Healthy Weight
How to Build a Meal Plan Based on Your Weight Goals
Susan Bowerman, M.S., R.D., CSSD, CSOWM, FAND – Sr. Director, Worldwide Nutrition Education and Training January 23, 2024
Meal plans are essential to any healthy diet, although sometimes it can be hard to know just exactly how to plan balanced meals every day. But don’t worry, we’ve got you.
Herbalife dietitians have created easy and effective meal plans that have built-in calorie counts and additional tools to help you plan your meals. They are designed to provide you with the protein your body needs every day to function at its best.
Just follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Use our meal plan selection tool.
No two people are alike, and everyone’s protein and calorie needs vary. So how do you know which meal plan is right for you? Start with the Meal Plan Selection Tool. The chart will help you determine the suggested meal plan for you, and your plan is designed to match your individual needs for protein and calories.
The Meal Plan Selection Tool will guide you to the recommended Meal Plan, either A, B, C or D, based on your gender, weight and height.
Download our Meal Plan Selection Tool here.
Once you know which plan is recommended for you, you’ll go to Step 2 to see your suggested plan based on your goals.
Step 2: Follow your meal plan (A, B, C or D).
Each meal plan has three options:
- Daily Nutrition (or Weight Maintenance)
- Weight Loss
- Weight Gain
Choose the option within the plan that best suits your personal goals.
Download the Meal Plan Chart here.
The Meal Plan Chart shows you what a typical day will look like, with recommended meals, snacks and Formula 1 shakes to choose from each day. Meal plans are created by choosing items from the following categories:
- Balanced Meals (25 grams of protein, 400 calories or 40 grams of protein, 600 calories)
- Protein Snacks (10 to 30 grams of protein, 150 to 300 calories)
- Herbalife® Formula 1 Shakes (20 to 30 grams of protein, 250 to 300 calories)
Daily Nutrition (Weight Maintenance)
When coupled with an appropriate exercise program, this option replaces one meal per day (typically breakfast) with a Formula 1 shake.
Weight Loss
This option promotes weight and fat loss when coupled with an appropriate exercise program and replaces two meals per day with a Formula 1 shake.
Weight Gain
Using this option, get more protein and calories by supplementing a healthy diet with up to three Formula 1 shakes per day. When coupled with an appropriate exercise program, gain healthy weight (as lean body mass).
Step 3: Use the meal builder tool.
The Meal Builder Tool is a simple, step-by-step approach to putting together healthy meals. Meals are made up of foods from five key categories:
- Protein
- Vegetables
- Healthy Carbohydrates
- Healthy Fats
- Seasonings
Depending on your meal plan, you will create meals that have either approximately 25 grams of protein and 400 calories or 40 grams of protein and 600 calories. Using the Meal Builder, you can select the exact foods you need to create your healthy, balanced meals.
- There are two Meal Builders: one that incorporates meat and one that is vegetarian. Choose the meal builder that works for you.
- Choose the column that corresponds to the meal you are going to build (25 grams of protein and 400 calories or 40 grams of protein and 600 calories)
- Select the amounts of food that are listed in each food group and combine items in a variety of ways to create healthy, balanced meals.
You can find the Meal Builder Tools here:
Example of a Meal Plan: 1,500 Calories
If you’re looking for inspiration, here is an example of a 1,500-calorie Weight-Loss Plan (Plan C Weight-Loss option).
The meal plan calls for the following:
- Breakfast: Herbalife® Formula 1 shake (about 30 grams of protein, 300 calories)
- Mid-morning Snack: About 10 g Protein, 150 Calories
- Lunch: Herbalife® Formula 1 shake (about 30 grams of protein, 300 calories)
- Mid-afternoon Snack: About 10 grams of protein, 150 calories
- Dinner: About 40 grams of protein, 600 calories
Using the tools to help you plan, here is what a typical day might look like:
Breakfast: Green Dream Kiwi Protein Shake
Ingredients:
- 2 scoops Herbalife® Formula 1 Healthy Meal Nutritional Shake Mix, French Vanilla
- 2 scoops Herbalife® Protein Drink Mix, Vanilla
- 1 cup water
- 1 ripe kiwifruit, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1 handful baby spinach leaves
- 1/2 cup mango chunks
- 4–6 fresh mint leaves or 1/2 tsp. dried mint
- 3–5 ice cubes
Instructions:
- Place the liquid in a blender, then add the remaining ingredients.
- Blend for 30 seconds.
- Pour into a glass and enjoy.
Nutrients per serving:
- Calories: 300
- Protein: 27 g
Mid-Morning Snack: Herbalife® Protein Bar Deluxe, Citrus Lemon
- Calories: 140
- Protein 10 g
Lunch: Banana Bonbon Chiller Protein Shake
Ingredients:
- 2 scoops Herbalife® Formula 1 Healthy Meal Nutritional Shake Mix, Dutch Chocolate
- 2 Tbsp. Herbalife® Personalized Protein Powder
- 1 cup nonfat milk
- 1 banana
- 3–5 ice cubes
Instructions:
- Place the liquid in a blender, then add the remaining ingredients.
- Blend for 30 seconds.
- Pour into a glass and enjoy.
Nutrients per serving:
- Calories: 330
- Protein: 28 g
Mid-Afternoon Snack: Turkey Breast and Whole-Grain Crackers
Snacks:
- 2 oz. sliced turkey breast
- 4 medium-sized whole-grain crackers
Nutrients:
- Calories: 145
- Protein: 18 g
Dinner (Nonvegetarian): Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad
Ingredients:
- 5 oz. grilled chicken breast (protein)
- 2 cups grilled onions and peppers (cooked vegetable)
- 1/2 cup black beans (healthy carbohydrate)
- 1/2 small avocado (healthy fat)
- Prepared salsa (seasoning)
- Mixed greens, any amount (raw vegetable)
- 2 corn tortillas (healthy carbohydrate)
Instructions:
Toss all ingredients together in a large salad bowl and enjoy!
Nutrients per serving:
- Calories: About 600
- Protein: About 40 g
Free Resources to Help You Achieve a Healthy Weight
When you have the right resources, it’s so much easier to achieve your weight management goals. Get started now and enjoy all the benefits of improving your wellness.
Download these tools for free:
- Meal Plan Selection Tool
- Meal Plan Chart
- Meal Plan Builder (Nonvegetarian)
- Meal Plan Builder (Vegetarian)
Visit our Wellness Resources page for more healthy eating tips and delicious recipes.