We’re going to say this right up front — sticking to a 1,300-calorie diet nutrition plan for a week is not going to be easy, but if you truly feel you want to try it to lose a few pounds or reset your daily habits, we’ve put together a meal plan that can work because it focuses on major nutrients you need to stay healthy.
“A 1,300-calorie per day eating plan is typically short-term and often used for quick weight-loss goals,” says Valerie Agyeman, RD, a women’s health dietitian and the host of the Flourish Heights podcast. “However, it may not provide enough nutrients and energy for many people.”
The meals below include a variety of breakfasts, lunches and dinners (plus 100-calorie snacks) that all total up to around 1,300 calories per day. Feel free to mix and match — if you love the lunch from one day, make it again the next! As long as you stick to the choices listed here, you’ll keep your total calorie intake to roughly 1,300 a day. Skip any sugary sodas, juices or lattes this week, and stay on track with calorie-free beverages including water, seltzer, unsweetened black coffee and freshly brewed, unsweetened iced tea.
Of course, we want to note that long-term weight loss requires making healthy food choices all (or most of) the time — if it’s not sustainable with your lifestyle, the weight loss from a low-cal diet will likely be temporary. If you find this diet plan too restrictive, we encourage you to double (or triple, quadruple …you get the point!) up on veggies at any opportunity — and to add more fruit at snack time, too. You can also add 1-5 ounces of protein at all meals if at any point you’re feeling like it’s not enough food to keep you satisfied and power you through the day. We also have 1,400-calorie meal plans, as well as 1,500 calorie and 1,700 calorie versions.
If you plan to follow a low-calorie eating plan for more than a week or two, be sure to consult with a dietitian, which is vital to ensure you are meeting your nutritional needs and preventing any deficiencies, says Aygeman. “An RD will also consider factors like age, activity level, food allergies and intolerances, budget, culture, food and body relationship, food preferences, lifestyle and any underlying health conditions,” she explains. “They will provide the guidance you need to help you choose nutrient-dense foods and maximize limited calorie intake.” She also cautions that a calorie-restrictive plan such as this is not appropriate for anyone who is pregnant, breastfeeding, or has a history of eating disorders. “When in doubt, consult with your healthcare provider, she advises.
Weight loss, health and body image are complex subjects — before deciding to follow this meal plan, we invite you gain a broader perspective by reading our exploration into the hazards of diet culture.
Day 1
Breakfast
Eat 1 cup oatmeal (like Bob’s Red Mill) made with hot water and topped with 1/2 banana.
Lunch
Make a spinach salad by topping 3 to 4 cups baby spinach leaves with 1 hard-cooked egg, chopped; 2 strips cooked bacon, crumbled; 5 mushrooms, thinly sliced; 1/3 cup croutons; 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese; and 3 slices red onion. Toss ingredients together, then drizzle with a flavored vinegar, such as red wine, balsamic or seasoned rice vinegar. Finish off your meal with a pear.
Dinner
Turkey isn’t just for Thanksgiving. Try our tasty turkey burger recipe (skip the bun and fries). Round it out with 2 cups steamed broccoli florets and 1 cup berries on the side.
Day 2
On the menu today: a classic peanut-butter sandwich followed by little Tex-Mex flavor.
Breakfast
Toast one English muffin and sprinkle with 1/4 cup shredded cheese (any type). Bake or broil until cheese melts. Eat it with 1 pear.
Lunch
Spread 1 slice raisin bread with 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut butter. Top with 1/2 banana, sliced. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon honey and cover with another slice of raisin bread and drink with 1 cup fat-free milk.
Dinner
Heat things up with a spicy chicken olé: On a 12-inch-long sheet of aluminum foil, center a 5-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast. Top with 3/4 cup canned corn with peppers, 1/4 cup salsa, and 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro (optional). Fold foil into a packet. Bake on cookie sheet at 450 degrees F about 18 minutes.
Other great chicken options include Sautéed Chicken with Tomatoes and Roasted Artichokes, or a zingy Paprika Chicken With Crispy Chickpeas and Tomatoes.
Pair it with a citrusy avocado salad: On lettuce leaves, arrange 1 tangerine, peeled and divided into segments; 1/4 ripe avocado, thinly sliced; 1 slice red onion. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon olive oil.
Day 3
Breakfast
Cook 1/2 cup oats with 1 cup fat-free milk. Stir in 2 tablespoons peanut butter, 1/2 cup berries and pinch of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.
Lunch
Cut a whole-wheat pita in half. Spread 3 tablespoons hummus in each pocket (you can buy hummus in any supermarket, but for a truly delicious treat, make your own!). Stuff with tomato and cucumber slices and baby spinach leaves. Sprinkle each stuffed pita pocket with a flavored vinegar. Eat it with 6 ounces light yogurt and 1 kiwi.
Dinner
For your entrée, whip up our low-cal, high-flavor recipe for Apricot Grilled Pork Tenderloin and Peppers. Bonus: It’s ready in just 25 minutes.
