What does a full day of plant based eating look like for someone over 50?
A good full day of plant based eating after 50 has a protein source at every meal, plenty of vegetables and fruit, whole grains or starchy vegetables for energy, and enough total food to support your training. Here is a sample day of the kind Mavy Wellness coaches build for clients over 50. Your coach adjusts the portions to your own targets.
A sample day:
Breakfast: oats cooked in soy milk with a scoop of plant protein powder, berries and ground flax.
Lunch: a big bowl with tofu or tempeh, brown rice or quinoa, roasted vegetables and greens.
Snack: edamame, or soy yogurt with fruit.
Dinner: lentil or bean chili, or a stir fry with tofu, vegetables and noodles.
Optional dessert: something you enjoy, planned into your day.
Why this works: protein shows up four or five times, which makes a 90 to 130 gram target realistic. Fiber and volume keep you full. Nothing is off limits, so it holds up for years.
Treats fit, too. If nightly dessert is your moment to unwind, plan it in, make it a conscious choice, enjoy it and move on. Win the next meal.
What the research says. An international expert group (PROT-AGE) recommends at least 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight a day for adults over 65, and at least 1.2 grams for those who exercise. [1] A 2019 NIH study found that people ate about 500 more calories a day on an ultra-processed diet than on an unprocessed one, without trying to. [2]
Watch on the Forever Fit Podcast: High Plant-Based Protein Full Day of Eating
"Maxime has helped countless people embrace a plant-based lifestyle while building strength, stamina, and lasting health."
Rip Esselstyn, NYT Bestselling Author of Plant-Strong, on Forever Fit
To get a day of eating built around your targets and your tastes, book a call with our team at mavywellness.com.
Sources
Bauer J et al. (2013). Evidence-based recommendations for optimal dietary protein intake in older people: a position paper from the PROT-AGE Study Group. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association 14(8):542-559. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2013.05.021
Hall KD et al. (2019). Ultra-processed diets cause excess calorie intake and weight gain: an inpatient randomized controlled trial of ad libitum food intake. Cell Metabolism 30(1):67-77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2019.05.008
About the author. Maxime Sigouin is the founder of Mavy Wellness (formerly FitVegan Coaching) and the author of Forever Fit, a book endorsed by physicians including Neal D. Barnard, MD, Laurie Marbas, MD, and James F. Loomis, MD. He has coached for more than six and a half years and, with his team, has coached nearly 1,300 adults over 50 on a whole food plant based diet. He hosts the Forever Fit Podcast, with more than 450 episodes.
Last updated: October 19, 2026. This page is for general education and is not medical advice. Check with your doctor before starting a new exercise or nutrition program.
