Quick Meal Ideas for Fat Loss

Losing weight the right way means creating a calorie deficit, which means that while you can still eat pizza, cookies, and cupcakes, they won’t satisfy you in the same amount of calories as a real meal. Creating a calorie deficit that still leaves you satisfied and no longer hungry doesn’t have to be a 2-hour ordeal.

[Who says that eating right has to take all night? Quick meal ideas can give you all the flavor in half the time!]

There are lots of ways to make sure you body is getting the vitamins and nutrients it needs without sacrificing energy, but the easiest way is to make sure your list of quick meal ideas is always growing. They say variety is the spice of life, but variety is also the key to successful dieting. Grow your list of quick meal ideas (like the ones below) to make sure you always have time to eat right.

Mushroom Risotto

Prep time: 10 minutes      Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4      Calories: 179 per serving

Ingredients
1 cup arborio rice
1 onion, chopped
2 portobello mushrooms, chopped
1.5 cups chicken broth (Swanson’s 99% fat free)
1.5 cups water
2 tbsp. olive oil

Directions: Combine broth and water in saucepan over medium heat. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Toss in onion and cook 3 minutes or until tender. Add mushrooms, stir and cook for another 3 minutes. Stir in arborio rice and cook until rice becomes transparent, about 2 minutes. Add one ladle of broth-water mixture and stir. Allow arborio to cook until water is absorbed, add another ladle and repeat. It takes about 20 minutes of cook time and the entire saucepan of liquid before you have risotto.

Helpful Hint: Once you add arborio to skillet, put stove timer on 20 minutes. Your dish should be complete before time runs out!

Easy Veggie Stir Fry

Prep Time: 10 minutes     Cook Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4     Calories: 224.5

Ingredients
1 bunch scallions, chopped
3 cups broccoli, chopped stalks & florets
1 red pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, diced
2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 limes, juiced
1 lemon, zested
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. vegetable or peanut oil
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup long-grain brown rice (cook as directed)

Directions: Mix together broth, soy sauce, lime juice, lemon zest, sugar until blended and set aside for later. Add oil to large saute pan or wok over high heat. When you notice the oil starting to swirl, add in broccoli stalks and florets. Cook for 3-5 minutes, constantly stirring and tossing broccoli. When broccoli is bright green, add in onion, red pepper, garlic, and ginger and continue to stir until vegetables reach desired tenderness. Pour soy sauce mixture over veggies in the pan or wok until everything is coated.

Helpful Hint: Create a calorie deficit with this quick meal idea by eliminating the brown rice and adding vegetables like asparagus, snow peas, or baby corn.

Quick Meal Bonanza!!

Coming up with quick meal ideas for lunch and dinner can be pretty easy, and with a little bit of creativity you can have quick meal ideas for every night of the week. All you need to do is rely on your knowledge of food and what you’ve learned here at The Fat Loss Authority.

[A quick meal that features lean fish and veggies is the perfect way to create a calorie deficit for fat loss!]

An easy way to come up with quick meal ideas and a calorie deficit is to choose a lean protein such as trout (black beans or tofu for my vegetarian friends) as the focus of your dish. When hunger hits and you just can’t wait, keep these lean proteins on your grocery list for an endless supply of quick meal ideas:

Chicken breast (boneless & skinless)
Turkey breast
Salmon
Lobster
Tuna
Shrimp
London broil
Lamb roast
Pork tenderloin
Tofu
Black beans
Navy beans
Pinto beans
Garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
Egg whites

The next thing you’ll need for quick meal ideas is vegetables. Make sure you always have vegetables on hand, fresh or frozen will do as long as you have them. Add one up of vegetables per person for a well balanced meal that will help you create the calorie deficit needed for weight loss.

Feeling bored? Take your time strolling the produce section and see what options are available to you. Produce options can vary by season, so keep your quick meal ideas list handy! Even if you think you don’t like vegetables, I’m sure you can find a few options to rotate in when you need to eat NOW. Choose old favorites like green beans, corn, peas, carrots, or broccoli. If you’re feeling adventurous, be bold and choose brussels sprouts, zucchini, cabbage, or eggplant.

I’ll bet you’re thinking that even with variety you’ll get bored, right?

[Quick meal ideas require loads of creativity. Grab some pork tenderloin and braised apples for a modern (and healthy) "pork chops & applesauce"!]

I highly doubt that will happen, especially when you realize that a variety of quick meal ideas can be created simply by adding different flavors to your dish. Consider fragrant herbs like rosemary, thyme, tarragon, marjoram, or basil to create regional or international dishes. Cayenne, paprika, cumin, and fennel have also been known to pack quite a flavorful punch to just about any dish.

Quick meal ideas are a lot easier than you think, and can be just the answer to your weight loss questions. Keep it simple with lean proteins and vegetables while you get used to eating less and making food instead of buying it, and you’ll start to feel that calorie deficit in no time.

Read our review of The Truth About Six Pack Abs to find out how to lose that unsightly belly fat and to get more information on nutrition. The more you know about food, the easier weight loss will be!