You may follow an 1,800-calorie, low-carb diet to manage your weight. An 1,800-calorie plan can help most men or very active women lose weight, or help sedentary people from packing on the pounds. A low-carb plan generally limits the amount of grains, cereal, bread, pasta, fruit and added sugars you consume. When devising your low-carb plan containing 1,800 calories, be sure to include primarily healthy foods low in saturated fat to protect your heart health.
Features
The Institute of Medicine recommends 45 to 65 percent of your daily calories come from carbohydrates. For an 1,800-calorie plan, this is between 200 and 290 g of carbohydrates daily. A low-carb plan limits your carbohydrate intake to between 50 and 100 g per day, or just 11 to 22 percent of calories for an 1,800-calorie plan. Some low-carb plans, such as the Induction phase of the Atkins, are extremely restrictive, limiting you to just 20 g of net carbs -- equivalent to total carbohydrates minus fiber -- daily. Always check with a doctor before following a low-carb plan. The long-term health effects of extremely low-carb plans are not known.
Fat Considerations
When you limit carbohydrates, your intake of proteins and fats increase. Choose lean proteins to minimize the amount of saturated fat you consume. If you eat too much saturated fat, found in animal products and full-fat dairy, you may increase your risk of heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends keeping saturated fat to less than 7 percent of total calories daily. Good protein choices include fish, white-meat poultry, extra lean beef and pork tenderloin. Most green vegetables are low in carbohydrates, as are cauliflower, mushrooms, sprouts, colored peppers and jicama.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates, especially whole grains and fruits, are a source of energy, fiber and essential nutrients. Small amounts of low-carb fruits, specifically berries can be part of a low-carb plan. You may also enjoy ¼- to ½ cup servings of whole grains, such as brown rice or quinoa, at 1or 2 meals daily to add calories and fiber to your low-carb, 1,800-calorie plan.
Sample Meal Plan
A meal plan with 1,812 calories and 98 g of carbohydrates begins with 1 whole egg scrambled with two egg whites, ¼ cup feta cheese and 3 cups of baby spinach, 3 oz. of lean ground turkey and ½ cup of blueberries. Mid-morning, snack on 1 oz. of toasted cashews. For lunch, have a large green salad with 1 cup of roasted chicken breast, 3 small plum tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and 1 tbsp. of olive oil. Have a low-carb wheat wrap on the side. Mid-afternoon, you could have a snack of romaine lettuce leaves wrapped around 4 oz. of deli turkey alongside 1 cup of raspberries. For dinner, broil 6 oz. of salmon and have alongside 1 ½ cups of bok choy stir fried with ½ cup snow peas and ½ cup of steamed brown rice. For dessert, mix a sugar substitute and a drop of vanilla extract into ¼ cup of part-skim ricotta cheese.
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