1,800 Calorie Clean Eating Meal Plan

Woah. You guys! We released our 1,500 calorie meal plan last month and you absolutely loved it. It was so great to hear from all of you about how you incorporated it into your lives. Now it's time to introduce you to our newest meal plan, the 1,800 calorie meal plan.

As we mentioned before, many people have this idea of a magical number of calories being 1,200 but that is far too few calories, especially for those who are active. Individual calorie needs will vary but let's all start fueling our bodies with enough calories! Try this meal plan to meet your goals and have great tasting food at the same time. ;)

You may also find the following posts helps as you prepare your meals for the week:

• Our Top 5 Clean Eating Pantry Staples
• Essential Meal Prep Tools

>>>> Not sure how to get started? Join our FREE 13 to Clean Challenge. It's a 13-day plan that will set you up for a lifetime of success!

>>>> Looking for a printable version of this meal plan? Click here to print!
*You will be asked for your email address and then directed to the printable meal plan.

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1,800 Calorie Clean Eating Meal Plan

Breakfast:

• Scott drinks this protein shake for breakfast every single morning. I would say it's his obsession and has been for the last 2-3 years! This shake will keep you full because of the healthy fats, carbs, and protein. It's delicious!
• Blueberry Avocado Protein Smoothie
  • Calories: 304
  • Fat: 14 g
  • Carbs: 27.9 g
  • Protein 17.9 g

AM Snack:

• We also included these in our 1,500 calorie meal plan but just had to keep them in for this one too. They are so good, especially if you crave chocolate during the day! The recipe makes 4 servings (of 4 bars per serving) so after you make them, divide them up into little baggies and there's your snack for the week! You'll also be eating a serving of almonds to round out this snack.
• 4 Chocolate Protein Bars
  • Calories: 264
  • Fat: 2.8 g
  • Carbs: 36.8 g
  • Protein 22.8 g

Almonds (1 ounce/23 almonds)

• Calories: 162
• Fat: 14 g
• Carbs: 6.1 g
• Protein 6 g

Lunch:

• This simple and delicious avocado turkey burger is perfect to make in advance and tastes amazing, especially on an Ezekiel English Muffin! Just like breakfast, this contains the perfect mix of healthy fats, carbs, and protein. 
• Avocado Turkey Burger on an Ezekiel English Muffin
• Avocado Turkey Burger
  • Calories: 220
  • Fat: 13.3 g
  • Carbs: 3.7 g
  • Protein 22.8 g
• Ezekiel English Muffin (look for these in the freezer section of your grocery store)
  • Calories: 160
  • Fat: 1 g
  • Carbs: 30 g
  • Protein 8 g

PM Snack:

• Our 4 Ingredient Protein Pudding and Simple Baked Grapefruit are two popular recipes on our site. They are both simple but taste amazing! Even if you don't typically like grapefruit, try this recipe! Once again, you will also have a serving of almonds with your snack.
• 4 Ingredient Protein Pudding
  • Calories: 110
  • Fat: 1.1 g
  • Carbs: 6.6 g
  • Protein 18.70 g
• Simple Baked Grapefruit
  • Calories: 80
  • Fat: .3 g
  • Carbs: 20.5 g
  • Protein 1.5 g

Almonds (1 ounce/23 almonds)

• Calories: 162
• Fat: 14 g
• Carbs: 6.1 g
• Protein 6 g

Dinner:

• We make this grilled orange chicken almost weekly. If you are sick of plain, boring, and dried out baked chicken, give this recipe a try! When you pair it with sweet potato cubes you have the perfect filling dinner.
• Grilled Orange Chicken
  • Calories: 166
  • Fat: 4.7 g
  • Carbs: 3.6 g
  • Protein 25.7 g
• Sweet-Sweet Potato Cubes
  • Calories: 118
  • Fat: 4.6 g
  • Carbs: 18.5 g
  • Protein 1.4 g

Everything listed above brings your daily totals to:

• Calories: 1,746
• Fat: 70 g
• Carbs: 160 g
• Protein: 131 g

---

Notes:

