1,600 Calorie Low Carb Diet

A 1,600-calorie diet offers enough calories to fuel your energy needs, while still prompting weight loss in most people. To make your reduced-calorie diet low-carb as well, you must limit your consumption of grains, breads, pastas, fruits and some vegetables. While low-carb diets are a method to potentially accelerate weight loss, check with your physician before beginning any diet plan.

Carbohydrate Intake

Low-carb diets limit your intake of carbohydrates to between 20 g and 150 g daily. For a 1,600-calorie diet, this is just 12 to 37 percent of daily calories, which is below the 45 to 65 percent of calories recommended by the Institute of Medicine. Examples of low carb diets include the Zone Diet, South Beach Diet, Adkins Diet and Protein Power. Some very low carb ketogenic diets, such as the induction phase of the Atkins Diet or Phase One of South Beach diet, permit only 20 g of carbohydrates daily.

Considerations

The long-term effects of following extremely low-carb diets are still not known, notes the Harvard School of Public Health. The American Heart Association advises against high-protein, low-carb diets because of a chance that dieters will consume too much saturated fat. A low-carb diet based on animal proteins correlates with slightly higher rates of mortality than a low-carb diet based on vegetable sources of protein, according to a study of over 120,000 people studied for at least 20 years reported in the "Annals of Internal Medicine" in September 2010. Though the study was inconclusive as regards the reason the plant-based low-carb diet did better, focusing on plant foods would offer more fiber and certain nutrients without taking supplements.

Considerations

On a 1,600-calorie, low-carb plan, emphasize lean proteins, leafy and low-starch vegetables and unsaturated fats. Chicken breast, beef cuts -- such as the eye of round or flank steak -- fish, eggs and shrimp are carb-free foods. Plant sources of proteins include soy, seeds and nuts. The latter types of protein are also low in saturated fat, though higher in carbohydrates. Meals on a 1,600-calorie, low-carb diet include such vegetables as romaine lettuce, spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, bell peppers, tomatoes and asparagus, as these foods are also low in carbohydrates, but rich sources of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Accent foods with small servings of carb-free unsaturated plant oils such as olive or safflower. Although carb-containing, consider using some of your calories for ½-cup servings of whole grains, such as brown rice, cereal or quinoa. Nuts, cheese and yogurt also have a place on a low-carb, 1,600-calorie plan.

Strategy

Even divide your 1,600 calories over a minimum of three meals to help you control hunger and food intake. Consider allocating your calories out over three 400-calorie meals and two 200-calorie snacks to provide a constant flow of energy and nutrition to your body, and prevent spikes and drops in your blood pressure. Commercially prepared foods invariably contain hidden sugar, starch, salt and other undesirable ingredients. Be prepared to cook meals at home and carry snacks with you during your day to keep you on track and to ensure that you have diet-friendly foods always available.

Daily Plan

Before beginning any diet plan, consult with your physician. The following meal plan contains 1,615 calories and 106 g of carbohydrates, or 27 percent of your daily calories. Begin with an herb omelet made with one egg, four egg whites, an ounce of soft goat cheese, diced tomato and 1 tbsp. of chopped fresh herbs. Enjoy with 1/4 cup of cantaloupe and three slices of Canadian bacon. In the mid-morning, have 3 tbsp. of hummus with 1/2 red bell pepper cut into strips and several celery sticks. Have a 1/2 cup of low-fat cottage cheese as well to help meet calcium needs. At lunch, make chicken wraps with a cup of diced chicken breast, six romaine leaves, 2 tbsp. of salsa, 2 tbsp. of low-fat sour cream and 1/5 of an avocado. For dessert, enjoy 1/2 cup of raspberries with 1/2 cup of part skim ricotta cheese. Mid-afternoon, snack on 4 oz. of boiled shrimp dipped into 2 tbsp. of low-fat sour cream mixed with lemon juice and fresh dill. At dinner, broil 3 oz. of halibut and 1/2 cup of mushrooms and have this alongside five steamed asparagus spears topped with 2 tsp. of Parmesan cheese.