7-Day Weight Loss Meal Plan: Day-by-Day Menu With Calories and Protein
A full week of breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks averaging about 1,450 calories and 110 g of protein a day, with a grocery list, easy swaps and a guide to scaling portions to your own needs.
Last updated: September 2026.
This 7-day weight loss meal plan gives you a full week of breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks built around lean protein, fibre-rich carbohydrates and plenty of vegetables. As written, the days average roughly 1,450 calories (between about 1,400 and 1,550) and about 110 g of protein. Treat it as a template: the portion guide further down shows how to scale it, because the right calorie intake varies a lot from person to person.
Want a printable version? Our free printable 7-day weight loss meal plan puts a full week on one page with a shopping checklist.
Before you start: a quick safety note
This plan is general information, not medical advice. Calorie and protein figures are estimates based on typical portions and will vary with brands and cooking methods. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before changing how you eat if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, under 18, have diabetes, kidney disease or another medical condition, take medication that affects appetite or blood sugar (including GLP-1 medicines), or have a history of disordered eating.
How many calories should you eat to lose weight?
There's no single number that suits everyone. Your needs depend on your size, age, sex, activity level and health. A common approach is to estimate the calories you need to maintain your weight and eat somewhat less, often around 300–500 kcal a day less, which leads to gradual weight loss for many adults. Tools such as the NIH Body Weight Planner can give you a personal estimate.
The roughly 1,500 kcal level in this plan suits some smaller or less active adults, but many people, especially men, taller people and anyone who is very active, will need more. Very low intakes (commonly cited as below about 1,200 kcal a day for women or 1,500 kcal for men) are generally only advised with medical supervision. If you feel exhausted, dizzy or constantly hungry, eat more and adjust using the portion guide.
Why protein and fibre matter
Protein and fibre both make meals more filling, which makes eating a little less much easier to live with. Enough protein also helps you hold on to muscle while you lose weight, especially if you do some strength training. The general adult guideline is 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight a day; studies on weight loss and muscle retention often use more, around 1.2–1.6 g per kg. If you have kidney disease, check with your doctor before increasing protein.
Every meal in this plan follows the same simple structure:
- A lean protein as the anchor of the plate.
- A fibre-rich carbohydrate such as oats, whole grains, potatoes, beans or lentils.
- Vegetables or fruit to add volume for few calories.
- A small amount of healthy fat such as olive oil, avocado, nuts or seeds.
This mirrors Mediterranean- and DASH-style eating, which consistently rank near the top of U.S. News & World Report's Best Diets. Easy protein sources used throughout the week:
- Eggs: about 6 g protein each
- Plain 0% Greek yoghurt: about 20 g per 200 g pot
- Cooked chicken breast: about 31 g per 100 g
- Tinned tuna: about 25 g per 100 g drained
- Cooked lentils: about 9 g per 100 g
- Edamame: about 11 g per 100 g
The 7-day meal plan
Each day has three meals and one or two snacks. All figures are approximate.
Day 1: Lean protein focus
- Breakfast: 3-egg omelette with spinach and 30 g feta (~330 kcal, 24 g protein)
- Lunch: grilled chicken breast (120 g) with quinoa and roasted peppers (~470 kcal, 42 g protein)
- Dinner: baked salmon (130 g) with steamed broccoli and brown rice (~480 kcal, 34 g protein)
- Snack: 200 g plain 0% Greek yoghurt with blueberries (~160 kcal, 18 g protein)
Day total: ~1,440 kcal, ~118 g protein. Cook an extra portion of brown rice for tomorrow's dinner.
Day 2: Plant-based day
- Breakfast: overnight oats with 40 g oats, soy milk, chia seeds, a teaspoon of almond butter and half a banana (~370 kcal, 14 g protein)
- Lunch: lentil and smoked tofu bowl with roasted vegetables and a tahini-lemon dressing (~500 kcal, 34 g protein)
- Dinner: tofu and edamame stir-fry with vegetables and yesterday's brown rice (~500 kcal, 37 g protein)
- Snack: 150 g soy yoghurt with 15 g pumpkin seeds (~175 kcal, 11 g protein)
Day total: ~1,545 kcal, ~96 g protein. Plant-based days usually land a little lower in protein; adding a scoop of pea or soy protein to the oats adds about 20 g.
