Low-Cal Meal Plans

Choosing a low-calorie meal plan as a part of a healthy lifestyle can help you reach your weight goals. Healthful low-calorie meal plans include smart choices from every food group, and require careful attention to serving sizes and nutritional balance. Planning your meals ahead of time and making shopping lists will help you stay on track.

Identification

Targets for low-calorie meal plans differ for men and women, based on several factors, including current weight, weight goals and activity levels. For women who want to lose weight, a target of 1,000 to 1,200 calories a day is a safe goal, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. An appropriate low-calorie target for most men who want to lose weight is 1,200 to 1,600 calories daily, per the NHLBI.

Function

Healthy, low-calorie meals promote weight loss and support weight maintenance. An appropriate diet provides proper nutrition in a reduced-calorie plan. The Baylor College of Medicine says you should know your calorie needs before setting appropriate caloric targets. If your goal is to lose weight, use the calculator provided by Baylor to determine how many calories you need daily to sustain your current weight, and then subtract 500 to 1,000 calories from the target.

Benefits

The advantages of adopting a healthy, low-calorie eating plan include the reduced risk of certain health problems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, losing just 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can help regulate blood pressure, as well as cholesterol and blood sugar levels. By avoiding weight gain, you also avoid increased risk for Type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease and certain types of cancer, according to the CDC.

Features

A diet that promotes a healthy weight includes a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, dairy, lean meats and plant-based proteins, while limiting the intake of fat, cholesterol, sugar and salt, according to the CDC. Use your calorie target to determine how much from each food group you need to meet your nutritional requirements. The USDA Food Guide provides serving recommendations for various calorie levels, starting with a 1,000-calorie diet. The suggested amounts are based on recommended nutrient intakes, according to the food guide.

Considerations

When following a low-calorie meal plan, make adjustments based on your level of hunger or increased activity levels. The NHLBI advises that you increase your calorie intake by 100 to 200 calories if you consistently stay hungry. Very low-calorie diets of 800 or fewer calories require a doctor's supervision.

Physical activity plays an important role in a healthy lifestyle. As you set calorie targets to help you reach and maintain a healthy weight, consider adding 30 minutes of moderate activity such as walking or biking to your daily routine.