1,000 Calorie Meal Plan UK — High Protein Safe Approach

A 1,000 calorie daily intake sits just above the VLCD threshold (800 calories) and is classed as a low calorie diet by the NHS. It is appropriate for a small number of people under specific circumstances — primarily smaller women with very low energy expenditure, or people on GLP-1 medication whose appetite is significantly suppressed. For most people, it is too low to be sustainable and produces worse long-term outcomes than a more moderate deficit.

Medical note: the NHS advises speaking to your GP before following any diet below 1,200 calories. NICE guidelines recommend against routine use of very low calorie diets without clinical supervision. If you are reaching 1,000 calories naturally due to GLP-1 medication, speak to your prescriber about nutritional support.

Quick answer: 1,000 calories per day can be appropriate for smaller women (under 5ft, sedentary) or people whose appetite is genuinely suppressed to this level. The critical requirement is hitting at least 90–100g of protein per day to limit muscle loss. At 1,000 calories, a protein shake as one of your three daily meals or snacks is almost always necessary.

5-day 1,000 calorie high protein plan

Day	Breakfast (~250 kcal)	Lunch (~300 kcal)	Dinner (~350 kcal)	Snack (~100 kcal)
Mon	Protein shake (25g powder + water) + 100g Greek yoghurt	1 tin tuna + large mixed salad + lemon + cucumber	Chicken breast (130g) + steamed broccoli + courgette	Cottage cheese (100g)
Tue	2 scrambled eggs + spinach (large handful)	Cottage cheese (200g) + cucumber + cherry tomatoes	Salmon (130g) baked + green beans + asparagus	Greek yoghurt (100g)
Wed	Protein shake + handful of berries	Turkey slices (100g) + salad leaves + mustard + 1 oatcake	Prawn stir fry (150g prawns) + mixed veg (large portion, no sauce)	Hard-boiled egg (1)
Thu	Greek yoghurt (150g) + 20g oats	Tinned sardines + large green salad + lemon	Chicken (130g) + cauliflower rice (large portion) + broccoli	Cottage cheese (100g)
Fri	2 eggs poached + smoked salmon (40g)	1 tin tuna + cucumber + mixed salad + olive oil	Cod (130g) + steamed vegetables (large portion)	Skyr (100g)

Making 1,000 calories sustainable

Vegetables are unlimited at this calorie level — fill every plate with as much salad, broccoli, courgette, spinach, and cucumber as you want. They add almost no calories
Drink 2–2.5 litres of water per day — it reduces hunger meaningfully
Spread food across 4 small meals rather than 3 — smaller portions are easier to eat when appetite is low and reduces the hunger that builds between meals
A protein shake replaces one food meal to ensure protein is hit without having to eat a large volume of solid food

🌿 Lily & Loaf Daily Fuel — essential when eating below 1,200 calories

At 1,000 calories, micronutrient deficiency is a genuine risk. Daily Fuel provides 21g of complete protein plus all essential vitamins and minerals in a single serving — covering the nutritional gaps that are almost inevitable at this calorie level. Designed for people whose food intake is significantly reduced.

Browse Lily & Loaf Daily Fuel →

📋 Download the free 14-day meal plan for options at multiple calorie levels.