day 1
Your Flat-Belly Day
A 1,500-calorie eating plan designed
to help you stay trim and satisfied
By Keri Glassman, R.D.
3
3/ DINNER
Shrimp and
broccoli
pasta salad
SNACK
1small apple,
sliced
∂cup nonfat
plain yogurt
sprinkled
with ¼ tsp
cinnamon*
1
1/ BREAKFAST
Bagel THIN
topped with
peanut butter
and fruit
* a sprinkle of
cinnamon may
boost weight loss,
according to a study
by the USDA. The
spice’s polyphenols
help regulate blood
sugar, keeping
hunger pangs at bay.
1 Thomas’ 100%
Whole Wheat Bagel
Thin
2 Tbsp natural peanut
butter
1 medium banana,
sliced
4 strawberries,
sliced*
Total: 148 calories
2/ LUNCH
Open-faced
chickenavocado melt*
1 slice whole-grain
bread
3 oz grilled chicken
breast
¼ avocado, slivered
1 oz Cabot 50%
reduced-fat cheddar
cheese, shredded
Side salad
1 cup mix of romaine,
chopped tomatoes,
and shredded carrots
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
* Strawberries contain
a phytochemical that
may increase the production
of leptin, a hungersuppressing hormone, and
adiponectin, a hormone
that accelerates fat burning
and may fight diabetes.
* Eat your sandwich with a
fork and knife. Research shows
that paced noshing makes you
feel fuller faster, so you eat less.
Total: 431 calories
Total: 430 calories
SNACK
¾cup
cucumber
slices
1∂cups carrots,
sliced*
¼cup salsa for
dipping
1large egg,
hard-boiled
* Crunch carrots
in the afternoon
and you’ll munch
less at dinner. The
fiber helps keep
you satisfied.
Total: 182 calories
4 oz cooked shrimp*
½ cup cooked
whole-wheat elbow
macaroni
½ cup steamed broccoli
4 sun-dried tomatoes,
halved
1 tsp capers
1 Tbsp fresh lemon
juice
2 tsp olive oil
2 Tbsp red wine
vinegar
¼ tsp onion powder
½ tsp oregano
Dessert
15 raspberries
* Shrimp is high in omega-3s,
and according to a study in the
journal Appetite, people who
ate omega-3-rich diets were most
likely to feel satiated.
Total: 312 calories
Indulge Without
Bulge
> Add: ½ oz dark chocolate and 1 dried
fig (106 calories)
> Subtract: ½ Tbsp peanut butter at
breakfast and 1 tsp olive oil and the
raspberries at dinner (106 calories)
Daily total: 1,503 calories
Note: For optimal weight management, combine this
nutrient-dense meal plan with exercise.
1
w o m e n ’ s h e a lt h
/
WomensHealthMag.com
levi brown, Food st yling: k aren Evans
2
day 2
Your Flat-Belly Day
A 1,500-calorie eating plan designed to
help you stay trim and satisfied
2/ Lunch
Quinoa Salad
By Keri Glassman, R.D.
¾ cup cooked quinoa*
3 cups mixed greens
5 pieces sun-dried
tomato
¾ cup chopped
cucumber
¼ cup chopped yellow
pepper
Top with 3 Tbsp balsamic
vinegar, 1 Tbsp Annie’s
Organic Honey Mustard,
and onion powder.
1/ Breakfast
Egg-White
Frittata
with Feta,
Spinach, and
Mushrooms
jeff harris, food st yling: Roscoe Betsil
3
* Quinoa contains all the
essential amino acids your
Snack
2 egg whites and
1 whole egg
½ cup chopped fresh
spinach
½ cup chopped
button mushrooms
1 oz feta cheese
1 tsp fresh cilantro
1 slice oat-bran
bread
2 oz glass
100 percent
pomegranate
juice* mixed
with 6 oz
water or seltzer
¹⁄³cup partskim ricotta
cheese
mixed with
½ tsp vanilla
extract
1Tbsp almond
butter
4medium
celery sticks*
* eating low-
body needs to build lean muscle.
