Maria Vianna, who serves on the NutriBase Advisory Board developed this Low Carb Weight-Loss Meal Plan collection for you. This Meal Plan Collection offers weight-loss Meal Plans at eight calorie levels, ranging from 1000 to 2400 calories. A sample week from this Meal Plan Collection is available for your perusal.

Each calorie level in the Low Carb Meal Plan Collection provides a two week "initiation phase" and a two week "maintenance phase."

The first two weeks of each calorie level in this collection is similar in some ways to the Atkins Diet and the South Beach Diet. However, in many ways, these Low Carb Meal Plans are superior to both of these popular plans.

The Low Carb Meal Plan is superior to the South Beach Diet in that it offers a range of calorie levels for different weight loss needs. It is lower in total fat and sodium. It adheres to the nutritional guidelines established by the American Dietetic Association, the American Heart Association, and the Food Guide Pyramid. The Low Carb Meal Plan is less restrictive and is therefore easier to follow. These plans are well-balanced in that they allow fresh fruits and carbohydrates in the second two weeks. All four weeks of the Low Carb Meal Plan are rich in fiber and monounsaturated fats.

The Low Carb Meal Plan is superior to the Atkins Diet because it permits carbohydrates in the final phase (the third and fourth weeks) and spares protein to help prevent ketosis. The NutriBase Low Carb Meal Plan is also low in total fat, low in saturated fat, and rich in monounsaturated fat... making these plans heart healthy. All calorie levels adhere to the nutritional guidelines established by the American Dietetic Association, the American Heart Association, and the Food Guide Pyramid. These plans are less restrictive than Atkins and easier to stick with for most users.

To stimulate weight loss, carbohydrates are severely restricted in the initiation phase of these Meal Plans. You are not allowed any breads, rice, pasta, potatoes, baked goods, or fruit. You are allowed normal size portions of poultry, meats, fish, eggs, cheese, nuts, and vegetables. This diet is rich in monounsaturated fats. You will also be using olive oil in cooking and in salad dressings. Both phases of this Meal Plan includes three meals and three snacks a day... by spacing your food intake, you should be able to avoid hunger.

The second phase of the diet includes the foods allowed in the first phase and introduces carbohydrates in the form of breads, rice, pasta, baked goods, fruits, and dairy products. You will still continue to lose weight, but the rate of weight loss will slow down. During this phase, you will learn how to eat all foods in moderation... the key to successful long-term weight maintenance. This phase of the Low Carb Meal Plan Collection consists of a daily average of 55-65% carbohydrate calories spaced throughout the day. Consumption of complex carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables are encouraged. Total fat is controlled at a maximum of 30% of total intake and saturated fat is limited to no more than 10% of total daily calorie intake.

The number of calories you need depends on your weight loss goals, nutrition needs, and lifestyle. It is suggested that you work with your registered dietitian or use NutriBase to select the appropriate calorie level based on your individual needs. Since the initial phase of this diet is restrictive, we recommend you take a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement daily.

You will find greater success on any diet if you include exercise and activities in your regimen. For example, cutting back on 500 calories a week will mean a deficit of 3500 calories a week... this is equivalent to a weight loss of one pound a week - over 50 pounds a year! If you also burn 500 calories a day in additional activity or exercise on top of this food intake reduction, you can expect a weight loss of approximately two pounds per week. Use NutriBase to monitor your food and exercise calories. An additional benefit of exercising during weigh loss is that more of your weight loss will be in the form of fat rather than lean body mass, which you do not want to lose. But keep in mind that with weight loss, slow but steady wins the race... it's better to lose one pound a week for a year than to lose ten pounds in your first month only to spend the second month putting it back on.

This Meal Plan is included with NutriBase, version 5.1 and greater. Please email us anytime by clicking the email icon in the lower right corner of any page on this web site if you have comments or suggestions regarding these Meal Plans. :-)

Maria Biasucci-Vianna MS, Food, Nutrition, and Dietetics from New York University (after completing the AP4 program at Mount Sinai Medical Center). Maria is a Registered Dietitian and a Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist. She began her career by facilitating the outpatient nutrition department at Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. She's lectured for the National Kidney Cancer Foundation, the American Cancer Society, and Cancer Care. You can see Maria's Webcast "All You Want to Know About Nutrition" at www.cancereducation.com. Maria has authored articles for "Men's Fitness Magazine" and has been featured on New York's WBAI Lifestyles radio show. Maria has worked as Quality Assurance Director and as a Chief Clinical Dietitian. Ms. Vianna currently runs a private practice where she counsels clients and serves on the NutriBase Advisory Board.