| Meal Plan at a Glance | ||
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast/ A.M. Snack | Lunch/ P.M. Snack | Dinner |
| Breakfast egg pita/ Yogurt parfait | Chickpea tuna salad/ Pear | Balsamic chicken with tomato-arugula salad |
| Lemon poppyseed overnight oats/ Stuffed mini peppers | Creamy turkey soup/ Apple | Maple-mustard salmon & veggies |
| Lemon poppyseed overnight oats/ Stuffed mini peppers | Creamy turkey soup/ Mango-orange smoothie | Chicken, mushroom & rice casserole |
| Lemon poppyseed overnight oats/ Stuffed mini peppers | Creamy turkey soup/ Mango-orange smoothie | Chicken, mushroom & rice casserole |
| Lemon poppyseed overnight oats/ Yogurt parfait | Creamy turkey soup/ Stuffed mini peppers | Mini meatloaves & veggies |
| Chocolate-strawberry protein shake/ Yogurt parfait | High-protein cucumber sandwich/ Cottage cheese snack jar | Shrimp tacos & coleslaw |
| Chocolate-strawberry protein shake/ Yogurt parfait | High-protein cucumber sandwich/ Cottage cheese snack jar | Chickpea grain bowl |
Day 1
Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Lexi Juhl
Breakfast (368 calories)
A.M. Snack (244 calories)
Lunch (388 calories)
P.M. Snack (131 calories)
Dinner (377 calories)
Daily Totals: 1,507 calories, 57g fat, 98g protein, 168g carbohydrate, 31g fiber, 1,672mg sodium.
Make it 1,800 calories: Add 1 cup low-fat plain kefir to breakfast and 1 serving Avocado Toast to dinner.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add ¾ cup low-fat plain kefir to breakfast, 1 serving Avocado Toast to dinner and 1 serving Cottage Cheese Snack Jar with Fruit as an evening snack.
Day 2
Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Annie Probst, Prop Stylist: Joseph Wanek
Breakfast (359 calories)
A.M. Snack (122 calories)
Lunch (384 calories)
P.M. Snack (116 calories)
Dinner (503 calories)
Daily Totals: 1,484 calories, 51g fat, 88g protein, 170g carbohydrate, 31g fiber, 1,527mg sodium.
Make it 1,800 calories: Add 1 cup plain low-fat kefir to breakfast and 2 Tbsp. almond butter to the P.M. snack.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 cup plain low-fat kefir to breakfast, 2 Tbsp. almond butter to the P.M. snack and 1 serving Cottage Cheese Snack Jar with Fruit as an evening snack.
Day 3
Fred Hardy
Breakfast (359 calories)
A.M. Snack (140 calories)
Lunch (386 calories)
P.M. Snack (236 calories)
Dinner (378 calories)
Daily Totals: 1,499 calories, 54g fat, 88g protein, 176g carbohydrate, 31g fiber, 1,734mg sodium.
Make it 1,800 calories: Add 1 serving Simple Spinach Salad to dinner and 1 medium orange as an evening snack.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Avocado Toast to the A.M. snack, 1 serving Simple Spinach Salad to dinner and 1 medium orange as an evening snack.
Day 4
Ali Redmond
Breakfast (359 calories)
A.M. Snack (122 calories)
Lunch (386 calories)
P.M. Snack (236 calories)
Dinner (378 calories)
Daily Totals: 1,481 calories, 52g fat, 86g protein, 177g carbohydrate, 32g fiber, 1,571mg sodium.
Make it 1,800 calories: Add 1 serving High-Fiber Chopped Salad with Italian Vinaigrette to dinner and 1 medium orange as an evening snack.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Pineapple Green Smoothie to breakfast and 1 serving High-Fiber Chopped Salad with Italian Vinaigrette to dinner.
Day 5
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hausser
Breakfast (359 calories)
A.M. Snack (171 calories)
Lunch (384 calories)
P.M. Snack (122 calories)
Dinner (455 calories)
Daily Totals: 1,491 calories, 61g fat, 95g protein, 147g carbohydrate, 31g fiber, 1,475mg sodium.
Make it 1,800 calories: Add 3 Tbsp. chopped walnuts to the A.M. snack and add 1 serving Cacio e Pepe Kale Salad to dinner.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add 3 Tbsp. chopped walnuts to the A.M. snack, 1 serving Avocado Toast to lunch and add 1 serving Cacio e Pepe Kale Salad to dinner.
