1200 CALORIE DIET - What is this diet? Benefits, Disadvantages, Best Alternatives
Health and fitness have never been more popular, with people trying to find all the best ways
they can get into shape and stay healthy.
There are so many crazy diets out there that people try. There are juice cleanses, fasting
diets, and ones that consist of having meal replacement shakes.
Most of these diets, however, are not sustainable. They are usually so extreme that people who
go on them, whilst they might follow it for a little while and see results, will soon
stray and go back to their old ways. Some people can even end up eating even more unhealthily
after, due to the fact they’ve felt so restricted for so long that they then go on a binge eating
craze.
One option of diet that is much more realistic and will still have you seeing results, is
the 1200 calorie diet. What is this exactly? Well, keep watching this video to find out.
What is the 1200 Calorie Diet?
The 1200 calorie diet is pretty much what it sounds like. It involves you eating only
1200 calories in a day and no more than this.
This is still a decent number of calories, and you will be able to eat more than enough
food on this regime. You won’t be left feeling hungry at all!
The reason why it works is that it reduces how much you would normally consume in a day
by 500-700 calories (could be more or less depending on your physical status and lifestyle).
It has been shown that if you reduce the amount you are eating by 500 calories every day,
then you can lose at least one pound a week. That’s even without doing lots of exercises
and only being mildly active.
Therefore, imagine what amazing results you could achieve if you were doing exercise,
eating very healthy and nutritious food, whilst keeping to this 1200 diet! You could be losing
a huge amount of weight in a very short space of time.
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You have probably seen millions of articles out there that claim they’ll show you how
to lose weight fast, but the reality is this is the only real way. It won’t happen overnight,
but I would say after a month of sticking to this regime properly, you will see a massive
transformation in your body and health.
For all you women out there, you can even try going a little bit below this number of
calories. For example, you could try having 1000 or 800 calories a day instead. This is
because 1200 isn’t actually too much lower than the recommended intake for a woman, and
so to see results even sooner you can try consuming an even lower number of calories
and it will still be enough to keep you feeling full.
What are Potential Benefits?
#1. Helps You Lose Weight Fast
This is perhaps the main and biggest benefit of the 1200 calorie diet. It is a great way
to help you achieve your weight loss goal in a short space of time.
The thing to realize, however, is that this isn’t some secret trick that’ll get you
the figure of your dreams. There is no cheat to losing weight, it is just about burning
more calories than you are consuming, and this diet helps you to get that calorie deficit
as you will be consuming less.
The 1200 calorie diet is one that is recommended by doctors to people suffering from obesity.
They are put on this regime and monitored to help them lose weight in a safe, sustainable
way.
#2. Reduces Risk of Serious Health Issues
Consuming too many calories can lead to weight gain, which makes your body more vulnerable
to issues such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Therefore, the 1200 diet can help to prevent these issues as it significantly lowers your
calorie intake and therefore helps you to lose any excess fat.
#3. Not as Extreme as other Diets
Another benefit of the 1200 calorie diet is that it is a much less extreme diet than many
others out there. Whilst it involves cutting calories, it is not a huge amount less than
the daily average, and it won’t have you feeling too restricted in what you can eat.
What are the Potential Disadvantages?
#1. Can Induce Negative Metabolic Changes
Our metabolism is important to help our bodies maintain our weight, and those with fast metabolism
are usually able to lose weight faster as they burn more calories at rest than those
with a slower metabolism.
However, diets such as the 1200 calorie diet that involves cutting your calorie intake
do have the potential disadvantage of leading to metabolic damage. It can lead to your body
conserving energy and preventing you from losing weight or burning fat as your body
clings on to whatever food it can to ensure it has enough fuel.
#2. Can lead to Greater Weight Regain
Another potential disadvantage of the 1200 calorie diet is that it has been reported
in some cases to lead to greater weight regain when coming off the diet than other regimes
do. This is because many tend to go on a bit of a binge with food after the diet due to
them having been restricted for so long, so they end up putting back on the weight they
lost.
#3. Can be Hard to Stick to
Another negative that some people encounter with the 1200 calorie diet is that they can
find it very hard to stick to. One study showed that 23% of participants who were put on the
1200 calorie diet ended up dropping out because they found it too difficult. Therefore, whilst
it can give good results it may not be the easiest option for weight loss.
It is a diet that is generally seen as better for the short term rather than the long term.
Better Alternatives You may have looked at the benefits and drawbacks
mentioned above and have decided that the 1200 calorie diet isn’t for you. Well, there
are plenty of other options that you can opt for if you have come to this decision.
#1. Cut out Added Sugar
Sugar is one of the biggest culprits for weight gain. It’s an addictive substance found
in junk food such as chocolate, cakes, and sweets and not only leads to fat gain but
also has negative impacts on your health including your heart.
#2. Eat less Processed Foods
Another alternative to the 1,200 calorie diet is to cut out processed foods and microwaved
meals. These contain a lot of indeed sugar and other artificial ingredients and are another
big culprit of weight gain.
Instead, you should try and eat only whole foods that contain lots of fiber, protein,
and other healthy nutrients such as eggs, fish, vegetables, and beans. Using these types
of food and cooking your meals from home rather than making quick, easy ones that are usually
unhealthier, is one of the best ways to lose weight in a manageable, sustainable way.
#3. Snack Less
Yes, this isn’t the nicest thing to do, but one of the best ways to get rid of excess
weight is to stop snacking. Set yourself a personal aim where you only have snacks on
weekends or certain occasions, and then it will make it easier to refrain from having
snacks throughout the week.
#4. Be More Active
Finally, a good way to manage your weight and keep excess fat off your body is to try
and be more active. This doesn’t mean doing hours of rigorous exercise a day. All you
need to do is a little bit each day, and pair it with better eating habits like those mentioned
above, and you will see the results in no time!
Will you start this diet after watching this video?
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Stay Healthy.