1600 calorie meal plan, low carb lunch ideas for work

This is one of my most simple meal plans. I wanted to design a healthy eating plan that allowed me to eat chocolate every day. Dark chocolate is sometimes included in diet plans as there are health benefits in eating chocolate. But this isn’t a chocolate diet! By including it in specific quantities, two times a day, you can still get your chocolate fix. This is especially important for those of us who begin a highly restrictive diet, slip up once and then throw the whole thing out the window. In this case, chocolate consumption should be built into your plan!

For more information on the benefits of including high cocoa chocolate in your diet, check out Dr Will Clower’s book, Eat Chocolate, Lose Weight. He dives into the myth that chocolate will cause you to gain weight. I may be biased, but any doctor that tells me to eat chocolate is one I want to listen to!

Cocoa content does matter so make sure you’re selecting high-quality, cocoa rich chocolate options. There are studies that are suggesting that dark chocolate can help lower blood pressure. Dark chocolate has a very different ingredient list than sweet, milk chocolate or white chocolate so make sure you’re reading those ingredient labels and understanding what you’re picking off the grocery store shelf.

The other focus of this meal plan is to reduce the amount of calories you’re consuming from carbohydrates. You’ll notice that a lot of your calories are coming from fat and proteins. I’ve kept it simple with the same meals each day to make shopping easier and to reduce food waste. If you’re looking for a more tailored plan, I can help with that too! You can use this to give you an idea of where you can start your meal journey or embrace it as is.

Meal Plan with Chocolate

Groceries for the Week (5 Days) 

  • 3 bags lettuce – using mixed greens here, but use whatever variety you like!

  • 5 cups baby carrots

  • 3 avocados

  • 2 cups nuts – I’m using walnuts here – but use any nut you like! And, generally I think roasted, salted nuts are fine!

  • 2 1/2 cups grapes

  • 10 eggs

  • 5 100-calorie amounts of chocolate; and 5 Tbsp chocolate chips

  • 25oz turkey deli meat

  • 3 packs baked cheese “crackers” – there are so many versions of these now! Check them out here

  • Five 5-oz salmon filets

  • 1 cup feta cheese

Nutrition Info

  • Each day is about 1600 calories (1582 to be exact!)

  • 57% calories from fat; 27% calories from protein; 16% calories from carbohydrates

I like the Lose It app to keep track of foods. And if you’re interested in my outlook on weight loss and weight management, here’s what I wrote on the subject.

 BREAKFAST 9AM

  • 2 fried eggs (with an oil spray)

  • 1/2 avocado

LUNCH 12PM

  • 5oz deli turkey meat in lettuce wraps

  • 1/4 cup walnuts (or other nut)

  • 100-calorie amount of chocolate

SNACK 4PM

  • 1 cup baby carrots

  • 1/2 packet of baked cheese “crackers”

  • 1 Tbsp peanut butter

  • 1 Tbsp chocolate chips

DINNER 7:30PM

  • One 5oz salmon filet

  • 1/2 cup grapes

  • 1/8 cup feta

  • 1/8 cup walnuts

  • 1 Tbsp feta cheese dressing (or 2 Tbsp of a low-calorie, <50 calories per 2 Tbsp dressing!)

COOK SALMON:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees

  2. Line cookie sheet with tin foil, spray with a cooking spray (like olive oil spray)

  3. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until salmon flakes easily

Need more snacks? Click here for some great ideas.

Note: I’ve tried to make this meal prep as EASY as possible – so every single day is the same. HOWEVER, if you’re anything like me, it’s quite boring to eat the same thing every day! Please feel free to switch out different protein sources, vegetables, and fats (whether you want to switch salmon for chicken, feta cheese for swiss cheese, or deli turkey wraps for some ham & cheese wraps, that’s up to you). Also, as with the rest this website, this information is general, not specific to you. You, personally, may need different amounts of calories, nutrients, etc

AND! If you are looking for the EASIEST and most realistic weight loss program – that works for the LONG term (it incorporates weekly meal plans, how to stop stress & boredom eating, AND an accountability group) – check out my program HERE!

What Kind Of Bread Is Keto-Friendly For Sandwich?

Keto-friendly bread for sandwiches is usually made with low-carb high fiber ingredients. Some popular types of keto bread would be cloud bread, almond flour bread, coconut flour bread, and more.

There are also tons of store-bought keto bread options you can find in most grocery stores. So, whether you’re looking for keto bread for your favorite ham & cheese sandwich, or you found some delicious keto sandwich recipes and you want to try them out, you can either make your own bread, or get some from the store.

Get your FREE 1-week meal plan here!

1600 Calorie High Protein, Low Carb Meal Plan with Chocolate for Lunch & Snack

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