Thinking of how you can lose 10 pounds fast? There is a diet plan that you can use to make it happen. Permit me to introduce you to the Nordic Diet, a diet plan that consists of delicious meals made from fruits, vegetables, and seafood.
The creation of the Nordic diet in 2004 was motivated by the zeal of a group of nutritionists and scientists to cut down high obesity rates.
The Nordic diet comprises mainly of foods that are in abundance in the Nordic countries (Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland). That notwithstanding, the Nordic diet was designed by these professionals for the public good.
So the foods prescribed in the diet are carefully selected to promote the health of the general public and also sustain the environment. It is, therefore, possible that you may not find some traditional foods in this diet.
In addition to being effective for weight loss, the Nordic diet also promotes the consumption of foods that are locally sourced and sustainably farmed.
And since I discovered that the Nordic diet is a healthy choice and facilitates weight loss due to its less sugar and high fiber content; I will let you know the foods that make up the Nordic diet in this article.
I will also share with you a sample 7-Day Nordic Diet Meal Plan that you can adopt for your weight loss goals.
So, What Should You Expect To See In a Nordic Diet?
- Plenty of fruits and vegetables such as berries, apples, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, carrots, peas, beans and other legumes, root veggies like cabbage and potatoes.
- A lot of whole grains because they contain fibre, antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins in large quantities. Examples are rye breads, whole grain oats and barley
- Seafoods due to their high content of the healthy Omega 3 fatty acids. Top on the list are Salmon, herring and mackerel.
- Foraged foods that you will find at the local farmers’ markets. Examples are miners lettuce, fiddleheads, wild mushrooms, stinging nettles, huckleberries, etc.
- Foods with less packaging because the Nordic diet does not only make provision for healthy eating but also for a healthy planet by limiting what should be released back to the environment.
- Foods without additives. The Nordic diet emphasizes fresh foods consumption and not foods that have been preserved or sweetened with chemicals.
- Meats in little quantity. The animal protein in the Nordic diet comes from sea foods. If you must eat other meat sources like game meats or red meat then you should take them in little portions with lots of veggies.
- Moderate quantities of free-range eggs, cheese, low-fat dairy, and yogurt.
- You will certainly not find the following in the Nordic diet: sugar-sweetened beverages, added sugars, processed meats, and refined fast foods.
- The canola oil or rapeseed oil is the oil used for dressings and cooking the meals in the Nordic diet. It is high in monounsaturated fat and also a good source of omega-3 fatty acid.
- Mainly homemade foods. The Nordic diet compels you to meal prep your food menu so that you can control what goes into your food and prepare more healthful meals.
- Finally, on what you can find on the Nordic diet, we have the most popular foods which include: berries mainly lingonberries and cloudberries, fish like salmon which is usually grilled.
- Gravlax usually served with bread or potatoes, meatballs which is a mixture of pork and veal usually eaten with pickled cabbage, smashed potatoes or jam, and pancakes.
Other Benefits Of The Nordic Diet
Just like I have emphasized from the beginning of this article, the Nordic diet is all about healthy eating. So apart from quick weight loss, there are other benefits associated with the Nordic diet.
The first is that it improves metabolic health and lowers the risk of chronic diseases such as high blood pressure. It also helps to control cholesterol and triglycerides keeping them at healthy levels.
You are also sure to have your blood sugar under control when you adopt the Nordic diet. Furthermore, this diet helps to reduce chronic inflammation which is the driver of most serious diseases.
Another good quality of the Nordic diet is that it does not bother you about the timing of your meals. You are simply expected to be mindful of your eating.
That healthy food make up the diet does not mean that you should overeat, remember that you are looking to lose weight.
So be careful not to eat too much of the good stuff. The Nordic diet also encourages communal feeding; eating with family, eating with friends and sitting at the table for meals.
Again, subscribing to the Nordic diet is quite easy. You can start by keeping a huge stock of the vegetables and fruits that you love. You will do well to include a lot of berries. Then, you add in a lot of fish and whole grains.
And also replace whichever oil you are used to with the canola oil. Finally, you will need low-fat dairy products and you are ready to kick off the Nordic diet.
Additionally, it is very easy to maintain a healthy living using the Nordic diet. Most foods in the Nordic diet are familiar foods that are accessible to you. The diet is also not overly restrictive and you do not have to go through the stress of measuring and calculating.
However, since you are looking to lose 10 pounds fast using the Nordic diet, you have to watch your portion sizes. Again, if you have little children or maybe you are pregnant or breastfeeding, it will be wise for you to ensure that the fish you are preparing for your family has healthy mercury levels.
The Nordic diet also favors the environment. The group of experts who created the Nordic diet had in mind to provide a diet that will have a less negative impact on the environment as compared to the usual dietary patterns.
