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For those who need fewer calories, a 1,calorie diet may be safe and effective for weight loss. A person may need more calories than others if they are male, very active, pregnant or nursing, or have a certain medical condition.

This article explains the safety and effectiveness of a 1,calorie diet for weight loss, including meal ideas and frequently asked questions. The average adult needs 1,—3, calories daily to sustain their body weight. When someone consumes fewer calories than they need, the body begins to shed weight.

It does this first by burning fat and eventually other tissue, including muscle. Most people need significantly more than 1, calories a day. Therefore, individuals who cut their daily intake to 1, calories can expect to lose some weight.

This can be beneficial for people with overweight or obesity. The National Institute on Aging highlights research that suggests that low calorie diets may offer additional health benefits. In animal studies, lower-calorie diets helped animals live longer and reduced the risk of diseases such as cancer.

However, further studies are necessary. Not all research on animals applies to humans. Other factors may also be responsible for improved health, such as the specific foods people eat when following a low calorie diet.

A review suggests that other factors contribute to weight management, such as meal timing and the type of food a person eats. Some research also notes that weight loss is about more than the calories a person consumes and burns. The body may change the rate at which it burns calories depending on how many calories a person eats.

Therefore, an individual on a 1,calorie diet may burn fewer of them. This can slow weight loss. It is possible that some people might not lose any weight or will need to remain on a restricted calorie diet for a significant time before experiencing results.

Weight loss will also vary between people. For some people, an alternative approach, such as getting more exercise or consuming less sugar , might be a more suitable option. It is more difficult to get essential macronutrients , such as proteins and fats , and micronutrients, including vitamins and minerals, on a low calorie diet.

Therefore, it is important to read nutritional labels and talk with a healthcare professional before trying this method of eating. A dietitian can help people create a personalized eating plan. A 1,calorie diet can potentially be unhealthy for some people.

For example, someone who receives all their calories from sweetened cereal, potato chips, or cookies may experience malnourishment. A major risk of long-term calorie restriction is malnutrition.

This can affect the body in the following ways:. People on a 1,calorie diet need to eat nutrient-dense food to avoid feeling hungry and prevent malnourishment.

Lean proteins tend to be very dense in nutrients and low in calories. By contrast, white carbohydrates , such as white bread, contain more calories and fewer nutrients. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute provides menu plans and other information about which foods to choose when following a 1,calorie diet.

Following a 1,calorie diet does not necessarily mean a person has to avoid any specific foods entirely. Allowing an occasional small treat may make it easier to stick to this restrictive diet. However, very high calorie foods, such as large muffins or slices of cake, can make it difficult to stay under 1, calories for the day while maintaining nutritional needs.

Eliminating empty calories from the diet can free up more space for treats. Some sources of empty calories include:. A calorie deficit is one of the most important factors for weight loss.

However, other factors, such as meal timing and the type of food someone eats, will also contribute to weight loss. Weight loss may not happen the same way for every person.

Some people may lose weight faster than others or benefit from different methods. It may also be difficult to consume all necessary nutrients on very low calorie diets.

People can work with a healthcare professional to ensure they are eating a balanced diet while still achieving a safe calorie deficit. Reducing the number of calories a person consumes can help them lose weight.

However, the make-up of those calories matters a lot. It's important to adhere to USDA dietary guidelines to ensure you're still getting adequate nutrition for a well-balanced, healthy diet. While proponents of low-calorie diets claim that it will lead to increased weight loss, research shows that maintaining an optimal intake of vitamins and minerals during severe calorie restriction is not feasible for most people.

If developed with balanced nutrition in mind and followed correctly, there are no common health risks associated with a low-calorie diet. However, following a low-calorie diet that focuses on an eating schedule is the opposite of mindful or intuitive eating , which is often an effective strategy for health, weight loss, and weight maintenance.

Additionally, not listening to your internal hunger cues can be problematic for those who have had an eating disorder or are at risk for developing one due to factors such as body image issues.

The low-calorie diet is only as safe and effective as the person following it. Those who use this diet need to get good advice from their healthcare provider or a registered dietician and adhere to that advice carefully.

