Wondering how Diet plan for a healthy lifestyle works? A healthy lifestyle is the one that eliminates, or at least reduces to a minimum, all things that are harmful and all things that are not helpful. You should challenge yourself to see how far you can go with this 7 day healthy eating plan free diet plan for a month. If you do it well enough during this month, it will be easier for you to follow for the long-term.
A well-balanced diet is essential to staying fit and healthy. The Internet is full of conflicting diet plans and miracle weight loss supplements. As a result, it can be difficult to determine which diet is best for your needs. When it comes to diet, I know that the importance of healthy eating hasn’t been a secret.
Diet Plan For A Healthy Lifestyle
What you eat each day affects your health and how you feel now and in the future. Good nutrition plays a major role in helping you lead a healthy lifestyle. When combined with physical activity, your diet can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight and reduce your risk of chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease, and promote overall health and wellbeing.
Creating and maintaining healthy eating habits doesn’t have to be hard. If you start by incorporating small changes into your daily habits, you can make a big impact on your eating pattern and create lasting, healthy eating habits. Try including at least six of the following eight goals into your diet by adding one new goal each week.
1. Make half your plate fruits and vegetables
Choose red, orange, and dark-green vegetables along with other vegetables for your meals. Add fruit to meals as part of main or side dishes or as dessert. The more colorful you make your plate, the more likely you are to get the vitamins, minerals, and fiber your body needs to be healthy.
2. Make half the grains you eat whole grains
Switch from a refined-grain food to a whole-grain food. For example, choose whole-wheat bread instead of white bread. Read the ingredients list and choose products that list a whole-grain ingredients first. Look for things like: “whole wheat,” “brown rice,” “bulgur,” “buckwheat,” “oatmeal,” “rolled oats,” quinoa,” or “wild rice.”
3. Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk
Both have the same amount of calcium and other essential nutrients as whole milk, but fewer calories and less saturated fat.
4. Choose a variety of lean protein foods
Protein foods group includes not only meat, poultry, and seafood, but also dry beans or peas, eggs, nuts, and seeds. Select leaner cuts of ground beef (where the label says 90% lean or higher), turkey breast, or chicken breast.
5. Compare sodium in foods
Use the Nutrition Facts label to choose lower sodium versions of foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals. Select canned foods labeled “low sodium,” “reduced sodium,” or “no salt added.”
6. Drink water instead of sugary drinks
Drink water to cut back on unnecessary calories from sugary drinks. Soda, energy drinks, and sports drinks are a major source of added sugar and calories in American diets. To add flavor to your water, add a slice of lemon, lime, apple or fresh herbs like mint or basil.
7. Eat some seafood
Seafood has protein, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids (heart-healthy fat). Adults should try to eat at least eight ounces a week of a variety of seafood. Children can eat smaller amounts of seafood. Seafood includes fish such as salmon, tuna, and trout and shellfish such as crab, mussels, and oysters.
8. Cut back on solid fats
Eat fewer foods that contain solid fats. The major sources for Americans are cakes, cookies, and other desserts (often made with butter, margarine, or shortening); pizza; processed and fatty meats (e.g., sausages, hot dogs, bacon, ribs); and ice cream.
7-day healthful eating meal plans for males and females proven by science
A weekly meal plan can help someone maintain a healthful diet and manage their health and weight. It can also save time and be cost-effective.
This article provides a 7-day weekly meal plan for adults based on recommended calorie intakes.
It includes foods that research suggests are beneficial to health.
Benefits of meal plans
A 7-day meal plan can help someone maintain a healthful diet.
The advantage is that people can plan their shopping, preparation, and cooking, and avoid buying and eating unhealthful foods on impulse.
A person can also batch cook meals and freeze them to save time.
Additionally, it may be more cost-effective to buy ingredients in bulk and use them for meals throughout the week.
Science-based recommendations
The following meal plans draw upon scientific research that suggests that certain dietary approaches are beneficial to health. These include:
- plant-based diets, or including more plant-based foods
- foods that support the gut microbiome, such as fermented foods and those containing prebiotic fiber, such as asparagus, bananas, and onions
- the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in whole grains, fruit, vegetables, unsaturated fats, and lean proteins like oily fish and poultry
- the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020
The meal plans provide the recommended average daily caloric intake of 2,000Trusted Source calories per day for adult females and 2,500Trusted Source calories per day for adult males. Calories for the meals specified are approximately these amounts.
However, as recommended intakes vary according to age, sex, and activity levels, the meal plans are flexible, allowing people to adapt them to suit their dietary needs.
These meal plans contain a range of ingredients, some of which are cupboard staples, and some of which may be more expensive to purchase or more specialist depending on where a person lives and the outlets available to them.
Some of the recipes involve preparing or cooking food in advance, but most can be made in batches and stored in the freezer for a reasonable time.
