No Carb Diet Magic : How Giving Up Carbohydrate Delivers Miraculous Weight Loss Results

A No Carb Diet Makes You Wonder… Can You Really Lose 100 Pounds Without Exercise, Or Become a Super Athlete? And Amazingly Enough, The Answer Is: YES!

On a no carb diet you’ll lose 100 pounds – with no exercise. NFL linemen can train harder and feel less pain with zero carb intake. Quit eating carbs and you’ll melt away to almost nothing!

The myths abound.

And other claims are even wilder, and harder to believe.

So what’s the deal with a no carb diet?

Is it good – or bad?
Should you try it – or not?
What to eat – and when?

That’s what we’ll discuss here.

Understanding a No Carb Diet

A low carb diet is not the same as a no carb diet.

A zero carb diet is much more intense and excludes all carbohydrates.

So how does your body get energy then?

Fat becomes your main source, with protein for backup.

You’ll eat eggs, cheese, fish and meat.

A low carb diet makes you ketogenic.

Dietary fat is converted into ketone bodies. These are oxidized for energy.

Because this is NOT how your body normally works, you should talk with your physician before going on a no carb diet.

Although it’s called a no carb diet and restricts intake to less than 50 grams of carbohydrate daily, you’ll be surprised that even when you eat more carbohydrate, you’ll still continue to lose weight.

How To Go On a Zero Carb Diet?

It’s not easy to get started on a near-zero carb diet and stick with it. So give yourself some time to prepare.

Concentrate on the food you’re permitted to eat (No carb diets can be tasty and you won’t have to give up something).

Enjoy trying out new recipes and meal plans.

The first step is to determine how much carbohydrate you can eat and still lose fat.

Cutting down on carbs optimizes your body composition and improves biomarkers of health. However, many dieters don’t understand that carbohydrates are necessary for the body, especially if you are physically active or in training.

By eating enough carbs to keep liver stores of glycogen topped up and to fuel your brain with glucose, you’ll lose fat without any drop in energy level, mental function or mood changes.

Paleo diets and the Atkins diet are low / no carb diets which work well in sedentary populations, but not with active dieters.

Here’s What A No Carb Diet Does

If you run, ski, train with weights, go cycling or engage in any other high energy activity, a no carb diet won’t provide enough calories.

This may be counter-productive – so it’s important that you understand the principles behind a zero-carbohydrate diet plan.

Diets must be tailored to your specific circumstances, body type, health conditions, activity and goals.

Think about it like driving a car.

If your car is always locked up in the garage, it won’t matter

if you fill the tank with gas or not. But if you drive long distances every day, you must top up frequently, or you’ll run out of fuel.

Your body is just like that.

Loading up on carbs while you’re sedentary only floods the blood with extra glucose which is stored as fat, leading to diabetes, high cholesterol, insulin resistance and other problems.

But if you starve yourself of carbs while you are active, you’ll experience fatigue, irritation, depression, muscle and bone loss, suboptimal performance, insomnia, lower sex drive and a slower metabolic rate.

So, Is a No Carb Diet Unhealthy?

Nutritionists typically recommend that

50% to 65% of your daily calories come from carbohydrates,
20% to 30% from fats and
the rest from protein.

A no carb diet, on the other hand, is different. In this rigorous diet plan,

70% of energy requirement comes from fat,
30% from protein, and
almost none from carbs.

Since body fat has to be converted into ketones before use as fuel after glycogen depletion, this is also called a ketogenic diet, or simply “keto”.

Bodybuilders adopt a reduced carbohydrate diet before contests to retain muscle mass while shedding water and fat by forcing their body to burn fat for energy.

A no carb diet is therefore not unhealthy.

However, it produces some unusual metabolic changes in your body which now adapts to a low carb intake by finding alternate sources of energy such as converting fat and protein to glucose which is stored as glycogen.

Your brain switches over to using this alternate source of fuel when daily carb intake drops to less than 50 grams.

Who Needs No Carb Diets?

Originally recommended for people with morbid obesity or epilepsy, a no carb diet is now gaining popularity among other dieters after a lot of research was done on balanced carb diets.

As the linesman of New York Giants Geoff Shwartz says of a zero carb diet, “You’ll feel leaner, more energetic and recover faster from workouts. You’ll just feel better in general.”

The message to athletes is clear.

On a zero carb diet, you’ll train harder and for longer – and hurt less.

Two benefits of a no carb diet highlighted by nutrition specialist Dr.Steve Phinney are that

fat loss is replaced with lean muscle, and
anti-inflammatory mechanisms are activated leading to less soreness after training.

Phinney says:

“On a no carb diet, your body gets efficient at burning fat for energy, both during exercise and at rest.”

Six days without carbs and a lot of protein is enough for this effect to kick in.

Small amounts of nutritious sources of carbs like fruits and veggies are alright.

No Consensus on Low / No Carb Diets

UCSF dietician Katie Ferraro doesn’t agree.

She thinks a no carb diet is inefficient at processing fat and protein for energy, and advocates caution in embracing a carbohydrate-free eating plan.

“It’s like trying to run a car on empty!” says the articulate assistant professor.

In fact, Dr.Ferraro likens a low carb diet to filling your luxury car’s unleaded petrol tank… with diesel!

And then expecting peak performance from it.

She says:

“That’s not a good way to eat over a long time.”

A no carb diet requires you to eat natural (unprocessed) foods that are low in carbohydrate content.

Eat egg whites and cheese for breakfast.
Chicken and veggies for lunch.
Hamburger patties, cheese and more vegetable for dinner.
Supplemented with low-carb protein shakes.

Schwartz, a nutrition expert, says that it’s tough to ensure that 70% or more of your calories come from fat.

Eating that much fatty food is hard, even if you add plenty of coconut and olive oil, avocado and more to your recipes.

What Do You Eat on Zero Carb Diets?

How to lose weight fast?

It depends on your health status, your activity level and your weight.

Pick smaller quantities of processed food items to fit your budget. Your diet will ideally include plenty of protein and fat, with very few carbs.

The base could be pork and eggs or other meats and fish like tuna and salmon.

Fish oil or flax seed oil can make up the rest of your calorie requirements.

You can eat meat, eggs, fish, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, reduced-fat cheese, yoghurt, sour cream and healthy oil.

You should avoid sugar, trans fat, wheat and highly processed foods.

If weight loss isn’t your main goal, you can eat more carbohydrate like sweet potato, rice, oats, quinoa and legumes and drink coffee, tea or soda without sweeteners.

Zero carb foods – in a picture

Click for larger image
A no carb diet can appear severely restrictive in terms of your eating choices – especially if you use a weight loss calculator to keep track of your calorie intake.

On a carb free diet, you might have to rely only on plant oils, spices and salt for flavouring. All carb-containing foods are off the menu.

Such stringent eating habits aren’t easy to sustain, not to mention that they come with some unpleasant features as well.

Side Effects of No Carb Diets

The longer you stay on a zero carbohydrate diet, the more stress it places on your kidneys and liver.

