Calorie diet for weight loss: effective menus

No restrictions! If you want, you can even have hamburgers and soda! Find out how to calculate your individual calorie intake and lose extra pounds without stress and constant struggle with temptations!

Reviews from those who have lost weight

Author: Kristina Lobanovskaya, doctor, practicing nutritionist Article updated: 05/18/2021

Weight is lost when the number of calories eaten per day is less than what the body requires. It is on this principle that most weight loss programs are based. Today we will talk about methods that require strict calorie counting, but this is precisely what explains their high effectiveness.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantage of calorie diets, which are based on the principle of calculating kcal, is the absence of strict prohibitions. You can enjoy your favorite dessert, eat a hamburger or drink a soda, but if their energy content covers your entire daily calorie limit, you will have to give up other food. That is why it is wiser to create a diet of low-calorie dishes in such a way that you do not have to go hungry and will be able to survive these days easier. Another advantage of such systems is efficiency. If you correctly calculate the body’s need for energy and create only a small deficit, then the kilograms will disappear willingly, and there will be no danger to health when losing weight. And thirdly, it’s developing self-discipline. Regularly counting calories and weighing portions develops the habit of strictly following the rules and not breaking them.

It would seem that the calorie diet is ideal in all respects, but it has one drawback. Write down everything you need to eat in a notebook, which you will always have to carry with you so as not to cross the line of what is permitted. And what was mentioned, what discipline should develop, becomes a real test for some, because you will have to constantly weigh everything that you intend to eat, since calculations “by eye” are not objective.

Lifehacks

One of the main life hacks that will allow you to painlessly create a calorie deficit for weight loss is the consumption of caffeine-containing drugs. It can be:

Actually coffee.
Strong tea without sugar.
Energetic drinks.
Decoctions from ginger root.
Pre-workout complexes.

Note: green coffee is not particularly effective at burning fat, like other very specific foods.

Why does drinking coffee increase fat burning? Everything is very simple. Drinking in large doses (no more than 2 cups in 2 hours), caffeine affects the body as follows:

Increases heart rate. This increases passive kcal expenditure.
It opens the fat depot, the excess energy of which goes into the general bloodstream. The body strives to spend such an excess of energy as quickly as possible.
Creates an insulin surge in the absence of sugar.
Increases energy, and therefore calorie consumption in certain cases.

Another interesting life hack is to increase the number of meals, which allows you to trick the body for a short time. As a result, even with a severe calorie deficit (up to 80% of the norm), the body does not slow down metabolism, but with the help of insulin releases, it opens a fat depot, from where excess energy passes directly into the blood, accelerating weight loss.

With extreme diets, the recommended number of meals is considered to be 5 or more.

Basic principles

At the very beginning of the diet, you need to calculate your daily calorie intake. When performing calculations, it is important to take into account age, gender, weight, height, and lifestyle. There are many formulas, we recommend using the one proposed by the American Dietetic Association and known as the Muffin-Jeor formula:

For women: 9.99*weight (in kilograms)+6.25*height (in centimeters)–4.92*age–161

The resulting value must be multiplied by the activity coefficient:

No load – 1.2.
Light activity (going to the gym up to 3 times a week, sedentary work at the computer) – 1.375.
Average (3-5 trips to the gym weekly, or active work) – 1.55.
High (intensive training 5-7 times a week, active or heavy physical work) – 1.725.
Very high (training in the gym several times a day, exhausting workload) – 1.9.

For men = (9.99*weight (kg)+6.25 *height (cm)–4.92*age+5)*activity factor

Example: if you are a girl, you are 28 years old, you weigh 64 kg with a height of 168 cm and regularly visit the fitness center, then the daily portion of calories is calculated as follows: (9.99*64+6.25*168-4.92*28 -161)*1.375=1912.075. That is, to maintain weight you need to consume about 1900 kcal daily; if you want to lose weight, the portion must be reduced by 300 kcal (maximum 20%), but if you need to gain weight, then, accordingly, you need to increase the portion of calories by the same amount meaning.

