Optavia 5&1 Sample Meal Plan

Are you looking for the Optavia 5&1 sample meal plan? Then you’re in luck!

A well-constructed Optavia menu can help set you up for success on your diet and make it easier to stay on track with reaching your weight loss goals.

Although creating a meal plan is not complicated, you need to ensure you’re getting all of the necessary macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals required for optimal health.

Let me walk you through the basics of how I construct my Optavia 5&1 meal plans so that you know what types of food to eat each day.

By following this program, you can achieve your desired results and adopt a healthier lifestyle. So let’s dive in and discover the secrets to a successful Optavia menu.

What is the Optavia 5&1 meal plan?

The Optavia 5 & 1 meal plan works by eating five small meals per day and one large lean and green meal.

According to their website, when you follow a plan to the letter, you should be consuming around 800 to 1,000 calories per day.

If you cut the number of calories you eat, your body will have to use stored fat for energy instead of glucose.

So, could that help you lose weight?

It depends.

According to the randomized controlled trial published in the Obesity Journal, “obese individuals who stick to eating 1,000 calories a day were more likely to lose weight meaningfully.”

“From months 0 to 6, participants who were told to eat 1,000 calories a day lost more weight than those who were told to eat 1,500 calories a day,” states the journal.

On Optavia, each day you can consume 0-2 healthy fat servings, depending on your protein choices for a lean and green meal.

Proteins and carbs account for around 80-100 grams each.

Benefits of following a meal plan on Optavia

According to the randomized controlled study published in the International Journal of Obesity, “giving meal plans and grocery lists to patients makes it more likely that they will lose weight.”

“People receiving meal plans ate three meals a day more often, had a better plan for what to eat, and thought it was easier to lose weight,” states the journal.

The International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity states that “People who plan their meals tend to eat healthier and have more variety in their diets. They are also less likely to be overweight or obese.”

The Public Health Nutrition Journal states that “People who cook food at home usually eat better quality food, consume fewer calories, and spend less money on food.”

“Home cooking was also associated with having less weight gain over time when compared to those who regularly eat prepared foods from restaurants,” states the journal.

My experience with the Optavia diet plan

Here are some of the benefits I’ve experienced by planning ahead and creating my own custom meal plan with Optavia.

No more eating the same foods

For me, eating healthy wasn’t always easy. In the beginning, I made a huge mistake by trying to eat the same meals every day.

The biggest bonus of meal planning was that it opened my eyes to dozens of foods (and food combinations) that I never had before.

Here’s an example of the Optavia meal plan done by my wife.

Here you see two lean and green meals. The one from the left has mashed potato with broccoli can chicken.

The ones on the right are chicken kebabs with fried egg rice and veggies.

Unlike Vern Loomis, who says that he eats the same foods every day (and still loves them), I started to enjoy the food variety.

I was choosing quality foods

Following an Optavia 5&1 meal plan taught me not only portion control but also how to make nutritious eating simple and easy.

Plus, it sparked my interest in home food preparation.

Here’s a photo of my recently prepared chicken salad.

In the end, I started to enjoy experimenting with cooking, which was the beginning of preparing the Optavia diet on my own from scratch.

No more mindless snacking

I used to be a horrible snacker. Like, I could munch on beef jerky, pistachios or pringles, even after my main meal.

Here’s a photo of what you could find in my pantry.

Yes, it was full of sweets and chocolate bars. All these bars are high in calories and sugar.

Snacking not only added unnecessary calories to my diet but also made me think about food constantly.

Once I started to follow a meal plan, I stopped snacking in between my Fuelings and don’t think about the food so much anymore.

I had more time on my hands

One of the biggest benefits I noticed of creating a meal plan is that it saved me a lot of time.

Meal planning helped me to avoid last-minute trips to the grocery store or takeout meals when I didn’t have time to cook.

It also taught me how to make the most of leftovers in my home and reduce food waste.

More money in my pocket

I was able to save more money becasue I was using the Optavia shopping list and buying food in bulk (with the list).

I was also planning my dishes in advance, so I didn’t impulse buy any unnecessary food items.

Plus, doing the weekly shopping and meal prep, I took advantage of sales and discounts on groceries and reduce my overall food budget.

What kind of food do you eat on Optavia?

Meal planning is a great way to focus on whole foods and reduce processed food consumption, but there are some important details you should take into consideration.

It’s essential that your eating schedule is consistent every day as this may promote better eating habits, as well as greater awareness of how much you are consuming.

Also, planning ahead healthy food choices ensure that all meals are balanced in terms of nutrition.

When creating an Optavia lifestyle, your lean and green meals (and optional snacks) should center around the following foods:

Proteins

• Lean meats and fish: Ground beef, chicken, turkey, bison, pork, venison, salmon, tuna, haddock, cod, roughy, and seafood.

• Eggs and dairy: Whole eggs, egg whites, liquid egg substitutes, cottage cheese, and Greek yogurt.

• Protein supplements: Whey, casein, milk protein blends, peas, hemp, rice, soy, etc.

Vegetables

• Vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, kale, spinach, carrots, tomatoes, celery, cucumber, zucchini, beets, lettuce, spring onion, and radish.

Fats

• Polyunsaturated fats: Fish oil, hemp seeds, algae oils, safflower oil, sunflower seeds, peanuts, canola oil, soy nuts, walnuts, flax seeds, flax oil, and chia seeds.