Headache, nausea, tiredness and bad breath are common side effects of a ketogenic diet. Prolonged low carb intakes might even reduce libido.

All these are reasons why a no carb diet is intended only for short term weight loss, and not meant to be a long term plan (like a Dukan diet).

Also, in a practical sense, a no carb diet becomes restrictive in food choices.

After a while, a meal of mushrooms, spinach and asparagus begins to look unappealing, even if you are shedding extra pounds of fat.

All of this leads to a higher rate of abandonment with a low carbohydrate diet than other alternatives that are not too restrictive and strict about what you can eat.

A more balanced approach to fat loss than a no carb diet will have a wider following.

One of the best weight loss diet choices is Shaun Hadsall‘s’14 Day Rapid Fat Loss’ program.

This program emphasizes healthy eating, regular exercise workouts, and other healthy practices.

FAQ – No Carb Diet

All your concerns regarding the no carb diet is addressed here

What is no carb diet?

The no carb diet or zero carb diet is an extreme diet featuring no carbohydrates. All digestible carbs are removed from your daily diet.

So, whole grains, fruits and vegetables containing carbohydrates are out. So are legumes and beans as there carb content is considered high. Only foods with no digestible carbohydrates are allowed on this diet which can be considered an extreme version of the other more popular low-carb diet.

Is no carb diet helpful in losing weight?

While eliminating carbs completely helps shed pounds and may even have some health benefits the more important question that needs to be addressed here is that is it really necessary to go such extreme diet to lose weight.

It is a highly restrictive diet which eliminates most foods. It may not be really necessary to go to such extremes for very simple goal. You can lose weight even without the highly restrictive no carb diet.

What does no carb diet mean to you in day to day life?

Carbs are our primary source of food. They fuel our bodies as they are easily converted to glycogen. They are found in cereals, beans, legumes, fruits, vegetables, in dairy, bread, pasta, in cakes and desserts.

If you decide to go on a no carbohydrate diet you will have to avoid almost everything and survive on protein and fat alone.

Though some people do consume non-starchy vegetables, nuts and seeds, high fat fruits like avocado are allowed as the carbs in them is minuscule as part of their no carb diet. The problem with extreme diets like no carb diet is that is very difficult to follow them day-to-day.

What is allowed in no carb diet?

In a no carb diet the main sources of diet are proteins and fats. Proteins come from meats, fish, eggs, cheese and fats from oils and butter. Those who are not on a very strict no carbohydrate diet sometimes eat vegetables with very little starch like cauliflower and broccoli.

They have more fiber and less of the digestible starch. So, it is considered as no carb. Under the no carbohydrate diet high-fat fruits like coconut and avocado are also allowed.

Though it is very similar to ketogenic diet, the no carb diet is in fact very restrictive if you follow it without exception.

Some sources ask you to restrict your carb intake to less than 30 gm per day. But a extensive research did not come up with any set protocols on what and how much to eat in this diet.

Does it help you lose weight?

Since, you are not taking any carbohydrates, it should help you lose weight if you remain within your calorie limits.

When you replace carbs with proteins and fats you feel full when you eat fewer overall calories. You also feel satiated and don’t crave for desserts. These factors promote weight loss.

Another point noted was that no carb diets result in rapid weight loss in the initial few weeks as there is a drop in water weight in the body. One gm of carb holds on to 3 gm of water.

So the depletion of carbs results in depletion of water stored in the body.

Studies have shown that those on no carbohydrate diet lose 4 kg more weight than those on low fat diet. Studies have also shown that those on no or low carb diet showed more sustained weight loss over a year.

Other studies have shown there isn’t much of a difference in either a low carb diet or other low calorie diet programs.

A more balanced approach to fat loss than a no carb diet is better in the long-term for your health.

One of the best weight loss diet choices is Shaun Hadsall‘s’14 Day Rapid Fat Loss’ program.

This program emphasizes healthy eating, regular exercise workouts, and other healthy practices that will work for you in the long-term.

Does a no carb diet benefit the heart?

Very low or no carb diets lead to low blood triglyceride levels.

Elevated triglyceride levels are associated with high risk of heart attack. With no carb diets you can reduce the triglyceride levels by 40% over just 3-4 months.

The no carbohydrate diet might also help raise the good cholesterol levels – that is HDL in blood which protects the heart.

Overall your heart health may improve on a no carb diet.

Does it help control blood sugar?

Refined carbs and sugars are the main cause of high blood sugar. In a no carb diet this will be eliminated from the diet and hence can aid in blood sugar control. Those with diabetes might find a no carb diet useful to get their blood sugar under control.

Again it is not necessary to follow such a restrictive diet as even on a higher carb diet the sugar levels can be controlled. But this might be helpful for folks who are unable to control blood sugar through their low calorie diet.

Does it lower blood pressure?

No carb diet might help with decreasing blood pressure, though more studies are needed to say so conclusively.

Does no carb diet help reduce belly fat?

Some research seem to suggest that no carb diets are better at lowering belly fat than low fat diet.

Does a no carb diet cause constipation?

Yes, there is a real risk of constipation on a no carb diet. With most fruits and vegetables eliminated from the diet, there is hardly any fiber to help in digestion or removal of toxins.

Fiber helps in bowel regularity too. So, a highly restrictive no carbohydrate diet can lead to serious issues of constipation and digestive discomfort.

Constipation can lead to other problems like fissures. Chia seeds and flax seeds can help with fiber. Cauliflowers and other non-starchy fibers-rich food should also be included in diet to regulate bowel movements.

Does a no carb diet cause low energy levels?

Carbs are body’s main source of energy. When consumed they quickly get transformed into energy which is used by body to help power it.

By eliminating all carbs you will be forcing the body to adapt to other energy sources like fat and proteins. The whole way body breaks down food to convert to energy is changed in the no carbohydrate diet.

Before the transition from carbs to proteins and fat the body might experience a period of low energy and general fatigue. During the transition phase people experience nausea, sleep disturbances and poor mental functions. This is normal. Once you reach the ketosis stage you will experience a return to normal.

Does no carb diet lead to nutritional deficiencies?

By restricting our diets to only proteins and fats we are denying the body ready access to vitamins and minerals which are readily available from fruits, vegetables and grains.

This causes deficiencies in micro-nutrients.

Also, a zero carbohydrate diet causes more urination which means you will be losing potassium too over time.

A balanced diet is not possible with a no carb diet. So over time you might end up with many nutritional deficiencies which need to be fixed through careful supplementation and evaluation.

Instead of a no carb diet try one of the best weight loss diets.

Developed by Shaun Hadsall‘s ’14 Day Rapid Fat Loss’ is one of the most balanced programs.

Is a no carb diet possible in the long term?

You might be able to follow a zero carbohydrate diet for short term like 3-6 months. But longer than that it becomes difficult due to the some of the problems highlighted above.

There is also not much data on the long-term effects of such a restrictive diet. So, don’t do it for the long term. It is high in fat, highly restrictive and not well researched as yet.

