Menopause diet: a 5-day meal plan for weight loss, with amounts and protein

This 5-day menopause meal plan gives you three meals and a snack a day, with 107 to 126 g of protein, at least 30 g of fibre and about 6,150 to 7,000 kJ each day. It's built on foods that matter more after 45: protein at every meal to help hold on to muscle, dairy or calcium-set tofu for bones, and plenty of vegetables, legumes and wholegrains. Every meal has amounts, and two dinners are cooked in double batches so the next day's lunch is done.

The full plan is first. After it, we explain why it's built this way for midlife and what to watch for, including how to adjust the amounts for you.

The 5-day menopause diet plan

Have a milky coffee or tea with 200 ml of reduced-fat milk each day (it's counted in the totals above). Drink water through the day.

Day 1: 109 g protein, about 6,700 kJ

• Breakfast: Porridge made with 40 g (half a cup) rolled oats and 250 ml reduced-fat milk, topped with 75 g blueberries, 15 g walnuts and 1 tablespoon (10 g) ground linseed.
• Lunch: Chicken and chickpea wrap: 1 wholemeal pita (60 g), 100 g grilled chicken breast, 60 g drained canned chickpeas, lettuce, tomato and cucumber, with 30 g natural yoghurt as the dressing.
• Snack: 150 g natural yoghurt with 100 g strawberries.
• Dinner: 120 g grilled salmon (cooked weight), 150 g baked sweet potato, 100 g broccoli and 80 g green beans, with 1 teaspoon olive oil.

Day 2: 116 g protein, about 6,150 kJ

• Breakfast: 2 poached eggs on 1 slice (40 g) wholemeal bread with sliced tomato and a handful of baby spinach.
• Lunch: Tuna and bean salad: a 95 g tin of tuna in springwater (drained), 80 g drained red kidney beans, cucumber, tomato and lettuce, dressed with 1.5 teaspoons olive oil, plus 1 slice wholemeal bread.
• Snack: 1 apple and 20 g almonds (about 15).
• Dinner: Lentil and beef bolognese (make a double batch): 100 g cooked lean beef mince, 80 g cooked lentils, 150 g canned tomatoes and half an onion, over 120 g cooked wholemeal pasta, with 15 g grated reduced-fat cheddar and a side salad.

Day 2 is lower in calcium (about 770 mg). Add a tub of yoghurt or a second milky drink if you can.

Day 3: 110 g protein, about 6,990 kJ

• Breakfast: 200 g natural yoghurt with 30 g rolled oats, 1 tablespoon ground linseed, 100 g strawberries and 10 g almonds.
• Lunch: Leftover lentil and beef bolognese, the same serve as last night.
• Snack: 40 g hummus with 1 carrot and half a cucumber cut into sticks.
• Dinner: Tofu stir-fry: 150 g firm tofu (choose one made with calcium sulphate, often labelled calcium-set), 100 g broccoli, 80 g capsicum and 80 g mushrooms, with 2 teaspoons soy sauce and 1 teaspoon oil, over 120 g cooked brown rice.

Day 4: 107 g protein, about 6,930 kJ

• Breakfast: 2 slices (80 g) wholemeal toast with 1 tablespoon (20 g) peanut butter, and a 250 ml glass of reduced-fat milk.
• Lunch: Chickpea, egg and feta salad: 100 g drained chickpeas, 2 hard-boiled eggs, 30 g feta, 100 g cherry tomatoes, cucumber and lettuce, with 1.5 teaspoons olive oil.
• Snack: 150 g natural yoghurt with 75 g blueberries.
• Dinner: Beef and bean chilli (make a double batch): 100 g cooked lean beef mince, 80 g kidney beans, 150 g canned tomatoes, half an onion and half a capsicum, with 100 g cooked brown rice and 40 g avocado.

Day 5: 126 g protein, about 6,530 kJ

• Breakfast: 2-egg omelette with 60 g mushrooms, a handful of spinach and 20 g feta, with 1 slice wholemeal toast.
• Lunch: Leftover chilli (without the rice) in a wholemeal pita with lettuce.
• Snack: 1 apple and 25 g reduced-fat cheddar.
• Dinner: Barramundi tray bake: 130 g barramundi (cooked weight), 150 g butternut pumpkin, 1 zucchini, half a red capsicum and 60 g chickpeas, roasted with 1.5 teaspoons olive oil.

Day 5 is also lower in calcium (about 870 mg). Swap the apple snack for yoghurt and fruit to lift it.

Swaps that keep the numbers similar

• Vegetarian: use firm tofu, tempeh or an extra 100 g of legumes in place of the meat or fish, and add an egg or yoghurt to keep protein up.
• Dairy-free: use soy milk and soy yoghurt with added calcium. Many plant milks are low in protein and calcium, so check the label.
• Fish: any fillet works. Tinned salmon with the bones in adds calcium.

Why this plan suits midlife

Protein at every meal, to hold on to muscle

Falling oestrogen changes where the body stores fat and how much muscle it keeps. Dr Michelle Woolhouse, Vively's Medical Director, explains: "With the decline in oestrogen brings a decrease in the overall fat free mass, meaning that the muscle quality and density declines and there is a tendency for fat to accumulate around the abdominal region."

