5 Day Flexible Diet Meal Plan
Starting any new diet can be challenging, especially knowing what to eat.
Here are 5 days worth of meals for those starting the flexible diet or for those already on the plan, but in need of some more meal ideas.
10 days of meals and recipes are included in our Flexible Dieting Solution.
The Meal Plan
This meal plan was developed using our flexible dieting macronutrient calculator.
The male’s meal plan is based on a 41-year-old male, weighing 170 pounds, 70 inches tall, moderately active, extra protein, and a 20% calorie deficit.
The female’s meal plan is based on a 41-year-old female, weigh 150, 64 inches tall, moderately active, extra protein, 20% calorie deficit.
Of course, you’ll have to adjust the portions based on your individual macros, but this 5-day flexible diet meal plan will give you great guidelines for what your flexible diet should look like.
Woman’s Meal Plan
Day One
| Breakfast
Power Eggs (see recipe) Macros
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| Snack
All natural vanilla protein shake (1.5 scoops) mixed with water 2 cups red grapes Macros
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| Lunch Green Salad w/tuna
A large apple Macros
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| Snack 1 Luna Berry Greek Yogurt protein bar Macros
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| Dinner
Eggplant Primavera (see recipe) (2 servings) 1 oz. dark chocolate Macros
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Daily Macro Totals: Calories: 1682
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Day 2
| Breakfast
Blueberry Oatmeal
Macros
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| Snack
12 dry roasted almonds with salt Macros
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| Lunch
Tilapia Lettuce Wraps
Macros
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| Snack
Banana protein smoothie
Macros
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| Dinner
Roasted Veggie and Grilled Chicken Salad (see recipe) (2 servings) 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar as dressing 1 Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich Macros
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Daily Macro Totals: Calories: 1649
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Day Three
| Breakfast
Spinach & Onion Omelet
1 medium orange Macros
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| Snack
1 medium apple dipped in 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt with .5 scoop vanilla protein powder mixed in. Macros
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| Lunch
Smoked Salmon on Brown Rice Crackers
Blueberry Protein Smoothie
Macros
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| Snack
1 large banana (6 ounces) Macros
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| Dinner
Grilled Chicken with Almond Alfredo (see recipe) (1 servings) 6 dried figs Macros
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Daily Macro Totals: Calories: 1681
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Day Four
| Breakfast
Cinnamon & Raisin Oatmeal
Macros
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| Snack
Luna Bar – Berry Greek Yogurt Protein Macros
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| Lunch
Tuna and Kale Salad
Macros
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| Snack
Banana Protein Smoothie
Macros
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| Dinner
Low Carb Turkey Burgers (see recipe) (2 burgers) 1/2 cup non-fat frozen yogurt Macros
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Daily Macro Totals: Calories: 1686
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Day Five
| Breakfast
Power Eggs (see recipe) 2 kiwi fruits Macros
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| Snack
Protein Smoothie
Macros
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| Lunch
Chicken Burrito
Macros
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| Snack
Large banana Macros
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| Dinner
5 oz “jerk seasoned” grilled chicken breast 1 medium baked sweet potato 3 cups steamed broccoli Homemade fruit sorbet
(blended with a high-speed blender) Macros
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Daily Macro Totals: Calories: 1689
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Man’s Meal Plan
Day One
| Breakfast
Power Eggs (see recipe) 1 large orange Macros
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| Snack
All natural vanilla protein shake (2 scoops) with 2 cups almond milk 2 cup red grapes Macros
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| Lunch Green Salad w/tuna
A large apple Macros
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| Snack Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie
