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The best diet I have ever been on is the zero belly diet by Dr David Zinczenko. It is a well balanced diet with meat, fruit, vegetables, pasta and a cheat meal every week. The first week is the toughest it is a cleanse week focusing on protein smoothies. If you can stick with it you loose 7-10 lbs the first week. No drugs, no boxed food, no starvation. Three meals a day plus snacks. The books can be found in most libraries or ordered on line. The books are a little confusing to read but I took the basic principle of the plan and did just fine. No sugar, dairy or gluten but you get to eat everything else including peanut butter. If you would like I can send you a general overlay of the plan. I regularly come back to this diet and will be going back on it this week. I need to drop at least 60 lbs. We can be diet buddies

The basic premise of this diet is every meal to have a lean protein, fiber and a good fat. No sugar, white potatoes, dairy or gluten. Focus on dark and brightly colored fruit and veggies, lean meats lots of herbs and spices and lots of water. This is an over-simplification of the diet. I strongly suggest finding the Zero Belly Diet book at a library or used book store. It will have lots of recipes which will make this meals much easier. Just take the general idea of the diet and do your own thing.

FIRST WEEK CLEANSE MENU: (Do for 7 days)
Breakfast - Smoothie
Lunch - Smoothie
Snack - 1 Cup fruit or veggies and two Tablespoon of peanut butter or 1/3 cup of nuts
Dinner - 2-3 Cups dark vegetables, 5 oz. lean meat, a good fat (1/4 avocado,1 Tablespoon nuts or 1 Tablespoon salad dressing

MAIN DIET:
Breakfast - oatmeal or hash or smoothie or other food that fits the plan
Lunch - soup or salad
Snack - smoothie (can be moved to any meal)
Dinner - 5 oz. lean meat, 2-3 Cup dark veggies and 1 Tablespoon good fat
Snack - 1/2 cup fruit or veggie with 2 Tablespoons of nuts


BASIC SMOOTHIE:
1/2 cup non dairy milk (Not Soy)
1/2 banana
1/2 cup of fruit or berries
1 scoop of protein powder (not soy, whey or meat protein)
1 Tablespoon low sugar peanut butter

HASH: my favorite (makes 4 servings)
1 sweet potato peeled and cubed
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion - chopped
1 zucchini - diced
3 large mushrooms - chopped
1/2 Cup canned black beans
2 cloves garlic - crushed
1 red pepper - diced

Cook diced sweet potato in microwave for two minutes to soften. then cook all vegetables in fry pan. Divide in to four servings. add one egg to serving for meal. I like to cook a large batch ahead of time and put 1 cup servings in the freezer.

OATMEAL
1 Cup water
1/2 Cup rolled oats
1/2 Cup fruit
1/2 Tablespoon nuts or nut butter
1/2 Cup non dairy milk (I like oat milk)