Less muscle means the body burns a little less energy each day, which is one reason weight can creep up even when nothing else has changed. Protein is one of the levers you have. "In addition, having adequate protein helps to maintain muscle bulk as well, which can take a dive during this time."

Australia's minimum recommended intake for women is 46 g a day (0.75 g per kg of body weight), rising to 57 g after 70. An expert group on older adults (PROT-AGE) suggested 1.0 to 1.2 g per kg for people over 65 to help preserve muscle. This plan sits above both, with about 20 to 50 g at each main meal, because protein is easier to reach when it's spread across the day. Pair it with strength work. Australia's physical activity guidelines recommend muscle-strengthening activity on at least 2 days a week.

Calcium for bones

The recommended intake for women over 50 is 1,300 mg of calcium a day, because bone loss speeds up after menopause. Three days of this plan get close to that from milk, yoghurt, cheese and calcium-set tofu. Days 2 and 5 need a top-up, as noted.

Fibre and wholegrains, not a carb cut

Each day has 30 to 36 g of fibre from oats, legumes, wholegrains, vegetables and fruit. Fibre helps you feel full, and it slows how fast carbohydrate reaches your blood. You don't have to cut carbs to follow a menopause diet. This plan has 120 to 150 g of carbohydrate a day, mostly from those fibre-rich foods.

Why your own glucose response matters

Insulin sensitivity tends to fall through perimenopause, so some women find the same breakfast that suited them at 40 lands differently at 50. Our members' continuous glucose monitor (CGM) data shows how much people vary with the same food. Porridge, which starts day 1 of this plan, is a good example:

• 458 members logged porridge as the only food in a meal. Their typical rise was 2.1 mmol/L, but the middle half ranged from 1.4 to 2.9 mmol/L.
• 42 members logged porridge both on its own and with only protein, fat or vegetables added. Half rose less with the additions; the other half didn't.

This is real-world app data from members without type 2 diabetes, and portions weren't measured. It does show why a plan is a starting point. Wearing a CGM for a couple of weeks shows you which meals suit your body. See the curves on our porridge glucose response page.

What to watch

• Your energy needs. About 6,150 to 7,000 kJ a day is less than many women need, especially if you're active. If you're very hungry, light-headed or exercising hard, add a snack or bigger serves of the wholegrains. The Eat for Health calculator gives a personal estimate.
• The scale over five days. Weight moves with fluid, digestion and your cycle, so five days tells you little. Judge the plan on how you feel, your energy and your waist over a few months.
• Kidney disease or medicines. If you have kidney disease, diabetes or take medicine that lowers glucose, talk to your doctor before changing how much protein or carbohydrate you eat.
• A history of eating disorders. Skip fixed amounts and work with your GP or a dietitian instead.
• Symptoms that are more than diet. Hot flushes, poor sleep and low mood affect how you eat. Your GP can talk through treatment options, including menopausal hormone therapy.

Frequently asked questions

What is the menopause diet 5-day plan?

It's a 5-day meal plan with set amounts for breakfast, lunch, a snack and dinner, giving 107 to 126 g of protein, 30 to 36 g of fibre and about 6,150 to 7,000 kJ a day. It focuses on protein, calcium and fibre to suit midlife changes.

Can I lose weight with a 5-day menopause plan?

Five days is too short to judge, and any change on the scale that fast is mostly fluid. The plan is a template you can repeat. Whether you lose weight over time depends on your energy needs, activity, sleep and the changes you keep up.

How much protein do I need during menopause?

The minimum recommended intake for women is 46 g a day (57 g over 70). Experts in older adults suggest 1.0 to 1.2 g per kg of body weight a day to help preserve muscle. Spreading it across meals makes it easier to reach.

Do I need to cut carbs in menopause?

No. Choose higher fibre carbohydrates such as oats, legumes and wholegrains, and pair them with protein. This plan has 120 to 150 g of carbohydrate a day.

What is a good diet plan for perimenopause?

The same principles apply: protein at each meal, calcium-rich foods, plenty of vegetables and fibre, and fewer highly processed foods. This plan works for perimenopause and after menopause.

What is the best breakfast for menopause?

One with around 20 g of protein, such as eggs on wholemeal toast, Greek or natural yoghurt with oats and nuts, or porridge made with milk and topped with nuts and seeds.

Sources

• Food Standards Australia New Zealand, Australian Food Composition Database, Release 3 (downloaded 3 Nov 2026).
• NHMRC, Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand (protein) and Eat for Health, Calcium.
• Bauer J, et al. Evidence-based recommendations for optimal dietary protein intake in older people: a position paper from the PROT-AGE Study Group. J Am Med Dir Assoc, 2013.
• Australasian Menopause Society, Maintaining weight and health during and after menopause.
• Jean Hailes for Women's Health, Foods for menopause.
• Australian Government Department of Health, Physical activity and exercise guidelines for adults.
• Healthy Bones Australia, Calcium.
• Vively member CGM data, 1 Jan 2022 to 12 Oct 2026: 458 members who logged porridge on its own, and 42 who logged it both alone and with protein, fat or vegetables only. De-identified, members without type 2 diabetes, minimum 30 members per figure.