A 1,400-calorie diet is quite low in calories. You must, therefore, maximize every calorie to ensure you are eating as many nutrients as possible including fiber, calcium, vitamins and minerals. Your health, weight loss and exercise performance hinges on eating healthful foods while you are restricting your caloric intake. There is not much room for added sugars and excess fats in a low-calorie diet. Incorporate a variety of nutrient-rich foods from the five food groups of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's food pyramid can help you sustain your activities on 1,400 calories a day.
Step 1
Divide 1,400 calories between five small meals per day. Designate 300 calories for your post-workout meal, 250 calories for two fruit-based meals, and 300 calories for two grain-based meals.
Step 2
Ensure your post-workout meal is rich in primarily fast-digesting carbs and a small amount of protein and fat, maximizing the use of these calories to restore the energy you used during your workout. Eat ¾ cup of cooked white rice, 1 cup of fresh pineapple and one whole egg for 302 calories. While white rice is basically starch, the carbs are more quickly absorbed into your blood stream and your muscle cells, compared to whole wheat grains. A post-workout meal is the only time you should eat fast-digesting carbs on your 1,400 calorie diet.
Step 3
Include a serving of fruit as the basis of two of your meals. A medium apple, large orange or medium pear has between 80 and 100 calories with 4 g of fiber. The fiber in fruits helps to lower your cholesterol and add bulks to your meal, helping you feel full. Eat a serving of unsalted almonds or walnuts with your fruit, adding monounsaturated fats and omega-fats to your diet, lowering your risk of plaque buildup on the walls of your arteries. The fat and protein in the almonds also helps to keep you satisfied for a few hours. A medium apple and 1 oz. of almonds has 253 calories and 8 g of fiber.
Step 4
Limit your whole grains to one serving or a ½ cup for the remaining two meals. Use a 3 oz. portion of chicken breast for protein because it is lower in calories compared to salmon or beef. Season your food with a spice rub and 2 tbsp. of light spaghetti sauce for minimal calories with plenty of flavor. For instance, enjoy a ½ cup of whole wheat angel hair pasta, 3 oz. of grilled chicken breast, 2 tbsp. of spaghetti sauce and eight pieces of steamed asparagus totaling 300 calories.
Step 5
Use low-fat cottage cheese as your source of protein in one of your meals because it also has plenty of calcium. One cup of 1-percent milk cottage cheese has 160 calories, 155 mg of calcium and 28 g of protein. Use it as a dip for whole grain crackers and veggies, or top the cottage cheese with 1 cup of fresh berries.
Tips and Warnings
- Substitute 2 cups of skim milk for the cottage cheese for a total of 600 mg of calcium.
- This low-calorie diet is just enough calories to maintain your body mass if all you did was lay in bed. Include resistance training exercises in your program to preserve as much lean muscle and bone as possible.
Things You'll Need
- Paper
- Pencil
- White rice
- Fresh pineapple
- Whole egg
- Apple
- Orange
- Pear
- Almonds
- Walnuts
- Whole wheat pasta
- Chicken breast
- Light spaghetti sauce
- Asparagus
- Low-fat cottage cheese
- Fresh berries
- Whole grain crackers
- Veggies
References
- My Pyramid: Inside the Food Pyramid
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning"; Thomas R. Baechle and Roger W. Earle; 2000
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal"; Applying Concepts of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load to Active Individuals; Melinda Manore, Ph.D., et al; Septemeber/October 2004
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal"; Eat Like You're in Crete: Teach Your Clients the Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet; Janet Bond Brill, Ph.D., R.D.; September/October 2007
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