The Wall Street Diet

Are you one of those people who wants to lose weight and change their diet but hasn’t got time for measuring portions and following complex menu plans? Well you aren’t alone. Many women find it impossible to always fit in sensible balanced meals when they work long hours and often have to eat out or on the run, where healthy options are not always available.

Recognising the dilemma faced by many of today’s busy women, a top New York Nutritionist has devised The Wall Street Diet, which has topped the New York Times Bestseller List. The diet allows for the fact that meals have to be eaten where and when they can be fitted into a busy schedule, with no time for planning or weighing. With this in mind it has been branded as a survival guide for people on the go.

There are 9 basic weight loss rules, which must be followed;

Protein Is Vital.
You are advised to always keep a stock of high protein snacks in your fridge so that when you get home after a long day and want to snack you can do it healthily. Sliced turkey is brilliant for this as it is one of the best sources of lean protein and the diet allows you to eat as much of this as you like! You are also advised to eat a portion of turkey, chicken or fish with every meal.

Avoid “Dry Carbs”
So things like white bread, biscuits. Muffins, bagels, sweets, pizza, pasta and ice cream. However, if you simply cant resist carbohydrates you could keep a supply of handy carb blockers in your handbag!

Include “Juicy Carbs”
Things like sweet potatoes, beans, brown rice, lentils, peas, wholegrain bread, chickpeas and corn. Try to include four to seven fist-sized portions of these carbs into your weekly diet.

Stay Away From Nibbles!
All of those things that you know you are powerless against once you get started! Even foods that you think are healthy such as olives or crude oil with low fat dips. Because these kinds of snacks are impossible to put away until the tub has gone!

Eat The Right Cereal.
Ban all sugary brands of breakfast cereal and go for only high fibre, low sugar options. All Bran and oat puffs are amongst the best. The Slimming Solutions Breakfast Bowl and Diet Plates are great for controlling portion sizes.

Drink Water.
We all know the benefits of drinking water, it keeps us hydrated, stops us from feeling false hunger pangs and also works wonders for our complexion! Aim to drink 1 litre before lunch and then another after lunch. It is easier than you think to achieve this if you keep a litre bottle on you desk and keep sipping throughout the day. Diet fizzy drinks should be banned, or at the very least cut back to one per day and then only after your morning litre of water! Did you know that a slimming tea such as Pu-erh and Feiyan made with boiling water counts as part of your recommended daily intake?

Keep A Food Journal
Getting into the habit of writing everything down makes you think twice before you pop something into your mouth! Becoming more aware of what you eat and when will help to show you when you are most susceptible to temptation. In this way you can start to change your bad habits.

Don’t Forget The Booze!
Alcohol is a treat we all occasionally succumb to after a hard week at work, but it is high in calories. Try to dilute your intake by adding soda water and ice to a glass of wine for example.

Making Up For The Bad Days.
The whole point of this diet is that it is realistic about the demands of life. Sometimes you will eat cake! But the key is to balance this by having an all protein day the following day, eating only eggs, fish, turkey or chicken with green vegetables.

The diet also outlines some ways to avoid eating the wrong things in typical situations. So for example, what should you do in a busy day when you have no option but to eat on the run? Here are the suggestions;

lady with water

Breakfast
No matter how busy you are this is a meal that shouldn’t be skipped. Grabbing a piece of fruit and a hot drink on the way into work is fine – but go for plain tea rather than milky, high fat coffee drinks. If you have time to sit and eat at home, have something like 2 hard boiled eggs or a thinly spread peanut butter on wholemeal toast or high fibre cereal with skimmed or soy milk.

Morning Snack
If you feel the need to nibble at you desk, keep a supply off high fibre crackers such as Ryvita. Have one of these with a Babybel Lite or have a pot of low calorie yoghurt.

Lunch
If you have limited time and have to grab a sandwich from the high street or canteen, the best option is turkey, chicken or tuna on wholemeal bread. Avoid butter, cheese and mayo and add mustard instead. Ready-made salads are acceptable but they must have no more than 300 calories per pot. Soup is acceptable too as long as it is not cream based.

Another big pitfall in most dieter’s diaries is socialising. Here is how the diet advises you deal with these occasions;

Cocktail Party
You are advised to eat 2 ryvita crisp breads with a lite Babybel and a large glass of water before you go. This should keep you feeling full enough to avoid temptation. If you know this wont be enough to deter you then allow yourself 4 canapes but count this as a small dinner and eat nothing more. Drink a long drink such as a spirit with a lot of mixer or wine with soda and keep adding ice. Sip it to make it last!

Eating Out
If you can, check the menu online before you go and plan what you will eat. This way you will be less likely to make a quick and unwise decision. You can have a little indulgence, but choose it carefully. Select only one of the following – bread, 2 glasses of wine or a shared pudding. This shouldn’t leave you feeling deprived. For main meals always steer clear of rich cream or cheesy sauces and heavy dishes like pasta. Go for – you guessed it – Chicken, fish or beef!

The Buffet
If you have to eat at a buffet, take a small plate! Don’t choose any bread and select “clean” foods such as salads and fruit.

And finally, how should you approach a healthy diet when travelling;

On The Aeroplane
This is tricky because we are all more likely to eat the meals on a plane because we often have nothing better to do! But beware – these mails are packed full of fats and calories. However, just eat the vegetables and protein if there is any, and drink lots of water. It is a good idea to take some snack packets of high fibre crispbread and lite Babybels so that you can shun the meal and eat your own food.

In The Hotel
Ask for your mini bar to be emptied! If you are travelling alone for business you will probably eat out of sheer boredom! Ask for a fruit platter so that you can nibble to your hearts content!

So the main principles behind The Wall Street Diet seem easy to remember and follow. And in a world filled with fad diets it seems to offer a pretty common sense, healthy approach to diet. Good Luck!