Simple 7-Day Meal Plan to Lose Weight Designed by an RD

Losing weight doesn’t need to include elaborate, fancy meals. My clients seeking weight loss are always looking for ways to make meal planning easier. Who can blame them? Complicated macro formulas and recipes that require you to calculate nutrition info only add more frustration to the process. 

As a registered dietitian, I’ve got some simple tips and tricks to take the guesswork out of the what-should-I-be-eating question that I’ll share in my seven-day meal plan for weight loss. I’m a card-carrying omnivore, but you can modify these meals to make them vegetarian or vegan if you’d like. 

A sustainable diet is one that’s easy to follow and, most importantly, enjoyable to eat. Let’s start with shopping tips.

Recommended Weight Loss Shopping List

For starters: Don’t shop on an empty stomach. There’s a reason stores place those frosted cookies front and center when you step through the automated door. Don’t fall for them! The best time to hit the grocery store is after a meal, as you’ll be less tempted by impulse buys.

Seasonal produce will be the least expensive and most nutritious but don’t forgo frozen fruits and veggies. These are cost-effective, convenient, and have a long shelf life. Frozen, chopped vegetables can be used in soups, stews, and stir-fries while frozen fruit is great in smoothies, oatmeal, or yogurt.

Fruit

• Apples

• Apricots

• Bananas

• Berries (fresh or frozen)

• Cantaloupe

• Cherries (fresh or frozen)

• Citrus fruit

• Dates

• Grapes

• Honeydew

• Nectarines

• Peaches (fresh or frozen)

• Pears

• Plums

• Pomegranate

• Prunes

• Raisins

• Watermelon

Vegetables

Vegetables that are high in water and low in starch content are nutritious and filling when trying to limit intake. They add color, flavor, texture, and extra vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals to your meals. Below are a variety of choices.

• Asparagus (fresh or frozen)

• Artichoke

• Broccoli (fresh or frozen)

• Cabbage

• Carrots (fresh or frozen)

• Cauliflower (fresh or frozen)

• Celery

• Cucumbers

• Eggplant

• Garlic (fresh or minced)

• Greens (fresh or frozen)

• Leeks

• Peppers

• Mushrooms

• Okra

• Onions (fresh or frozen)

• Radishes

• Parsnips

• Snap peas

• Snow peas

• Spinach (fresh or frozen)

• Squash

• Tomatoes

• Turnips

• Zucchini

Beans and Legumes

Plant-based protein like beans and lentils has been linked with weight loss and improvements in body composition. Experts believe their fiber content helps modify your gut microbiome, boost your metabolism, and use fat stores for energy. Add them to salads, soups, stews, and wraps. Choose:

• Black beans

• Cannellini beans

• Edamame

• Garbanzo beans

• Great Northern beans

• Kidney beans

• Lentils

• Lima beans

• Navy beans

• Pinto beans

• Red beans

• Split peas

Lean Protein

Good news for red meat eaters. A recent meta-analysis did not find a connection between red meat intake and being overweight or obese. But, limiting red meat — especially processed meat — may help reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Good lean protein choices include:

• Beef: chuck, sirloin, tenderloin, ground that’s 90% lean or higher

• Bison

• Chicken, skinless

• Whole eggs and egg whites

• Fish

• Seafood: crab, scallops, shrimp

• Tempeh

• Tofu

• Turkey, skinless

Whole Grains

Despite the low-carb hype, you should include whole grains in your diet for weight loss. Whole grains provide filling fiber that will help you eat less. This fabulous fiber also helps modify your gut bacteria to improve your metabolism. Here are some examples:

• Barley

• Buckwheat

• Brown rice

• Bulgur

• Farro

• Quinoa

• Rolled oats

• Sprouted bread/grains

• Steel-cut oats

• Whole-wheat pasta

• Whole-wheat bread or tortillas

Low-fat Dairy Products

Dairy products provide calcium, protein, B vitamins, and other nutrients to your diet. Choose low-fat dairy products to manage calories, cholesterol, and fat intake.

• Cheese, made with part-skim or 2% milk

• Cottage cheese: low-fat or fat-free

• Kefir

• Skim or 1% milk

• Plain Greek, low-fat or fat-free yogurt

Fats and Oils

Fat is OK to eat! A recent analysis of studies evaluating types of foods with weight and cardiovascular risk factors found that nut and seed intake was associated with less weight regain and fat mass. Just be aware of your portion size when enjoying: 

• Almonds

• Avocados

• Avocado oil

• Canola oil

• Cashews

• Chia seeds

• Flaxseeds

• Hazelnuts

• Olive oil

• Peanut oil

• Peanuts

• Pecans

• Pistachios 

• Pumpkin seeds

• Safflower oil

• Sunflower oil

• Walnut oil

• Whipped butter 

Now that you have an idea of what to stock your fridge and pantry with, let’s move on to the meal plan! This plan will provide 21 meals of roughly 1500 calories and 75–95 grams of protein (20–25% of calories) daily. This is an estimate for most women for healthy weight loss.

