Muscle Milk Light 1400-Calorie Menu Plan

Look here. A solid, simple seven-day menu to help you lose between 1/2 to 2lbs. per week. How much you lose depends on your gender (women lose weight slower – sorry) and how much weight you need to lose (the heavier you are, the more weight you’ll lose at the beginning).

Don’t worry, we’ve planned for over 100% of your daily value for protein and fiber – both of which help you lose weight – while also providing for the proper amount of vitamin and mineral intake.

Here are some tips to help you out with the plan:

Drinking 8 to 16 oz. of water or mineral water with each meal and snack will assist in weight loss. Sparkling water, iced tea, herbal tea and coffee (ample fluids) can be substituted.
Eat less more often. Skipping meals only makes you want to eat more later. Eat 3 meals and three snacks a day.
Work out, even if it’s on your way to work. Physical activity burns calories and boosts your metabolism. You don’t have to be a total gym rat, just be less lazy.
Dieting is never easy or fun. Keep your sense of humor, you’ll need it as you read and follow along.

Breakfast

1/2 cup whole-grain, ready-to-eat cereal topped with 1 cup 1% milk or reduced-fat soymilk, 6 walnut halves, and 1 pear

Snack

1 14 oz. Muscle Milk Light Protein Nutrition Shake (Vanilla or Chocolate)

Lunch

1 small (5" diam.) whole-wheat pita split in half and filled with 2 oz. tuna mixed with 1 diced pickle, 1/4 cup chopped celery, 2 tsp. low-fat mayo, and a big handful of lettuce greens and sprouts

Snack

1 medium apple

Dinner

Stir Fry: 1 cup total of broccoli and red peppers with 3 oz. chicken in 1 tsp. peanut oil served over 1/2 cup brown rice
1/2 cup low-fat, blueberry yogurt

Snack

100-calorie snack pack – wheat crackers and 1 oz. slice of fat-free cheese

Daily Physical Activity

Walk to work. If that’s too far, take a 40-minute walk at lunch. And skip the elevator for 10 minutes of stairs throughout your day.

Breakfast

1 14-oz. Muscle Milk Light Protein Nutrition Shake (Vanilla or Chocolate)
1 medium orange

Snack

5 whole-wheat crackers with 1 tbsp. peanut butter

Lunch

1 cup black bean soup topped with 1/8 avocado sliced, 1 tbsp. fat-free sour cream and 2 tbsp. salsa
3 celery stalks seasoned with herb salt
3 dried apricot halves

Snack

6 oz. low-fat yogurt topped with 1/2 cup strawberry slices

Dinner

2/3 cup whole-wheat pasta with 1/2 cup red sauce with lean beef
2 cups green salad (1 cup leafy greens + 1 cup total diced carrots, radishes, tomatoes) with 1 tbsp. low-fat vinaigrette dressing

Snack

1-1/2 cups popcorn with no-calorie butter sprinkles

Daily Physical Activity

10 minutes of sit-ups and push-ups and a 30-minute moderate stationary bike ride. That’s only 40 minutes out of 1,440 in a day. So the "I-don't-have-time" excuse doesn't actually work.

Breakfast

1/2 Breakfast Wrap: 2 eggs scrambled with 1 oz. low-fat shredded cheddar cheese and 2 tbsp. salsa in a high-fiber tortilla (8" diam.)

Snack

1 handful of red grapes (about 15)

Lunch

1 14-oz. Muscle Milk Light Protein Nutrition Shake (Vanilla or Chocolate)
10 baby carrots dipped in 1 tbsp. fat-free ranch dressing

Snack

1 medium pear
1 oz. reduced-fat string cheese

Dinner

2/3 cup couscous
3 oz. grilled salmon
1 cup steamed greens (kale, collard greens) with lemon and garlic

Snack

1 oz. raisins stirred into 6 oz. container of fat-free, sugar-free vanilla yogurt

Daily Physical Activity

Walk your dog briskly for 45 minutes after work. If you don’t have a dog, walk your hamster. If you don’t have a hamster, walk to the pet store and get one.

