High protein, fat burning foods for weight loss

Table of contents

1. My weight loss journey as a woman in my almost 40’s
2. How my fat burning meal plan works for woman
3. What foods to eat to burn fat in the introductory phase
4. What is the weight loss meal plan for the intermediate phase

My weight loss journey

If you are on the path to live a natural, active, zen lifestyle, consider the following fat burning meal plan as an introductory 12 week guide to the best shape of your life. The key is consistency, start following my tips and tricks, they might help you to be ready for the summer, give it a try. It usually takes 12 weeks to create a healthy eating habit and see some result. Try it, the only thing you can loose is some weight, follow my natural, active, zen meal plan, as to rock that beach body.have put together things that I have leaned from mother, my nutritionist, my doctors, my friends and my travels. First of all, I grew up in a Latin household, so my mother’s biggest advice was to “Never skip breakfast, eat breakfast like a queen, have lunch like a princess, and dinner like a peasant” this was the meal plan that kept her lean during her entire life. And it has also worked for me. 

In addition, I have specific food sensitivities, that I have discovered by taking a food sensitivity test. This was life changing for me, as I am not longer inflamed, or suffering discomfort symptoms, such as acne, digestive issues, joint pain and migraines. I am able to make informed, customized decisions on my fat loss meal plan based on science.

Thus, my fat burning eating plan avoids inflammatory foods containing dairy, gluten and some root vegetables. If you have not taken this test I highly recommend it as it will help you to make personalized decisions to live a healthy lifestyle. In addition I use some supplements that are important for a woman close to her 40’s.

I am going to share what I have been eating for the past 5 years to lose fat, please bear in mind I am giving you the tips of what has worked for me, I am not a doctor just a healthy lifestyle enthusiast. I also have a decent knowledge of nutrition, calories and fat burning plans, from the school of life, but again, I am not a doctor, just a fitness enthusiast.

Natural, active, zen fat burning meal plan overview

My natural, active, zen meal plan a.k.a my fat loss meal plan is perfect for all levels of fitness and intensity of workouts from high core to beginners. This fat burning meal plan has changed my life by enabling me to do the following:

1. keeping my body fat under 20%
2. Fueling my  6-day intense workouts 
3. Giving me high levels of energy through the day. 

Other important things to consider, everyone’s situation is different, I can only speak for myself, but here are the 7 things that have motivated me to stick to my lifestyle, or that my healthy lifestyle has allowed me to do.

1. I am dropping fat without loosing muscle

As an adult women on my almost 40’s, I have been prioritizing strength training to maintain muscle mass and bone density. My goal is to be in the best shape of my life when I reach forty, therefore my fat burning meal plan is for an active lifestyle, that focuses on dropping fat without losing muscle. And I mean lean muscle, nothing bulky, just defined, toned legs, arms and abs.

There is nothing worse than being skinny fat; Therefore, knowing my body fat and tracking it is important to me. I pay more attention to my body fat than to my weight, as I believe that if I am doing things right, my body fat should at be 20%, and for those times that I get on phase 2 of my fat loss plan, I am able to make it to 18%. That’s how I know and see the results.

2. I am never hungry 

I eat every 3 hours. I am never hungry, I eat 3 full meals and 3 snacks everyday; Including breakfast, lunch and dinner; And brunch, afternoon snack, and supper.

I pay attention to the calories in my fat loss meal plan without sacrificing protein. Protein is key here. I eat what’s on the following list, no more, no less.

3. I try to stay hydrated 

I try to drink a gallon of water a day (16 cups)  but usually I have at least 12 cups

4. I eat a balanced diet

I should rather say, this is not a diet but a lifestyle, I eat very balanced dishes, and I am in optimal health. 

5. I avoid processed foods

I use natural condiments and spices for flavoring, and salt in moderation. I always have a recommended flavoring tip for every meal. The worse thing you could do is to put an effort to cook and eat healthy, but ruin it all, with unhealthy dressings full of calories and fat.

6. I use some key supplements 

I personally believe in taking vitamins and supplements. I have seen the results and benefits of the supplements that my doctor has recommended to me for my own needs.

7. I have 2 cheating days

I follow my fat burning meal plan by the book during the week, and I take Saturday and Sunday off. During the weekend, I am more flexible, Yet I still avoid inflammatory foods and prioritize protein intake. Remember, It’s a lifestyle; But I drink, and I also enjoy dessert with brunch or dinner.

In case you are interested, have included a list of all the foods, supplements and additional products I use at the end.

Introductory phase: weeks 1 to 6

Fat burning meal plan for women

I have put together a fat burning meal plan for my own personal needs. I have several food swaps options and recipes to avoid getting bored though the year. But for the purpose of this blog, I will give you the basics, as to make it easy to follow and implement. I promise you I have tried to make it as fun as possible, I love colorful, savory dishes. Drop me a note in the comments for more details, I am always happy to help. 

Remember: everyone is different, perhaps you need to adjust several foods for your own needs, as I am not a doctor. Consult with your healthcare provider for specific nutritional needs or questions. Here is what I do to live a natural, active, zen lifestyle and the fat burning foods I eat to keep my body fat at 20%.

☀️🧘‍♀️ Tip: I start my day with a 15 min yoga stretch  

BREAKFAST LIKE A QUEEN (7 am)

Fruit and protein bowl 

• 1 fruit yogurt 
• 1 banana
• 1 cup of berries
• ⅓ cup (uncooked) instant oatmeal
• 2 tablespoons of chia seeds 

👉Tip: 1/2 the time I blend all the ingredients for a delicious smoothie.

Energy & Beauty cup 

• 1 scoop of collagen supplement mixed with my coffee.
• 1 cup of Hot coffee and fat free milk (or no milk)

👉 No coffee creamers, or artificial additives. 

