Holiday Countdown Challenge - Food Plans

The Holiday Countdown Food Plan is available in your Food Diary. Using the ‘Browse Plans Database’ button you will be able to access the plans, add them to your diary and take part in the Challenge. Take a look at what the food plans include by signing up for a 24 hour free trial.

How many calories does the plan include?

Each breakfast, lunch and dinner, together with the extra milk and probiotic drink, adds up to 1100-1200 calories. The calories you have from snacks are on top of this. Don’t forget to add everything into your Food Diary to make sure you get a competed stamp for the week, otherwise you won’t be eligible for the prize draw.

Dietitian’s Tips:

Tip 1.

Barbecuing is a great way to cook food in the summer – it’s similar to grilling so you don’t need to add any oil and excess fat from meat drips onto the coals. Make sure you pile your plate high with plenty of veg, too – aim for five different servings of fruit and veg every day.

Tip 2.

Start your holiday feeling rested and looking slimmer by getting some early nights – sleep experts have found our appetites increase when we don’t get enough zzzz’s so that we eat more. Plus, sleeping means less time for dipping into the fridge!

Tip 3.

Hang out with people who already have a beach body – research reveals we try to ‘keep up with the Joneses’ when it comes to our weight. This means if we spend more time with slim people, we’re more likely to get slim!

Tip 4.

Chew sugar-free gum between meals – as well as keeping your mouth busy so that you can’t eat, Scottish research shows it helps to suppress our appetite, particularly for sweet foods.

Tip 5.

Use sunny days to your dieting advantage – because our body has to work harder to cool down when it’s hot, it reduces our appetite to avoid coping with the extra heat that’s produced when we eat. Turn this to your advantage by eating smaller portions.

Tip 6.

Add extra flavour to meals to keep those pounds dropping off – research from Chicago has found that when foods have a stronger taste, overweight people feel fuller faster and so eat less. Skip the sugar and salt though and instead use spices and herbs for savoury dishes and artificial sweetener for sweet ones.

Tip 7.

Don’t drink your calories – it might be hot, but make sure you stay hydrated by opting for low-calorie drinks. A large full-fat latte, smoothie and can of fizz can easily add up to 500 calories, enough to stop you losing 1lb a week!

Tip 8.

Swap coffee for herbal teas – peppermint and chamomile are calorie free and great for soothing the digestive system and easing tummy troubles like excess wind so that you beat the bloat and get a flat tum.

Tip 9.

Buy flattering beach wear – If you’re still not happy with your tum go for a one-piece swimsuit or tankini rather than a bikini; if you don’t like your thighs, cover them up with a brightly coloured sarong; and if you’re conscious of your bum, remember less is more – covering it in vast amounts of fabric will simply draw attention to this area so go for well-fitting, smaller briefs.

Day 1

Breakfast

Toast and Honey

Lunch

Rye crispbread with soft cheese, celery, peppers and walnuts followed by a satsuma

Dinner

Chinese Prawn Stirfry with rice followed by Sweet Summer Berry Salad and cream

Day 2

Breakfast

Wholegrain cereal with milk, blueberries and raspeberries

Lunch

Tuna mayo sandwich with cherry tomatoes, brazil nuts and an apple

Dinner

Beef grill steak with Jacket potato, coleslaw and salad, followed by Jaffa Cakes.

Day 3

Breakfast

Scrambled egg on toast and a yoghurt

Lunch

Ham and lettuce sandwich with crisps, followed by a peach

Dinner

Sticky Chinese Chicken with Crispy Veg and Noodle Stirfry, followed by Sweet Summer Berry Salad

Day 4

Breakfast

Wholegrain cereal with milk, blueberries and strawberries

Lunch

Salmon and Pasta Salad, walnuts and a plum

Dinner

Lasagne and Leafy Side Salad followed by a Satsuma

Day 5

Breakfast

Scrambled egg on toast and a banana

Lunch

Avocado & Prawn Salad with a wholemeal roll and a pear and kiwi

Dinner

Poached cod with tartare sauce, Minted New Potatoes, broccoli and peas followed by Sweet Summer Berry Salad and cream

Day 6

Breakfast

Wholegrain cereal with milk and Breakfast Florida Cocktail

Lunch

Houmous and Tzatziki with pitta bread and sweet peppers followed by an apple

Dinner

Quck Spanish Omelette with chips and beans followed by a peach

Day 7

Breakfast

Bacon and tomato roll

Lunch

Greek Salad with Feta and a roll followed by a pear

Dinner

Chicken breast with tomatoes and basil and Sweet Vegetable Rice, followed by Sweet Summer Berry Salad

Day 8

Breakfast

Wholegrain cereal with milk and a satsuma

Lunch

Egg and Tomato sandwich, brazil nuts and a plum

Dinner

Jacket potato with Sweet & Crunchy Tuna Filling and Leafy Side Salad, followed by a Kiwi fruit

Day 9

Breakfast

Toast and jam, fruit yoghurt and a peach

Lunch

Salmon & Pasta Salad, walnuts and grapes

Dinner

Extra Lean Beef Burger in a roll with coleslaw and Leafy Side Salad, followed by Sweet Summer Berry Salad and cream

Day 10

Breakfast

Wholegrain cereal with milk and a banana

Lunch

Creamy Prawn Wrap, brazil nuts and an apple

Dinner

Haddock fillets in cheese and leek sauce, boiled potatoes, broccoli and peas followed by fromage frais and raspberries

Day 11

Breakfast

Scrambled egg on toast and a fruit yoghurt

Lunch

Cheese and pickle sandwich and a pear

Dinner

Smoked Salmon Fishcakes and Leafy Side Salad followed by Sweet Summer Berry Salad and ice cream

Day 12

Breakfast

Wholegrain cereal with milk and a satsuma

Lunch

Chicken, Lettuce and Mayo sandwich, walnuts and grapes

Dinner

Jacket Potato with cheese and beans and Leafy Side Salad followed by a peach

Day 13

Breakfast

Scrambled egg on toast, strawberries and grapefruit juice

Lunch

Turkey salad sandwich,  fruit yoghurt and a satsuma

Dinner

Creamy Salmon Parcel and Sweet Vegetable Rice followed by Sweet Summer Berry Salad

Day 14

Breakfast

Wholegrain cereal with milk and kiwi fruit and strawberries

Lunch

Ham and lettuce sandwich, crisps and an apple

Dinner

Pork loin chop with Crispy Veg and Noodle Stirfry followed by cherries