Eighteen hundred calories is the plan for people who train and still want to lose fat, or who have reached their goal and want to stay there. The mains step up to the maintenance portion, which is enough to fuel a session, and the calorie total still sits below what most active adults burn in a day.
Who the 1,800 calorie plan suits
Men aiming to lose weight steadily, active women who train three or four times a week and want to lose fat without feeling under-fuelled, and lighter people holding their weight where it is. If you are not sure which target is yours, the calculator on the plans page takes your height, weight, age and activity and recommends the two closest plans.
What is in the week
- Five breakfasts, one for each day, chosen from our high-protein breakfast range: overnight oats in eight flavours, protein pancakes, protein waffles, oats and pro, or honey glazed granola yoghurt.
- 3 mains a day, 15 in total, each one built from a protein, a carbohydrate and a vegetable. 28 proteins including Chicken Tikka, Peri Peri Chicken, Beef Bolognese, Seasoned Pork Tenderloin and Sweet Chilli Steak Strips, with rice, pasta, potato or noodle options and peas and carrots, green veg or salad. On this plan the mains are the maintenance portion, around 370 calories each.
- 1 snack a day, 5 in total: low calorie cheesecake, honey glazed granola yoghurt or protein pancakes.
A sample day on 1,800 calories
Protein pancakes for breakfast, three maintenance-size mains such as Garlic and Herb Chicken with white rice and peas and carrots, Chicken Meatballs in Italian tomato sauce with pasta, and Sweet Chilli Steak Strips with noodles, and a granola yoghurt as the snack. Every day can be different, or you can repeat the meals you like. The builder adds up the calories for each day as you go and shows the total for the week before you pay, so the plan is exactly as accurate as you want it to be.
How to build it
- Choose your delivery: our own van across every TS postcode, collection from our kitchen at 33 Metcalfe Road, Middlesbrough TS6 6PT, or DPD elsewhere in mainland UK (not the Scottish Highlands and Islands).
- Pick your day or days. One order can be split across two delivery days at no extra cost, so the second half of the week is as fresh as the first.
- Work through Day 1 to Day 5, choosing a breakfast, your mains and your snack for each.
- Review the week, with calories and macros shown for every item and every day, then add it to your basket.
Delivery and storage
Local orders go out on our own van on Sunday evening, Monday or Thursday. Order by Sunday 12 noon for Sunday evening, Sunday 6pm for Monday, or Wednesday 6pm for Thursday. National orders travel with DPD on Wednesday, wrapped and packed with ice packs in a keep-cool liner; order by Sunday 6pm. Most people split the week across two deliveries so the food is always fresh, and you can freeze meals on the day they arrive. Then just heat and eat.
Questions about the 1,800 calorie plan
Is it exactly 1,800 calories a day?
It is built around 1,800. Because you choose every dish, the real total depends on your choices, and the builder shows it for each day before you order. Pick lighter carbohydrates and vegetables to come in under, or richer proteins and mash to come in over.
Can I change the meals each week?
Yes. Every order is built from scratch, so the dishes, the breakfasts and the snacks can be different every time.
What if I want a different calorie target?
The same five-day structure is available at 1500 calories, 2000 calories, 2200 calories, 2500 calories, 3000 calories. The portion size of the mains changes with the target, so the price per day does too.
Is this cheaper than building my own meals?
It is the simplest way to buy a whole week. If you only want mains, the meal builder lets you choose as many meals as you need, from 5, at £4.85, £5.40 or £5.95 each depending on portion size, and add breakfasts and snacks separately.
Every online order earns 5% back in Meal Money towards your next one, and if you refer a friend you both get £5. Macro Based Diet has cooked in Middlesbrough since 2018, is family run, and is rated 4.9 on Google from nearly 200 reviews.