A Five-Day Weight-Loss Meal Plan for Walkers

To successfully achieve your weight-loss goals, it’s important to find a balance among several factors, like movement and nutrition. It’s common to feel overwhelmed when deciding what to eat, and figuring out the perfect balanced meal can be tricky. If you’re walking for weight loss but feel unsure what to eat to support your efforts, this five-day meal plan is here to help.

At every meal, two key players take the spotlight. Fiber, found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, comes with a host of benefits. It helps regulate blood sugar to keep cravings in check. Plus, it fills you up and keeps you feeling full. Equally crucial for weight loss is protein, found in eggs, chicken, shellfish, and dairy products, which provides the building blocks your muscles need to recover and repair after a challenging walk. When combined, fiber and protein form a powerhouse that ensures you’ll finish your meal feeling satisfied and comfortably full.

This guide was created to complement your walking routine and support your weight-loss journey. You can make substitutions based on what you like, but remember, each meal should include both protein and fiber to stay balanced. For sustainable, long-term weight loss, it’s best not to limit yourself too much in your food choices. This meal plan includes a variety of options–some you might wonder, “Can I really eat that?” Yes, you can!

Day 1

Breakfast: Supersized Scrambled Eggs and Toast

scrambled eggs and toast on a white plate
Courtesy of Corinne Quesnel

Eggs are a protein powerhouse and a key player in breakfast satisfaction. When paired with a fiber-rich whole grain bread or English muffin, you might pass over snack time, because you’ll feel full for hours after this well-rounded meal. The veggies are optional, but they add an extra boost of vitamins and minerals to kickstart your day on a healthy note.

Lunch: Protein-Packed Turkey BLT Salad

turkey BLT saladturkey BLT salad
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

This salad offers major flavor without breaking the calorie bank. Made with crunchy lettuce and a low-fat ranch dressing, this non-traditional version of a BLT satisfies your sandwich desires while helping you reach your fiber goals for the day.

Snack: Grapes and Almonds

red grapesred grapes
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Almonds offer tons of health benefits, including fiber to aid in digestion, and healthy fats to help lower bad cholesterol. The fat content also helps keep you fuller for longer, making them an ideal snack when your next meal is a few hours away. Grapes, often called nature’s candy, provide a natural energy boost and antioxidants to support your health.

Dinner: Keto-Friendly Pesto Chicken

keto pesto chickenketo pesto chicken
Waterbury Publications, Inc.

Chicken breasts are rich in protein and lower in calories compared to other cuts of chicken, which is beneficial when working to achieve weight loss. Whether you’re following a ketogenic diet or not, the healthy fats from the pesto bring the flavor, and the veggies help to load up on fiber, both offering an appetite-quenching meal.

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Day 2

Breakfast: Ultimate Paleo Smoothie With Yogurt and Granola

paleo smoothie with granola on toppaleo smoothie with granola on top
Rebecca Firkser/Eat This, Not That!

With the weather heating up, this refreshing smoothie recipe will surely hit the spot after an early morning walk. Loaded with inflammation-reducing omega-3 fats from chia seeds and a satisfying crunch from granola, this meal will surely please both the mind and the palate. Plus, the yogurt offers calcium, which is essential for strong bones, to keep you strong and on your feet day in and day out.

Lunch: Go-To Tuna

bell pepper stuffed with tuna saladbell pepper stuffed with tuna salad
Courtesy of Corinne Quesnel

With minimal fat and calories, Tuna is one of the most concentrated protein sources out there. Mix it up with some avocado mayonnaise and serve between two slices of whole grain bread to add fiber, completing the checklist for a wholesome lunch geared for weight loss.

Though optional, consider adding diced tomatoes or serving in a bell pepper for an additional vitamin C boost.

Snack: Cottage Cheese and Cucumbers

cottage cheese with cucumbercottage cheese with cucumber
Shutterstock

Cottage cheese is a protein powerhouse, containing 12 grams of protein and only 90 calories in a half-cup serving. Paired with sliced cucumbers, you’ve got yourself a low-calorie snack that both hydrates and supports muscle recovery after a long walk.

Dinner: Paleo Tomato Chicken Curry With Cauliflower Rice

Paleo tomato chicken curry recipePaleo tomato chicken curry recipe
Waterbury Publications, Inc.

This dish offers the comfort of a warm bowl of curry with a low-carbohydrate spin you’ll love even more. The cauliflower rice base adds volume, filling up space in the belly to help with feeling full. In addition, the onions and garlic, both part of the allium family, as well as tomatoes, provide a boost of antioxidants to help your body recover from exercise.

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Day 3

Breakfast: Fiber-Filled Breakfast Burrito

breakfast burritobreakfast burrito
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

This healthier take on the traditional breakfast burrito slashes the saturated fat and calorie content while maintaining the crave-able flavor you look for in a post-exercise meal. Packed with avocado and black beans, this option boasts nearly 15 grams of fiber per serving, making it both weight-loss and heart-health-friendly.