Total: 319 calories
3/ Dinner
Baked Tofu
2
¼
¼
¼
4
5
tsp onion powder
tsp garlic powder
tsp paprika
oz firm tofu
medium asparagus
spears
4 oz cooked edamame
1½ cups cubed butternut
squash, roasted and
mashed*
22 raspberries for dessert
Season tofu, asparagus, and
edamame. Bake at 350°F
for about 20 minutes. Serve
with side of squash.
energy-dense foods
like water-packed
celery helped women
consume 275
fewer calories a day
in one study.
* Pomegranates have
natural sugars to satisfy
your sweet tooth and are
Total: 219 calories
packed with antioxidants,
which boost energy, fight
wrinkles, prevent blood clots
and high cholesterol, and
bolster your immune system.
* with more than a third
of your RDA OF fiber, this
Total: 362 calories
veggie will keep you satiated.
1
Snack
12 Kashi TLC
7 Grain
crackers
1 Wholly
Guacamole*
100 Calorie
Snack Pack
¾ cup sliced
apples
* monounsaturated
fats in avocado help
burn belly fat.
Total: 239 calories
Daily total: 1,500 calories
Note: For optimal weight management, combine
this nutrient-dense meal plan with exercise.
2
w o m e n ’ s h e a lt h
/
WomensHealthMag.com
Total: 361 calories
Indulge
Without
Bulge
> Add: Skinny Cow White
Mint Truffle Bar (100 calories)
> Subtract: The guacamole
from your afternoon snack
(100 calories)
day 3
Your Flat-Belly Day
A 1,500-calorie eating plan designed
to help you stay trim and satisfied
By Keri Glassman, R.D.
2
3
1/ Breakfast
Yogurt and
Grapefruit
Parfait
3/ Dinner
Butternut
squash Soup
½ cup Pacific Natural
Foods organic lightsodium butternut
squash soup
Snack
* Most of grapefruit’s
three grams of
fiber is found in the
walls (the thin skin
between segments).
So keep the walls intact
for a more filling meal.
Snack
Stuff a La Tortilla
Factory Smart &
Delicious wholewheat tortilla
with…
½cup nonfat
cottage
cheese
½cup diced
pineapple
(fresh or
canned in
water)*
Total: 252 calories
1
* Pineapple
contains
manganese, an
essential nutrient
that helps control
metabolism.
Total: 221 calories
2/ Lunch
Tuna and
Bean Salad
3 oz chunk light tuna
packed in water
¹⁄³ cup cannellini beans
¼ cup diced tomatoes
¼ cup diced red onion
¼ cup canned corn
2 hearts of palm
(canned), sliced
1 tsp fresh parsley
2 tsp olive oil*
* Monounsaturated fat,
the kind that’s found in
olive oil, can increase fat
oxidation.
Total: 353 calories
Make trail mix
with…
3dried apricot
halves
15raw
almonds*
½cup Health
Valley
organic oat
bran flakes
* Take your time
enjoying this
treat. A study found
that the longer you
chew almonds, the
more of their healthy,
satiety-boosting fats
you may absorb.
Beef Stir-Fry
with bulgur
3 oz steak
tenderloin fillet,
sliced thin
½ cup sliced shiitake
mushrooms
½ onion, sliced
2 tsp olive oil
Serve stir-fry over
¹⁄³ cup cooked bulgur.*
* Bulgur is a quickcooking, nutty-tasting
whole grain that’s lower
in calories and fat than
brown rice.
Total: 450 calories
Total: 224 calories
Indulge
Without
Bulge
> Add: Chocolate
VitaMuffin (100 calories)
> Subtract: The tortilla
wrap from your a.m. snack
(100 calories)
Daily total: 1,500 calories
Note: For optimal weight management, combine this
nutrient-dense meal plan with exercise.
