Modern weight-watchers have an extremely wide range of dietary plans and patterns to choose from. There are strict diets that promise unbelievable results in short terms. Then you have so-called “detox” diets that also promise to provide their followers with a number of health benefits. Also there are diets that offer interval fasting and nutrition plans that involve only drinking water and juices. From this dietary library it is vital to choose the most suitable and safe meal plan that will put you on the right path to reach your aims. In this article you will find all the necessary information about the vegetarian diet, which has been constantly gaining popularity. A simple 7 day vegetarian meal plan for weight loss is included as well. Read on to see what it is and know whether or not you have found your perfect meal pattern!
What Is A 7-Day Vegetarian Meal Plan?
First, it is important to understand what vegetarianism is. Sometimes, people confuse vegans and vegetarians, but the difference is quite significant. Vegans don’t consume animal-based foods at all – no meat, no fish, no dairy, no eggs, no honey. Vegetarians don’t consume animal flesh like meat and fish, but other animal-related products can be included in their daily menu. There are also several types of vegetarians. Lacto-ovo-vegetarians consume eggs and fish, lacto-vegetarians consume dairy and avoid eggs, and ovo-vegetarians consume eggs and exclude dairy from their meal plan (15). As you can see, this diet could exclude quite important sources of protein and other vital nutrients. That is why it is crucial to plan your diet carefully, make it well-balanced and get the necessary amounts of protein from the vegetarian menu.
If you are a newbie in the vegetarian world, you can try this simple 1,200-calorie 7 day vegetarian meal plan. The foods included in this menu will provide you with all the necessary elements. You won’t feel hungry and will be able to cut your daily energy intake. In combination with regular workouts, this nutrition plan will definitely help you achieve desired results (1, 3, 4, 7, 9).
Day 1
Breakfast: eat ¾ cup of oatmeal (use 1 ½ cup of water to prepare it) topped with 1/3 cup of raspberries – 310 calories.
Lunch: Eat a veggie wrap. Spread 2 tablespoons of hummus and ¼ of a mashed avocado on an 8-inch tortilla. Add one cup of sliced vegetables, and 2 tablespoons of shredded cheddar cheese. Roll up the tortilla and enjoy your lunch! – 345 calories.
Second Snack: eat ½ cup of fat-free plain Greek yogurt with ¼ cup of sliced strawberries. – 80 calories.
Dinner: cook stuffed potatoes with beans and salsa sauce. You’ll need 4 medium russet potatoes, ½ cup of fresh salsa, 1 sliced avocado, 1 can (15 oz) of pinto beans, and 4 teaspoons of chopped pickled jalapeños.
Pierce potatoes with a fork and bake them at 425 degrees F until tender, 45-60 minutes. Remove from the oven, let them cool down. Cut lengthwise and open the potatoes. Rinse, warm up and slightly mash the beans. Top the potatoes with salsa, avocado, beans and jalapeños. One potato is one serving. Enjoy your meal! – 325 calories.
Breakfast: cook delicious oatmeal cups! You’ll need 3 cups of rolled oats, 1 ½ cups of low-fat milk, ¾ cup of mashed bananas, 1/3 cup of brown sugar, 2 large slightly beaten eggs, 1 teaspoon of each baking powder, ground cinnamon and vanilla extract, ½ cup of toasted chopped pecans and ½ teaspoon of salt.
Take a muffin tin and coat it with cooking spray. Next, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Mix all the ingredients and place the mixture into the muffin cups. Bake for about 25-30 minutes. Leave them in a muffin tin for 10 minutes and then remove. That’s it! You’ll get 12 servings. Eat 1 muffin and 1 clementine for breakfast. – 211 calories.
First Snack: eat 3/4 cup of fat-free plain Greek yogurt with ¼ cup of raspberries. – 116 calories.
Lunch: eat simple pancakes with feta and spinach. You’ll need 2 eggs, 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of flour, 2 tablespoons of butter, 17 ounces of frozen spinach and 5 ounces of feta cheese.
Heat spinach in a pot and add some salt. Divide spinach and feta into 4 equal parts. Mix flour, milk and eggs in a bowl. There should be no lumps. Heat the pan (medium heat) and add some butter. Then pour in the mixture and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side. Place the pancake on a plate, cover half of it with spinach and add feta slices. Now fold over the pancake. That’s it. One pancake – one serving. – 361 calories.
Second Snack: try to prepare fruit ice cream. You’ll need 1 cup of frozen mango chunks and 2 whole frozen bananas. Slice the bananas and place them in a blender. Add the mango. Blend until smooth. You’ll have 2 servings. Eat 1 serving. – 150 calories.
Dinner: try to cook one-pot pasta. You’ll need 8 ounces of whole-wheat rotini, 2 cups of water, 2 cups of low-sodium “no-chicken” broth, 1 (15 oz) can of no-salt-added diced tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, 1 ½ teaspoons italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon each salt, garlic powder, onion powder, ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper, ½ cup of basil slivers, and 6 cups of baby spinach.
