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!
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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!

Pictures of myself that I hated.

Just like almost all of my other body image posts, this one has been in "draft" mode for a LONG time. I figured now was the right time to publish it after posting a picture of me and Scott on Instagram and Facebook recently.

I think the picture I posted was taken in 2012. I posted it because it was funny that we had a picture flexing in Costco. We've been going there every week for YEARS. I didn't really pay much attention to US in the picture at first. After posting it, I started looking at it more closely and some of the body image issues I've had started to creep back in so I'm finally publishing this post. Since this Costco picture was taken a lot has changed. I don't know exactly when this picture was taken or what I weighed at the time but I would guess I'm about 15 pounds heavier right now. The picture in Costco was taken either right before or right after a photo shoot I was training for. My training and nutrition were ON POINT. My life revolved around it but my life doesn't revolve around that anymore.

But just like when I posted the picture below over the summer (I weighed around 147 pounds in this picture), it doesn't matter how small I am nothing seems to be good enough. I'm going to share a few pictures that I've absolutely hated for one reason or another. I've even added a big ol arrow to point out what I hated.

Before you read further >>>> read my original post on my body image issues.

So, just to emphasize...there's approximately a 17-pound weight difference between these two photos. Sure, some is muscle but not all.

Keep in mind that a person of ANY size can struggle with this. I've heard from people from size 0-20 who have body image issues. So just because you think someone has the "perfect body" or they are the "right" size or weight, doesn't mean that they don't also have body image issues.

The picture below was taken in Canyonlands National Park in 2015. I obsessed over the little bit of "fat" that you could see coming over the strap on my pack.

These next few pictures were taken in 2014 I think. Those love handles...I even posted about this picture in my first body image post.

And the stomach...

Again, that extra skin over my swimsuit bottoms...

Another one from Canyonlands National Park where my fat is hanging over my pack.

Oh and this one. My hips are just way too big. And that little roll under my right butt cheek?! End of the world.

These two I had my shirt on because of the fat on my stomach, not because I was cold.

Honestly, it helps me to write all of this out. I also want you to know that if you are struggling you are not alone. I had body image issues when I was 127 pounds and when I was 147 pounds, and everything in between.

Please take the time to read through the resources below if you also struggle with body image issues.

• How Getting Into Fitness Ruined My Body Image
• Stories From My Scale (Why You Need to Ditch Yours For Good!)
• 5 Things I Did to Achieve My Dream Body
• 5 Reasons Why You Aren't Achieving Your Dream Body
• 5 Things We've Done to Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle 5+ Years

5 Smart Ways To Use Your Tax Refund

According to data released by the IRS, the average tax refund this year will be about $2,900. Without a doubt, you’re relying on that refund to provide a nice cash infusion after a spendy holiday season, so we wanted to give you a quick rundown of some smart ways to put your refund to good use.

However, before we get into those ideas, we want you to make you aware that getting a refund is in no way free money! Hopefully, you know this by now, but the money you’re getting back from Uncle Sam is money you should have had last year. That’s almost $250 extra each month that you basically let the government borrow for free! If you would have put that $250 extra from last January’s paycheck into your 401(k) or Roth IRA in an S&P 500 index mutual fund, you’d be $55 richer today...and that’s just the return on one month’s pay for the entire year! If that doesn’t convince you, the $2,800 average refund from the prior year would now be worth $3,500 if it was sitting in that S&P 500 index fund at the start of 2017! If you’re not in a position to save for retirement, that $250 extra each month could be used to eliminate the need to go into debt.

So, if you’re getting more than $500 back this year, we suggest updating your W-4s with your employer to have the additional amount automatically added to your 401(k). The withholding rates are changing this year as at least 80% of American taxpayers will see an increase in their take-home pay thanks to the 2017 tax reform, so even more reason to update your W-4! You can use the IRS withholding calculator (to be updated by the end of February) to fine-tune your withholding to make sure you maximize your take-home pay. You can also seek guidance from your tax advisor, a local Enrolled Agent or your HR department if you’re not sure how to change your W-4.

If you rely on your refund as forced savings, that’s fine, but use the money wisely rather than splurging on something when you have debt you can pay down or savings that need to be optimized. With that said, below are 5 smart ideas on what to do with your refund.

>>>> Ever feel like you need to detox your money?

5 Smart Ways To Use Your Tax Refund

1.  Pay off/down credit card debt:

According to a study recently performed by NerdWallet, the average household credit card debt is nearly $16,000 and Americans pay an average of $904 in annual interest on the revolving debt. What better way to put the average $2,900 refund to use than to pay down a huge chunk of your credit card debt? If you have balances on multiple cards, pay down the balance with the highest interest rate first in order to save on accrued interest. The good news is that 41% of respondents to a NerdWallet survey say unnecessary spending is what has caused them to rack up credit card debt...stop spending foolishly and put your refund to work!

Use one of our money saving challenges to pay off debt quickly!

2.  Pay off/down student loan debt:

According to the same study, average American household student loan debt is about $47,000. Sure, student loans carry relatively low-interest rates, so your priority should be paying down credit card debt if you have a balance on a card with a high-interest rate, but this is the next area to tackle given the magnitude of the debt. What’s more, this greatly enhances the return on investment you’re getting on your education as you pay down the debt faster than your income level increases...this is finance savvy at its best!

3.  Save for your “rainy-day” emergency fund:

If you don’t have at least 6 months of take-home pay in a savings account, but you are in a good position with your debt, pour your tax refund into your savings account. According to a survey conducted by GOBankingRates.com, 57% of Americans have less than $1,000 in savings...this is great for retailers and banks, but terrible for your wallet! If savings are too low, you can’t handle emergency expenses and are forced to go into debt to fund those expenses. Putting those expenses on your credit cards makes them at least 15% more expensive based on the average interest rate charged (so, a $1,000 emergency expense is actually $1,150 on a credit card if you don’t pay off your balance in a timely manner).

RELATED: 18 Ways to Save $15,000 in 2018

4.  Save for a down payment on a new home or, if you’re not in the market for a new home, pay down principal on your mortgage:

If you know you’ll be in the market for a new home in the near future, putting your refund into savings toward a down payment on your purchase is a certainly another great idea. You should try to save for a 20% down payment in order to eliminate the requirement of wasting money on Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI). PMI is paid to protect the lender in the event of default and never gets refunded to you. PMI is expensive - as much as 1% of the value of the home, so a little more than $200 per month on a $250,000 home. If getting a tax refund is like giving an interest-free loan to Uncle Sam, consider PMI and interest-free loan that is never paid off!

If you are renting with no intention of buying, keep pouring that money into your emergency fund!

Note - if you’re paying PMI and want to learn how to eliminate it - read this!

5.  Save for an awesome vacation:

We opted out of giving an interest-free loan to Uncle Sam long ago, so we like to think of the extra money we get each month as going toward our vacation fund and we’ve taken some amazing budget-conscious trips over the years. If you’re in a great position with debt and savings then bon voyage! Here are some ideas for really cool trips that don’t have to break the bank.

Other ideas:

• donate to charity
• pay off a car loan
• open a Roth IRA
• make an extra mortgage payment, and/or refinance your mortgage

We hope you were able to get some ideas on what to do with your tax refund or how to stop giving Uncle Sam free money, but please let us know in the comments section if you have any questions. Also, share this post with someone that you believe could benefit from it...our goal is to help those millions of Americans that are either in debt or have trouble saving. Thanks for reading!