According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, adult women should consume between 1,600 and 2,000 calories per day depending on age, and adult men between 2,000 and 2,600. For adequate nutrition, the medical community recommends intake of no fewer than 1,200 and 1,500 calories per day, respectively. However, many dieters often decide, on their own, to consume fewer. If you are one of them, it is important to make every calorie nutritious. Speak with your doctor before beginning a new diet.
Healthy Portions
You can eat a 1,000-calorie-per-day diet without having to eat only "rabbit food." The secret is portion control, though many dieters find that difficult to achieve. If you follow the recommendations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, you can maintain a balanced daily diet even on 1,000 calories. Make half your plate nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables, make just over a quarter of your plate whole grains and make just less than a quarter protein. Dairy products should also be a part of your daily diet.
Maximum Nutrition, Fewer Calories
If you eat only 1,000 calories a day, you must choose your foods wisely to get the most nutritive and satisfying bang for your calorie buck. Choose low-calorie berries over bananas or pineapple and water and milk over fruit juice. Choose chicken or turkey over beef and cottage cheese over peanut butter. Green vegetables have fewer calories than starchy veggies such as corn or potatoes. Remember to include in your calorie count any sauces or dressings you use to flavor your food. Do not worry about perfectly balancing each meal, as long as you ensure a good balance of nutrition by day's end.
Sample Breakfast
Keep your breakfast to about 200 calories. For instance, a cup of dry oat-ring cereal, 3/4 cup of fat-free milk and 10 raspberries is about 200 calories. You can have two hard-boiled eggs at 78 calories each, plus 1/2 cup of blueberries. Try vanilla yogurt, 8 oz., mixed with 1/2 cup of sliced strawberries. A slice of whole-wheat toast spread with 1 tbsp. of peanut butter and topped with 1/3 of a medium banana will give you a yummy, low-cal start to the day.
Sample Lunch
Try to keep your lunch between 200 and 300 calories. Add 1/2 cup of raspberries to 1/2 cup of cottage cheese -- 130 calories. Give this lunch some crunch with eight triangle-shaped whole wheat crackers -- 64 calories. If you want a little more, increase the raspberries and cottage cheese to 1 cup each, and eat only five crackers. If you would like a sandwich, toast an English muffin and spread a wedge of low-fat Swiss cheese on each half. Add a two deli slices of turkey to one of the halves, top it with 1/4 cup of cranberries and cover it with the other half of the English muffin. This lunch is about 260 calories.
Sample Dinner
By conserving breakfast and lunch calories, you can have a dinner of 500 to 600 calories. Make a large taco salad: 3 cups of shredded romaine lettuce, 1/2 cup of refried beans, 1/4 cup of onions, and 1/2 cup of seasoned ground turkey. Top it with 1/2 cup of salsa as a dressing and you have a healthy, satisfying dinner of about 570 calories. You will have enough calories left over for 1/2 cup of berries for dessert. For a dinner with fewer calories, make a stir-fry. Sautee 1 cup of cooked, frozen chicken in 1/4 cup of hoisin sauce. Add 1 cup of bean sprouts, 1 cup of broccoli, 1 cup of baby carrots, and 1 cup of snap beans. Serve the mixture over 1/2 cup of rice. This is a hearty meal, but only 511 calories.
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