Most foods in the Nordic diet are locally produced and prepared during their seasons. This way, environmental taxing from fishing and commercial farming is reduced as fewer pesticides are needed for cultivation and less fuel is used to transport food to the market.
Are you happy with what you have read so far? I want to believe so. Waste no further time, start now to make your purchases and stock up your house with the Nordic diet foods.
A sample 7-Day Nordic Diet Meal Plan for Weight Loss
As I promised at the beginning of this article, I will now give you a sample 7-Day Nordic Diet Meal Plan that you can begin with;
Day One
Breakfast options – Swedish Lemon Pancakes, Organic local yogurt mixed with berries or sunflower seeds
Lunch options – Norwegian Porridge with dried Cranberries,
Seaweed pesto with a green salad or roasted potatoes or whole wheat bread
Dinner Options – Cold Blueberry soup, sautéed chicken with caraway and cream
Snack Options – Swedish Cardamom Buns, Danish chocolate biscuit cake
Desert Options – Swedish Apple Pie, Danish remoulade
Day Two
Breakfast options – Mini dutch babies with lemon curd and blueberries, Pearl barley or oat porridge with a glass of organic milk and dried berries
Lunch options – Norwegian Risgrot Rice porridge, Danish meatballs in curry
Dinner Options – Swedish meatballs, wild egg noodles, Gravlax with potatoes or bread
Snack Options – Homemade stroop wafels, Danish hotdog, mixed nuts with berry and organic yogurt smoothie
Desert Options – Swedish rice ring, squash cake with nuts and cheese topping
Day Three
Breakfast options – Smorgasbord, creamy curry pasta
Lunch options – Rice with spinach and Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce, Swedish hassel back potatoes, bean patties coated in whole-wheat breadcrumbs and sautéed in organic butter
Dinner Options – Wild Egg noodles, meat sauce with chili and fresh pasta, Vegetable meatballs with a mash of split peas, parsley, and sunflower seeds, and a romaine salad.
Snack Options – Vanilla Custard filled buns, Finnish pinwheels, boiled lentils with roasted onions.
Desert Options – Swedish Crème with red berries, Danish applesauce
Day Four
Breakfast options – German oven pancakes, Swedish limpa bread with orange and anise
Lunch options – Creamy Dilled cucumber salad, Danish cold potato salad
Dinner Options – Pan-seared salmon with Dill sauce, Danish lemon mousse, Grass-fed pork chop or loin topped with sautéed onions, carrots, and berries
Snack Options – Finnish meat pie, Crispy Norwegian bows, Dark rye bread with freshly ground peanut or almond butter
Desert Options – Luscious Almond Cheesecake, Danish burning love
Day Five
Breakfast options – Danish pancakes with a glass of local yogurt, Swedish gingerbread cookies with a cup of coffee
Lunch options – Swedish Rye Bread with soup and a salad, roasted salmon with oranges, beets, and carrots
Dinner Options – Creamy Radish Dip with whole-oats biscuits, Danish scalloped potatoes
Snack Options – Finnish pinwheels, Swedish raspberry almond bars
Desert Options – Swedish rose spritz, Broccoli salad
Day Six
Breakfast options – Danish crispies with a cup of coffee, Danish Julekage with cardamom and a cup of raspberry
Lunch options – Celery root and pear slaw with roasted pork or baked ham, salmon with dill sauce and lemon risotto
Dinner Options – Swedish meatball soup with muffins or hot rolls, Roasted Parsnips with lemon and herbs
Snack Options – Swedish doughnuts, Almond spritz cookies
Desert Options – Finnish cauliflower, Danish Braided Pork patties
Day Seven
Breakfast options – Scandinavian pecan cookies with a glass of milk, Overnight Cherry Danish
Lunch options – Parmesan baked cod, lemon and dill shrimp sandwiches, Carrot soup topped with fresh local herbs and organic yogurt
Dinner Options – Creamy seafood bisque, Danish meatballs with Pan Gravy
Snack Options – Flaky Danish Braids, Norwegian chocolate chip cookies
Desert Options – Homemade low-sauerkraut, Danish chicken and Asparagus tartlets
Conclusion
So this is a 7-day Nordic diet meal plan that you can adopt in order to lose 10 pounds fast. Please endeavor to drink enough water always, say a minimum of five glasses daily.
This will help you lose water weight and eventually add to the overall weight you will lose as you use the Nordic diet.
In addition to the Nordic diet, it is wise for you to perform relevant exercises regularly that will help you lose weight fast like cardio, HIIT, lunges, push-ups, and sit-ups, etc.
However, you should know that the Nordic diet only helps you to lose weight in the short term and as such you will probably regain any weight lost in the next one year or two years. This is why you can subscribe to the diet if you are thinking of losing 10 pounds as quickly as possible.
All the same, going for the Nordic diet is certainly a stress-free method of losing weight as you would not bother about restricting calories. So, what do you think of the Nordic diet? Are you willing to give it a try? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section.
