Last Updated on November 7, 2022 by
Have you ever tried to lose weight, but had no idea how to do it. I know what you’re thinking — everyone is born with the knowledge of how to lose weight, right? But you’d be surprised at how much information there is out there. Everything from counting calories to using fat calipers to measuring a microliter’s diameter of sweat pouring from your ear. Luckily for us, there are some things that haven’t changed. The fundamentals remain the same and haven’t gone anywhere. Today.
Losing weight and building muscle is a common goal for both men and women, but the type of diet and exercise is often different for both genders. Women should focus on losing fat and gaining or preserving lean muscle. While men should focus on gaining muscle mass. After all, if you want to take control of your weight, then this is the way to go. Here is why: I’m going to talk about Meal Plan For Weight Loss And Muscle Gain Female pdf, make sure you read this article.
Meal Plan For Weight Loss And Muscle Gain Female pdf

You often hear that nutrition is key to obtain the body you’ve always dreamed of. It’s not a lie! Your nutrition will help you build your body according to your goals; get lean & toned, lose fat or maintain your weight. We provide you different meal plans for women who want to get fit by eating according to their fitness goals.
The food you eat provide you the energy necessary to perform your workout properly. But good nutrition plays also a big role in muscle toning and recovery after a workout.
This nutrition plan will contain all the meals necessary to get your dream body!
Calories Are What Matters The Most In A Nutrition Plan
Whether you want to get toned, lose fat or maintain your weight, nutrition will play a big role during this process! Your nutrition is what fuels your body with food, which is measured in calories.
You caloric consumption will determine what kind of body you will obtain:
- Get Toned: Toning your muscle means; building lean muscle mass progressively without getting too much fat. In order to do so, you will have to eat more calories than you burn, often called: caloric surplus. If you increase your calories too quickly, your body will store fat. This why it’s important to do it progressively, so you can track your progress and avoid looking bulky.
- Maintain Weight: This is when you burn as many calories as you consume, often called: calorie maintenance. Knowing the caloric intake you need in order to maintain your weight is the starting point. From there, you can determine how you would have to eat in order to tone your body or lose fat. Use this calorie calculator!
- Lose Fat: If you want to lose fat, you will have to burn more calories than you consume, often called: caloric deficit. It’s when your body uses fat stores for energy, which leads to weight loss. Be aware, the body can also use muscle tissue; which is bad. This is why you must lose fat progressively, if you’re doing it too quickly you will kill your health and most certainly give up.
Explanations Of Macronutrients Ratio
Macronutrients are nutrients that our body needs in large amount: Carbohydrate, Protein and Fat. It’s important to define the right macronutrient ratio according to your fitness goal; whether you want to tone your body or lose fat.
In short words, this ratio will depend on:
- Your Fitness Goal: If you want to burn fat, you won’t have the same macronutrient ratio that someone who wants to tone up.
- Your Body Type: Some people tend to gain more weight than others. They should consume less carbohydrates and fats than the ones having a hard time toning up.
- Your Gender: Women are generally more efficient at burning fat and would often consume less carbohydrates than men.
Macronutrients Ratio According To Your Fitness Goals
During this women’s nutrition plan we will define a general macronutrient ratio for each fitness goal: toning, burning fat and maintaining weight. Like said earlier, we all have different body types, so it will be your job to slightly change this ratio if your body doesn’t respond to it.
The macronutrient ratios are:
- Muscle Toning: Carbohydrate 40% – Protein 40% – Fat 20%
- Maintain Weight: Carbohydrate 35% – Protein 35% – Fat 30%
- Burn Fat: Carbohydrate 30% – Protein 40% – Fat 30%
There Is Good Fat In This Nutrition Plan
“I want to lose fat, shouldn’t I avoid eating fat?”. This is good question, in fact there is several type of fats. Some are bad and others are required by your body. I recommend you to read this article: good fat versus bad fat.
Eating Healthy Is Not The Key Factor To Good Nutrition
“Eat fruits, vegetables and drink water and everything will be all right”. This is what you read in magazines or on the internet. However, that sentence is not completely true. These days, eating healthy means consuming foods low in fat and high in micronutrients; vitamins and minerals.
Indeed foods with vitamins make you have a better health. However, you can eat all the healthy food of the world, but if you don’t hit your daily macronutrient; you won’t get the results you want. Does it make sense?
In short words; calories are calories. If you want to achieve your fitness goals you will have to first worry about your macronutrients, whether it’s with “healthy food” or not. It’s pure science!
The More Often You Eat, The Better You Will Feel
We all know that person that tried every diet that exists on earth and always give up because it’s too hard. Nowadays, diets are all about food restrictions so you feel guilty if you eat one more rice grain than indicated. But again, what is really important there is your ability to hit your daily macronutrient.
Whether you want to lose some weight or tone your body, we will aim for 3 main meals and 1-2 snacks. However, if you can attain your calories in less meals, feel free to do it.
Why? Because eating every 3-4 hours will allow you to never feel hungry, which will help you to stop craving junk food.
This women’s nutrition plan will be an example, so you can organize it according to your schedule. It’s very important to eat something between your main meals and once again hit your macronutrients!
Daily Calorie Intake For Women
You calorie intake depends on your age, height, gender and how often you exercise weekly. I recommend you to try a calorie calculator.
For a healthy woman with a balanced diet, who is moderately active it’s recommended to eat between 1800 and 2200 calories. We will start with these numbers.
Converting Percentage To Grams
It’s very easy to calcule how many grams you should have for each macronutrient.
First you need to know how many calories contain each macronutrient:
- Carbohydrate: 4 Calories per gram
- Protein: 4 Calories per gram
- Fats: 9 Calories per gram
Then, let’s take 2200 calories as an example and our macronutrient ratio for maintaining weight:
- 35% Carbohydrate -> 2200 x 0.35 / 4 = 192.5g
- 35% Protein -> 2200 x 0.35 / 4 = 192.5g
- 30% Fat -> 2200 x 0.3 / 9 = 73.3g
Here’s a workout program you should try:
Cheat Meals And Women’s Nutrition Plan

