Health maintenance by caloric restriction is a never-ending trend with both proven effectiveness and medically documented risks. It could be that an avalanche of dietary proposals flickering online is threatening to bury you alive with crippling doubts and uncertainty. Juice cleanses, single-product diets, 700 calorie diets, – the multiplicity of choices can become unbearable, and not to mention the ambiguity surrounding the risks – dangerous. To blast away your extra pounds, you absolutely must look at how to restrict your caloric consumption. Yet there is the question of whether eating 1400 calories a day is healthy or not, and can such a diet truly yields positive benefits for your body along with lowering the numbers on your scales.
In principle, a balanced diet consists of a proper amount of all the essential nutrients which allow your body to perform its functions properly. Putting together a healthy diet for yourself is essential if you want to lose weight, tone up, or only maintain health/avoid health issues in general. Of course, this is even more crucial for those who’ve got certain issues such as digestive problems or PCOS. A healthy diet is definitely strongly connected to the reduction of risk with major health issues, including obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer (8, 7). A balanced diet will boost your energy, smooth your skin, and help maintain a desired weight.
According to the USDA (9), the majority of your daily caloric intake should come from fruits and veggies, as well as low-fat dairy, legumes, nuts, protein (preferably from seafood and plant sources). Obviously, you need to avoid junk food filled with trans fats, artificial sweeteners, and harmful preservatives.
According to the US Department of Health and Human Services (9), an adult woman needs between 1600 and 2000 calories per day to support the correct functioning of her body and avoid any nutrient deficiencies. That means that if you’re an adult woman, a 1400 calorie diet would be slightly below the normal number of calories for your basic proper bodily functions. It is possible to lose weight in a healthy way by consuming 1400 calories a day, but you should carefully design all your meals so as to not to miss out on indispensable nutrients. A deficit of 500 calories per day might yield a healthy 1 pound a week in weight loss.
However, 1400 calories a day might not be enough if you’re engaged in active physical training. If this is the case, you will feel tired and not energized enough while only sticking to 1400 calories, so you should consider upping your intake to nearly 1900 calories. Also, remember that your necessary caloric intake has dependency factors in gender and age too. So, for instance, if you’re an active man who needs 3000 calories per day to sustain normal activity, a 1400 calorie diet will yield a faster loss of weight than if you’re a 50 years old sedentary woman who needs just 1600 calories normally, but a 1400 calorie diet for someone who normally needs 3000 calories may be too low.
Remember that losing more than 2 pounds per week continuously is not recommended, as rapid weight loss is likely to cause muscle loss as well. It is worthy to note that in the first week it’s acceptable to lose more, as this amount will be mostly from water weight.
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Whole grains, which are rich in slow carbs and fiber, will rev up one’s energy as well as assist one in the weight loss process, and in addition reduce cardiovascular risks (10).
Leafy greens like kale, collard, spinach help protect one against heart disease, certain types of cancer, macular degeneration, and type 2 diabetes (4).
Legumes are rich in vegetable protein, and are linked to a reduction in the risk of heart disease, lowered blood pressure, and reduced cholesterol levels (3)
Nuts such as almonds and walnuts have a beneficial effect on your whole body and are a source of polyunsaturated fatty acids omega-6 and omega-3. They promote a healthy heart, the strengthening of your bones, and even the protection against diabetes and cancer (2).
Dairy products: natural yogurt without sugar, kefir, and low-fat cottage cheese can provide the calcium essential for healthy bones and strong teeth. They also improve the functioning of the digestive tract.
Read More: Milk Diet For Weight Loss: Will The Weight Drop Away?
Ocean fish contain proteins and essential omega-3 fatty acids. Seafood has been shown to help maintain one’s eyesight, smooth the skin, boost the intellectual performance, and lower the risk of depression (5).
Fruits and berries are known to be storehouses of vitamins – they can help smooth your skin, and protect your body from inflammation flare-ups and a number of diseases.
Here is a sample meal plan if you’re ready to consume 1400 calories a day safely and effectively (1).
The pace at which you consume your food has a strong influence on your success with weight loss. Yes, sometimes there’s just no time for a prolonged meal, but remember that fast eating may be associated with a higher BMI (6). When you eat too fast your brain has no time to signal you that you’re now full, so you’ll usually go on consuming much more than you really need at any one sitting. Eating slowly on your 1400 calories a day will help you successfully achieve your weight loss goals. A definite plus, you’ll come to enjoy the taste and flavor of your meals.
Water is an indispensable factor in your overall health and will help you with weight loss as well. Drinking a glass of water before your meal will assist you in eating less and feeling full faster. Opt for a sipping freshly squeezed lemon water to amplify your results.
It is incredibly important to drink enough water. Water, not the sugary beverages kind or juices, mind you. While juices are widely considered healthy, they’re often not that at all. Many of the packaged versions of juices are routinely made of hydrated concentrates and normally contain loads of highly refined sugars which might spike your blood sugar levels and wreak your overall dietary plan. So with that being said consume your fruits in their whole form, or at least squeeze them out as needed from your own kitchen.
To sum up, a 1400 calorie diet is a viable option if you’re an adult woman wishing to steadily lose some pounds. You can safely stick to this number of calories as long as you want, provided that your menu is balanced and contains no harmful foods.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any medical conditions. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!