When you're planning to lose weight, you shouldn't try to drop the pounds too quickly, as doing so raises your risk of regaining the weight. In this case, slow and steady wins the race. Therefore, it makes sense to shoot for around 1,300 to 1,500 calories each day -- that should enable you to drop about 1 to 2 lbs. per week, depending on how active you are and how much you weigh at the onset of your diet. There are numerous meal options from which you can choose when aiming to consume 1,300 to 1,500 calories a day.
Breakfast
For breakfast, about 1/3 to 1/2 of your calories should come from low-fat grain products such as oatmeal, whole wheat cereal, whole grain pancakes or whole grain toast. In addition to the grains, which provide you with valuable fiber, you should have a small serving of skim milk, which provides some protein and calcium, along with some fruit or fruit juice. You also can enjoy coffee or tea, as long as you don't sweeten them with real sugar. In total, breakfast should provide you with about 300 to 400 calories -- enough to give you the energy to start your day.
Lunch
At lunch, you should aim to consume about 400 to 500 calories -- with a healthy mix of low-fat meat, whole grains, fruit and vegetables. You can choose a turkey sandwich on whole grain bread with lettuce, tomato and mustard. Another option is a large chef's salad with a small amount of low-fat cheese, roasted chicken breast, chopped peppers, tomatoes and carrots on top, and a whole grain roll on the side. Dessert should consist of fruit, such as a small serving of applesauce, a peach, or 3/4 cup of berries with no added sugar.
Dinner
Dinner likely will represent your biggest meal of the day -- and you can indulge yourself with another 600 to 800 calories during your evening meal. Good choices include broiled fish with roasted asparagus on the side, plus a small salad, or a baked chicken breast without the skin, a medium-sized baked potato plus about 1 cup of broccoli. For dessert, you can choose more fruit -- perhaps one-quarter of a honeydew melon -- or you can indulge in a couple of low-calorie, low-fat cookies.
Considerations
You have plenty of choices when creating a meal plan that provides you with 1,300 to 1,500 calories a day. However, to hit your targets, you'll need to learn to count calories. It won't do you any good to diet carefully if you underestimate your daily calorie consumption. An online calorie counter can help, or you simply can jot down your food selections and their total calories each day in a notebook. If you find yourself confused or unsure of what you should be eating, ask your physician for a referral to a dietitian who can help you make sensible food choices.
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