1250 Calorie Diet

Limiting calories is an effective diet strategy, and studies have shown that limiting calories can even help you live longer. Capping your intake at 1250 means that you must make each calorie count.

Calorie Distribution

The majority of our daily calories come in the form of fat, carbohydrates, and protein. Each of these nutrients has an important part in the proper functioning of the body and mind. While 1250 calories a day will help you lose weight, appropriate distribution of calories consumed is the key to staying healthy as well. Aim for the following distribution:
Fewer than 375 calories (30%) from fat
625 to 750 calories (50-60%) from carbohydrates
125 to 250 calories (10-20%) from protein.
This ratio will ensure that you are getting enough energy in the right forms for your body and mind to function optimally.

Foods to Enjoy Freely

The key to a 1250 calorie diet is to avoid feeling hungry. Raw vegetables are the best foods to help fill you up without decimating your allotted calories for the day. Keep cut vegetables such as carrot sticks, snap peas, radishes, and cucumber slices handy so that when you are looking for a snack they are ready to eat. These vegetables have less than twenty calories per cup and offer enough flavor to forgo dressing. If dressing is a must for you, enjoy a low calorie version of your favorite and watch your serving size carefully. Fruits such as apples, blueberries, grapes, kiwi and bananas are great for staving off hunger, as well as satisfying a sugar craving. These fruits contain up to 100 calories per serving, so be a bit more judicious with your consumption than with vegetables.

Foods to Consume with Caution

Many foods consumed for convenience have more calories than you may realize. Read the label of any processed or ready-to-eat food very carefully before purchasing it. Be aware of how many servings are in a package. The calorie count might look great, but if you are under the impression that a three-serving package contains one serving, you will consume three times more calories than you think. Also pay close attention to where these calories are coming from. Remember the calorie distribution goals and consider what other foods you have eaten or will eat throughout the day. It is often easier and more reliable in the end to make your own salad or stir-fry at home. In addition to calories hidden in multiple servings, be aware of the calories in fat-free foods. Many fat-free foods, especially desserts, have more sugar to add flavor. Sugar is fat free, but the calories add up quickly. A fat-free food may actually end up with more calories than its full-fat counterpart.

Foods to Avoid

In a 1250 calorie diet, there simply is no room for some foods. The majority of fast food is out of the question. A simple burger and fries can easily contain more than your allotted calories for the day. Add a shake or a large soda and you could be done for two days. Alcohol is another castaway of the 1250 calorie diet. Alcohol offers no nutritional benefit and can contain hundreds of calories. When every calorie has to count, alcohol must be avoided. Also avoid foods that are high in sugar. Like alcohol, sugar has little to offer nutritionally but quickly ups the calorie count in food. Focus on other more efficient carbohydrates like beans, vegetables, and whole grains.

Sample Plan a 1250 Calorie Day

Breakfast: One warmed croissant with two teaspoons jam (250 calories)
Lunch: Two ounces lean roast beef with one small jacket potato, lettuce salad and two tablespoons fat-free dressing (350 calories)
Dinner: Slice 1/2 green pepper and 1/2 red pepper. Place on a piece of foil with 1 raw salmon steak. Add some lemon juice and black pepper, fold up the foil and bake until the fish is cooked. Serve with 4 boiled new potatoes, cooked in their skins, and vegetables. (400 calories)
Snack: One small banana and one small apple (150 calories)
Beverage: One cup skim milk (100 calories)