High Protein Meal Plan: 7 Days, 150 g Protein (+ List)

A high protein meal plan is one of the simplest ways to lose fat, keep muscle and stay full on fewer calories. The challenge is reaching 130–160 g of protein a day with normal food – not five protein shakes. This 7-day plan does that with about 150 g of protein and 1,800 calories a day, using eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, chicken, fish, lean meat, beans and tofu.

The short answer: a high protein diet usually means 1.2–2 g of protein per kg of body weight, or about 25–35% of your calories. Spread it over 3–4 meals with 30–50 g of protein each. The plan below gives 142–178 g of protein and 1,775–1,815 calories a day, with calories and protein for every meal, a shopping list, low-carb swaps and a table to scale it to your own calorie target.

How much protein do you need?

Goal	Protein per day	For a 75 kg (165 lb) person
Minimum for health	0.8 g per kg	60 g
Losing weight	1.2⁠–⁠1.6 g per kg	90⁠–⁠120 g
Strength training	about 1.6 g per kg (up to 2.2 g)	120⁠–⁠165 g
Older adults	1.0⁠–⁠1.2 g per kg	75⁠–⁠90 g

Why more protein helps:

• It keeps you full. Protein fills you up more than the same calories from carbs or fat. When you eat less, it also helps you lose fat while keeping muscle (Leidy et al., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2015).
• It helps build muscle. A review of 49 studies with 1,863 people found that strength training plus about 1.6 g of protein per kg a day gave the biggest muscle gains. More than that didn’t add more on average (Morton et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2018).

Get your own number with our free protein calculator, and your calorie target with the calorie calculator.

How this plan is built

	Per day	Why
Calories	1,775⁠–⁠1,815	A weight-loss target for many people
Protein	142⁠–⁠178 g (about 35%)	30⁠–⁠50 g per meal
Carbs	about 35%	Mostly beans, fruit, whole grains
Fat	about 31%	Olive oil, nuts, avocado, salmon
Fiber	25⁠–⁠39 g	Beans, vegetables, fruit, oats

The plan uses food only – no protein powder. If you like shakes, one scoop of whey or pea protein (about 120 calories and 24 g of protein) can replace a snack.

Calories and protein are based on USDA FoodData Central values and rounded. Weigh oils and nut butters – they’re included in the totals.

7-day high protein meal plan

Day 1

Meal	What to eat	Calories	Protein
Breakfast	Egg scramble: 2 eggs + 4 egg whites cooked in 1 tsp olive oil with spinach and mushrooms, 1 slice whole-wheat toast, 1 orange	415	35 g
Lunch	Chicken burrito bowl: 6 oz chicken, ½ cup brown rice, ½ cup black beans, salsa, lettuce, ¼ avocado	610	65 g
Snack	1 cup 2% cottage cheese + ½ cup berries	215	24 g
Dinner	Salmon (5 oz), 1 cup broccoli roasted with 2 tsp olive oil, ½ cup quinoa	535	39 g
Total		1,775	163 g

Day 2

Meal	What to eat	Calories	Protein
Breakfast	Protein oats: ½ cup oats cooked in 1 cup 2% milk, stirred with 4 egg whites, topped with ½ banana and 1 tbsp peanut butter	490	32 g
Lunch	Tuna salad wrap: 1 can tuna, 3 tbsp Greek yogurt, mustard, 1 high-fiber tortilla, spinach, tomato + 1 apple + 1 cup baby carrots	420	38 g
Snack	170 g plain nonfat Greek yogurt + ½ cup berries + 1 tbsp walnuts	180	19 g
Dinner	Turkey chili: 5 oz lean ground turkey, ½ cup kidney or black beans, tomatoes, peppers, onion; 1 oz cheddar; ½ cup brown rice	695	57 g
Total		1,785	146 g

Day 3

Meal	What to eat	Calories	Protein
Breakfast	Skyr bowl: 300 g plain skyr, 1 cup berries, ½ banana, 1 tbsp chia seeds, 1 tbsp walnuts	415	38 g
Lunch	Leftover turkey chili (4 oz turkey, ½ cup beans) + 1 slice whole-wheat bread + side salad with 1 tsp olive oil	530	45 g
Snack	2 hard-boiled eggs + 1 cup baby carrots + 2 tbsp hummus	260	15 g
Dinner	Shrimp stir-fry: 8 oz shrimp, 1½ cups stir-fry vegetables, 2 tsp oil, soy sauce, 1 cup brown rice	610	64 g
Total		1,815	162 g

