If you’ve been wondering, “How much weight can I lose in 6 weeks?” Expert-recommended weight loss hovers around 1-2 lbs per week (any more and you risk upsetting your metabolism), so most people could potentially lose around half a stone of fat in six weeks, while others will be just shy of a stone.
One weight loss secret many people don’t know when creating a 6-week meal plan is that success depends not only on what you eat but also on which habits you cultivate. In just six short weeks, you can revolutionize the way you eat in small, easy, and practical steps.
In this article, we’ll show you how to lose weight in 6 weeks. Besides a 6-week weight loss meal plan, we have tips for how to create healthy habits that last a lifetime.
Read More: 2-Week Family Meal Plan To Instill Healthy Eating Habits
The 6-Week Meal Plan For Weight Loss
You probably know that to lose weight, you must create a calorie deficit. While the ideal deficit will vary from one person to the next, most people can lose weight on a 1500 calorie diet plan.
Here’s a sample 1-week weight loss meal plan to get you started:
Day One
- Breakfast: 2 bowls of Greek yogurt made with berries, nuts, and honey- 59.1g carbs, 10.8g fat, 39.1g protein, and 467 calories
- Lunch: 1 cup of grapes and 1 cup of basic protein shake- 31.9g carbs, 6.0g fat, 33.1g protein, and 346 calories
- Snack: 2 servings of turkey lettuce roll ups and a banana- 32.3g carbs, 3.0g fat, 20.6g protein, and 224 calories
- Dinner: 1 BBQ chicken sandwich- 40.2g carbs, 14.9g fat, 41.8g protein, and 470 calories
- Total daily calories: 1507 calories
Day Two
- Breakfast: 2 banana egg pancakes and 1 ounce of granola- 42.3g carbs, 15.8g fat, 17.9g protein, and 387 calories
- Lunch: 1 mango protein shake- 44.3g carbs, 6.1g fat, 32.8g protein, and 355 calories
- Snack: 1 serving of yogurt and banana- 35.1g carbs, 1.3g fat, 24.4g protein, and 239 calories
- Dinner: 2 servings of cauliflower chicken fried rice- 35.6g carbs, 23.8g fat, 43.3g protein, and 510 calories
- Total daily calories: 1490 calories
Day Three
- Breakfast: 1 serving of sunrise smoothie- 47.1g carbs, 12g fat, 30.6g protein, and 404 calories
- Lunch: 2 servings of tuna stuffed pepper- 24.8g carbs, 5.5g fat, 70.1g protein, and 424 calories
- Snack: 1 cup of nonfat Greek yogurt and 1 cup of grapes- 35.4g carbs, 1.1g fat, 25.6g protein, and 246 calories
- Dinner: 1 turkey and onion quesadillas- 50.1g carbs, 16.4g fat, 21.1g protein, and 437 calories
- Total daily calories: 1510 calories
Day Four
- Breakfast: 2 bowls of dairy-free strawberry oatmeal- 87.7g carbs, 3.1g fat, 12.1g protein, and 389 calories
- Lunch: 2 servings of simple lemon pepper tuna and a banana- 30.4g carbs, 3.7g fat, 65.5g protein, and 401 calories
- Snack: 1 cup of nonfat Greek yogurt and 1 cup of grapes- 35.4g carbs, 1.1g fat, 25.6g protein, and 246 calories
- Dinner: 1 serving of almond butter chicken salad lettuce wrap- 22.2g carbs, 15.4g fat, 57.5g protein, and 578.6 calories
- Total daily calories: 1492 calories
Day Five
- Breakfast: 2 bowls of dairy-free strawberry oatmeal- 87.7g carbs, 3.1g fat, 12.1g protein, and 389 calories
- Lunch: 2 servings of quick buffalo chicken salad- 17.6g carbs, 17.6g fat, 56.8g protein, and 456 calories
- Snack: 2 slices of cantaloupe and 1 ounce of almonds- 17.4g carbs, 14.5g fat, 7.2g protein, and 211 calories
- Dinner: 1 serving of tomato mozzarella tuna melt- 31.6g carbs, 15.8g fat, 51.1g protein, and 461 calories
- Total daily calories: 1517 calories
Day Six
- Breakfast: 1 bowl of knock-oats- 63.5g carbs, 19.4g fat, 14g protein, and 451 calories
- Lunch: 1 peach protein smoothie- 46.8.8g carbs, 3.7g fat, 33.6g protein, and 345 calories
- Snack: 1 serving of yogurt and banana- 35.1g carbs, 1.3g fat, 24.4g protein, and 239 calories
- Dinner: 1 serving of tuna curry melt- 34.9g carbs, 9.9g fat, 45.3g protein, and 409 calories
- Total daily calories: 1444 calories
Day Seven
- Breakfast: 2 bowls of corn flakes- 70.6g carbs, 9.9g fat, 20.3g protein, and 444 calories
- Lunch: 1 serving of peanut butter yogurt- 16.3g carbs, 17.4g fat, 31.5g protein, and 345 calories
- Snack: 1 serving of yogurt and banana- 35.1g carbs, 1.3g fat, 24.4g protein, and 239 calories
- Dinner: 2 chicken wraps- 49.2g carbs, 11.6g fat. 47.9g protein and 504.9 calories
- Total daily calories: 1533 calories
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Step 1: Remove These Foods From Your Pantry
Throwing together a quick, nutritious meal requires a well-stocked kitchen. However, some food items in your pantry might make it hard for you to see results while on this 6-week challenge meal plan. Limiting these food items from your pantry might help you stay on track with your weight loss goals and improve your overall health:
Added Sugar
Added sugar is one the sneakiest ingredients that feature in a variety of foods you probably have in your pantry. Sugar can show up in bread, granola bars, and soup. It’s also often lurking in more unexpected places like salad dressings, ketchup, and cereal bars.
