In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhy This Meal Plan Is Great for YouDay 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5Day 6Day 7Meal-Prep TipsFAQsAnti-Inflammatory Foods to Focus On:Strategies to Improve Insulin Resistance:
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
Why This Meal Plan Is Great for You
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Meal-Prep Tips
FAQs
Anti-Inflammatory Foods to Focus On:
Strategies to Improve Insulin Resistance:
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Photo:Victor Protasio and Jen Causey. EatingWell design.
Victor Protasio and Jen Causey. EatingWell design.
Taking care of your health can feel complicated. It’s difficult to know where to start and what changes can actually make a difference. If you just found out you have insulin resistance or elevated blood sugar levels, those feelings may increase tenfold. In this seven-day meal plan, we map out a simple anti-inflammatory routine to help improveinsulin resistance. You’ll find a week of delicious meals and snacks to help improve blood sugar levels and reduce inflammation—all with short ingredient lists and cooking times, as well as plenty of meal-prep tips throughout. Check it out!
We includeanti-inflammatoryingredients such as salmon, nuts and richly pigmented fruits and vegetables. These ingredients contain antioxidants and other powerful compounds that can help reduce markers of chronic inflammation in the body. Research indicates that chronic inflammation can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and the progression of obesity-linked insulin resistance.Reducing chronic inflammationcan help improve blood sugar levels and, as result, reduce insulin resistance.
This 1,800-calorie meal plan has modifications for 1,500 and 2,000 calories to support those with differentcalorie needs. While we previously included meal plans and modifications for 1,200 calories, we no longer do. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting your 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.
Photographer: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Sally McKay, Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood
Breakfast (435 calories)
A.M. Snack (334 calories)
Lunch (389 calories)
P.M. Snack (218 calories)
Dinner (427 calories)
Daily Totals:1,803 calories, 103g fat, 95g protein, 132g carbohydrate, 33g fiber, 1,428mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories:Omit chopped walnuts at breakfast and reduce to 1 Tbsp. natural peanut butter at A.M. snack.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 servingEverything Bagel Avocado Toastto lunch.
Photographer: Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Breakfast (399 calories)
A.M. Snack (124 calories)
Lunch (491 calories)
P.M. Snack (200 calories)
Dinner (378 calories)
Evening Snack (200 calories)
Daily Totals:1,792 calories, 90g fat, 135g protein, 120g carbohydrate, 38g fiber, 2,269mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories:Omit kefir at breakfast and omit almonds at lunch.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 medium apple to A.M. snack and increase to 3 Tbsp. chopped almonds at P.M. snack.
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
A.M. Snack (252 calories)
Dinner (467 calories)
Daily Totals:1,809 calories, 90g fat, 127g protein, 130g carbohydrate, 31g fiber, 2,049mg sodium.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 servingCottage Cheese Snack Jar with Fruitas an evening snack.
P.M. Snack (252 calories)
Dinner (484 calories)
Daily Totals:1,786 calories, 100g fat, 94g protein, 140g carbohydrate, 36g fiber, 1,711mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories:Omit chopped walnuts at breakfast and change P.M. snack to 1 medium peach.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 servingCottage Cheese Snack Jar with Fruitto A.M. snack.
A.M. Snack (256 calories)
Dinner (436 calories)
Meal-Prep Tip:Reserve two servingsLemon Chicken Orzo Soup with Kaleto have for lunch on Days 6 and 7.
Daily Totals:1,781 calories, 87g fat, 125g protein, 139g carbohydrate, 43g fiber, 2,183mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories:Omit strawberries at breakfast and almonds at lunch.
Make it 2,000 calories:Increase to 3 Tbsp. chopped walnuts at P.M. snack and add 1 medium apple as an evening snack.
Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist:Christine Keely, Food Stylist:Chelsea Zimmer
A.M. Snack (206 calories)
Lunch (372 calories)
Dinner (448 calories)
Evening Snack (141 calories)
Daily Totals:1,819 calories, 81g fat, 115g protein, 167g carbohydrate, 35g fiber, 2,093mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories:Change A.M. snack to 1 medium peach and omit peanut butter at P.M. snack.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 3 Tbsp. chopped walnuts to lunch and increase to 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter at P.M. snack.
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall
P.M. Snack (305 calories)
Dinner (474 calories)
Evening Snack (62 calories)
Daily Totals:1,819 calories, 98g fat, 108g protein, 135g carbohydrate, 32g fiber, 1,989mg sodium.
Make it 1,500 calories:Omit kefir at breakfast and omit peanut butter at P.M. snack.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted shelled pistachios to evening snack.
How to Meal-Prep Your Week of Meals:
These recipes can be made ahead of time at the beginning of the week, so you don’t have to spend so much time cooking and preparing meals on busy weekdays.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it’s okay to mix and match meals if there is one you don’t like. You can choose to repeat a different meal in this plan or browse some of our otheranti-inflammatory dinners for insulin resistance. We chose meals that were high in fiber and protein and moderately low in carbohydrates to promote healthy blood sugar levels.
If it works better for your routine to eat the same breakfast or lunch every day, go for it! Each option is fairly similar in calories and all options provide a good amount of protein and fiber with a similar carbohydrate content, so a swap should work fine for most people.
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.
If you have insulin resistance, elevated blood sugar levels or type 2 diabetes, there are some strategies that may help reduceinsulin resistanceand improve blood sugar levels.
How We Create Meal PlansRegistered dietitians thoughtfully createEatingWell’smeal 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.
How We Create Meal Plans
Registered dietitians thoughtfully createEatingWell’smeal 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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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Wu H, Ballantyne CM.Metabolic Inflammation and Insulin Resistance in Obesity.Circ Res. 2020;126(11):1549-1564. doi:10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.119.315896U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Insulin Resistance & PrediabetesAmerican Diabetes Association.Anaerobic Exercise and Diabetes.American Diabetes Association.Understanding Insulin Resistance.
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Wu H, Ballantyne CM.Metabolic Inflammation and Insulin Resistance in Obesity.Circ Res. 2020;126(11):1549-1564. doi:10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.119.315896U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Insulin Resistance & PrediabetesAmerican Diabetes Association.Anaerobic Exercise and Diabetes.American Diabetes Association.Understanding Insulin Resistance.
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
Wu H, Ballantyne CM.Metabolic Inflammation and Insulin Resistance in Obesity.Circ Res. 2020;126(11):1549-1564. doi:10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.119.315896U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Insulin Resistance & PrediabetesAmerican Diabetes Association.Anaerobic Exercise and Diabetes.American Diabetes Association.Understanding Insulin Resistance.
Wu H, Ballantyne CM.Metabolic Inflammation and Insulin Resistance in Obesity.Circ Res. 2020;126(11):1549-1564. doi:10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.119.315896
U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Insulin Resistance & Prediabetes
American Diabetes Association.Anaerobic Exercise and Diabetes.
American Diabetes Association.Understanding Insulin Resistance.