• Optional: 1 tbs of sugar or honey

Protein charged Brunch (10 am)

• 2 boiled eggs
• 1 oz of Parmesan cheese 
• 3 oz sweet potato with skin, boiled.
• ½ hass avocado
• Flavoring Tip: 1 table spoon of spicy sauce or balsamic vinegar. 

👉Low calorie Drink:

1 cup of green tea, no sugar.

Lunch like a princess (1 pm)

Fat burning Salad

• 4 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast, boiled, grilled or sautéed. 
• ½ cup of brown rice
• 1 cup of chopped steamed broccoli.
• 2 cups of arugula 
• 10 almonds, crushed
• ¼ cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 
• Flavoring Tip: One handful of FRESH herbs (I actually have a hydroponic garden in the kitchen with basil, cilantro and oregano)

👉Drinks:

2 glasses of water

1 espresso coffee, no sugar

Pre-workout snack (4pm)

4 medium strawberries with 70% dark chocolate, or

1 Apple and 1 tablespoon of peanut butter.

Or a pre workout bar, or dry fruit. (See my list at the end)

TIP:💥💪  I always work out in the afternoon 

Dinner like a peasant (7pm)

Fat burning dinner plate

• 4 oz of any lean protein (fish, chicken, turkey, steak )
• 1/2 cup of quinoa
• 1 cup of boiled vegetables 

Drink of choice:

1 glass of water with natural lemon 

Supper

• 1 scoop of BCAA powder
• 10 almonds 

🌙🧘‍♀️ Tip: I end my day with a 30 min yoga stretch

👉 I always have my bottle of water available to drink at least 12 cups a day.

Intermediate phase: Weeks 7-12

high protein fat burning meal plan for women

After I had created the healthy habit of eating a natural, active, zen diet; Meaning that I did 6 weeks of the introductory fat burning meal plan, I felt ready to take things a step further, the first time I did it was with a very specific objective. I wanted to get my body fat to 18% to have more definition on my abs. And I did. So this phase 2 is nice to implement during those times that you want to rock a beach body.

I adjusted some stuff on my eating plan, as to reduce more calories while keeping protein intake. It is still based on a high protein intake. In addition, I continued exercising to build muscle and to burn fat. I was able to get my body fat to 18% by doing the following:

Breakfast Like a queen (7 am)

Fruit and protein bowl 

• 1 fat free plain yogurt 
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup of berries 
• 1/2 cup of spinach
• ⅓ cup (uncooked) instant oatmeal
• 2 tablespoons of chia seeds 

Tip: you can also blend all the ingredients for a delicious smoothie.

Energy & beauty cup 

• 1 scoop of collagen supplement mixed with my coffee.
• 1 cup of Hot coffee and fat fee milk, no sugar, no additives.

Tip: you can use cinnamon or nutmeg for natural flavor if needed

Protein charged Brunch (10 am)

• 4 egg whites
• 2 oz 99% fat-free ground turkey breast
• Flavoring Tip: 1 table spoon of spicy sauce or balsamic vinegar. 

Lunch like a princess (1 pm)

Protein bowl

• 4 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast, boiled, grilled or sautéed. 
• ½ cup of boiled lentils (chickpeas or beans)
• 1/2 of has avocado 
• 2 cups of arugula or mixed greens
• ¼ cup of sliced sweet peppers and onion mix 
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 
• Flavoring Tip: One handful of FRESH herbs (cilantro, basil, oregano, etc)

Drinks of choice: 

2 glasses of water

1 espresso coffee

Pre-workout snack (4pm)

1 Green apple and 1 tablespoons of almond butter 

TIP:💥💪  I always work out in the afternoon 

Dinner like a peasant (7pm)

Fat burning dinner plate

• 4 oz of 99% fat-free ground turkey breast
• 1 cup of shiitake mushrooms or mushrooms of choice 
• 1 cup of boiled broccoli 

Drink of choice:

1 glass of water with natural lemon 

Supper

• 1 scoop of BCAA powder
• 5 walnuts 

🌙🧘‍♀️ Tip: I end my day with a 30 min yoga stretch  

Also I always have my bottle of water available to drink at least 12 cups a day.

Finally, I have a more relaxed day on Saturdays and Sundays, as I usually go out and enjoy a couple of low calorie drinks. But in general no more than 2. I also don’t eat anything fried or overly processed, as it makes me feel very bad, so it is not worth it…

Important disclaimer: please bear in mind that I am not a trained professional, or a doctor. I am only speaking from my own experience. Please be responsible with your health concerns, and consult a healthcare professional before making any significant dietary changes that might interfere with your own health conditions. I have only shared my point of view as a fitness enthusiast trying to live a healthy lifestyle but You need to consult with your doctor any dietary concerns.

For your convenience, I am including the Amazon shopping list with links to see more details on the products I use to live a natural, active, zen lifestyle. The supplements were recommended to me by my doctor based on my own needs. I have also included a food sensitivities test in case you want to learn more about it.

• Food sensitivity Test, at-Home Analysis, click here
• Easy to use Body Fat Measurement tape for Muscle Gain, Fitness Shape, Click here
• For Joints and Bones: Collagen promotes the strength and health of joints, tendons, bones, and ligaments click here
• Lean Muscle support: Branched chain amino acids for athletes and individuals seeking optimal lean muscle mass, click here
• Almond butter, click here
• My favorite snack bars, click here and here
• Dry fruit on the go, click here
• Herb Indoor Garden, Hydroponic Planter, click here

👉To learn more about my daily stretches and workout plan, read my post on embracing a healthy and active lifestyle, click here