You can reward yourself with one cheat meal per week, where you won’t count your calories at all; yes you deserve it!
Women’s Nutrition Plan To Maintain Weight
This women’s nutrition plan will be the basis for the other ones, so take notes. Just a few changes will be made in order to hit your macronutrients.
- Carbohydrate: 35%
- Protein: 35%
- Fat: 30%
- Calories: 2200 calories
- Meal 1 – Breakfast (470 calories)
- 250ml Skimmed Milk (1 glass)
- 1 Large Banana
- 20g Oats
- 32g Peanut Butter (2 Tablespoons)
- Snack 1 – Morning (350 calories)
- 40g Almonds
- 1 Apple
- Meal 2 – Lunch (500 calories)
- 60g White Basmati Rice
- 100g Carrots
- 200g Broccoli
- 1 Chicken Fillet
- Snack 2 – Pre-workout (250 calories)
- 250ml Skimmed Milk (1 glass)
- 1 Apple
- 1 Scoop Whey Protein (25g)
- Snack 3 – Post-Workout (250 calories)
- 0.5 Large Banana
- 2 Scoops Whey Protein (50g)
- Meal 3 – Dinner (380 calories)
- 200g Green Beans
- 1 Salmon Fillet Frozen
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Women’s Nutrition Plan To Get Toned

