Meal Plan for Weight Management: 2400 Calories

Meal Plan for Weight Management: 2400 Calories

Eating a healthy diet, balanced diet, and getting at least 30 minutes of moderate to intense exercise most days of the week will help maintain a healthy weight. Following a meal plan can help ensure that you get the proper amounts of the nutrients you need, while controlling overall calories.

Meal planning tips

·  Try to eat a consistent amount of healthy carbohydrates at each meal and snack from foods such as fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and starchy vegetables. These “slow carbs” will keep you feeling full longer and may make it easier to manage your weight.

·  Milk and yogurt include essential protein and calcium. Try to include at least 2-3 servings of these throughout the day.

·  Choose lean proteins such as skinless chicken or turkey, lean beef, fish, eggs, and plant sources of protein, such as tofu or other soy products, at each meal.

·  Limit unhealthy saturated fats which are found in butter, cream, and high-fat meats such as bacon or sausage. Too much saturated fat can raise your blood cholesterol and put you at greater risk for heart disease.

·  Include healthy fats from foods such as olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado, and nut butters, which can help to reduce your cholesterol. These foods are high in calories, so use them in moderation.

·  It is best to avoid sweets, desserts, sweetened beverages, and fruit juices, because they provide “empty” calories. These carbohydrate foods will raise your blood sugar and satisfy your hunger very quickly, but then leave you hungry shortly afterward.

·  Eating smaller meals with snacks in between helps to keep you from getting overly hungry throughout the day.

Your meal plan uses an exchange system, which is based on the exchange lists for meal planning from The American Diabetes Association. Based on their portion size, the foods listed in each group contain approximately the same number of g of carbohydrate, protein, fat, and calories, and one food can be exchanged for another within the food group, for more variety.

1 serving = 1 exchange

Starch list

These foods are highest in carbohydrates. Cereals, grains, pasta, breads, crackers, snacks, starchy vegetables, and cooked beans, peas, and lentils are starches. One exchange of a starch typically contains 15 gram (g) of carbohydrates, 3 g of protein, 0-1 fat, and 80 calories. Whole-grain products contain more fiber, and are the best choices.

In general, a serving of starch is:

Breads, cereals, and grains

·  ½ cup of cooked cereal, grain, or starchy vegetable

·  ½ cup of cooked pasta

·  1/3 cup of cooked rice, couscous, or other grain

·  1 slice of bread

·  ½ of a small bagel, hamburger or hot dog bun, or English muffin

·  ½ of a 6-inch pita bread

·  4-inch pancake

·  ½ cup cooked cereal

·  ¾ cup of cold cereal (read box)

Starchy vegetables and legumes

·  ½ cup cooked peas or beans (kidney, black, lentils, chickpeas)

·  ½ cup cooked corn or 6 inch on cob

·  ½ cup mashed potato/yam/sweet potato

Crackers and snacks

·  3 squares of graham crackers

·  6 saltine crackers or 8 thin wheat crackers

·  3 cups of popcorn

·  ¾ ounce (oz) pretzels: 10 mini/2 rods

Fruit list

One fruit exchange contains 15 g of carbohydrate and 60 calories. Fruits include fresh, frozen, canned, and dried fruits.

In general, 1 fruit exchange is:

·  1 small piece of fresh fruit

·  ½ cup of fresh sliced or canned fruit (no sugar added)

·  ½ cup unsweetened fruit juice

·  ¼ cup of dried fruit

Milk list

One milk exchange contains 12 g of carbohydrate, 8 g of protein, 0-3 g of fat, and approximately 100 calories. Choose fat-free or 1% milk and fat-free, sugar-free, or low-sugar yogurt for health.

In general, 1 milk exchange is:

·  1 cup milk (unflavored)

·  6 oz of yogurt (plain, or low-calorie sweetener)

Protein list

One protein exchange equals 7 g of protein, 3+ g of fat and 55-100 calories depending on the fat content. Choose lean meats or fish for the lowest fat and calorie content.

