Full

Today I wanted to talk about My 1900 Calorie Diet (designed to mazimize body fat loss while maintaining muscle mass) and specifically I want to address those people who are feeling “full”, or feel like its impossible to take in 1900 calories per day. Tomorrow, I will address the opposite “hungry” camp and give some advice to those who are feeling hungry all the time on 1900 calories per day.

But when it comes to the people who have a difficult time eating 1900 calories per day, I would say that you are more than likely used to eating way more than 1900 calories per day for at least a few months, if not years prior to starting your transformation. Even the nutrition facts on foods are based on a 2000 calorie per day diet and you think 1900 is too much?

The reality of the whole situation is not the amount of calories, but its the type of foods. Most people who are in the “too full” camp are accustomed to taking in meals that are very high in fats and sugars, while lacking in the way of vitamins, nutrients, fiber and protein.

Once you start putting the “good stuff” in your body, meaning nutrient dense foods like lean protein, complex carbohydrates and fresh fruits and vegetables; they take up a lot more room than the candy bar or soda that you used to have as a snack. Think about it in terms of volume and calories. An entire bag of fresh spinach has 1/10th the calories that a candy bar has. That bag of spinach has a lot less in terms of calorie, but takes up a ton more room in your belly than that candy bar. Foods that are nutrient dense are more often than not much higher in volume than unhealthy processed foods.

So if you are feeling full and dont think you can keep your intake at 1900, then my advice is to bump it down to 1800 minimum so that your body has at least enough fuel to complete the workouts. Its also crucial that you eat at least that amount to ensure that your body doesnt start burning up muscle mass for energy. This is a really bad thing and is common with fad diets that only focus on losing weight rather than changing lifestyle habits.

Keep in mind also that eating 1900 calories per day should be fairly easy when you spread it across 5-6 meals per day (every 2.5-3 hours). It works out to an average of 300 calories per meal. Most people are used to eating way more than that per meal, so its not that its “too much food” – you just need to teach your body to be fueled with the right kinds of food. It will take a few weeks for your body to adjust, but once it does, you will be amazed how much food your body will require of you; especially if you are doing P90X or Insanity. I actually had to bump my intake up to 2300 once my metabolism caught up to my minimalist calorie intake. A steady, predictable stream of high quality foods will take your energy level up and your body fat down…The results will come, trust me!

How did 1900 calories per day affect you when you started this plan?