The women’s nutrition plan to get toned will use the same organization as the maintenance one. However, we will make a caloric surplus with a few changes in the meals.
- Carbohydrate: 40%
- Protein: 40%
- Fat: 20%
- Calories: 2500 calories
What food has been added or removed from the maintenance nutrition plan?
- Meal 1 – Breakfast
- 16g Peanut Butter (1 Tablespoon) instead of 32g
- 1 Scoop Whey Protein (25g)
- Snack 1 – Morning
- 20g Almonds instead of 40g
- 250g Greek Yoghurt 0%
- Meal 2 – Lunch
- 200g Carrots instead of 100g
- Snack 2 – Pre-workout
- 375ml Skimmed Milk (1,5 glass) instead of 250ml
- Snack 3 – Post-workout
- 250ml Skimmed Milk (1 glass)
- 1 Large Banana instead of 0.5
- Meal 3 – Dinner
- 100g Carrots
- 1,5 Salmon Fillet Frozen instead of 1
Women’s Nutrition Plan To Lose Fat
The women’s nutrition plan for losing fat will use the same structure as the maintenance one. However, we will make a caloric deficit with a few changes in the meals.
- Carbohydrate: 30%
- Protein: 40%
- Fat: 30%
- Calories: 1950 calories
- Meal 1 – Breakfast
- Oats removed instead of 20g
- 48g Peanut Butter (3 Tablespoons) instead of 32g
- 1 Apple instead of 1 large banana
- Snack 1 – Morning
- 20 Almonds instead of 40g
- 1 Apple Removed
- 1 Scoop Whey Protein (25g)
- Meal 2 – Lunch
- White Basmatic Rice removed instead of 60g
- 300g Broccoli instead of 200g
- 200g Carrots instead of 100g
- Meal 3 – Dinner
- 100g Carrots
- 0.5 Tablespoon Olive Oil instead of 1
The 7 Best Weight Loss Meal Plans for Women in 2022

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There are plenty of diet programs and meal plans out there, including many designed specifically for women looking to lose weight.
However, not all meal plans are equally effective when it comes to weight loss.
In fact, although many diet plans are safe, healthy, and sustainable, others can be ineffective, hard to follow, or downright dangerous.
Here are 7 of the best weight loss meal plans for women.
A quick look at the best weight loss meal plans for women
- Best meal planning app: PlateJoy
- Best for a plant-based lifestyle: whole foods, plant-based diet
- Best for hormone balance: low carb diet
- Best for community support: WW (Weight Watchers)
- Best for heart health: DASH diet
- Easiest to follow: Mediterranean diet
- Best for personal coaching: Noom
How to choose a weight loss meal plan
It’s important to keep a few factors in mind when selecting the meal plan that’s right for you.
For starters, be sure to consider your personal needs and preferences.
While some people may enjoy structured diet programs, others might prefer plans that are a bit more flexible.
Certain meal plans may also require more time and effort than others, which can be an important consideration for women who might not want to measure portion sizes or track their food intake.
Be sure to avoid diets that eliminate entire food groups or are overly restrictive. Not only are these meal plans more difficult to follow long-term, but they can also make it much more difficult to get all the nutrients you need.
Finally, be sure to talk with a healthcare professional before making any big changes to your diet. This is especially important if you have any underlying health conditions or are taking any medications.
How we chose
The meal plans featured in this article were selected based on the following criteria:
- Nutritionally balanced. Plans are well balanced, meaning they prioritize nutrient-dense foods rich in carbs, fats, and proteins and provide a good mix of vitamins and minerals.
- Effective. Plans are backed by research and have been shown to promote weight loss.
- Sustainable. Plans are not overly restrictive and can be followed long-term.
- Easy to follow. Some plans provide clear, straightforward guidelines, while others are flexible and simple, with no nutrient tracking or food logging required.
- Offers additional resources. We included a link to a book or website for each plan, many of which provide recipes, grocery lists, and sample meal plans to help you save time.
Healthline’s picks of the best weight loss meal plans for women
Best meal planning app
PlateJoy

