If you have tried every diet under the moon, stars and sun then
you may fancy throwing caution to the wind and looking at the
500-Calorie diet... as thousands of people have already done.
But there are some things that you should consider first, before trying the 500 calorie diet. Otherwise, you may be doing your medium-term dieting goals more harm than good. Of all the low-calorie diets on the 'weight-loss market' today, the 500-calorie diet is one of the lowest.
So! What's a '500 calorie a day diet'? It is an extreme low-calorie diet - which means any diet plan in which you eat less than 1200 calories in a single day. As you can see 500 is very low indeed. A low-calorie diet is only generally used by people as part of another, longer-term diet to lose more unwanted fat quickly or as a booster to speed up weight loss that has started to peter out. This short-term attitude is simply because a 500 calorie diet is quite an extreme undertaking and can have adverse health consequences if used carelessly. Also, if used wrongly, a 500 calorie per day diet, or any indeed any other form of very low-calorie diet, may make you put on more weight! So take a look at the following:
As nearly all dieters know, getting rid of unwanted weight is only a question of burning more calories than you consume. But, a diet plan that is too low in calories for your body's everyday needs can actually shock it into what is called a 'starvation mode'. When the human body feels that it is lacking in energy (calories) it will change its metabolic rate and turn to seeking different sources of energy. This can cause your body to start to use up its own muscle mass.
Getting rid of excesses weight means that you actually need to increase muscle to burn more calories. So 'starvation mode' is to be avoided at all costs. If there are no food reserves to take energy from and you actually start burning muscle, this will cause you to slow down your energy burning capacity and stop losing weight - and, worse, burning muscles can have other serious health risks attached.
So if you are adamant about going on such a low calorie diet then it is recommended that you check your diet plans with a professional nutritionist or dietitian before going ahead.
500 calories per day may be enough for certain people. It depends on:
- Activity level (sports, work, lifestyle etc)
- Overall well being and general level of health
- Gender (women generally use less calories so need less unless breast-feeding or pregnant)
- Height (and, to a certain extent, skeletal build and body type)
If you do have an overweight problem at present, then eating only 500 calories a day will tend to make your body feel like it's being starved. Most people who are overweight are more than likely accustomed to ingesting more than 2250 calories in a single day - even 5500 or more. A rapid reduction to only 500 calories will cause an unwanted starvation mode. The metabolism will slow down to try and conserve energy and the muscle mass will be burnt away.
It's far better and healthier in terms of weight loss to gradually train your body to get used to fewer calories. Another problem with 500 calories per day is once you have started it you have to stay on it! Because if, like so many other people, you are unfortunate enough to have lapsed or even if you are successful, and you then go back to consuming your previous high levels of calories, you may experience a sudden and unwelcome increase in weight. The sad thing is that this increase in weight gain will usually be greater than if you had not embarked on the 500 calorie diet in the first place.
Is there any answer?
Instead of thinking 'I'm only allowed 500 calories per day', think in reverse, like 'I'll reduce my calorie intake by 500 calories per day'. This is the route to permanent, steady and healthy weight loss because there will be much less disruption to the metabolism. You can calculate the ideal intake of calories for your body with a 'body mass calculator'. This tells you the quantity of calories with which you will stay at the weight you are without having to increase your activity. When you've calculated the figure, subtract 500 calories, and the result is how many calories you should eat each day for steady weight loss while keeping your metabolism high enough and your body in good health.
Any 500 calorie diet can be risky unless you plan it well and you should get medical approval before starting. Better ways of losing weight rapidly involve reducing your current calorie intake by 500 calories each day - and then, when your metabolism has acclimatised to fewer calories, you can accelerate your weight loss by spending a short time on the 500-calorie diet - no more than a few days so as to avoid the problems mentioned above.
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http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tiggy_Max
But there are some things that you should consider first, before trying the 500 calorie diet. Otherwise, you may be doing your medium-term dieting goals more harm than good. Of all the low-calorie diets on the 'weight-loss market' today, the 500-calorie diet is one of the lowest.
So! What's a '500 calorie a day diet'? It is an extreme low-calorie diet - which means any diet plan in which you eat less than 1200 calories in a single day. As you can see 500 is very low indeed. A low-calorie diet is only generally used by people as part of another, longer-term diet to lose more unwanted fat quickly or as a booster to speed up weight loss that has started to peter out. This short-term attitude is simply because a 500 calorie diet is quite an extreme undertaking and can have adverse health consequences if used carelessly. Also, if used wrongly, a 500 calorie per day diet, or any indeed any other form of very low-calorie diet, may make you put on more weight! So take a look at the following:
As nearly all dieters know, getting rid of unwanted weight is only a question of burning more calories than you consume. But, a diet plan that is too low in calories for your body's everyday needs can actually shock it into what is called a 'starvation mode'. When the human body feels that it is lacking in energy (calories) it will change its metabolic rate and turn to seeking different sources of energy. This can cause your body to start to use up its own muscle mass.
Getting rid of excesses weight means that you actually need to increase muscle to burn more calories. So 'starvation mode' is to be avoided at all costs. If there are no food reserves to take energy from and you actually start burning muscle, this will cause you to slow down your energy burning capacity and stop losing weight - and, worse, burning muscles can have other serious health risks attached.
So if you are adamant about going on such a low calorie diet then it is recommended that you check your diet plans with a professional nutritionist or dietitian before going ahead.
500 calories per day may be enough for certain people. It depends on:
- Activity level (sports, work, lifestyle etc)
- Overall well being and general level of health
- Gender (women generally use less calories so need less unless breast-feeding or pregnant)
- Height (and, to a certain extent, skeletal build and body type)
If you do have an overweight problem at present, then eating only 500 calories a day will tend to make your body feel like it's being starved. Most people who are overweight are more than likely accustomed to ingesting more than 2250 calories in a single day - even 5500 or more. A rapid reduction to only 500 calories will cause an unwanted starvation mode. The metabolism will slow down to try and conserve energy and the muscle mass will be burnt away.
It's far better and healthier in terms of weight loss to gradually train your body to get used to fewer calories. Another problem with 500 calories per day is once you have started it you have to stay on it! Because if, like so many other people, you are unfortunate enough to have lapsed or even if you are successful, and you then go back to consuming your previous high levels of calories, you may experience a sudden and unwelcome increase in weight. The sad thing is that this increase in weight gain will usually be greater than if you had not embarked on the 500 calorie diet in the first place.
Is there any answer?
Instead of thinking 'I'm only allowed 500 calories per day', think in reverse, like 'I'll reduce my calorie intake by 500 calories per day'. This is the route to permanent, steady and healthy weight loss because there will be much less disruption to the metabolism. You can calculate the ideal intake of calories for your body with a 'body mass calculator'. This tells you the quantity of calories with which you will stay at the weight you are without having to increase your activity. When you've calculated the figure, subtract 500 calories, and the result is how many calories you should eat each day for steady weight loss while keeping your metabolism high enough and your body in good health.
Any 500 calorie diet can be risky unless you plan it well and you should get medical approval before starting. Better ways of losing weight rapidly involve reducing your current calorie intake by 500 calories each day - and then, when your metabolism has acclimatised to fewer calories, you can accelerate your weight loss by spending a short time on the 500-calorie diet - no more than a few days so as to avoid the problems mentioned above.