It’ is not recommended to consume fewer calories than your BMR. BMR is the number of calories your body requires to function.
To learn more about BMR, check out this article, Basal Metabolic Rate and How to Calculate Your BMR at getting old and fit.
There has been a lot of talk about the 1000 calorie diet program, which has prompted me to write this article. If you have been slaving at the gym with no significant results, perhaps it is time you looked at the 1000 calorie diet program and decide whether it’s right for you.
The 1000 calorie diet might not be suitable for everyone. Let’s take a look at this dieting guide and the science behind it.
I highly recommend the Bikini Body Workouts to help you lose weight; this is the program I used. Check out my review of the Bikini Body Workouts.
Table of Contents
What Entails Weight Loss?
It drives you nuts; you have been working extra hard to lose weight but no results. You might have subscribed to fad diets or even tried slimming pills. Most of those are a hoax anyway. The truth is, a calorific restriction is needed for any sustained weight loss. That, of course, needs to be accompanied by physical activity.
The 1000 calorie diet is the most implemented dietary restriction plan where you reduce your daily calorie intake by up to 40 % below your basal energy requirements. As that happens, you’re supposed to increase their consumption of macronutrients and micronutrients to avoid deficiencies.
The laws of science state that “energy can neither be created nor destroyed.” That means that the energy entering your body can either be used as fuel or stored. If your energy intake is higher than energy expenditure, more of it is stored, leading to weight gain.
The healthy meal plan can achieve a weight loss of 1–2 pounds per week if combined with physical activity. It could help both men and women lose weight safely. However, this diet plan is associated with hunger. It is prudent not to use it routinely and to stay hydrated through the program.
How Calorie Restriction Works
- It reduces insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, and obesity-induced hyperglycemia
- It reduces increases insulin sensitivity
- thereby speeding up metabolism
- It reduces the size of adipose tissues
- It has a positive effect on gut microbes, which in turn improves metabolic health
How To Implement the 1000 Calorie Diet Plan
Your diet plan should give you all the nutrients you need daily while staying below the 1000 calorie mark. Ideally, foods that can fit best into this meal plan include low in calories, sodium, cholesterol, and saturated and Trans fat, according to the dietary guidelines for Americans.
Examples of lower-calorie foods include low-fat dairy products, whole grains, lean meat, fruits, and vegetables. Healthy oils such as olive oil can be used in moderation—olive oil is heart-healthy.
The 1000 calorie meal plan also focuses on small servings and frequent meals, unlike intermittent fasting. Apart from a restriction of fats and high-calorie carbs, alcohol is also prohibited. You are, however, free to snack on diet soda and get a daily cup of coffee in the morning.
Choosing Foods for the 1000 Calorie Weight Loss Diet
You must carefully select food items that can achieve the desired results without jeopardizing your health.
- For speedy weight loss, choose foods that are high in vitamin B – speeds up the metabolism of proteins and fats
- Protein – they help you burn more calories due to the high energy needed in their metabolism. Proteins will also preserve your lean muscle mass and help you stay fuller for longer because they take longer to digest
- Fibers – Fiber-rich foods fill you up faster, and your body expends more energy trying to metabolize them
- Calcium – It boosts thermogenesis (general body temperature ), which can subsequently improve the rate of metabolism
Eat plenty of:
- Fruits such as oranges, kiwi cantaloupes, strawberries, and others that have lower calories—you can use them in salads or as smoothies too
- Green veggies such as broccoli, spinach, zucchini, and celery, and artichokes – pack plenty of vitamins and minerals and are low in calories
- Vegetables like cucumber, pepper, and cabbages –have a high water content to keep you hydrated
Keeping Count of Calories
If you plan on following a restricted diet, it is essential to ensure that nutritional balance is maintained. Your daily calories between meals should vary to keep your metabolic rate up. If managed properly, the 1000 calorie diet can accelerate your weight loss goals in countless ways.
1000 Calorie Daily Meal Plan
| Fruits—1 cup (2 servings)
|
Vegetables—1 cup ( 2 servings)
|
Grains–3 ounces
( 3 servings )
|
Lean meat and beans
2 ounces |
Milk
2 cups (2 servings) |
| 1 cup cut-up raw or cooked fruit or vegetable
1 cup fruit or vegetable juice
|
Switch between leafy greens, orange, legumes, and starchy vegetables every day of the week
|
1.5 serving of whole grains (1 cup ready to eat cereal )
1.5 serving of other grains (1-ounce rice or pasta, one slice bread, one small muffin)
|
1-ounce lean meat, poultry, or fish; 1 egg; ⁄ cup cooked dry
beans or tofu;
One tablespoon peanut butter; half ounce nuts or seeds |
One cup milk or yogurt, 1fi ounces natural cheese such as cheddar cheese, or 2 ounces processed cheese.
|
Sample 1000 Calorie Full Day Menu
When you try this diet to lose weight, you have to be ready for the uncomfortable restrictions. The 1000 calorie diet has no room for indulgences. Snacking is minimal, so ensure a balanced diet to get the most out of every bite.