- Who it’s best for: those who have a busy schedule and are looking to simplify meal planning
PlateJoy is an app that helps simplify weight loss by providing custom meal plans and recipes tailored to your needs.
After you answer a series of questions about your diet, lifestyle, and health goals, PlateJoy builds a personalized menu for you and your household.
It also provides optimized grocery lists based on your meal plan. You can order the groceries and have them delivered directly to your door using a third-party delivery service.
In addition to adjusting the portion sizes automatically to fit your weight loss goals, PlateJoy makes it easy to prepare more tasty and nutritious homemade meals.
Studies show that eating more homemade meals could be associated with improved diet quality and reductions in body weight and body fat (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source).
Additionally, one study found that adults who ate only home-cooked meals had 26% lower odds of obesity than those who did not eat any home-cooked meals (4Trusted Source).
While the app typically costs $12.99 per month, Healthline readers can subscribe to PlateJoy for just $4.99 per month.
Not sure if PlateJoy is for you? See what Healthline editor and registered dietitian Kelli McGrane, MS, thought of PlateJoy in this comprehensive hands-on review.
Pros
- provides personalized meal plans
- suitable for many dietary restrictions
- adjusts portion sizes based on your needs
Considerations
- requires a subscription
- cost of ingredients not included
- can be time consuming to prepare meals
Best for a plant-based lifestyle
Whole foods, plant-based diet

- Who it’s best for: individuals looking for a flexible way to lose weight and improve overall health
Plant-based diets consist mostly of foods derived from plants, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
Animal products — meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy — are also sometimes included in small amounts.
Several studies have suggested that following a plant-based diet could be an effective strategy for helping reduce body fat (5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source).
One review found that people who followed a plant-based diet experienced less weight gain over 4 years than those who followed other diets (7Trusted Source).
Additionally, eating more fruits and vegetables, both of which are key components of a plant-based diet, has been linked to increased weight loss and decreased belly fat (8Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source).
Not only that, but some research in women has found that eating more fruits and vegetables may be linked to a lower risk of obesity and weight gain (10Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source).
For more information about following a plant-based diet, check out “The Plant-Based Diet for Beginners” by Alice Newman, which includes a sample 21-day meal plan to help you get started.
You can also check out our whole foods, plant-based diet guide.
Pros
- adaptable
- easy to follow
- doesn’t require counting calories or tracking nutrient intake
Considerations
- may require careful planning to ensure nutritional needs are met
- no clear guidelines on specific foods to eat or portion sizes
Best for hormone balance
Low carb diet

- Who it’s best for: people who prefer structured diet plans with simple, straightforward guidelines
Low carb diets involve limiting your consumption of added sugars and foods high in carbohydrates, such as grains and starches.
Although there are various types of low carb diets, most restrict carb consumption to less than 26% of your total daily calories (12Trusted Source).
A review of 17 studies found that low carb diets were more effective for short-term weight loss than low fat diets, although the difference between the two slowly decreased over time (13Trusted Source).
Some research also suggests that low carb diets could increase the number of calories your body burns throughout the day, which may contribute to weight loss (14Trusted Source, 15Trusted Source).
What’s more, other studies have found that low carb diets may offer some benefits specifically for women, including improvements in hormone levels and menstrual regularity (16Trusted Source).
However, keep in mind that very low carb diets may not be a good fit for everyone, especially women who have certain medical conditions or are pregnant or breastfeeding (17Trusted Source).
If you find that a very low carb diet is too restrictive or difficult to follow, you may want to consider trying a moderately low carb diet — with 36–44% of calories from carbs — instead (12Trusted Source).
For an in-depth look at how to follow a low carb diet to promote hormone balance, check out “Women, Food, and Hormones: A 4-Week Plan to Achieve Hormonal Balance, Lose Weight, and Feel Like Yourself Again” by Dr. Sara Gottfried.
Pros
- provides recommendations for foods to eat and avoid
- could support hormone balance and menstrual regularity
Considerations
- not suitable for everyone
- some versions may be more restrictive
Best for community support
WW (Weight Watchers)

