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5 ways to customize the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge meal plans (and still lose weight)

The Healthy Mommy’s 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge meal plans are so delicious and can be customized to suit all different dietary requirements.

Whether you are vegetarian, seek loads of variety, require a higher calorie diet, looking to save money and time or simply want to mix and match your favorite recipes from the delicious recipes from our recipe hub – we have got you covered!

The 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge program is designed to work for you and your family. Read below to see the AMAZING RESULTS moms are having with their customized approach to our meal plans.

The five ways to customize your meal plan

No matter what your tastes or calorie goals, there is a 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge meal plan that will suit you.

Siobhan uses the high-calorie meal plan

Target calories: 1800-2000 (then customize to suit your calorie needs)

Siobhan

If your target calories (find yours via the app) are 1,800 or more, the high-calorie plan is for you. The plan seeks to offer a meal plan of 1800-2000 calories. From there, you can tweak it with more snacks or extra sides if you need to add more calories. You can also reduce portion size for a meal if you need to get just below 1800.

How Siobhan makes the high-calorie meal plan work for her

Siobhan says, “I love that there is a higher calorie plan as I’m on 2,100 calories a day (including 500 of those calories as I am breastfeeding) and it’s so good to have a plan done for me.

I can then just add in an extra snack or two to take me up to my correct calories for the day.”

Siobhan loves that the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge offers a selection of meals and snacks that the whole family can eat.

“My hubby follows it with me too,” says Siobhan, “so the higher calorie plan is perfect for him also. I love that the work is done for me and I don’t have to worry about working out calories for meals and adding them all up myself!”

She does still sometimes customize her meal plan though if there’s something that they want to try out or don’t particularly feel like that week. “I love being able to swap meals about so it suits my whole family!”

Siobhan’s weight loss results on the high-calorie meal plan

Siobhan has lost 28 lbs since following her high-calorie meal plan and has now maintained her weight loss for the last two months!

Siobhan says ‘It’s amazing as I have never been this low in weight and never managed to maintain it before!’

Siobhan’s favorite meal from the challenge is the Mexican Lasagna.

Delicious healthy Mexican lasagna

Siobhan adds, ‘I love that I have been able to lose weight and not have to starve myself on a 1200 calorie plan!

I absolutely love all the meals and actually haven’t had one yet that I don’t like!’

Isabelle uses the budget/timesaver meal plan

Target calories: 1500 (then customize to suit your calorie needs)

Isabelle-Before-After

If your target calories are around 1500 per day,  you want to save money on your groceries and cook less often – this is the plan for you. Many of the meals are repeated on this plan (for instance you might have the same breakfast a few time per week; or have leftover dinners for your lunch sometimes).

How Isabelle makes the budget/timesaver meal plan work for her

Isabelle Rodriguez uses the budget/timesaver meal plan from The Healthy Mommy’s 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

“When the meal plans come out, I look at all of them first as my BMR is around 1900,’ says Isabelle. ‘I check what I know my family will eat and what will be a big no-no.

I pick at least 1 new meal every week to avoid boredom and then there are the must-have meals – steak (husband’s request), and meatballs for the kids.’

This is a key part of the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge – customizing!  You don’t have to go hungry and you NEVER have to make meals or snacks that you don’t particularly like.

Just use the customizing tool to swap it for something you do like. There are so many delicious recipes to choose from, and you can save your favorites for easy access too.

‘I also adapt the meals when serving them for the family as they don’t need to lose weight: for example, I make steak for everybody and I’ll have a side Greek salad but I add chips on my husband and kids’ plates.’

You can also prepare just a few snacks per week and freeze some to use throughout the week – there’s no need to be making new snacks every day!

‘I pick 3 or 4 snacks and rotate them between AM, PM and evening,’ says Isabelle. ‘I think that planning is key – and using the app.”

Isabelle says, ‘Using the budget/time-saving meal plan as a busy full-time working mom has been a game changer in terms of lifestyle change. I have tried other weight loss plans which provided meal plans and they were neither family-friendly nor purse-friendly so I always fell off the wagon.”

Isabelle loves this meal plan because it’s easy to adapt and gives you lots of ideas to stay on track while not wasting a lot of time and money.

Isabelle’s weight loss results on the budget/timesaver meal plan

Isabelle has lost 11lbs in 3 months and 3 inches off her waist!  Isabelle adds ‘I have gained energy. I don’t feel constrained by a diet, it truly is a lifestyle change.’

Isabelle’s favorite meal from the challenge is the One Pot Spaghetti Bolognese.

