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Q: How much weight will I lose on the meal plan?
A: The National Body Challenge meal plan is designed to help you lose weight if you are currently overweight. For most people, losing 1 to 2 pounds per week is a safe, healthy goal. When starting any new healthy eating and exercise regimen, weight loss may occur faster initially, but should slow to a steady, 1 to 2 lbs per week until the desired weight is achieved.
Q: What is the meal plan based on?
A: The meal plan is based on the most recent 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, issued by the US Department of Health and Human Services and the US Department of Agriculture. These guidelines were determined by using the best scientifically based studies currently available. The meal plan focus is on making healthy choices, daily caloric intake, and getting the most nutrition out of the calories you consume.
The National Body Challenge Meal Plan and its recipes are developed by our content partner, EatingWell and their EatingWell Test Kitchen, overseen by Registered Dietician staff. Note: If you have special needs, food allergies, or a chronic illness, such as celiac disease, it is recommended to follow the advice of your personal physician and registered dietitian. The meal plan screens can be printed and shown to your physician or dietitian to determine if the plan would work in your situation.
Q: Can I follow the meal plan in conjunction with Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig or other diet plans?
A: This plan is designed to be a lifelong nutrition plan. If you are attempting to lose weight and are currently following another diet plan that you have had success with, then you should stick with the current plan. Research suggests that the biggest determinant of weight loss is not a specific diet, per se, but the adherence to a single plan. The National Body Challenge menus can be used to give you different ideas for meals or snacks; increasing the variety of your diet can help you obtain a myriad of nutrients that could otherwise not be obtained when limiting your food choices.
Q: Can I follow the meal plan if I have special dietary needs or health concerns?
A: Discovery Health also offers Heart Healthy and Diabetes-Friendly Meal Plans, following recommendations and guidelines from both the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association. It is recommended to follow the advice of your personal physician and registered dietitian if you have special needs, food allergies, or a chronic illness, such as celiac disease. The meal plans can be printed and shown to your physician or dietitian to determine if the plan would work in your situation.
Q: Can my entire family follow the meal plan?
A: Establishing and maintaining healthy eating habits is important for any family. Though our meal plan was designed for adults and children from eight years and older, there are plenty of "kid-friendly" recipes in our collection. Our recipes are also created in such a way to make sensible adjustments (substituting steamed carrots for steamed broccoli, for example) easy. With over 1,000 recipes, you are sure to find meals that to satisfy even the hardest to please.
Q: What if I find that I only like five or six of the meal choices in the meal plan? Can I still lose weight if I just stick to those choices?
A: Research suggests that individuals fall into a certain pattern of dietary habits and typically eat similar foods on a regular basis. Moreover, studies have suggested that weight loss is often better when less variety is presented to an individual. Try to consume different colored fruits and vegetables to correspond to each of the meals you like; varying the veggies you eat is a great way to get a wide variety of important nutrients. For this year's Challenge, we offer 1,000 recipes online at www.discoveryhealth.com!
Q: How is this plan different from other diet plans?
A: This plan is based on real foods and common foods. It is not a diet per se, but rather an overall healthy lifestyle plan. It is based on the most recent dietary guidelines to incorporate a variety of healthy whole foods.
Q: If I skip meals, is it OK to fill in with the snacks offered on the plan?
A: It is OK as long as you are meeting your caloric requirements and the snack foods being selected are fruits, vegetables, and other high fiber, quality foods. It is not encouraged to meet your caloric requirements by eating chips, candies, etc.
Q: Can I change my meal plan?
A: Certainly! The meal plans are customizable to adjust to your changing schedules and desires. All of the over 1,000 recipes in the Challenge contain nutritional information to help you change meals and keep within your recommendations and health goals.
Q: Is there anything in the National Body Challenge for those of us who don't cook?
A: We recognize that many of our Challengers are, for varying reasons, unable to prepare your own meals on a daily basis. That's why we've included information and tips about eating out, grocery shopping, even fast food dining. The fact that you do not cook should not stop you from committing to healthier eating habits and we encourage you to register FREE at www.discoveryhealth.com for these resources.