3
w o m e n ’ s h e a lt h
/
WomensHealthMag.com
jeff harris, food st yling: roscoe betsil; pl amen petkov (parfait and stir-fry ), food st yling: k aren evans
8 oz Fage Total
0% yogurt
1 Tbsp wheat
germ
½ tsp honey
1 tsp ground
flaxseed
1 medium
grapefruit*
3
day 4
Your Flat-Belly Day
A 1,500-calorie eating plan designed
to help you stay trim and satisfied
By Keri Glassman, R.D.
Snack
Make a smoothie
by blending…
1small peach,
pitted and
peeled
½cup Fage
Total 0%
Greek Yogurt
1Tbsp
sunflowerseed butter*
* Sunflower-seed
butter has all the
satisfying protein and
fiber of peanut butter
but only a third of the
saturated fat.
1
jeff harris, food st yling: roscoe betsil
1/ Breakfast
Barley with
walnuts and
maple syrup
Total: 211 calories
∆ cup barley, cooked*
½ cup nonfat milk
10 walnut halves
½ Tbsp maple syrup
* Haven’t tried barley? You
should: One study found that
this whole grain is better than
whole-wheat flakes at reducing
hunger when subbed into hot
cereal and snack mixes. Look
for it in the grains section of
your grocery store.
3
2/ Lunch
Salmon Salad
3/ Dinner
Chicken Kebabs
4 oz canned sockeye
salmon*
2 Tbsp nonfat plain
yogurt
1 tsp fresh dill
1∆ tsp Dijon mustard
1 cup mixed greens
1Thomas’ 100-Calorie
English Muffin
4 oz lean boneless
chicken breast, cubed*
½ medium red pepper,
cut into 1-inch squares
¼ Vidalia onion, cut
into 1-inch squares
2 portobello
mushrooms, cut into
1-inch squares
1 Tbsp olive oil
Lightly brush chicken,
pepper, onion, and
mushrooms with olive oil;
add salt and pepper to
taste. Grill or cook in the
oven at 320°F for 8 to 10
minutes, rotating every 2
to 3 minutes.
* lean protein such as
chicken is vital when you
cut calories because it fills you up
without a lot of fat and helps you
build muscle too.
Avocado and
tomato salad
½
¼
1
¼
avocado, diced
cup diced tomato
Tbsp lemon juice
clove garlic, minced
* Salmon is a bellyflattening powerfood. One
recent study found that people
on a controlled-calorie diet who
ate salmon were satisfied for
two hours longer than those who
didn’t eat it, likely because the
fish’s omega-3 fatty acids helped
keep them full.
Total: 345 calories
Snack
1carrot, sliced
½cucumber,
sliced
5Tbsp
Guiltless
Gourmet
black bean
dip*
2Finn Crisp
Thin Crisp
Original
crackers
* black beans have
appetite-suppressing
fiber and protein.
Total: 316 calories
Total: 182 calories
Total: 446 calories
Indulge
Without
Bulge
> Add: 100-Calorie
Hershey’s Pretzel Bar
> Subtract: Thomas’
100-Calorie English Muffin
Daily total: 1,500 calories
Note: For optimal weight management, combine this
nutrient-dense meal plan with exercise.
2
4
w o m e n ’ s h e a lt h
/
WomensHealthMag.com
day 5
Your Flat-Belly Day
A 1,500-calorie eating plan designed
to help you stay trim and satisfied
By Keri Glassman, R.D.
Snack
½ h
ead endive
¼ cup
hummus*
6 olives
*Chickpeas, the
main ingredient
in hummus, are
high in fiber, which
can help stabilize
blood sugar.
1
3 egg whites and
1 whole egg*
scrambled with
2 oz lox and ¼ cup
chopped onion
1 whole-wheat
English muffin
1 cup blackberries
(on the side)
3
Dinner (3)
PORK AND
VEGGIES
Total: 170 calories
*The protein in eggs can
HELP BUILD MUSCLE, plus eggs
contain vitamin B12, which is
vital for breaking down fat.
