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November 3, 2016 at 3:14 am

If you could design your dream diet, what would it include? Lots of variety so meals and snacks never get boring? Plenty of treats? A day to cheat a little? Well, we hear you—and we’ve worked all that into our program. Follow this easy plan for a month and enjoy real food (not just rice cakes and cottage cheese), your favorite treats, even a glass of wine. The keys: smaller portions, more protein and healthier carbs. Just mix and match one breakfast, lunch and dinner plus two treats for six days of the week. Then, on day seven, indulge with a cheat day.
Lunch
400 CALORIES PER SERVING

15. Veggie Jack burger: Veggie burger + 1-oz slice Monterey Jack cheese + 1 Tbsp barbecue sauce + lettuce and tomato + whole-wheat hamburger bun; 1 cup watermelon cubes

16. Turkey-bacon-avocado pita: 2 oz deli turkey + 2 pieces of thinly sliced avocado + 1 slice bacon + 1 Tbsp honey mustard + lettuce and tomato + 6″ whole-wheat pita; 1 nectarine

17. Blue cheese chicken pita: ½ cup shredded skinless rotisserie chicken breast + ½ cup shredded romaine lettuce + ¼ cup sliced celery + ½ cup shredded carrots + 1 Tbsp light blue cheese dressing + 6″ whole-wheat pita; 1 peach

18. Turkey Swiss burger: 4 oz lean ground turkey patty + 1 thin slice Swiss cheese + 1 Tbsp barbecue sauce + lettuce, tomato and onion slices + whole-wheat hamburger bun; 1 cup cantaloupe cubes

19. Black bean-tomato soup: 1½ cups chilled tomato soup or low-sodium vegetable juice + 2 tsp red wine vinegar + ½ cup black beans + ½ cup corn niblets + ½ yellow bell pepper + 1 tomato + 2 Tbsp red onion; 15 all-natural tortilla chips

20. Grilled shrimp Caesar: 3 cups romaine lettuce + 10 large grilled shrimp + 2 Tbsp Caesar dressing + 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan; 12 whole-wheat pita chips

21. Pasta salad: 2 oz* whole-wheat penne pasta, cooked, then cooled and refrigerated + 5 halved cherry tomatoes + 1 oz part-skim mozzarella, diced + ¼ diced yellow pepper + 2 Tbsp Italian vinaigrette dressing + 2 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

22. Chicken Cheddar sandwich: 3 oz grilled chicken + 1-oz slice reduced-fat Cheddar + lettuce and tomato + 1 Tbsp light mayo + whole-wheat sandwich thin; ¾ cup grapes

23. Takeout! 1 slice cheese pizza; 2 cups tossed salad + 1 Tbsp balsamic vinaigrette

24. Mediterranean tuna wrap: 3 oz water-packed tuna + 3 chopped Kalamata olives + 1 tsp capers + 2 Tbsp chopped onion + 1 tsp olive oil + 1 tsp red wine vinegar + 8″ whole-wheat tortilla; 1 apple

25. Couscous with chickpeas: ⅓ cup* whole-wheat couscous, cooked + ¾ cup chickpeas + ½ cup diced tomato + ½ cup diced cucumber + 1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil + 2 Tbsp crumbled feta

26. Cheese quesadilla: two 8″ whole-wheat tortillas + ¼ cup reduced-fat shredded Cheddar, cooked in nonfat cooking spray; ¼ cup salsa; 2 Tbsp nonfat plain Greek yogurt; 5 grape tomatoes

27. Roast beef horseradish sandwich: 2 slices rye bread + 2 oz lean roast beef + 1 Tbsp reduced-fat canola mayo mixed with ¼ tsp horseradish + lettuce and tomato; ½ cup coleslaw

28. Asian spinach salad: 3 cups baby spinach + ½ cup skinless rotisserie chicken breast + ½ chopped apple + ¼ cup shelled edamame + ½ cup grated carrots + 2 Tbsp Asian vinaigrette