Try the Shaun Hadsall‘s ’14 Day Rapid Fat Loss’ program instead.

Children, pregnant women, mothers breastfeeding their babies and those with any health conditions like cholesterol hyper responders should not be following this diet.

What foods are allowed in a no carb diet?

Here’s by no means an exhaustive list of foods allowed under the zero carbohydrate diet. Check them out:

Meat: Chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, bison, venison, pork – all kinds of meat is allowed and eggs too.

Seafood: Fish like salmon, tilapia and cod. Crab, Shrimp, sardines and herring.

Fats: butter, lard, cheese, oils

Nuts and seeds with no or low digestible carbs: almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, cashews

Drinks allowed: water, black coffee, green tea and black tea – no sugar or no milk allowed

Vegetables low in net carbs: cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, bell peppers, leafy greens, turnips, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, mushrooms

High-fat fruits: coconut, avocado

Seasonings: herbs and spices

What foods to avoid on a no carb diet?

The following food cannot be part of your zero carbohydrate diet.

All grains and cereals including rice, wheat, quinoa, barley.
Baked goods and sweets like bread, pizza, pasta, cake, cookie
Sugary and sweet drinks, fizzy drinks, fruits juices.
Avoid fruits and vegetables like apples, oranges, bananas, potatoes, peas, squash, berries and more.
Legumes and beans – Avoid all kinds of beans like black, red, kidney, lentils, chickpeas.
Avoid all dairy except cheese and butter.
Don’t drink alcohol including brandy, beer, whisky, wine or vodka. These are not part of the zero carbohydrate diet.

Don’t add ketchup, sauces and salad dressings and other condiments bought at the store to your meals . You can make your own dressings consisting of fats and seasonings and try to aware of any carbs you might include by accident in your no carb diet.

One of the best weight loss diet choices is Shaun Hadsall‘s ’14 Day Rapid Fat Loss’ program.

This program emphasizes healthy eating, regular exercise workouts, and other healthy practices.

1200 Calorie Diet – Is It Really All That It’s Made Up To Be?

Before getting into the 1200 calorie diet and what’s good or bad about it, let me first offer you a 1200 calorie meal plan.

What is a 1200 calorie diet – and what makes it so effective at weight loss?

That’s because if you’ve already done your research and decided that it’s time to give it a try, you’ll have a delicious, healthy and satisfying 1,200 calorie meal plan that will slim you down while delighting your tastebuds!

After this, we’ll return to questions like:

How much weight will I lose if I eat 1200 calories a day?
Is eating 1200 calories a day safe?
What happens if you only eat 1200 calories a day?
Is 1200 calories a day enough for a teenage girl?

… and many many more questions about the 1200 calorie diet.

Weight Loss Takes Good Habits

It’s impossible to stress this too much. Until you make healthy eating a habit, you will not be able to lose weight – and keep it off.

The simplest, most effective weight loss technique is to build lasting habits that keep you on track to eating right. A 1200 calorie diet meal plan can serve as your guide to make preparations for a whole week ahead.

Take all guesswork out of your grocery shopping and cooking. Just follow the meal plan to prepare delicious breakfasts, nutritious lunches and healthy dinners… every day. 1200 Calorie Diet - Monday

Monday:

Breakfast – Eat 1 banana with 3/4 cup of bran flakes, along with some milk (preferably fat free)

Lunch – Make yourself a whole-wheat sandwich with 3 oz of chicken or turkey breast, a lightly roasted bell pepper, some lettuce and a bit of mayonnaise to taste. Optionally, add a bit of mozzarella cheese, and one serving of fresh fruit.

Dinner – 3 oz serving of salmon or sole along with plum tomatoes and grated cheese, broiled to golden brown. Include a cup of lightly boiled broccoli. Enjoy a scoop of your favorite ice cream for dessert.

1200 Calorie Diet - Tuesday

Tuesday:

Breakfast – Half a cup of oats cooked for 2 minutes in the microwave with low fat milk or even water tastes delicious with a chopped or sliced apple. Add a spoon of honey and some cinnamon for flavor.

Lunch – Chicken salad with 4 oz of shredded roast chicken breast and some red grapes, almonds, mayonnaise and Greek yoghurt makes for a healthy and filling 1200 calorie diet. Have a banana along with it.

Dinner – A baked potato served with 4 oz of shrimp, steamed or baked, goes nicely with a salsa sauce and unsweetened yoghurt. Also eat 3 cups of steamed spinach, and top it off with a small chocolate bar. (Yes, it’s around 150 calories – but you deserve to indulge yourself!)

1200 Calorie Diet - Wednesday

Wednesday:

Breakfast – Prepare a smoothie with a cup of your choice of berries, one half of a banana and a large mug of low fat milk. Add one or two hard boiled eggs if you still feel hungry.

Lunch – Whip up a cup of vegetable soup. Have it along with a vegetable burger inside a whole grain bagel. Eat a serving of fresh fruit, like grapes or an apple.

Dinner – Barbecue 4 oz of boneless chicken breast and serve with spinach sauteed with olive oil, tomatoes and garlic. Half a sweet potato adds heft to your meal.

1200 Calorie Diet - Thursday

Thursday:

Breakfast – Slice half an apple with an ounce of shredded low fat cheese. Microwave it for 30 seconds along with an English muffin. Enjoy it 3/4 cup of Greek yoghurt sprinkled with almonds.

Lunch – Heat up a cup of tomato soup along with a 3 oz roast beef whole-wheat sandwich. Serve with a side of sliced tomato, horseradish, mustard and lettuce. Round off your meal with a small cup of hummus, and a salad of seasonal raw veggies.

Dinner – 4 oz of poached salmon served with coleslaw (spice, vinegar, olive oil and slaw) paired with a cup of quinoa or rice makes for a filling dinner. Eat an apple for dessert!

1200 Diet Plan - Friday

Friday:

Breakfast – Whole grain waffles toasted with 2 tablespoons of nut butter and topped with sliced bananas and a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg. Serve along with a large glass of milk.

Lunch – A pita sandwich with tuna, mayonnaise, cucumber, sliced onion and mustard. Enjoy it with 10 baby carrots, a cup of Greek yoghurt, and a piece of fresh fruit like apple, pear or orange.

Dinner – Prepare a jambalaya with:

cooked brown rice 3/4 cup
corn 1/2 cup
turkey sausage 2 oz
salsa 1/3 cup
black beans 1/4 cup

Heat it up in the microwave and enjoy it with 3 cups of sauteed spinach and garlic in olive oil.

Mediterranean diet plan

Saturday:

Breakfast – A cup of cheerios or other cereal, with berries and slivered almonds in fat free milk or unsweetened Greek yoghurt.

Lunch – Make a quesadilla from fat-free fried beans on a corn tortilla, topped with salsa, shredded cheese and another tortilla. Microwave the preparation for 45 seconds and serve with cucumber slices and oranges.

