500-Calorie Meal Plan: Is This Eating Plan Worth It for Weight Loss?

Generally, a 500-calorie meal plan isn’t something anyone, regardless of age, sex, or level of physical activity, would be recommended to follow. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020 – 2025, the least amount of calories a person can consume a day is 800 calories – and that’s for babies aged 12 months (1).

Clearly, if even infants shouldn’t eat only 500 kcals a day, surely adults shouldn’t try it. However, even the strictest of rules can have exceptions. For people doing the intermittent fasting (IF) 5:2 diet, surviving on 500 calories a day for women and 600 calories a day for men – twice a week – is something that is required.

Read on to learn more about this diet and how to do it safely.

What Is a Good 500-Calorie Meal Plan?

A good 500-calorie meal plan is made up of healthy whole foods. The ingredients that make up meals for such a meal plan should come from healthy fats, lean animal or plant-based proteins, and whole grains. You should also try to consume lots of fruits and vegetables for extra antioxidants and fiber.

Is a 500-Calorie Meal Plan Safe?

There isn’t a straight yes or no answer to this as the safety of such a meal plan depends on how it’s done. 

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When the 500-Calorie Meal Plan Is Bad for You

If you plan on only consuming 500 calories a day for 7 days a week, then such a diet isn’t safe for you. 

According to the Dietary Guidelines, based on the level of daily physical activity, adult men and women should consume around 2,000 to 3,000 calories and 1,600 to 2,400 calories a day, respectively (1). When it comes to weight loss, researchers recommend that you only cut 500 to 750 calories from your average everyday calorie intake (2).

Taking these two expert and scientific statements into consideration, it can be seen that consuming 500 calories a day is too low an energy intake. Research and experts state that eating too few calories can lead to eating disorders and cause side effects such as malnutrition, reduced immunity, unexplained fatigue, hair loss, and infertility (3, 4).

That being said, there are times when consuming 500 calories a day could be beneficial for you. 

Is 1,500 calories enough? Check out this article to learn more.

When the 500-Calorie Meal Plan for Weight Loss Can Be Good for You

The 5:2 diet is one of the many variations of the intermittent fasting diet. The rules of this eating plan are very simple in that you’re allowed to eat as you normally would on 5 of the 7 days of the week without thinking about restricting your calorie intake. 

However, twice a week – preferably on non-consecutive days – you’re required to severely restrict your calorie intake. Men are allowed to consume up to 600 kcal, while women are limited to an intake of 500 kcal. While following these guidelines is quite restrictive, studies on this 5:2 intermittent fasting meal plan have shown that it can have positive effects:

1. In a randomized controlled trial published in late 2021, researchers found that subjects who followed this eating plan for a whole year lost weight and rated this eating plan very highly as a weight loss plan (5).
2. In another study published in Nutrients, researchers took Chinese overweight subjects and divided them into three groups – 5:2 intermittent fasting, daily calorie restriction, and daily calorie restriction with meal replacement. The subjects were asked to follow the dietary guidelines for each group they were in for 12 weeks. After the 12-week study period, researchers found that the 5:2 intermittent fasting dieters lost the most amount of weight in all of the subjects. It should also be noted that none of the participants, regardless of group, reported any serious adverse events from their diet (6).
3. In another study published in late 2022 in the Clinical Nutrition ESPEN journal, researchers found that when men and women were placed on this eating plan, the 5:2 diet enabled them to significantly reduce their overall energy intake and lose weight in just 28 days. However, despite these benefits, researchers also noted that on the days after fasting days, subjects would eat a lot more calories than on normal eating days, perhaps as a way of compensating for the fasting day (7).
4. In a more recent study published in the JAMA Network, researchers found that the 5:2 diet was good for overweight and obese subjects who were diagnosed with early type 2 diabetes. Researchers conducted their experiment for 16 weeks and after the study period, they found that the group of subjects who did the 5:2 diet had better glycemic outcomes and weight loss results than subjects who were under typical type 2 diabetes medication. This led researchers to conclude that this type of diet could be used as a short-term intervention option for early type 2 diabetes management (8).

From these studies, it can be seen that a simple 500-calorie meal plan may be good for your health and weight loss efforts, but only when it is followed as part of the 5:2 diet.

Read more: Processed Or Ultra-Processed Foods? A Guide To Smart Eating Options

How Long Is It Safe to Stay on a 500-Calorie Meal Plan?

It’s not safe at all to try and live on just 500 calories a day. 