Many people may find the batch-cooking recipes included more helpful if planning meals for a family or group.
People can substitute many of the ingredients in these recipes for easier to find or cheaper ingredients with a similar macronutrient profile — for example, quinoa for brown rice or edamame for garden peas.
The meals in this plan derive from a combination of the four diets mentioned above, and so not every meal will be suitable for everyone who may adhere to one specific diet.
7 Day Healthy Eating Plan Free
we believe there is no one-size-fits-all approach to a healthy lifestyle. Successful eating plans need to be individualized and consider the whole person. Before starting a new diet plan, consult with a healthcare provider or a registered dietitian, especially if you have an underlying health condition.
Consuming a healthy, balanced diet is a goal for many people. While this is an excellent goal for health reasons, the terms “healthy” and “balanced” will vary for each individual. A healthy, balanced diet generally means one that is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats. A meal plan is a great tool to help you plan and
Meal planning can help keep you on track, no matter what your nutrition goal is. Prepping and planning doesn’t have to be time-intensive and complicated. A few simple steps, including basic meal constructs, making a shopping list, shopping strategically, and methodically preparing food ahead of time, are what make meal planning a helpful tool to keep you energized, meet your nutrition goals, reduce food waste, and save money.
Why Nutrition is Important for a Healthy and Balanced Diet
A healthy, balanced diet looks different for each person, as nutrition needs vary based on gender, height, weight, activity level, and many more factors. When thinking about what is “healthy” and “balanced” for you, there are many considerations. Think about taste preferences, nutrition needs, cooking ability, medical conditions, budget, and more.
Planning a daily menu isn’t difficult as long as each meal and snack has some protein, fiber, complex carbohydrates, and a little bit of fat.1 You may want to plan approximately 100 to 250 calories for each snack and 300 to 600 calories per meal; however, you may need more or less depending on your hunger levels and energy needs.
7-Day Sample Menu
This one-week meal plan was designed for a person who needs about 2,000 to 2,200 calories per day and has no dietary restrictions. Your daily calorie goal may vary. Learn what it is below, then make tweaks to the plan to fit your specific needs. Consider working with a registered dietitian or speaking with a health care provider to assess and plan for your dietary needs more accurately.
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Each day includes three meals and three snacks and has a healthy balance of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. You’ll also get plenty of fiber from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes.
It’s OK to swap out similar menu items, but keep cooking methods in mind. Replacing a sirloin steak with grilled chicken is fine, for instance, but replacing it with chicken-fried steak isn’t going to work because of the breading changes the fat, carb and sodium counts—and the calories. Finally, you can adjust your calorie intake by eliminating snacks if you want to lose weight or eating larger snacks if you want to gain weight.
Day 1
Breakfast
- One grapefruit
- Two poached eggs (or fried in a non-stick pan)
- One slice 100% whole wheat toast
Macronutrients: approximately 327 calories, 18 grams protein, 41 grams carbohydrates, and 11 grams fat
Snack
- One banana
- One cup plain yogurt with one tablespoon honey
Macronutrients: 324 calories, 14 grams protein, 62 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fat
Lunch
- Six ounces grilled chicken breast
- Large garden salad (three cups mixed greens with one cup cherry tomatoes, one-quarter avocado, topped with two tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette)
Macronutrients: 396 calories, 41 grams protein, 18 grams carbohydrates, 18 grams fat
Snack
- One cup (about 10) baby carrots
- Three tablespoons hummus
- One-half piece of pita bread
Macronutrients: 192 calories, 7 grams protein, 31 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fat
Dinner
- One cup steamed broccoli
- One cup of brown rice
- Halibut (four-ounce portion)
Macronutrients: 399 calories, 34 grams protein, 57 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fat
Snack
- Two pitted medjool dates
- One ounce 70% dark chocolate
Macronutrients: 302 calories, 3 grams protein, 49 grams carbohydrates, 12 grams fat
Daily Totals: 1,940 calories, 117 grams protein, 258 grams carbohydrates, 55 grams fat
Note that beverages are not included in this meal plan. Individual fluid needs vary based on age, sex, activity level, and medical history. For optimal hydration, experts generally recommend drinking approximately 11.5 cups of water per day for women and 15.5 cups of water per day for men2. When adding beverages to your meal plan, consider their calorie count. Aim to reduce or eliminate consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, and opt for water when possible.