Very low-calorie diets, even though they sound similar, are quite different because they are prescribed by a doctor and you do not consume any food, only meal replacements. Consuming fewer calories than you burn is an effective way to lose weight, but following a low-calorie diet is not necessarily simple or easy.

Do your research ahead of time and speak to a doctor or nutritionist to help you get started. This will boost your chances of weight loss success in a safe manner. While we do not endorse fad diet trends or unsustainable weight loss methods, we present the facts so you can make an informed decision that works best for your nutritional needs, genetic blueprint, budget, and goals.

Exercise, sleep, and other lifestyle factors also play a major role in your overall health. The best diet is always the one that is balanced and fits your lifestyle. Metabolic slowing and reduced oxidative damage with sustained caloric restriction support the rate of living and oxidative damage theories of aging.

Cell Metab. Department of Health and Human Services. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. American Academy of Family Physicians. Nutrition: Keeping a food diary. What you should know before you start a weight-loss plan. Cleveland Clinic. Harvard Medical School. Carbohydrates: Good or bad for you?

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rethink Your Drink. Department of Health and Human Services and U. Department of Agriculture.

American Heart Association. Federal dietary guidelines emphasize healthy eating habits but fall short on added sugars. Low-calorie diets. Nylén C, Lundell LS, Massart J, Zierath JR, Näslund E. Short-term low-calorie diet remodels skeletal muscle lipid profile and metabolic gene expression in obese adults.

Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. KidsHealth from Nemours. Why drinking water is the way to go. Maternal diet. Turocy PS, DePalma BF, Horswill CA, et al.

J Athl Train. MyPlate Plan. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Healthy Eating Plan. Most J, Tosti V, Redman LM, Fontana L. Calorie restriction in humans: An update. Ageing Res Rev. Alizadeh M, Namazi N, Mirtaheri E, Sargheini N, Kheirouri S.

Changes of Insulin Resistance and Adipokines Following Supplementation with Extract in Combination with a Low-Calorie Diet in Overweight and Obese Subjects: a Randomized Double Blind Clinical Trial. Adv Pharm Bull. Gilbertson NM, Eichner NZM, Heiston EM, et al. A Low Calorie Diet with or without Interval Exercise Training Improves Adiposopathy in Obese Women.

Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. Shaw Tronieri J, Wadden TA, Berkowitz RI, et al. A Randomized Trial of Lorcaserin and Lifestyle Counseling for Maintaining Weight Loss Achieved with a Low-Calorie Diet. Obesity Silver Spring. By Shereen Lehman, MS Shereen Lehman, MS, is a former writer for Verywell Fit and Reuters Health.

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Eat less, exercise more. If only it were that simple! As most dieters know, losing weight can be very challenging. As this report details, a range of influences can affect how people gain and lose weight.

But a basic understanding of how to tip your energy balance in favor of weight loss is a good place to start. Start by determining how many calories you should consume each day. To do so, you need to know how many calories you need to maintain your current weight. Doing this requires a few simple calculations.

First, multiply your current weight by 15 — that's roughly the number of calories per pound of body weight needed to maintain your current weight if you are moderately active.

Moderately active means getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day in the form of exercise walking at a brisk pace, climbing stairs, or active gardening.

Let's say you're a woman who is 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs pounds, and you need to lose about 15 pounds to put you in a healthy weight range. If you multiply by 15, you will get 2,, which is the number of calories per day that you need in order to maintain your current weight weight-maintenance calories.

To lose weight, you will need to get below that total. For example, to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week — a rate that experts consider safe — your food consumption should provide to 1, calories less than your total weight-maintenance calories.

If you need 2, calories a day to maintain your current weight, reduce your daily calories to between 1, and 1, If you are sedentary, you will also need to build more activity into your day. In order to lose at least a pound a week, try to do at least 30 minutes of physical activity on most days, and reduce your daily calorie intake by at least calories.

However, calorie intake should not fall below 1, a day in women or 1, a day in men, except under the supervision of a health professional.

Eating too few calories can endanger your health by depriving you of needed nutrients. How can you meet your daily calorie target? One approach is to add up the number of calories per serving of all the foods that you eat, and then plan your menus accordingly.

You can buy books that list calories per serving for many foods. In addition, the nutrition labels on all packaged foods and beverages provide calories per serving information.