Mix-n-Match 7-Day Meal Plan

The right combination of foods will complement your cleansing efforts as well as help make you stronger and healthier. Here's a sample menu for your first week. Your meal plan should be flexible, which means that you can shuffle one day's food plan with another. Eating small meals more frequently throughout the day is the key.

Aim to eat 5 small meals a day, plus drink at least 64 ounces of water.

Breakfast: 2 slices of whole-grain bread, toasted and smeared with 1 tablespoon of nut butter (almond, natural peanut butter etc.), 1 large grapefruit or orange.

Morning Momentum Snack: 1 cup of melon or berries.

Lunch: Make a salad with 1 cup of spinach, 2 cups of mixed veggies, 1/2 cup of black-bean salsa (bought or homemade), 2 tablespoons of feta cheese, 1 small whole grain roll.

Amplified Afternoon Snack: 1 all-natural 100% fruit-and-nut bar.

Dinner: 1 cup whole grain pasta mixed with tomato sauce or olive oil and garlic; top with 4 ounces of turkey meatballs; 1 cup of steamed veggies on the side.

Breakfast: Top 1 slice whole-wheat toast with 1 poached egg and 1 ounce low-fat Swiss cheese.

Morning Momentum Snack: 1 low-fat string cheese and 1 cup fruit.

Lunch: Top a bowl of fresh spinach with 4 ounces chunk light tuna in water, drained; 1 ounce of feta cheese and 1/2 ounce sliced almonds.

Amplified Afternoon Snack: 5 whole-wheat crackers with 4 tablespoons hummus.

Dinner: 3 ounces roasted pork tenderloin, 1 cup baked acorn squash, mashed with a pinch of cinnamon, 2 to 3 cups salad greens with 2 tablespoons fat free dressing.

Breakfast: Sprinkle 1/2 ounce almonds, 1/4 cup raisins, and 1/2 cup sliced strawberries on 1 cup cooked oatmeal.

Morning Momentum Snack: 1 cup low-fat plain yogurt sprinkled with almonds, walnuts, or granola.

Lunch: Make a sandwich with 3 ounces grilled chicken, 1/4 cup mashed avocado, and veggies on 2 slices whole-wheat bread; add a side of baby carrots.

Amplified Afternoon Snack: 2 squares of dark chocolate and 10 pecan halves.

Dinner: Combine 3 ounces baked chicken and 1 cup steamed veggies (such as a mix of carrots, peppers and cauliflower) over 1 cup brown rice.

Breakfast: Scramble 1 egg and 1 egg white; top with 1/4 cup salsa, 1/4 cup black beans, and 2-3 thin avocado slices; arrange all atop 1 serving (about 12-15) multi grain tortilla chips.

Morning Momentum Snack: Chocolate Soy Smoothie: mix 6 ounces unsweetened soy milk, 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon honey and 3 ice cubes in a blender until frothy.

Lunch: Wrap 1 grilled portabello mushroom, 2 tablespoons hummus, 1/3 cup roasted bell peppers, 1 slice light Jarlsberg cheese, and a few leaves of romaine lettuce in 1 (8-inch) multi grain wrap (like Ezekiel); enjoy with 1 cup grapes.

Amplified Afternoon Snack: 4 cups natural microwave popcorn sprinkled with garlic salt and parmesan cheese, to taste.

Dinner: Saute 2 tablespoons onion in 2 tablespoons peanut oil; add 4 ounces tofu, 1/4 cup each pineapple and red bell pepper slices, 1/4 cup light coconut milk, 2 teaspoons Thai-style curry paste, and 2 teaspoons Thai fish sauce to pan. Serve over 1/2 cup brown jasmine rice.

Breakfast: Enjoy 1 cup whole-grain cereal (look for one with more than 5 grams of fiber and less than 7 grams of sugar per serving) with 3/4 cup organic skim or soy milk; top with 1 small banana, sliced.

Morning Momentum Snack: Spread 1 tablespoon almond butter onto 1 sliced apple.

Lunch: Top mixed greens or spinach with 4 ounces lean protein, lots of veggies and 2 tablespoons of nuts and dried fruit; drizzle lightly with low-fat vinaigrette.

Amplified Afternoon Snack: Trail mix combining 2 tablespoons unsalted, roasted almonds and 1 tablespoon raisins.

Dinner: Mix 3/4 cup soba with 1 tablespoon scallions and 1 teaspoon each low-sodium soy sauce and sesame oil; top with 3 ounces grilled salmon marinated in 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce, 2 teaspoons honey and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper. Serve with 1 1/2 cups steamed broccoli.

Breakfast: Have an omelet with 1 egg, 2 egg whites, 1/3 cup each chopped asparagus and tomato, and 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese; serve with 1 slice multi grain toast.

Morning Momentum Snack: 1/4 cup dried cherries, figs or pineapple.

Lunch: Stuff 1 medium tortilla with 2 ounces turkey breast, 1 ounce of low-fat cheese, 1 cup of dark-leaf lettuce, tomato, cucumber, radish and celery (or the veggies of your choice).

Amplified Afternoon Snack: Top 1 slice toasted whole-grain bread with 3 tablespoons mashed avocado; drizzle with a mixture of 1 teaspoon olive oil, red pepper flakes and lemon juice, to taste.

Dinner: Make a thin crust veggie pizza using whole-wheat dough and top with 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce and 1 ounce low-fat cheese, enjoy with 1 cup spinach or mixed greens salad and 2 teaspoons of light vinaigrette.

Breakfast: Enjoy 1/2 cup of granola or Mueslix cereal with a side of 1 cup of diced melon, peaches or apples and 1 cup of low-fat yogurt.

Morning Momentum Snack: Spread 1 tablespoon herbed goat cheese onto 2 whole-grain crackers; serve with 1 pear.

Lunch: Toss 3 ounces chunk light tuna in water with 2 cups torn romaine lettuce; 2 tomato slices chopped; 3 black olives, chopped; 1 cup steamed plain green beans; 1 tablespoon olive oil; and red wine vinegar to taste.

Amplified Afternoon Snack: 1 cup edamame (fresh soy beans) sprinkled with sea salt.

Dinner: Broil 3 ounces Tilapia and season with a squeeze of lemon and 1 1/2 tablespoons low calorie tartar sauce; serve with 1 cup steamed broccoli and 1 small baked sweet potato sprinkled with 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon, and a whole-grain roll with 1 teaspoon of olive oil for dipping.
 

What else can you do?

Cook with oils high in monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as canola oil, olive oil and flax seed oil. Cut down on packaged foods like snack foods and watch labels for trans-fat-free alternatives. Finally, use 1% or skim milk instead of whole and trim visible fat an skins from meat to limit saturated fats.