A 1,400-Calorie, Metabolism-Boosting Meal Plan

When Ashley Koff tells her clients they get to eat at least 1,400 calories on her plan, they're pleasantly surprised.

But it's overly restricting calories or skipping meals that backfires, she explains: "When you eat light or skip meals during the day and then splurge at night, you're giving your body too much at one time and not enough at others."

The result: fat storage and fatigue.

Convinced? Try these recipe ideas— each meal is about 400 calories each, and each snack is about 200 calories.

Breakfast

Fill 1 whole-wheat or corn tortilla with 2 scrambled egg whites, lightly sauteed veggies (mushrooms, onions, broccoli), 2 oz low-fat cheddar, 2 slices avocado, and hot sauce.

Breakfast

Spread two halves of a whole-grain English muffin or 2 mini waffles with 2 TBSP almond butter. Place slices from 4–5 strawberries between them.

Spritz with 1/2 tsp oil and grill in a preheated panini press on medium-high until toasted, or in a skillet over medium-high heat.

Breakfast

Mix 1/3 cup raw oats and 1 tsp each honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg with about 1 cup hot water; stir in 2 TBSP almond butter.

Sprinkle 6 oz plain low-fat Greek yogurt with 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 TBSP dried tart cherries, and 10–15 slivered almonds.

Enjoy with a Pure Bar, such as Chocolate Brownie or Apple Cinnamon.

Lunch

Halve a baked potato and top with 1⁄4 cup shredded low-fat Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese.

Serve with 1 chicken sausage or a slice of turkey bacon, crumbled, and topped with salsa, and a side salad.

Lunch

Combine 4 oz diced rotisserie chicken breast, 1/4 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt, 1 medium stalk of celery, chopped, 3 TBSP diced cucumbers, 5 red grapes sliced in half, 1 TBSP Dijon mustard, 1 tsp chopped dill, and a trace of honey.

Stuff into 1/2 whole-wheat pita with romaine or spinach leaves.

Lunch

Spread 1 whole- wheat tortilla with low-sodium tomato sauce, fresh basil leaves, and 2 oz goat cheese.

Serve with a large green salad or a side of cooked vegetables (like a frozen stir-fry mix).

Lunch

Toss romaine, 1/4 cup diced onions, and 1 cup each chopped tomatoes and cucumber.

Top with 3 oz wild canned salmon (drained), 1 TBSP feta, 1 TBSP olive oil, and 2 TBSP balsamic vinegar.

Try the Vegetarian Burrito Bowl at Chipotle with cilantro-lime rice, pinto or black beans, salsa, 1 TBSP cheese, hot sauce, grilled peppers, onions, and lettuce.

Dinner

Top a bed of sauteed onions and bell peppers with 4 oz cooked grass-fed beef cubes and 1/2 cup brown rice.

Drizzle with sauce made of 1 TBSP almond butter, 2 tsp chili oil, and 1 tsp diced ginger.

Dinner

Mix 3/4 cup cooked quinoa with 1/4 cup each diced tomatoes and cucumbers, 2 TBSP diced parsley, mint, and scallions.

Add 1 TBSP olive oil and lemon juice, and a pinch of sea salt and pepper to taste.

Dinner

Cook 3 oz tilapia, cod, or wild salmon in grill pan and serve with unlimited zucchini, asparagus, or tomatoes cooked in low-sodium vegetable broth; drizzle with 1 TBSP olive oil and serve with 1/2 cup brown rice or whole-grain barley, or with 10–15 organic rice chips, plus salsa.

Dinner

Heat up a frozen turkey burger according to package; top with grilled onions and mushrooms.

Place on a bed of lettuce with chopped tomatoes and sliced jalapenos. Enjoy with 1 cup of baked sweet potato fries.

Snacks

Stuff 1 hollowed-out cucumber with 1/3 cup hummus.

Snacks

Cut a medium-size pear into 4–6 slices; spread 1 tsp of Justin's Chocolate Hazelnut Butter between each pair of slices.

Snacks

Slice a large apple and top pieces with 1 oz goat cheese or Swiss cheese.

Snacks

Spread 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese on top of 15 whole-grain chips or crackers.

Snacks

Combine 1/2 banana or 1/2 peach, 3/4 cup mixed berries (fresh or frozen), and 1 cup unsweetened vanilla soy milk, low-fat milk, or plain low-fat Greek yogurt.

Makes 2 servings (keep second one in fridge for up to three days).

Enjoy with 10 almonds.

Snacks

Enjoy 1 serving.