If you are a very active woman or moderately active man, you can probably afford to eat at least 2,300 calories per day without gaining weight. For many men, eating 2,300 calories per day may result in weight loss. To avoid overeating at any one meal and feeling stuffed and sluggish, distribute the 2,300 calories evenly over the course of three 600-calorie meals and two 250-calorie snacks.
Breakfast
Healthy, hearty breakfast tacos start your 2,300-calorie day. Scramble 2 large eggs with chopped green pepper, red onion and tomato. Fill two soft-taco size whole wheat tortillas with the egg mixture and top with ¼ cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese. Slice up ¼ of an avocado and add to each taco.
Lunch
At lunch, have a tuna sandwich with 2 cups of broth based soup. Make the tuna salad yourself with 3 oz. of water-packed tuna, 1 tbsp. low-fat mayonnaise, 1 tsp. yellow mustard, chopped celery and a squeeze of lemon juice. Put the tuna between two large, toasted slices of multigrain bread and top with sliced tomato and fresh baby spinach leaves. For the soup, choose low-sodium chicken noodle or minestrone from a can, box or deli.
Dinner
For dinner, put together a ground turkey chili with brown rice. Cook ½ cup diced onion, 4 minced cloves of garlic and ½ lb. extra lean turkey in 2 tbsp. olive oil. When the turkey is browned, stir in a 6 oz. can of tomato paste, 1 tbsp. chili powder, 2 tsp. ground cumin, 1 tsp. ground coriander, a 14-oz. can of low-sodium diced tomatoes and a can of drained pinto beans. Add about ½ cup of water and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or allow to simmer in a slow cooker on low heat for several hours. Eat ¼ of the chili recipe with 1 cup of brown rice and 1 cup of steamed broccoli.
Snacks
Time your snacks for times during the day when you go four or more hours between meals. For 250 calories, you can have an apple dipped in 2 tbsp. of peanut butter, an English muffin topped with 1 tbsp. almond butter, five woven wheat crackers with an ounce of cheese, ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese mixed with ¼ cup toasted cashews or a glass of skim milk with 2 graham cracker sheets. A 1 ½ oz. serving of nuts or a bowl of high-fiber cereal with ½ cup of milk are other healthy, satisfying snacks, especially if you are in a hurry at snack-time.
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