by Jump-start weight loss with this high-protein meal plan that’s low in carbs, but not so low that you’ll miss out on important nutrients.
Research shows that following both a low-carb diet and a low-calorie diet is one effective way to lose weight quickly. Better yet, a low-carb, low-calorie diet that’s also high in protein can help get you on the path to weight loss. While low-carb diets like the ketogenic diet and Atkins diet restrict carbs to as low as 20 grams per day, you don’t have to go that low to see weight-loss benefits. In fact, eating too few carbohydrates can actually make weight loss harder because you miss out on key nutrients, like fiber from whole grains and legumes, that help you to feel full and satisfied on fewer calories. So what can you actually eat on a high-protein, low-carb diet? Thankfully, there are plenty of delicious, healthy foods to fill your day with while following this eating plan.
Read More: How to Start a Low-Carb Diet
In this high-protein, low-carb meal plan, we keep the carbs at no more than 120 grams per day while still meeting the recommended amount of fiber each day (30 grams) from fiber-rich fruits and vegetables, like berries, edamame and hearty kale. You’ll still see some traditional carbs in the plan, like beans and chickpeas, because they are healthy foods that you don’t need to fully exclude in order to eat low-carb.
To make up for the lower amount of carbs, we packed in high-protein foods (like chicken, eggs and lean beef) to exceed the daily recommended amount of 50 grams per day, and added healthy fat sources (like almonds, olive oil and peanut butter) to get the calories up to 1,200. Packaged into an easy-to-follow meal plan, with simple meal-prep tips you can follow at the beginning of the week to set yourself up for success during the busy weekdays, this low-calorie, low-carb, high-protein combination will help you lose weight without feeling deprived or starved.
How to Meal-Prep Your Week of Meals:
- Make the Flourless Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins to have for breakfast on Days 2 and 3 and as a snack on Days 1 and 4. For easy clean up, use these reusable silicone muffin cups.
- Prep the Chicken Satay Bowls with Spicy Peanut Sauce to have for lunch on Days 2, 3, 4 and 5. Refrigerate lunches in a meal-prep container to keep fresh.
Day 1
In order to keep your carbs on the lower end, you are most often cutting out fiber-rich foods like whole grains, beans and legumes. Therefore, we made sure to pack this low-carb plan with at least 30 grams of fiber per day, mostly from fruits, vegetables and some whole grains and legumes. This ensures that you are still getting the nutritional benefits of fiber (gut health and satisfaction) while keeping carbs in check.
Breakfast (320 calories, 23 g carbohydrates)
- 1 serving “Egg in a Hole” Peppers with Avocado Salsa
- 1 clementine
A.M. Snack (84 calories, 21 g carbohydrates)
- 1 cup blueberries
Lunch (322 calories, 11 g carbohydrates)
- 1 serving Salmon Salad-Stuffed Avocado
P.M. Snack (78 calories, 11 g carbohydrates)
- 1 Flourless Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffin
Dinner (389 calories, 36 g carbohydrates)
- 1 serving White-Bean Sage Cauliflower Gnocchi
- 2 cups mixed salad greens topped with ¼ cup chopped tomato, ¼ cup chopped cucumber, 3 Tbsp. diced avocado and 1 Tbsp. Caesar Salad Dressing
Daily Totals: 1,194 calories, 69 g fat, 32 g fiber, 103 g carbohydrates, 50 g protein, 1,565 mg sodium
Day 2
To keep carbs low today, we included these healthy flourless banana chocolate chip muffins made from oats, banana and eggs, and swapped in zucchini noodles for regular pasta in tonight’s dinner. To make sure you are still getting adequate amounts of both carbohydrates and fiber, we filled in the rest of the day with nutrient-rich foods like blackberries, edamame and a serving of whole-wheat baguette at dinner to sop up any of the delicious leftover juice from the scampi.
Breakfast (286 calories, 41 g carbohydrates)
- 2 Flourless Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins
- 1 cup raspberries
- ½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
A.M. Snack (62 calories, 14 g carbohydrates)
- 1 cup blackberries
Lunch (351 calories, 14 g carbohydrates)
- 1 serving Chicken Satay Bowls with Spicy Peanut Sauce
P.M. Snack (100 calories, 9 g carbohydrates)
- 1/2 cup shelled edamame, seasoned with a pinch each of coarse salt & pepper
Dinner (406 calories, 34 g carbohydrates)
- 1 serving Shrimp Scampi Zoodles
- 1 (2-inch) slice whole-wheat baguette
Daily Totals: 1,205 calories, 48 g fat, 29 g fiber, 112 g carbohydrates, 85 g protein, 1,621 mg sodium
Day 3
Just a single cup of raspberries contains 8 grams of filling fiber with only 15 grams of carbs, which is why you’ll see them often on this simple high-protein, low-carb meal plan. High-fiber foods tend to be more filling than low-fiber foods, so you’re likely to eat less and stay satisfied longer, which is especially important when cutting calories to lose weight.