Day 4

Meal	What to eat	Calories	Protein
Breakfast	Omelet: 2 eggs + 3 egg whites cooked in 1 tsp olive oil with peppers, 1 oz feta, 1 whole-grain English muffin	455	34 g
Lunch	Chicken Greek salad: 6 oz chicken, 2 cups greens, cucumber, tomato, olives, 2 tsp olive oil, ½ whole-wheat pita + 1 orange	590	60 g
Snack	Shake: 1 cup 2% milk blended with 170 g Greek yogurt and ½ cup berries	255	26 g
Dinner	Steak (4 oz sirloin), 1 medium potato, 1 cup green beans, 2 tsp butter or olive oil	495	41 g
Total		1,795	161 g

Day 5

Meal	What to eat	Calories	Protein
Breakfast	Cottage cheese toast: 2 slices whole-wheat bread, 1 cup 2% cottage cheese, tomato, 1 tsp olive oil, black pepper + 1 orange	460	34 g
Lunch	Lentil pasta (2 oz dry) with 4 oz lean ground turkey, ½ cup marinara, zucchini, 2 tbsp parmesan	570	51 g
Snack	1 string cheese + 1 apple + 1 tbsp peanut butter	270	11 g
Dinner	Baked cod (6 oz), 1 medium sweet potato, 1 cup broccoli, 2 tsp olive oil + side salad with 1 tsp olive oil	505	46 g
Total		1,805	142 g

Day 6

Meal	What to eat	Calories	Protein
Breakfast	Greek yogurt parfait: 170 g Greek yogurt, ½ cup oats, ½ cup berries, 1 tbsp peanut butter	380	26 g
Lunch	Leftover lentil pasta with turkey (half portion) + 4 oz chicken, side salad with 1 tsp olive oil, ½ whole-wheat pita	575	62 g
Snack	1 cup shelled edamame + 1 orange	250	20 g
Dinner	Tofu and tempeh stir-fry: 150 g firm tofu, 100 g tempeh, 1½ cups vegetables, 2 tsp oil, soy sauce, 1 cup cauliflower rice	605	53 g
Total		1,810	161 g

Day 7

Meal	What to eat	Calories	Protein
Breakfast	2 eggs + 4 egg whites scrambled in 1 tsp olive oil with spinach, 1 slice whole-wheat toast, ¼ avocado	420	33 g
Lunch	Tuna and white bean salad: 1 can tuna, ½ cup white beans, tomato, cucumber, red onion, 1 oz feta, 2 tsp olive oil, lemon, ½ whole-wheat pita	515	43 g
Snack	300 g plain skyr + 1 tsp honey + 1 tbsp walnuts	260	34 g
Dinner	Chicken fajitas: 6 oz chicken, peppers, onion, 1 tsp oil, 2 corn tortillas, salsa, 2 tbsp Greek yogurt, ½ cup black beans	610	68 g
Total		1,805	178 g

The week at a glance

Day	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fat	Fiber
Day 1	1,775	163 g	135 g	65 g	30 g
Day 2	1,785	146 g	187 g	54 g	39 g
Day 3	1,815	162 g	170 g	56 g	38 g
Day 4	1,795	161 g	151 g	64 g	25 g
Day 5	1,805	142 g	180 g	61 g	35 g
Day 6	1,810	161 g	148 g	71 g	36 g
Day 7	1,805	178 g	143 g	59 g	33 g

Low-carb high protein version

“High protein low carb” is one of the most searched versions of this plan. To make it lower in carbs:

• Swap the grains: replace rice, quinoa, bread, tortillas and pita with cauliflower rice, extra vegetables or a big salad.
• Swap the potatoes: use roasted broccoli, zucchini or green beans instead.
• Keep the beans small or replace them with extra chicken, fish or tofu.
• Add a little fat – 1–2 tsp olive oil, ¼ avocado or a few nuts – so you don’t drop too many calories.

That brings the plan down to roughly 70–100 g of carbs a day. For a very low-carb (keto) approach, see our keto diet guide.

