Create Your Own Mini-Meal Plan To Lose Weight

It's the latest weight-loss trick recommended by the hottest diets on today's market: mini-meals.  Among the proponents (click on title to see more about the diet):

• Body For Life
• The Ultimate New York Body Plan
• The Abs Diet
• The Eat More, Weight Less Diet
• The Zone Diet
• The South Beach Diet

The basic premise of the mini-meal is simple: Eat 5 or 6 small meals per day at spaced intervals, and you'll experience less hunger and a higher metabolism--which equals more weight loss!

However, not everyone has the time--or inclination--to follow a strict diet plan.  But that doesn't mean a mini-meal program won't work for you!  By simply moderating portions and eating more regularly, you can get the same fat-burning benefits without eliminating certain foods or timing your meals.

So here's a basic guideline for creating a mini-meal program that fits into your lifestyle:

1.  Plan ahead.  Since you'll be eating so frequently, you'll need to have a basic idea of what type of meals you'll need for the next few days.  A good trick: Prep food ahead of time (such as a big batch of soup or salad, or a healthy casserole) so you always have something that's easy to grab.

2.  Know what your meals should include. Every mini-meal should include a protein, a carb and a fat.  Stick with lean proteins like tofu, egg whites or beans.  Opt for fiber-filled carbohydrates such as brown rice or whole grain breads.  And choose healthy fats like nuts, seeds or olive oil.

3.  Portion it.  Mini-meals mean just that: mini!  A serving of protein is about the size of the palm of your hand.  A carbohydrate portion should be equal to your fist, and seven or so almonds is approximately the amount of fat you should get at every meal.

4.  Add veggies.  Most diet experts agree that you can add veggies to almost every meal without dramatically affecting your calorie intake.  Spinach, leafy green lettuce, broccoli, asparagus, tomatoes and peppers are a good choice.

4.  Spread 'em out.  Don't cram four meals into the first part of your day.  Instead, space them out at regular intervals--every 2-4 hours--so you keep hunger pangs away.

Here are a few examples of mini-meals that would be considered appropriate for the average person:

• 1 serving of lean grilled chicken, steamed brown rice and stir-fried asparagus tossed with olive oil.
• 2-3 scrambled egg whites in vegetable oil, plain oatmeal with cinnamon, raw apple slices
• 1 can light tuna, 3-5 whole grain crackers, green salad with balsamic vinegar dressing
• 1 serving light cottage cheese, 6-8 baby carrots, handful walnuts
• 1 bowl soup (broth-based) made with kidney/black beans, vegetables and barley
• 1 large spinach salad topped with grilled salmon and sunflower seeds (balsamic dressing), plus 1 whole grain roll
• 1 serving tofu tossed with whole wheat pasta, diced tomatoes and olive oil
• 1 small container yogurt topped with slivered almonds, raw orange segments
• 1 turkey breast sandwich on whole wheat bread with lettuce and tomato, banana
• 1 veggie burger patty, steamed broccoli, small baked sweet potato
• Stir-fry tofu and vegetables, steamed brown rice
• 1 serving casserole made with baked chicken, zucchini, yellow squash, green peppers and tomatoes mixed with whole wheat pasta
• 1 serving lean turkey bacon, whole grain cereal and low-fat milk, ½ grapefruit

If you're a smaller person--or that seems like a lot of food--consider cutting one or two of your mini-meals down to snack size, such as:

• 1 cup of soup instead of a bowl
• ½ sandwich instead of a whole
• ½ can tuna instead of entire can
• Small salad instead of entrée size

To gauge how large your portions should be, eat just enough so that you feel slight hunger pains about 3 hours after a meal.  You should be ready to eat again--but not so hungry that you want to inhale the contents of your refrigerator!