Whether you are a BistroMD client or not, there are a ton of diet meal plans and weight loss solutions you may be looking toward in the spirit of getting an early start on your New Year’s Resolution. Even if your ultimate goal is to lose weight, one priority should take importance over all of the rest: your health.

Neglecting the Nay-Say

Sure, there are a ton of diets that will guarantee weight loss by doing nothing to little at all (including eating), but that’s why you should neglect the nay-say.

Our bodies weren’t meant to live on supplement and water alone. Water is important, but so is nutrition.

We don’t just eat food to satisfy our hunger; we eat food to satisfy our biological and nutritional needs. Our bodies are biologically designed for movement and we can’t move without energy, and we can’t get energy unless we have the needed nutrition. The best source? Food, of course!

Forget the nay-say that you can’t eat satisfying meals and maintain a sustainable diet. Even if you aren’t on a specific meal plan, you can choose to eat the right kind of meals. It’s all about the right portions and achieving the right balance.

What’s in a Meal?

Opt for lean protein in each of your meals. Embrace the word “loin” and select protein choices that have this at the end of it when grocery shopping.(Pork tenderloin, beef tenderloin, etc.)

For easy reference, just remember: loin means lean. When preparing, grilled, baked, or roasted are usually your healthiest options.

When selecting sides, always include a fiber-rich vegetable and don’t be afraid to try different things. Broccoli is a good option, as well as steamed or cooked carrots. Lentils are a unique option and so is quinoa.

Not only do these vegetables contain fiber, but they also contain complex carbohydrates, which are ideal for achieving and maintaining weight loss.

Beans are also a great option and are naturally a great source of fiber. Cooked lima beans are great-tasting and good for you, as well as cooked black beans and garbanzo beans.

Ideally, each of your meals should contain some sort of fiber-rich vegetable, but if you are in need of some variety, berries are always a good choice for a healthy snack or topping.

Raw raspberries are good as well as raw strawberries, and both make great toppings on low-fat yogurt and make for a great small afternoon snack.

If you do love to snack between meals, you still can, just make sure that your choices contain good sources of protein. This will keep you feeling fuller longer, will help you maintain a steady metabolism, and will hold you over until your next meal.

Bottom line: if you are constantly searching through different diet meal plans or weight loss solutions, trying to find the right one, make sure you keep health as the number one priority. You can still enjoy food and still lose the weight!

Carrie Wissemeier, Registered Dietitian