The 1000 Calories A Day Diet: 5 Meal Plan Variations

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JOE JOHNSON

Weight Loss Coach and Owner at 9 To 5 Nutrition

Joe is an online weight loss coach, certified nutritionist and qualified personal trainer who helps busy, lawyers, marketers and accountants lose weight and keep it off forever.

He specialises in working with people that have busy lives and don't necessarily have time to exercise and cook complex nutritious meals. Having had a 9-5 desk-job, Joe understands the struggles of juggling a hectic life with trying to maintain a good physique.

Joe has helped over 100 professionals lose weight and feel better about themselves using simple, repeatable daily habits and an easy-to-use spreadsheet to track everything.

Joe has also been quoted on several respected sites including Nike, Live Science and Health.com.

While Joe mainly works online these days, he also offers 1-2-1 personal training sessions across Sussex and Surrey.

If you want to know more, check out the about page, or get in touch

Latest posts by JOE JOHNSON (see all)

• How To Lose 1kg a Week (Guaranteed) - August 20, 2023
• How To Count Calories (or Estimate) and Stay on Track When Eating Out at Restaurants - July 25, 2023
• How To Create a Calorie Deficit Without Exercise? - June 11, 2023

You’re probably familiar with meal plans now.

They’re pre-planned lists of specific calorie deficit foods and meals to eat on specific days.

Most people that want to lose weight will automatically assume they need a meal plan, but that’s not the case.

There are no ‘magic’ foods that will help you lose weight, and there are no foods that are inherently ‘bad’ that will stop you from losing weight (or make you gain weight)

In fact, most people are much better off NOT eating to a plan, and instead eating in the way they normally would, but within a certain calorie target.

The reason for this is that if you use a meal plan to lose weight, when you HAVE lost the weight, you won’t have taught yourself how to eat OUTSIDE the confines of a meal plan.

This might mean that you simply go back to how you were eating before and gain all the weight back.

Having said that, there are some advantages to following a meal plan

Pros of following a meal plan:

• Reduces decision fatigue: you don’t have to think about what meals to make each day, you could even prep them in advance then just reheat and eat

• Nutrient density: it you’re eating ad-hoc it can be easy to miss out on vital nutrients like protein and vitamin c, with a meal plan you can make sure all of this is accounted for, so all of your bases are covered, all of teh time

• Reduces waste: If you know exactly what you’re eating, and how much of it you’re eating, you’ll cut down on waste which is great for the environment and your pocket

Cons of following a meal plan:

• Lack of variety: Most of the time when you follow a meal lan you’ll be eating the same foods day after day. Some people don’t care about this, but if you value variety, a meal plan might not be for you

• Overly restrictive: Most meal plans (especially 1,000 calorie meal plans) won’t include ‘fun’ foods that most people love, stuff like wine, beer, chocolate pizza and ice cream, so if you’re going to successfully adhere to a meal plan, you need to understand that there’s no room to fit these things int your diet

• No appreciation of calorie balance: If you eat to a meal plan, you probably won’t understand how calories work. This won’t help you at all when you finish your diet and stop eating to a set meal plan

If you still want to lose weight using a meal plan, then here are a few different examples for you.

🧆 Standard/Traditional 1,000 Calorie-a-Day Meal Plans

These meal plans will suit people that don’t have any specific dietary requirements, and contain a good balance of protein, carbs and fat

Example 1

Example 2

🍳Vegetarian 1,000 Calorie-A-Day Meal Plans

Vegetarian meal plans don’t include any meat or fish, but protein can still be derived from eggs, cheese, milk and tofu.

Example 1:

Example 2:

🍏 Vegan 1,000 Calorie-A-Day Meal Plan

Vegan meal plans don’t include any animal products AT ALL. This makes it very difficult to get adequate amounts and quality of protein, so if you’re aiming to build muscle, a vegan meal plan probably isn’t your best option

Example 1:

Example 2:

🥑 Keto 1,000 Calorie-a-Day Meal Plan

The Keto diet essentially outlaws carbs; this means that you’ll be eating mostly protein and fats if you’re on Keto. Remember; Keto isn’t necessary for fat loss, all you need to do is create a calorie deficit, and you can do that by eating carbs

Example 1:

Example 2:

🍗 High Protein 1,000 Calorie Meal Plan

If you’re looking to build muscle, you’ll need to eat a good amount of protein regularly throughout the day. 1,000 calories likely won’t be enough to support muscle growth, so the best you can probably hope for is muscle maintenance

Example 1:

Example 2:

FAQs

What Should You Eat if You’re On 1,000 Calories per Day?

1000 calories per day, is REALLY low, so it’s important to choose foods that are low in calorie density, meaning they have fewer calories per gram of food. 

This allows you to consume larger volumes (weight) of food hile keeping calories to an absolute minimum.

Prioritise these types of foods

1. Vegetables: Non-starch, fibrous vegetables like leafy greens (spinach, kale, lettuce), broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, cucumbers, and zucchini 

2.  Fruits: Opt for fruits that are lower in natural sugars and therefore calories such as berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries), watermelon, cantaloupe, and citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits. Try to avoid tropical fruits like Pineapple, Mango and Banana

3. Lean Proteins: Include lean protein sources like skinless chicken breast, turkey breast, white fish (such as cod, tilapia, or salmon), tofu, and low-fat dairy products (Greek yogurt, cottage cheese) to help keep you full and maintain muscle mass.

4. Egg whites: Eggs are a good source of high-quality protein and healthy fats, however fat is something you want to avoid if you’re only 1000 calories a day, so stick to just the whites

5. Legumes: Beans, lentils, and chickpeas are low in calories and high in fiber and protein. They make a great alternative to higher-calorie carbs like pasta and rice

6. Low-Fat Dairy: Opt for low-fat or skim milk, yogurt, and cheese to get essential nutrients like calcium and protein while keeping the calorie count in check.

How Much Weight Will I Lose If I Eat 1,000 Calories A Day?

This all depends on your current weight and therefore your TDEE.

Let’s say you 2,000 calories a day on average.

If you were to eat 1,000 calories a day, that would mean you’d be a 1,000-calorie deficit each day, or a 7,000-calorie deficit over a week.

This means you’d lose 2 lbs of fat per week or just under 1kg.

So if you ate 1,000 calories a day for 12 weeks (3 months), you’d lose 24lbs (12kg)

Is it Safe to Eat 1,000 Calories a Day?

Again this is highly dependant on the individual.

If you have a sedentary job and you’re already a very light person, you’ll probably feel ok eating 1,000 calories a day.

If however, you are heavier and you have an active job, or play sports or go the gym, 1,000 calories is OT going to be enough to fuel your daily activities.

My philosophy is that you’d diet on as high a calorie amount as possible, so if you can lose weight on 2000 calories a day, definitely do that!