2 or 3 meals a day, with or without meat
These meal plans are intended to give you a taste of how the different options might work. Do feel free to use up your leftovers and swap in different recipes you like the look of and to repeat days, so you don’t have to cook two days in a row – whatever best suits you. Just keep an eye on the nutritional information on the recipe pages to make sure you are keeping protein high (more than 50g daily if you can) and starchy carbs and sugar lowish (try not to go over 75g carbs on most days and ideally keep it below 50g).
Remember, the 800cals a day is just a ballpark figure – aim for somewhere between 800 and 900 calories a day. Calories, although useful, are not an accurate science and there is considerable variation between calorie counters. So, going over by 40–50cals here and there is not going to make a significant difference to your rate of weight loss. Just remind yourself that any reduction below 1000cals a day is going to have a substantial impact. And beyond that, it’s the quality of the food that really matters. Eating 800cals of pastries is going to be far worse for you than 1000cals on a Med-style diet.
You will see that in the meat-free plans the daily calorie totals tend to be higher, between 900 and 1000, which is fine. This is to ensure adequate daily protein is included. If you are vegetarian, you may wish to swap in a suitable high-protein shake to top up your protein (see thefast800.com for options); and if you are vegan, adding in high-protein shakes may be the only way to do this diet.
On days when you have calories to spare, you might want to choose a dressing for your salad or try some of the other ideas on page 240 to jazz up your non-starchy vegetables. You can also include a portion of hard fruit, such as an apple or pear, or a handful of berries, to take you just over the 800cals – eat this either with breakfast or straight after a meal. You will see that on some days in the 2- and 3-meal plans, the daily calorie quota falls far enough below the 800cals mark for you to have a treat (see pages 220–37).
The important thing, if you want to encourage fat-burning, is to stick to a lowish-carb diet, avoid snacking between meals, and ideally add in some Time Restricted Eating (see page 16 for more on this).
DAY 1 |
cals |
protein |
|---|---|---|
One Pan Breakfast |
227 |
15.7g |
Serve with a thin slice wholegrain toast |
71 |
3.1g |
Fastest Spaghetti Bolognese |
426 |
57g |
Serve with an extra tbsp Parmesan |
62 |
5.8g |
|
786 |
81.6g |
|
|
|
DAY 2 |
|
|
Med Veg and Parmesan Omelette |
382 |
24.5g |
Lamb and Chickpea Curry |
418 |
33g |
|
800 |
57.5g |
|
|
|
DAY 3 |
|
|
Warm Chicken and Avocado Salad |
367 |
43g |
Quick Fruit Salad |
59 |
0.5g |
Pesto Fish |
391 |
29g |
|
817 |
72.5g |
|
|
|
DAY 4 |
|
|
Kipper with Poached Egg and Spinach |
360 |
32g |
Tex-Mex Chicken Bean Bowls |
380 |
45.5g |
Serve with a portion of cauli-rice |
68 |
5g |
|
808 |
82.5g |
|
|
|
DAY 5 |
|
|
Avocado, Crispy Bacon and White Bean Salad |
467 |
16g |
Cardamom Chicken |
305 |
31g |
Serve with Wholemeal Mini Flatbread |
115 |
3.5g |
|
887 |
50.5g |
|
|
|
DAY 6 |
|
|
Tuna, Bean and Roasted Capsicum Salad |
229 |
20g |
Steak and Chips |
358 |
41.5g |
Crushed Berry Layer Dessert |
212 |
8g |
|
799 |
69.5g |
|
|
|
DAY 7 |
|
|
Sweet Chilli Salmon with Edamame |
436 |
34g |
Creamy Chicken and Mushrooms |
326 |
39g |
Serve with Roasted Veg Wedges |
77 |
2g |
|
839 |
75g |
DAY 1 |
cals |
protein |
|---|---|---|
Nutty Seedy Porridge (made with 100ml milk) |
294 |
11.5g |
Low-carb Portobello ‘Pizzas’ |
287 |
15.5g |
Roast Chicken with Mixed Green Veg |
