Definition
Caloric restriction means eating fewer calories than an average person. It’s important to make sure you are still eating the correct amount of vitamins and minerals so you do not get sick. Caloric restrictions will help you lose weight, feel energized, and live longer. It can also help prevent metabolic disorders.
How to Do It
- Determine your Base Metabolic Rate (BMR) and your caloric needs to maintain your current weight using an online calculator.
- Establish a meal plan that will provide you with enough vitamins and minerals and a number of calories between your BMR and maintenance requirements.
- Eat according to your prepared meal plan.
It is easier to follow this diet if you replace calorie-dense food with nutrient-dense alternatives. It also helps to keep track of the food you eat to help hold yourself accountable. This will also help track deficiencies in nutrients and identify changes in diet or supplements needed to stay healthy.
May Improve
- Longevity
- Weight Loss
- Cardiovascular health
- May lower blood pressure
Time Commitment
NA
Why it works
- Reduces oxidative stress
- Causes your body to use fat stores
- Creates healthier eating habits and lifestyle choices
Suggested Frequency
Daily
Supporting Studies and Articles
- https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(18)30130-X
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1568163711000729
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S095528630400261X
- https://genesdev.cshlp.org/content/17/3/313.full.pdf
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/j.1550-8528.1995.tb00466.x
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18185032
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25352438
Side Effects
- Fatigue
- Lowered immune response
- Potentially reduced fertility in women
- Insufficient nutrient intake
Required Equipment
N/A
Gurus/Celebrities/Doing it
Nicole Kidman
Benedict Cumberbatch
Suggested Time of Day
N/A
Notes
- Reducing your caloric intake is great, but if you’re continuing to eat food that has a low nutritional content and contains harmful ingredients, you won’t see the improvement you’re looking for. The best way to improve your health is to improve your diet as well. Vegetables are a great source of low calorie nutrient-dense foods.
- There are many resources out there to help make your transition to caloric restriction easier, including useful calorie tracking apps like MyFitnessPal, which can help you keep track of both your caloric and nutritional intake.
