High-Protein Meal Plan: 1,500 Calories

Protein does your body a lot of good. It builds healthy cells, repairs cells that are damaged and keeps your immune system in tip-top shape. Adding protein to each meal and snack helps make it possible to eat fewer calories while staying satisfied and full, making weight loss easier.

In this 1,500-calorie meal plan, high-protein foods—like salmon, chicken, edamame, eggs and chickpeas—fill the meals and snacks with healthy, high-quality protein, providing well over the minimum recommendation of 50 grams of protein per day.

Deliciously prepared and paired with other healthy foods to keep things balanced—like vegetables, fruits, whole grains and healthy fats—these tasty meals and snacks come together to create a weekly meal plan for weight loss that will keep you feeling full and satisfied all day long. Don't miss the helpful meal-prep notes that outline the steps you can do ahead of time over the weekend to prepare for your week ahead.

How to Meal-Prep for Your Week of Meals

1. Make the Chicken Quinoa Bowl with Olives & Cucumber and refrigerate individual portions in separate meal-prep containers to have for lunch on Days 2, 3, 4 and 5.
2. Hard-boil and refrigerate 2 eggs to have for breakfast in the Egg Salad Avocado Toast recipe on Days 4 and 5.

Day 1

Breakfast (407 calories, 33 g protein)

• 1 serving Broccoli & Parmesan Cheese Omelet

A.M. Snack (101 calories, 1 g protein)

• 1 medium pear

Lunch (402 calories, 16 g protein)

• 1 serving Butternut Squash Soup with Avocado & Chickpeas

P.M. Snack (142 calories, 9 g protein)

• 1 kiwi
• 1 cup edamame (in pods), sprinkled with coarse sea salt to taste

Dinner (432 calories, 29 g protein)

• 1 serving Citrus Poached Salmon with Asparagus
• 1 cup Easy Brown Rice

Meal-Prep Tip: Consider making a double batch of Easy Brown Rice so you'll have enough for dinner on Day 2. Freeze any leftovers for up to 6 months.

Daily Totals: 1,485 calories, 87 g protein, 187 g carbohydrates, 32 g fiber, 45 g fat, 1,874 mg sodium

Day 2

Breakfast (307 calories, 27 g protein)

• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tsp. maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp. sliced almonds

A.M. Snack (84 calories, 2 g protein)

• 2 kiwis

Lunch (519 calories, 34 g protein)

• 1 serving Chicken Quinoa Bowl with Olives & Cucumber

P.M. Snack (30 calories, 1 g protein)

• 1 plum

Dinner (544 calories, 14 g protein)

• 1 serving Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry
• 1 small (4-inch) whole-wheat pita round

Daily Totals: 1,484 calories, 77 g protein, 177 g carbohydrates, 32 g fiber, 54 g fat, 1,496 mg sodium

Day 3

Breakfast (307 calories, 27 g protein)

• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tsp. maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp. sliced almonds

A.M. Snack (101 calories, 1 g protein)

• 1 medium pear

Lunch (519 calories, 34 g protein)

• 1 serving Chicken Quinoa Bowl with Olives & Cucumber

P.M. Snack (112 calories, 2 g protein)

• 1/2 cup raspberries
• 1 Tbsp. dark chocolate chips

Dinner (473 calories, 30 g protein)

• 1 serving Asian Beef Noodle Bowl topped with 3 Tbsp. salted peanuts, chopped

Daily Totals: 1,512 calories, 93 g protein, 145 g carbohydrates, 30 g fiber, 65 g fat, 1,353 mg sodium

Day 4

Breakfast (292 calories, 12 g protein)

• 1 serving Egg Salad Avocado Toast
• 1 medium orange

A.M. Snack (164 calories, 19 g protein)

• 1 cup raspberries
• 3/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

Lunch (519 calories, 34 g protein)

• 1 serving Chicken Quinoa Bowl with Olives & Cucumber

P.M. Snack (30 calories, 1 g protein)

• 1 plum

Dinner (500 calories, 37 g protein)

• 1 serving Spicy Jerk Shrimp served with an extra 2/3 cup Easy Brown Rice

Daily Totals: 1,505 calories, 102 g protein, 160 g carbohydrates, 28 g fiber, 52 g fat, 1,568 mg sodium

Day 5

Breakfast (292 calories, 12 g protein)

• 1 serving Egg Salad Avocado Toast
• 1 medium orange

A.M. Snack (101 calories, 1 g protein)

• 1 medium pear

Lunch (519 calories, 34 g protein)

• 1 serving Chicken Quinoa Bowl with Olives & Cucumber

P.M. Snack (64 calories, 1 g protein)

• 1 cup raspberries

Dinner (508 calories, 28 g protein)

• 1 serving Zucchini Parmesan
• 2 cup mixed greens topped with 2 Tbsp. Easy Red-Wine Vinaigrette

Daily Totals: 1,485 calories, 76 g protein, 132 g carbohydrates, 34 g fiber, 76 g fat, 1,955 mg sodium

Day 6

Breakfast (274 calories, 26 g protein)

• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tsp. maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp. sliced almonds

A.M. Snack (166 calories, 7 g protein)

• 1/4 cup (1 oz.) salted peanuts

Lunch (387 calories, 14 g protein)

• 1 serving Veggie & Hummus Sandwich
• 1 medium orange

P.M. Snack (100 calories, 8 g protein)

• 1 cup edamame (in pods), sprinkled with coarse sea salt to taste

Dinner (416 calories, 41 g protein)

• 1 serving Garlic-Lime Pork with Farro & Spinach
• 2 servings Tangy Broccoli with Almonds

Evening Snack (160 calories, 2 g protein)

• 2 Tbsp. dark chocolate chips

Daily Totals: 1,502 calories, 97 g protein, 156 g carbohydrates, 41 g fiber, 60 g fat, 1,393 mg sodium

Day 7

Breakfast (388 calories, 15 g protein)

• 2 servings Two-Ingredient Banana Pancakes
• 1/2 cup raspberries
• 2 Tbsp. maple syrup

A.M. Snack (130 calories, 13 g protein)

• 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 Tbsp. sliced almonds
• 1 plum, chopped

Lunch (325 calories, 18 g protein)

• 1 serving Green Salad with Edamame & Beets

P.M. Snack (151 calories, 5 g protein)

• 1 slice whole-wheat bread, toasted
• 1/4 avocado, mashed

Top toast with avocado and season with a pinch each of salt, pepper and crushed red pepper.

Dinner (503 calories, 28 calories)

• 1 serving Salmon Tacos with Pineapple Salsa with 1/4 of an avocado, sliced
• 1 serving Broiled Mango

Daily Totals: 1,498 calories, 79 g protein, 177 g carbohydrates, 36 g fiber, 56 g fat, 1,821 mg sodium.

WATCH: How to Make Spicy Jerk Shrimp