800 Calorie Intermittent Fasting Meal Plan (7-Day with Recipes)

Medical Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Always consult a registered dietitian, physician, or qualified healthcare provider before making significant changes to your diet, especially if you have a medical condition, take medication, are pregnant or nursing, or are managing a chronic illness. Individual results may vary.

800 Calorie Intermittent Fasting Meal Plan: The Honest Answer

An 800-calorie intermittent-fasting plan puts you in two restrictive practices at the same time: a Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD)-adjacent intake and a compressed eating window (typically 12 pm to 8 pm).

That combination has clinical evidence in one specific context, the DiRECT trial and Fast 800 protocol for type 2 diabetes remission (1)(2), and it carries real risk outside that context.

This page shows a 7-day 800-calorie IF plan with recipes, honest guidance on who it works for, who must avoid it, and a strict 1 to 2 week duration limit.

Why 800 Calories Plus Fasting Is a Compound Choice

Standard intermittent fasting (16:8, 5:2, or 14:10 eating windows) is generally safe for healthy adults and can support modest weight loss and metabolic health.

Standard low-calorie dieting (1,200 to 1,500 kcal/day) is also generally safe for most adults with a supervising clinician’s blessing. Stacking the two, running 800 kcal per day inside an 8-hour eating window, is a shorter, sharper version of the Fast 800 protocol.

It works in specific supervised settings but is not a good idea to run indefinitely at home (2)(3).

Who This Plan Is For

• Adults with obesity (BMI at least 30) who have been cleared by a physician to try a short VLCD-adjacent protocol.
• Adults with type 2 diabetes and BMI at least 27, ideally within 6 years of diagnosis, working under a diabetes team.
• Anyone willing to run this for no more than 1 to 2 weeks and then transition to a maintenance phase at 1,500 to 2,000 kcal.

Who Should Not Follow This Plan

• Pregnant or breastfeeding women.
• Anyone with type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes on insulin, sulfonylureas, or SGLT2 inhibitors without dose adjustment.
• History of an eating disorder or current disordered eating.
• BMI under 27.
• Kidney, liver, gallbladder, or cardiac disease.
• Under age 18 or over age 65 without clinician guidance.
• Anyone on blood pressure medication that requires food (many antihypertensives).

6 Guidelines to Reduce Risk

1. No alcohol during the plan. Alcohol at deep restriction sharpens hypoglycemia and blood-pressure swings.
2. No added sugar or dessert. These waste calories that must go to protein and micronutrients.
3. Walk gently for 20 to 30 minutes daily. Avoid heavy resistance or endurance training at this intake.
4. Keep to the eating window (12 pm to 8 pm) and skip snacks between the two meals to preserve the fasting benefit.
5. Drink water. Do not force excessive fluid intake; target 6 to 8 cups spread through the day.
6. Plain coffee and unsweetened tea are allowed during the fast; no milk, cream, or sweetener.

Duration warning: Do not stay on this plan longer than 1 week without supervision. Two weeks maximum in any case.

7-Day 800 Calorie IF Meal Plan (12 pm to 8 pm Window)

Day 1

Noon (Breakfast): Berry Porridge (about 250 cal, 14 g protein)

6 pm (Dinner): 1 serving Baked Chicken and Vegetables (about 380 cal, 32 g protein), 1 slice whole-wheat bread (75 cal), 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (85 cal, 12 g protein)

Total: about 790 cal, 58 g protein

Day 2

Noon: Avocado Egg Toast (about 400 cal, 20 g protein), 4 cherry tomatoes (15 cal)

6 pm: 1 serving Whole Grilled Branzino (about 300 cal, 32 g protein), green salad with 1 tsp olive oil (60 cal), 1 slice whole-wheat bread (75 cal)

Total: about 850 cal, 60 g protein

Day 3

Noon: Sausage Eggs in a Cup (about 280 cal, 18 g protein), 5 cherry tomatoes (18 cal), 1 large cucumber (30 cal)

6 pm: Rosemary Steak (about 400 cal, 34 g protein), 3 cups green salad with 1 tsp olive oil (75 cal), 1 slice whole-wheat bread (75 cal)

Total: about 878 cal, 60 g protein

Day 4

Noon: Grilled Halloumi Salad (about 340 cal, 20 g protein)

6 pm: 1 serving Turkish Chicken Wrap (about 460 cal, 30 g protein)

Total: about 800 cal, 50 g protein

Day 5

Noon: Berry Porridge (about 250 cal, 14 g protein), 4 dried apricot halves (35 cal)

6 pm: 1 serving Stuffed Peppers with Rice (about 420 cal, 12 g protein), 4 tbsp plain Greek yogurt (40 cal, 7 g protein)

Total: about 745 cal, 33 g protein

Day 6

Noon: 1 serving Eggs Benedict, lightened (about 380 cal, 22 g protein)

6 pm: Meatball Salad (about 315 cal, 20 g protein)

Total: about 695 cal, 42 g protein

Day 7

Noon: Curd Cheese Salad (about 275 cal, 14 g protein), 1 slice whole-wheat bread (75 cal)

6 pm: 1 serving Spinach Salad with Bulgur (about 340 cal, 12 g protein), 1 tbsp olive oil dressing (25 cal)

Total: about 715 cal, 30 g protein

7-Day Comparison Table

Notice that Days 5 to 7 dip below 50 g protein per day. Below 60 g protein at this calorie level, lean-mass loss accelerates.