Day 2
Breakfast
- One whole-wheat English muffin with two tablespoons peanut butter
- One orange
Macronutrients: 391 calories with 14 grams protein, 52 grams carbohydrates, and 17 grams fat
Snack
- One 7-ounce container 2% plain Greek yogurt with 1/2 cup blueberries
Macronutrients: 188 calories, 20 grams protein, 19grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fat
Lunch
- Turkey sandwich (six ounces of turkey breast meat, large tomato slice, green lettuce, 1/4 avocado, and 2 teaspoons honey mustard on two slices of whole wheat bread)
Macronutrients: 540 calories, 59 grams protein, 34 grams carbohydrates, 18 grams fat
Snack
- One cup (about 30) grapes
Macronutrients: 100 calories, 1 grams protein, 27 grams carbohydrates, 0 grams fat
Dinner
- Five-ounce sirloin steak
- One roasted sweet potato
- One cup cooked spinach (made with two teaspoons olive oil)
- One cup green beans
Macronutrients: 612 calories, 48 grams protein, 40 grams carbohydrates, 30 grams fat
Snack
- One cup plain popcorn
- One ounce 70% dark chocolate
Macronutrients: Approximately 214 calories, 2.9 grams protein, 17 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fat
Daily Totals: 2,045 calories, 145 grams protein, 188 grams carbohydrates, 85 grams fat
Day 3
Breakfast
- Overnight Oats (one mashed banana, two tablespoons chia seeds, one half cup oats, one cup almond milk, one teaspoon cinnamon)
Macronutrients: approximately 431 calories with 12 grams protein, 73 grams carbohydrates, 13 grams fat
Snack
- One fresh pear
- One ounce (22) almonds
Macronutrients: 271 calories, 7 grams protein, 33 grams carbohydrates, 15 grams fat
Lunch
- One slice whole wheat bread
- One half avocado, mashed
- One fried egg
- One medium apple
Macronutrients: 408 calories, 13 grams protein, 48 grams carbohydrates, 21 grams fat
Snack
- Three tablespoons hummus
- One cup baby carrots
- One cup cherry tomatoes
Macronutrients: 140 calories, 6 grams protein, 21 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fat
Dinner
- Five-ounce turkey burger
- One whole wheat english muffin
- One slice tomato, two leaves lettuce, one slice onion
- Two tablespoons ketchup
Macronutrients: 531 calories, 43 grams protein, 38 grams carbohydrates, 24 grams fat
Snack
- One cup of ice cream
- One cup fresh raspberries
Macronutrients: 337 calories, 6 grams protein, 46 grams carbohydrates, 15 grams fat
Daily Totals: 2,118 calories, 86 grams protein, 259 grams carbohydrates, 93 grams fat
Day 4
Breakfast
- Two slices 100% whole wheat toast with two tablespoons peanut butter
- One banana
Macronutrients: approximately 454 calories with 16 grams protein, 62 grams carbohydrates, and 18 grams fat
Snack
- One cup grapes
- One ounce (14) walnuts
Macronutrients: 290 calories, 5 grams protein, 31 grams carbohydrates, 19 grams fat
Lunch
- Tuna wrap with one wheat flour tortilla, one-half can water-packed tuna (drained), one tablespoon mayonnaise, lettuce, and sliced tomato
- One half sliced avocado
Macronutrients: 496 calories, 27 grams protein, 28 grams carbohydrates, 132grams fat
Snack
- One cup cottage cheese (1-percent fat)
- One half cup blueberries
Macronutrients: 205 calories, 29 grams protein, 17 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fat
Dinner
- One and a half cups whole wheat pasta
- One cup tomato sauce
- Small garden salad (one cup mixed greens with one half cup cherry tomatoes topped with one tablespoon balsamic vinaigrette)
Macronutrients: 472 calories, 18 grams protein, 91 grams carbohydrates, 8 grams fat
Snack
- One apple
Macronutrients: 95 calories, 0.5 grams protein, 25 grams carbohydrates, 0.3 grams fat
Daily Totals: 2,012 calories, 96 grams protein, 255 grams carbohydrates, 80 grams fat
Day 5
Breakfast
- One whole wheat bagel
- Three tablespoons cream cheese
Macronutrients: approximately 441 calories with 15 grams protein, 59 grams carbohydrates, and 16 grams fat
Snack
- One cup baby carrots
- One cup cauliflower pieces
- Two tablespoons ranch dressing
Macronutrients: 191 calories, 3 grams protein, 15 grams carbohydrates, 14 grams fat
Lunch
- Veggie burger
- Whole grain bun
- One slice cheddar cheese
- One sliced apple
Macronutrients: 573 calories, 25 grams protein, 62 grams carbohydrates, 26 grams fat
Snack
- One banana
- Two tablespoons peanut butter
Macronutrients: 293 calories, 8 grams protein, 35 grams carbohydrates, 16 grams fat
Dinner
- Four ounces trout filet
- One cup steamed green beans
- One cup brown rice
- One small garden salad with one tablespoon salad dressing
Macronutrients: 526 calories, 38 grams protein, 60 grams carbohydrates, 15 grams fat
Snack
- One fresh peach
Macronutrients: 68 calories, 2 grams protein, 17 grams carbohydrates, 0.4 grams fat)
Daily Totals: 2,092 calories, 90 grams protein, 249 grams carbohydrates, 88 grams fat
Day 6
Breakfast
- One (7-ounce) container of 2% Greek yogurt
- One banana
- One hard-boiled egg
