Are you looking for a fast way of decreasing those excess pounds so that you can fit back into your old jeans? There are many diets out there that claim to provide miraculous weight loss results. I get irritated upon reading or hearing such claims as I know many are just advertised as 'snake oil'. The low calorie diet plan comes to mind when it comes to easy diets that work. This diet has been well documented to work.

To understand what this diet is about, you need to know about the basic terminology. The energy that we require for our daily bodily functions come from the food we eat and this can be determined in calories(kcal). So what's with all the hype about calories? The problem with most people is they are eating way more calories than they actually need.

Calorie in > Calorie out = Weight gain

If you wish to maximize the full potential of the low calorie diet plan you will have to follow the following 3 steps rule.

Step 1: How much is your daily calorie intake

This would depend on factors like your basic metabolic rate (BMR) and activity level. The BMR is calculated differently for men and women.

Women:
BMR = 655 + (9.6 X weight in kilos) + (1.8 X height in cm) - (4.7 X age in years)

Men:
BMR = 66 + (13.7 X weight in kilos) + (5 X height in cm) - (6.8 X age in years)

To estimate your daily calorie requirement, multiply your BMR using the following formulas:

Sedentary (Your only exercise is typing on the keyboard)
(BMR x 20 percent) + BMR

Lightly active (You exercise 1-3 times a week)
(BMR x 30 percent) + BMR

Moderately active (You exercise 3-5 times a week)
(BMR x 40 percent) + BMR

Very active (You exercise intensely on a daily basis)
(BMR x 50 percent) + BMR

Extra active (You do hard labor or are in athletic training)
(BMR x 60 percent) + BMR

Let's us be realistic. Do not select very active if your only form of exercise is pressing the remote. Here's an example on how you actually calculate your daily calorie intake. The approximated calorie needs for a 47 year old sedentary woman who is 68kg and 163cm tall will be:

BMR = 655 + (9.6 X 68) + (1.8 X 163) - (4.7 X 47) = 1380 kcal

Total daily calorie requirement = (1380 x 0.2) + 1380 = 1656 kcal

Just to give you an idea, a typical western diet provides 3000-3500 kcal a day which is twice the amount that an average woman needs. It is not hard to imagine why the percentage of obese and overweight individuals is steadily increasing every year.

Step 2: How many calories do you need to cut out from your diet

For your weight to come off, you need to eat less calories than required. In general, if you are eating 500kcal calories less than what you need daily, you are creating a 3500 kcal deficit per week.

A female that needs 1656kcals daily will shed off about 1 pound in a week if she decreases her daily intake to just 1150kcal. This is in theory. Try to keep your daily calorie intake to more than 1200kcal or your body will react by holding on to the fat cells more stubbornly.

3500kcal deficit = 1 pound of weight loss

If you goal is to lose 20 pounds, there will have to be a calorie deficit of 70000kcal. Do not go starving yourself just to lose weight quickly as this will work against you.

A healthy weight loss diet is one that helps you lose 1-3 pounds per week. Anything more is too much

Step 3: Keep accurate notes of what you consume

Keeping a food diary can be very useful. It might surprise you to discover what your actual eating habits are.

Make it a point to note down what you have eaten for 3 straight days. Try to be as detailed as possible. Do include condiments that you consume (e.g. sauces, creamers).

There are a couple of tools you can find on the internet to help calculate the calories you are getting from your meals.

From this activity, you will be able to identify the 'main culprits' that are contributing to your weight gain. Start to eliminate foods that are high in calories but low in nutrition. For example you may be adding many scoops of sugar to your morning coffee.

As a dietitian, writing meal plans is something I enjoy doing. Here is a sample of a nutritionally balancedlow-calorie meal plan.

Breakfast:

Half a wholegrain bagel with a thin spread of light cream cheese (300kcal)

1 glass of low fat milk (90kcal)

Mid-morning snack:

1 cup of Low-fat yoghurt (130kcal)

Lunch:

Wholegrain sandwich bread, with a spread of mustard, salad veggies and lean meat (chicken/beef) (350kcal)

1 serving Minestrone soup (150 kcal)

Afternoon snack:

1 serving of fresh fruit (70 kcal)

Dinner:

Half cup of pasta with tomato sauce + 1 palm size grilled meat/fish or chicken OR half cup of lean mince (400kcal)

Side salad with fat-free dressing (70 kcal)

1 serving of fresh fruit (70 kcal)

Total Calories: 1630 kcal

From the above meal plan it should give you a rough idea as to how to construct your own diet plan. Once you are familiar with the calorie density of most of the food that you consume, it will be easier for you to know which or what food to exclude from your diet.

Follow these tips to further create a deficit

1) Substitute your regular soda with the diet/light version

2) Use fat-free salad dressing and low fat mayonnaise

3) Less fruit juice and more real fruits

4) Cut the amount of fat you use in cooking by half

5) Cut away the fats and skin when buying meat

6) Reduce the food portions you usually eat

7) Change your usual fried foods to grilled

8) Transitioning to low fat dairy products

9) Reduce your alcohol intake

Consistency is key for the low calorie diet plan to be successful. Treat yourself to a yummy small snack after you have lost a couple of pounds. If you happened to consume more than you need for the day, don't lose sleep over it. Continue to push on even if you slip up on certain days. Do not give up and you will find yourself looking satisfied in the mirror three months down the road.