- Who it’s best for: people who need additional support to stay motivated
WW is a popular weight loss program that was founded in the 1960s.
It uses a points system, which assigns foods a certain number of points based on their nutritional value and gives users a daily budget of PersonalPoints.
It also encourages regular physical activity, provides various workout guides specifically for women, and offers options like group workshops and personal coaching for an additional fee.
Plus, it helps teach you how to make healthier food choices, so it may be a good fit for women seeking long-term, sustainable weight loss.
One large review of 39 studies found that people who used WW for 1 year lost 2.6% more body weight than a control group (18Trusted Source).
Another study showed that people who followed WW for 1 year lost more than twice as much weight as those who received a self-help booklet and 5 minutes of general nutrition advice.
The WW group also maintained a greater overall weight loss than the control group, even after 2 years (19Trusted Source).
However, keep in mind that this study was partially funded by WW, though the researchers note that this did not affect the design, analysis, or final results of the study (19Trusted Source).
WW offers several plans, starting at $22.95 per month. It also provides several sample meal plans and a variety of recipes on the WW website and app.
Pros
- offers peer support and coaching
- encourages healthy habits for sustainable weight loss
- uses simple points-based system tailored to your needs
Considerations
- some subscription plans can be expensive
- requires food tracking on app
Best for heart health
DASH diet

- Who it’s best for: those looking to lose weight and lower blood pressure
The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is an eating plan designed to help lower blood pressure levels.
The diet encourages eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein sources while limiting red meats and foods high in added sugar or salt.
Not only has the DASH diet been shown to improve heart health, but some research suggests that it may help facilitate weight loss as well (20Trusted Source).
One study in 293 female nurses found that greater adherence to the DASH diet was associated with a lower risk of obesity and excess belly fat (21Trusted Source).
A review of 13 studies also found that people following the DASH diet lost significantly more body weight and belly fat in 24 weeks than a control group (22Trusted Source).
In another study, older adults who followed a low calorie DASH diet for 12 weeks experienced a 6.3% reduction in body weight and a 2.5% decrease in body fat percentage (23Trusted Source).
You can read more about the DASH diet in “The Complete DASH Diet for Beginners” by Jennifer Koslo, which includes two 7-day meal plans with shopping lists and 75 heart-healthy recipes.
Pros
- supports heart health
- provides simple guidelines
- flexible
Considerations
- doesn’t offer organized support
- may be difficult to maintain
- requires logging food intake
Easiest to follow
Mediterranean diet

- Who it’s best for: people seeking a simple diet plan that isn’t overly restrictive
Based on the traditional diets of countries such as Spain, Greece, and Italy, the Mediterranean diet is often considered one of the healthiest eating patterns.
Though it isn’t as structured as many other plans and doesn’t have any strict rules or regulations, the Mediterranean diet scored our top spot as the easiest meal plan to follow because it’s simple, sustainable, and not overly restrictive.
The diet involves eating lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and healthy fats such as olive oil.
As part of this diet, processed foods, sugar-sweetened beverages, red meat, and refined grains should be limited.
Several studies suggest that greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet is tied to a lower risk of weight gain and abdominal obesity and a greater likelihood of weight loss maintenance (24Trusted Source, 25Trusted Source, 26Trusted Source).
If you’re interested in learning more, check out “The Complete Mediterranean Diet” by Dr. Michael Ozner, which provides a 2-week meal plan and 500 nutritious recipes to try making at home.
Pros
- easy to follow
- sustainable
- associated with numerous health benefits
Considerations
- some may prefer more structured plans
- can be time consuming
- allows alcohol, which some people may choose to avoid
Best for personal coaching
Noom

