Submitted by administrator on 19 October, 2010 - 4:59pm
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The 1200-calorie diet is widely considered to be effective for weight loss. However, is it safe and healthy for you?
The recommended energy intake (number of calories) depends on your sex, age, weight, height, and activity level. The lowest calorie intake for most women is 1200 calories per day. The lowest intake for men is 1500-1700 calories per day. If your calorie intake falls below 1200 calories, there is a great chance that you rip yourself off some nutrients essential for health, unless you are on a doctor-supervised very-low-calorie diet limiting the calorie intake to 600-800 calories per day. If your calorie intake is too low for you, you may begin losing muscle mass. Hence, you should engage in regular physical activity such as walking and jogging.
The macronutrients that provide calories are carbs, protein and fat. The 1200-calorie diet is a balanced diet. A good ratio of calories is as follows: 40-50% of your calories should come from carbs, 25-35% of calories should come from protein and 20-30% of calories should come from fat. It is highly recommended to avoid foods that are high in calories but low in nutrients. For example, empty-calorie foods include sugary beverages and desserts. You should also limit your intake of saturated fats and substitute unsaturated fats for saturated fats when it is possible. The 1200-calorie diet can be adapted to suit special diets such as cholesterol lowering diet or vegetarian diet.
The 1200-calorie diet is not safe for everyone. The side effects may include depression, irritability, dizziness and lethargy. Before reducing your calorie intake, you should check with your doctor to make sure the 1200-calorie diet is safe and healthy for you.
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