In one study, people who had
two eggs at breakfast ate 164
fewer calories at lunch.
Total: 389 calories
Lunch (2)
TACO SALAD
Snack
5.3oz nonfat
Greek
yogurt
20shelled
pistachios*
1tsp agave or
honey
4 oz lean ground
turkey cooked with
taco seasoning
¼ cup black beans
2 Tbsp salsa
1½ cups chopped
romaine lettuce*
¼ cup chopped
yellow peppers
¼ cup chopped
tomatoes
2 Tbsp guacamole
* Eating nuts twice
a week may help
stave off weight gain,
says a study in the
journal Obesity. And
pistachios have less fat
than most other nuts.
*Romaine is rich in
nutrients—and water!
Total: 180 calories
Water can help fill you up and
may reduce the overall number
of calories you consume.
2
Total: 344 calories
Daily total: 1,500 calories
Note: For optimal weight management, combine this
nutrient-dense meal plan with exercise.
5
w o m e n ’ s h e a lt h
/
WomensHealthMag.com
4 oz roasted
pork tenderloin
12 spears roasted
asparagus,
brushed with
2 tsp olive oil
½ baked sweet
potato
1 small baked
apple for dessert
(core apple, pour
1 tsp lemon juice
on top, sprinkle
with ½ tsp
cinnamon, then
bake at 350°F for
15 minutes)
Total: 417 calories
Indulge
Without
Bulge
> Add: 4 oz red
wine (100 calories)
> Subtract: The
nuts and honey
from your Greek
yogurt snack (100
calories). If you
don’t like plain
yogurt, sprinkle on
some cinnamon.
jeff harris, food st yling: ed gabriels for halle y resources
Breakfast
EGG AND LOX
on an english
MUFFIN
(1)
day 6
Your Flat-Belly Day
A 1,500-calorie eating plan designed
to keep you trim and satisfied
By Keri Glassman, R.D.
Dinner
Healthy Chicken
Parmigiana
with penne
jeff harris, food st yling: ed gabriels/halle y resources
Breakfast
Oatmeal
with pecans
and berries
Indulge
Without
Bulge
1 packet Original
Quaker Instant
Oatmeal* made with
1 cup skim milk and
mixed with…
2 Tbsp chopped pecans
½ cup raspberries
½ cup blueberries
> Add:
½ cup Edy’s Slow
Churned Vanilla
Bean Light Ice
Cream (100 calories)
Lunch
Turkey pita
4 oz fresh roasted
turkey (about 4
medium slices)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
¼ cup spinach
4 small tomato slices
¹⁄8 cup sprouts
1 small wholewheat pita
* The soluble fiber in
oatmeal will keep you full
well past the time you usually
start thinking about lunch.
Total: 351 calories
Snack 1
1 medium banana
2 tsp peanut butter*
1 cup chopped
romaine lettuce
½ cup chopped
cucumber
½ cup chopped red
pepper
½ cup hearts of palm*
1 tsp olive oil
studies have found that
noshing nuts in the a.m.
causes you to eat fewer
calories throughout the
rest of the day.
dessert
Total: 167 calories
½ cup strawberries
* Tossing surprising
ingredients into a salad is
the key to preventing “sameold salad” fatigue. Spice up
your greens with unexpected
extras such as hearts of palm,
jicama, artichokes, or capers.
Total: 395 calories
w o m e n ’ s h e a lt h
* Spinach contains lipoic
acid, which plays a role in
energy production and may
help regulate blood sugar levels.
Total: 437 calories
Side salad
* natural nut butters
provide filling protein
and healthy fats. Plus,
6
> Subtract:
The penne and
1 Tbsp Parmesan
at dinner. Sprinkle
½ Tbsp cheese on
veggies or chicken
(100 calories).