Dinner – 3 oz of tenderloin roasted with cinnamon flavoring, and a couple of cups of salad greens seasoned with olive oil makes up a lovely end of day 1200 calorie diet meal. Dessert can be a small chocolate bar or ice cream bar.

1,200 Calorie Eating Plan - Sunday

Sunday:

Breakfast – Half an English muffin layered with an ounce of low fat cheese, sliced tomato and a cup of spinach. Eat it with a poached egg and 1 grapefruit.

Lunch – Black bean salad with slices of orange, red onion, chopped bell pepper and other vegetables. Season with vinegar and olive oil. Combine this with corn tortillas and fresh fruit.

Dinner – 3 oz of broiled or grilled steak and a baked potato with a teaspoon of butter. Chase it down with a cup or two of berries.

So there you have a 1200 calorie diet meal plan for an entire week!

If that’s what you were looking for, I hope you’ll enjoy delicious meals all week.

(Want more weight loss meal plans? Go here)

But if you’re not 100% sure that a 1200 calorie diet is a good idea, stick with me.

Let’s go through the common questions many people have about this strict calorie restricted diet and talk about the pros and cons of following it.

What is Dr Nowzaradan 1200 Calorie Diet?

The 1200 calorie diet is a restrictive diet that limits your daily intake to 1200 calories.

1200 calories may be suitable for some people. For others, it may be too low. In such cases, following a strict 1200 calorie diet may lead to malnutrition.

Dr Nowzaradan – or Dr Now – was on the popular TLC hit show ‘My 600lb Life‘. If you’ve watched this show, you’ll already know that Dr Now devised the 1200 calorie diet plan for his patients.

It often seems as if there are more items listed in the 1200 calorie diet that should NOT be eaten, than ones which are ‘allowed‘. Yet for critically overweight patients, looking at bariatric surgery as their only option, such a restrictive diet is a last ditch effort to cheat the knife!

Also, weight loss surgery (bariatric surgery) isn’t just a technical exercise of reducing stomach size. It involves changing lifestyles and eating habits. This process begins even before surgery, and a 1200 calorie diet is often a part of the conditioning.

How many calories does Dr Now recommend?

Dr Nowzaradan’s 1200 calorie diet plan breaks down into consuming plenty of plant based protein and ensuring adequate hydration. More important than what you eat is monitoring your eating pattern.

A significant downside of the Dr Now 1200 calorie diet is a daunting list of foods to be avoided. They include:

sugar
cakes, candy and cookies
sweetened yoghurt
potatoes
crackers
fruit juices
noodles and white rice
soda and energy drinks

(See more fat loss diet foods here)

That’s not all. But it’s enough to give you an idea of just how restrictive a 1200 calorie diet can be. And now you also know what to say if somebody asks:

What is Dr Now 1200 calorie diet?

While not all these items on the forbidden list are high calorie foods, they fall under the category of ‘junk food’ that people tend to eat without thinking.

Since the 1200 calorie diet is often advised as preparation for lasting weight management, developing self control and discipline are important goals of this diet plan.

Drastic and sudden changes in eating habits rarely last. Give somebody a list of things they can and can’t eat, and you usually won’t see any improvement in weight or eating habits. It takes a well-thought out plan to make the 1200 calorie diet stick.

1200 Calorie Diet - Meal Plan

Fundamentals of a 1200 Calorie Diet

Most adults consume between 1600 and 3000 calories every day. This helps provide energy for all bodily functions while maintaining body weight.

If you eat fewer calories than your body needs, you shed weight. This happens by initially burning fat, and later other tissue including muscle protein.

Because most people require a lot more than 1200 calories, it is very likely that a 1200 calorie diet will cause you to lose weight. This is useful if you’re obese or overweight.

Research also indicates that there are other advantages from a 1200 calorie diet. The NIH has demonstrated that low calorie intakes help animals live longer without diseases like cancer. But the data isn’t conclusive, and animal data doesn’t always apply to human beings.

It is also likely that the TYPE of food you eat on a 1200 calorie diet is what produces these benefits, rather than the low calorie intake itself.

Is It Safe To Eat 1200 Calories A Day?

On a restricted calorie diet, you’ll find it harder to get adequate amounts of essential macronutrients like proteins and fats, as well as micronutrients like minerals and vitamins.

That’s the reason why it is advisable to talk to a doctor before embarking upon a 1200 calorie diet.

Nutrition labels on food products typically base their recommendations on a daily intake of 2000 calories. So if you are limiting yourself to a 1200 calorie diet, then understand that your calculations must take this into account. Otherwise you may be under-estimating your intake of specific ingredients and food categories.

Nutrition expert Elizabeth Weinandy from Ohio State University says the 1200 calorie diet is “great for the right person“. Sedentary women over the age of 50 may find the 1200 calorie diet most helpful in maintaining weight.

But you should not begin a low calorie diet if you

are underweight
have eating disorders
are pregnant or breastfeeding
have menstrual disorders linked to eating poorly
are a young child
have nutritional deficiencies
suffer medical conditions that are worsened by low calorie diets

While lowering calorie intake may reduce weight, the same diet restrictions could lead to malnutrition if you are careless.

If you’re already overweight, the loss of extra pounds may help reduce the risk of diseases, motivating you to stick with a 1200 calorie diet.

But weight should not be the only metric on which the success of any diet is measured.

If a low calorie diet makes you unhealthy, even if you lose weight it will eventually prove harmful. That is why you should consult a doctor or dietician before planning a 1200 calorie diet.

What’s Special About a 1200 Calorie Diet Plan?

Simply this: It works!

Whenever you eat fewer calories than your body burns off, you’ll lose weight. And since 1,200 calories is below what most people burn off normally, a diet that restricts intake to this level will end up producing weight loss.

However, it is not recommended going below 1200 calories.

Beyond this point, intake of important nutrients like protein, calcium and magnesium usually drop to the point they can harm health.

Losing lean body mass is counterproductive, which is a convincing reason to combine a modest strength training workout with a 1200 calorie diet.

The big benefit from your 1200 calorie diet is that it forces you to be more disciplined in your eating. No more will you eat just from habit or reflex. You’ll avoid snacking, because you’ll have to think about every morsel that crosses your lips.

Once you’ve developed the mental attitude to eat mindfully, the benefits will last for a lifetime – especially when you eat the best fat burning foods.

How Much Weight Will I Lose If I Eat 1200 Calories A Day?

If you’ve ever attempted a calorie counting diet, you’ll know how frustrating and annoying it can be to keep track of everything you eat.

So it’s no wonder that most people ask this before starting on their diet: How much weight can I lose eating 1200 calories a day?

While all weight loss diets reduce calorie intake, some replace them with zero calorie foods, while others restrict what you eat.

Low calorie diets restrict intake to 1200 to 1600 calories every day for men, and 1000 to 1200 calories per day for women. Very low calorie diets of 800 are more stringent, and carry some risks when extended for long periods.

A 1200 calorie diet is easier to follow, highly effective, and less likely to interfere with your regular routine than extreme diets. Combined with healthy lifestyle choices like regular exercise and avoiding sedentary practices, a 1200 calorie diet can have incredible health benefits.

