7-Day 1500-Calorie Vegetarian Diet Plan for Weight Loss (with PDF)

Cracking the ultimate weight loss code is no rocket science. The formula is simple – burn more calories than you consume, and you’re good to go.

Unfortunately, many people struggle to understand this.

Far too many people spend hours slogging at the gym without changing their lifestyle and dietary habits. According to studies, energy deficit is the key driver of all weight loss strategies. Thus, eating low-calorie foods can prove to be very effective ^[1].

For example, if you are only eating 1,500 calories a day, your body will automatically burn more calories than that. Still, it’s recommended that you devote some time to physical exercises even if you are on a low-calorie diet.

To help you out, we have come up with the ultimate 1500-calorie vegetarian meal plan for the next 7 days. By following this diet and making healthy adjustments in your lifestyle, you can expect to start losing weight quicker than anticipated.

We have only included vegetarian options in our plan because it is the more effective route for losing weight quickly. According to research, following a strictly vegetarian diet can be more beneficial for weight reduction compared to non-vegetarian diets ^[2].

Based on these scientific principles and studies, we have designed a 1500-calorie vegetarian diet plan that can help anyone lose weight and achieve their fitness goals quickly.

Without further ado, let’s move on to our special weight-loss diet program.

Key Takeaways

1. Your body requires a fixed number of calories per day to perform essential functions. The number depends on multiple factors, including your sex, age, gender, body composition, and so on ^[3].
2. Giving your body fewer calories than it needs to perform bodily functions results in a state of calorie deficit. This is the most effective way of facilitating weight loss ^[4].
3. The body will fight to remain in homeostasis – the process of maintaining the same body weight, regardless of any changes in calorie consumption. To do this, your body might slow down the metabolism, decrease NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis), increase hunger, and more ^[5]. As such, losing weight is a gradual process.
4. It is easier to simply eliminate 500 calories from your daily intake by changing your diet instead of trying to burn off 500 excess calories through exercise ^[6].
5. The composition – macro and micronutrient profile – and quality of the food is as important for weight loss as the number of calories you need to consume for effective weight loss ^[7].
6. For weight loss, your diet plan should never include any processed or junk food, as they are increasingly linked with obesity ^[8].
7. Healthy weight loss is when you try and aim to lose 1-2 pounds per week through a combination of diet and exercise ^[9].

7 Day 1500 Calorie Vegetarian Diet Plan

We have based our 7-day 1500-calorie vegetarian diet plan on scientific research and studies. As such, you can expect to start losing weight within 1 week.

Our vegetarian weight loss diet plan is optimized for providing the best results. The meals are carefully designed and structured to improve your satiety and keep you feeling full for longer periods. This is done by adding protein-rich and fibrous food items to the diet program ^[10].

Moreover, all the dishes in our 1500-calorie vegetarian diet program are very simple and easy to prepare. All the ingredients are easily accessible and can easily be purchased at the nearest supermarket.

We recommend that you prepare all these meals at your home. According to scientific research, people who consume home cooked food more frequently generally consume fewer calories than people who eat it regularly ^[11].

Now that we are done with the principles of our diet, let’s move on to the actual vegetarian calorie deficit meal plan to help you lose some weight.

Day 1

• Breakfast: 1 cup of oatmeal, ⅓ cup of raspberries, 1 tablespoon of diced walnuts (450 calories).
• Brunch: 1 medium apple, 1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter (190 calories).
• Lunch: 1 serving of whole-wheat veggie wrap (345 calories).
• Evening Snack: ½ cup of nonfat plain Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon of chia seeds, ¼ cup of strawberries (131 calories).
• Dinner: Single serving of mushroom-quinoa veggie burgers (394 calories).

Total Calories: 1,511 calories

Day 2

• Breakfast: 1 cup of baked veggie beans (355 calories).
• Brunch: 1 glass of plant protein shake (120 calories).
• Lunch: 1 serving of cottage cheese pancakes (419 calories).
• Evening Snack: 1 medium-sized apple (100 calories).
• Dinner: Coconut stew with topped mushrooms (464 calories).

