It happens to the best of us: A busy month at work adds up to more takeout dinners than usual. Your kids are only eating chicken fingers, so now that’s what you eat too. All of a sudden you realize your energy is in the gutter and you haven’t consumed anything green in days. To the rescue: The Women’s Health 7-Day Healthy Eating Reset.
Women’s Health consulted dietitians to design a balanced, nourishing one-week menu to help you reset your eating habits. Exclusively for WH+ members, this seven-day meal plan is centered on fresh, nutrient-forward whole foods that will fuel your busy days. Consider this your ultimate guide to feeling awesome inside and outside.
Sign up for WH+ now to unlock the exclusive Women’s Health 7-Day Healthy Eating Reset, plus members-only workouts, fitness challenges, and more.
As a bonus, following the plan makes you a meal prep pro. By prepping food in advance, you’ll make sure there’s always a delicious (healthy) meal in your fridge, so you never have to get hangry, says Morgan Goodstadt, RDN, a Los Angeles–based registered dietitian and founder of Good Nutrition.
“If we wait until we’re ravenous to eat, we’re more likely to overeat by eating incredibly quickly, which causes us to be out of touch with hunger cues,” she explains. “How we eat plays a large role in our satiation, so if you eat slowly, your hunger cues will sync with the present moment and you’ll have an awareness of when you’re truly full.”
Sign up for WH+ and get the seven-day menu to kick-start the process of building new, healthy eating habits.
Why You’ll Love the WH Reset Plan
We’ve handled the mental gymnastics of plotting out your meals for the week, with a focus on the ideal balance of macros on every plate. Lisa Moskovitz, RD, a registered dietitian, CEO of Virtual Nutrition Experts, and the author of The Core 3 Healthy Eating Plan, ensured that each day of the WH Reset provides a just-right ratio of nutrients so you can fuel and feel your best.
The WH test kitchen developed delicious recipes with these guidelines in mind. Some meals can be prepped ahead of time, while others make great leftovers that can be reimagined into new dishes.
Your Macronutrient Breakdown
A nutritious meal consists of whole, minimally processed foods like fruits, vegetables, high-quality protein, healthy fats, and fiber-rich carbohydrates, says Goodstadt. It’s also best to limit added sugar, refined grains and flours, processed snacks, additives, preservatives, dyes, and seed and vegetable oils, she adds.
When it comes to what makes up your meal, there are three macronutrients to keep in mind—protein, fat, and carbohydrates, says Goodstadt. Here’s a breakdown:
Ideally, you’re aiming to consume 40 percent carbs, 30 percent protein, and 30 percent fat per day, says Moskovitz. Each day on the WH Reset provides:
- 125 grams of carbs
- 100 grams of protein
- 45 grams of fat
- More than 30 grams of fiber
- At least 2 to 3 cups of veggies
- 1 to 2 servings of fresh fruit
Lastly, you want to consider portion size. Rather than calorie counting, Goodstadt suggests focusing on adding more nutrient-dense foods to your plate (i.e., foods with a lot of nutrients per calorie, like fruits, veggies, and lean protein), which will fill you up and provide the fuel your body needs to perform at its best.
On the flip side, stay mindful of highly processed snacks and sugar, notes Goodstadt. “It can be tricky to ‘portion out’ many highly processed and packaged foods because they are formulated to be addictive,” she explains. “If you find yourself going back for multiple handfuls, note if you might actually be hungry for a proper meal rather than a snack.”
How To Make Meal Prepping A Breeze
These expert-approved tips will make your time in the kitchen a piece of cake.
Your 7-Day Healthy Eating Meal Plan
The Women’s Health test kitchen created a week’s worth of delicious recipes in tandem with Lisa Moskovitz, RD, a registered dietitian, CEO of Virtual Nutrition Experts, and the author of The Core 3 Healthy Eating Plan.
Check out some of the recipes you'll get when you sign up:
Coconut Kale Smoothie
Mixed Greens With Roasted Chicken And Vegetables
Taco-Spiced Chicken And Peppers With Sweet Potato Wedges
Smoky Chickpea, Spinach, and Pepper Frittata
Peanutty Spaghetti Squash Noodle Bowls
Butternut squash cookies
Your Daily Meal Plan
Day 1
Snack: ⅔ cup 2% Greek yogurt + 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed + 1 cup fresh organic raspberries + fresh mint leaves
Day 2
Snack: 1 slice sprouted grain bread + 1 Tbsp tahini + 1 thick slice tomato + 4 thinly sliced cucumbers + sprinkle of sea salt and garlic powder
Day 3
Snack: Smoothie: ½ cup frozen cherries + ½ ripened avocado + 1 Tbsp cocoa powder + 2 Tbsp chia seeds + 1 cup coconut or almond milk, unsweetened + ½ cup raw zucchini + 2 dried dates
Day 4
Snack: 2 hard-boiled eggs sliced with a sprinkle of paprika + 1 cup grapes
Day 5
Snack: 1 sliced green apple + 2 Tbsp almond butter + sprinkle of cinnamon
Day 6
Snack: DIY Trail Mix: 2 Tbsp unsalted almonds + 2 Tbsp cashews + 2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds + 2 Tbsp goji berries + 2 Tbsp dark chocolate chips
Day 7
Snack: Chia Pudding: 2 Tbsp chia seeds + ½ cup organic frozen strawberries + 1 cup unsweetened almond milk + 1 tsp honey + 1 tsp vanilla extract + 1 Tbsp shredded coconut flakes
Download The Grocery List
Photos: Rocky Luten; Food Styling: Rebecca Jurkevich.
Andi Breitowich is a freelance writer who covers health, fitness, relationships, beauty, and smart living. She is a graduate of Emory University and Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. Her work has appeared in Women's Health, POPSUGAR, Food & Wine, What To Expect, Cosmopolitan, Men's Health, and elsewhere. As a former collegiate pole vaulter, she loves all things fitness and has yet to meet a group workout class she doesn't like.
