To lose weight you need to take in fewer calories than your body needs, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. A low-calorie diet consists of approximately 1,500 to 1,800 calories a day. A good low-calorie portion-controlled diet will teach you how to make good food choices to feel satisfied while still losing weight. Be sure to consult with your physician before starting any weight loss program.
Calories Count
Calories Count is a free online weight-management program designed by the Calorie Control Council. The goal of Calories Count is to teach you how to maintain a healthy weight for life by eating right. The diet-assessment tool on the website determines the number of calories you need to lose weight. Once you know your calorie needs you can use the site's online food calculator and food diary to help you control your caloric intake. A food diary makes you more aware of what you eat and is helpful when trying to lose weight. Calories Count also offers preplanned calorie-controlled meals with recipes and shopping lists to make losing weight even easier. It also offers information on how to be more active and an activity calculator to monitor the number of calories you burn.
Weight Watchers
Instead of counting calories, Weight Watchers uses a point system to teach you how to control portions. Each day you are allowed to eat a specific number of food points. A food's point value is based on its calorie, fat and fiber content. Foods lower in calories and fat and higher in fiber have fewer points than those higher in calories and fat. Choosing more low-point foods allows you to feel more satisfied because you get to eat more. When calculating food points, Weight Watchers encourages you to use measuring cups and food scales for accuracy and portion control.
The Mayo Clinic Diet
The Mayo Clinic Diet is a lifestyle, according to the website. It works by teaching you how to make better, low-calorie food choices to decrease your caloric intake in order to lose weight. The diet uses the Mayo Clinic food pyramid and encourages you to eat as many low-calorie fruits and vegetables as you want, while controlling the amount of whole grains, lean proteins, dairy foods and fats in your diet. The diet is divided into two phases. The first phase is designed to jump-start your weight loss and begin your journey to a healthier lifestyle. You will lose six to ten pounds during the first phase of the program. During the second phase, your rate of weight loss slows down to one to two pounds a week as you continue to control your calorie intake by making better food choices.
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