Breakfast cereals are notorious for their high sugar content. Although some brands are fortified with vitamins and minerals, this doesn’t take away from their high sugar content. When you’re trying to lose weight, there’s really no place for any item with empty calories in your diet plan.
Processed Foods
Highly processed foods contain a lot of added sugar. Moreover, a diet packed full of processed foods means you’ll miss out on essential vitamins and minerals that will help you lose weight (5).
Processed foods often contain artificial flavor enhancers, which can be linked to hormone disruption, a risk factor for heart disease and type 2 diabetes (5). It’s much better to eliminate these items from your pantry because they have no nutritional value whatsoever.
Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Modified vegetable fats like margarine can be more dangerous than saturated animal fats when it comes to increasing cholesterol levels in the blood. Products containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils have been linked to serious health issues, including heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes (6). Completely avoid these harmful items by removing them from your kitchen.
Removing the following foods from your pantry might help you control cravings for unhealthy foods while losing weight on this 6-week challenge meal plan.
Artificial Flavor Enhancers
One of the easiest ways to curb cravings is to cut out artificial additives. While it’s not possible to completely eliminate all artificially flavored foods from your diet, choosing fresh ingredients over pre-packaged fare can help.
Removing these artificial flavor enhancers from your pantry might curb cravings for unhealthy foods while you lose weight on this 6-week challenge meal plan.
Artificial Sweeteners
If you’re trying to lose weight, a good rule of thumb is to avoid all artificial sweeteners because they can trigger hunger and sweet cravings later on in the day. Some studies suggest that sugar substitutes may actually increase appetite and food intake (1).
You’ll be much better off if you eliminate them entirely from your diet, so here’s how to do it.
Read More: How To Stop Eating Junk Food: Tips And Tricks To Improve Your Eating Habits
Step 2: Put These Healthy Foods In Your Shopping List
Making healthy meals is much easier when you have healthy ingredients in your pantry.
Here are a few selections that you should prioritize the next time you go shopping:
Canned Beans
Canned beans are an easy way of getting more protein into your diet while losing weight.
Beans are not only convenient but also an easy way of adding more protein to your diet. Beans and lentils are packed with fiber, which will help you feel satisfied for longer. Fiber-rich foods also keep blood sugar levels stable, preventing those energy peaks and troughs we often get when snacking sugary treats (2).
Include them in your 6-week body makeover meal plan because they’re a great source of fiber that makes you feel full for longer.
Frozen Fruit And Vegetables
Frozen vegetables are the perfect alternative to fresh ones if you’re not a fan of the taste or texture after a long day in the kitchen. The nutrients found in these frozen fruits and vegetables haven’t been destroyed during transportation, as may be the case with canned produce. Frozen vegetables can also be a lifesaver if you’re in a rush when planning meals for the week because they cook up quickly and don’t require any pre-chopping or peeling.
Frozen fruit is usually cheaper than fresh produce too, so if you’re on a tight budget, it’s the perfect way to get your five servings of fruit per day.
Fermented Foods
Fermented foods like sauerkraut are packed full of good bacteria that may help improve digestion. They may also reduce inflammation in the body, which has been linked to chronic disease (4). Sauerkraut is also easy to make at home and tastes great with some whole grain bread as an easy snack alternative during this 6-week weight loss challenge meal plan.
