Half the battle against weight loss is trying to incorporate a healthy diet into your daily routine. The busier you are during the week, the less time you have to make hearty dinners, and the harder it becomes to eat healthy meals. Who wants to go home after a busy day to whip up something that can take hours to cook so you can get on the road to weight loss?
What if we told you that you can make easy meals that wouldn’t interfere with your relaxation time? We spoke to The Nutrition Twins† Lyssie Lakatos, RDN, CDN, CFTand Tammy Lakatos Shame, RDN, CDN, CFTauthors of Veggie cure from the Nutrition Twins and members of our Medical Expert Board, to give you ideas on easy dinner recipes to lose weight during your busy week.
There’s one for every weeknight, so plan ahead! For your morning pick-me-up, check out 5 easy coffee recipes for weight loss.
“While most burgers aren’t a great choice if you’re looking to lose body fat, these sweet and savory, juicy burgers can be whipped up quickly and are the perfect, delicious end to a stressful day,” say The Nutrition Twins.
Each burger is packed with 27 grams of satisfying protein to keep you full for hours. Including the balsamic glaze and lettuce wrap, the meal contains only 150 calories.
As for the wild blueberries, The Nutrition Twins call them weight loss superstars.
“They have the phytonutrient C3G that increases adiponectin to improve fat burningwhile also increasing leptin, to suppress appetite,” they say.
If you need more for the meal, go ahead and add a whole wheat bun to the lettuce wrap and add a heaping side of steamed veggies to boost the fiber, antioxidants and satisfaction even more. Not only will this meal be satisfying, but it will still encourage weight loss.
Get the recipe from The Nutrition Twins†
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“If you’re craving Mexican food, you can prepare this meal in less time than it takes to drive to a Mexican restaurant, and you’ll only get a fraction of the calories you would get from the restaurant meal,” says The Nutrition Twins .
According to The Nutrition Twins, these tacos are low-fat and vegan. Research of the Journal of the American Nutrition Association shows that eating a low-fat, vegan diet increases weight loss and improves body composition, even more than a Mediterranean diet. the lentils, avocadoand corn tortillas in this meal all play a role in fighting cravings, thanks to their combination of blood sugar-stabilizing protein and fiber.
“Plus, lentils are a great source of slow-digesting carbohydrates that keep you feeling full and full for longer than other foods, and even cut calorie intake at your next meal,” says The Nutrition Twins. “These tacos also contain a whopping 14 grams of fiber, which is 2 grams more than the average American consumes in an entire day! Fiber slows digestion and promotes fullness, research shows reduce the calories you eat during the day†
Get the recipe from The Nutrition Twins†
Pasta AND a creamy sauce? That sounds too good to be true for a meal that helps with weight loss. However, there is a way to get around it.
“While most people think both pasta and Alfredo are taboo when trying to shed pounds, this tasty waist-friendly version swaps out the cream packed in blood sugar-stabilizing whole-wheat pasta, low-calorie, high-fiber vegetables, and satisfying protein,” says The Nutrition Twins.
According to the Nutrition Twins, antioxidant-packed cremini mushrooms provide anti-inflammatory benefits that help to: protect against obesity† The fiber-rich broccoli fills you up with minimal calories.
Most importantly, this meal satisfies the cravings for pasta that can arise from feelings of deprivation after avoiding it, and usually lead to you wholeheartedly giving in to the craving and throwing in the towel with eating healthy,” says The Nutrition Twins.
Check out our recipe for Loaded Alfredo Pasta here.
One-pot meals are a great choice during busy weeks, and this recipe is both easy and healthy.
“Just throw it all on a baking sheet, toast it, and you’ll be served a low-calorie, satisfying dinner for ideal weight loss,” says The Nutrition Twins.
In just 300 calories, this recipe provides nearly 30 grams of satisfying protein and 8 grams of filling fiber. Adding the slow-digesting brown rice will help satisfy your carbohydrate cravings so you don’t need an energy boost and sugar an hour later.
The Nutrition Twins suggest that: increasing vegetable consumption means more weight loss and more hunger prevention, and this meal is both vegetarian and high in fiber.
They further suggest using the lemon liberally, as lemon’s polyphenols can: help suppress the accumulation of body fat and prevent obesity†
Get the recipe from The Nutrition Twins†
Not only can you cook this Chinese stir-fry recipe faster than your Chinese takeout, but this lighter version has less than half the calories of traditional Chinese takeout.
“Packed with the winning combination of 18 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber for ultimate satisfaction, this meal won’t leave you hungry and raiding the pantry for a snack an hour later,” say The Nutrition Twins.
In addition, the soy isoflavones in tofu can help to reduce body fat† Research of NAD shows that sulforaphane from broccoli can help you lose weight.
Get the recipe from The Nutrition Twins†