Lunch: Healthy Chinese Chicken Salad

Healthy chinese chicken saladHealthy chinese chicken salad
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Cabbage, a versatile leafy green, is full of vitamin K which helps to keep your bones strong and blood clotting properly. While the chicken provides the amino acids needed for muscle recovery, the juicy mandarin orange slices offer a subtle sweetness and are high in immune-boosting vitamin C.

Snack: Hummus, Carrot Sticks, Celery Sticks

carrots hummuscarrots hummus
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Choosing veggie sticks over pita chips as your hummus vessel helps reduce calories while boosting fiber to promote satiety, or the feeling of fullness. Hummus, made from chickpeas and tahini, offers a touch of fat to help your body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamin A, found in the veggies.

Dinner: Grilled Pork Tenderloin With Pineapple Salsa

Pork tenderloin with grilled pineapple salsaPork tenderloin with grilled pineapple salsa
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

At 210 calories per serving, this bold pork tenderloin is a lean protein machine. The pineapple adds both a boost of vitamin C and a touch of sweetness, while the dijon and spices add major flavor. Serve this dish alongside your favorite roasted vegetables and a wholesome grain, such as quinoa, for a bit of fiber to hit all your marks at dinner time.

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Day 4

Breakfast: Easy Turkey-Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash

turkey sweet potato breakfast hash in cast iron skilletturkey sweet potato breakfast hash in cast iron skillet
Waterbury Publications, Inc.

This one-skillet breakfast features vitamin A-rich sweet potatoes and heart-healthy olive oil, making it an easy choice that both saves time and offers a variety of nutrients to fuel your recovery and weight-loss efforts. An added bonus is that per serving, this hash provides over half the amount of fiber you need in a single day.

Lunch: Low-Calorie Mexican Quinoa and Chicken Salad

mexican quinoa and chicken salad on wooden cutting board with bowl of salsamexican quinoa and chicken salad on wooden cutting board with bowl of salsa
Waterbury Publications, Inc.

Shredded chicken is packed with protein to help your muscles recover from your walking routine. Black beans, quinoa, and avocado offer both fiber for digestion and essential minerals, like magnesium, to support bone health. Plus, this recipe makes for a great meal prep and stays fresh in the fridge for up to three days without compromising texture or flavor.

Snack: Peanut Butter Stuffed Dates

peanut butter datespeanut butter dates
Shutterstock

Dates, typically found in their dried form, are sweet and sticky and make the perfect sweet treat to carry you through an afternoon slump. Unlike other candies, the fat in the nut butter helps to tame your blood sugars and prevent an energy crash later on, which can lead to cravings. To prepare, slice open the date, pull out the pit, and stuff it with your favorite nut butter to create your own version of nature’s candy.

Dinner: Instant Pot Shrimp and Broccoli

shrimp and broccoli with cauliflower rice sprinkled with sesame seeds green onions and srirachashrimp and broccoli with cauliflower rice sprinkled with sesame seeds green onions and sriracha
Kiersten Hickman/Eat This, Not That!

There’s no need to reach for your favorite takeout with this 15-minute recipe. Using a flavorful sauce, this dish provides tons of protein to help your muscles recover. The broccoli contributes fiber, but feel free to add carrots, or serve this dish atop cauliflower rice for even more fullness and digestion support.

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Day 5

Breakfast: Protein Oats

bowl of protein oats wiht blueberries and chia seedsbowl of protein oats wiht blueberries and chia seeds
Courtesy of Corinne Quesnel

Made with egg whites and milk, these high-protein oats come together in minutes for a healthy morning meal. With benefits from lowering bad cholesterol to helping your digestion, it’s a pantry staple you don’t want to miss out on. Consider adding in a portion of slivered almonds and topping with a handful of blueberries to create a well-balanced meal.

Lunch: Hearty Italian Meatball Soup

Italian Meatball soupItalian Meatball soup
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Soups are ideal for meal planning, ensuring you have a convenient lunch option during hectic weeks. Per serving, this soup provides only 333 calories, leaving room for a garden salad to balance out this protein-filled meal. To further improve this recipe, swap out the chicken stock for bone broth to increase the protein content even more.

Snack: Sliced Peaches With Pistachios

peaches sliced on tablepeaches sliced on table
Shutterstock

Pistachios are a powerhouse of healthy fats, protein, and fiber. Paired with juicy stone fruit to tackle afternoon cravings, they form a nutrient-packed snack that supports weight-loss goals.

Dinner: Easy, Healthy Crispy Chicken

healthy crispy chickenhealthy crispy chicken
Jason Donnelly

This oven-baked version of a traditional fried chicken recipe helps satisfy the craving for crunchy meat while providing fewer calories to support your weight-loss efforts. Pair this dish with a bagged salad mix or leftover veggies from the days prior to increase the fiber and round out your meal with extra nutrients.

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