Breakfast (286 calories, 41 g carbohydrates)
- 2 Flourless Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins
- 1 cup raspberries
- ½ cup non-fat Greek yogurt
A.M. Snack (150 calories, 13 g carbohydrates)
- 15 unsalted almonds
- 1 clementine
Lunch (351 calories, 14 g carbohydrates)
- 1 serving Chicken Satay Bowls with Spicy Peanut Sauce
P.M. Snack (46 calories, 10 g carbohydrates)
- 3/4 cup blackberries
Dinner (378 calories, 31 g carbohydrates)
- 1 serving Pork Paprikash with Cauliflower “Rice”
- 1 serving Roasted Fresh Green Beans
Daily Totals: 1,212 calories, 54 g fat, 38 g fiber, 109 g carbohydrates, 82 g protein, 1,265 mg sodium
Day 4
In addition to being a great source of protein, which helps maintain muscle mass while you’re losing weight, salmon is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, an essential fatty acid that you must get in your diet. Early research also shows that salmon eaters had lower fasting insulin levels, which can help keep your blood sugar in check and reduce your risk for diabetes. Roasted salmon is served over low-carb veggie-licious kale and chickpeas-a healthy carb you can definitely still be eating, even when following a low-carb diet.
Breakfast (203 calories, 29 g carbohydrates)
- ½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1 tsp. honey
- 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
A.M. Snack (128 calories, 20 g carbohydrates)
- 1/3 cup shelled edamame, seasoned with a pinch each of coarse salt & pepper
- 1 cup blackberries
Lunch (351 calories, 14 g carbohydrates)
- 1 serving Chicken Satay Bowls with Spicy Peanut Sauce
P.M. Snack (78 calories, 11 g carbohydrates)
- 1 Flourless Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffin
Dinner (447 calories, 23 g carbohydrates)
- 1 serving Roasted Salmon with Smoky Chickpeas & Greens
Daily Totals: 1,206 calories, 53 g fat, 33 g fiber, 98 g carbohydrates, 89 g protein, 1,304 mg sodium
Day 5
Our high-protein weight-loss meal plan includes fiber-rich carbohydrates, like those from berries, white beans and broccoli. Dinner tonight packs in 15 grams of protein, which not only helps you feel full but also may help with weight loss. In one study, researchers found that for every 10 grams of soluble fiber eaten over the course of a day, there was a corresponding 3.7 percent decrease in abdominal fat.
Breakfast (259 calories, 10 g carbohydrates)
- 1 serving Low-Carb Bacon & Broccoli Egg Burrito
A.M. Snack (64 calories, 15 g carbohydrates)
- 1 cup raspberries
Lunch (351 calories, 14 g carbohydrates)
- 1 serving Chicken Satay Bowls with Spicy Peanut Sauce
P.M. Snack (103 calories, 11 g carbohydrates)
- 3 Tbsp. hummus
- 4 celery sticks
Dinner (442 calories, 50 g carbohydrates)
- 1 serving Vegan Pesto Spaghetti Squash with Mushrooms & Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- 2/3 cup no-salt-added canned white beans, rinsed
Stir beans into an individual portion of the spaghetti squash and sauce.
Daily Totals: 1,219 calories, 67 g fat, 33 g fiber, 100 g carbohydrates, 64 g protein, 1,867 mg sodium
Day 6
Yes, you can still eat cheese and lose weight! String cheese is a great midday snack, especially when paired with fiber-rich raspberries. The combination of protein and fiber increases satisfaction and can reduce appetite at your next meal.
Breakfast (203 calories, 29 g carbohydrates)
- ½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1 tsp. honey
- 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
A.M. Snack (128 calories, 22 g carbohydrates)
- 1 small apple
- 1 string cheese
Lunch (351 calories, 14 g carbohydrates)
- 1 serving Chicken Satay Bowls with Spicy Peanut Sauce
P.M. Snack (64 calories, 15 g carbohydrates)
- 1 cup raspberries
Dinner (479 calories, 28 g carbohydrates)
- 1 serving Taco Lettuce Wraps
- 1 serving Pineapple & Avocado Salad
Meal-Prep Tip: Save 1 serving of the Taco Lettuce Wraps to have for lunch on Day 7. When preparing the Pineapple & Avocado Salad, set aside 1/4 of an avocado and 1/2 cup pineapple before dressing with the vinaigrette to have for lunch on Day 7.
Daily Totals: 1,224 calories, 60 g fat, 37 g fiber, 107 g carbohydrates, 76 g protein, 1,129 mg sodium
Day 7
Lettuce takes the place of tortillas in our low-carb, gluten-free taco lettuce wraps. Stuffed with lean ground beef, jicama, avocado and salsa and a whopping 23 grams protein per serving, this lunch will keep you feeling full for hours.
Breakfast (278 calories, 22 g carbohydrates)
- 1 serving Spring Green Frittata
- 1 cup raspberries
Lunch (431 calories, 28 g carbohydrates)
- 1 serving Taco Lettuce Wraps
- 1/4 avocado, sliced
- 1/2 cup sliced pineapple
Combine avocado and pineapple with 1 tsp. lime juice and a pinch of salt.
P.M. Snack (31 calories, 7 g carbohydrates)
- 1/2 cup blackberries
Dinner (480 calories, 45 g carbohydrates)
- 1 serving Zucchini Lasagna
- 1 (2-inch) slice whole-wheat baguette
Daily Totals: 1,220 calories, 58 g fat, 28 g fiber, 101 g carbohydrates, 78 g protein, 1,684 mg sodium
