In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhy This Meal Plan Is Great for YouFAQsWhat Are Antioxidants?Foods to Focus OnMeal-Prep TipsDay 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5Day 6Day 7
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
Why This Meal Plan Is Great for You
FAQs
What Are Antioxidants?
Foods to Focus On
Meal-Prep Tips
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
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Photo:Stacy K. Allen/RACHEL MAREK
Stacy K. Allen/RACHEL MAREK
If you’re trying to lose weight, research suggests that eating a diet rich in antioxidants may help you achieve your goals.In this nutrient-rich meal plan for weight loss, we map out a week of delicious meals and snacks that include foods high in antioxidants. You’ll find richly pigmented produce and tons of healthy fats, such as nuts and salmon. To maximize nutrition, we skippedadded sugars. While the occasional sweet treat won’t derail the health benefits of eating more antioxidant-rich foods, many people eat more added sugars than they realize, makingweight losschallenging.Whether you’re trying to lose weight or are looking to up your nutrition, this meal plan can help. Let’s get started!
How We Create Meal PlansRegistered 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.
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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Frequently Asked QuestionsDefinitely! Meal plans are meant to be enjoyed, and of course, that means eating foods you love. In this meal plan, we aimed for 1,500 calories, at least 70 grams of protein and 28 grams of fiber and capped the sodium at 2,300 milligrams per day. If you’re closely monitoring calories, protein, fiber or other nutrients, you may want to opt for a swap that has a similar nutrition profile. Check outAntioxidant-Rich Dinners in 30 Minutes or Lessand ourAnti-Inflammatory Diet Centerfor more inspiration.Yes! If that’s easier for your routine, go for it. Each breakfast is 318 to 387 calories, while lunch is 375 to 401 calories. These ranges are fairly close, so a simple swap should work for most people, though you could adjust a snack or two if needed.It’s impossible to generalize a single cause of weight gain, as factors such as overall diet, genetics, sleep,stress, hormones and physical activity can all play a role in body weight. That said, research indicates that a diet high in added sugars likely contributes to an increase in body weight.While added sugars can certainly be part of a healthy eating routine in moderation, many people eat more than they realize.Take a peek at the nutrition label and see where added sugars may make their way into your routine.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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely! Meal plans are meant to be enjoyed, and of course, that means eating foods you love. In this meal plan, we aimed for 1,500 calories, at least 70 grams of protein and 28 grams of fiber and capped the sodium at 2,300 milligrams per day. If you’re closely monitoring calories, protein, fiber or other nutrients, you may want to opt for a swap that has a similar nutrition profile. Check outAntioxidant-Rich Dinners in 30 Minutes or Lessand ourAnti-Inflammatory Diet Centerfor more inspiration.
Yes! If that’s easier for your routine, go for it. Each breakfast is 318 to 387 calories, while lunch is 375 to 401 calories. These ranges are fairly close, so a simple swap should work for most people, though you could adjust a snack or two if needed.
It’s impossible to generalize a single cause of weight gain, as factors such as overall diet, genetics, sleep,stress, hormones and physical activity can all play a role in body weight. That said, research indicates that a diet high in added sugars likely contributes to an increase in body weight.While added sugars can certainly be part of a healthy eating routine in moderation, many people eat more than they realize.Take a peek at the nutrition label and see where added sugars may make their way into your routine.
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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How to Meal-Prep Your Week of Meals
Breakfast (387 calories)
A.M. Snack (158 calories)
Lunch (401 calories)
P.M. Snack (136 calories)
Dinner (409 calories)
Daily Totals:1,491 calories, 81g fat, 81g protein, 118g carbohydrate, 32g fiber, 1,311mg sodium
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 servingStrawberry-Banana Green Smoothieto breakfast and add ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds as an evening snack.
Jacob Fox
Breakfast (318 calories)
Lunch (375 calories)
P.M. Snack (95 calories)
Dinner (545 calories)
Daily Totals:1,489 calories, 74g fat, 92g protein, 127g carbohydrate, 29g fiber, 1,882mg sodium
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 servingAvocado & Arugula Omeletto breakfast and add 1 ½ Tbsp. natural peanut butter to P.M. snack.
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Melissa Gray, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
A.M. Snack (238 calories)
Dinner (417 calories)
Daily Totals:1,484 calories, 63g fat, 74g protein, 171g carbohydrate, 29g fiber, 1,467mg sodium
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 servingAvocado & Arugula Omeletto breakfast and add 4 Tbsp. chopped walnuts to P.M. snack.
Ali Redmond
A.M. Snack (62 calories)
P.M. Snack (131 calories)
Dinner (548 calories)
Daily Totals:1,503 calories, 82g fat, 81g protein, 120g carbohydrate, 29g fiber, 1,965mg sodium
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 servingStrawberry-Banana Green Smoothieto breakfast and 4 servingsCarrot Cake Energy Bitesto A.M. snack.
