How to Succeed in the Ultimate 7-Day Weight Loss Challenge

A usual go-to during summer is the endless promises to ourselves: I’m finally going to get healthy!

However, we are all quite aware of the pitfalls that await us when a big change of routine is in the books.

For us mere mortals, living far from the gym rat dream, one unhealthy meal may seem harmless. The issue is that they add up over time, especially in our quick world of fast and over-processed foods.

This fact, plus lack of exercise and the idea that eating healthy equates to a restrictive diet, has led to over two-thirds of adults in the US being overweight or obese.¹

Changes are scary. So how to start? 

One small step anyone can take is one week. Just one single week to test your waters, try out new recipes, and set simple, achievable goals.

The rules? No cheat days, no cheat meals, and eating anything you don’t like. It is a challenge, but eating healthy shouldn’t be painful.

Try the following tips to succeed in a 7-day healthy eating challenge and keep your diet healthy in the long run.

Save Time With Meal Prepping

Meal prepping is key to being mindful of what you are eating with the added benefit of saving time and money.

Mason jars and plastic containers can fill up your fridge, but they can make your life much easier.

The first step is getting a meal plan that is healthy and not impossible to follow. 

There’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all when it comes to nutrition. Go for a personalized meal plan to ensure healthy weight loss.

Wellness programs like Perfect Body offer a great variety of recipes that vary as your preferences and goals change, even including their own challenges for you and other users to try simultaneously.

You got your meal plan and are all set. Now, let’s do the grocery shopping. If you have an app like Perfect Body, you already have a list in hand, but if not, you’ll have to make your own.

Go shopping with a list and stick to it. It’s beneficial for both your busy routine and your wallet.

Hydrated and Motivated

Following the increasingly hot weather, drinking lots of fluids is essential. But the temperatures don’t have to be soaring for water to be a top priority.

According to Harvard Medical School,² water is essential for your metabolism to function at its best, transporting oxygen and nutrients, helping with digestion, protecting your organs, and preventing constipation.

You also don’t need to ditch all beverages and stick to water only. 

While it’s better to avoid sodas and alcohol, other options like fruit juice, smoothies, low-fat milk, coffee, and tea are a welcome addition to your diet.

Healthy Swaps for the Win

Little changes to your day-to-day meals and snacks are the easiest way to eat healthier without major changes to your routine.

Manage sugar and fats

If you have a sweet tooth, sugar cravings and nutrition don’t add up. 

Going on a diet usually means you will have to give up on chocolate, pastries, and sugary treats for good. Of course, that’s not true.

Fruits, dark chocolate, and homemade pastries are healthier and often more delicious than their store-bought counterparts.

Healthy spread swap: ditch the butter for a quick-to-make avocado mash.

Healthy sugar swap: skip the milkshake with whipped cream and go for a fruit smoothie with dark chocolate.

Less processed foods

Whole-grain rice, bread, and pasta will decrease carb intake and are usually rich in fibers, vitamins, and nutrients. Even better: they will make you feel fuller for longer.

Healthy snack swap: switch your go-to french fries for baked sweet potato fries.

More veggies and legumes

A bit more straightforward, but adding vegetables and legumes to your meals is essential for a healthy diet. They boost your levels of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Try to have half of your plate for every meal consisting of fruits and vegetables for a more balanced diet.

Healthy lunch swap: instead of a bowl of fried white rice, try a mix of brown rice and cauliflower rice with carrots and broccoli.

Cooking on a Budget

Many healthy diets also imply rarer or more expensive ingredients. Cooking on a budget – especially if you have a big family – isn’t easy.

However, it’s possible to be healthy, eat fresh, and go low budget, all with the same meal plan.

There are many ways to save money. Sticking to a shopping list and taking the time to meal prep already helps, but there is more you can do.

While not everyone can compost food waste at home, you can save money and help the environment at the same time by getting creative in the kitchen.

Scraps, stems, and stalks are perfect for stocks, roasts, baked dishes, and soups, for example.

If going all vegan isn’t an option, try going meatless one day a week, buying more eggs and fish, or simply going for cheaper cuts of meat (chicken breast and chicken thighs are both amazing for stir-frys, but the latter is much cheaper).

If you’re worried about not getting enough nutrition, good options are lentils, beans, and chickpeas. They are healthy, cheap, and teeming with protein and other nutrients.

Example of a Healthy 7-Day Meal Plan

7 Days Later: Keeping the Weight Off

After 7 days, try incorporating these tips into your day-to-day life. Eventually, you can try to hit a 30-day challenge and more.

Track your progress, find more meals you love, and add some exercise into the mix.

Try Perfect Body to keep your journey into a fitter and healthier lifestyle. You’ll be able to swap meals, check nutritional values, set goals, track your progress, and so much more.

All meals are tailored to your taste buds by professionals. Over 10,000 recipes and an option to quickly take care of shopping lists. Couldn’t be easier.

Take healthy eating beyond this challenge!