Sample Meal or Diet Plan for Women

by John Staughton (BASc, BFA) last updated -

Eating right and staying in shape can be tough for women, so a reliable diet plan for women is essential. Men and women are different in many ways, and while many of their nutritional needs are the same, certain things do differ. These are dependent on the different body size, activity levels, hormone balance, and the aesthetic goals set by the different sexes. This is what makes a good diet plan for women important.

Sample Meal Plan for Women

If you want to maintain a healthy body by keeping your nutrient intake balanced, a basic framework for a meal plan might look like what we explain below. There is a wide variety of food types, many of which can be easily switched out for similar foods. In terms of caloric, fat, protein, and carb intake, however, this plan should keep you on track for a healthy life. [1]

Breakfast

  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup of mixed berries
  • 1 cup of spinach
  • 1 slice of whole-grain toast
  • 1 cup of water or green tea
Close-up of a table full of healthy food with a woman holding a glass of juice at the back.

Healthy food makes a healthy body and mind. Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Snack

Lunch

Snack

Dinner

Weight Loss Eating Plan for Women

If you are struggling with your weight, and haven’t found success with other instant slim-down fad diets, you need to design a weight loss eating plan that works for you, based on your goals, culinary preferences, and personal happiness. The problem with most diets is that they require you to stop eating certain foods that you love, or have extremely rigid standards, making it difficult to be excited about your wellness goals. Forming a realistic weight loss eating plan is an individual journey, but these specific elements are a great place to start.

Food Journal: Keeping a food journal will keep you honest about your calories and will ensure that you know precisely what you are consuming on a daily basis. It will show you when you “cheated” and where you overdid a certain ingredient, while also making it easier to make rapid adjustments to your daily intake. There are also now many digital applications that can keep an accurate count of what you eat throughout the day. [2]

Calorie Deficiency: The key to any weight loss eating plan for women will be to create a calorie deficiency. Basically, if you want to lose weight, you need to burn more calories per day than you consume. While seeking a diet plan for women, an average of 1,500 calories is recommended, as this should give you a 500-700 calorie deficit from your normal nutritional intake. You should lose approximately 1 pound per week following this rule. [3]

Drink Your Calories: Rather than eating all of your food, try drinking it in the form of a smoothie. This will allow you to increase your vegetable and fruit intake more easily, and also acts as a meal on the go. Smoothies are a great way to pack a lot of nutrients into a single meal that can stretch for a long time. [4]

Protein Boost: It is critical that you increase your protein intake if you are on a weight loss diet, as protein is required to build muscle, and muscle takes more energy to maintain than fat. Therefore, as your body metabolizes protein, it is increasing the efficacy of your metabolism and fat-burning capabilities. [5]

Fruit Intake: Eating more berries and other antioxidant-packed fruits is an excellent way to lose weight. Not only are many of these fruits high in fiber, which will help you feel full, but they are also dense sources of vitamins and minerals that can optimize your health and metabolism in a variety of ways. [6]

Snack Replacements: Finding the right snack replacements is critical if you want to lose weight, particularly if you have a sweet tooth or a taste for salty late-night treats. For savory snacks, skip the potato chips and make your own kale or beet chips at home, and when you are craving chocolate, be sure you are only eating 100% dark chocolate, as this is known to improve health, and does not add to your waistline. [7]

Fat-Burning Food: If you can, add as many fat-burning foods to your diet, namely those that stimulate the metabolism and help the body naturally burn more calories and prevent hunger. Some of the best foods to include are peanut butter, salmon, berries, lean protein, whole grains, hot peppers, green tea, and lentils, just to name a few. [8]

Weekly Diet Plan

If you need more solid guidance on how to shape your diet on a weekly basis, follow this basic framework for excellent results.

Monday

Breakfast – Toast and peanut butter; banana

Lunch – Chicken and pasta

Snack – Blueberries in Greek yogurt

Dinner – Miso soup, salmon filet

Tuesday

Breakfast – 3 eggs; banana

Lunch – Turkey wrap with spinach

Snack – Handful of almonds

Dinner – Broccoli, Chickpeas and chicken breast

Wednesday

Breakfast – Greek yogurt and 1 grapefruit

Lunch – Salad with tomatoes, peppers, and mushrooms; olive oil

Snack – Kale chips

Dinner – Turkey sandwich; spinach salad

Thursday

Breakfast – Waffle with blueberries; low-fat syrup

Lunch – Chicken salad sandwich

Snack – Carrot and celery sticks; hummus

Dinner – Veggie burger; asparagus

Friday

Breakfast – Spinach omelet, low-fat cheese

Lunch – Vegetable wrap and cherry tomatoes

Snack – Granola and Greek yogurt

Dinner – Lemon chicken; broccoli

Saturday

Breakfast – Whole-grain oatmeal with mashed banana

Lunch – Black bean burrito

Snack – String cheese

Dinner – Salmon filet and brown rice

Sunday

Breakfast – 3 scrambled eggs with avocado

Lunch – Turkey wrap with carrots; hummus

Snack – 1 box of raisins

Dinner – Chicken parmigiana; lentils

Best Meal Plan for Women

There is no “best” diet plan for women, as each woman’s body and goals are different. However, there are certain meal plans that are generally effective for most women who use them. These diets balance food restrictions with physical activity and personal education about the food your body needs. If you want a reliable diet plan for women, try the Mediterranean, MIND or DASH diets.

Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean Diet is based on the idea of cutting back on meat sources in a major way and limiting them to fish and poultry almost exclusively. Furthermore, this diet plan for women increases fruits and vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, and legumes intake. This is a high-fiber, low-calorie, and “good” fat diet that works great as a diet plan for women. [9]

DASH Diet

Known for lowering blood pressure, the DASH diet lowers your sodium intake and boosts other electrolytes, such as potassium and magnesium. There are many whole grains included in this diet, as well as nuts, beans, fruits, and vegetables. [10]

MIND Diet

A combination of the two diets explained above, the MIND diet focuses your eating on 10 brain-healthy foods that are also good for your waistline. This diet includes poultry, grains, fish, berries, beans, olive oil, leafy greens, vegetables, and nuts. [11]

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About the Author

John Staughton is a traveling writer, editor, publisher and photographer with English and Integrative Biology degrees from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana (USA). He co-founded the literary journal, Sheriff Nottingham, and now serves as the Content Director for Stain’d Arts, a non-profit based in Denver, Colorado. On a perpetual journey towards the idea of home, he uses words to educate, inspire, uplift and evolve.

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