Free daily diet menus can help you get your diet on the right track. One of the speed bumps that many dieters encounter is planning, so having your meals planned for you can enable your success. Diet menu planning doesn't have to be difficult or expensive if you use online resources to find your menus.
No Cost Daily Diet Menus
The type of menu you follow depends largely on the type of diet you pursue and what your goals are. Before seeking free daily diet menus, take some time to set realistic goals that support healthy and safe weight loss. Next, choose the type of diet you would like to follow. Select a diet based on the types of food you eat, how much time you have to prepare meals, and other lifestyle factors. Always talk with your doctor before undertaking a diet. Some types of diets you may want to consider include:
- Low-carbohydrate diets, such as Atkins and Protein Power
- Modified carbohydrate diets, including South Beach and Zone
- Low-fat diets
- Controlled-calorie diets
- Diets for health conditions, such as the diabetes diet, a low-purine diet, or the American Heart Association's No-Fad diet
Low-Carbohydrate and Modified Carbohydrate Diets Online
Low-carb diets bring about weight loss by restricting carbohydrates. Initial weight loss with low-carbohydrate diets is rapid, mostly due to the loss of water as you deplete your body's store of carbohydrates. After the first few weeks, weight loss typically becomes a steady one to two pounds a week. According to a study published in Oxford Journals, low carbohydrate diets are just as effective as low-fat diets for fat loss. Author Gary Taubes explains that low-carbohydrate diets work because they control insulin, which is your body's primary fat storage mechanism. When you avoid carbohydrates, you produce very little insulin, which allows your body to burn stored fat as fuel. The following links provide diet meal plans for low-carbohydrate diets.
Modified carbohydrate diets work on the same principle, suggesting that you eat carbohydrates that have a low glycemic index. Low-glycemic foods have minimal impact on blood sugar, and therefore control insulin secretion.
- Diet Doctor offers 14 days of low-carbohydrate meals complete with recipes.
- Bella Online's 20 g a day meal planner helps you plan meals that fall within Atkins induction phase.
- South Beach Diet 101 offers sample meal plans to help you in the initial phases of the diet.
Low-Fat and Calorie-Controlled Diets Online
Low-fat, calorie-controlled diets have been conventional weight loss wisdom for several decades. Fat has a higher caloric density than either carbohydrates or protein, meaning that if you eat one gram of fat you get nine calories, while if you eat one gram of carbohydrates or protein you get four. Low-fat diets are essentially calorie-controlled diets, and they work on the same principle: if you burn more calories than you eat, you will lose weight. Your basal metabolic rate and activity level determine how many calories you need to eat to lose weight. You can find free menus at the following links:
- 1200-calorie a day diet plans
- 1500-calorie per day menus
- 2000 calorie per day menus
Diets for Health Conditions Online
The diet you select will depend on the health condition you have. Below are several health conditions with links to daily diet menus.
If you don't feel you need to follow a specific diet, but wish to improve your eating habits, then use the USDA's dietary guidelines.
Other Resources
Many other websites offer a great deal of free information to help you quickly and easily plan daily meals. Consider the following:
- Forums dedicated to the type of diet you choose
- Diet blogs
- Online support groups
- Websites for specific diets
Do Your Research
With a little bit of research, you can get example daily meal plans to help you lose weight or control your health condition. If you follow them closely, you will be on your way to a healthier you.