Having calculated your daily caloric intake, it would be a good idea to reconsider your diet and lifestyle in order to improve the results of your diet. There are several rules that will help you lose weight and quickly see the coveted number on the scale:

Eat well, there should be 3 main meals, with snacks between them. In this case, it is advisable to have breakfast no later than half an hour after waking up, and it is better to eat the last portion of food 3 hours before bedtime.
Limit your consumption of sweets, fatty foods and starchy foods.
Drink at least one and a half liters of clean water daily.
Eat more plant foods.
The preferred methods of cooking are stewing, boiling, steaming, baking; it is better to avoid fried foods.
Sleep at least 7 hours a day.
Include workouts in your daily routine, even if they are not intense; sometimes you can get by with a regular walk in the park, swimming or going to a disco.

Water removes waste and toxins from the body and normalizes intestinal function. In addition, the brain often mistakes thirst for hunger. Thus, maintaining a drinking regime is mandatory!

Calculation standards for BZHU

The amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates (BJU) sufficient for normal life can be calculated independently.

The calculation formulas are presented in the table:

BJU	Minimum intake on diet	Maximum consumption during physical activity during a diet
squirrels	0.8g per 1kg of weight	1.5-2g per 1kg
fats	0.7g per 1kg of weight	1.3g per 1kg of weight
carbohydrates	2g per 1kg weight	4-5g per 1kg of weight

Note

Proteins should be supplied in the following ratio:

1/3 vegetable proteins;
2/3 animal proteins.

Thus, if a person weighs 60 kg, then he should consume at least:

Protein: 0.8x60 = 48g
Fat 0.7x60 = 42g
Carbohydrates 2x60 = 120g

And these are the maximum values for the ability to lose weight:

Protein: 2x60 = 120g
Fat 1.3x60 = 78g
Carbohydrates 5x60 = 300g

Here is information on how to properly distribute BJU between 5 meals:

Breakfast (200-250g) – complex carbohydrates (porridge, fruits)
Second breakfast (100-150g) – carbohydrates
Lunch (250-300g) protein, vegetables, complex carbohydrates (fruits)
Afternoon snack (100-150g) – protein or vegetables
Dinner (150-200g) protein, green vegetables

Here you can watch a video that explains in detail how to plan your diet. A few low-calorie recipes for the 1200 calorie diet:

Contraindications

Despite all the advantages of a calorie diet, it is still not suitable for some categories of people. So, pregnant women should give up the idea of losing weight by counting calories. During lactation, it is also undesirable to strictly limit yourself in food. For chronic diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, hypertension and diabetes, choosing a weight correction program should only be done under the supervision of a specialist. And, naturally, such a marathon is contraindicated for teenagers and elderly people.

Before the event, be sure to consult your doctor!

Rating of food delivery for weight loss
Delivery of food with calculated calorie content, ready-made diets. No more cooking and counting calories!

Calculation of nutritional deficits

How to correctly calculate nutritional deficits. Everything is very simple, even if you decide to create an extreme deficit, remember the simple rules:

Calculate calorie consumption.
Subtract a percentage for your goals (10 to 75).
Divide the resulting calorie content into 5-7 meals.
Choose foods with a minimum glycemic index and high digestion time.
Use an abundance of protein and fiber to maintain basic body functions.

Recipes

In order for the diet to turn into a means to achieve a goal, and not into hard labor, we advise you to prepare delicious dishes that are not harmful to your figure. The menus above contain many different dishes, some of which you may not know how to prepare. Our recipes will come in handy.

Frittata with vegetables

You will need:

chicken eggs – 3 pcs.;
bell pepper – 1 pc.;
onions – 1/2 pcs.;
broccoli – 100 g;
water – 5 tbsp. l.;
olive oil – 2 tbsp. l.;
spices - to taste.

Preparation:

Chop broccoli, peppers and onions not very finely.
Place in hot oil, add water and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add spices, mix and remove from heat.
Beat the eggs, not forgetting to add salt and pepper.
Place the vegetables in a baking dish.
Fill with egg mixture.
Bake at 180 degrees for a quarter of an hour.

Cottage cheese casserole

You will need:

low-fat cottage cheese – 450 g;
egg – 2 pcs.;
dried apricots – 2-3 pcs.;
raisins – 10-15 pcs.

Preparation:

Wash dried fruits. Fill with hot water for 5 minutes. Dry and cut.
Combine cottage cheese with eggs and mix well.
Add chopped dried fruits.
Place the mixture in a silicone mold. Bake for about 40 minutes at 200 degrees.

