Week 5 Meal Plan: Tasty, Balanced Meals for Weight Loss and Inflammation Reduction
Welcome to Week 5 of my 7-week weight loss challenge! This week, we continue with our focus on anti-inflammatory foods, healthy fats, and lean proteins to help support weight loss while promoting healing. If you've been following the challenge so far, you're already building great habits! In this week's meal plan, we’ve got easy-to-make, nutritious recipes that include satisfying meals like scrambled eggs with spinach and tomato, chickpea quinoa salad, and zucchini noodles with tofu and peanut sauce. These dishes are perfect for meal prepping, and I've modified the rice to regular rice with extra water for easier prep. Let’s dive into the recipes!
Meal Timing (Intermittent Fasting: 10 AM to 6 PM)
Meal Timings:
- Lemon Water: Start your day with a refreshing glass of lemon water at 8:30 AM.
- Breakfast: 10:00 AM
- Lunch: 12:30 PM
- Snack: 3:00 PM
- Dinner: 5:30 PM
Water Reminder: Drink 1 glass of water before or after each meal, and stay hydrated with electrolytes throughout the day.
Week 5 Meal Breakdown
1. Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Spinach and Tomato
Time: 10:00 AM
Ingredients (for 1 serving):
- 2 large Eggs
- 1/2 cup Spinach (chopped)
- 1/4 cup Tomato (chopped)
- 2 tbsp Onion (chopped)
- 1 tsp Olive oil
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions:
- Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté onions and tomatoes until soft.
- Add spinach and cook until wilted.
- Crack the eggs into the pan and scramble everything together. Cook until the eggs are done to your preference.
- Season with salt and pepper, then pack into meal prep containers.
2. Lunch Option 1: Chickpea Salad with Quinoa
Time: 12:30 PM
Ingredients (for 1 serving):
- 1/2 cup Cooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup Chickpeas (cooked or canned)
- 1/4 cup Cucumber (diced)
- 1/4 cup Tomato (diced)
- 1 tbsp Red onion (finely chopped)
- 1 tsp Olive oil
- 1 tsp Lemon juice
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions:
- In a bowl, combine quinoa, chickpeas, cucumber, tomato, and red onion.
- Drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Toss everything together and store in meal prep containers.
3. Lunch Option 2: Chicken Tikka Salad
Time: 12:30 PM
Ingredients (for 1 serving):
- 100g Chicken breast (boneless, skinless)
- 2 tbsp Plain yogurt (for marinating)
- 1 tsp Tikka masala spices
- 1 tsp Lemon juice
- 1 cup Mixed salad greens
- 1/4 cup Cucumber (sliced)
- 1/4 cup Tomato (sliced)
- 1 tsp Olive oil
Instructions:
- Marinate the chicken with yogurt, tikka masala spices, and lemon juice for 30 minutes.
- Grill or pan-sear the chicken until fully cooked.
- Slice the chicken and assemble the salad with mixed greens, cucumber, tomato, and grilled chicken.
- Drizzle with olive oil before serving.
4. Dinner Option 1: Stuffed Bell Peppers with Quinoa and Chicken
Time: 5:30 PM
Ingredients (for 1 serving):
- 1 large Bell pepper
- 100g Chicken breast (boneless, skinless), cooked and shredded
- 1/4 cup Cooked quinoa
- 2 tbsp Onion (chopped)
- 1/4 cup Tomato (diced)
- 1 tsp Olive oil
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Slice the top off the bell pepper and remove seeds.
- Sauté onion and tomato in olive oil until soft.
- Add the shredded chicken and cooked quinoa to the pan and mix well.
- Stuff the mixture into the bell pepper and bake for 20 minutes until the pepper is tender.
- Season with salt and pepper before serving.
5. Dinner Option 2: Zucchini Noodles with Tofu and Peanut Sauce
Time: 5:30 PM
Ingredients (for 1 serving):
- 1 medium Zucchini (spiralized into noodles)
- 100g Tofu (firm, cubed)
- 1 tbsp Peanut butter
- 1 tsp Soy sauce
- 1 tsp Lime juice
- 1 tsp Olive oil
- 1 clove Garlic (minced)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions:
- Sauté tofu cubes in olive oil until golden and crispy.
- In a separate pan, sauté zucchini noodles for 2-3 minutes until tender.
- For the peanut sauce, mix peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- Combine zucchini noodles, tofu, and peanut sauce, and toss everything together.
Snacks for the Week:
- Fruit: 1 piece/day (banana, apple, or berries)
- Roasted Almonds: 10-12 pieces/day
- Electrolyte Drink (optional)
- Water: 1 glass after each meal
Grocery List for Week 5 (with quantities)
Produce:
- 10 large Eggs
- 2 cups Spinach (fresh or frozen)
- 4 medium Tomatoes
- 3 medium Onions
- 2 medium Cucumbers
- 1 small Red onion
- 4 large Bell peppers (for stuffing)
- 2 medium Zucchini
- 3 cups Mixed salad greens
- 1 medium Lime
- 2 medium Bananas
- 2 pieces Pear or apple (for snacks)
Grains:
- 1 cup Quinoa (uncooked)
- 1 can or 1 cup dried Chickpeas (for the salad)
Proteins:
- 500g Chicken breast (boneless, skinless)
- 200g Tofu (firm)
- 1 small container Plain yogurt (for marinating)
Dairy:
- 1 cup Milk (regular or almond milk)
Spices:
- 1 tsp Tikka masala spices
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1/4 cup Olive oil
- 1 jar Peanut butter
Other:
- 100g Roasted almonds (for snacks)
- 1 bottle Multivitamins (take daily as per instructions)
- 1 pack Electrolyte drink powder (optional)
Weekly Cooking Plan (Sunday Prep)
- Grill or Sear Chicken: Marinate chicken with tikka spices and yogurt, then cook.
- Cook Quinoa: Cook 1 cup quinoa and store it in separate containers.
- Prepare Stuffed Bell Peppers: Stuff bell peppers with quinoa and chicken mix, then bake.
- Prep Zucchini Noodles: Spiralize zucchini and store it in the fridge for easy use.
- Make Peanut Sauce: Mix peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, and garlic for the stir-fry.
- Roast or Sauté Veggies: Roast bell peppers, zucchini, or any other veggies you want for easy snacking or sides.
- Prepare Snacks: Pre-portion out roasted almonds and fruits for snacks throughout the week.
Conclusion
Week 5's meal plan is designed to be simple, balanced, and full of nutrients! With a variety of flavors and textures—from the creamy peanut sauce to the savory tikka chicken—these meals will keep you satisfied and energized. The meals are easy to prep ahead of time, so you can set yourself up for a successful week of healthy eating.
By including regular rice (with extra water), nutrient-dense vegetables, and high-protein options like chicken and tofu, this plan continues to support weight loss while fighting inflammation. Take it one step at a time and enjoy the process!
Let’s make Week 5 a success! If you try any of these recipes, feel free to share your photos on social media and tag me. I can’t wait to see your creations!
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