If you follow this plan for more than a few days, add a plain protein shake (about 100 kcal, 20 g protein) to bring protein above 60 g on lower-protein days.

Featured Recipes

Berry Porridge (1 serving, about 250 cal)

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 8 raw almonds
• 3 tbsp rolled oats
• 10 blueberries
• 5 large strawberries
• 5 tbsp plain Greek yogurt

Instructions

1. Chop strawberries, blueberries, and almonds.
2. Combine everything in a bowl and stir gently.
3. Serve.

Macros: 29 g carbs, 10 g fat, 14 g protein.

Avocado Egg Toast (1 serving, about 400 cal)

Ingredients

• 1 slice einkorn or whole-grain bread
• 1/4 avocado
• 1/2 tbsp cream cheese
• 1 slice turkey salami
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 large egg
• 2 thin slices halloumi cheese (drained)
• salt
• pepper
• chili flakes
• cumin

Instructions

1. Mash avocado with salt, pepper, and cream cheese.
2. Toast the bread.
3. Fry the egg in olive oil to medium-yolk.
4. In a dry non-stick pan, brown the halloumi slices for 1 minute per side.
5. Spread avocado mash on the toast, top with the egg, then halloumi, then turkey salami.
6. Sprinkle chili and cumin.

Macros: 22 g carbs, 30 g fat, 20 g protein (recalculated from the original recipe, which listed 598 cal for a bread-heavy version).

Rosemary Steak (1 serving, about 400 cal)

Ingredients

• 130 g raw lean steak
• 1/2 tbsp onion water
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tbsp olive oil (reduced from original 1.5 tbsp)

Instructions

1. Chop rosemary and grate garlic.
2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl, add the steak, and coat well.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
4. Heat a cast-iron skillet until very hot.
5. Sear the steak 3 minutes per side for medium-rare, 4 per side for medium-well.
6. Rest 3 minutes before slicing.

Macros: 2 g carbs, 25 g fat, 34 g protein.

Grilled Halloumi Salad (1 serving, about 340 cal)

Ingredients

• 2 slices whole-wheat bread cubed
• 3 lettuce leaves
• 1 medium cucumber
• 5 cherry tomatoes
• 1.5 oz halloumi cheese (soaked in water 30 minutes to reduce salt)

Instructions

1. Slice halloumi and grill briefly in a dry non-stick pan.
2. Wash and chop the vegetables.
3. Toast and cube the bread.
4. Combine everything gently in a bowl.

Macros: 41 g carbs, 12 g fat, 20 g protein.

Meatball Salad (1 serving, about 315 cal)

Ingredients

• 3 medium lean-beef meatballs (about 90 g total)
• 2 cups shredded lettuce
• 1 chopped tomato
• 1 medium cucumber
• 1 tsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Grill meatballs in a dry pan or bake at 200 C for 15 minutes.
2. Arrange lettuce, top with meatballs, chopped tomato, and cucumber.
3. Drizzle olive oil.

Macros: 22 g carbs, 20 g fat, 16 g protein.

Curd Cheese Salad (1 serving, about 275 cal)

Ingredients

• 5 tbsp curd cheese
• 2 garlic cloves grated
• 1 small onion diced
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 green pepper diced
• 1 small tomato diced
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Combine everything in a bowl and toss.
2. Chill 15 minutes.

Macros: 23 g carbs, 17 g fat, 11 g protein.

Approach Comparison

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 800 calories with intermittent fasting safe?

For most people, only for a short window (1 to 2 weeks) and only if none of the contraindications apply. It has evidence for supervised type 2 diabetes remission (1)(2).

Self-directed use for longer than 2 weeks is not recommended.

How much weight will I lose?

Trial-level data on the Fast 800 protocol shows 1 to 1.5 kg (2 to 3 lbs) per week during the intensive phase. Week 1 usually shows more because of glycogen and water loss. If a source promises faster sustained loss, it is overstating.

Why 12 pm to 8 pm?

This eating window aligns morning and evening fasting with normal circadian rhythms. Skipping breakfast is easier for most people than skipping dinner, and dinner earlier than 8 pm avoids late-night eating, which is associated with worse metabolic outcomes.

Can I have coffee during the fasting window?

Plain black coffee and unsweetened tea are generally accepted during the fast. Milk, cream, or sugar break the fast metabolically.

Should I take a multivitamin?

Yes. At 800 kcal, iron, calcium, magnesium, and B12 adequacy is difficult from food alone. A standard multivitamin during the plan is a reasonable default.

Can I exercise?

Light walking and gentle mobility work only. Heavy resistance or endurance training is not appropriate at this calorie level.

What about after the 1 to 2 weeks?

Move to a Mediterranean-pattern maintenance phase at 1,500 to 2,000 kcal per day. This is where sustained weight loss and (if relevant) diabetes remission actually get preserved (2).

Disclaimer

An 800-calorie intermittent-fasting plan is a compound restriction. It is clinical-grade calorie restriction stacked with a fasting window, and it carries the risks of both. Do not run this plan for more than 1 to 2 weeks without medical supervision.

If you have diabetes, take blood-pressure or blood-sugar medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a history of disordered eating, or have any cardiac, kidney, liver, or gallbladder condition, this plan is not appropriate for you. This page is educational and does not replace an individualized care plan from a qualified clinician. Not medical advice; consult a registered dietitian before making major dietary changes.