Low Calorie Diets | Weightplan.com

Why choose a low calorie diet?

All food contains calories (energy) and a simple method of reducing body fat reserves and lose weight is to reduce the calorie intake less than the body requires to maintain its? weight. The stored body fat reserves and are used for energy resulting in weight loss. Calorie counting is a common dietary method to help an individual achieve successful weight loss. However, this method requires the individual to accurately measure out the food and monitor their calorie intake. To calculating individual energy requirements current weight, weight loss goal, gender, age and activity will all be factored in. The individual will then use food tables to work out the calorie content of the foods to meet their calorie goal each day.

Food manufacturers by law have to include the calorie content of the product on the food label. This means that anyone can work out the calorie content of each meal, snack or beverage. Some restaurants may provide the calorie content of meals. Calorie counting has been made user-friendly with advances in information technology. With the introduction of online food dietary analysis packages allow individuals to work out their daily calorie requirement to achieve weight loss. Foods and drinks consumed can be added onto the online database, so that they can calculate their calorie intake to reach their goal each day. The food databases are extensive, including many food outlets and supermarket food nutritionals. These databases can also provide calorie counted weekly diet plans to help the client select a nutritionally balanced calorie controlled diet. There are also versions for the iPhone, which allows the individual to monitor their intake over the course of the day, making data entry and analysis very accessible. The bar code system means that you can swipe the food product into the database to save time.

Calorie controlled diets based on a point system

There are points based systems that have been very popular for years. Foods and drink are categorised by the calorie content into points. The individual will be set a daily goal of total points they are allowed to meet their daily calorie requirement for weight loss. The advantage of this method is that it is very easy to follow and you don?t have to spend lots of time working out calories of foods and beverages. You are given a simple booklet with the points system for the different groups of foods and beverages. These companies now make pre-packaged meals that can be selected as part of the point system. The disadvantage of the point system is that without guidance individuals may not necessarily choose a nutritionally balanced diet. Individuals have been reported to save up their points for the evening, so they can have a higher calorie meal with alcoholic beverages, or for a ?treat? type food, or so they can eat more over the weekend.

Benefits of a low calorie diet

Calorie controlled diets have been shown to be a successful method of losing weight, although without guidance they may not help teach an individual to eat a ?balanced diet?. However, with the right dietary advice a calorie-controlled diet can be tailored to suit anyone and will work. However, they do not address the other part of the energy balance equation of physical activity. Studies have shown that the reason for increased levels of obesity in the UK over the past sixty-years is not due to increased daily calorie intake but due to reduced physical activity levels over this period.

What?s a sensible calorie allowance for a low calorie diet?

The average calorie requirements for an adult male and female are 2000kcal and 2200kcal per day, respectively. Within this calculation the body needs a certain amount of calories for its basics functions (such as respiration, metabolism, digestion etc.) this is estimated around 1000-1200kcal. Therefore, scientists suggest that we should not reduce our calorie intake below this level, as this would be unhealthy. Very low calorie diets were tested on prisoners in the Key?s experiments in the 1950?s showing them to be very dangerous. Very low calorie diets, or fasting results in the loss of muscle and lean body tissue, which can be lost from the organs including the heart. Headaches, dizziness, fatigue and constipation and bad breath (ketosis) are common side effects. Also when we reduce our calorie intake below 1200kcal the diet can become deficient in micronutrients without vitamin/mineral supplementation.

Low calorie foods and drinks labelling and what to look out for, and things to avoid

Low calorie foods are not always the ?healthiest? choice. Manufacturers may add bulking agents or fillers into the foods. Fast foods that are labelled low calorie may be cooked in hydrogenated vegetable oil, which contains ?unhealthy? trans fats and may contain high sodium content for taste. To make low fat foods taste better often manufacturers add more sugar and salt therefore may be less healthy than the original version. There is evidence to suggest that highly process low-fat products don?t help us to eat any less and stay slim. They also have a low essential fatty acid content.

Diet drinks with artificial sweeteners may still have an impact on our weight as they can foster a sweet tooth and distort the appetite leaving us craving extra sweet and unhealthy treats. A study of 500 men and women showed that those who had two or more per day saw their waistline expand five times the rate of those who never touched them over a 10 year period.

Low calorie healthy snacks suggestions

100-150 calories each

? Fresh fruit salad and small bio yogurt
? 1 rye crisp bread with tbsp. cottage cheese and banana
? 2 rye crisp breads with hummus and Satsuma
? 300mls homemade berry, banana and fruit yogurt smoothie
? Bio fruit yogurt and handful nuts or seeds
? 2 oatcakes with hummus/cottage cheese, handful grapes

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