Doctor Tan states that traditional Vietnamese meals are suitable for detoxification and fat loss when adhering to principles of bland preparation and reduced carbohydrates. Konjac noodles are suggested as an ideal substitute for traditional noodle dishes.
During this low-calorie week, the priority is to eliminate harmful agents to the digestive and nervous systems. This means avoiding "forbidden" food groups: red meats (beef, pork, lamb), processed meats (sausages), and animal offal. Additionally, avoid refined oils, animal fats, and other unhealthy oils. Crucially, sugar, sugary foods, and unhealthy starches must be removed from the diet.
For seven breakfast meals, the following options offer flexibility:
: vegetable salad, salmon salad, pan-seared salmon, colorful boiled vegetables, konjac noodle salad with vegetables, colorful stir-fried konjac noodles, or soft-boiled eggs with vegetables (spinach, carrots).
Lunch and dinner can be rotated among 14 diverse menu options, as follows:
| Meal | Menu |
| 1 | Shredded chicken salad Ginger cabbage soup with chicken broth Boiled quinoa |
| 2 | Steamed tilapia with wood ear mushrooms and rice noodle sheets |
| 3 | Stewed chicken with medicinal herbs Spinach soup with straw mushrooms Guava juice |
| 4 | Boiled napa cabbage Soft-boiled egg with fish sauce Konjac noodles with sour leaf chicken soup |
| 5 | Braised fish with ginger Tomato and egg soup Boiled chayote shoots with garlic fish sauce Apple kefir water |
| 6 | Stir-fried oyster mushrooms with shallots Sour snakehead fish soup with chili garlic fish sauce Fermented whey drink |
| 7 | Braised mackerel with tomatoes Loofah and jute mallow soup Kale, dandelion, and passion fruit salad Pomegranate juice |
| 8 | Stir-fried frog with lemongrass and chili Konjac noodles with sour leaf chicken soup Boiled okra with fermented tofu sauce Craft ginger beer |
| 9 | Colorful stir-fried squid Water spinach soup with clams Orange and carrot juice. |
| 10 | Celery soup Colorful mixed vegetables |
| 11 | Braised mackerel with tomatoes Loofah and jute mallow soup Boiled tofu with soy sauce |
| 12 | Mushroom, carrot, and sweet potato soup |
| 13 | Sour snakehead fish soup with chili garlic sauce Green peas with tamari soy sauce |
| 14 | Braised fish with ginger Tomato and egg soup Boiled chayote shoots with tamari soy sauce |
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A fat-loss menu. *Photo: Doctor provided* |
The doctor advises eating within a 12-hour window, starting between 7-9h and finishing before 20h. Each meal should be spaced approximately 4 hours apart to allow the stomach to rest:
: breakfast: 7-9h, lunch: 11-13h, dinner: Finish before 20h.
If hunger strikes, a light snack can be added between 15-16h, consisting of fruits, guava/pomegranate/orange/grape/carrot juice, or half an avocado. Mid-day snacks are optional if you are not truly hungry. Prepare caffeine-free herbal tea for all-day hydration.
Ensure adequate water intake. The standard formula for water consumption is 40 mL per kg of body weight per day. Sufficient hydration supports efficient kidney function and toxin elimination through excretion.
To aid digestion, chew each bite of food at least 20 times. Each meal should last a minimum of 20 minutes.
Thuy Quynh
