A 4000-calorie meal plan includes pre-workout, intra-workout, and post-workout nutrition in addition to five meals. This meal plan is designed for athletes.
This meal plan includes nuts, seeds, dairy, eggs, gluten, soy, and fish, and may not be suitable for those with food allergies.
4000-calorie meal plan overview
This 4000 calorie meal plan includes five meals with the ingredients listed in grams and volume measurements. In addition, each recipe includes simple instructions and the calories, macronutrients, and fiber. See the plan below.
- Meal one: Egg scramble and oatmeal
- Meal two: Bagel sandwich
- Meal three: Grilled chicken sweet potato and broccoli
- Meal four: Milk PB&J with fruit
- Meal five: Salmon rice and asparagus
Of the 4000 calories, 20% come from protein, 30% from fat, and 50% from carbohydrate. See the table below.
| Macronutrient | Percent | Calories | Grams |
| Protein | 24% | 944 | 236 g |
| Fat | 25% | 1017 | 113 g |
| Carbohydrate | 54% (+fiber) | 2164 | 541 g |
Lastly, this meal plan includes a workout nutrition regimen, which consists of a pre-workout, intra-workout, and post-workout snack. See the snacks below.
- Pre-workout nutrition: Cereal, milk and honey
- Intra-workout nutrition: Gatorade
- Post-workout nutrition: Protein shake and fruit
Who needs to eat 4000 calories?
Those who need to eat 4000 calories daily typically engage in sports, weight lifting, and wanting to maintain or gain weight. Energy needs are based on the individual’s sex, age, weight, height, and activity level.
Here are a few examples of individuals needing 4,000 calories per day.
- Student and adolescent male athletes (Read more at Nutrition With Wendi)
- Endurance (running, biking, or swimming) athletes
- Weight and muscle gain – Eating in a calorie surplus
- Lean bulking – Eating in a calorie surplus
What to include in a 4000-calorie meal plan
Foods to include on a 4000-calorie meal plan are a variety of lean protein, dairy, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Including various ingredients from each of the five food groups gives you the best chance to get the most possible nutrients.
4000-calorie meal plan
This 4000-calorie meal plan includes pre, intra, and post-workout nutrition and 5 meals.
I used Cronometer and the USDA FoodData Bank to create this meal plan. Please be aware that many different ingredients are offered for the same type of food. Each component will have varying nutrition information and may confuse when replicating this meal plan.
Pre-workout nutrition: Cereal, milk and honey
Timing: Plan on eating a full meal 2-4 hours before your training, then 60 minutes before your pre-workout meal.
| Ingredients: | Volume/Quantity | Grams |
| Cheerios | 1.5 cups | 39 g |
| Milk (2%) | 1 cup | 240 g |
| Honey | 1 tbsp | 22 g |
Intra-workout nutrition: Gatorade
Timing: During your workout, specifically any workout that lasts more than 1 hour, plan on consuming 30-60 grams of easily digestible carbohydrates.
| Ingredients: | Volume/Quantity | Grams |
| Gatorade | 20 oz bottle | na |
Post-workout nutrition: Protein shake and fruit
Timing: After your workout, consume some protein and carbohydrates to help replenish what was used during your workout.
| Ingredients: | Volume/Quantity | Grams |
| FairLife protein | 1 bottle | NA |
| Dates | 5 whole |
Meal one: Egg scramble and oatmeal
Ingredients:
| Ingredients: | Volume/Quantity | Grams |
| Eggs | 4 whole | 200 g |
| Red bell pepper | ½ cup chopped | 75 g |
| Diced onion | ¼ cup chopped | 49 g |
| Spinach | 1 cup | 30 g |
| Low-fat cheese | 1 oz | 28 g |
| Oatmeal | ½ cup | 45 g |
| Blueberry | 1 cup | 148 g |
| Honey | 1 tbsp | 21 g |
| Milk | ½ cup | 122 g |
Directions:
Egg Scramble:
- Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat
- Sauté bell pepper and onion, add spinach.
- Pour egg mixture, cook until set, and sprinkle cheese.
- Serve with oatmeal.