Total Calories: 1,458

Day 3

• Breakfast: 1 serving of baked banana-nut oatmeal cups, 2 sliced clementines (245 calories).
• Brunch: ½ cup of raspberries, ¾ cup of nonfat plain Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon of chia seeds (183 calories).
• Lunch: 1 bowl of roasted vegetable hummus (360 calories).
• Evening Snack: 1 medium-sized banana, 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter (296 calories).
• Dinner: 1 serving of butternut squash, 1 cup of black bean tostadas (422 calories).

Total Calories: 1,507

Day 4

• Breakfast: 1 slice of avocado toast cooked with olive oil and black pepper (275 calories).
• Brunch: 1 cup of orange juice, 1 cup of mixed fruit salad. (274 calories).
• Lunch: 1 bowl of mixed vegetable salad, 1 glass of berry smoothie, 1 cup of nonfat plain Greek yogurt (424 calories).
• Evening Snack: 2 slices of whole grain toast, 1 cup of milk (270 calories).
• Dinner: 1 cup of red lentil rotini pasta, 1 cup of green beans (230 calories).

Total Calories: 1,475

Day 5

• Breakfast: 1 cup of oatmeal, 1 cup of skimmed milk, 2 sugar-free cookies (403 calories).
• Brunch: ⅓ cup of hummus, 1 cup of cucumber slices (137 calories).
• Lunch: 1 and a half cups of grilled vegetables, 2 cups of chopped romaine lettuce, ¼ cups of strawberries, 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds (418 calories).
• Evening Snack: 1 medium-sized apple, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter (190 calories).
• Dinner: 1 plate of beefless vegan tacos (360 calories).

Total Calories: 1,508

Day 6

• Breakfast: ⅓ cup of dry oats, 1 ounce of slivered almonds, 2 medium-sized bananas (340 calories).
• Brunch: 1 medium-sized apple, 1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter (190 calories).
• Lunch: 1 serving of vegetable hummus sandwich, 1 tablespoon of olive oil mayonnaise, 16 thin wheat crackers (327 calories).
• Evening Snack: 1 no-boil vegan bagel, 1 cup of coffee, ½ ounce of almonds (284.5 calories).
• Dinner: 1 bowl of steamed broccoli, 1 cup of mixed-vegetable pasta (323 calories).

Total Calories: 1,464.5

Day 7

• Breakfast: ½ cup of cooked oatmeal, ½ cup of skimmed milk, ½ medium-sized diced apple, 1 tablespoon of walnuts (322 calories).
• Brunch: 1 cup of milk tea, 5 small cashews (190 calories).
• Lunch: 1 whole-wheat mixed-vegetable wrap (345 calories).
• Evening Snack: 1 sliced avocado (160 calories).
• Dinner: 1 serving of curried chickpea stew, 1 small-sized whole-wheat pita (474 calories).

Total Calories: 1,478

What To Eat

If you are only eating 1500 calories a day, you need to plan your meals efficiently. This will ensure that you get the right proportion of micro and macronutrients required to sustain healthy weight loss.

Based on our wholesome vegetarian weight loss diet plan, here are some recommended food items that you should stick with:

• Vegetables: Leafy greens, broccoli, tomatoes, carrots, asparagus.
• Fruits: Apples, berries, oranges, avocados, bananas, peaches.
• Grains: Rice, oats, quinoa, barley, buckwheat.
• Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, cashews.
• Legumes: Lentils, beans, chickpeas, peas.
• Seeds: Chia seeds, flaxseed, sesame seeds.
• Protein Sources: Tofu, cottage cheese, tempeh, nutritional yeast.

What Not To Eat

While following our 1500-calorie vegetarian diet menu, there are some foods that you must avoid at all costs.

Here is a run-down of everything you should not eat while on a weight loss journey:

1. Processed Foods: Highly processed foods like fast food, chips, and sugary snacks.
2. Sugary Beverages: Sugary drinks like soda, fruit juices, and energy drinks.
3. Sweets and Desserts: Candies, cookies, cakes, and other high-sugar desserts.
4. High-Fat Dairy Products: Full-fat dairy products like whole milk, cream, and certain cheeses.
5. Fried Foods: Fried foods, including fried vegetables.
6. White Bread and Refined Grains: Replace white bread and refined grains with whole grains like whole wheat bread, brown rice, quinoa, and oats.
7. High-Sugar Cereals: Avoid cereals that are loaded with added sugars.
8. High-Calorie Condiments: Calorie-rich condiments like ketchup and creamy salad dressings.
9. High-Calorie Snacks: High-calorie snacks like potato chips, nachos, and snack cakes.