Nature valley granola bar Macros
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| Dinner
Eggplant Primavera (see recipe) (2 servings) 1 oz. dark chocolate 10 large strawberries Macros
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Daily Macro Totals: Calories: 2,104
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Day 2
| Breakfast
Blueberry Oatmeal
Macros
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| Snack
22 dry roasted almonds with salt 3 unsulfured dried apricots Macros
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| Lunch
Tilapia Lettuce Wraps
1 large apple Macros
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| Snack
Peanut butter banana protein smoothie
Macros
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Dinner
1 Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich Macros
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Daily Macro Totals: Calories: 2109
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Day Three
| Breakfast
Spinach & Onion Omelet
2 strips crispy bacon 1 medium orange Macros
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| Snack
1 large apple-dipped in-1/2 cup vanilla nonfat Greek yogurt with 1 scoop vanilla protein powder mixed in. Macros
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| Lunch
Smoked Salmon on Brown Rice Crackers
Blueberry Protein Smoothie
Macros
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| Snack
1 large banana Macros
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| Dinner
Grilled Chicken with Almond Alfredo (see recipe) (1 servings) 6 dried figs Macros
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Daily Macro Totals: Calories: 2051
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Day Four
| Breakfast
Cinnamon & Raisin Oatmeal
Macros
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| Snack
Apple Pie Larabar 1 medium orange Macros
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| Lunch
Tuna and Kale Salad
Macros
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| Snack
Banana Protein Smoothie
Macros
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| Dinner
Low Carb Turkey Burgers (see recipe) (2 burgers) 3/4 cup non-fat frozen yogurt Macros
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Daily Macro Totals: Calories: 2039
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Day Five
| Breakfast
Power Eggs (see recipe) 2 kiwi fruits Macros
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| Snack
All natural vanilla protein shake (2 scoops) with 2 cups water 2 cups red grapes Macros
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| Lunch
Chicken Burrito
A large apple Macros
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| Snack
Large banana Macros
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| Dinner
6 oz “jerk seasoned” grilled chicken breast 1 medium baked sweet potato 1/2 tablespoon of butter 3 cups steamed broccoli Homemade fruit sorbet
(blended with a high speed blender) Macros
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Daily Macro Totals: Calories: 2,098
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Wait! Your Macros Aren’t Exact?
We have to stress the importance of being flexible when planning out your meal plans. If you strive to meet your exact macros each day, you will either end up eating the exact same thing every day or you’ll stress yourself out!
The flexible diet is just that, FLEXIBLE! If one day you eat fewer carbs and more fat or more protein and fewer carbs it’s OK.
Just try to aim to be within + or – 5 grams of your target macro amounts.
And, if your calorie levels are a little higher or lower on a particular day, that’s ok too. Small daily differences will make little difference in your overall long-term outcome.
If you stress out about hitting each macro exactly, it will become frustrating or it will cause you to feel the need to eat some strange foods at the end of the day just to satisfy your macros.
After all, IIFYM isn’t an exact science but just an estimation of what your body needs.
Roasted Veggie Salad
It’s a Lot of Food!
Looking over the meal plan, you’ll notice that it requires quite a bit of food to hit the macro amounts in the example.
This is mainly due to the elimination of most processed foods, refined grains, and refined sugars. Those types of foods are calorie dense and don’t really fill you up nor keep you satisfied.
Eliminating most of these foods actually allows you to eat a lot more, which means you are seldom hungry.
IIFYM Meal Plan Shopping List
Here’s a shopping list to help you if you want to try the meal plan. Again you’ll have to adjust some of the quantities based on your macros. It contains everything needed for all 5 days, but of course some stuff you may already have on hand.
