Learn More About 1500 Calorie Healthy Eating Meal Plans

Whether trying to lose weight or maintain weight loss, choosing 1500 calorie healthy eating meal plans supplies enough calories to curb hunger and sustain good health. For many dieters, losing weight involves jumping into a very low calorie diet and losing weight quickly in the first week or so. After the initial week of weight loss, hunger takes over and falling off the wagon seems a better choice than starving. Very low calorie diets should only be attempted with the close supervision of a medical professional. The alternative is healthy eating meal plans full of low fat, high protein and healthy carbohydrate based foods.

Healthy Eating Meal Plans – Breakfast

Losing weight is about more than just counting calories, but keeping track of food and drink intake also plays an important role. Dieters may choose to skip breakfast in an attempt to “save” calories for remaining meals. Metabolic function is optimized when the internal fat burning and calorie converting engine is started early in the day. Breakfast does not have to consist of a plate full of food. Here are a few alternatives to include in healthy eating meal plans. Breakfast should consist of about 300 calories.

- Fruit

- High fiber toast

- High fiber cereal

- Egg whites

- Fat free milk

- Meal replacement bar

- Meal replacement shake

The ideal food supplies fiber and protein while limiting simple carbohydrates and sugars. Simple carbohydrates and sugars convert to energy quickly and spike blood glucose levels. Levels may then crash after only a few hours causing hunger.

Healthy Eating Meal Plans – Lunch

About half way through the day, more energy is needed to sustain metabolic function. Depending on the protein and fiber levels consumed during breakfast, hunger may appear earlier or later in the afternoon. Both fiber and protein stave off hunger. There are 1200 calories left in the 1500 daily calories allotted for meal plans for the remaining meals, and about 450 to 500 will be consumed during lunch. Healthy foods to choose from include:

- 3 ounces of Boneless skinless chicken

- 3 ounces of turkey breast, white meat

- 3 ounces of tuna

- High fiber bread

- Salad greens

- Fruit

- Meal replacement shake

- Meal replacement bar

- Vegetables

Meat, bread, salad greens, fruit, and vegetables can be used to create a meal within the 500 calorie limit. The alternative is a meal replacement bar or shake and some fruit and vegetables. It is important not to consume meal replacement products at every meal because the body tends to absorb vitamins and nutrients from food more efficiently than those from processed sources.

1500 Calorie Healthy Eating Meal Plans - Dinner and Snack

With 700 calories remaining, 1500 calorie meal plans offer just enough calories for dinner and a snack. Snacks can be consumed before or after dinner, depending on normal dinner times. If dinner is late at night, an early snack may work better than a late night snack. Foods consumed during the dinner meal can be the same as lunch selections except for a meal replacement bar. Dinner may also include:

- Small baked potato

- Whole wheat pasta

- Whole grain rice

- Other starchy vegetable

Lean protein can be increased to 6 ounces for the final meal of the day. Dinner should count for 500 of the remaining 700 calories leaving 200 calories for the before or after dinner snack.

Keeping dieting fun is as important as choosing 1500 calorie healthy eating meal plans, so snacks should be simple, light and delicious. Any 100 calorie snack added to a fruit or vegetable is perfect.

Source Used

Cell Interactive - https://www.cellinteractive.com/ucla/weight/1500cal.html

Diabetes Journal - https://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/53/9/2375.full