Take a large pot and combine water, broth, pasta, tomatoes, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, italian seasoning, red pepper and salt. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Then uncover and cook on a medium heat for about 10 minutes. Stir often. Add spinach and cook 2-3 minutes more. Last, add the basil. That’s it! One serving of the dish is 1 ¼ cup. Eat it with a 2-inch slice of whole-wheat baguette. – 479 calories.
Total calorie intake: 1317 calories.
Day 3
Breakfast: eat 1 serving of oatmeal cups and 1 medium apple. – 271 calories.
First Snack: eat 1 hard-boiled egg with some salt and pepper. – 78 calories.
Lunch: eat a feta and spinach pancake. – 361 calories.
Second Snack: eat ½ cup of raspberries. – 120 calories.
Dinner: eat a serving of one-pot pasta sprinkled with 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan. – 380 calories.
Total calorie intake: 1210 calories.
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Day 4
Breakfast: eat 1 serving of oatmeal cups and 1 medium apple. – 271 calories.
First Snack: eat 1 hard-boiled egg with some salt and pepper. – 78 calories.
Lunch: eat a feta and spinach pancake. – 361 calories.
Second Snack: eat 1 clementine. – 101 calories.
Dinner: eat 1 serving of stuffed potatoes with beans and salsa. Top your meal with 2 tablespoons of shredded cheddar and 1 tablespoon of sour cream. – 405 calories.
Total calorie intake: 1216 calories.
Day 5
Breakfast: eat a delicious toast with avocado and egg. You’ll need 1/4 avocado, ¼ teaspoon of ground pepper, 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 slice of toasted whole-wheat bread, 1 large fried egg, 1 teaspoon of Sriracha sauce and 1 tablespoon of sliced scallion.
Mash avocado and mix it with pepper and garlic powder. Spread the mixture over the toast and top with a fried egg. Add Sriracha and scallion (optional). Eat such a toast and 1 clementine for breakfast. – 306 calories.
First Snack: eat ½ cup of raspberries. – 32 calories.
Lunch: eat a pancake with spinach and feta cheese. – 361 calories.
Second Snack: eat 1 medium apple. – 95 calories.
Dinner: cook tomato fettuccine. You’ll need 5 ounces of whole grain fettuccine, 1 ½ ounces of soft goat cheese, ¾ cup of marinara sauce, 2 cups of fresh baby arugula, ½ teaspoon of grated lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons of roasted and salted shelled pistachios.
Mix together marinara sauce and goat cheese to make puree. Cook pasta until al dente, drain. Reserve ½ of the liquid. Place pasta back into the pot over medium heat and add mixed marinara sauce and goat cheese. Mix and cook for about 1 ½ minutes. Add the liquid that you have reserved. Add arugula and mix well. Sprinkle your meal with lemon zest and pistachios. One serving is 1 ¾ cups. – 414 calories.
Breakfast: eat ¾ cup of oatmeal (use 1 ½ cup of water to prepare it) topped with 1/3 cup of raspberries – 310 calories.
First Snack: eat one medium apple – 95 calories.
Lunch: eat a serving of the veggie wrap. – 345 calories.
Second Snack: enjoy fruit ice cream. – 150 calories.
Dinner: eat one stuffed potato with beans and salsa sauce. – 325 calories.
Total calorie intake: 1225 calories.
Day 7
Breakfast: eat ½ cup of oatmeal cooked in ½ cup of water and the same amount of skim milk. Make your breakfast even more delicious with ½ of diced medium apple and 1 tablespoon of chopped walnuts. – 322 calories.
First Snack: eat 1 medium apple. – 95 calories.
Lunch: eat a serving of the veggie wrap. – 345 calories.
Second Snack: eat 1 hard-boiled egg with some salt and pepper. – 78 calories.
Dinner: eat a serving of tomato fettuccine. – 414 calories.
Total calorie intake: 1254 calories.
Remember that it is important to consume enough calories every day to support your overall health. All bodies are different, and in this case you should take into account you weight, sex and age. That’s why it is necessary to consult your dietitian to figure out your daily energy requirements.
Below you can see a sample grocery list:
Vegetables: broccoli, tomatoes, onions, garlic, zucchinis, sweet potatoes, potatoes, carrots, leafy greens and more.
Fruits: bananas, various berries, peaches, apples, mangos and more.
Grains: quinoa, barley, oatmeal, brown rice and more.
Nuts and seeds: almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds and more.
Healthy fats: olive oil, avocados, coconut oil and more.
Dairy products
Eggs
What Are The Benefits Of A Vegetarian Diet?
As any other nutrition plan, a vegetarian diet can offer a number of benefits for your body (of course if you make smart eating choices). Read a list below (15).
Weight Loss
Is a 7 day vegetarian meal plan good for weight loss? According to multiple research studies, sticking with this type of nutrition can help its followers to slim down at least in the short term. More studies are needed to fully understand the effect of the vegetarian diet on weight loss (14).
Anyway, the high fiber content in plant-based foods will keep you satisfied longer and you will eat less (5). This will promote your effective weight loss.
Cholesterol Levels
A recent review has shown that people who maintain a vegetarian diet tend to have lower overall cholesterol levels (6).
