Christmas Challenge Diet Plans: Week 7

Congratulations on reaching the half way point of the WLR Christmas Challenge.

You’re probably already feeling fantastic and looking forward to a slim, sexy and healthy new body.

By now you should be used to the diet, but to keep things fresh, here are some more meal suggestions for you. Keep on choosing one breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack and treat from the choices given – and don’t forget to fill up on extra veg and salad and have that extra 300ml skimmed milk.

Breakfasts

Apricot porridge

Bowl of Oatso Simple Original made with skimmed milk and topped with 3 chopped dried apricots. Plus 1 kiwi fruit.

Creamy fruit salad and toast

Bowl of fresh fruit salad with 1 small pot fat-free fruit yoghurt. Plus 1 slice wholemeal toast with 1tsp each of low-fat spread and jam.

Mango smoothie

Blend 1 ripe mango with 150ml skimmed milk and 1 small pot low-fat natural yoghurt. Plus 1 satsuma.

Branflakes with banana and milk

5tbsp branflakes with 1 small banana and skimmed milk.

Bacon and egg

1 grilled rasher lean back bacon with 1 grilled tomato, 1 poached egg and 1 slice wholemeal toast topped with 1tsp low-fat spread.

Tropical breakfast

1 kiwi fruit, 1 slice canteloupe melon and 1 pineapple ring with 1 small pot fat-free fruit yoghurt and 2tbsp porridge oats.

Shredded Wheat

2 Shredded Wheat with 1tsp honey and skimmed milk. Plus ½ grapefruit with artificial sweetener.

Lunches

Ham and cheese sandwich with creamy fruit salad

2 slices wholemeal bread filled with 2tbsp low-fat soft cheese, 1 slice lean ham and salad with fat-free dressing. Plus 1 pot fat-free fruit yoghurt and 1 kiwi fruit.

Mozzarella and tomatoes on toast

Cut a 7.5cm piece of granary baguette in half lengthways and toast the uncut sides under the grill. Top the cut sides with 2 sliced tomatoes, ½ small ball reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, fresh basil and black pepper. Place under the grill until the cheese melts. Serve with salad and fat-free dressing.

Jacket potato with goats cheese and watercress

1 jacket potato with 25g goats cheese and watercress. Serve with salad and fat-free dressing.

Warm chicken salad

Grill 1 small skinless chicken breast and slice diagonally. Fill a large bowl with lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and top with the chicken. Pour over a little balsamic vinegar and serve with a 5cm piece of granary baguette. Plus 1 satsuma.

Hummus and carrot sandwich

Fill 2 slices wholemeal bread with 3tbsp reduced-fat hummus and grated carrot. Serve with salad and fat-free dressing. Plus 1 apple.

Guacamole, pitta and crudités

Mash ½ small avocado with lemon juice, 1 clove crushed garlic, Tabasco to taste and black pepper. Serve with 1 wholemeal pitta bread and vegetable crudités. Plus 1 orange.

Mackerel on toast

2 slices wholemeal toast with ½ small can mackerel in tomato sauce and salad with fat-free dressing. Plus 1 slice canteloupe melon.

Dinners

Gammon and pineapple

1 grilled lean gammon steak with 1 grilled pineapple ring canned in juice, 3 new potatoes boiled in their skins and vegetables.

Mediterranean-style pizza with salad

Cut a 10cm piece French bread in half lengthways and toast the uncut sides under the grill. Spread the cut sides with 1tbsp tomato puree and top with 1 sliced tomato, ½ chopped red pepper, ½ chopped small red onion, 1tbsp sweetcorn, ½ small ball reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, fresh basil and black pepper. Place under the grill until the cheese has melted. Serve with salad and fat-free dressing.

Lemon and garlic cod

Place a raw cod fillet on silver foil, add crushed garlic, lemon juice and mixed herbs, wrap up and bake until cooked. Serve with 5 new potatoes boiled in their skins and vegetables. Plus a bowl of fresh fruit salad and 1 scoop sorbet.

Pork fajitas

Spray a non-stick pan with a spray oil and heat. Cut 100g lean pork into strips, and add to the pan with 1tsp Fajita seasoning. Cook until browned. Add 1 sliced small red onion, ½ sliced red and green pepper and a little water to stop the mixture from sticking. Fry until the pork is cooked through and the veg are soft and brown. Warm 1 flour tortilla, pile on the pork mixture, top with 1tbsp reduced-fat crème fraiche, 1tbsp grated reduced-fat Cheddar cheese and roll up. Serve with any remaining filling, salad and fat-free dressing. Plus 1 satsuma.

Creamy chicken and pasta salad

Mix 4tbsp cooked wholewheat pasta with 1 grilled small chicken breast, 1tbsp sweetcorn, 2 chopped spring onions, halved cherry tomatoes, ½ chopped red pepper, lettuce and 1tbsp reduced-fat crème fraiche.

Mushroom and bacon pasta

Dry fry 3 lean rashers back bacon. Add 1 clove crushed garlic, sliced mushrooms and 2tbsp peas. Cook for a further few minutes then mix with 6tbsp cooked wholewheat pasta. Stir in 2tbsp low-fat soft cheese and heat through. Serve with salad and fat-free dressing.

Chicken breast with vegetables

Grill 1 skinless chicken breast and serve with 1 potato mashed with a little skimmed milk, vegetables and fat-free gravy. Plus 1 bowl homemade fruit salad topped with 1tbsp reduced-fat crème fraiche.

Snacks

Cereal and milk

1 Weetabix with skimmed milk.

Fruit

1 pear and 1 kiwi fruit.

Berry medley

Handful each of strawberries, raspberries and blackberries.

Toast with soft cheese

1 slice wholemeal toast with 1tbsp low-fat soft cheese and lettuce.

Tuna and olive salad

Salad with ½ small can tuna in water with 10 olives.

Dried fruit

4 dried dates and 3 dried apricots.

Yogurt

1 small pot fat-free fruit yogurt and 1 slice canteloupe melon.

Treats

• 2 small chocolate chips cookies
• 2-finger Kit Kat
• 2 single (25ml) measures of spirits eg gin, vodka, whisky, rum or brandy with a calorie-free mixer eg. diet cola, slimline tonic, diet lemonade.
• 150ml glass of red or dry white wine.
• 1 glass champagne.
• ½ pt standard strength lager, bitter or cider.
• 1 small packet of Quavers or Skips.
• 100-calorie low-fat chocolate bar eg Boots Shapers
• 100-calorie packet of low-fat savoury snacks
• 1 small pot low-fat chocolate mousse.
• 1 French fancy.
• 1 low-calorie hot chocolate drink plus 1 jaffa cake.
• 4 chocolate fingers.
• 1 scoop ice cream.
• 1 toasted crumpet with 1tsp each low-fat spread and reduced-sugar jam.
• 1 meringue nest filled with raspberries and 1tbsp single cream.
• 1 slice of wholegrain toast with 1tsp peanut butter.
• 1 crumpet with 1tsp low-fat spread and Marmite.
• 1 small choc chip cookie and a low-fat instant hot chocolate drink.