Meats
1 can of albacore tuna
26 ounces of chicken breast
2 strips bacon (buy a pound and freeze in 2 strip portions) (man’s plan)
4 oz package of smoked salmon
8 oz ground turkey (92% lean)
8 oz of tilapia (fresh or frozen)
Dairy
7 large eggs
16 oz Greek yogurt
½ gallon of plain unsweetened almond milk (man’s plan)
8 oz Parmesan cheese
Produce
1 yellow squash
2 lbs mini sweet peppers (use in place of all peppers)
1 bunch of Lacinato kale
16 oz. frozen wild blueberries
2 avocados
3 yellow Onions
1 bag Mixed green salad mix
1 eggplant
2 heads of Broccoli
2 cups white mushrooms
1 small head of Romaine lettuce
2 medium sweet potatoes
1 small fresh beet
1 cucumber
1 head of garlic
1 bag of baby kale mix or baby kale spinach mix blend (can be used for all kale and spinach)
1 bag baby spinach
A bag of shredded red cabbage or 1 small head
1 small spaghetti squash
2 medium and 1 large oranges
2 lbs Red seedless grapes
3 large apples
2 medium and 3 large bananas
8 oz fresh strawberries
2 kiwi fruits
8 oz frozen blackberries
1 lb dry roasted almonds
8 oz raw almonds
8 oz package of dried figs
8 oz package of raisins
1 can pineapple (woman’s plan)
Condiments/spices/seasonings
Virgin coconut oil
Garlic salt
Salt
Black pepper
A jar of pasta sauce
Olive oil
Honey
Dijon mustard
Balsamic vinegar
Thyme
Salsa
Cinnamon
Vanilla extract
Miscellaneous
2 lbs all-natural sugar-free vanilla protein powder (18 protein grams per scoop) (man’s plan)
2 lbs vanilla low carb protein powder 25 grams per scoop (woman’s plan)
A jar of all natural peanut butter
1 Nature Valley granola bar (male plan)
2 Luna Bars (protein) (women’s plan)
1 small bar of dark chocolate (72% cacao or greater)
1 cup steel cut oats
1 package of brown rice crackers
8 oz of frozen yogurt
1 Larabar (male plan)
1 package of large whole-wheat tortillas
1 box of Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches
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Resources Used for the Meal Plan
- Calorieking.com and MyFitnessPal was used to establish macro amounts for each food item.
- The nutritional info. for MRM All Natural Whey Protein was used where it says vanilla protein powder.
- The Brown Rice Crackers were the Trader Joe’s brand.
- Lead image credit
Scientific Reference: Wing, R. R., Jeffery, R. W., Burton, L. R., Thorson, C., Nissinoff, K. S., & Baxter, J. E. (1996). Food provision vs structured meal plans in the behavioral treatment of obesity. International journal of obesity and related metabolic disorders: journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, 20(1), 56-62. Study link
56 Comments
why do these always have such high carbs and fat being portrayed as the enemy. We all know carbs become sugars and if not used get stored as fat. It is as if we think people will burn off all the extra energy which has been proven not to be the case. Many of the Macro calculators even have higher protein as high as 40% leaving 60% to be divided between the carbs and fats and the fats slightly higher will reduce the carbs and reduce the chance of blood sugar strikes and feeling fuller longer reducing the potential to look for the snack and over eating. Not to mention the flavor that fat brings to the table, not that I would suggest going crazy but 35% is within the range offered by many sources. That leaves only 25% to carbs.
The assumptions for this are also really low and only apply to a limited number of people. WEBMD had the average Male at 30% BMI as the average weight is more like 200lbs for a 5’10 average. So your calorie deficit of -20% should be quite a bit lower more like 1884 Cal for those stats changing all of the Macros and then the meals. That is also assuming the average guy is getting an hour of exercise a day. probably more like less than 3 hrs a week, if that. Reducing the Calories again to 1674Cal.
I think before you could understand the rationale behind this meal plan, you’d have to first understand the concept of flexible dieting/ IIFYM. No macro is good or bad but used in a way that fits your goals appropriatly. Give this article a read which will to better understand the concept: https://healthyeater.com/flexible-dieting and I’ll add that 25% fat isn’t considered low-fat but moderate fat and based on the amount of fat the body needs daily to function optimally. A low-fat diet would recommend no more than 10% fat. With flexible dieting, carbs vary based on the amount of exercise you do. Also, there is no “average man” being described here, but a unique individual. People’s exact macro allotments are determined by their own unique stats.
This looks awesome. Can’t wait to try it out!
I am very interested in trying this out, however, I am a vegetarian. I am not sure what to substitute or how much to substitute. Would love any suggestions.
Thank you!
Hi Melissa, I think it would probably be easier for you to calculate your macros using our calculator and then use the vegetarian foods you already eat in a way that fits those macros. The main thing you’ll need on hand is a good plant based protein supplement.