Macronutrients: approximately 323calories with 27 grams protein, 35 grams carbohydrates, and 9 grams fat
Snack
- Ten whole wheat pretzel twists
- Three tablespoons hummus
Macronutrients: 305 calories, 10 grams protein, 55 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams fat
Lunch
- One whole wheat tortilla
- Four ounces turkey
- One slice cheddar cheese
- One cup mixed greens
- One tablespoon honey mustard
Macronutrients: 531 calories, 43 grams protein, 25 grams carbohydrates, 28 grams fat
Snack
- One-half ounce (11) almonds
- One fresh peach
Macronutrients: 153 calories, 5 grams protein, 20 grams carbohydrates, 8 grams fat
Dinner
- Five ounces pork loin
- Small garden salad with one tablespoon vinaigrette
- One medium baked sweet potato
- Five asparagus spears
Macronutrients: 440 calories, 42 grams protein, 31 grams carbohydrates, 16 grams fat
Snack
- One medium chocolate chip cookie
- One cup sliced strawberries
Macronutrients: 201 calories, 3 grams protein, 32 grams carbohydrates, 8 grams fat
Daily Totals: 1,952 calories, 130 grams protein, 198 grams carbohydrates, 75 grams fat
Day 7
Breakfast
- One cup cooked oatmeal
- One-half cup blueberries
- One-half cup non-fat milk
- Two tablespoons almond butter
Macronutrients: 439 calories, 17 grams protein, 50 grams carbohydrates, 21 grams fat
Snack
- One (7-ounce) container 2% Greek yogurt
- One sliced apple
Macronutrients: 241 calories, 20 grams protein, 33 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fat
Lunch
- Six-ounce baked chicken breast
- Large garden salad with tomatoes and onions and two tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette
- One baked sweet potato
Macronutrients: 708 calories, 45 grams protein, 42 grams carbohydrates, 40 grams fat
Snack
- One cup raw broccoli florets
- One cup baby carrots
- Three tablespoons hummus
Macronutrients: 168 calories, 8 grams protein, 26 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams fat
Dinner
- Four-ounce serving of baked or grilled salmon
- 5 asparagus spears
- One cup brown rice
Macronutrients: 468 calories, 31 grams protein, 49 grams carbohydrates, 16 grams fat
Snack
- One peach
(Macronutrients: 68 calories, 2 grams protein, 17 grams carbohydrates, 0 grams fat)
Daily Totals: 2,093 calories, 124 grams protein, 218 grams carbohydrates, 86 grams fat
Importance Of Healthy Eating
Weight control is a common reason that you might consider eating healthily. Although following a balanced diet can help you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, this is only one benefit. Those who follow a healthy, well-balanced diet reduce their risk of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Aim to consume a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and unsaturated fats.
1. Weight Loss or Maintenance
Use fruit, vegetables, lean protein and whole grains to replace high-fat, high-calorie foods. Staying within your required calorie range is vital for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. The fiber in whole grains, fruits and vegetables help fill you up faster and keep you full longer than foods that are loaded with sugar. The longer you are satiated, the less likely you are to exceed your ideal calorie range.
2. Blood Sugar Control
Sugary foods, such as white bread, fruit juice, soda and ice cream, cause a spike in blood sugar. While your body can handle occasional influxes of glucose, over time this can lead to insulin resistance, which can go on to become type 2 diabetes. Complex carbohydrates, such as whole grain bread, oatmeal and brown rice, cause a slow release of sugar into the bloodstream, which helps regulate blood sugar.
3. Decreased Risk of Heart Disease
Regularly consuming high-fat foods can increase your cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which can cause plaque to buildup in your arteries. Over time, this can lead to heart attack, stroke or heart disease. Eating a moderate amount of healthful fats such as those found in olive oil, avocados, fish, nuts and seeds helps protect your heart.
4. Decreased Cancer Risk
Fruits and vegetables are loaded with antioxidants, which are substances that seek and neutralize potentially damaging cells called free radicals. Free radicals contain an uneven amount of electrons, making them highly unstable. As they seek out and steal electrons from healthy cells, they can cause damage. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals by donating one of their electrons, turning the free radical into a stable molecule.
5. Support for Brain Health
A healthful diet is just as good for your brain as the rest of your body. Unhealthy foods are linked to a range of neurological problems. Certain nutrient deficiencies increasing the risk of depression. Other nutrients, like potassium, actually involved in brain cell function. A varied, healthful diet keeps your brain functioning properly, and it can promote good mental health as well.