- Who it’s best for: individuals seeking an effective way to build healthy habits
Noom is a mobile app that helps users build healthy habits to support long lasting, sustainable weight loss.
Although no foods are off-limits with Noom, the program focuses on foods low in calories but high in nutrients, such as fruits and vegetables.
The app also offers support from a virtual health coach, access to an extensive library of nutritious recipes, and tools to help log and track your progress.
In one study that included nearly 36,000 people, about 78% of participants experienced weight loss while using Noom over an average period of 9 months (27Trusted Source).
Another small study showed that women who used a virtual coaching program like Noom for 8 weeks experienced significant weight loss and improvements in behaviors such as emotional eating (28Trusted Source).
Plus, Noom encourages members to eat mostly foods with a low calorie density, which has been shown to support both weight loss and fat loss (29Trusted Source, 30Trusted Source).
Noom membership starts at $60 per month. The program also offers a Premium Bundle for a one-time fee of $49, which includes an online consultation and a customized meal plan and workout guide tailored to your needs.
Pros
- includes access to virtual coaching team
- no foods are off-limits
- promotes behavior changes
Considerations
- relatively expensive
- requires users to log food intake
- not suitable for certain health conditions
- initial calorie recommendations might be too low for some people
Example 7-day meal plan for women
Below is a 7-day menu with some ideas for simple meals and snacks that you can enjoy.
Keep in mind that this specific meal plan may not be suitable for you, depending on your dietary restrictions and preferences. You can also add snacks as desired to meet your needs.
Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | Snack | |
Day 1 | omelet with veggies and cheese | stuffed bell peppers with ground beef, cheese, rice, and tomato sauce | sweet potato chili with side salad | homemade trail mix |
Day 2 | oatmeal with fresh fruit and walnuts | baked salmon with herbed quinoa and Brussels sprouts | grilled chicken salad with goat cheese and avocado | apple slices with peanut butter |
Day 3 | avocado toast topped with egg, tomatoes, and feta cheese | turkey and spinach lasagna with chopped salad | lemon butter cod with steamed broccoli and brown rice | fruit salad with yogurt |
Day 4 | smoothie with spinach, fruit, and protein powder | taco salad with ground beef and veggies | veggie burger with sweet potato fries | air-fried chickpeas |
Day 5 | Greek yogurt with berries and chia seeds | turkey wrap with cream cheese, spinach, and tomatoes | pasta with meatballs and roasted veggies | pita chips with hummus |
Day 6 | scrambled eggs with toast and turkey bacon | crab cakes with herbed potatoes and coleslaw | pesto grilled cheese with tomato soup | roasted edamame |
Day 7 | tofu scramble with sweet potatoes, bell peppers, tomatoes, and avocado | baked chicken with rice and lemon-garlic sauteed kale | pork chops with roasted carrots and cornbread | veggies with guacamole |
Time-saving tip: This plan was designed with variety in mind. However, to cut down on the cooking and prep, you can make large batches of each dinner and enjoy the leftovers for stress-free lunches.
Tips for meal planning
Though meal planning may seem like a challenging and time consuming task, there are plenty of strategies that can make it much easier.
Here are a few tips for meal planning:
- Consider each food group. Make sure each food group is represented in your menu by including a protein, a heart-healthy fat, and a fiber-rich carbohydrate in every meal.
- Set aside time. Scheduling a specific time slot for meal planning each week is a great way to stay on track and meet your goals, especially if you’re busy throughout the week.
- Start a recipe collection. Make a habit of saving recipes you’d like to try, and then incorporate them into your weekly menu.
- Try meal prepping. Batch cooking your meals or preparing ingredients in advance can help you save time throughout the week and make it easier to enjoy more healthy, homemade meals.
- Make a grocery list. Decide which meals you’d like to prepare and what ingredients you need before heading to the store. This can help ensure that you get everything you need without spending extra money on things you don’t.
- Stock up on time-saving tools. Several kitchen tools can help streamline meal prep. A slow cooker, such as the Instant Pot, is great for hands-off recipes, and gadgets such as a rice cooker, food processor, and panini press can help shave off time in the kitchen.