Oatmeal with Blueberries:
- Add oatmeal and milk to a bowl and microwave for 1-2 minutes
- Top with blueberries
- Drizzle honey
- Enjoy!
Calories and macronutrients:
| Calories: | Protein: | Carbs: | Fats: | Fiber: |
| 785 | 45 g | 88 g | 29 g | 11 g |
Meal two: Bagel sandwich
Ingredients:
| Ingredients: | Volume/Quantity | Grams |
| Bagel | 1 whole | 95 g |
| Eggs | 2 whole | 100 g |
| Turkey bacon | 2 slices | 56 g |
| Swiss cheese | 1 slices | 28 g |
| Banana | 1 whole | 112 g |
Directions:
- Toast the bagel.
- Cook eggs and turkey bacon.
- Assemble: Bagel, eggs, bacon, Swiss cheese.
- Serve with a banana.
Calories and macronutrients:
| Calories: | Protein: | Carbs: | Fats: | Fiber: |
| 552 | 40 g | 73 g | 16 g | 9 g |
Meal three: Grilled chicken sweet potato and broccoli
Ingredients:
| Ingredients: | Volume/Quantity | Grams |
| Chicken breast | 5 oz | 142 g |
| Sweet potato | 1.5 cup | 225 g |
| Broccoli | 1 cup | 91 g |
| Olive oil (cooking) | ½ tbsp | 7 g |
Directions:
- Season chicken and grill until cooked.
- Dice sweet potato, toss with olive oil, roast (20 min at 400 degrees)
- Steam broccoli until tender.
- Plate chicken, sweet potato, and broccoli.
Calories and macronutrients:
| Calories: | Protein: | Carbs: | Fats: | Fiber: |
| 542 | 51 g | 52 g | 15 g | 10 g |
Meal four: Milk PB&J with fruit
Ingredients:
| Ingredients: | Volume/Quantity Grams | Grams |
| Milk | 1 cup | 240 g |
| Jelly | 2 tbsp | 40 g |
| Apple | 1 medium | 182 g |
| Almond butter | 2 tbsp | 31 g |
| Whole grain bread | 2 slices | 90 g |
Directions:
- Assemble PB&J
- Serve with an apple and a glass of 2% milk
Calories and macronutrients:
| Calories: | Protein: | Carbs: | Fats: | Fiber: |
| 740 | 25 g | 112 g | 26 g | 46 g |
Meal five: Salmon rice and asparagus.
Ingredients:
| Ingredients: | Volume/Quantity Grams | Grams |
| Salmon | 4 oz | 113 g |
| White rice cooked | 1.25 cup | 198 g |
| Asparagus | 7 spears | 112 g |
Directions:
- Season the salmon
- Grill or bake salmon until done.
- Cook white rice according to package directions.
- Steam asparagus until tender.
- Plate salmon, rice, and asparagus. Enjoy!
Calories and macronutrients:
| Calories: | Protein: | Carbs: | Fats: | Fiber: |
| 515 | 33 g | 60 g | 15 g | 3 g |
Day summary:
| Calories: 4004 |
| Protein: 236 g |
| Carbs: 541 g |
| Fats: 113 g |
| Fiber: 61 g |
| Sodium: 2788 mg |
| Saturated fat: 30 g |
Other high calorie meal plans
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Final Thoughts
This is only one of an infinity of different combinations of foods that equal 4,000 calories. Use this meal plan as is, or feel free to swap ingredients and meals. You can also pair this meal plan with Your First 30 Days: A Guide to Weight Loss and Building Muscle. I hope you found this meal plan helpful. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at contact@noahsnutrition.com.
Other high calorie meal plans
2400 calorie meal plan, 2500 calorie meal plan, 2600 calorie meal plan, 2700 calorie meal plan, 3000 calorie meal plan, 3100 calorie meal plan, 3200 calorie meal plan, 3300 calorie meal plan, 3500 calorie meal plan, and 7 day meal plan for gaining muscle.
Disclaimer
Remember: this post is for informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here.
Noah Quezada is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist located in Denver, Colorado. Over the course of more than a decade, he has gained extensive experience in helping clients manage their weight through in-person sessions. Noah is also the 2023 President of the Colorado Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.