1200 Calories Plan

What Happens If You Eat Too Few Calories?

Research published in JAMA (the Journal of the American Medical Association) in 2016 reported on the changes that happen when you restrict calorie intake. It studied obese individuals as well as subjects with normal body weight.

After two years of follow up, the researchers found that people who followed a 1200 calorie diet lost weight, with average weight loss being 7.6 kg (16.8 lbs).

But of greater interest was that quality of life improved dramatically in the diet group, with most participants reporting improved mood, less tension and a sense of overall healthiness throughout the period of follow up.

Dieting also helped improve sleep duration and quality, with some dieters experiencing greater sexual drive and excitement which led to better relationships with partners.

So there’s much to suggest a 1200 calorie diet can be worth the short term pain of restricting yourself from gorging on your favorite foods!

What happens if you only eat 1200 calories a day?

Unless you’re in one of the exclusion categories mentioned earlier, there should not be any major problems with a 1200 calorie diet.

However, if you get a little over-enthusiastic and eat too few calories in an attempt to lose weight faster, the effort turns counter-counterproductive.

Your body goes into ‘starvation mode’ and works to conserve energy. This leads to a plateau in your weight loss attempts, often leading to frustration with the diet plan you’re following.

Is 1200 Calories Too Little?

The actual number of calories that’s right for you varies based on your age, gender and level of physical activity. Young, active men consume more calories than older, sedentary women.

Recommended calorie intakes for women aged 19 to 30 vary between 2,400 if they have active lifestyles, and 2,000 if they are more sedentary. As a general rule, you need a minimum of 1,200 calories to remain healthy.

Is 1200 calories a day enough for a teenage girl?

According to specialists, sedentary teen girls require around 1600 calories daily when they are 12 or 13 years old. After this, their calorie requirement steadily increases to peak around age 19 (when it touches 2000 calories every day). When teens are moderately active, the caloric need increases to 2000 to 2200 calories.

So while 1200 calories may be too little for some people, anything under 1200 would be too little for almost everyone.

At that point, it would be hard to meet mineral and vitamin requirements. And no, it isn’t possible to make do with a supplement – because there are some micro-nutrients that can only be obtained through your diet.

In addition, very low calorie intakes can slow down your metabolism – which is counterproductive when you’re aiming to lose weight. Whatever little you eat will be hoarded by your body, which now reacts as if it’s in a starvation situation and tries to conserve all energy for a future crisis!

This is the reason why your weight loss efforts may hit a plateau after a while, even on a 1200 calorie diet.

With The 1200 Calorie Diet, How Do You Know If Your Calories Are Too Low?

There are some signs to know that you aren’t getting enough calories.

You may find it harder to stick with your diet plan, because hunger and boredom are almost constant companions.
Your weight loss could stall, because of your slower metabolism.
Your energy levels will be constantly low, leaving you tired and lethargic all the time.
You might start losing hair. If you notice more hair coming off in your hairbrush or comb every day, it may indicate a calorie intake that’s too low.
Sleep deprivation is often associated with low calorie intake, and in turn leads to bad moods and emotional disturbances.
Irritability that’s out of character for your regular nature is often a sign that your calories are too low.
If you’re always feeling cold, it might be due to not eating enough food to maintain your body temperature.
Bowel disturbances like constipation are a common accompaniment to extreme low calorie diet plans.
Anxiety has also been linked to a low calorie intake, which may partly be due to a deficiency of micronutrients in your extreme diet.

So while overeating and gaining weight has its own drawbacks, there are dangers attached to not eating enough, as well. Extreme calorie restriction to below a 1200 calorie diet may not be worth the effort.

Be careful not to cross the line in your effort to shed extra pounds!

1200 Calorie Diet Plan For Week

Your 1200 Calorie Diet: Is 1000 Calories a Day Too Low?

Dieters often face an interesting paradox.

On one hand, you need a calorie deficit to lose weight. So you have to burn off more calories than you eat. (See the best foods that burn fat here)

On the other hand, you may feel you’re not consuming many calories, but stubborn belly fat refuses to melt away!

Part of the problem is that we tend to underestimate how many calories we eat.

In a recent study that followed dieters for two weeks, people who reported consuming 1,000 calories or less were really taking about 2,000 calories! That’s right. They were eating almost twice as much as they had estimated…

It’s just that they didn’t realize it.

There’s little doubt that dropping calorie intake too low can be counter-productive, even harmful.

Studies on diets that consume fewer than 1000 calories per day have shown that such extreme calorie restriction can lead to loss of muscle, and slow down the body’s metabolic processes significantly.

In addition, it leaves you feeling ravenously hungry all the while. How long can you withstand the temptation to break your diet and gorge yourself?

How Much Weight Will I Lose Based On Calorie Intake With a 1200 Calorie Diet?

Simple online weight calculators help determine how many calories you must eat in order to lose weight.

But their efficiency depends upon knowing the answer to another important question: How many calories do you burn in a day?

Speaking broadly, women on average must consume 2000 calories daily for maintaining energy requirements. If they reduce it to around 1,500 calories per day, it is likely they’ll lose 1 pound every week.

Men, on the other hand, need 2,500 calories for maintenance and must drop it to 2,000 calories daily to shed a pound every 7 days.

This isn’t a standard formula that works for everyone. The rate of weight loss based on calorie intake depends on several other factors like

age,
height,
physical activity level,
current weight,
metabolic disorders

and other variables.

Should You Eat Your Exercise Calories?

Discussions about a 1200 calorie diet often lead to this interesting question.

When you lower dietary calorie intake by around 500 calories, you’ll lose weight – just as long as you don’t go far below 1200 calories per day.

But what happens when you exercise as a part of your weight loss program? How many calories should you then eat in order to lose weight with exercise?

An hour of exercise burns off anywhere from 300 to 600 calories. Running consumes the most calories, with walking and cycling also being very effective at burning off calories.

So… should you eat your energy calories?

In other words, do you have to replace the energy consumed during exercise? Or even follow a specific muscle building diet or bodybuilding diet?

Experts believe you should NOT eat extra on workout days. Instead, aim to keep your calorie intake constant on all days, regardless of whether or not you exercise.

It doesn’t work like a bank account balance, where you deposit cash to later withdraw and spend. The process works over a longer time frame with respect to weight loss, and is a bit more complicated. So you must focus on eating lower calorie foods consistently, while burning more calories through exercise.

Berries Fat Burning Foods

How Many Calories Should You Eat To Lose 5 Pounds A Week?

Many weight loss plans that are designed by medical doctors or qualified nutritionists will follow the principles of a 1200 calorie diet and recommend between 1200 and 1500 calories a day.

This works well to lose between 5 and 10 pounds every week.

How many calories does it take to burn 1 pound?

Roughly 3,500 calories equals a pound of fat, so to lose 1 pound you should aim to burn off 3,500 calories.

Of course, to effectively shed extra pounds and keep them off, you must also modify your lifestyle simultaneously, with exercise and healthy eating habits being at the core of sustained weight reduction.