One Pot Spaghetti Bolognese

Katie uses the standard meal plan

Target calories: 1500 (then customize to suit your calorie needs)

Katie-Kirkham-before-and-after

If you love variety, want to try new recipes every week and want to eat seasonally, the standard plan is for you. Every day there are different breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for you to try. Of course, you can still customize if you want to – flexibility is a big part of making the challenge work for you!

How Katie makes the standard meal plan work for her

Katie uses the standard plan because her target is 1711 calories a day. She says, ‘I know I won’t go over my calorie goal, and I simply add another snack to my evening so I know I will still be within my calorie limit.’

Katie likes to customize her standard plan to ensure the food will be happily consumed by the whole family.

Katie says, ‘I choose recipes I know all my family will eat and enjoy, I use the hub search to search for our family favorites and I try to keep it really simple so I’m not cooking more than one meal.’

Katie likes to meal prep in advance so that she doesn’t have to spend too long in the kitchen each day.

Katie adds ‘I love the meal plan because I can customize it to mine and my family’s needs. I repeat snacks and batch cook so we always have snacks and lunches in the freezer so I can spend more time with my children.’

Katie’s weight loss results on the standard meal plan

Katie has had fantastic results using the standard meal plan. She says, ‘I have lost 50 pounds and 4 dress sizes. I have never gone hungry or felt like I’m on a diet.’  We think that sounds like a success right there!

Katie’s favorite challenge recipe is the Blueberry Breakfast Muffins.

Blueberry Breakfast Muffins

Seana uses the vegetarian meal plan

Target calories: 1500 (then customize to suit your calorie needs)

Seana-Collage

If you or your family are vegetarian, or you just want to start from a meal plan without meat (and add some in later using the customization tool), this is the option for you.

Seana Doherty uses the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge vegetarian meal plan.

How Seana makes the vegetarian plan work for her

Seana says ‘I love the meal plan because it has made me try so many new recipes.’

Frittatas, pasta, salad, pies, noodles and more – there are loads of vegetarian options.

Seana’s family can be fussy eaters, but they are loving the Healthy Mommy snacks that Seana is now baking.

Seana’s weight loss results on the vegetarian meal plan

Seana says, ‘I am feeling better and really enjoying my food with no guilt. I am also changing shape and the scales are slowly moving! My food now constantly resembles an upmarket wholefood restaurant.’

It seems that people are noticing a difference in Seana too, as she adds ‘My skin is apparently glowing too.’

Seana’s favorite challenge recipe is Ham, Spinach, and Egg Breakfast Muffins.

Ham, spinach, and egg breakfast muffins

Steph uses the blank meal plan

Target calories: flexible, you can customize to suit your calorie needs.

Stephanie Marriot weight loss

If you have favorite recipes that you prefer to make again and again, you have ingredients you want to use up (for instance you might cook lots of chicken meals if you have lots of chicken breast in the freezer!), or you just want total control over the meals you eat – the blank plan is for you.

You can search for recipes you want to try, or use your favorites, and just drop them into your plan. From there, your shopping list will come out telling you exactly what you need to buy. It’s also a great plan to use if you like to add more calories to certain days (for instance if you are doing weight training on a specific day).

How Steph makes the blank meal plan work for her

Steph Marriot loves it as she can fill it with all of her favorite foods which helps keep her on track.

She says ‘I love this meal plan because I can tailor it so my calories are exactly on track with my goals at the time. Whether it be weight loss or maintenance.’

And you can make this plan work for you if you have different schedules throughout the week. So on the nights your kids have football training until late, you can be sure to schedule a meal that takes only 20 minutes to pull together (or opt for a slow cooker meal that you set earlier in the day).

This is exactly what Steph does.  ‘I can choose meals that suit us and our schedules. 

On nights that my husband works late or is out playing sport, we have meals that I have defrosted from the freezer.’

Steph’s weight loss results on the blank meal plan

Steph lost 30 lbs in 6 months and has been maintaining that weight for the past 14 months, following the blank meal plan option. She has also lost inches from her measurements.

Steph’s favorite challenge meal is the Beef San Choy Bow.

Beef San Choy Bow

Are you ready to become a Healthy Mommy?

28 Day Challenge
Regain your body confidence with The Healthy Mommy’s 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

Our Challenge is designed by moms FOR MOMS – to help them reach their goal weight and tackle their health and fitness.

The Challenge is home to customizable meal plans, 24/7 social support and realistic exercises moms can do AT HOME.

To find out more on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge click here.

*Images and references to pounds lost are as supplied by the individual in the story. The Healthy Mommy assumes information and photographs supplied to be true in nature and is not responsible for any false misrepresentations or claims relating to their programs or products.

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