A good 1,500-calorie diet is one that can be maintained, report doctors at the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). A restricted calorie diet can help to jump-start a weight loss regimen because it is specific, measurable and attainable when dieters choose foods that are both filling and nutritional. Every calorie counts on a 1,500-calorie diet, making preparation and food management vitally important.
Monitoring
In order to maintain a low-calorie eating plan, dieters should monitor their food and nutrition intake, report NHLBI researchers. Dieters should record the amount of calories they eat each day, as well as the nutritional values of each serving and the amount of exercise performed in order to monitor behavior. A self-monitoring journal also can track weight loss.
Timing
NHLBI doctors report that it takes at least 15 minutes for the brain to register that the body has eaten. By slowing down the pace of eating, dieters can more easily maintain a restricted diet that contains 1,500 calories without giving in to false feelings of hunger. Signals that the body is full begin to register in the brain when the pace of eating is slowed.
Density
Mayo Clinic doctors recommend eating foods that are low density to fill menus with larger quantities and fewer calories. The two most important factors of low density foods are water and fiber. Foods high in water content such as many fruits and vegetables can provide volume without calories, helping dieters feel satiated on a restricted calorie diet. High fiber foods such as whole grains and raw fruits and vegetables take longer to digest and keep dieters full longer.
Options
In addition to fresh fruits and vegetables, good options to include on a 1,500-calroie diet include soup or salad eaten before a meal, report Mayo Clinic doctors. By choosing a broth-based soup or salad with oil and vinegar dressing, dieters can stem the need to eat bigger portions of proteins and carbohydrates contained in the meal. Fiber and water-based foods in the appetizers also will make it easier to maintain lower calorie counts in meals.
Warning
Even a good, healthy 1,500-calorie weight loss diet may be difficult to follow and result in regained weight once the regimen is reversed, report doctors at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDKD). While restricted diets can help dieters lose weight quickly, they can become difficult to maintain. NIDKD researchers report that losing weight too quickly also can lead to additional problems, such as the development of gallstones or abnormal heart rhythms.
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