The Workweek Diet

By Marge Perry, SELF magazine

Call it Sunday remorse: After a weekend of freestyle dining and drinking, you resolve to get your diet on track. So on Monday, you skip breakfast, eat an apple for lunch, nibble salad for dinner and sip only water. But day by day, you slip a little-and come Friday, you can't resist cocktails and pizza. Sound familiar? Nearly 75 percent of women in a Self.com poll said they overindulge on weekends and will often start a major diet on Monday.

Related: 21 Good-For-You Snacks

"This eating style makes you feel lousy about yourself and may even cause you to gain weight," says SELF contributing editor Joy Bauer, R.D. In fact, spartan days may slow your metabolism, making it tougher to burn off a weekend binge. The fix: Our exclusive plan, designed with Kathy McManus, R.D., of Boston, trims calories (not satisfaction) early in the week to make room for later feasting. You could still drop 1 pound a week, but in a healthy way.

Monday: 1124 calories

Breakfast
1 whole egg plus 2 egg whites scrambled in a small pan with cooking spray, 2 tbsp grated Parmesan and 1 tsp chopped fresh basil
1 slice whole-wheat toast with 2 tsp 100-percent-fruit spread (such as Polaner All Fruit)
4 oz calcium-enriched V8 juice
274 calories, 8 g fat

Lunch
Greek Chicken Salad
Toss 3 oz cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast (such as Perdue Short Cuts) with 2 cups chopped romaine, 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper, 1/4 cup chopped cucumber, 4 halved cherry tomatoes, 4 sliced radishes, 1 chopped celery stalk, 2 black olives
Dressing: Combine 1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt, 1/4 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta, 1 tsp red wine vinegar and 1/4 tsp dried dill. Toss with salad
2 Wasa crackers
359 calories, 10 g fat

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Snack
6 oz nonfat yogurt (such as Dannon Light & Fit)
60 calories, 0 g fat

Dinner
Mustard-Crusted Salmon Combine
1 tbsp light sour cream with 1 tsp Dijon mustard; spread over 1 salmon fillet (about 5 oz) and grill or broil to desired doneness, 7 to 8 minutes
Confetti Couscous
Bring 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth and 1 tbsp orange juice to a boil in a small pot; stir in 1/4 cup whole-wheat couscous, 1/4 cup thawed frozen peas and 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper. Stir once, cover and let stand 15 minutes, until couscous absorbs liquid.
Steam 1 1/2 cups broccoli
431 calories, 12 g fat

Tuesday: 1156 calories

Breakfast
Microwave 1/2 cup dry quick-cooking oatmeal and 1/2 cup skim milk; stir in 1/2 cup fresh or frozen (thawed) blueberries and 1 tbsp chopped walnuts
285 calories, 8 g fat

Lunch
Turkey-Mango Wrap
Stir 2 dashes Tabasco sauce into 2 tsp light mayonnaise. Spread on an 8-inch whole-wheat tortilla. Top with 3 oz roast turkey breast, 1/4 cup frisée, 1/4 mango, sliced. Roll closed
8 baby carrots
320 calories, 8 g fat

Snack
3/4 oz lowfat cheese (such as a Cabot 50% Reduced Fat Jalapeño-Cheddar)
1 small apple
105 calories, 3.5 g fat

Dinner
Rotini With Meat Sauce
Prepare 1 cup (cooked) whole-wheat rotini pasta; set aside. Brown 4 oz lean ground sirloin with 1/4 cup chopped red onion and 1/4 tsp dried thyme over medium-high heat in a small skillet. Stir in 1/3 cup marinara sauce (such as Classico) and heat through. Toss pasta with sauce and top with 1 tbsp grated Parmesan
Salad
Whisk 1 1/2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tsp balsamic vinegar and 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard in a bowl; toss with 2 cups mixed greens and 1/4 cup sliced roasted red pepper
446 calories, 15 g fat

Wednesday: 1208 calories

Breakfast
1 whole-wheat English muffin topped with 1 tbsp natural chunky peanut butter
1/2 medium banana
4 oz calcium-enriched orange juice
339 calories, 9 g fat

Lunch
Roast Beef Sandwich With Horseradish Mayo
Combine 2 tsp light mayo with 1/2 tsp prepared horseradish; spread on 2 slices rye bread. Place 3 oz thinly sliced roast beef, 2 slices tomato and romaine lettuce on 1 slice; top with other slice
1 cup cantaloupe chunks
324 calories, 7 g fat

Snack
6 baby carrots and 2 celery stalks, cut in sticks, with 2 tbsp fat-free blue cheese dressing (such as Wish-Bone Fat Free Chunky Blue Cheese)
80 calories, 0 g fat

Dinner
Shrimp Stir-fry
Heat 1 tsp canola oil in a medium skillet; stir-fry 1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper, 1/4 cup sliced yellow summer squash and 1/4 cup chopped red onion for 2 minutes. Add 12 large shrimp (about 6 oz); stir-fry 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup snow peas; stir-fry until shrimp is nearly cooked through, about 2 minutes more. Stir in 1 tbsp hoisin sauce; cook until shrimp is cooked through, 30 to 60 seconds more
1/2 cup cooked quick-cooking brown rice
365 calories, 8 g fat

Dessert
Klondike Slim-a-Bear ice cream sandwich
100 calories, 1.5 g fat

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Thursday: 1388 calories

Breakfast
Yogurt Parfait
Layer 2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) mixed berries, 6 oz nonfat plain yogurt and 1/4 cup granola in a large parfait glass or goblet
266 calories, 4 g fat

