Pump up the protein and skip added sugars in this simple meal plan for beginners.
PHOTOGRAPHER: JEN CAUSEY, PROP STYLIST: JULIA BAYLESS, FOOD STYLIST: CHELSEA ZIMMER.
PHOTO: ALI REDMOND
Looking to cut back on added sugars and bump up your protein intake?
Photo:PHOTOGRAPHER: JEN CAUSEY, PROP STYLIST: JULIA BAYLESS, FOOD STYLIST: CHELSEA ZIMMER. PHOTO: ALI REDMOND
This simple meal plan for beginners can help.
Youll find tons of one-pot and sheet-pan meals (easy cleanup!
Lastly, we skipadded sugarsin this plan.
Will Dickey
Though we definitely love desserts atEatingWell, many of us are eating more added sugars than we realize.
Double-check the nutrition label to see where added sugars may be making their way into your routine.
This 1,800-calorie meal plan has modifications for 1,500 and 2,000 calories to support those with differentcalorie needs.
Will Dickey
While we previously included meal plans and modifications for 1,200 calories, we no longer do.
Snack (180 calories)
Lunch (484 calories)
P.M. Make it 2,000 calories:Add 2 Tbsp.
natural peanut butter to P.M. snack.
Day 2
Breakfast (355 calories)
A.M.
Snack (305 calories)
Lunch (397 calories)
P.M. Make it 1,500 calories:Omit peanut butter at A.M. snack and omit pear at lunch.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 14 cup unsalted dry-roasted shelled pistachios to lunch.
Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Ali Ramee Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Day 3
A.M. Make it 1,500 calories:Omit almonds at breakfast, orange at A.M. snack and pear at lunch.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 14 cup unsalted dry-roasted shelled pistachios as an evening snack.
Day 4
P.M. Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 servingOrange-Mango Smoothieas an evening snack.
Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist Lydia Pursell
Make it 1,500 calories:Reduce to 1 Tbsp.
sliced almonds at breakfast and omit peanut butter at A.M. snack.
Day 6
A.M. Make it 1,500 calories:Omit sliced almonds at breakfast and change P.M. snack to 13 cup blackberries.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 14 cup unsalted dry-roasted shelled pistachios to A.M. snack.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 2 Tbsp.
natural peanut butter to A.M. snack.
Week 2
Day 8
A.M.
Snack (238 calories)
Lunch (447 calories)
P.M. Make it 1,500 calories:Omit almonds at A.M. snack and change P.M. snack to 1 plum.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 14 cup unsalted dry-roasted shelled pistachios to P.M. snack.
Make it 1,500 calories:OmitOrange-Mango Smoothieat breakfast and change P.M. snack to 1 medium apple.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 medium apple to lunch and 1 medium banana to P.M. snack.
Day 10
A.M. Make it 1,500 calories:OmitOrange-Mango Smoothieat breakfast and raspberries at A.M. snack.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 3 Tbsp.
sliced almonds to A.M. snack and 1 medium apple to lunch.
Daily Totals:1,778 calories, 63g fat, 92g protein, 215g carbohydrate, 36g fiber, 2,041mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories:OmitOrange-Mango Smoothieat breakfast and change A.M. snack to 1 medium apple.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 14 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds as an evening snack.
Day 12
A.M. Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 medium apple with 1 Tbsp.
natural peanut butter as an evening snack.
Day 13
A.M. Make it 1,500 calories:OmitOrange-Mango Smoothieat breakfast and substitute 1 clementine for the apple at lunch.
Day 14
A.M. Daily Totals:1,818 calories, 100g fat, 102g protein, 137g carbohydrate, 35g fiber, 1,422mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories:Reduce to 1 Tbsp.
natural peanut butter at A.M. snack and omit evening snack.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 servingMassaged Kale Saladto dinner.
Day 16
Breakfast (495 calories)
A.M.
Snack (275 calories)
Lunch (469 calories)
P.M. Make it 2,000 calories:Add 2 Tbsp.
natural peanut butter to the apple at lunch.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 14 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to P.M. snack.
Day 18
A.M. Make it 1,500 calories:Omit kefir at breakfast and omit almonds at A.M. snack.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 servingPineapple & Avocado Saladto dinner.
Day 20
A.M. Make it 1,500 calories:Reduce to 1 Tbsp.
sliced almonds at breakfast and omit pistachios at A.M. snack.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 cup low-fat plain kefir with 1 medium apple as an evening snack.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 14 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to evening snack.
Week 4
Day 22
A.M. Daily Totals:1,823 calories, 80g fat, 102g protein, 183g carbohydrate, 32g fiber, 1,878mg sodium.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 servingOrange-Mango Smoothieto breakfast and omit blackberries at A.M. snack.
Day 23
Lunch (356 calories)
P.M. Make it 1,500 calories:Reduce to 2 Tbsp.
sliced almonds at breakfast and omit peanut butter at P.M. snack.
Day 24
A.M. ## Day 25
P.M. Make it 1,500 calories:Reduce to 2 Tbsp.
sliced almonds at breakfast and change P.M. snack to 1 medium orange.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 servingTraditional Greek Saladto dinner.
Day 26
Breakfast (606 calories)
A.M. Daily Totals:1,815 calories, 83g fat, 123g protein, 146g carbohydrate, 29g fiber, 2,054mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories:Reduce to 3 Tbsp.
sliced almonds at breakfast and omit almonds at lunch.
Daily Totals:1,812 calories, 88g fat, 119g protein, 147g carbohydrate, 32g fiber, 1,086mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories:Reduce to 1 Tbsp.
sliced almonds at breakfast and omit peanut butter at P.M. snack.
Make it 2,000 calories:Omit orange at lunch and add 1 servingOrange-Mango Smoothieas an evening snack.
Make it 1,500 calories:Reduce to 1 Tbsp.
sliced almonds at breakfast, omit banana at lunch and omit evening snack.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 2 Tbsp.
natural peanut butter to evening snack.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes!
If its easier for your routine to eat the same breakfast and lunch every day, go for it!
We no longer provide modifications for 1,200-calorie days in our meal plans.
Proteinis the building block of our cells, so it plays a role in every function of our body.
High-Protein Foods to Focus On:
Added vs. Natural Sugars: Whats the Difference?
Added sugars are, as the name implies, added to foods to sweeten them.
These foods also include important nutrients, such as fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals.
How We Create Meal Plans
Registered dietitians thoughtfully createEatingWellsmeal plans to be easy-to-follow and delicious.
National Library of Medicine.
American Society for Nutrition.Most Americans are not getting enough fiber in our diets.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Get the Facts: Added Sugars.
American Heart Association.Added Sugars.