Attention: before serving, the casserole must cool slightly; it is better not to remove it from the pan until this time.

Baked pollock

You will need:

pollock – 2 small carcasses;
lemon – 1/2 pcs.;
olive oil – 2 tbsp. l.;
dried rosemary – 5 g;
salt, pepper, spices for fish - to taste;
greens - for serving.

Preparation:

We clean the fish, remove the fins, tail and entrails. Rinse under running cold water.
Rub the carcasses with spices and sprinkle with rosemary.
Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Make sure that the pollock is well marinated on all sides.
Place the fish on foil and wrap it up. Place in an oven preheated to 150 degrees for a quarter of an hour. Before serving, sprinkle with herbs.

Stewed spinach

You will need:

spinach – 0.5 kg;
leeks – 2 pcs.;
parsley – 1/2 bunch;
olive oil – 3.5 tbsp. l.;
water – 80 ml;
Provençal herbs, garlic, salt - to taste.

Preparation:

Wash the greens. Let's dry.
Cut the onion into thin rings.
Finely chop the parsley.
Heat the oil in a saucepan. Put onions in it. Stirring constantly, fry for 3 minutes.
Now we add spinach leaves to the onion. Pour in warm water. Cover with a lid. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add chopped herbs, chopped garlic (if desired), spices. Cook for a couple more minutes, mixing all ingredients well. After the specified time, the dish is ready.

Broccoli soup

You will need:

broccoli – 150 g;
low-fat cheese – 30 g;
skim milk – 150 ml;
chicken broth – 250 ml;
corn starch – 2 tsp;
onions – 1/4 pcs.;
carrots – 1/2 pcs.

Preparation:

We clean the onion. We chop it up. Sauté in a saucepan or saucepan.
Pour in the liquid ingredients. Cook for 5 minutes.
We dilute the starch in a small amount of water so that lumps do not appear.
Carefully pour the starch water into the milk-broth mixture, stirring constantly.
When the broth begins to thicken, add grated carrots and broccoli. Mix.
After cooking the vegetables, add grated cheese to the soup, remove the pan from the stove, stir for another 5 minutes, and then pour into plates.

Caesar with seafood

You will need:

shrimp – 0.5 kg;
grated parmesan – 1 tbsp. l.;
crackers – 1/2 cup;
lettuce - 1/2 bunch.

For the sauce:

dietary mayonnaise (it is better to prepare it yourself) – 1 tbsp. l.;
water – 1 tbsp. l.;
parmesan – 1 tsp;
black pepper - on the tip of a knife;
garlic – 1 clove.

Preparation:

Boil the shrimp in boiling salted water (just a couple of minutes). Place in a colander.
Pour water into mayonnaise and mix.
Add pepper, finely chopped garlic and Parmesan. Mix. The sauce is ready.
In a salad bowl, mix peeled shrimp and croutons and place it all on lettuce leaves (they must first be torn by hand).
Pour over the sauce and sprinkle with grated cheese.

Menu for the week: 1200 calories per day

In order to save you from this difficult fate of creating the menu yourself, and even counting calories at the same time, we present to you our most effective version of the diet menu for weight loss for 1200 calories per day:

Monday

Breakfast: omelette - 150 g omelette (60 kcal), a cup of coffee with milk (25 kcal);
Second breakfast: apple (50 kcal), 200 ml of natural yogurt (150 kcal);
Lunch: fish soup (100 kcal), sauerkraut salad seasoned with vegetable oil (70 kcal), 150 ml of tomato juice (30 kcal), 50 g of boiled sausage (300 kcal);
Afternoon snack: 150 g low-fat cottage cheese (100 kcal), orange (40 kcal);
Dinner: chamomile tea (15 kcal), 250 g of boiled turkey meat (300 kcal).

Tuesday

boiled egg, toast from black bread and processed cheese, 200 ml of tomato juice - 300 calories;
150 ml of natural yogurt - 100 calories;
vegetable soup cooked in chicken broth - 400 calories;
green tea with a tablespoon of honey - 100 calories;
150 g of boiled chicken meat - 300 kcal.

Wednesday

a glass of fresh orange juice and a bun - 350 kcal;
green tea and apple - 150 kcal;
200 g of baked cod - 300 kcal;
rosehip decoction, apple - 150 kcal;
150 g of buckwheat and 200 g of boiled beef - 250 kcal.

