Designing a meal plan becomes much easier when you know how much you have to consume in a day. If the target is to achieve 1,300 calories per day, then you must know that this is just above the lowest recommended calorie intake per day, which is 1,200 calories. For most people, who have long been accustomed to a 2,000-3,000 calorie diet, this could be extremely excruciating. But the health benefits of getting rid of obesity, which comes along with the 1,300 calorie diet, make it well worth trying.Naturally, every diet plan must be customized according to individual needs and requirements.However, the inclusion of fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes and white meat/fishes is always essential.

Guidelines for 1,300 Calorie Meal Plans

Here are the guidelines for establishing and maintaining 1,300 calorie meal plans:

1. Exercise

For every diet plan, diet control along with exercise is important. It is recommended to perform at least thirty minutes of your favorite physical activity at a frequency of three to five times a week. In addition, it is also recommended to initially set the duration of your activity regimen at 10 minutes then gradually move on to 30 minutes. Research and clinical studies indicate that moderate physical exerciseincreases cardiovascular activity and helps in improving the metabolism of body, so you can break down more body fats with less difficulty.

2. Water and Green Tea

The selection of beverages also plays a vital role in achieving successful weight related goals. Beverages like green tea and water are the best choice for individuals who want to lose weight. If you are a caffeine addict, then it is recommended to consume only one cup of coffee and two cups of tea in a day with no added sugar. Consuming sugar free or diet soda is also acceptable but must not be consumed on daily basis as it is believed to cause or worsen dehydration.

3. No Processed Foods

When planning or preparing 1,300 caloriemeal plans, do not add processed foods in it. Always aim for whole foods, especially organic foods. Your staples should include white meat, fishes, low-fat dairy products and LOTS of fruits and vegetables. The improved overall metabolism would hasten the weight loss process.

4. Cheat Meal Once a Week

You can have a cheat meal once in a week, but it does not mean that you can go overboard. The aim is to shock your body in order to maintain steady weight loss and metabolic processes. Some high calorie ingredients such as cookies, ice cream, small squares of chocolate can be added to your diet, but only once in a week. Similarly, some processed foods can also be added in the diet.But do make a check on the nutrition facts label.

5. No Skipped Meals

When following a meal plan, meals must always be taken on appropriate time, especially breakfast. Skipping meals is not an appropriate way to achieve weight loss.It can even cause some serious health-impairing conditions after some time. If you don’t want to eat three meals a day, then small portions can be taken with an interval of every three hours.

 Food Groups to Focus On

As said above, when preparing 1300 calorie meal plans, it is important to include all kinds of nutritious food sources, so that we can take in all the essential vitamins and minerals necessary for thenormal functioning of our bodies.

Inclusion of non-starchy vegetables, for example, can increase the efficiency of a diet plan. Non-starchy vegetables include broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, etc. These vegetables are low in calorie but contain high amounts ofnutrients.

For best results, it is essential to balance the diet with ingredients from all food groups. Here is a recommended chart of daily servings for perfect 1,300 calorie meal plans:

Sample 1,300 Calorie Meal Plans

1,300 calorie meal plansare so near to the minimum limit that a person must carefully design them so that they contain all the essential nutrients to balance the nutritional demands of the body (without causing any discrepancy). Your meal plan should be tailored to meet your own needs, but here are 2 sample 1,300 calorie meal plans that could serve you as a good starting point.

Sample 1

Sample 2