My Weight Loss Plan (Keep it Slow & Steady!)

I’ve compiled my own special weight-loss plan out of a few different ones – including low-carb diets (which work, but don’t last - trust me, I’ve learned from experience), some of what I’ve learned from Weight Watchers (portion control, etc), and every other diet I’ve tried in my life. 

This plan is designed for vegetarians, however I truly believe that eating meat is not a way to be healthy.  If you DO eat meat, chose grass-fed organic, and limit the serving to once per day.  You’ll reduce your carbon footprint, drop weight, and your cholesterol!

I’m not a doctor, or a health expert, and I’m not trying to be.  This is just something I set up for myself to follow, that I feel like will be the right way for me to lose weight.  I’ve been on many diet plans in my life, and not one of them has worked for me.  Sure I lost weight, but every single time I gained it back.  Tailoring a plan that is restricting but also allowing for real life and longevity is what is going to make this work for me.  I love food, and I don't want to live my life giving up my favorite things.  I don’t want to gain the weight back ever again, and this is how I will do it.  

It may not cause me to lose 20 pounds a month, or drop weight quickly & drastically as some "diet plans" claim to do - in fact, it probably won't do that!  But this is not about rapid weight loss - this is about PERMANENT weight loss, and the only way to do that is to keep it slow & steady over a longer period of time.  It took me a long time to put on the weight, and it's going to take a long time to take it off.  I don't mind so much about that as long as I keep it off, and in my opinion, slow & steady wins the race.

As always, please consult your physician before starting any diet / weight loss plan.*
*me covering my ass.

Beth’s Slow & Steady wins the Weight Loss Plan

Buy organic / local foods whenever possible.

NO refined sugars, refined carbohydrates  (white anything – rice, bread, fried foods, tortillas, pasta, etc)

NO starchy vegetables (potatoes, yams), or high-fat fruits (avocado)**

ONE serving of “good carbs” per day (½ cup of brown rice, ½ cup whole wheat pasta, 1 slice of whole wheat bread, etc)


UNLIMITED vegetables, beans & legumes (eat as much as you want to feel full!)

1-2 fruits every other day (NOT every day!) – to limit fructose (sugar) intake

LIMIT alcohol to 1 glass of beer or 1 glass of wine 1-2 times per week.  Choose red wine whenever possible.  No fruit juice or soda.  Don’t drink your calories!

UNLIMITED unsweetened tea & water.  Coffee is okay once / week, with limited soymilk & natural sweetener (like honey or maple syrup). 

NO cheese!  No excuses!  Eggs are okay, but try to limit your intake to 1-2 eggs, only once or twice per week.


NO oil!  Use non-stick spray for cooking instead, and use water or vinegar in salad dressings instead of oil.

LIMIT salt / sodium intake. 

ONE “Flexible Day” per week. 
I don’t want to call this a “cheat day”, as that implies that you are free to make horrible choices the entire day.  That is not a good way to have a long term plan if you think that way!  You want a burger?  Have one!  But substitute a side salad or veggies instead of French fries.  Dying for the fries?  Get the burger without the bun!  Want an enchilada smothered in cheese (my big weakness)?  That’s great!  Just order one instead of two, or get it a-la-carte.  You want a plate of fettuccine alfredo?  Awesome!  Just limit your portion size.   **This is also the day you can have your avocados and your potatoes!

Since exercise is so important, I’m going to workout no less than 5 times a week (6 whenever possible), with 1-2 days of rest (not in a row).  This will be cardio mixed with strength training and flexibility (yoga mostly). 

One thing I’m going to remind myself during this whole thing is that every day is a new start.  I eat poorly & drink too much one night?  Meh, it happens.  I’ll probably feel like shit, but the next day is a new one – and it’s never too late to start again.  Sure I might indulge a bit on vacation, but I can still make good choices while I’m away.  And I can make good choices when I get back – that’s what matters. 

This is what I will be using as my guidelines – I hope it helps you reach your goals too!
Feel free to follow my weight-loss adventures at this blog. :) Ignore the part about it being a 90 day challenge... this is for a lifetime, baby!