The Calorie Restriction Diet

As a model I've tried each and every one of the diets covered on this website through the years, but calorie restriction diet has become my favorite. I love the way that it has enabled me to permanently formulate a lifestyle around low calorie, high volume healthy natural foods.

This is about as simple as a diet gets, and although this may not seem obvious, calorie restriction is perhaps the best for your body in the long run! By reducing the stress on your digestive and immune systems, dieters can add years to their life.

According to Oprah's Dr Oz:

"The data that we have now indicate you can probably extend your life expectancy by up to 50 percent potentially from doing this"

Calorie Restriction: Basics

Foundation

Reducing calories to lose weight - a scientific formula based on plenty of research studies and sound evidence.

"Less Calories In = Less Weight On"

Scientists estimate that 1lb of fat is equivalent to 3500 calories. By creating a deficit each day of 500 in your calorie expenditure, you should see a one pound weight loss each week. This is the recommended amount for safe and sustainable dieting.

In addition to reducing your calorie intake, burn another 250-500 a day through exercise and you can lose 1/2-1 pounds more per week. Muscle is very metabolically active, with a higher calorie expenditure than fat. In fact, building or maintaining muscle will make a considerable difference to your body's metabolism and fat storage.

Calorie restriction has been shown to improve health, reduce aging, reduce blood pressure and have a host of other benefits! You see, overeating puts stress on your body by making your organs work harder. Over a lifetime the cumulative stress of years of big meals can really take a toll on your body. Use calorie restriction for a healthy, slim, and well functioning body free from illness.

Diet

Just count the calories and eat less of everything! There's no real restriction on the types of food you eat, but just remember to keep watching those calories!

A calorie restricted diet comprises mainly of fruits, vegetables and low-calorie proteins. This controls calorie consumption, ensures nutrition and hydrates the body.

Models need sufficient protein to maintain healthy skin, hair and nails. Good low-calorie sources of protein are beans, chicken or turkey (without the skin), water-packed tuna, steamed/baked fish, egg whites, low fat yogurt and milk.

It takes a while to learn the calorific content of foods, but its well worth it. Ask any model how many calories there are in a meal and he/she will tell you. Just by knowing this, you will actually find yourself turning down high calorie foods without even thinking about it.

Take a look at our Calorie Calculator for more help on how many calories your body really needs, adjusting for gender, age, height, weight and activity level. These calculators should be your new best friend if you want to start a reduced calorie diet!

If you need to fill up but are restricting calories, here are some of my favorite snacks:

• Low calorie Jell-O
• Thin crisps with sliced banana
• Protein bars (Zone and Luna bars - great chocolate substitutes!)
• Popcorn
• Bowl of cherries
• Low-calorie yogurt or pudding cup

Calorie Restriction: Pros

• By putting an emphasis on high volume, low calorie foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low calorie meats such as poultry and seafood, this diet is nutrient rich.
• The diet is easy to understand, and there is little restriction on the types of food you can eat.
• Calorie restriction is a light diet that doesn't overburden your digestive system - you won't feel over-full and sluggish.
• If you do end up cheating with a high-calorie junk food snack, that's fine. Just be sure to restrict your calories for the rest of the day.
• Longer life, better health, lower blood pressure and more!

Calorie Restriction: Cons

• You're always counting calories, and need full knowledge of the calorific content of every food. Its still a diet remember!
• Careful of restaurant foods. They are full of hidden butters, creams & oils, that can contribute to extra calorie consumption.

Calorie Restriction: Recipe

Wild Rice with Enoki Mushrooms (280 calories per person)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup wild rice( (300cal)
3.5oz Enoki mushrooms (40cal)
2 bouillon tablets (60cal)
2 tablespoons of a shallot (14 cal)
4 pressed garlic(20 cal)
1 tbsp olive oil(120 cal)
Salt
Pepper

Add the bouillon to 1/2 cup of wild rice, bring to the boil, then simmer for 40 mins. With 5 minutes to go for the rice, sauté the Enoki mushrooms, garlic and shallot. When the wild rice is ready, add the sautéed vegetables to the pot with 3 sprigs of Oregano and mix together.

Season to taste and serve on a flat plate. This should serve 2 people, and at 280 calories each its great for a light lunch or dinner.

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The Acai Berry Diet | The Apple Cider Vinegar Diet | Atkins Diet | The Blood Type Diet | Calorie Restriction | Cleansing and Fasting | The French Women Diet | The Grapefruit Diet | The Great Skin Diet | The Green Tea Diet | The Jenny Craig Diet | The Low Fat Diet | The Mediterranean Diet | The Model Detox Diet | The Raw Food Diet | The Slimfast Diet | The South Beach Diet | Weightwatchers Diet Plan | The Zone Diet