Breakfast

1 cup instant oatmeal with 3/4 cup 1% milk or low-fat soymilk, 2 tsp. honey, 2 tbsp. chopped almonds and 1/2 cup blueberries

Snack

1 banana

Lunch

Turkey Sandwich: 2 slices high-fiber whole wheat bread spread with 2 tsp. low-fat mayonnaise, 2 oz. sliced roasted turkey, 3 tomato slices and a handful of spring salad greens
1 oz. raisins (small snack box)

Snack

1 14-oz. Muscle Milk Light Protein Nutrition Shake (Vanilla or Chocolate)

Dinner

Bean Burrito: whole-wheat tortilla (12" diam.) filled with 1/2 cup black beans, 2 tbsp. salsa, 2 tbsp. shredded low-fat cheese and 1/4 cup diced tomatoes
2 cups green salad (see Day 2) with 2 tbsp. low-fat, ranch dressing

Snack

Cranberry Sparkler: 4 oz. cranberry juice with 8 oz. sparkling water and mint leaves

Daily Physical Activity

At the gym – 40 minutes on the elliptical machine at moderate intensity (use "hill" or "interval" preset program). Or you could go climb a safe hill for 40 minutes. It's sort of the same thing.

Breakfast

1 14-oz. Muscle Milk Light Protein Nutrition Shake (Vanilla or Chocolate)

Snack

1 small apple with 1 tbsp. peanut butter

Lunch

1 Chicken Sandwich: 2 small slices of thin-sliced, whole-wheat bread filled with 2 oz. chicken mixed with 2 tsp low-fat mayonnaise and 1/4 cup diced celery and a handful of spring salad mix

Snack

100-calorie snack pack of wheat crackers with 1 oz. reduced-fat cheese slice

Dinner

1 cup turkey chili (3 oz. ground turkey and 2/4 cup pinto beans)
1 cup shredded cabbage with 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and 2 tbsp. fat-free coleslaw dressing

Snack

3/4 cup warm, fat-free milk with sugar-free cocoa mix

Daily Physical Activity

A 15-minute upper body workout (weights, sit-ups) followed by a half hour bike-ride. If you don't own a bike, quietly borrow your neighbor's. He'll hardly miss it.

Breakfast

2 poached eggs on 1/2 whole-wheat English muffin spread with 1 tsp. reduced-fat margarine
1/2 cup orange juice

Snack

1 14-oz. Muscle Milk Light Protein Nutrition Shake (Vanilla or Chocolate)

Lunch

1-1/2 cup vegetable soup
5 whole-wheat crackers with 1 oz. low-fat Swiss cheese slice

Snack

1 medium apple with 3 tbsp. hummus

Dinner

3 oz. pork tenderloin
1 cup steamed green beans with lemon and herb seasoning
1 small whole-wheat dinner role with 1 tsp. reduced-fat margarine
1/2 cup sugar-free, non-fat frozen yogurt with handful of berries

Snack

100-calorie snack pack – baked potato chips dipped in 2 tbsp. salsa

Daily Physical Activity

30 minute evening walk – star gazing. Unless you live in a city, then it's more like light pollution gazing.

Breakfast

3/4 cup whole-grain cereal with 3/4 cup fat-free milk and 3/4 cup sliced strawberries

Snack

1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese topped with 15 seasoned almonds

Lunch

Turkey Wrap: small spinach wrap (or half a large 12" diam.) filled with handful of baby spinach, 2 oz. shredded roasted turkey, 1/4 cup red pepper slices, 1 tbsp. fat-free taco salad dressing
1 tangerine

Snack

1 14-oz. Muscle Milk Light Nutritional Shake (Vanilla or Chocolate)

Dinner

3 oz. lean beef strips sautéed with 1 cup asparagus tips (frozen or fresh) and 2 tbsp. garlic-ginger bottled stir-fry sauce
2/3 cup brown rice
1/2 cup applesauce with 2 tsp. chocolate chips

Snack

100-calorie snack pack – wheat crackers spread with 1-1/2 tbsp. low-fat, herbed goat cheese

Daily Physical Activity

1 hour hike with friends doing some bird watching or plant identification. For city dwellers, you can use our handy bird / plant guide. Birds = pigeons. Plants = what plants?