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1000 Calorie Diet -

The theory behind the 1000 calorie diet is that by drastically reducing your caloric intake, you will loose weight, with little or no additional physical activity (i.e. exercise). Not only do you drop your caloric intake below what you need to maintain your current weight AND your ideal weight, but you also drop below what you would typically burn while at rest (sitting/sleeping).

These diets recommend smaller meals, eaten more frequently, as well as cutting out fat, sugar and lowering your carbohydrates. Diet soda and black coffee are acceptable in moderation, but alcohol is a no-no.

No exercise seems to be required, in fact with such a low calorie intake, you may have little energy for any strenuous exercise. Still interested - here are some points you should consider:

- The average person burns 1200 calories per day just resting - if you are only taking in 1000 calories, will you have sufficient energy for other necessary activities - doing laundry or walking the dog?

- A 1000 calorie diet is only recommended for short periods - a week to 10 days at most, and a doctor's supervision is strongly suggested.

- If you need 2200 calories per day to stay at your current weight, you must follow the 1000 calorie diet for two and a half days to lose one pound. If you follow the diet ALONE for the for a the recommended seven days, you would only lose about four pounds.

- You have to drastically change your eating habits, and if you are a foodie, or if you don't have the time or the inclination to closely monitor the calories you consume, you may become bored, disheartened or frustrated, and just give up.

- Once you have completed the diet, if you don't adjust your caloric intake downwards to support to your new weight, you will soon return to your pre-diet weight.

- In my opinion, following a diet that requires strict calorie counting MAY lead to an unhealthy obsession with controlling calories, which may in turn lead to an eating disorder.

- Most importantly to your long-term weight goals, drastically cutting calories for any length of time will lower your metabolism - the body starts to slow down to conserve energy. This change will lead to more rapid weight gains when you increase your calorie intake and make it more difficult to diet sucessfully in the future.

Although a 1000 calorie diet may kick-start your weight loss efforts, it is generally recommended that you follow a more moderate weight-loss plan over a longer period of time. Improving your diet and changing your lifestyle will have real health and weight-loss benefits and will be easier to follow. Adding even moderate exercise to your routine will not only boost your metabolism, but will help tone your body and give you more energy.

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To determine the calories to stay at your current weight:

http://walking.about.co m/cs/calories/l/blcalcalc.htm

T o determine your ideal weight:

http://walking.about.co m/cs/calories/l/blcalcweight.h tm

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