7-Day No-Sugar Meal Plan to Have More Energy

Although sugar delivers a quick boost of energy, it can later lead to the dreaded blood sugar crash, leaving you feeling even more exhausted than when you started. And the reality is that most people eat way more added sugars than they realize. The average American adult consumes 17 teaspoons (68 grams) of added sugar every day, per the CDC . That's far more than the American Heart Association's recommended max of 6 teaspoons for females and 9 for males. Though added sugars certainly don't need to be avoided altogether, focusing on consistent meals and snacks with complex carbohydrates balanced with protein and healthy fats will keep you energized all day.

In this plan, we map out a week of delicious recipes to help give you a little more pep in your step by focusing on foods that deliver energizing nutrients without giving you blood sugar spikes. We set this plan at 1,500 calories per day, a level where most people will lose weight. We included modifications for 1,200 and 2,000 calories a day for those with different calorie needs.

Related: The #1 Snack to Eat When You Need an Energy Boost

Natural sugars, like those found in fruits, vegetables and unsweetened dairy, such as plain yogurt, are more nutritious than their added sugar counterparts. This is because foods containing natural sugars also pack in more nutrients, like vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein, which help improve your health and moderate your blood sugar better than purely added sugars. Added sugars are, as the name implies, added during processing and don't provide nutritional benefits. While it used to take some digging to differentiate between added and natural sugars when buying groceries, the good news is that the nutrition label makes it easier by clearly outlining the amount of added sugars per serving, per the FDA . Even so, it can be helpful to take a glance at the ingredient list before purchasing processed foods because there are many names for ingredients with added sugars.

Simple carbohydrates, also known as simple sugars, are broken down easier and quicker by your body—they have just one or two sugar molecules linked together. Honey (fructose and glucose), table sugar (sucrose) and dairy (lactose) contain simple carbohydrates. On the contrary, complex carbohydrates have more nutrients and take longer for your body to digest, so they help fill you up and don't cause the same swings in blood sugars as simple carbs. Grains, beans, fruits and vegetables all contain complex carbohydrates. Many carb foods have a mix of carbohydrates; for example, fruit contains natural fruit sugar (fructose, a simple carb) as well as dietary fiber (also a type of carb). The most healthful carbohydrates include unrefined plant foods that are low to no added sugars and high in fiber—they are called "complex carbohydrates" and are what you could all use more of in your diet.

Prioritize nutrient-rich foods that are high in complex carbohydrates, fiber and protein to help your blood sugar stay even throughout the day:

• Complex carbohydrates
  • Whole grains (oatmeal, quinoa, bulgur, barley, brown rice, oats, whole-wheat bread, pasta and couscous)
  • Legumes (beans, lentils)
  • Starchy vegetables high in fiber (sweet potato, potato, winter squash)
• Protein
  • Meat
  • Poultry
  • Fish, especially those high in omega-3 fatty acids such as sardines, salmon, tuna, and mackerel
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Nut butters (check the nutrition label and choose without added sugars)
  • Eggs
• Vegetables , especially leafy greens and cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cauliflower and kale
• Whole fruit
• Unsweetened dairy
  • Milk
  • Kefir
  • Plain yogurt
  • Cheese
• Foods with naturally occurring caffeine
  • Coffee
  • Green Tea
  • Yerba Mate
  • Cacao

1. Make Quinoa & Chia Oatmeal Mix to have for breakfast on days 2 through 5.
2. Make Chicken & White Bean Soup to have for lunch on days 2 through 4.
3. Make Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili to have for dinner on days 3 and 4, and lunch on day 5.

• 1 serving Avocado & Kale Omelet
• 1 clementine
• 1 cup coffee 1 Tbsp half-and-half

• 3/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup fresh blueberries

• 1 serving Chickpea Tuna Salad
• 1 cup green tea

• 8 pecan halves
• 1 dried apricot
• 1/2 oz cacao nibs

• 1 serving Green Veggie Bowl with Chicken & Lemon Tahini Dressing

Daily Totals: 1,508 calories, 83g fat, 93g protein, 102g carbohydrate, 22g fiber, 1,440mg sodium

To make it 1,200 Calories: Omit the clementine at breakfast, the yogurt at morning snack, and pecans and cacao nibs at afternoon snack.

To make it 2,000 Calories: Increase the blueberries and yogurt to 1 cup at morning snack, increase the cacao nibs to 1 oz, the pecans to 16, and apricots to 14 at afternoon snack, and add 1 serving whole-wheat baguette at lunch.

