The 1,000 calorie diet meal plan allows you to lose about 1 to 2 pounds per week while following a healthy, well-balanced diet. Before following this low-calorie diet, you should speak with your physician or a registered dietitian and make sure that it is safe for you to reduce your calorie intake to this level.
Limiting Calories
The average American adult eats about 1,800 to 2,000 calories per day, so by limiting your food and beverage intake to 1,000 calories per day, you should be able to lose at least 1 to 2 pounds per week. However, if you exercise at the same time that you are limiting calories, you may lose more than just 2 pounds per week. Limiting your calories and remaining active can be a challenging balance to achieve, but with these few tips, you should be able to lose weight and feel more energetic.
Sticking to It
Limiting yourself to 1,000 calories does not have to be difficult. It is all about making the right choices and selecting foods that are high in nutrients and low in calories. Start by reading the nutrition labels on foods and beverages you commonly consume. The labels will tell you exactly how many calories are in each product and what the serving size of each product is. If you are eating out, ask the restaurant to show you their nutrition information so you know exactly how many calories are in the foods and beverages you select. Keep in mind that the less you eat, the fewer calories you are consuming. Thus if you are eating something that is high in fat and calories, you can reduce the calories simply by eating half of what you would normally eat or by leaving some food on the plate.
Physical Activity
When you are trying to lose weight, you want to maintain your muscle mass and lose fat mass. In order to do this, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week. In addition, you should also try to perform strength-training activities on each of your major muscle groups twice per week.
Beverages
According to a study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, approximately one-fifth of the calories consumed by Americans comes from beverages. These calories can sneak up on you and slow or stop the weight-loss process. In order to follow a 1,000 calorie diet meal plan, you need to virtually eliminate all calories from liquids. This means you need to avoid all non-diet sodas, juices and other sweet drinks like fruit punch and sport drinks. Instead, the Mayo Clinic recommends that you drink 8 to 9 cups of water per day.
Sample Menu
This sample menu contains 1,000 calories and could be consumed if you were following the 1,000 calorie diet meal plan.
Breakfast: Coffee with artificial sweetener, 3/4 cup blackberries, 2 scrambled egg whites, 1 corn tortilla
Lunch: 2 cups low-sodium vegetable soup, 3 oz. chicken to add to soup, 1 small pear, 1 cup light yogurt, 12 oz. water
Dinner: 4 oz. grilled salmon, 1 small corn on the cob, 1 cup steam cauliflower, 1 cup cantaloupe, 16 oz. water
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