Even though it’s a restricted diet, find a way to tweak your meal schedule so you can stay satiated and energized all day. If you adhere to a three meal a day plan, your calorie count per meal should be 300. If four meals, your calorie count should be about 250 per meal.
DON’T SKIP MEALS to save calories. Doing that can sabotage the whole plan and throw you into urges, cravings, and susceptibility to overeating. Intense hunger is not the point of the 1000 calorie diet.
Example of A Restricted-Calorie Diet Menu
| Meal | Food +servings | 1000 calories |
| Breakfast | 1/2 cup of non-fat cottage cheese, one slice of whole-wheat toast, 1 cup green tea, one small banana, two teaspoons of peanut butter
Or One medium slice whole wheat bread, 1 tsp. jelly, I cup skim milk, ¾ cup orange juice
|
310 calorie s |
| Lunch | 2 cups of mixed greens, 1/4 cup of kidney beans, 2 ounces grilled chicken breast, two tablespoons low-fat salad dressing, 1 cup of cubed cantaloupe, 6 ounces Greek yogurt
Or One med slice whole wheat bread, 2 oz. Lean roast beef, 1 tsp. mayonnaise, two med slices tomato, one med apple |
322 calories |
| Dinner | 3 ounces of grilled salmon, 1/2 cup roasted sweet potatoes, ½ cup mushroom, 2 cups of steamed broccoli and cauliflower
Or 2 oz. Chicken breast, 1 tsp. vegetable oil, ¾ med baked potato, ¼ cup beans seasoned with margarine, one small white dinner roll, ½ cup carrots seasoned |
354 calories |
Don’t Include These Foods in the 1000 Calorie Diet Plan
- Fats & Oils – Walnut oil, avocado oil, animal fat oil, and cheese
- Seeds & Nuts – Hazelnuts, watermelon seeds, pine nuts, walnuts, peanuts desiccated coconut, Brazil nuts, and chia seeds.
- Dry Fruits – Apricots, Prunes, Dates, dried currants, and figs
- Fruits and Veggies– Avocado, corn, mango, litchi, Chiku, and custard apple,
- Carbs: White rice, white bread, digestive biscuits
Exercising on the 1000 Calorie Diet
Apart from dieting, physical activity is crucially important for any achievement regarding your weight loss goals. Let’s be honest, though; it can be tough to exercise on a calorie restriction diet plan. Rigorous routines are not recommended, heavy weight lifting or long workout sessions on a 1000 calorie diet. In both cases, you have little energy left to meet the demands of prolonged training.
Instead of rigorous workouts, consider medium exercises. It would help to focus on short routines like light weight lifting and a little bit of cardio. HIIT protocols need high bursts of energy in short durations and might not be ideal in this case.
| Exercise | Average Calories Burnt for a 150 lb. Person |
| Bicycling (>10 mph | 590 |
| Running/jogging (5 mph) | 590 |
| Swimming (slow freestyle laps | 510 |
| Aerobics | 480 |
| Weight lifting | 440 |
| Basketball | 440 |
| Rigorous yard work | 440 |
From this table, combining aerobics and cardio in a single session can get you closer to 1000 calories. The remainder would go to basal metabolism (energy spend at rest).
Advantages of the 1000 Calorie Diet
The 1000 calorie diet can speed up your metabolism rate and limit the number of calories that your body stores. This diet might be helpful if you want to kick start your long-term weight loss plan. It might also help you lose those pounds in a short period in readiness for special events or roles.
- Unlike fad diets, this meal plan furnishes your body with enough nutrients while keeping calories at a minimum.
- The high consumption of fruits and vegetables as embodied by this plan not only aids in speedy weight loss but can also boost your overall health, for instance, by slowing down aging.
- The diet is quick to learn and easy to follow.
Dis-Advantages of the 1000 Calorie Diet
- The drastic restriction of calories may not be suitable for your health if you follow the diet for a long time. It’s only recommended for about ten days.
- The 1000 calorie diet can cause dehydration, which could lead to internal damages manifesting in the form of lethargy, slow heart rate, and hair loss.
- In the long run, a drastic calorie restriction can cause low metabolism, which in effect cycles you back to the start – rapid weight gain.
- The 1000 calorie diet can help women lose weight, but it can have adverse effects on well-built men.
Conclusion
The 1000 calorie diet is an energy restriction diet that can help you lose more weight by creating a deficit. When combined with physical activity, weight loss results are further optimized. However, it is essential to design a safe meal plan that supplies your body with all the vital nutrients it needs.
Consult your doctor before starting on the 1000 calorie weight loss diet, and do not follow it for more than ten days.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6316433/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4772032/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4258944/