EatingWell's 500-Calorie Dinner Challenge

By Jessie Price, Nicci Micco, EatingWell 500 Calorie Dinners (2010)

Jump-start your weight loss with our 500-Calorie Dinner Challenge!

READER'S COMMENT:

"I spent the last week following the five menu's that were in the Eating Well magazine, and it was wonderful. I lost 2 1/2 pounds, loved the food, and enjoyed cooking it. My favorite was the "Quick Pork & Chile Stew". Simple to make...

Read blogs by co-authors and editors Jessie Price and Nicci Micco about taking the 500 calorie dinner challenge.
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Delicious 500 calorie dinners to help you lose weight
500-calorie dinner menus to make losing weight easier
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Dinner secrets for diet success

More 500 Calorie Dinners
EatingWell's 500-Calorie Dinners
500 Calorie Dinners: 30-Minute Dinners
500 Calorie Dinners: Chicken
500 Calorie Dinners: Fish
500 Calorie Dinners: Beef
500 Calorie Dinners: Vegetarian
500 Calorie Dinners: Seafood
500 Calorie Dinners: Soups
500 Calorie Dinners: Salads
500 Calorie Dinners: Sandwiches
500 Calorie Dinners: Pork & Lamb

The best way to lose weight is to set a daily calorie goal and keep yourself accountable to that goal by keeping a food diary. But how do you cut calories from your diet sensibly?

The answer: by setting specific, short-term goals that feel “doable.” “I will never eat out again” is not a realistic goal. “I will cook at home more often” is better, but it leaves the door wide open to procrastination (oh, OK, didn’t get it together tonight…maybe tomorrow). Even better is a more specific goal: “For the next five weeks, I will cook a healthy 500-calorie dinner 5 times a week.”

That’s EatingWell's 500-Calorie Dinner Challenge—and here are 5 full weeks of menus. Click on the weeks below and schedule them into your calendar now.

5 Weeks of 500-Calorie Dinner Menus

Week 1 » Week 2 » Week 3 » Week 4 » Week 5 »

Have questions? Send them along!