4 oz grilled
chicken, diced
½ cup tomato sauce
1 cup cooked spinach*
(sautéed in 1 tsp
olive oil)
½ cup whole-wheat
penne
1½ Tbsp grated
Parmesan
/
WomensHealthMag.com
Snack 2
Skim latte (6 oz
skim milk* and 6 oz
coffee) sprinkled
with cinnamon
½ oz 70% dark
chocolate
* skim milk is a dieter’s
best friend, and not just
because it’s fat-free and
low-cal. Studies show
that the calcium you get
from two daily servings
of dairy is associated with
lower body weight.
Total: 150 calories
Daily total: 1,500 calories
Note: For optimal weight management, combine
this nutrient-dense meal plan with exercise.
day 7
1
Dinner (3)
salmon with
vEggiEs
Your Flat-Belly Day
Each month, we’re going to be offering
up a 1,500-calorie eating plan designed
to help you stay trim and satisfied.
By Keri Glassman, R.D.
Snack
Breakfast (1)
CErEal
2
¾ cup Kellogg’s All-Bran
Original, mixed with
½ cup blueberries,
2 Tbsp slivered
almonds, and 1 Tbsp
ground flaxseeds*
1 cup fat-free milk
*Never tried flaxseeds? It’s
time you did. In addition to
*Go as hot as you
can stand. Besides
fiber, they contain omega-3 fatty
acids, and a 2008 Appetite
study found that a diet rich in
these healthy fats helps prolong
satiety in people who are trying
to lose weight.
¾ cup nonfat
cottage cheese*
with 1 Tbsp
unsalted peanuts
Studies show that a diet rich
in whole grains has been
associated with lower body
mass index (BMI) and smaller
waist circumference.
jeff harris, food st yling: ed gabriels for halle y resources
Total: 460 calories
Snack
*Don’t skimp on carbs.
indulge
without
bulge
*Cottage cheese
is low in calories
and high in
filling protein
and calcium—two
Side salad
1 cup chopped
romaine lettuce
¼ cup sliced carrot
¼ cup cherry tomatoes
¼ cup artichoke hearts
(in water), quartered
1 tsp olive oil
1 small Granny Smith
apple, sliced and
served on the side
Total: 355 calories
things women have
a tough time getting
enough of. You can
also try it mixed with
vanilla extract and
cinnamon, or white
horseradish and
scallions.
Total: 140 calories
Daily total: 1,500 calories
Note: For optimal weight management, combine
this nutrient-dense meal plan with exercise.
w o m e n ’ s h e a lt h
pumpkin seeds, which contain
monounsaturated fatty acids
that may help decrease belly fat.
Total: 185 calories
Lunch (2)
Open-faced tuna
sandwich
7
*Add crunch and texture
to a traditional side with
adding flavor,
the hot peppers
in salsa contain
the antioxidant
capsaicin, which can
temporarily boost
calorie burn.
Total: 360 calories
3 oz canned chunk
light tuna mixed with
1 tsp Dijon mustard,
1 Tbsp plain nonfat
yogurt, and ∑ tsp dill
1 slice seven-grain
bread*
1 cup sliced raw
veggies (carrots,
bell peppers, and
cucumbers) with
2 Tbsp salsa*
2 Wasa crackers
with 2 wedges
(∆ oz each)
Laughing Cow
light cheese
4 oz grilled salmon
(seasoned with dried
oregano)
1 cup grilled vegetables
(zucchini, eggplant,
and bell peppers)
drizzled with 1 tsp
olive oil
½ cup brown rice with
1 Tbsp pumpkin seeds*
1 cup blueberries for
dessert
/
WomensHealthMag.com
> Add:
2 Aunt Gussie’s
Classic ChocolateChip Cookies
(140 calories)
3
> Subtract:
At breakfast, have
only ½ cup cereal
with ¾ cup milk, and
omit the almonds
(140 calories)