246 |
36g |
|
827 |
63g |
|
|
|
DAY 2 |
|
|
Scrambled Egg Stuffed Mushrooms |
264 |
20g |
Leek and Celeriac Soup |
123 |
4g |
Fastest Spaghetti Bolognese |
426 |
57g |
|
813 |
81g |
|
|
|
DAY 3 |
|
|
Universal Green Shake (made with 1 tbsp chia seeds) |
186 |
4.4g |
Tuna and Roasted Red Capsicums |
193 |
19g |
Pork with Mustard and Cider Vinegar |
288 |
34g |
Serve with Swede and Carrot Mash |
73 |
1.5g |
|
740 |
58.9g |
|
|
|
DAY 4 |
|
|
Smoked Haddock Brunch Pots |
249 |
22g |
Prawn and Pasta Salad |
360 |
21g |
Quick Veggie Chilli |
232 |
19g |
|
841 |
62g |
|
|
|
DAY 5 |
|
|
Sardines with Tomatoes on Sourdough |
239 |
15.5g |
Miso Soup with Prawns |
69 |
12g |
Individual Moussakas |
437 |
27g |
|
745 |
54.5g |
|
|
|
DAY 6 |
|
|
Poached Eggs with Avocado and Bacon |
250 |
12.5g |
Chilli and Lemon Prawns |
271 |
21.5g |
Cardamom Chicken |
305 |
31g |
|
826 |
65g |
|
|
|
DAY 7 |
|
|
Granola (made with 75g yoghurt and 30g fruit) |
287 |
8.5g |
Low-carb Portobello ‘Pizzas’ |
287 |
15.5g |
Simple Beef Casserole |
307 |
35g |
|
881 |
59g |
DAY 1 |
cals |
protein |
|---|---|---|
Jalapeno, Spinach and Parmesan Omelette |
300 |
23g |
Crunchy Rainbow Salad with Cashews and Ginger |
495 |
13g |
Serve with 50g halloumi fried in ½ tsp oil |
186 |
10g |
|
981 |
46g |
|
|
|
DAY 2 |
|
|
Lightly Curried Cauli-rice |
323 |
25g |
Halloumi Baked Zucchinis |
392 |
22.5g |
Top with 20g toasted almonds |
132 |
5g |
|
847 |
52.5g |
|
|
|
DAY 3 |
|
|
Lentil, Zucchini, Feta and Beetroot Salad |
382 |
21g |
Cheese and Spinach Mini Muffins x 3 |
213 |
15g |
Serve with Roasted Veg with Cumin and Goat’s Cheese |
340 |
16.5g |
|
935 |
52.5g |
|
|
|
DAY 4 |
|
|
Tofu Mushroom Ramen |
339 |
21.5g |
Leek, Pea and Paneer Curry |
410 |
21g |
Serve with 30g Greek yoghurt |
40 |
2.6g |
and 20g toasted almonds |
132 |
5g |
|
921 |
50.1g |
|
|
|
DAY 5 |
|
|
Feta, Pea and Mint Crustless Quiche |
340 |
17g |
Serve with a slice of Banana Bread |
241 |
8g |
Chinese-style Egg-fried Cauli-rice |
362 |
28g |
|
943 |
53g |
|
|
|
DAY 6 |
|
|
Easy Frittata |
294 |
22.5g |
Serve with Mediterranean-style Broccoli |
188 |
13g |
Tomato and Basil Salad with Whipped Goat’s Cheese |
442 |
17g |
|
924 |
52.5g |
|
|
|
DAY 7 |
|
|
Med Veg and Parmesan Omelette |
382 |
24.5g |
Serve with a portion of Spicy Nuts |
193 |
8g |
One Pan Miso Eggplant with Peanuts |
421 |
21.3g |
|
996 |
53.8g |
DAY 1 |
cals |
protein |
|---|---|---|
Cheese and Spinach Mini Muffins x 3 |
213 |
15g |
Low-carb Portobello ‘Pizzas’ |
287 |
15.5g |
Curried Broccoli with Paneer |
345 |
21g |
|
845 |
51.5g |
|
|
|
DAY 2 |
|
|
Nutty Seedy Porridge (made with 100ml milk) |
294 |
11.5g |
Med Veg and Parmesan Omelette |
382 |
24.5g |
Veggie Cottage Pie |
238 |
19g |
|
914 |
55g |
|
|
|
DAY 3 |
|
|
Jalapeño, Spinach and Parmesan Omelette |
300 |
23g |
Spiced Chickpea, Tomato and Spinach Salad |
314 |
14.5g |
Mushroom and Chestnut Bourguignon |
382 |
17g |
|
996 |
54.5g |
|
|
|
DAY 4 |
|
|
Scrambled Egg Stuffed Mushrooms |
264 |
20g |
Lentil, Feta and Beetroot Salad |
382 |
21g |
Quick Veggie Chilli |
232 |
19g |
|
878 |
60g |
|
|
|
DAY 5 |
|
|
Boiled egg x 2 with asparagus |
234 |
30g |
Harissa Lentil and Chickpea Soup with Spinach |
206 |
10g |
Halloumi Baked Zucchinis |
392 |
22.5g |
|
832 |
62.5g |
|
|
|
DAY 6 |
|
|
Universal Green Shake |
115 |
2.5g |
Made with 1 tbsp chopped mixed nuts |
60 |
2.7g |
Chinese-style Egg-fried Cauli-rice |
362 |
28g |
Leek, Pea and Paneer Curry |
410 |
21g |
|
947 |
54.2g |
|
|
|
DAY 7 |
|
|
Granola (made with 75g yoghurt) |
276 |
8.5g |
Easy Frittata |
294 |
22.5g |
One Pan Miso Eggplant with Peanuts |
421 |
21.3g |
|
991 |
52.3g |