Two Menus for a 1500 Calorie Per Day Diet

Following a low-calorie diet isn't fun, but it really isn't difficult to do, as long as you're prepared with a meal plan and daily menus. Since you're not eating very many calories you have to be careful about which foods you eat so you can all the nutrients you need. Plan your meals and menus around nutrient dense foods. Plan everything for a few days or a week at a time. Low-calorie, high fiber fruits and vegetables, 100-percent whole grains and low-fat protein sources will make the best choices so you can get all the nutrients you need even though you're reducing your calorie intake. Before starting a your diet, you should speak with your health care provider to be sure you're healthy enough to go on a low-calorie diet.

You'll also need to have a good set of measuring cups and measuring spoons, plus a kitchen scale until you get used to estimating your serving sizes. Use a food diary or join Calorie Count to keep track of your daily intake.

Here are two 1500 calorie-per day menus to get you started:

1498 Calorie Menu With No Non-Nutritive Sweeteners

Breakfast

• One slice of 100-percent whole grain toast with one tablespoon almond butter
• One hard-boiled egg
• One orange
• One cup plain coffee or tea as a beverage

Lunch

• Two slices 100-percent whole-grain bread, two ounces sliced roast beef, one slice Swiss cheese and one tablespoon mustard
• One-half cup sliced carrots
• One cup non-fat milk as a beverage

Dinner

• One three-ounce chicken breast fillet with two tablespoons salsa
• One cup cooked broccoli with lemon juice
• One-half cup cooked black beans
• One 100-percent whole wheat dinner roll with one teaspoon butter
• One small glass white wine as a beverage

Snacks

• One nectarine
• Several glasses of water
• Three-fourths cup plain yogurt with one tablespoon honey
• One-half cup blueberries
• Ten pecan halves
• One cup 100-percent grapefruit juice

Nutrition Information

• Total Calories - 1498
• Total Fat - 20.5 percent (35 grams)
• Total Protein - 23 percent (89 grams)
• Total Carbohydrates - 51.7 percent (201 grams)
• Sodium - 1934 mg
• Sugar - 87 grams
• Cholesterol - 295 mg
• Saturated Fat - 6 grams
• Fiber - 32 grams

1496 Calorie Menu With Non-Nutritive Sweeteners

Breakfast

• One cup oatmeal with one-half ounce walnuts
• One cup non-fat milk
• One-half grapefruit
• One or two packets sucralose or stevia sweetener

Lunch

• A salad made with one cup spinach, one ounce feta cheese, one-half cup cherry tomatoes with two tablespoons balsamic vinegar as a dressing.
• Three ounces baked salmon
• Diet soda as a beverage

Dinner

• Six ounces shrimp and one small green pepper sauteed in one tablespoon olive oil and garlic
• One cup brown rice
• One small 100-percent whole-grain dinner roll
• Water with one lemon slice as a beverage

Snacks

• Two cups air-popped popcorn (no butter)
• One apple
• One serving low-fat, sugar-free fruit-flavored yogurt
• One cup strawberries
• Two-thirds cup baby carrots with one ounce fat-free vegetable dip
• Several glasses of water with slices of lemon or lime

Nutrition Information

• Total Calories - 1496
• Total Fat - 22.4 percent (37 grams)
• Total Protein - 26.4 percent (99 grams)
• Total Carbohydrates - 51.3 percent (193 grams)
• Sodium - 1496 mg
• Sugar - 49 grams
• Cholesterol - 428 mg
• Saturated Fat - 11 grams
• Fiber - 25 grams

I created these menus by using Calorie Count, where you can track your calories, find friendship and support with other dieters and even analyze your own recipes.