Do you want to know about the fastest way to lose weight? Have you ever heard about VLCD? Do you want to lose weight using the VLCD method? Do you think it is good for your health eating 500 calories a day for a month? The article is going to answer all the queries about the diet based on eating 500 calories a day for one month or more.
VLCD is a very low-calorie diet in which a person limits his/her calorie intake up to 500 calories a day or a maximum of 800 calories. So, the body gets a very less amount of calories than those which we need to run the normal basal metabolic rate.
This is the reason, a person loses weight faster but it may have some side effects as well. So, here we are going to discuss everything you want to know about a 500 calorie diet along with the pictures of people before and after eating 500 calories a day for one month.
Table of Content
What is a 500 Calorie Diet?
This diet aims to eat only 500 calories a day. This limits an individual to eat only 500 calories per day for two months or three months or as long as a person wants. 500 calories are about 1/3 of the daily recommended calorie intake of adults.
How Much Weight Will I Lose Eating 500 Calories a Day For a Month?
If I eat 500 calories a day, can I lose weight? And if yes, how much weight will I lose? This is the most common question that people ask these days while struggling with weight loss. The answer is that there are two probabilities.
- You may lose weight by eating 500 calories a day for a month. The reason is obvious as your body goes into a calorie deficit state.
- The other probability is that you may not lose weight by eating 500 calories a day as eating a smaller amount of calories will signal your brain that your body is in a starvation state, and hence your metabolism slows down, so you end up losing no weight.
Now that you know the probabilities, you must know how your metabolism reacts to a calorie deficit state to follow a VLCD. If your metabolism remains normal and you do not feel any difficulty while being on a 500 calorie diet, you are lucky because it will help you lose a lot of extra pounds.
Now talking about how much weight you can lose by eating 500 calories a day for a month. So, if you have an average basal metabolic rate in the 1500-1800 calorie range, you eat 500 calories per day and you are minimally active, your daily diet deficit will be in the 1300 to 1600 range then, over 5 days, you can expect to lose 1.5- 2.5 pounds.
For most overweight people, cutting about 500 calories a day is a good place to start. If you eat 500 calories every day you can lose about a pound per week.
How to Eat 500 Calories a Day and Feel Full?
When a person claims that they ate 500 calories a day without feeling hungry, either he is having a slow metabolic rate or he is eating those foods which are filling but low in calories. Here are some tips to feel full while eating a 500 calorie diet.
- You can take calorie-free drinks such as black coffee.
- Try soups for dinner. Add a lot of vegetables to it and keep the liquid in a greater quantity.
- Eat fruits and vegetables as they are rich in fibers and hence keep us feeling full for longer.
- Try to eat cauliflower and broccoli as they are very filling and low in calories. 100 grams of boiled broccoli contains 24 Calories.
- Avoid eating in the morning when you have to eat only 500 calories a day. As you can feel hungry for the whole day long. Try to eat in the afternoon or the evening. You can take liquids or zero-calorie foods in the morning to start your day.
- Eat slowly and chew properly. In this way, you will do mindful eating that will keep you satisfied for longer.
- Have a glass of water before you eat. This will signal your brain that your stomach is full and you will not feel hungry for a long time.
“I lose weight by eating 500 calories a day” claims most people. Here is a picture of a lady before and after eating 500 calories a day for up to 3 months.
Eating 500 Calories a Day for a Month: Meal Planner
If you want to follow a 500 calorie diet, here is a complete menu for you, demonstrating what you can eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
| Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | |
| Ist day | 3 hard-boiled eggs, 1 grapefruit, 1 banana toast, black coffee | 2 hard-boiled eggs, 1 banana, or a toast | 3 hard-boiled eggs, vegetables salad containing cucumber, and lettuce with lemon dressing |
| 2nd day | 1 hard-boiled egg, 1 grapefruit, Black coffee | 2 hard-boiled eggs, 1 grapefruit, 1 banana toast, black coffee | 1 hard-boiled egg, 1 chicken breast, black coffee |
| 3rd day | 1 hard-boiled egg, 1 grapefruit, Black coffee | Vegetable salad, 1 grapefruit, 1 banana or 1 toast, Black coffee | 1 hard-boiled egg, 1 chicken breast, black coffee |
| 4th day | 1 hard-boiled egg, 1 grapefruit, Black coffee | Vegetable saladdaddaddd1 grapefruit, 1 banana, or 1 toast, Black coffee | 3 hard-boiled eggs, Boiled spinach, Black coffee |
| 5th day | 1 hard-boiled egg, 1 grapefruit, Black coffee | Vegetable salad, 1 grapefruit, 1 banana, or 1 toast, Black coffee | 1 piece of white fish, vegetables salad, 1 banana, or 1 toast, Black coffee |
| 6th day | 2 hard-boiled eggs, 1 grapefruit, Black coffee | Fruit salad ( Apple, banana, cucumber, lettuce) | Beefsteak 200g, celery, tomato, Black coffee |
| 7th day | 2 hard-boiled eggs, 1 grapefruit, Black coffee | Chicken breast, celery, tomato, 1 grapefruit, Black coffee | 1 chicken breast, tomato, 1 grapefruit, steamed cabbage, Black coffee |
Side Effects of Eating 500 Calories a Day
Consuming 500 calories a day is not a healthy diet. Normally, eating anything below 1200 calories per day will make your body assume that there’s a food shortage. The result will cause your body to go into starvation mode. Then a slow metabolism will make it difficult for you to lose weight.
If you are eating a very low-calorie diet, there is a danger of many nutrient deficiencies in the body. It can lead to anemia, osteoporosis, heart attack, and even muscle loss. Yes, by eating 500 calories a day, if you are dropping more weight chances are that you are losing muscle mass.
The Bottom Line
Eating 500 calories a day for a month will help you lose weight but sometimes it doesn’t happen the way you think about it. There are chances that some people will not lose weight at all. You can see the reasons explained above.
So, if you want to cut your diet to only 500 calories a day, you must first consult your doctor or Nutritionist. If they recommend you eat 500 calories a day, then you can start by gradually decreasing your calories day by day.
FAQs
How much weight can you lose by eating 500 calories a day?
An average human can lose 1 pound per week by eating 500 calories a day but it also depends upon a person’s metabolic rate. A person with a slow metabolic rate will lose weight slowly.
What happens if you eat 500 calories a day for a month?
If you eat 500 calories a day for a month, your body goes into a calorie deficit state. You are eating fewer calories than those that you need for normal body functioning.
How much weight can you lose in 2 weeks after eating 500 calories a day?
If you are eating 500 calories a day for 2 weeks, you can lose one to two pounds a day but remember, you should eat a healthy diet so that you may not suffer from nutritional deficiencies.
Can a woman lose weight by eating 500 calories a day?
Yes, a woman can lose by eating 500 calories a day if her metabolism is fast and her body does not assume the calorie deficit as a starvation mode. Many women have lost extra pounds by eating 500 calories a day.