Day 6
Photographer: Brittney Cottrell, Food Stylist: Julia Levy, Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong.
Breakfast (228 calories)
A.M. Snack (244 calories)
Lunch (407 calories)
P.M. Snack (215 calories)
Dinner (424 calories)
Daily Totals: 1,517 calories, 48g fat, 103g protein, 183g carbohydrate, 38g fiber, 1,484mg sodium.
Make it 1,800 calories: Add 1 serving Sprouted-Grain Toast with Peanut Butter & Banana to breakfast.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Sprouted-Grain Toast with Peanut Butter & Banana to breakfast, 2 Tbsp. chopped walnuts to the A.M. snack and 1 medium apple as an evening snack.
Day 7
Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Shannon Goforth, Prop Stylist: Breanna Ghazali.
Breakfast (228 calories)
A.M. Snack (244 calories)
Lunch (407 calories)
P.M. Snack (101 calories)
Dinner (538 calories)
Daily Totals: 1,517 calories, 39g fat, 96g protein, 211g carbohydrate, 43g fiber, 1,424mg sodium.
Make it 1,800 calories: Add 1 serving Sprouted-Grain Toast with Peanut Butter & Banana to breakfast.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Sprouted-Grain Toast with Peanut Butter & Banana to breakfast, 2 Tbsp. chopped walnuts to the A.M. snack and 1 medium apple as an evening snack.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is it OK to mix and match meals if there is one I do not like?Yes, you can mix and match meals if there’s one you don’t like. Feel free to repeat a meal in this plan or browse some of our other weight loss recipes for additional inspiration. Because we created this plan for weight loss, we aimed for 1,500 calories per day with at least 80 grams of protein and 30 grams of fiber per day. If you’re making a swap, you may want to choose a meal with a similar nutrition profile or adjust a snack or two.
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Can I eat the same breakfast or lunch every day?You can eat the same breakfast or lunch every day if you prefer. Each breakfast ranges from 228 to 368 calories while lunches span 384 to 407 calories. These ranges, particularly for lunches, are fairly similar so a simple swap should work for most people.
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Why is there not a modification for 1,200 calories?We no longer provide modifications for 1,200-calorie days in our meal plans. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting calories to 1,200 per day is too low for most people to meet their nutritional needs, plus it’s unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.
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What are the health impacts of visceral fat?Excess visceral fat can increase the risk of metabolic syndrome, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and inflammation and liver disease.
Other Tips to Help Reduce Visceral Fat
If you’re trying to lose visceral fat, reducing calories can help promote overall weight loss, which in turn can help reduce visceral fat. In addition to calorie reduction, here are some nutrition and lifestyle strategies that may help:
- Eat More Protein: Increasing total protein intake can help promote satiety and reduce visceral fat. In one study on men over 65 years old, research found that a higher protein intake of 1.3 grams of protein per kilograms body weight resulted in a greater reduction in visceral fat compared to participants who ate 0.8 grams of protein per kilograms body weight. Some good sources of protein include eggs, yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese, beans, nuts, fish, poultry, tofu and meat.
- Fill Up on Fiber: Like protein, fiber is a nutrient that can promote satiety and reduce visceral fat. Studies link inulin, a type of soluble fiber, to be particularly effective. Sources of inulin are garlic, onion, artichokes, wheat, oats and legumes.
- Exercise Regularly: Research shows that aerobic exercise, resistance training and a combination of both may all lead to reduced visceral fat. Though aerobic exercise appears to have the greatest impact, the best exercise is one you enjoy and can make part of your routine.
- Get Enough Sleep: Shorter, inadequate sleep of less than 5 ½ hours per night can lead to insulin resistance and increased visceral fat. If you’re trying to lose visceral fat, aiming for around 8 hours of solid, quality sleep can be a helpful strategy.
How We Create Meal Plans
Registered dietitians thoughtfully create EatingWell’s meal plans to be easy-to-follow and delicious. Each meal plan meets specific parameters depending on the health condition and/or lifestyle goal it is targeting and is analyzed for accuracy using the nutrition database, ESHA Food Processor. As nutritional needs differ from person to person, we encourage you to use these plans as inspiration and adjust as you see fit.
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