• Monounsaturated fats: Macadamias, pecans, almonds, cashews, pistachios, tahini, pumpkin seeds, hazelnuts, o|ives, olive oil, and avocado.

• Saturated fats: Animal fats (in eggs, dairy, meats, butter, cheeses, etc,), coconut oil, and palm oil.

Foods to limit

The list below shows you the foods to avoid (or limit) when following an Optavia diet.

• Bread: White bread, multigrain bread, ciabatta bread, pita, chapati, Tortilla, crackers, cookies, doughnuts, and rolls.

• Pasta: Lasagna, spaghetti, ravioli, tortelli, penne, fusilli, cannelloni, macaroni and noodles.

• Sugary foods: Candy, ice cream, cookies, breakfast cereals, sugary drinks, and sugary coffees.

• Alcoholic beverages: spirits, wine, and beer.

Although the 5&1 plan restricts you from eating fruits, it’s okay to have them once you reach to your Optavia transition phase.

I must confess – I still like to include berries and other fruits in my DIY Optavia smoothies that I often make when I run out of Fuelings.

Also, while I enjoy having an occasional dessert or high-calorie snack, I ensure it doesn’t happen too often.

Also, if you like pasta, consider choosing alternatives that are made with ingredients, such as zucchini, shirataki, or bean threads.

What does an Optavia meal plan look like?

Although my Optavia daily meal plan is very similar in terms of fueling, I strive to have different lean and green meals every day.

• If you’re following the Optimal 5&1 plan to the letter, you just need to think of your main meal a day.

• If you’re doing the Optavia plan on your own (without Fuelings and coaches), I recommend scheduling your weekly meal prep.

Your meal prep is where you gonna do most of your grocery shopping, and cooking, and divide the food into containers before you leave, so you can just grab them and go.

Breakfast

Morning is usually the time of the day when I don’t have the privilege to cook something tasty.

For breakfast, you want to make something that is fast, tastes good, and doesn’t involve a lot of preparation (like using a microwave or baking pancakes in the pan).

Instead, use Optavia bars and shakes.

Here’s what my breakfast looks like on Optavia.

I take one Frosted Cookie Dough Bar and divide it into five pieces.

If you want to add more proteins, you can hack protein shakes by blending them with unflavored protein shakes.

Snack

Snack time is around 10 am.

Use something that is quick and easy to grab. If don’t have a kitchen in your office, forget about making Optavia biscuits or puddings.

Instead, focus on smoothies or bars.

Here’s another good meal plan example for my snack. (Yes, I love simplicity.)

Here you see coffee americano, a bottle of water, and a pure protein bar. (That day I was out of Optavia bars.)

If you are stuck at work, keep the bar container in your cupboard. Optavia bars have a long shelf life and don’t need to be refrigerated.

Lunch

Lunch is a great idea to get something savory. Choose Optavia crunchers, onion sticks, or these little spicy Jalapeño cheddar poppers.

Here’s the photo.

Each of these two bags has only 32 grams and includes 20 or so nibbles. Don’t eat the whole bag at once!

Instead, eat slowly and snack on each cruncher every minute or so. (Some studies have shown that eating slowly helps to feel more satisfied with less food.)

The lean and green meal

You can eat your lean and green meals either at home or in a restaurant.

• For home cooking, focus on adding plenty of protein and limit your complex carbs to a minimum.
• If you’re eating out, I encourage you to check out our Optavia dining out guide.

It has several practical tips. I’m not talking about the obvious stuff like staying away from pasta, rice, or other high-starchy foods.

I’m talking about ensuring you know the menu of the restaurant in advance or how to customize your menu.

If the menu doesn’t have the option you want (or the amount of protein is not sufficient), talk with the waiter and ask to customize your meal.

See what high-protein options they have in other meals and ask to add more of these to your meal.

Snack

I’m usually at home by the time I get my last fuelings. If not, I ensure I grab something on the go like a bar or shake.

After my main meal, not actually not that hungry, so I choose my fuelings based on taste.

If you have more time, experiment by making your fuelings taste better. Play around by adding low-calorie fruits, zero-calorie syrups, or making frappes from smoothies.

I’m ready! Show me the Optavia 5&1 sample meal plan

This is a general, 14-day Optavia diet menu that can be altered depending on individual dietary needs and preferences.

With the menu below you get 110 grams of proteins (enough to maintain a lean body weight) and 80 grams of carbs each day.

Week 1

Although I use a variety of veggies in my Lean&Green meals, I only have two types of LEAN per week.

For example, the following menu includes only chicken and shrimp recipes. This way I can buy chicken and shrimp in bulk, which will lower my overall meal plan cost.

Next week I may change my lean choices for beef and turkey (or pork and salmon).

Week 2

In the first week, all of my lean and green meals included chicken and shrimp.

In the second week, I may choose to shop for salmon and beef, again, to save some pennies.

The second week of my sample Optavia meal plan may look like this:

The bottom line

Although many meals are based around bars and shakes, you can either make your own Fuelings or buy shakes that are the same as Optavia.

Following a more liberal Optavia diet can often seem intimidating due to mentioned earlier rules and restrictions.

While these guidelines are strict, you don’t have to cut out flavors or nutrients completely!

Adding a cup of cottage cheese to your breakfast or a small serving of protein powder to your shakes is an easy way to increase the number of proteins in your meal plan.