Thursday

oatmeal with dried fruits and a hot drink - 300 kcal;
grapefruit, a glass of low-fat kefir - 200 kcal;
100 g of boiled rice and cucumber and tomato salad - 300 kcal;
toast with cheese - 100 kcal;
200 g of buckwheat and boiled sausage - 300 kcal.

Friday

omelette with vegetables and herbs, fresh orange juice - 300 kcal;
green apple - 100 kcal;
200 g of baked fish with vegetables - 300 kcal;
dried fruit salad, 100 ml low-fat kefir - 200 kcal;
vegetable salad of tomato and cucumber with lemon juice and olive oil - 300 kcal.

Saturday

toast with cheese and ham - 300 calories;
200 ml low-fat yogurt with fruit - 150 kcal;
buckwheat soup with low-fat chicken meatballs - 350 kcal;
orange and green tea - 100 kcal;
salad of carrots, cabbage and cucumbers - 300 kcal.

Sunday

omelette with cheese and sweet pepper - 300 kcal;
citrus smoothie - 250 kcal;
cabbage and broccoli puree soup - 200 kcal;
pear and rosehip decoction - 150 kcal;
lettuce leaves and 100 g of low-fat cottage cheese - 300 kcal.

By following the above calorie diet menu, you will undoubtedly lose weight without causing any harm to your health.

How to get out of a diet

The transition to a normal diet after strict calorie restriction inevitably leads to weight gain. This is why it is very important to get off the calorie diet correctly.

When approaching the calorie intake calculated at the very beginning of the diet, try to increase the portion gradually (literally by 100 kcal per week).
Minimize your consumption of fatty, fried, salty and smoked foods. Avoid fast food, soda, mayonnaise, ketchup and other store-bought sauces.
Follow the drinking regime, namely drink at least 6 glasses of water daily.
Play sports, walk more in the fresh air.
Get enough sleep.

What happens to the body?

In the first days, metabolism is accelerated, producing a huge amount of adrenaline, which allows you to use fatty tissue (precisely intended for a hunger strike) to maintain strength. All this is done so that a person finds a source of food and is able to restore the calorie balance.

All this can last up to a week. During this time, the body leaves the lion's share of salt, fat and muscle tissue. The body optimizes all resources. And yes, you can really lose up to 15 kilograms in a week. In return you have to pay with your health. After all, the body burns out the main energy consumer, “muscle tissue,” which leads to dystrophy.

Actual fat loss is limited to 25% of the total weight lost, which means that immediately after normalization of nutrition, the weight will increase by at least ¾ of what was lost.

In addition, when trying to optimize the body’s resources, the work is disrupted:

Gastrointestinal tract.
Of cardio-vascular system.
Ligamentous apparatus.
Endocrine system.

Each time, diet can lead to irreversible changes.

Product table

Knowing how many calories you need to eat per day to lose weight also means knowing where those calories will come from. First of all, it is protein, which is the most important component of a diet for weight loss.

What does protein do:

maintains muscle mass;
saturates the body;
helps burn calories.

To perform all functions, the body must receive from 0.8 to 1.5 g of protein for every 500 g of a person’s weight.

Which foods contain a lot of protein:

chicken meat, without skin;
all types of fish;
lean beef;
eggs;
beans;
milk;
cheese.

When creating a menu, keep in mind that 1 g of protein contains 4 calories. Many foods contain minimal calories. They can be added to dishes to reduce calories.

Products containing up to 20 kcal:

tomatoes;
radish;
pure water.

Products containing from 20 to 30 kcal:

celery;
bell pepper;
broccoli;
spinach;
eggplant;
pumpkin;
Champignon;
cowberry.

Many products contain from 30 to 50 kcal:

green beans;
zucchini;
strawberry;
watermelon;
curdled milk;
beet;
cranberry;
oranges;
apples;
apricots;
kohlrabi.

When adhering to a deficiency diet, one should not forget about foods containing healthy fats: fish, cottage cheese, egg whites, olive, sunflower, hemp oil, and lean meats. In addition to animal fats, the menu should include foods with vegetable proteins: peas, beans, lentils, soy, nuts, seeds.