To lose 5 pounds a week, you won’t need to make any sweeping changes. Maybe that’s why there are so many diets for rapid fat loss!

Just as long as you can go without high calorie items like cheeseburgers or candy bars or cakes, you should be able to enjoy most of your favorite foods with tiny tweaks.

Will I Lose Weight On A 1200 Calorie Diet?

If you restrict daily calorie intake to 1,200 calories strictly, almost anyone will lose weight!

To go about weight loss in a more scientific manner, you should compute your daily calorie goals depending upon how much weight you’d like to lose, and how quickly you want to do it.

If you want to lose 1 pound per week, cut 500 calories a day
If you want to lose 2 pounds per week, cut 1000 calories a day

But when you lower calorie intake to below a 1200 calorie diet, as we have already discussed, there are counter-productive side effects that kick in to impair and hinder your weight loss efforts.

Losing weight on a 1200 calorie diet ought to feel positive and fun, not a torturous experience that you suffer and struggle through, right?

Is a 1200 Calorie Diet Good?

In the final analysis, many dieters just want a simple answer to a straightforward question:

Is the 1200 calorie diet good – or not?

As you’ve seen, the answer is nowhere near being simple or direct. In fact, the only reliable and meaningful response is to say, “It depends.”

The 1200 calorie diet is a restrictive diet that requires you to lower your daily calorie intake to 1200. And while this is fine for some folks, it is too low for others and might lead to malnourishment.

Large built persons, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and those who suffer from some medical disorders often need more calories than others. If you only need few calories, a 1200 calorie diet is safe and effective.

A more relevant way to frame the question is to ask: Is a 1200 calorie diet good FOR ME?

And hopefully all that we’ve talked about here will help you answer the question confidently.

If you’d like to give it a go, scroll up to the top of this page again and see the 1200 calorie diet plan outlined in the beginning.

See if it works for you. And monitor your weight loss, as well as for signs of too few calories.

Of course, as with any diet program, be sure to consult your doctor and/or dietician before embarking on a 1200 calorie diet.

To get more insight into calorie restricted diets and specific details of how exactly one fits into your fat loss goals, make sure you check out the Shaun Hadsall “14 Day Rapid Fat Loss Plan” and read this detailed review of the rapid fat loss program here.

Fat Loss Diet Books – How to Find the Right Ones For You

The online bookseller Amazon currently lists over five thousand best selling fat loss diet books in its catalogue.

Fat Loss Diet Books
Whilst this may give you plenty of choice the sheer volume of books can make it impossible to decide which is the right fat loss diet book for you.

How To Choose a Diet Book

When selecting a diet handbook, rather than focusing on the full selection available, turn your attention inwards and think about yourself, your lifestyle, your habits and preferences.

Your best chance of picking the best diet book for you is by being honest about yourself. For instance, a vegetarian is going to struggle following a low carb high protein diet plan which of necessity requires him or her to eat a significant amount of meat or fish.

Consider whether you enjoy cooking or if your preference is to buy prepared meals. If you know your way around a kitchen you will find a fat loss diet cookbook, that includes healthy recipes, more useful than a book that just talks about weight loss.

Diet Cookbooks

Diet cookbooks are available for just about every bestselling diet plan on the market today.

Are you willing to abandon all of your unhealthy food choices and just focus on eating those foods that are naturally low calorie? Or, you would you rather eat the same foods as you usually do but restrict your calories by reducing quantities?
Do you have any health conditions that you need to consider? Are you able and willing to incorporate exercise into your diet regime? For the ladies, could pregnancy be a factor to be considered? Or, have you recently had a baby?
Do you have a deadline to meet? Are you looking for a way to lose weight by a particular date for a special event? A wedding perhaps?
Do you have a troublesome area of your body, around which weight tends to accumulate, that need a diet and exercise regime focused on producing results there?

What are your general health and fitness levels like?

Be honest about yourself and your strengths.

Be honest about your starting point. And, by bearing all of these things in mind you can begin to reject some of the fat loss diet books on offer and narrow down your options.

Your Fat Loss Diet Options

Remember, everybody’s body is different.

Some lose weight by avoiding carbs, others see the most weight loss through simply restricting total calories – although many would argue this is the most tedious way of getting rid of unwanted fat. What works for your friend or colleague may not be a resounding success for you.

One thing to be aware of are the fads and trends in the diet and weight loss world. Many diet books feature prominently on the bestseller lists for a moment only to disappear as soon as the initial marketing campaign comes to an end.

Does this not suggest that the book is not being recommended by word of mouth, that perhaps it does not offer the weight loss miracle it promises?

The very fact there are so many books in the fat loss diet category means there is no weight loss miracle to be had, no matter what a publisher’s blurb may promise. It’s case of finding what works for you as an individual.

You can of course read book reviews to help you make a decision about which diet handbook to buy, but you need to read more than one, especially if you are reading on-line.

There have been cases of authors favorably reviewing their own books, under a pseudonym, to boost sales.

In short, the most reliable way of finding the best fat loss diet book for you is to ignore the media hype and select the one that offers a program you can stick to – and you know yourself better than anyone.

Fat Loss Diet Delivery – Meals Delivered to Keep You Fit

Fat loss diet delivery services are springing up world over. Offering diet food, delivered to your door, the services are appealing to those who are:

cash rich but time poor
housebound
unable to exercise any form of self control when shopping for food
confused by what is good and what is poor nutrition
too busy to think about and prepare diet food
are not interested in or able to prepare their own diet food

Fat loss diet food delivery companies may specialise in a particular diet regime e.g. the zone diet or they may promise a luxury, gourmet diet prepared by a top chef.

Others simply offer low calorie, nutritionally balanced meal choices. Some cover a local geographic area whilst others use couriers to ship nation or state wide.

Subscribing to a diet meal delivery service is a way of having your own dietician and chef supporting you. By having appetising yet fat loss diet food delivered you avoid the temptation that grocery shopping presents and you don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen after a long day at work, wrestling with new recipes and unfamiliar ingredients.

Diet Meal Delivery Services

Diet meal delivery services do everything for the dieter. They count calories, they weigh portions, and they only use healthy options. You can have your diet meals delivered to your home or place of work. You can just order lunch and dinner or include breakfast too. Choice is yours.

Fat loss diet food delivery services cater for meat eaters and those following a vegetarian diet. You can further select low fat or low carb options. Some companies will also provide menus based on low glycaemic index foods for diabetics.

Choosing a diet to go may not be an affordable solution for those having to feed the family. They are, however, the perfect solution for professional singles and couples who tend to have the higher disposable incomes.

Having diet meals delivered may be a perfect short term solution to help you stick to a diet and lose weight. To keep the weight off long term it will be worth paying attention to what is served up. Notice what ingredients are used in the meals, remember the meals and foodstuffs you particularly enjoy.

Meal Preparation – A Choice

At some stage you will want to take back responsibility for your own meal preparation – it may be when you achieve the perfect weight, it may be when you move to an area where a delivery service is not available but it is worth preparing yourself.