• Don't forget to include veggies in your day! I consider veggies "free foods" as long as you are eating them raw or close to raw (without adding a ton of olive oil, butter, etc). We love to cut up celery, carrots, and broccoli for the week.
• You can move around these meals if you want.
• Don't be scared to eat protein, carbs, and fats. Your body needs all nutrients.
• You'll notice that the calories are a little less than 1,800. Your exact calories will vary based on the brand of ingredients you use. I have calculated the macros based on the brands that we typically use.
• If you feel like you need a snack before bed, have eggs or another protein shake. It's better that you satisfy your craving with something healthy than devouring an entire pint of ice cream! Look for a cleaner protein powder. Look at the label...it should have few ingredients, low calories, low carbs, and low sugar. Adding a plain protein shake may add 120-150 calories to your day - this is not a deal breaker!

We will definitely be sharing more meal plans soon! Make sure you are subscribed to our email list so you don't miss when they are released!

1,500 Calorie Clean Eating Meal Plan

We hear from so many of you that are looking for meal plans. Finally, we decided to make a few that should fit many calorie needs. I know a lot of people (mainly women), think that the magic calorie number is 1,200 but that is FAR from the truth. I would say 1,500-1,800 is the minimum for most people. I'm starting with a 1,500 calorie meal plan to help encourage you to forget the idea of living on 1,200 calories.

These meals are reader favorites for a reason... they are delicious! All of the meals can be made ahead of time which is a huge time saver during the week. P.S. We share a lot of our food prep on Instagram (heandsheeatclean), Pinterest, and Facebook. So follow along!

You may also find the following posts helps as you prepare your meals for the week!

• Our Top 5 Clean Eating Pantry Staples
• Essential Meal Prep Tools

>>>> Not sure how to get started? Join our FREE 13 to Clean Challenge. It's a 13-day plan that will set you up for a lifetime of success!

>>>> Looking for a printable version of this meal plan? Click here to print!
*You will be asked for your email address and then directed to the printable meal plan.

1,500 Calorie Clean Eating Meal Plan

Breakfast:

• This recipe for Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats was one of our very first recipes on the website and still continues to hold down a top spot! It's SO. GOOD. You can make a big batch in advance and then portion them out for the week. If you are not used to eating steel cut oats, this may seem like a lot of food but you need to fuel your body. The best way to get the correct serving size is by weighing your entire batch of oats after they cook and dividing by how many servings you made. Pair these oats with a few eggs and you have a complete breakfast.
• 1 serving Crock Pot Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats
  • Calories: 193
  • Fat: 3.7 g
  • Carbs: 34.3 g
  • Protein 7.4 g
• 2 whole eggs (make them in the Instant Pot, oven, scramble them, or make an omelet) 
  • Calories: 140
  • Fat: 10 g
  • Carbs: 0 g
  • Protein 12 g

AM Snack:

• These bars are everything! If you are the kind of person who needs a little chocolate during the day or you will go crazy, you must try these. The recipe makes 4 servings (of 4 bars per serving) so after you make them, divide them up into little baggies and there's your snack for the week!
• 4 Chocolate Protein Bars
  • Calories: 264
  • Fat: 2.8 g
  • Carbs: 36.8 g
  • Protein 22.8 g

Lunch:

• This one is a staple in our house almost every week, especially during the cooler weather. We've been making ours in the Instant Pot lately but it can also be made in the Crock Pot or stovetop.
• 1 serving Bison Chili
  • Calories: 340
  • Fat: 15 g
  • Carbs: 22.6 g
  • Protein: 30.3 g

PM Snack:

• We love to mix frozen berries with Greek yogurt. One option is to go ahead and mix them together when you are getting your meals prepped for the day and by the time you are ready to eat the frozen berries should be melted. Another option is to thaw the fruit and then add to the Greek Yogurt. You could also use fresh fruit but we just love the juices from the frozen fruit.
• 2% Greek Yogurt (170 g)
  • Calories: 150
  • Fat: 4 g
  • Carbs: 8 g
  • Protein: 20 g
• Organic Frozen Blueberries (1 cup)
  • Calories: 60
  • Fat: 0 g
  • Carbs: 18 g
  • Protein: 0 g

Dinner:

• This casserole is another one of our top recipes! If you want to save some time on this one, make your chicken in advance (learn how to boil it here) and buy already cubed butternut squash.
• 1 serving Savory Chicken Casserole
  • Calories: 318
  • Fat: 10 g
  • Carbs: 13.1 g
  • Protein 28.8 g