Men can increase the serving sizes of grains or protein to allow for a higher calorie level. For example, double the grains at breakfast and add 2 ounces of protein at lunch or dinner. A 150-calorie snack could also be included twice per day to bump calories up to 1800 and protein to 90–110 grams.

Day 1 

Breakfast 

• ½ cup cooked rolled oats

• ½ tsp. cinnamon

• 1 tsp. chia seeds

• Drizzle of honey

• 1 scrambled egg (cooked in non-stick spray)

• 1 (8 oz.) cup skim or 1% milk or 5 oz. plain Greek yogurt (100- to 120-calorie type)

Nutritional breakdown: Calories: 320, Carbs: 37g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 11g

Lunch

• 1 serving Lentil Quinoa Salad with Spinach and Dried Cherries
  

• 1 small banana

Nutritional breakdown: Calories: 505, Carbs: 74g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 18g

PM Snack

• 1 (5 oz.) plain low-fat Greek or Siggi’s fat-free yogurt (100- to 110-calorie variety)

• ½ cup fresh or frozen berries of choice

Nutritional breakdown: Calories: 180, Carbs: 29g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 1g

Dinner

• 1 cup broccoli, steamed

• 3 oz. chicken, air-fried, baked, or broiled

• 1 medium sweet potato, baked

• 2 tsp. whipped butter 

• 1 medium orange

Nutritional breakdown: Calories: 433, Carbs: 48g, Protein: 38g, Fat: 6g 

Daily Total

Calories:1438

Carbs: 188 grams

Protein: 90 grams

Fat: 35 grams

Day 2 

Breakfast

Avocado toast with fried egg and cheese: 

• 1 slice whole-wheat bread (toasted) 

• ¼ fresh avocado or 1 Tbsp. guacamole 

• 1 fried egg 

• 1 slice Swiss cheese

• 1 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)

Nutritional breakdown: Calories: 412, Carbs: 32g, Protein: 21g, Fat: 24g 

Lunch

• 4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped

• ½ cup black beans, cooked

• ½ cup grape tomatoes

• 1 Tbsp. cheddar cheese, shredded

• 1 Tbsp. pumpkin seeds

• 2 Tbsp. light ranch dressing

• ½ cup red grapes

• 6 Triscuit crackers

Nutritional breakdown: Calories: 405, Carbs: 40g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 16g 

PM Snack

• 1/2 cup Wheat Chex

• 2 Tbsp. mixed nuts

Nutritional breakdown: Calories: 203, Carbs: 29g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 8g 

Dinner

• 3 oz. salmon, grilled or broiled

• 1 cup brown rice

• 1 cup green beans, steamed

• 1 Tbsp. whipped butter

• ½ cup frozen peaches

• 5 oz. plain Greek yogurt, low-fat (100- to 110-calorie variety)

Nutritional breakdown: Calories: 555, Carbs: 52g, Protein: 39g, Fat: 21g 

Daily Total

Calories: 1575

Carbs: 153 grams

Protein: 79 grams

Fat: 69 grams

Day 3

Breakfast

• ½ cup cottage cheese, low-fat

• 1 pear

• ½ whole-wheat English muffin

• 2 Tbsp. peanut butter

Nutritional breakdown: Calories: 456, Carbs: 51g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 20g 

Snack

• 5 oz. Greek yogurt, low-fat

• 1 Tbsp. almonds, chopped

Nutritional breakdown:Calories: 196, Carbs: 11 grams, Protein: 17g, Fat: 8g 

Lunch

• 4 cups baby spinach

• 1 medium apple

• 2 oz. turkey breast

• 1 tsp. feta cheese, crumbled

• 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinaigrette

• 12 wheat thin crackers, low-fat

Nutritional Breakdown: Calories: 433, Carbs: 63g, Protein 16g, Fat 9g 

Dinner

• 1 cup Chipotle Lentil Chili with Pumpkin
  

• 7 asparagus spears

• 1 small dinner roll

• 1 cup blueberries 

• 1 Tbsp. whipped butter 

Nutritional Breakdown:Calories: 459, Carbs: 65g, Protein: 33g, Fat: 15g 

Daily Total

Calories: 1544

Carbs: 189 grams

Protein: 91 grams

Fat: 51 grams

Day 4

Breakfast 

• 1 hard-boiled egg

• 1 slice whole-wheat toast

• 1 Tbsp. peanut butter

• 1 cup cantaloupe

• 8 oz. skim or 1% milk

Nutritional Breakdown:Calories: 302, Carbs: 30g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 15g 

Snack

• 100-calorie bag popcorn

• 1 part-skim mozzarella cheese stick

Nutritional Breakdown:Calories: 178, Carbs: 20g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 7g 

Lunch

Chicken Stir-fry:

• 1 Tbsp. canola oil

• 2 cups broccoli florets

• 2 oz. chicken, cut into 1” pieces 

• 1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce

• 1 tsp. ginger, minced

• ½ cup brown rice

• 1 medium pear

Heat a large skillet to medium heat. Add canola oil and heat for 2 minutes. Add the broccoli and chicken pieces and stir-fry together for 5 to 7 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Add the soy sauce and minced ginger and toss to coat. Serve over brown rice. Eat the pear for dessert.

