sure to keep you satisfied without sacrificing your hard work.
Our recommendation? Prep your lunches the night before… it can save you a tremendous amount of time in the morning. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a versatile cafeteria at work or a healthy restaurant nearby!
What goes into a healthy lunch?
Before we dive into your new lunch menu, we need to go over what your meals should consist of. On the South Beach Diet maintenance plan, you can choose to stick with 50 grams of net carbs per day (Very-Low-Carb meal plan) or increase to 75 to 100 grams each day (Low-Carb meal plan). The meal plan that you choose will determine what your DIY lunch will contain. Use the guidelines below for your specific plan and gender to create a healthy DIY lunch for weight maintenance:
Low-Carb Meal Plan
Women: 1 Protein, 1 Healthy Fat, 1 Good Carb and 2 Vegetables
Men: 1 Protein, 1 Healthy Fat, 1 Good Carb and 2 Vegetables
Very-Low-Carb Meal Plan
Women: 2 Proteins, 1 Healthy Fat and 2 Vegetables
Men: 2 Proteins, 2 Healthy Fats and 2 Vegetables
Check out the lists below for some guidance on which foods fit in these categories:
Let’s build the perfect lunch…
Lean Proteins:
Ground beef, 93% lean, 3 oz.
Pastrami, 98% lean, 3 oz.
Skinless chicken breast, 3 oz.
Ground chicken breast, 3 oz.
Ground turkey breast, 3 oz.
Sashimi, 3 oz.
Canned fish, such as tuna or salmon packed in water, 3 oz.
Chicken breast deli meat, regular, smoked or peppered, 2 oz.
Ham deli meat, boiled and natural uncured smoked (avoid sugar-cured, maple-cured and honey-baked), 2 oz.
Roast beef deli meat, lean, 2 oz.
Turkey breast deli meat, regular, smoked or peppered, 2 oz.
Egg, large whole egg or 3 egg whites
Healthy Fats:
Almonds, 23
Almond/cashew/peanut butter, 2 Tbsp.
Sunflower seeds, 3 Tbsp.
Mayonnaise, olive oil based, 1 Tbsp.
Italian salad dressing, regular, 2 Tbsp. (no more than 3 grams sugar)
Vinaigrette, balsamic, regular, 2 Tbsp. (no more than 3 grams of sugar)
Avocado, ½ fruit
Guacamole, ¼ cup
Cheddar cheese, 1 oz. or ¼ cup
String cheese, 1 piece
Good Carbs:
Bread, whole-grain, 1 slice
Cellophane noodles, cooked, ¼ cup
English muffin, at least 2.5 g fiber per half, ½ muffin
Pasta, made from whole wheat, brown rice, quinoa, soy or spelt, cooked al dente, ½ cup
Pita bread, at least 3.5g fiber per half, ½ pita
Rice, brown, basmati, converted, parboiled, wild, ½ cup
Tortilla, 3 g fiber or more per 1 oz., 1 small
Beans, ½ cup
Hummus, ¼ cup
Looking for an actual menu for a week’s worth of healthy lunches? Here’s an example of what a week of nutritious, yet filling lunches might look like:
Monday:
Tuna sashimi, arugula, lime juice, sesame oil
Low-Carb meal plan – add a side of cellophane noodles for your Good Carb
Tuesday:
Lean ground beef, guacamole, tomato, onion, shredded lettuce, lime juice
Low-Carb meal plan – serve over a whole grain tortilla for your Good Carb
Wednesday:
Lean roast beef, olive oil-based mayonnaise, horseradish, lettuce, tomato, onion
Low-Carb meal plan – serve over a whole grain pita for your Good Carb
Thursday:
Lettuce (wedge), tomatoes, cucumbers, blue cheese, turkey bacon, Italian dressing
Low-Carb meal plan – serve with black beans for your Good Carb
Friday:
Tilapia, cabbage, avocado, lime juice
Low-Carb meal plan – serve over a whole grain tortilla for your Good Carb
Saturday:
Lettuce, pastrami, sauerkraut, olive oil-based mayonnaise
Low-Carb meal plan – serve in whole grain bread for your Good Carb
Sunday:
Skinless chicken breast, olive oil, artichokes, spinach, lemon juice
Low-Carb meal plan – serve over whole grain pasta for your Good Carb