Make apricot couscous as a side. In 1-quart saucepan, heat 1/3 cup chicken broth; 2 dried apricots, cut into thin strips; and 1/4 teaspoon grated orange rind until boiling. Remove from heat; stir in 1/4 cup couscous. Cover and let sit 5 minutes. Serve with 1 cup steamed green beans.
Day 4
Breakfast
Get your day started with 1/2 cantaloupe topped with 3/4 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, plus 1 slice toasted raisin bread, spread with 1 tablespoon apple butter.
Lunch
Top 3 to 4 cups salad greens with 1/2 cup water-packed white tuna, drained; 1 small tomato, cut into wedges; 2 green onions, sliced. Drizzle with a mixture of 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon flavored vinegar. Pair it with 1/2 whole-wheat pita and 6 ounces calcium-fortified orange juice.
Dinner
It’s hard to go wrong with a classic savory stir-fry. Lean top round stays tender when flash-fried in a hot skillet, while tomatoes add a flavor twist (and extra antioxidants) to the traditional veggie combo in our Beef and Pepper Stir-Fry recipe. If you’re more in the mood for seafood tonight, throw together this tasty Shrimp and Asparagus Stir-Fry.
Day 5
Breakfast
Roll up a breakfast burrito for the most important meal of the day. Beat 1 egg with 2 tablespoons grated cheese. Add dash of cayenne pepper sauce. Cook in nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray. Place over warm 6-inch corn tortilla, top with 1/4 cup salsa, fold tortilla around filling. Finish your meal with a 2 clementines.
Lunch
Spread 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise on 2 slices rye bread. Layer 2 ounces thinly sliced extra-lean ham, 1 ounce sliced cheese, 4 dill pickle slices, 1 jarred roasted red pepper, 1 onion slice, and lettuce leaves for a classic ham sandwich. Eat it with 1/2 grapefruit.
Dinner
Get in that all-important vitamin B12 with a spicy seafood dish tonight. To make chili-rubbed spicy salmon, coat 5-ounce salmon fillet with a mixture of 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Spray with cooking spray. In nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook until opaque, turning once. Serve with 2/3 cup refrigerated mashed potatoes and 12 roasted asparagus spears sprinkled with lemon juice, and 1/4 cantaloupe wedge for dessert. Salmon lovers rejoice: We have another great recipe for you, with this delicious Seared Salmon With Lentil Salad.
Day 6
Breakfast
In blender, combine 1 cup fat-free milk; 1 frozen peeled banana, sliced; and 1 tablespoon peanut butter for a protein-filled smoothie. Love your smoothies? Make a different one each day with these easy instructions.
Lunch
Make a roast beef sandwich by spreading 2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard on 2 slices rye bread and layering 3 ounces of thinly sliced lean roast beef with tomato and onion slices on top. Round it out 6 ounces light yogurt with 1 tablespoon raisins.
Dinner
This sweet chicken with grapes recipe doesn’t sacrifice any flavor. In nonstick skillet with 1 teaspoon olive oil, cook 5 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast; 1 tablespoon minced shallots; 1/4 teaspoon thyme; 1/4 teaspoon salt; and a dash of pepper until chicken is browned on both sides and loses pink color throughout. Place chicken on plate. Add 3/4 cup halved seedless grapes and 1/4 cup white wine to skillet; boil 1 minute. Pour over chicken. Serve with 3/4 cup cooked rice.
Day 7
Breakfast
Make French toast by dipping 2 slices raisin bread in a mixture of 1 egg and 1 tablespoon fat-free milk. In nonstick skillet melt 1 teaspoon butter. Fry coated bread until golden, turning once. Spread with 1 tablespoon jam.
Lunch
Top 1 large baked potato with 1/4 cup grated cheese, 3 tablespoons diced avocado, and 1/4 cup salsa. Eat eight baby carrots on the side.
Dinner
In nonstick skillet, add 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 thinly sliced medium onion, salt, black pepper, and dried rosemary to taste. Cook until onion is tender and golden, stirring occasionally. Pan-grill one veggie burger. Mix 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise with 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard; spread inside whole wheat pita, halved. Cut burger in half and tuck into pita pockets along with baby spinach leaves and caramelized onion.
Eat 1 cup berries for dessert.
Snacks
Sweet, spicy, or savory? These tasty 100-calorie snacks hit the spot. Eat one a day, anytime.
Sweet
- 6 ounces light yogurt
- 1 chocolate sorbet bar
- 1 Rice Krispies Treat
- 4 meringue cookies
- 2 fig bars
- 4 Hershey’s Kisses
- 1 cup mango chunks
Spicy
- 4 cups jerk-flavor popcorn (spray light popcorn with butter-flavor cooking spray, toss, sprinkle with jerk seasoning to taste, and toss again)
- 3 California roll pieces with soy sauce and wasabi
- 10 baked corn chips with hot salsa
- 1-inch cube of Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño peppers
Savory
- 12 mini barbecue-flavor rice cakes
- 20 roasted peanuts
- 1/4 cup hummus with celery sticks
- 50 thin pretzel sticks
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