Everything listed above brings your daily totals to:

• Calories: 1,465
• Fat: 46 g
• Carbs: 133 g
• Protein: 121 g

Notes:

• Don't forget to include veggies in your day! I consider veggies "free foods" as long as you are eating them raw or close to raw (without adding a ton of olive oil, butter, etc). We love to cut up celery, carrots, and broccoli for the week.
• You can move around these meals if you want. Sometimes I just want eggs and oats for dinner so that's what I have!
• Don't be scared to eat protein, carbs, and fats. Your body needs all nutrients.
• You'll notice that the calories are a little less than 1,500. Your exact calories will vary based on the brand of ingredients you use. I have calculated the macros based on the brands that we typically use.
• If you feel like you need a snack before bed, try our Four Ingredient Protein Pudding or a protein shake. It's better that you satisfy your craving with something healthy than devouring an entire pint of ice cream! Look for a cleaner protein powder. Look at the label...it should have few ingredients, low calories, low carbs, and low sugar. Adding a plain protein shake may add 120-150 calories to your day - this is not a deal breaker!

We will definitely be sharing more meal plans soon! Make sure you are subscribed to our email list so you don't miss when they are released!

6 Tips to Stay "On Track" Over the Weekend

You probably already know by know that we aren't super strict, we strongly believe that you should enjoy life and let loose sometimes. However, this is a LIFESTYLE for us though so we don't let weekends or holidays get completely out of control either. We try to treat weekends just like a normal day. Use these tips to stay "on track" over the weekend.

RELATED: 5 Things We Have Done to Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle for 5+ Years

6 Tips to Stay "On Track" Over the Weekend

1. Don't Skip Meals
   
   A BIG mistake people make is skipping meals. It seems to be an even bigger issue over the holidays and weekends. Whether it's intentional (thinking that you will "save" calories) or if you just get busy and forget to eat, skipping meals will lead you to over-indulging in the long run. Stick to your normal eating schedule and don't let yourself get too hungry. Pack your food or at least take protein bars or protein powder packets with you while you are out. Going to a party? Take something with you to share!
    
2. Make Time for Food Prep
   
   Take a little time to prep food or buy foods that don't take much prep time. We usually do a smaller food prep on Thursday or Friday that lasts us over the weekend. It's very easy to just brown meat to have on hand with some vegetables or rice. Things like canned tuna and eggs are very easy for quick weekend meals as well.
   RELATED: Weekend Food Prep
    
3. Sleep
   
   Sounds easy and amazing, right?! Well, why do most of us overlook this very important aspect of living a healthy lifestyle then? Just like with not skipping meals, don't let your sleep suffer over the weekend. Try to get 7.5-9 hours of quality sleep. Your body will thank you!
    
4. Schedule "Me" Time
   
   It's important to rest and relax on the weekend so that you feel refreshed. You don't need an entire day to yourself, although that would be nice, even just 10 minutes will work wonders for you mentally and physically. Activities to consider include walking, reading, taking a bath, getting a message, or just enjoying your coffee or tea in silence.
    
5. Stay Active
   
   Include at least one active activity each weekend. If you don't want to go to the gym on the weekend that's fine! Take the weekend as your rest day(s) but still try to stay active while having fun. Things like hiking, biking, playing in sports leagues, etc. are ways to have fun and also get a workout in. Again, even just 15 minutes of activity is better than nothing.
   RELATED: 5 Reasons Why You Need a Fitness Plan
    
6. Don't have an "all or nothing" attitude.
   
   You aren't perfect. We aren't perfect. No one is perfect. If you want to eat a hamburger, fries, and a milkshake and you do it - move on at your next meal. One "bad" meal isn't going to hurt you. You must start having a better relationship with food or you are going to always be stuck in the cycle where you start your new diet each Monday.

Continuing to eat junk food all weekend because of one choice is like slashing all of your tires because you had one flat tire. Keep it simple! All you have to do is make healthy choices the majority of the time and splurge on things that are worth it, not just because they are placed in front of you. Easy swaps like grilled chicken instead of fried chicken, vegetables instead of fries, water instead of soft drinks really add up!