A 500-calorie meal plan can be referred to as a very low-calorie meal plan and according to research, while such diets can result in rapid weight loss, the weight loss in question generally isn’t sustainable in the long-term. Such diets also put you at a higher risk of muscle loss and gallstones, which can lead to malnutrition, fatigue, constipation, nausea, and diarrhea (9, 10, 11).

However, if the 500-calorie meals are consumed as part of the 5:2 IF diet, then it may be a little safer. While there are no guidelines to say for how long you should follow the 5:2 eating plan, from the studies presented previously, it can be seen that subjects were able to survive on this meal plan for 3 months to up to a year and even experience positive health and weight loss benefits.

Check out this article to learn what happens if you only eat one meal a day.

What Food Equals 500 Calories?

It depends on what kind of food you’re looking at. In terms of fast foods, most burgers, and small fries orders from fast food chain restaurants will come up to around 500 kcals. 

It’s important to remember that while these options are certainly delicious, they’re mostly made up of low-quality foods with empty calories and trans fats, which increase the risk of being overweight and provide the body with few nutrients. This means you’ll feel hungry again quite soon after consuming them.

Check out this article to find out if there are workouts that burn 1,000 calories for quick weight loss.

How to Eat 500 Calories a Day and Feel Full

Truthfully, there’s no way for you to feel full on just 500 calories a day. However, there are some things you can do to attempt to minimize hunger pangs, including:

• Drink Lots of Water and Unsweetened Coffee/Tea

Many people who do intermittent fasting usually survive on these drinks till the eating window opens. Not only does the lack of calories not break a fast, it’s also a good way to keep you hydrated.

• Opt for a 500-Calorie Meal Plan High-Protein Diet

Whether you have one meal that equates to 500 calories or find a way to break these calories down into smaller meals, it’s best to eat as much protein as possible. 

Research has shown that protein and a higher protein intake can increase the feeling of fullness (12, 13), which can help you manage your hunger till you’re back to eating normally.

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• More Fiber

While the research findings on the effects of fiber and satiety remain conflicting – some research states that fiber can increase the feelings of satiety while others say that fiber has no effect (14, 15). Along with eating high-protein 500-calorie meals, you should try to have some dietary fiber in these meals too.

What Meals Can I Cook on 500 Calories a Day?

Here’s a 2-day meal plan to show you what you can cook and eat with just 500 kcal a day:

Day 1

On this day, you’ll only be having 2 meals. You can skip breakfast and just have water and unsweetened coffee/tea until lunchtime:

Lunch – Oven Baked Feta with Bell Peppers and Chickpeas

Ingredients 

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 ¼ tsp za’atar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp Aleppo pepper
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• 2 colored bell peppers cut into 2-inch squares
• 1 medium red onion, halved and sliced ¼-inch thick
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes halves
• 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed
• 1 (6-ounce) block feta cheese, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Start by preheating the oven to 425°F (218°C).
2. In a small bowl, combine the oil, 2 tsp of za’atar, garlic powder, Aleppo pepper and salt.
3. Place the bell peppers, onion, tomatoes, and chickpeas on a lined baking tray, then pour over the mixture you made in step 2.
4. Toss the vegetables till the mixture coats all the vegetables well.
5. Make a space in the middle of the baking tray and place the cut-up cheese pieces in the space. Pour the last ¼ tsp of za’atar on the feta.
6. Put the tray in the oven and allow it to bake. At the 10-minute mark, stir the vegetables without touching the feta.
7. Allow to bake for another 10 minutes before taking it out of the oven. Serve immediately.

This recipe makes 4 servings (16).

Calories for 1 serving: 292, Fats: 6 g, Carbs: 27 g, Protein: 14 g

Dinner – Bean and Feta Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

• 4 red bell peppers, halved and deseeded
• 400 g can beans, drained, rinsed
• 2 tomatoes, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 zucchini, finely chopped
• 3 green shallots, thinly sliced
• 80 g feta, crumbled
• 40 g pitted and chopped kalamata olives
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tsp finely grated lemon rind
• 200 g grape tomatoes, halved
• 100 g baby rocket
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Line a baking sheet and place the peppers on it. Put the tray and peppers in the oven and allow to roast for 10 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, add the beans, chopped tomato, zucchini, green shallot, feta, olives, parsley, and lemon rind and toss until combined.
4. Take the peppers out of the oven, drain any liquid from them, and stuff them with the ingredients from step 3.
5. Put back in the oven and allow to bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
6. In a small bowl, make a tomato salad with halved tomatoes, baby rocket, and vinegar.
7. Once the peppers are cooked, serve with the tomato salad.

