As the name suggests, the 1000 calorie diet is one that requires you to consume only 1000 calories in a day. Now, this is an extremely low amount of calories, considering the fact that the daily average calorie requirement by men hovers around 2500, and at 2000 for women. These are average figures and the number of calories required by different individuals may vary based on your body's metabolic rate and the amount of activity you get in a day. In any case, 1000 calories is too low a figure, so if you wish to go on this diet, you first need to consult with your doctor or your nutritionist to see if you are fit to drastically reduce the number of calories you consume. Then, if you do get the green signal and are concerned about whether or not this diet works, here's a look into when this diet does produce results, and when it can backfire badly.
How does the 1000 Calorie Diet Work?
By consuming foods that have lower calories, you can reduce the intake of your calories to 1000 in a day. The first step is to avoid deep-fried, sugary, and processed foods. On this diet, you can consume fresh vegetables, fruits, lean cuts of meat (no fat, no skin), low or non-fat dairy, eggs without yolks, and complex carbohydrates in the form of oat bran, wheat bran, whole wheat or multigrain bread and pasta, and brown rice. You must ditch refined wheat products such as white bread, white pasta, and white rice. Eating 6 small meals (every 2-3 hours) instead of 3 large meals is an absolute must to avoid you from feeling very hungry.
Now, the low number of calories you consume can make you feel tired, dizzy, and lightheaded. It is imperative that you carry out this diet when you have the time to stay at home and take care of yourself. The idea is not to tire yourself out too much. This diet can backfire because you are not doing anything apart from watching what you eat. As such, you will have to find ways to keep yourself busy throughout, and avoid heading to the kitchen in search of a snack all the time. You are not permitted to exercise in the duration that you follow this diet, because it will make you feel weaker and unhealthy.
When Does the 1000 Calorie Diet Work?
This diet may be helpful...
...When it is followed only for a week at a time.
This diet works best when followed for such a short duration because if you follow it for any longer, the basal metabolic rate (BMR) or the rate at which your body burns calories when resting will drop drastically. This also means that your body will go into starvation mode and hang on to every calorie you give it. This is likely to cause weight gain in the long run instead of helping you lose weight.
...When you follow the diet with a healthy diet and exercise plan.
The 1000 calorie diet is a great way to kick-start weight loss, but you have to continue with a healthy diet so that your body continues to burn calories instead of hoarding them. A tendency is to start gorging on your favorite foods because you have been so good in the past week and avoided all those foods. However, do that and your weight loss diet will backfire badly. Continue maintaining a healthy diet by slowly increasing the number of calories you consume. This will allow you to lose weight. Further, remember to exercise when you revert to your healthy diet. A diet without exercise is usually futile, and as mentioned earlier, the only reason you are asked to avoid exercise on the 1000 calorie diet is so that you don't feel weaker and give up the diet altogether.
...When you consume 1000 calories from the right sources.
You can consume 1000 calories in a day in one shot by enjoying a large triple fudge sundae and a cheeseburger; but there is no way this is going to work to help you lose weight. Your body needs energy, and these foods provide energy only for short periods after which you end up feeling tired and hungry again. So your job is to eat the right food so that you can keep yourself going in spite of reducing the number of calories you consume in a day. As such, a typical menu should look something like this:
...When you are aware of what to expect from the diet.
As mentioned earlier, this diet is meant to kick start weight loss for those who have trouble losing weight. As such, you are likely to shed a few pounds, say 3-4 in a week when you follow this diet. If you keep your expectations too high, you are likely to be disappointed.
If this diet is followed in the aforementioned manner, it is definitely going to work for you. You have to control temptation and remain focused for any diet to make a difference to your body. If you can do that, there is no reason why the 1000 calorie diet shouldn't work for you.
How does the 1000 Calorie Diet Work?
By consuming foods that have lower calories, you can reduce the intake of your calories to 1000 in a day. The first step is to avoid deep-fried, sugary, and processed foods. On this diet, you can consume fresh vegetables, fruits, lean cuts of meat (no fat, no skin), low or non-fat dairy, eggs without yolks, and complex carbohydrates in the form of oat bran, wheat bran, whole wheat or multigrain bread and pasta, and brown rice. You must ditch refined wheat products such as white bread, white pasta, and white rice. Eating 6 small meals (every 2-3 hours) instead of 3 large meals is an absolute must to avoid you from feeling very hungry.
Now, the low number of calories you consume can make you feel tired, dizzy, and lightheaded. It is imperative that you carry out this diet when you have the time to stay at home and take care of yourself. The idea is not to tire yourself out too much. This diet can backfire because you are not doing anything apart from watching what you eat. As such, you will have to find ways to keep yourself busy throughout, and avoid heading to the kitchen in search of a snack all the time. You are not permitted to exercise in the duration that you follow this diet, because it will make you feel weaker and unhealthy.
When Does the 1000 Calorie Diet Work?
This diet may be helpful...
...When it is followed only for a week at a time.
This diet works best when followed for such a short duration because if you follow it for any longer, the basal metabolic rate (BMR) or the rate at which your body burns calories when resting will drop drastically. This also means that your body will go into starvation mode and hang on to every calorie you give it. This is likely to cause weight gain in the long run instead of helping you lose weight.
...When you follow the diet with a healthy diet and exercise plan.
The 1000 calorie diet is a great way to kick-start weight loss, but you have to continue with a healthy diet so that your body continues to burn calories instead of hoarding them. A tendency is to start gorging on your favorite foods because you have been so good in the past week and avoided all those foods. However, do that and your weight loss diet will backfire badly. Continue maintaining a healthy diet by slowly increasing the number of calories you consume. This will allow you to lose weight. Further, remember to exercise when you revert to your healthy diet. A diet without exercise is usually futile, and as mentioned earlier, the only reason you are asked to avoid exercise on the 1000 calorie diet is so that you don't feel weaker and give up the diet altogether.
...When you consume 1000 calories from the right sources.
You can consume 1000 calories in a day in one shot by enjoying a large triple fudge sundae and a cheeseburger; but there is no way this is going to work to help you lose weight. Your body needs energy, and these foods provide energy only for short periods after which you end up feeling tired and hungry again. So your job is to eat the right food so that you can keep yourself going in spite of reducing the number of calories you consume in a day. As such, a typical menu should look something like this:
- Breakfast: A bowl of unsweetened whole grain cereal with 1 cup of skimmed milk along with one small banana
- Mid-Morning Snack: A blueberry shake prepared with skimmed milk
- Lunch: A sandwich prepared with two slices of whole grain bread, lettuce, any kind of lean meat such as a piece of grilled chicken or fish, a spread such as mustard, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, or any other fillings you would like to add
- Evening Snack: A handful of nuts such as almonds or walnuts are enough as a evening snack. You can also have a cup of unsweetened green tea to keep you energized.
- Dinner: Stuff whole-wheat tortillas with a light tomato salsa, some lettuce, roasted tofu, onions, olives, and again, any other filling you would like to include. You can eat two of these for dinner.
...When you are aware of what to expect from the diet.
As mentioned earlier, this diet is meant to kick start weight loss for those who have trouble losing weight. As such, you are likely to shed a few pounds, say 3-4 in a week when you follow this diet. If you keep your expectations too high, you are likely to be disappointed.
If this diet is followed in the aforementioned manner, it is definitely going to work for you. You have to control temptation and remain focused for any diet to make a difference to your body. If you can do that, there is no reason why the 1000 calorie diet shouldn't work for you.