People all around the world are usually concerned about their weight. Today, everyone wants to be the perfect size not only for aesthetic purposes but for health reasons as well. The best weight that a person should be is called the optimum weight. An optimum weight can only be attained with a healthy meal plan. So, how much should you eat to maintain your current weight?

An average person should consume about 2000 calories a day, with men able to consume a bit more than women.

Gender daily caloric intake:

Men, 2000 to 2500
Women, 1500 to 1800

In this article, we will provide you with a daily food plan that includes a meal-by-meal plan for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. This healthy meal plan will include foods from all groups such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vegetables and fruits.

Recommended daily diet

While we know how many calories we need to eat every day, how does this relate in terms of what we should eat? Let’s find out.

Daily recommended diet intake for women:

4 to 9 servings of carbohydrates
5 servings of vegetables
2 servings of fruits
2 servings of dairy products
1 serving of protein

Daily recommended diet intake for men:

6 to 12 servings of carbohydrates
5 servings of vegetables
2 servings of fruit
2 servings of dairy products
1 serving of protein

In the above servings, a single serving of carbohydrate is equivalent to either one cup of cereal, rice, or pasta and 2 slices of bread, whereas one serving of vegetable is usually half a cup, and a serving of fruit is equivalent to two small pieces.

Daily Diet Plan

Below is a daily diet menu for an average individual who would like to maintain his or her weight. This menu totals to about 1800 calories a day.

Breakfast (500 calories approximately)

Food	Calories
1 apple	60
1 cup skim milk	90
2 slices white bread with ham and cheese	315
1 glass orange juice	60

Lunch (600 calories approximately)

1 cup broccoli cooked	50
2 ounces salmon with olive oil	200
1 cup pasta	80
1 banana	60
1 cup plain yogurt	90
1 cola	152

Dinner (500 calories approximately)

1 cup berries	60
1 cup cooked vegetables	50
3 ounces baked potatoes with butter	170
2 and a half ounce flank steak	137
3 ½ ounces of red wine	74

Snacks (200 calories approximately)

6 saltine crackers or 1 cup popcorn	80
1 glass ice tea or slightly sweetened fruit juices	88

Submitted on January 16, 2014