This makes 4 servings (17).

Calories for 1 serving: 202, Fats: 7.7 g, Carbs: 22.9 g, Protein: 10.9 g

Total Intake for the Day: Calories: 494, Fats: 13.7 g, Carbs: 49.4 g, Protein: 24.9 g

Day 2

If for whatever reason you don’t consume meat, here’s what a full-day 500-calorie meal plan vegetarian diet could look like. Note that breakfast is also not an option on this day.

Lunch – Cabbage Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 8 cups sliced cabbage
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp minced chiles in adobo sauce
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 4 cups water
• 2 (15 ounces) cans of low-sodium pinto or black beans, rinsed
• ¾ tsp salt
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for serving
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• Diced avocado for garnish

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large pot then add the onions, carrot, celery, pepper, and garlic. Stir to combine and cover the pot.
2. Allow these to cook while stirring occasionally until the ingredients become soft. Once softened, add your tomato paste, chiles, cumin, and coriander. Stir to combine and allow to cook for another minute.
3. Add the broth, water, beans, and salt, then cover the pot and bring everything to a boil over high heat.
4. Once boiling, reduce the heat, uncover the pot slightly, and let the pot simmer for approximately 10 minutes.
5. Take off the heat, stir in the lime and cilantro, and serve with a garnish of diced avocado.

This makes 8 servings (18).

Calories for 1 serving: 167, Fats: 4 g, Carbs: 27 g, Protein: 7 g

Dinner – Rice with Baked Aubergine

Ingredients

• 2 aubergines – halved lengthways
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 ½ tbsp white miso
• 1 tbsp mirin
• ½ tbsp honey
• 250 g cooked brown rice
• 2 tsp sesame seeds
• 2 spring onions – finely sliced

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Score the aubergine flesh in a deep criss-cross pattern and brush it with sesame oil.
3. Place the aubergines cut side down on a lined baking sheet and place them in the oven, allowing them to cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, combine your miso, mirin, honey, and 1 tbsp water. Take the aubergines out of the oven, turn them cut side up, and brush this mixture on them.
5. Put the aubergines back in the oven and let them cook for another 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Turn the grill on to high and grill the vegetables for 5 minutes.
7. Remove and serve over some warm rice with a garnish of spring onions and sesame seeds.

This makes 2 servings (19).

Calories for 1 serving: 339, Fats: 10 g, Carbs: 48 g, Protein: 9 g

Total Intake for the Day: Calories: 506, Fats: 14 g, Carbs: 75 g, Protein: 16 g

Read more: How To Improve Metabolic Flexibility?

Frequently Asked Questions

• What snack is 500 calories?

There are many unassuming snacks that are around 500 calories. However, if you’d like healthy snacks that are close to this number, protein snacks are a great option. Avocado toast, yogurt with nuts or dried fruit, or 2 cups of fortified milk are a good place to start (20).

• How many eggs are 500 calories?

According to the FDC, one whole boiled or poached egg contains 71.5 kcal. Therefore, to consume 500 calories from boiled eggs, you would need to eat around 7 eggs (21). Remember, how you make the egg changes the calorie count. For example, making the same egg with butter makes a single egg 106 kcal, which means you’d need to consume slightly fewer than 5 eggs to reach 500 calories (22).

• What does 500 calories of potatoes look like?

This depends on the size of the potato. For example, 1 boiled medium-sized potato (170 g) is 214 kcal, which means you need to eat 2.3 potatoes to reach 500 kcal. On the other hand, 1 boiled baby potato (60g) is 75.6 kcal, which means you need to eat 6.6 potatoes to consume 500 kcals (23).

• How much rice is 500 calories?

According to the FDC, 1 cup (158 g) of cooked rice is 204 kcal (24). This means that you need to eat 2.5 cups of rice to consume 500 calories.

The Bottom Line

As previously stated, a 500-calorie meal plan isn’t something you should aim to follow if you want to lose weight. This energy intake is too little and will only cause more harm than good to your health and body. It’s best to cut 500 kcal to 750 kcal from your average daily calorie intake as this will lead to weight loss without the unwanted side effects.

However, if you’re doing the 5:2 intermittent fasting eating plan, as a woman, consuming 500 calories on non-consecutive days is required while men require 600 calories. On such days, try to keep your diet as clean as possible by only consuming whole foods, eating more protein-rich meals, and staying hydrated. This will help with satiety to help you withstand hunger.