Day 3: Batch-cook day
- Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs on a slice of wholegrain toast with cherry tomatoes, plus 100 g cottage cheese (~380 kcal, 29 g protein)
- Lunch: chicken burrito bowl with black beans, brown rice, salsa, lettuce and a little avocado (~490 kcal, 45 g protein)
- Dinner: turkey and bean chilli with a side salad; make four portions (~380 kcal, 35 g protein)
- Snack: an apple with 20 g almonds (~200 kcal, 5 g protein)
Day total: ~1,450 kcal, ~114 g protein. Refrigerate one portion of chilli for tomorrow and freeze the other two.
Day 4: Leftovers day
- Breakfast: 200 g plain 0% Greek yoghurt with 40 g granola and berries (~320 kcal, 24 g protein)
- Lunch: leftover turkey chilli with a small wholemeal tortilla (~480 kcal, 38 g protein)
- Dinner: baked cod (170 g) with roasted potatoes and green beans (~380 kcal, 38 g protein)
- Snacks: hummus with carrot and cucumber sticks (~170 kcal, 5 g protein); a skimmed-milk latte (~90 kcal, 8 g protein)
Day total: ~1,440 kcal, ~113 g protein.
Day 5: 20-minute meals
- Breakfast: overnight oats made with Greek yoghurt, milk, berries and a little honey (~330 kcal, 24 g protein)
- Lunch: tuna and white bean salad with tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olive oil and lemon (~390 kcal, 36 g protein)
- Dinner: prawn and vegetable stir-fry with egg noodles (~490 kcal, 35 g protein)
- Snacks: 150 g cottage cheese with pineapple (~150 kcal, 16 g protein); a banana (~100 kcal, 1 g protein)
Day total: ~1,460 kcal, ~112 g protein.
Day 6: Weekend day
- Breakfast: 2 poached eggs on 2 slices of wholegrain toast with avocado (~390 kcal, 22 g protein)
- Lunch: chicken wrap with salad and tzatziki (~400 kcal, 38 g protein)
- Dinner: burger bowl with a 5%-fat beef patty, oven potato wedges, salad and a slice of cheese (~430 kcal, 34 g protein)
- Snacks: 150 g skyr with berries (~125 kcal, 16 g protein); a small bag of plain popcorn (~80 kcal, 2 g protein)
Day total: ~1,425 kcal, ~112 g protein. There's room for 100–150 kcal of something you enjoy, such as a glass of wine or a small dessert, while staying in the plan's range.
Day 7: Easy prep-ahead day
- Breakfast: protein porridge: 40 g oats cooked in semi-skimmed milk with 20 g protein powder and berries (~350 kcal, 28 g protein)
- Lunch: smoked salmon and light cream cheese on a bagel thin, with cucumber and a side salad (~330 kcal, 23 g protein)
- Dinner: sheet-pan skinless chicken thighs with roasted vegetables, chickpeas and couscous (~490 kcal, 40 g protein)
- Snacks: 170 g plain 0% Greek yoghurt with honey (~120 kcal, 17 g protein); 20 g mixed nuts (~120 kcal, 4 g protein)
Day total: ~1,410 kcal, ~112 g protein. While dinner roasts, plan and shop for next week.
Week at a glance
| Day | Theme | Approx. calories | Approx. protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Lean protein focus | ~1,440 kcal | ~118 g |
| Day 2 | Plant-based | ~1,545 kcal | ~96 g |
| Day 3 | Batch cook | ~1,450 kcal | ~114 g |
| Day 4 | Leftovers | ~1,440 kcal | ~113 g |
| Day 5 | 20-minute meals | ~1,460 kcal | ~112 g |
| Day 6 | Weekend | ~1,425 kcal (plus optional treat) | ~112 g |
| Day 7 | Prep-ahead | ~1,410 kcal | ~112 g |
| Average | ~1,450 kcal | ~111 g |
Grocery list for the week
Quantities are for one person following the plan as written.