Don’t miss:

Dr. Nowzaradan’s 1200 Calorie Diet Plan
1000 Calorie Diet Plan
1500-Calorie Indian Diet Plan
1500-Calorie Indian Vegetarian Diet Plan

Grocery List

To help you prepare every dish from our 1500-calorie vegetarian meal plan with normal food, you will need the following items:

Proteins:

• Cottage cheese
• Greek yogurt (plain, nonfat)
• Plant-based protein powder
• Beefless vegan crumbles
• Canned chickpeas

Vegetables:

• Mushrooms
• Bell peppers
• Spinach
• Red onion
• Cucumber
• Cherry tomatoes
• Zucchini
• Onion
• Carrots
• Butternut squash
• Red bell pepper
• Black beans
• Avocado
• Green beans
• Red lentil rotini pasta
• Romaine lettuce
• Strawberries
• Cilantro
• Cabbage
• Broccoli
• Mixed vegetables

Fruits:

• Raspberries
• Apple
• Clementines
• Banana
• Cucumber
• Strawberries
• Blueberries

Grains:

• Oatmeal
• Whole-wheat wraps
• Whole-wheat bread
• Whole-grain crackers
• Whole-wheat pita

Nuts, Dried Fruits, and Seeds:

• Walnuts
• Natural peanut butter
• Chia seeds
• Almonds
• Cashews

Dairy Alternatives:

• Skimmed milk

1500-Calorie Vegetarian Diet Plan PDF

Our vegetarian diet plan is a simple and comprehensive one, designed to provide healthy weight loss results in a quick span.

You can download the complete meal program for free by clicking on the download button below.

The file is available in PDF format and can easily be accessed and printed.

Don’t miss:

Dr. Dixit’s Diet Plan
Basmati Rice vs Brown Rice
10 Nuts High In Iron
15 Basmati Rice Benefits

Final Words

Having a well-structured meal plan is the key to achieving optimal weight loss results in a short period.

By following our 7-day vegetarian diet routine, you can achieve exactly that. We have tailored the meal plan based on scientific research and studies for maximum effectiveness.

References

1. Kim, J. Y. (2021). Optimal Diet Strategies for weight loss and weight loss maintenance. Journal of Obesity & Metabolic Syndrome, 30(1), 20–31. https://doi.org/10.7570/jomes20065
2. Huang, R., Huang, C., Hu, F. B., & Chavarro, J. E. (2015). Vegetarian Diets and Weight Reduction: a Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 31(1), 109–116. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-015-3390-7
3. Healthy weight loss. (2023, June 15). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/index.html
4. Hall, K. D., Heymsfield, S. B., Kemnitz, J. W., Klein, S., Schoeller, D. A., & Speakman, J. R. (2012). Energy balance and its components: implications for body weight regulation. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 95(4), 989–994. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.112.036350
5. Müller, M. J., Geisler, C., Heymsfield, S. B., & Bosy-Westphal, A. (2018). Recent advances in understanding body weight homeostasis in humans. F1000Research, 7, 1025. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.14151.1
6. Cook, C., & Schoeller, D. A. (2011). Physical activity and weight control. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, 14(5), 419–424. https://doi.org/10.1097/mco.0b013e328349b9ff
7. Roberts, S. B., & Das, S. K. (2017). The Messy Truth about Weight Loss. Scientific American, 316(6), 36–41. https://doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican0617-36
8. Poti, J. M., Braga, B. C., & Qin, B. (2017). Ultra-processed food intake and obesity: What really matters for Health—Processing or Nutrient Content? Current Obesity Reports, 6(4), 420–431. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-017-0285-4
9. Healthy weight loss. (2023b, June 15). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/index.html
10. Lejeune, M., Westerterp, K. R., Adam, T. C., Luscombe-Marsh, N. D., & Westerterp-Plantenga, M. S. (2006). Ghrelin and glucagon-like peptide 1 concentrations, 24-h satiety, and energy and substrate metabolism during a high-protein diet and measured in a respiration chamber. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 83(1), 89–94. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/83.1.89
11. Wolfson, J. A., & Bleich, S. N. (2014). Is cooking at home associated with better diet quality or weight-loss intention? Public Health Nutrition, 18(8), 1397–1406. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1368980014001943