Does the 1000 Calorie Diet Work?

As the name suggests, this dietary plan requires you to consume only thousand calories in a day. Now, this is an extremely less amount considering the fact that the daily average calorie intake by men should be around 2500 and around 2000 by women. These are average figures and the number may vary based on your body's metabolic rate and the amount of work you do in the entire day. Always remember to consult your doctor or nutritionist, before beginning the diet, to check whether or not you are fit to drastically reduce the number of calories you consume.

How Does This Nutritional Therapy Work?

The first step is to avoid deep-fried, sugary, and processed foods. When on this diet, you can consume fresh fruits, vegetables, lean cuts of meat (no fat and 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 completely stop the usage of refined wheat products such as white bread, pasta, and rice. Eating 6 small meals (every 2 to 3 hours) instead of 3 large meals is an absolute must to avoid feeling hungry very often.

Now, this plan can make you feel tired, dizzy, and lightheaded. Therefore, it is imperative that you carry out this regime only when you have the time to stay at home and take care of yourself. The idea is not to fatigue yourself too much. In this nutriment plan, you are doing nothing more than watching what you're eating. As such, you will have to find ways to keep yourself busy throughout the day, and avoid heading to the kitchen in search of a snack all the time. Exercising is not recommended while following this regimen, because it will make you feel weak and unhealthy.

When Does This Regime Work?

When it is Followed Only For One Entire Week

This diet works best when followed for a short duration. If followed for a longer period, the basal metabolic rate (BMR) or the rate at which your body burns calories, when resting, drops drastically. This also means that your body will go into a starvation mode and rely on every little calorie intake. This will lead to weight gain in the long run instead of weight loss.

When You Follow a Healthy Nourishment and Exercise Plan Post the Diet Regime

This nourishment plan is a great way to kick-start weight loss, but you have to continue with a healthful diet so that your body continues to burn calories instead of hoarding them. A normal tendency observed amongst many is to start gorging on all the favorite foods, as these were avoided in the previous week. However, doing so will not prove to be beneficial. Slowly increase the number of calories you consume. This will allow you to lose weight consistently. Further, remember to exercise when you revert to your normal food intake routine.

When You Consume From the Right Sources

A typical 1000 calorie diet menu should look something like this:

• Breakfast
  A bowl of unsweetened whole grain cereal, 1 cup of skimmed milk, and a small banana.
• Midmorning 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, and a spread of mustard, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, or any other filling you would like to add.
• Evening Snack
  A handful of nuts such as almonds or walnuts. You can also have a cup of unsweetened green tea to keep yourself energized.
• Dinner
  Stuff whole wheat tortillas with light tomato salsa, some lettuce, roasted tofu, onions, olives, and any other filling of your choice. You can eat two of these for dinner.

This is what should be followed for the whole week.

When You Are Aware of What to Expect From the Diet

If you keep really high expectations, you are bound to get disappointed. As such, you are most likely to shed around 3 to 4 pounds in a week if you abide by the regimen stringently.

Always bear in mind to control your temptations and stay focused for any dietary plan to make a difference to your body. If you can do that, there is no reason why the 1000 calorie nutriment shouldn't work for you.

Disclaimer: This Buzzle article is for informative purposes only and does not in any way attempt to replace the advice offered by an expert on the subject.

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