Losing weight with a fat loss diet meal delivery service doing your catering for you should be easy; keeping that weight off may be slightly more difficult, so plan ahead. Use the service provided to educate yourself for the future; a time when you may no longer be dieting but when you don’t want to put the weight back on.

Lose Weight Naturally. An Unusual Guide To Rapid Fat Loss That’s Easy, Effective & Safe

Body Fat Loss Diet Plan – 9 Ways To Make Weight Loss Fast & Fun

There’s a difference between losing weight and losing fat. All effective body fat loss diet plan types focus on developing changes that you can live with permanently, like what you eat and how active you are.

Mediterranean diet recipe
Once you drop your intake of carbs and fat, improve your activity level and acquire a positive attitude towards your body fat loss diet plan, it’s only a matter of time before you enjoy dramatic changes in your appearance and fitness.

A Key Principle To Keep In Mind

A body fat loss diet plan beats exercise workouts hands down when it comes to getting rid of extra rolls of belly fat. If there’s one principle to keep in mind, it’s to stick to your plan.

Many body fat loss diet plan variations, however, are unnecessarily complicated.

It’s hard enough to gain the discipline and mental strength needed to stick with a diet. Why make it harder by tossing in too many rules?

One diet says you should reduce the size of your serving portions. Another focuses on the kind of foods that lowers your calorie count. And some experts argue over the pros and cons of a low carb diet, no carb diet or ketogenic diet for fat loss.

Learn more about Shaun Hadsall’s “14 Day Fat Loss Plan” : click

So what’s a girl to do if she wants fat loss diet plans that’ll help her burn off more fat?

It’s simple. Just follow these 9 guidelines.

1. Calories Are Important

Reducing your calorie intake so that you always burn off more energy than you consume is the cornerstone of all fat loss diet plans. A good rule of thumb is to aim for 20% less calories than your regular maintenance level.

You can’t rush the process and stay healthy. For that, you must aim to lose no more than 0.5 to 2 pounds per week. If you try to get rid of fat faster, you’ll end up starving yourself of calories to the point you are uncomfortable and even suffering.

Then you won’t be able to motivate yourself to stick to your body fat loss diet plan.

2. Get Enough Protein

If you want to lose fat while retaining muscle mass, you need an adequate intake of protein in your diet. The ideal amount is around 0.75 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

The best quality protein comes from whole food sources including chicken, meat, and fish. Occasionally, protein supplements and powders can help make up any deficit.

3. Limit Your Fat Intake

Typically, between 20% and 30% of your total daily calorie intake should come from fats. The choice of food items in your fat loss diet plans should contain mono- and poly-unsaturated fatty acid sources like nuts, fish oil and olive oil.

Saturated fats are best avoided and should make up no more than a third of your total fat consumption.

Essential fatty acids are also important to include in your diet plans. Fish oil supplements are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

4. Carbs Make Up The Balance

Ideally, your body fat loss diet plan will use carbs to make up the remainder of your daily calorie intake (after the portion that you get from eating protein and fat).

This should come from unprocessed sources like potatoes, rice, oats, and whole grain. Refined carbohydrates are better avoided, or limited.

5. Make It Fun

If your diet and exercise plan for fat loss make you feel like you’re being tortured, you’ll naturally look for excuses to give it up.

That’s no good.

So formulate your body fat loss diet plan in a fashion that you’ll actually look forward to sticking with it.

How many meals you eat isn’t quite as important as what each one includes. Your total calorie intake should be less than what you burn off – but within that limit, you can tailor your meal plans to your convenience and choice. Eat foods that you like and that provide high quality nutrition.

6. Cheating Isn’t Bad

If you give in to a craving and indulge yourself now and then, it’s not a crime. Nor will it interfere with your overall fat loss goals.

Many dieters feel more motivated to stay with their diet plan when they are permitted to cheat from time to time. But don’t make it a habit. No more than 1 or 2 ‘cheat meals’ are permitted per week.

7. Workouts Need More Nutrition

It’s important that you get enough protein and carbs immediately before and after exercise workouts.

A protein milkshake half an hour before you start exercising, and a balanced meal shortly after you finish gives your muscles all they need to grow bigger and stronger.

8. Consider Supplements

While you don’t need to take supplements to lose weight, some like whey protein powder, fish oil and multivitamins can enhance fat loss and improve your health overall.

They are especially helpful when your regular meals don’t provide you with enough nutrients to meet your daily needs.

9. Combine Dieting With Exercise

No, exercise isn’t absolutely necessary for fat loss. But it helps when you include a workout regimen as part of your fat loss diet plans.

It also helps you gain muscle and develop a healthier physique. Because muscle mass requires more calories to maintain, your body will continue to burn off more calories if you work out regularly.

Weight Loss Meal Plan – Slimming Suggestions for the Next 7 Days

If you want a weight loss meal plan to get your diet started simply follow the guidelines below but please be sure to have regard to any health conditions you may have and take advice from any medical practitioner who may be treating you.

The aim of this low fat diet plan is to help you lose weight by making low fat food selections and eating in a way that maintains your blood sugar level within an acceptable range.

This will help prevent those mid morning and afternoon energy dips when you are tempted to reach for the chocolate and cakes.

First, some general guidance:

– Eat your fruit fresh or from frozen. Avoid tinned fruit, fruit juices and stewed fruits
– Fresh and frozen vegetables should be selected again avoiding canned produce. Resist the temptation to add salt when cooking your vegetables. (NB tinned tomatoes are allowed as they tend to have no additives)
– Include at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables in your diet every day
– Plan to have 3 meals and 2 snacks each day. Don’t starve and binge
– For snacks choose fresh fruit, salad or vegetables, a very small handful of walnuts or almonds (approx 9 in number)
– Trim all visible fat and skin from meat
– Always have a bottle or glass of water by your side which you sip throughout the day
– Use the skimmed/very low fat milk in your tea and coffee
– Plan ahead and be ready. Most weight loss meal plans fall by the wayside when the dieter finds himself delayed without a healthy snack and no healthy supplies to eat when he does get home. Be sure to always carry a piece of fruit and a bottle of water when out – you’ll find it a lot easier to resist temptation.

Your 7 Day Weight Loss Meal Plan

Day One

Breakfast: Hash browns, beans and bacon.

Make your own hash browns with lots of grated potato and finely sliced onion and chopped herbs of your choice. Shape into small patties and coat with cooking spray (PAM or Frylight) before frying until golden brown and cooked through. Serve with baked beans and grilled bacon with all visible fat removed.

Lunch: Pasta salad

Cook a generous portion of pasta and when cooled mix with your choice of chopped fruit and salad vegetables. Dress with a fat free vinaigrette dressing. Have additional fresh fruit for dessert if required.

Dinner: Baked Cod in a Parcel with steamed vegetables

Choose cod or any chunky white fish fillet. Wrap in a paper parcel with lemon or lime wedges, seasoning and herbs of your choice. Serve with a selection of brightly coloured steamed vegetables.