Andrea Mathis
A.M. Snack (206 calories)
Dinner (404 calories)
Evening Snack (73 calories)
Daily Totals:1,512 calories, 62g fat, 79g protein, 174g carbohydrate, 36g fiber, 1,464mg sodium
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 servingAvocado & Arugula Omeletto breakfast and add 3 Tbsp. chopped walnuts to P.M. snack.
Photographer: Stacy k. Allen, Props: Christina Brockman, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf
A.M. Snack (144 calories)
P.M. Snack (140 calories)
Dinner (500 calories)
Daily Totals:1,503 calories, 65g fat, 83g protein, 155g carbohydrate, 30g fiber, 1,516mg sodium
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 servingAvocado & Arugula Omeletto breakfast and add ¼ cup unsalted shelled pistachios to P.M. snack.
A.M. Snack (138 calories)
Dinner (452 calories)
Daily Totals:1,513 calories, 77g fat, 83g protein, 130g carbohydrate, 31g fiber, 1,420mg sodium
Make it 2,000 calories:Add 1 servingStrawberry-Banana Green Smoothieto breakfast and add ¼ cup chopped walnuts to P.M. snack.
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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.Deledda A, Annunziata G, Tenore GC, Palmas V, Manzin A, Velluzzi F.Diet-Derived Antioxidants and Their Role in Inflammation, Obesity and Gut Microbiota Modulation.Antioxidants (Basel). 2021;10(5):708. doi:10.3390/antiox10050708Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Get the Facts: Added Sugars.Faruque S, Tong J, Lacmanovic V, Agbonghae C, Minaya DM, Czaja K.The Dose Makes the Poison: Sugar and Obesity in the United States - a Review.Pol J Food Nutr Sci. 2019;69(3):219-233. doi:10.31883/pjfns/110735Zehiroglu C, Ozturk Sarikaya SB.The importance of antioxidants and place in today’s scientific and technological studies.J Food Sci Technol. 2019;56(11):4757-4774. doi:10.1007/s13197-019-03952-x
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.Deledda A, Annunziata G, Tenore GC, Palmas V, Manzin A, Velluzzi F.Diet-Derived Antioxidants and Their Role in Inflammation, Obesity and Gut Microbiota Modulation.Antioxidants (Basel). 2021;10(5):708. doi:10.3390/antiox10050708Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Get the Facts: Added Sugars.Faruque S, Tong J, Lacmanovic V, Agbonghae C, Minaya DM, Czaja K.The Dose Makes the Poison: Sugar and Obesity in the United States - a Review.Pol J Food Nutr Sci. 2019;69(3):219-233. doi:10.31883/pjfns/110735Zehiroglu C, Ozturk Sarikaya SB.The importance of antioxidants and place in today’s scientific and technological studies.J Food Sci Technol. 2019;56(11):4757-4774. doi:10.1007/s13197-019-03952-x
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.
Deledda A, Annunziata G, Tenore GC, Palmas V, Manzin A, Velluzzi F.Diet-Derived Antioxidants and Their Role in Inflammation, Obesity and Gut Microbiota Modulation.Antioxidants (Basel). 2021;10(5):708. doi:10.3390/antiox10050708Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Get the Facts: Added Sugars.Faruque S, Tong J, Lacmanovic V, Agbonghae C, Minaya DM, Czaja K.The Dose Makes the Poison: Sugar and Obesity in the United States - a Review.Pol J Food Nutr Sci. 2019;69(3):219-233. doi:10.31883/pjfns/110735Zehiroglu C, Ozturk Sarikaya SB.The importance of antioxidants and place in today’s scientific and technological studies.J Food Sci Technol. 2019;56(11):4757-4774. doi:10.1007/s13197-019-03952-x
Deledda A, Annunziata G, Tenore GC, Palmas V, Manzin A, Velluzzi F.Diet-Derived Antioxidants and Their Role in Inflammation, Obesity and Gut Microbiota Modulation.Antioxidants (Basel). 2021;10(5):708. doi:10.3390/antiox10050708
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Get the Facts: Added Sugars.
Faruque S, Tong J, Lacmanovic V, Agbonghae C, Minaya DM, Czaja K.The Dose Makes the Poison: Sugar and Obesity in the United States - a Review.Pol J Food Nutr Sci. 2019;69(3):219-233. doi:10.31883/pjfns/110735
Zehiroglu C, Ozturk Sarikaya SB.The importance of antioxidants and place in today’s scientific and technological studies.J Food Sci Technol. 2019;56(11):4757-4774. doi:10.1007/s13197-019-03952-x