Nutritional Breakdown:Calories: 580, Carbs: 70g, Protein: 41g, Fat 19g 

Dinner 

• 3 oz. sirloin steak, grilled

• 4 cups mixed greens

• ½ cup grape tomatoes

• 1 tsp. blue cheese crumbles

• 2 Tbsp. reduced-calorie Italian dressing

• 1 medium potato, baked

• 1 tsp. whipped butter

Nutritional Breakdown:Calories: 410, Carbs: 45g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 17g 

Daily Total

Calories: 1470

Carbs: 164 grams

Protein: 91 grams

Fat: 57 grams

Day 5

Breakfast

Yogurt parfait: 

• 5 oz. plain Greek low-fat yogurt (100- to 110-calorie type) 

• ½ cup fresh or frozen strawberries 

• 1 tsp. chia seeds 

• 12 almonds, chopped

• 1 slice multigrain toast

• 1 tsp. whipped butter 

Nutritional Breakdown:Calories: 436, Carbs: 59g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 14g 

Snack

• 1 medium apple

• 1 Tbsp. peanut butter

• 8 oz. skim or 1% milk

Nutritional Breakdown:Calories: 285, Carbs: 40g, Protein 12g, Fat: 11g 

Lunch

• 2 slices vegetable pizza, thin crust

• 4 cups mixed salad greens

• 1 carrot, shredded

• ¼ cup garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

• 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinaigrette 

• 1 medium orange

Nutritional Breakdown: Calories: 443, Carbs: 65g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 16g 

Dinner

• 3 oz. white fish (tilapia, flounder), baked

• 1 medium sweet potato

• 1 Tbsp. whipped butter 

• 1 cup green beans, steamed

Nutritional Breakdown: Calories: 361, Carbs: 34g, Protein: 27g, Fat: 14g 

Daily Total

Calories: 1525

Carbs: 197 grams

Protein: 79 grams

Fat: 55 grams

Day 6

Breakfast

Breakfast burrito: 

• 1 eight-inch whole-wheat tortilla 

• ½ cup black beans 

• 1 scrambled egg 

• 2 Tbsp. cheddar cheese, shredded

• 1 Tbsp. salsa

Nutritional Breakdown:Calories: 381, Carbs: 45g, Protein 22g, Fat 17g

Snack

• 1 part-skim mozzarella string cheese stick

• 1 medium pear

Nutritional Breakdown: Calories: 145, Carbs: 36g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 5g 

Lunch

• 1 cup baby carrots

• 3 oz. tuna salad (made with light mayonnaise)

• 2 slices rye bread

• 2 tomato slices

• ½ cup red grapes

Nutritional Breakdown:Calories: 407, Carbs: 60g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 10g 

Dinner

• 3 turkey meatballs

• ½ cup marinara sauce

• ½ cup whole-grain pasta

• 1 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, shredded

• 4 cups baby spinach salad

• 2 Tbsp. light Italian dressing

• 5 oz. plain Greek yogurt

Nutritional Breakdown:Calories: 613, Carbs: 63g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 20g 

Daily Total

Calories: 1546

Carbs: 205 grams

Protein: 80 grams 

Fat: 51 grams

Day 7

Breakfast

• 
  Loaded Vegetarian Quiche
  

• 1 cup raspberries

Nutritional Breakdown: Calories: 349, Carbs: 32g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 21g

Snack 

• 2 tangerines

• 1 part-skim mozzarella string cheese stick

Nutritional breakdown: Calories: 150, Carbs: 21g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 6g

Lunch

• 
  Classic Italian Pasta Fagioli
  

• 4 cups romaine lettuce

• 8 kalamata olives

• 1 tsp. feta cheese

• 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinaigrette 

• 3 Medjool dates 

Nutritional Breakdown: Calories 473, Carbs: 88g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 12g

Dinner

• 1 four-ounce turkey burger 

• 1 “slim” multigrain bun

• 1 slice Swiss cheese

• 1 cup cauliflower, air-fried or steamed

Nutritional Breakdown: Calories: 483, Carbs: 28g, Protein: 38g, Fat: 24g

Daily Total

Calories: 1455

Carbs: 169 grams Protein: 72 grams Fat: 63 grams