How to use this plan
Pick a calorie target that matches your TDEE — use our BMR calculator to find yours — and a diet style you can actually stick with. Shuffle the plan as often as you want; every shuffle gives you a different week from the same library of evidence-based meals. The grocery list at the bottom is the rough shopping basket for the whole week.
What “diet style” actually means
- Balanced — 40% carbs / 30% protein / 30% fat. The default; works for most people and most goals.
- High protein — higher protein density (1.6–2.2 g/kg) for muscle preservation during fat loss or muscle building.
- Mediterranean — strongest evidence for cardiovascular and cognitive longevity. Olive oil, fish, legumes, vegetables, moderate dairy, minimal red meat.
- Vegetarian — no meat or fish; eggs and dairy included. Strong evidence for cardiometabolic benefits at the population level.
- Keto — <50 g carbs/day, high fat. Highly effective for short-term fat loss and certain medical conditions (epilepsy, PCOS). Talk to a doctor before starting if you take medications.
Calories aren't precise — and that's okay
Food calorie labels are accurate to ±25%. Your absorbed calories from any given meal depend on cooking method, gut microbiome, chewing, and food matrix — almonds, for example, deliver about 25% fewer absorbed calories than the label states. So treat any meal-plan calorie target as a guideline, not a measurement. Trend matters; the daily number doesn't.
Hit your protein target first, then everything else
For most goals (fat loss, body recomp, healthy aging), the single most important macronutrient is protein — ideally 1.6–2.2 g per kg of bodyweight per day, spread across 3–4 meals of at least 0.3 g/kg each. Plans on this page are designed to hit that range at any calorie target. See our protein calculator for the exact target for your body and goal.
When to involve a professional
Talk to a registered dietitian or your clinician before adopting any new dietary pattern if you have: type 1 or type 2 diabetes (especially on insulin or GLP-1s); kidney disease; a history of eating disorders; pregnancy or lactation; or a medication that has food interactions (warfarin, MAOIs, immunosuppressants).