Low-calorie diet menu plans come in a variety of styles. Some menus offer meal plans that are low carbohydrate, while others are low in saturated and trans fat. Regardless of the distribution of nutrients, a low-calorie diet plan will help you to lose weight simply because of its low energy content.
Losing Weight
Calories, or energy, can come all types of foods and beverages, and when you consume the same number of calories that you burn each day, you will maintain your body weight. When you go into negative energy balance, or when you burn more calories than you eat, you will lose weight, and this is exactly what a low-calorie diet is designed to do. Because the average healthy adult burns about 1,800 to 2,800 calories per day, a low-calorie diet will facilitate weight loss at a rate of about 1 to 3 lbs. per week.
Low-Calorie and Low-Carb
Many low-calorie diets cut calories by reducing the number of carbohydrates you eat. For every 1g of carbohydrate that is reduced, 4 calories will also be cut. It is important to remember that even when following a low-calorie, low-carbohydrate diet, a healthy adult should still consume 130g of carbohydrate per day. Healthy low-calorie menu plans that are also low in carbohydrate will include a variety of non-starchy vegetables as well as some fruits and whole grains.
Low-Calorie and Low-Carb Menu Plan
The following menu plan is an example of a 1,200-calorie diet with approximately 130g of carbohydrate.
Breakfast: 3/4 cup scrambled egg whites with 1 oz. low-fat cheese, peppers, tomatoes and onions, 8 oz. skim milk, one small apple with 1/2 tbsp. natural peanut butter.
Lunch: A large salad with 2 oz. grilled skinless chicken, 2 tbsp. avocado, spinach, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, onions, jicama, grated carrots, and zuchhini with 2 tbsp. oil-and-vinegar dressing, 1 1/4 cup strawberries topped with 1/2 oz. almond slivers and 1 cup light vanilla yogurt.
Dinner: 3 oz. grilled salmon, 1 cup steamed broccoli and cauliflower, 1/2 cup roasted red potatoes, 8 oz. skim milk and one small peach.
Low-Calorie and Low-Fat
Because some dietary fats have been closely linked to heart disease and other chronic health problems, many low-calorie diets are also low in saturated and trans fat. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adult eat 20 to 35 percent of their calories from fat and that no more than 10 percent of their calories from saturated fats. This means that you will need to eat more healthy fats from plant-based foods and fish. For example, olive oil, walnuts and salmon are all great sources of dietary fats that help to reduce inflammation and promote health.
Low-Cal and Low-Fat Menu Plan
The following menu plan contains approximately 1,200 calories and less than 20 percent of calories from fat.
Breakfast: 1 cup cooked oatmeal with 1/2 cup peaches, 8 oz. skim milk and coffee.
Lunch: Two slices whole-grain bread with 2 oz. fat-free turkey, sprouts, tomato, lettuce, and 2 tbsp. avocado, one light yogurt, one small apple, 1 cup raw broccoli and carrots.
Dinner: 3 oz. grilled mahi-mahi, half a medium sweet potato with 2 tsp. olive oil-based margarine, 1 cup steamed green beans and 1 cup raspberries.
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