Eating plan
A simple daily structure: a protein, fibre and healthy fat shake for breakfast and dinner, a balanced lunch in between, and a smart eating order that keeps your energy steady. Fewer decisions, more consistency.
Learn the plan
Check with your GP or an accredited practising dietitian first if you have diabetes (especially if you take insulin or tablets that lower blood sugar), kidney disease, or any condition that needs a modified diet. Higher protein intakes are not suitable for everyone with kidney problems.
This plan is not suitable if you have, or have had, an eating disorder. Counting calories and following a fixed structure can be harmful. Support is available from your GP or the Butterfly Foundation helpline on 1800 33 4673.
Also get advice if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or under 18. Check every ingredient against your allergies and intolerances, especially milk, whey, nuts, seeds and collagen, which usually comes from beef, fish or egg shell membrane.
Psyllium husk. Stir it in and drink straight away, with plenty of water, because it thickens quickly and can cause choking or blockage if taken dry. Take medicines at least 1 to 2 hours apart from it. If you take warfarin, keep your leafy green intake steady from day to day.
A daily target under 1,200 kcal isn't advised without medical supervision.
One shake gives you about 25 to 35 g of protein, 5 g of collagen, 7 g of healthy fat and 5 to 7 g of fibre. Blend it for breakfast and dinner.
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Water | 350 mL |
| Base liquid | 2 to 3 tbsp light yoghurt, or 100 mL lite milk |
| Whey protein | 1 scoop vanilla whey protein isolate, plus 10 g extra |
| Collagen protein | 5 g collagen peptides (types I, II, III) |
| Healthy fats | 1 heaped tsp LSA mix, or your own nut and seed powder |
| Fibre | 1 to 1.5 heaped tsp psyllium husk (skip if using avocado) |
| Micronutrients | 1 portion: 80 g vegetables or a 70 kcal piece of fruit |
Build your shake
Pick your options and see your ingredient list.
Make your own fat blend
Blend equal parts walnuts, almonds, macadamias and cashews with chia, flax or hemp, pumpkin and sunflower seeds into a fine powder. Use 1 heaped teaspoon per shake in place of LSA mix.
Choosing your micronutrient portion
Pick 80 g of vegetables, such as avocado, spinach, cucumber or lettuce, or a single 70 kcal piece of fruit, such as an apple, pear, berries or kiwi. Plant-based shakes and avocado shakes skip the psyllium.
Lunch is your flexible meal. Aim for 650 to 750 kcal and anything nutritionally balanced. Build it in this order of priority: fibre, fat, protein, then carbohydrates.
- If lunch is low in protein, add a high-protein yoghurt or a protein bar.
- Cheat meals are allowed. One to two a week is fine.
| Daily inclusion | Guide |
|---|---|
| Vegetables | 1 to 2 serves: spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, carrots, corn, avocado, peas |
| Fruit | 1 to 2 serves: apple, pear, kiwi, banana, dragon fruit, cantaloupe, melon |
| Yoghurt | About 250 g a day. Limit milk to match. |
| Beans | 250 to 300 g, spread across meals: chickpeas, kidney, black or Mexican beans |
| Fibre | 30 to 40 g a day from beans, vegetables, fruit, lentils, nuts, seeds and oats |
| Water | 35 mL per kg of body weight a day, usually 2.5 to 3.5 L |
Fibre needs water. Fibre keeps your gut moving, but only when you drink enough. Pair this plan with the hydration plan.
You don't have to change what's on your plate, only the order you eat it in. Finishing with carbohydrates slows how fast sugar reaches your blood, which helps you avoid the mid-afternoon slump.
Fibre first
Start with vegetables, salad or beans. Fibre slows stomach emptying.
Then fat
Healthy fats such as nuts, seeds, olive oil or avocado add to the slowing effect.
Then protein
Meat, fish, eggs, tofu or yoghurt keep you full and support muscle.
Carbs last
Rice, pasta, bread or potato go in last, so glucose is absorbed gradually.
Emerging evidence Small, short studies, such as a 2015 study by Shukla and colleagues in Diabetes Care, found lower blood sugar and insulin rises when vegetables and protein were eaten before carbohydrates. Most of this research was in people with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes. It's a sensible habit, but it hasn't been proven for everyone.
Water through the day
Set four reminders, spaced exactly four hours apart, to make sure your water gets drunk. The planner on the right builds them for you.
Each benefit is tagged so you know what is solid and what is a bonus.
Muscle recovery and lean mass
A high-quality whey blend gives the amino acids your muscles use to repair, which helps you keep lean mass.
Well establishedGut transit and fullness
5 to 7 g of fibre per shake, plus beans, vegetables and fruit, keeps things moving and keeps you satisfied.
Well establishedEssential fatty acids
The seed and nut blend supplies healthy fats, including plant omega-3 from flax and chia, for steady focus and hormone health.
Well establishedSteadier energy
Eating fibre, fat and protein before carbs flattens the blood sugar rise after a meal.
Emerging evidenceJoints and connective tissue
5 g of collagen a day may support joints, ligaments and tendons.
Limited evidenceFewer decisions
A repeatable structure for two of three meals makes it much easier to stay consistent.
Practical benefit
Consistency beats perfection. Enjoy flexibility now and then, but daily consistency is what drives long-term results. That is why the plan allows a few swapped meals and cheat meals each week, without letting them take over.
How the numbers are worked out
Calories, protein, fibre and water
From the plan: 10 to 12 shakes a week, a 650 to 750 kcal lunch, 30 to 40 g of fibre a day, and water at 35 mL per kg of body weight, usually 2.5 to 3.5 L. Four water reminders are spaced four hours apart.
Our estimate Shake calories (about 260 to 340 kcal) and the calories in the "extras" list are estimates from typical ingredient values. They are not part of the base plan, so check the labels on your own products. Room for extras is your daily target minus two shakes and a 700 kcal lunch.
General ranges Protein targets use general ranges per kg of body weight: 0.8 to 1.2 g for everyday activity, 1.2 to 1.6 g with regular exercise, and 1.6 to 2.0 g with strength training. The Australian recommended dietary intake for adults is lower, about 0.75 to 0.84 g per kg, while sports nutrition guidance supports higher intakes for people who train.
This is general information, not medical advice. Individual needs vary.
Pair your eating with an exercise plan.