The Shape Up Challenge - Week 1

Well done for committing to The Shape Up Challenge. If you stick with it for eight weeks, your diet will improve and you'll be exercising more often. To help you on your quest to be healthier, we've put together an eating plan designed specifically for the challenge.

The plan works like this: we provide suggested menus for four weeks, giving you seven options per meal to choose from. Vegetarian options, suitable for those who eat eggs and dairy products, are designated with a (V). After the fourth week, you simply repeat the diet until you finish the eight-week cycle. You can continue to follow this eating plan long after the challenge is over, since there are such a wide variety of delicious foods to choose from.

This plan is geared towards women and based on around 1600 calories per day, including three meals, snacks and treats. If you are not aiming to lose weight, you'll probably need to increase your calorie intake by a quarter, so you get around 2000 calories per day. Men who are following this plan will need around 2000 to 2500 calories a day. One way to get these extra calories is to include a couple more snacks or a mini meal during the day, but don't go overboard on the amount of fat you consume.

Remember, the idea of eating well, or having a specific diet to follow does not have to be a negative experience or mean that you have to constantly monitor how much you eat. The ideal way to stick to a healthy diet is not to deny yourself foods you love, or restrict your eating habits. So, take our eating plan for what it is - a guide on how to eat healthy and balanced meals. Enjoy!

Check out the live discussions taking place on the Shape Up Challenge right now:

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Breakfast

Choose one of the following meals (all are under 350 calories) and include a glass of fruit juice with your choice:

45g unsweetened muesli topped with 75g fresh strawberries, 15g toasted sunflower seeds and 125mls of skimmed milk. 1 medium orange.
Fruit smoothie, made with 1 mango, 125mls skimmed milk. Small wholemeal croissant. 2 kiwi fruits.
45g sultana bran topped with 75g blueberries, 15g chopped mixed nuts with 125mls skimmed milk. 1 medium pear.
2 small slices toasted wholegrain bread with 15g low-fat spread, scraping of marmite. Probiotic yoghurt drink. ½ grapefruit.
2 wheat biscuits topped with one small chopped pear, 15g toasted pecan nuts and 125mls skimmed milk. Handful of grapes.
50g rye crispbread with 25g low-fat cheese spread, topped with 1 sliced apple.
Bowl of porridge (made with 75g rolled oats, 125mls skimmed milk and 125ml water), topped with 2 chopped kiwi fruits and 15g toasted almonds. 1 small mango.