Don't forget about cheeses. They should be chosen with medium fat content, and remember that they strengthen the skeletal system, especially white cheeses. If a person is carried away by a sharp reduction in calories, the body responds with hunger and cravings for sweets. You can replace harmful sugars with dark chocolate, dried fruits, cottage cheese with berries, fruit mousses and jellies.

Which cooking method is better?

An important point for gaining harmony is to choose the right method of cooking food. Copious amounts of oil, high-calorie sauces and salt can turn even the most dietary foods into carcinogens.

One way to cook low-calorie dishes that require heat treatment is in a double boiler

There are several cooking methods that are ideal for people losing weight:

Steaming (in a double boiler). The method allows you to preserve the beneficial properties of products. Vegetables, meat or fish will remain juicy, retain their shape and taste.
Stewing food. The method is most suitable for a diet menu. Cook over low heat with a lid to preserve vitamins and microelements. It is better not to bring vegetables to full readiness. The best option for stewing is cooking in a slow cooker.
Baking in the oven . More suitable for vegetables and fish. They need to be cooked in foil so that the beneficial substances do not evaporate under the influence of high temperature.

Meat cooked in the oven is not suitable for those who want to lose extra pounds and eat healthy.

When to expect an effect

Scientific research confirms that weight loss through a calorie deficit will have greater benefits with increased physical activity. Jogging and aerobics have a good effect on fat reserves, causing them to decrease. And by practicing regular cardio-physical training and swimming, a person risks losing not only body fat, but also muscle mass.

In the long term, after 1-1.5 years, a person will lose weight if he sticks to a calorie deficit. But in order to lose weight and maintain it without harming your health, you should create a menu in such a way that there is a balance between healthy foods and those you like.

The goal of any diet, be it strict or based on a calorie deficit, should not be a certain weight and size, but health. If a person sets a goal for himself – losing weight, then he must go towards it gradually, without exceeding the body’s capabilities.

Author: Belyaeva Anna

Salads

Bean and Pepper Salad

Green beans (frozen) – 299 g;
Mild red pepper – 99 g;
soy sauce - 3 tbsp. l.;
lemon juice – 2 tbsp. l.;
crushed garlic – 10 g.

Pour boiling water over the frozen beans and bring to a boil again.
Chop the pepper.
Mash the garlic in a press.
Mix all ingredients and season.

Seafood salad

Sea cocktail (frozen mixture) – 499 g;
cucumber – 1 pc.;
lettuce leaves – 51 g;
olive oil – 2 tbsp. l.;
tomato (vegetable) – 1 pc.;
soy sauce – 2 tbsp. l.

Boil the seafood cocktail and let it cool.
Mix butter and sauce.
Place lettuce leaves on the bottom of the salad bowl.
Cut the tomato and cucumber into strips and place on top of the lettuce leaves. Drizzle a little dressing.
Place seafood cocktail on top of the vegetables, add salt and season with the remaining mixture of butter and sauce.

Fruit dishes for weight loss

Apple and cucumber salad 36 kcal

Another recipe for a low-calorie dish for weight loss is apple and cucumber salad. The indicated calorie content for one serving is 36 kcal. BZHU - 1.2 g; 0.3 g; 6.2 g.

Ingredients for 4 servings:

fresh cucumbers and green apples 0.7 kg each;
yogurt – 0.2 kg;
lemon juice;
salt if desired.

Slice the apples and sprinkle with lemon juice. Chop the cucumbers. Place the ingredients in one bowl, add yogurt and salt. Mix carefully.

Avocado salad 194 kcal

Despite its high nutritional value, avocado salad is healthy. 194 kcal. BZHU – 3.7 g; 15.2 g; 10.9 g.

Compound:

1 avocado;
35 g cheese;
boiled potatoes – 100 g;
dill;
lemon juice;
olive oil;
2 g salt.

Cut the potatoes into cubes, the avocado into slices. Chop the dill and crumble the cheese. Season with salt, add lemon juice and oil. Mix.

Book “Low-calorie desserts”

On our website you can also download the book “Low-calorie desserts” by Alexander Seleznev. He is an excellent pastry chef, as well as a “star guru”. His dishes receive the highest ratings from celebrities. In the book, he compiled a collection of original and at the same time low-calorie desserts that you can treat yourself to on a diet. The book contains many beautiful illustrations that will appeal to every reader. You can download the book “Low-calorie desserts” for free