Scale it to your calorie target

Your target	What to change
1,500 calories	Drop the snack, or halve the grains and skip one tsp of oil at each meal
1,800 calories	Eat the plan as written
2,000 calories	Add a second snack: 170 g Greek yogurt + 1 tbsp nuts (about 200 calories)
2,300+ calories	Add a second snack and double the grains at lunch and dinner

For full plans at other calorie levels, see our 1500, 1800 and 2000 calorie meal plans.

Shopping list for the week

Amounts are for one person.

• Meat and fish: about 1½ lb (650 g) chicken breast, 1 lb lean ground turkey, 1 sirloin steak (4 oz), 1 salmon fillet (5 oz), 1 cod fillet (6 oz), 8 oz shrimp, 2 cans tuna in water
• Eggs and dairy: 8 eggs + 1 carton liquid egg whites (about 2 cups), about 600 g plain nonfat Greek yogurt, 600 g plain skyr, 2 cups 2% cottage cheese, 2 cups 2% milk, cheddar, feta, parmesan, 1 string cheese
• Plant protein: 1 block firm tofu, 1 pack tempeh, 1 bag frozen shelled edamame, 1 box lentil pasta, 2 cans black or kidney beans, 1 can white beans, hummus
• Grains: rolled oats, whole-wheat bread, 1 whole-grain English muffin, whole-wheat pitas, high-fiber tortillas, corn tortillas, brown rice, quinoa
• Vegetables: spinach, salad greens, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, 3 bell peppers, broccoli, zucchini, green beans, baby carrots, frozen stir-fry vegetables, cauliflower rice, 1 potato, 1 sweet potato, onions
• Fruit: about 3 cups berries (frozen is fine), 4 oranges, 2 apples, 1 banana, 1 avocado, lemons
• Pantry: olive oil, peanut butter, walnuts, chia seeds, honey, olives, salsa, marinara sauce, low-sodium soy sauce, spices

Tips for eating more protein

1. Start with protein at breakfast. Eggs, egg whites, Greek yogurt, skyr or cottage cheese make a 30–40 g breakfast easy.
2. Use egg whites and cottage cheese. They add a lot of protein for few calories – 4 egg whites have about 14 g of protein and 70 calories.
3. Cook protein in batches. Grill 2 lb of chicken or cook a pot of turkey chili on Sunday for several meals.
4. Keep easy protein snacks ready: hard-boiled eggs, skyr, cottage cheese, edamame, tuna. More ideas in our high-protein snacks.
5. Choose simple products. Many “protein” bars and cereals are ultra-processed – see how to pick the healthiest protein bars and the healthiest yogurt.
6. Drink enough water, and keep eating vegetables, fruit and beans for fiber.
7. Plan ahead. In a French study of 40,554 adults, people who planned their meals ate a more varied, healthier diet and were less likely to be obese (Ducrot et al., International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2017).

Is a high protein diet safe?

For healthy adults, protein intakes up to about 2 g per kg a day haven’t been shown to cause harm. A few things to keep in mind:

• Kidney disease: if your kidneys don’t work well, ask your doctor before eating more protein.
• Variety matters: get protein from fish, poultry, eggs, dairy, beans and soy – not mostly from processed meat, which is linked to heart disease and cancer. See how to pick the healthiest deli meat.
• Don’t forget fiber: a diet of meat and shakes can leave you constipated. This plan keeps fiber at 25–39 g a day.

For more food ideas, see our list of high-protein foods and our guide to plant-based protein. To cook it all ahead, see our high protein meal prep recipes.

Get a high protein plan made for you. With NutriSmart, you set your calorie and protein targets and the app builds a 7-day meal plan with recipes, calories, protein and a ready shopping list – based on your diet, the foods you avoid and how much time you have to cook. Then you log meals by snapping a photo of what you eat, and the app counts calories and protein and shows how much you have left for the day.Get the app free

Need more recipes? Swap in any of our high protein breakfasts or high protein dinners.

The bottom line

A high protein meal plan gives you about 1.2–2 g of protein per kg of body weight, spread over 3–4 meals with 30–50 g each. The 7-day plan above reaches about 150 g of protein on 1,800 calories with food only – eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, chicken, fish, lean meat, beans and tofu. Swap the grains for vegetables for a low-carb version, adjust portions to your calorie target, and keep plenty of vegetables and fiber in the mix.