Nuts, Seeds, And Nut Butters
These foods are filled with heart-healthy fats, protein, and fiber which can help you feel fuller for longer while providing energy to fuel your workouts sessions. Nuts and seeds also contain antioxidants that may lower the risk of various diseases like cancer and cardiovascular disease (3).
Nut butters, like peanut butter, are packed with healthy fats that regulate appetite by stabilizing blood sugar levels.
Whole Grains
Instead of white flour and white rice, it’s best to choose whole grains to lose weight. Whole-grain foods like oats, barley, rye, and brown rice are high in fiber that helps keep blood sugar levels stable while also providing greater satiety than their processed counterparts (2).
Whole grains are one of the healthiest foods you can eat when trying to lose weight on this 6-week shred meal plan because they’re a good source of fiber which makes you feel full for longer (2).
Healthy Fats For Cooking
Healthy fats like olive oil, canola oil, and avocado oil are great for cooking because they keep food from sticking to the pan or grill, which is especially important if you’re following a paleo diet.
They also make it easier to add flavor to your meals because you don’t need a lot of salt when using these oils. Virgin or extra-virgin olive oil is best for healthy diets because, unlike refined oils that have been stripped of most of their beneficial compounds during production, virgin olive oils still contain high levels of antioxidants (7).
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Step 3: Control Your Appetite
Cutting out these food groups from your diet might help you lose weight on this 6-week challenge meal plan, but it’s important to control your appetite as well. Since many of us have become accustomed to constantly eating throughout the day and night, it’s a good idea to learn some new strategies for managing hunger when cravings strike.
Here are a few ways to do that during this 6-week weight loss challenge meal plan:
Drink More Water
It’s no surprise that drinking more water can help you feel full so if you’re feeling hungry, reach for a glass of water before reaching for that sugary snack. Drinking more water might even help with the headaches and bloating that many people experience when dieting.
Question Your Hunger
If hunger pangs persist, it’s important to ask yourself, “Am I really hungry or is my mind playing tricks on me?” Hunger is often confused with sudden cravings, and as such, it can be hard to know if we actually need a meal or not. If you’re still hungry an hour after eating a meal, try snacking on something healthy like carrot sticks and hummus until the hunger subsides.
Step 4: Gauge Portion Sizes
Portion control is one of the most important habits to develop if you’re looking to lose weight and keep it off for good. While different types of foods require varying amounts of servings per day, it’s a good idea to start by visualizing the size of your plate at every meal.
Keeping your meals small but filling is an important part of this 6-week challenge meal plan because when you fill up on nutritious foods, there’s less room for high-calorie snacks like desserts or candies that can sabotage weight loss efforts.
It’s important to keep things simple, so you don’t get frustrated and quit. Using your hand to measure portions is not only convenient but also less stressful compared to other methods such as counting calories and weighing food. The hand sizes portion guide is simplified as follows:
- Your palm determines your protein portions.
- Veggie portions are determined by your fist.
- Your cupped hand determines your carb portions.
- Your thumb determines your fat portions.
Step 5: Do This If You Slip Up And Overindulge
Losing weight doesn’t happen overnight, so don’t get discouraged if you fall off the wagon once or twice during this 6-week weight loss challenge meal plan. If that happens, don’t take it as a sign to abandon healthy eating entirely.
When you do slip up and eat something that isn’t part of your healthy diet, it’s best to forgive yourself as quickly as possible because self-loathing will only lead to more mistakes down the road. What you should do is acknowledge the slip-up, accept it, and get back to healthy eating.
The Bottom Line
Even though good nutrition is a cornerstone of this 6-week challenge meal plan, it’s just one aspect that will help you lose weight. The most important part of the equation is to combine healthy eating habits with exercise, so if you want to maximize your results on this challenge, you have to put in the work.
DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
SOURCES:
- Chronic Intake of Commercial Sweeteners Induces Changes in Feeding Behavior and Signaling Pathways Related to the Control of Appetite in BALB/c Mice (2018, nih.gov)
- Dietary fiber: Essential for a healthy Diet (2021, mayoclinic.org)
- Nuts and seeds (n.d., vic.gov.au)
- Role of the gut microbiota in nutrition and health (2018, bmj.com)
- The Many Health Risks of Processed Foods (2019, lhsfna.org)
- The negative effects of hydrogenated trans fats and what to do about them (2009, pubmed.gov)
- Virgin Olive Oil and Health: Summary of the III International Conference on Virgin Olive Oil and Health Consensus Report, JAEN (Spain) 2018 (2019, nih.gov)