Cardiovascular Health
Another study has shown that people who practice this type of dietary pattern tend to have significantly lower risks of heart diseases (10).
Cancer Prevention
Research performed in North America has analyzed data of about 70,000 people and found that cancer risks were lower among people who follow vegetarian diets compared to those who follow more traditional dietary patterns (12).
Lower Risks Of Diabetes
Vegetarians may have lower risks of type II diabetes than people who stick to regular diets and consume meat and fish on a regular basis. Such an effect may be related to lower consumption of unhealthy high processed foods and higher amounts of fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes and other healthy foods in the daily menu (13).
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What Are The Risks Of A Vegetarian Diet?
Well, you already know the benefits of the vegetarian diet. If you follow all the rules and keep with this eating pattern properly, you will definitely receive all of them. However, if you neglect the recommendations and your diet isn’t well-balanced, it will most likely bring you more harm than good.
Your body has to get essential nutrients to function properly. If you follow the vegetarian diet in a wrong way, you can face a deficiency of protein, vitamin B12, iron, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids. You may also get insufficient amounts of calcium, vitamins D and K, that could harm your bone health.
That’s why you should make sure you get necessary amounts of these nutrients. For instance, you can find sources of protein, iron and zinc in legumes like beans and lentils, nuts, seeds, and other foods. Green leafy vegetables, soy milk, and organic orange juice will provide you with vitamin K. Broccoli, kale and chinese cabbage are good vegetarian sources of calcium. Many people also take supplements to make sure they get all necessary nutrients. As you can see, when it comes to planning your vegetarian diet, it is vital to be careful.
How A 7-Day Vegetarian Meal Plan Works?
A vegetarian meal plan works the same way as other well-balanced healthy meal plans. In combination with necessary levels of physical activity on a day-to-day basis, proper hydration, lowered stress levels, and necessary amounts of high-quality sleep you will lose weight and support your overall health. You shouldn’t also forget about proper calorie intake. Your dietitian will help you determine the best way to follow a vegetarian diet in the long term without harming your overall health status.
Remember that a plant-based diet can also cause weight gain if your portion sizes are inadequate and you do not make smart eating choices. Technically, we can say that cookies and other sweets are vegetarian. However, if you include them excessively in your daily menu, you might reduce your chances of a slimming down. Be careful when planning your meals.
Is A 7-Day Vegetarian Meal Plan Good For Bodybuilding?
Bodybuilding and vegetarian diet can be successfully combined, if you follow some simple rules. Make sure that you eat enough calories each day. This can be a little bit harder without meat and fish – but hard is not impossible. Your goto should certainly be fruits and vegetables as they will provide you with the vitamins and antioxidants to keep your immune system strong.
Another important point is to get enough protein. You can find it in such vegetarian sources as (11):
Greek yogurt (23 grams of protein per cup)
Lentils (9 grams of protein per ½ cup of cooked product)
Chia seeds (3 grams of protein per 1 tablespoon)
Quinoa (8 grams of protein per 1 cup of cooked product)
Cottage cheese (14 grams of protein per 1/2 cup)
Hemp seeds (4 grams of protein per 1 tablespoon)
Beans (8 grams of protein per ½ cup of cooked product)
Edamame (5 grams of protein per ¼ cup of shelled product)
Green peas (8 grams of protein per 1 cup)
Peanut butter (7 grams of protein per 2 tablespoons)
Almonds (6 grams of protein per 1 ounce)
Eggs (6 grams of protein per 1 large egg)
If you have decided to get started on the vegetarian diet, it is better to opt for lacto-ovo-vegetarian variation. By consuming eggs and dairy you’ll achieve much better results.
Make sure your daily menu includes almonds, broccoli, kale and spinach, that will provide you with calcium. And again, remember that an unbalanced vegetarian diet can lead to nutrient deficiencies. Talk with your doctor or dietitian to prevent this issue.
These simple tips will help you combine your vegetarian diet with bodybuilding with no additional effort (2).
FAQs
How Do You Start A Vegetarian Diet?
For some people it might be quite hard to stop eating meat and fish. But there are some tips that may be helpful for the vegetarian diet beginners. You can try to change your eating pattern gradually. For instance, you can switch to a new nutrition plan over a period of one month, by gradually reducing the amounts of meat and fish you usually consume and by replacing them with plant-based protein food. Remember that vegetarian doesn’t necessarily mean “healthy” – there are many unhealthy vegetarian foods. Make sure you opt for high quality and fresh food when possible. Reduce your intake of heavily processed, high-fat and high-sugar products. Make sure you get sufficient amounts of vitamins. Add all food groups to your diet to make your diet balanced (15).
Conclusion
In conclusion, as you can see, a 7 day vegetarian meal plan is completely safe and quite effective. A person doesn’t necessarily have to eat meat and fish to get the essential nutrients. This diet is also quite simple and won’t take much time and effort. The foods you are going to consume can be found in every grocery store and the meals are fast and easy to make. Just remember to follow the major rule – consult your health professional before starting a new nutrition plan. Take care of yourself and stay healthy.
If you are interested in healthy meal plans, you may be curious about other methods of supporting your body health.
DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
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