In general, 1 exchange = 1 oz lean meat, or meat substitute as follows:

Lean meat or substitute: skinless poultry, ground chicken or turkey breast, fish, shellfish, pork tenderloin, 1 egg white, ¼ cup ricotta or reduced-fat cottage cheese

Medium fat meat or substitute: lean beef (sirloin, tenderloin), poultry with skin, pork shoulder, cutlet, veal, 1 egg, 4 oz tofu

High fat meat or substitute: 2 slices bacon; 1 hot dog; 1 oz sausage; 1 oz bologna, salami, pastrami, corned beef; 1 oz regular cheese

Vegetable list (non-starchy)

One vegetable exchange contains 5 g of carbohydrate, 2 g of protein, and 25 calories

In general, one exchange is:

·  ½ cup cooked vegetables or vegetable juice

·  1 cup raw vegetables

Examples of non-starchy veggies:

·  Artichoke

·  Asparagus

·  Beans (green, wax, Italian)

·  Beets

·  Broccoli

·  Cabbage

·  Carrots

·  Cauliflower

·  Eggplant

·  Greens (collard, kale, mustard, turnip)

·  Mushrooms

·  Okra

·  Peppers

·  Radishes

·  Salad greens (endive, escarole, lettuce, romaine, spinach)

·  Spinach

·  Summer squash

·  Tomato

·  Tomato sauce

·  Turnips

·  Water chestnuts

·  Zucchini

Fats list

There are 3 types of fats: monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated. Mono- and poly- unsaturated fats in the foods we eat are linked with good health benefits. One fat exchange contains 5 g fat and 45 calories.

In general, one fat exchange is:

·  1 teaspoon (tsp) of regular margarine or vegetable oil or 1 tablespoon (Tbsp) light margarine/oil

·  1 Tbsp of regular salad dressing or 2 Tbsp reduced-fat salad dressing

Mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated fats

·  Avocado, medium 2 Tbsp

·  Nuts: almonds, cashews, mixed 6 nuts

·  Nuts: walnuts, English 4 halves

·  Peanuts, 10 nuts

·  Pecans, 4 halves

·  Margarine, 1 tsp

·  Mayo, regular 1 tsp

·  Mayo, reduced fat 1 Tbsp

·  Seeds: pumpkin, sunflower 1 Tbsp

Saturated fats

·  Bacon, 1 slice

·  Butter: stick 1 tsp, whipped 2 tsp, reduced fat 1 Tbsp

·  Cream cheese: regular 1 Tbsp, reduced fat 1 ½ Tbsp

·  Sour cream: regular 2 Tbsp, reduced fat 3 Tbsp

2400 Calorie Meal Plan

Breakfast / 2 starch
1 fruit
1 milk
2 protein
1 fat / 2 slices whole-wheat toast w/1 tsp butter
½ cup sliced strawberries
6 oz plain or sugar-free yogurt
2 eggs
Morning snack / 1 starch
1 protein
1 fruit / 5 whole-grain crackers with
1 oz cheese
1 sliced pear
Lunch / 2 starch
3 oz lean protein
1 vegetable
2 fat
2 fruit
1 milk / Chicken salad sandwich:
·  3 oz cooked chicken breast mixed with 1 Tbsp mayonnaise
·  2 slices whole wheat bread
·  lettuce, tomato
·  30 grapes
8 oz 1% milk
Afternoon snack / 1 fruit
2 protein / 1 medium apple
2 Tbsp peanut butter
Evening meal / 3 starch
2 vegetable
4 oz lean protein
2 fats
1 fruit / 1 large sweet potato
1 cup mixed greens salad with dressing
½ cup green beans
3 oz grilled fish
1 cup strawberries
Evening snack / 1 starch
1 vegetable
1 protein
1 milk / 1 small pita bread
1 cup sliced raw vegetables
2 Tbsp hummus
8 oz 1% milk

References and recommended reading

Healthy eating for a healthy weight. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/. Updated November 9, 2015. Accessed April 20, 2016.

Ross TA, Geil PB. Daily diabetes meal planning guide. Lilly Diabetes website. http://www.lillydiabetes.com/_assets/pdf/ld90772_dailymealplanguide.pdf. Accessed April 20, 2016.

Contributed by Anne Danahy, MS, RDN

Review date: 4/11/16