Protein
- Eggs (7)
- Chicken breast (about 320 g)
- Skinless chicken thighs (150 g)
- Salmon fillet (130 g) and smoked salmon (60 g)
- Cod fillet (170 g)
- Raw peeled prawns (150 g)
- Tinned tuna in water (1 tin)
- Lean turkey mince (500 g, for 4 chilli portions)
- 5%-fat beef mince (125 g) or 1 lean burger patty
- Firm tofu (150 g) and smoked tofu (100 g)
- Frozen edamame (small bag)
- Protein powder (optional)
Dairy and alternatives
- Plain 0% Greek yoghurt (about 750 g)
- Skyr (150 g)
- Cottage cheese (250 g)
- Feta (30 g), light cream cheese (30 g), 1 cheese slice
- Semi-skimmed or skimmed milk (about 500 ml)
- Unsweetened soy milk and soy yoghurt (150 g)
Grains, bread and legumes
- Rolled oats (about 120 g) and granola (40 g)
- Quinoa, brown rice, couscous and egg noodles
- Wholegrain bread, 1 wholemeal wrap, 1 small tortilla, 1 bagel thin
- Cooked lentils (150 g)
- Tinned black beans, kidney beans, white beans and chickpeas (1 tin each)
Fruit and vegetables
- Spinach, lettuce or mixed salad leaves
- Broccoli, peppers, green beans and stir-fry vegetables
- Cherry tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, red onion, onions and garlic
- Mixed roasting vegetables and potatoes
- 1 avocado
- Blueberries or mixed berries, 2 bananas, 1 apple and pineapple
Pantry
- Olive oil, tahini, almond butter and honey
- Chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds and mixed nuts
- Hummus, salsa and tzatziki
- Chopped tomatoes (2 tins), chilli spices and soy sauce
- Plain popcorn
Easy swaps and substitutions
Swap protein for protein and carbohydrate for carbohydrate, and each day's totals stay roughly the same.
| If you don't eat… | Swap for |
|---|---|
| Chicken or turkey | Firm tofu, tempeh, or extra beans and lentils |
| Salmon or cod | Other white fish, tinned sardines or mackerel, or tofu |
| Eggs | Tofu scramble, or Greek or soy yoghurt at breakfast |
| Dairy | Unsweetened soy yoghurt and soy milk, which have more protein than most plant alternatives |
| Prawns | Chicken, tofu or extra edamame in the stir-fry |
| Rice, quinoa or couscous | Another whole grain or potatoes, or cauliflower rice for fewer calories |
| Nuts | Pumpkin or sunflower seeds if you have a nut allergy |
How to adjust portions to your calorie needs
The simplest way to scale the plan is to change carbohydrate and fat portions first, and keep protein and vegetables roughly the same.
| Daily target | What to change |
|---|---|
| About 1,500 kcal | Follow the plan as written. |
| About 1,800 kcal | Add one extra snack, such as a banana with a tablespoon of peanut butter (~200 kcal), and increase the rice, potatoes, oats or bread at one meal by about half (~100 kcal). |
| About 2,000 kcal | As above, plus a larger dinner portion, for example 50 g more cooked rice or pasta and a teaspoon of olive oil (~120 kcal), and a glass of milk or soy milk (~100 kcal). |
| Below 1,500 kcal | Only with guidance from a doctor or dietitian; see the safety note above. |
Weigh yourself once or twice a week at the same time of day and look at the trend over two to four weeks. Day-to-day changes are mostly water.
Meal planning tips that make the week easier
- Cook once, eat twice: Day 3's chilli covers Day 4's lunch, and the extra rice from Day 1 goes into Day 2's stir-fry.
- Plan the weekend in advance: Saturdays and Sundays are where most plans drift, so decide those meals on Thursday or Friday.
- Keep easy protein on hand: Greek yoghurt, eggs, tinned tuna and cottage cheese make quick, filling snacks.
- Shop from one list: buying only what's on the list cuts both food waste and impulse snacks.
- Repeat what works: it's fine to repeat favourite days. A plan you can stick to beats a perfect one you abandon.
For a step-by-step method to build a plan from scratch, see how to create a structured meal plan for weight loss. If you'd rather not plan by hand, Munchi can build a week around your own calorie and protein targets and food preferences and turn it into a grocery list automatically. It's a planning tool, not medical advice. Comparing tools? See our roundup of the best meal planning apps.