• 1 serving Quinoa & Chia Oatmeal Mix
• 1/2 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup sliced strawberries
• 1 cup coffee 1 Tbsp half-and-half

• 1 medium pear
• 1/2 oz cacao nibs

• 1 serving Chicken & White Bean Soup
• 1 slice whole-wheat baguette

• 1/4 cup walnut halves
• 1 string mozzarella stick

• 1 serving BBQ Shrimp with Garlicky Kale & Couscous

Daily Totals: 1,497 calories, 55g fat, 104g protein, 159g carbohydrate, 28g fiber, 1,546mg sodium

To make it 1,200 Calories: Omit the pear at morning snack, the walnuts at afternoon snack, and strawberries at breakfast.

To make it 2,000 Calories: Increase the yogurt and strawberries at breakfast to 1 1/4 cups, increase the cacao nibs to 1 ounce at morning snack, increase the walnuts to 1/2 cup at afternoon snack, and add 1 serving Basic Green Salad with Vinaigrette to dinner.

• 1 serving Quinoa & Chia Oatmeal Mix
• 1/2 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup sliced strawberries
• 1 cup coffee 1 Tbsp half-and-half

• 1/2 cup hummus
• 1/2 cup baby carrots

• 1 serving Chicken & White Bean Soup
• 1 slice whole-wheat baguette

• 1 cup blackberries
• 1/2 cup unsalted, roasted almonds
• 1 cup green tea

• 1 serving Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili

Daily Totals: 1,504 calories, 51g fat, 91g protein, 187g carbohydrate, 49g fiber, 1,812mg sodium

To make it 1,200 calories: Reduce the hummus to 1/4 cup at morning snack, omit the whole-wheat baguette at lunch and blackberries at afternoon snack.

To make it 2,000 calories: Increase the hummus and carrots to 1 cup at morning snack, the almonds to 1/2 cup at afternoon snack, and the yogurt to 1 cup at breakfast.

• 1 serving Quinoa & Chia Oatmeal Mix
• 1/2 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup sliced strawberries
• 1 cup coffee 1 Tbsp half-and-half

• 1 medium apple
• 2 Tbsp natural peanut butter

• 1 serving Chicken & White Bean Soup
• 1 slice whole-wheat baguette

• 3 cups air-popped popcorn
• 1 Tbsp melted unsalted butter
• Pinch of salt

• 1 serving Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili

Daily Totals: 1,499 calories, 49g fat, 81g protein, 192g carbohydrate, 38g fiber, 1,547mg sodium

To make it 1,200 calories: Omit the morning snack.

To make it 2,000 calories: Increase the strawberries to 1 cup at breakfast, increase the peanut butter to 1/4 cup at morning snack, double the serving of the Chicken & White Bean Soup at lunch, and increase the popcorn to 3 1/2 cups at afternoon snack.

• 1 serving Quinoa & Chia Oatmeal Mix
• 1/2 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup sliced strawberries
• 1 cup coffee 1 Tbsp half-and-half

• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 oz cacao nibs

• 1 serving Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili

• 1 cup blackberries
• 1/2 cup unsalted, roasted almonds
• 1 cup green tea

• 1 serving Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan

Daily Totals: 1,503 calories, 61g fat, 74g protein, 177g carbohydrate, 46g fiber, 1,283mg sodium

To make it 1,200 calories: Omit blueberries at morning snack and almonds at afternoon snack.

To make it 2,000 calories: Increase the yogurt to 1 cup and strawberries to 1 1/4 cups at breakfast, double the chili serving at lunch, and double the blackberries at afternoon snack.

• 1 whole-wheat English muffin
• 1 Tbsp natural peanut butter
• 1 small banana
• 1 cup coffee 1 Tbsp half-and-half

• 1/4 cup unsalted, roasted almonds

• 1 serving Whole-Wheat Veggie Wrap

• 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup dried apricots, chopped

• 1 serving Pesto Salmon

Daily Totals : 1,518 calories, 77g fat, 77g protein, 141g carbohydrate, 26g fiber, 1322mg sodium

To make it 1,200 calories: Omit the morning snack and yogurt at afternoon snack. Reduce the apricots to 6 pieces.

To make it 2,000 calories: Increase the almonds to 1/2 cup, add 2 clementines to lunch, increase the apricots to 1 cup.

• 1 serving Smoked Salmon Scrambled Eggs
• 1 cup coffee 1 Tbsp half-and-half
• 1/2 whole-wheat English muffin

• 1/2 cup hummus
• 1/2 cup baby carrots

• 1 serving Delicata Squash Soup
• 1 small apple

• 1 cup blackberries
• 1/2 cup unsalted, roasted almonds
• 1 cup green tea

• 1 serving Air-Fryer Greek Turkey Burger

Daily Totals: 1,510 calories, 79g fat, 76g protein, 131g carbohydrate, 35g fiber, 2157mg sodium

To make it 1,200 calories: Omit morning snack and blackberries at afternoon snack.

To Make it 2,000 Calories: Add a small banana to breakfast and eat the whole English muffin, increase the hummus and carrots to 1 cup at morning snack, increase the almonds to 1/3 cup and swap for a large apple at lunch.