Lunch
Tuna Panzanella
Whisk 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil with 1 tsp red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp fresh chopped (or 1 tsp dried) basil, 1 tsp chopped fresh (or a pinch of dried) mint and a pinch of salt
Toss with 2 slices (1 oz each) toasted or slightly stale (left out overnight) whole-wheat bread cut in cubes, 2 chopped plum tomatoes, 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion and 3 oz chunk-light tuna in water, drained
Serve on a bed of romaine
363 calories, 2 g fat

Snack
Chocolaty Trail Mix
Combine 1/4 cup puffed rice cereal, 1/4 cup puffed corn cereal, 1 tbsp sunflower seeds, 1/4 cup dried cherries and 1 tbsp chocolate chips
242 calories, 8 g fat

Dinner
Black Pepper-Balsamic Pork
Sprinkle a 4-oz center-cut boneless pork chop with 1/8 tsp cracked black pepper, 1/8 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp dried thyme
Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a small skillet; cook pork 3 minutes per side. Remove from skillet; add 2 tbsp each balsamic vinegar and chicken broth to pan; boil until thick, 60 seconds. Return pork to pan to coat. Put pork on plate and drizzle with sauce
1 cup cooked barley with 3 quartered cherry tomatoes, 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt
Steam 1 cup green beans
517 calories, 22 g fat

Friday: 1814 calories

Breakfast
Cheese omelet
1 whole egg and 2 egg whites, 1/4 cup grated light cheddar, vegetable oil cooking spray
2 slices honeydew melon
1/2 toasted whole-wheat English muffin topped with 2 tsp 100-percent-fruit spread
316 calories, 7 g fat

Lunch
Chicken Caesar Salad
Toss 3 cups romaine with 3 oz grilled chicken breast, 1/4 cup croutons, 4 cherry tomatoes, 2 slices red onion, 1 tbsp Caesar dressing and 1 tbsp grated Parmesan
1 small whole-wheat roll
415 calories, 17 g fat

Snack
1 oz Brie cheese
3 water crackers
5 mixed olives
189 calories, 14 g fat

Dinner
Spicy Steak
Rub a 5-oz flank steak with a mixture of 1/2 tsp brown sugar, 1/4 tsp ground cumin, 1/8 tsp cayenne and 1/8 tsp salt; broil 5 to 6 minutes on each side
1 baked potato topped with 2 tbsp light sour cream
4 cups spinach sautéed in 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp lemon juice and 1 clove garlic, chopped
2 glasses (5 oz each) red wine
731 calories, 18 g fat

Dessert
1 piece prepared angel food cake topped with 1 cup sliced fresh or frozen (thawed) strawberries and drizzled with 2 tsp chocolate syrup (such as Hershey's)
163 calories, 1 g fat

Saturday: 1,999 calories

Breakfast
1/2 bagel topped with 2 tbsp light cream cheese and 2 oz smoked salmon, garnished with capers, sliced red onion and lemon
4 oz orange juice
12 oz nonfat cappuccino
421 calories, 8 g fat

See more: How to Avoid Winter Weight Gain

Lunch
Veggie-Cheese Melt
Top 1 slice whole-wheat bread with 1/4 of an avocado, sliced. Layer with 1/4 of a medium broiled zucchini, 2 tomato slices and a 1/2-inch-thick slice of broiled eggplant. Top with 2 oz grated Swiss cheese and broil to melt cheese
383 calories, 24 g fat

Dinner
(at a Mexican restaurant) 1/4 cup guacamole
10 tortilla chips
Order the Chicken Fajita entrée and eat the following: 1 flour tortilla (6 inches), 4 oz chicken breast (about palm-sized), 1 cup sautéed bell peppers and onions, 1/2 cup yellow rice and 1/2 cup refried beans
Sangria: 6-oz glass with fruit
995 calories, 25 g fat

Dessert (at home)
1 cup Breyers Double Churn Light Vanilla Ice Cream
200 calories, 7 g fat

Sunday: 1,792 calories

Brunch
French Toast
Soak 2 slices whole-wheat bread in 1 large egg lightly beaten with 1 tbsp water. Cook in 2 tsp melted butter in a medium pan over medium heat. Top with 1 cup sliced strawberries and 1 tbsp maple syrup
1 cup melon balls
4 oz orange juice
12 oz nonfat cappuccino
617 calories,15 g fat

Snack
23 small, dry-roasted, salted almonds (about 1 oz)
160 calories, 14 g fat

Dinner
Chicken in Wine Sauce
Cut 4 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast into bite-size pieces; toss with 2 tbsp flour and a pinch each of salt and dried thyme. Brown in 2 tsp olive oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat; add 1/2 cup each chopped red bell peppers, chopped green bell peppers, chopped onion, sliced mushrooms and thinly sliced carrots. Cook until vegetables soften. Add 1/2 cup each red wine and chicken broth. Cook until sauce thickens
1 cup cooked whole-wheat noodles
2 glasses (5 oz each) red or white wine
858 calories, 14 g fat

Dessert
1 brownie (2-inch square) with 3 tbsp whipped cream and 1/4 cup fresh raspberries
157 calories, 10 g fat

More from SELF:

• 20 Superfoods for Weight Loss
• Yoga Moves for Flat Abs
• 38 Antiaging Foods
• 12 Ways to Think Yourself Slim
• Gwyneth Paltrow's Arm and Ab Workout

Photo Credit: Ann Stratton