Day Two

Breakfast: Egg and tomatoes.

Scramble a couple eggs with a little cooking spray and herbs of your choice. Serve with a large pile of fresh grilled tomatoes

Lunch: Salad Open Sandwich

Using 1 slice of wholemeal bread on the base pile on as much lean, cooked, low fat meat as you want and add a generous pile of mixed salad. Dress with fat vinaigrette to taste. Once again It’s fresh fruit of your choice for dessert

Dinner: Vegetable Curry and Rice

Select all of your favorite vegetables and chop them to equal size chunks. Simmer in a quarter pint of vegetable or meat stock until soft.

Add your favorite curry spices – garam masala, cumin, turmeric, coriander, chilli, ginger – your choice and stir in a generous dollop of very low fat natural yoghurt.

Just let it warm through (don’t let it boil or the yoghurt will spoil). Serve with a generous portion of rice boiled with cardamon pods and saffron.

Day Three
Breakfast: Breakfast to Go.

Take one wholemeal bread roll and fill with lean ham, sliced tomato, dill pickle and onion if liked. Tuck a banana in your pocket and you are ready to take your breakfast with you.

Lunch: Salad Nicoise

Mix together lettuce, tinned tuna (select tinned in brine rather than oil and drain well), cherry tomatoes, quartered hard boiled eggs, cooked green beans and cold cooked new potatoes.

Dress with fat free vinaigrette if desired. Fresh fruit for dessert

Dinner: Prawn paella

Gently cook a chopped onion and garlic to taste in a little vegetable stock until tender. Add the contents of a can of chopped tomatoes and a generous handful of dried rice.

Allow to simmer and cook until rice is almost, adding more stock a little at a time if required. Towards the end of the cooking time add some diced peppers and chopped green beans along with a generous portion of prawns.

Day Four

Breakfast: Spanish Omelette.

Gently fry chopped onion peppers in cooking spray until tender. Add sliced cooked potatoes and cover with 2 beaten eggs with herbs and seasoning to taste.

When the underside of the omelette is set brown the top under the grill.

Lunch: Hummus and Vegetables

Select a pot of ready made low fat hummus or make your own by combining chick peas, garlic and lemon juice in a food processor with herbs and seasoning to your taste, softened with a little water if the mix is too dry and thick.

Serve with sticks of carrot, courgette/zucchini, pepper and florets of cauliflower and broccoli. Follow with a large bunch of grapes.

Dinner: Mid Week Cheat Roast

Select either beef steaks or pork or lamb chops according to your preference. Remove all visible fat before cooking. Grill and serve with the mint, apple or horseradish sauce and a large plateful of mixed colorful steamed vegetables.

Day Five

Breakfast: Kippers and Tomatoes.

Grill a couple of kippers and serve with a generous portion of grilled tomatoes

Lunch: Couscous salad

Make up a packet of couscous with boiling water. Add any left over vegetables, salad, fruit and herbs and dress with fat free vinaigrette.

Dinner: Chicken fajitas

Limit yourself to one tortilla pancake but pile it high with stir fried chicken strips mixed with peppers and onions. Top with very low fat natural yoghurt. Add chilli to personal taste.

Day Six

Breakfast: Low sugar high fiber cereal, fresh fruit and low fat natural yoghurt.

Lunch: Jacket potato with coleslaw

Fill a large jacket potato with home made coleslaw made of finely slice raw vegetables mixed with fat free vinaigrette.

Add herbs to taste

Dinner: Take yourself out for dinner

You’ve got the idea by now and are more than able to make the healthy choices. Select salad and forego the dressing if there’s no fat free version available. Have grilled meat or fish.

Ask that your vegetables be steamed and served without butter or sauces. Enjoy a thin crust pizza with a mainly vegetable or meat topping (ask them to go light on the cheese. Fresh fruit or sorbet for dessert.

Day Seven

Breakfast: Brunch sandwich.

A slice of wholemeal bread toasted and piled with onions gently cooked with tomatoes and mushrooms. Top with two poached eggs

Lunch: Chicken and Mango Salad

Shred a cooked chicken breast and mix with diced fresh mango, diced fresh pineapple, chopped kiwi fruit and dress with natural yoghurt seasoned with chilli.

Dinner: Pasta with ratatouille

Fry chopped onion and garlic in cooking spray, add a can of tomatoes and a teaspoon of artificial sweetener, stir in chopped courgette, peppers and aubergine and simmer until tender. Serve with lots of boiled pasta and some grated parmesan.

Remember to include your snacks and water each day and take every opportunity to incorporate exercise into your usual daily routine.

The weight loss meal plan is a low calorie healthy diet that will promote weight loss.

Want To Burn Belly Fat?
Free Report Reveals HOW!

Weight Loss Diet Program

How to Find a Diet that Works for You

First, it is worth considering why we seek a weight loss diet program.

After all, to lose weight we simply need to take in fewer calories than we burn. It is a proven equation and it should be straightforward. The problem is, calorie counting is tedious and can be complicated.

Whilst we may in principle understand the idea of cutting back in order to lose weight it is still helpful to have some kind of planned diet programme to follow.

To find the weight loss system that is right for you, first get clear about your own preferences.

Do you want to attend a weekly meeting and meet other individuals who are dieting on the same program?

Do you want meal replacements to help you lose weight?

Are you looking for a weight loss system that targets a particular food group such as a low carb diet plan?

Do you need to be told what to do in detail or are you happy to take a set of general principles and adapt those to suit your lifestyle?

Are you more interested in weight loss systems that incorporate exercise as part of their plan?

It’s only by being clear about what you want and need from a diet program that you can then begin to look at what is on offer and see which ones match your particular needs.

Just about any diet program will work for you if you stick to it. The truth does sound brutal but there is no miracle to weight loss and perhaps you should be a little careful of any weight loss system that claims miracle results.

No system by itself can be miraculous. It is you who will be doing the work.

In much the same way as a piece of gym equipment will never make you fit if you don’t use it, no weight loss diet program can help you to lose weight if you don’t stick to it.

Take some time, read the marketing materials, attend meetings as a guest, explore some websites. Get a feel for how the various diet programs work.

If you know you will not be happy in the long term eating restricted amounts of foods, perhaps discount those programs that give you a calorie or point allocation per day.

Instead, favor those programs that allow you to eat as much as you like but restrict the types of foods from which you can make your selections.

If food quantity is not so much of an issue for you but food variety is, you may be happier eating whatever you want but stopping when you have ‘spent’ your daily calorie or points allowance.

If you find it very difficult to exercise any self control around food or if you have a lot of weight to lose you might want to look at those weight loss systems that include meal replacements as part of the deal.

This means you will be substituting at least one and sometimes all meals with a soup, shake or bar provided by the diet company. (This is sometimes not the most social of options).

The diet program that will work for you is the one you find it easiest to stick to and for that reason you need to research the options offered by the various weight loss diet programs on the market, to make the best possible choice.