A low-calorie diet is any diet in which you eat the recommended minimum. This minimum varies depending on your age, sex, current weight and level of physical activity. However, Medline Plus recommends at least 1,200 calories for women and at least 1,500 for men. Diets that contain 800 calories or less are considered very-low calorie diets, which are unsafe without medical supervision.
Loss of Nutrients
A low-calorie diet might be a diet low in nutrients. As you start cutting down on calories, you might need to eliminate foods such as dairy products, meat and grains. As you cut these down, you might be losing out on calcium, iron, fiber and vitamins like the B group, common in grains.
Hunger
Your body needs a minimum amount of calories to function properly. If you cut down your calorie intake under that minimum, it's unlikely you'll feel satisfied. Hunger is a natural response of the body to signal that you need more food. Being hungry all the time is not only uncomfortable but also can lead to overeating later on. It can also make you crave certain foods, such as carbohydrates.
Low Energy
A diet low in calories might not provide you with enough calories to keep your energy levels balanced. As a result, you might feel tired, sluggish and even dizzy. Without good energy levels, it might be more difficult to exercise. This can hinder your ability to lose weight over the long run. It also means you won't be able to do resistance training, which can help you conserve your muscle mass.
Loss of Muscle
Low calorie diets can cause rapid weight loss. While this might sound like a good thing, it's not. MayoClinic.com recommends a weight loss of no more than 2 lbs. per week. A low-calorie diet can result in a much higher number. Large numbers usually mean that you'll be losing water weight and muscle, rather than burning fat. As you lose muscle, your metabolism will slow down.
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