Two Sample Menus for a 1,500-Calorie Diet

Cutting calories is one of the ways that people commonly lose weight. This would involve trimming as much as a quarter of your daily calories while still meeting your recommended daily nutritional needs. While the very thought of this may take you aback, there are strategies to help you achieve these goals without feeling deprived or risking malnourishment.

As a rule of thumb, if you are attempting to lose weight, take the number of calories you need each day to maintain your current weight and subtract 500 of those calories to lose one pound per week. This is because one pound of fat equals roughly 3,500 calories.

That would mean reducing your daily consumption to 1,500 calories per day if you are female and to around 1,900 calories per day if you are male. In either instance, that wouldn't leave a lot of room for any extra snacks, toppings, or treats, so planning is key.

Since you will not be eating all that many calories, you need to be extra-careful about the foods you choose. Much of the focus would be placed on eating nutrient-dense foods that are low in calories and fat but high in fiber and protein. These would include high-fiber fruits and vegetables, 100-percent whole grains, nonfat dairy, and lean sources of meat and non-meat protein.

For a daily 1,500-calorie diet, your DRI would be:

• Total fat: 33 to 58 grams
• Total Protein: 46 to 56 grams
• Total Carbohydrates: 130 grams
• Sodium: 2,300 milligrams
• Sugar: No more than 20 to 36 grams
• Cholesterol: No more than 200 to 300 grams 
• Saturated Fat: No more than 15 grams
• Fiber: 28 to 33.6 grams

Based on these parameters, your menu could vary slightly depending on whether you are restricting sugar or not. To this end, here is what your menu plan might look like:

• One slice of whole-grain toast with one tablespoon almond butter
• One hardboiled egg
• One orange
• One cup of plain coffee or tea

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

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

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

• Total Calories: 1,498
• Total Fat: 20.5 percent (35 grams)
• Total Protein: 23 percent (89 grams)
• Total Carbohydrates: 51.7 percent (201 grams)
• Sodium: 1,934 milligrams
• Sugar: 87 grams
• Cholesterol: 295 mg
• Saturated Fat: 6 grams
• Fiber: 32 grams

This menu is designed for people who need to watch their sugar intake, including people with diabetes and prediabetes. In place of sugar, non-nutritive sweeteners are used.

• One-cup of cooked oatmeal with one-half ounce walnuts
• One-cup of nonfat milk
• One half grapefruit
• One or two packets of sucralose or stevia sweetener

• A salad with one cup of spinach, one ounce of feta, one-half cup cherry tomatoes, and two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar (no oil)
• Three ounces baked salmon (no oil)
• One diet soda

• Six ounces of peeled shrimp with one small diced green pepper sautéed in one tablespoon of olive oil and garlic
• One cup cooked brown rice
• One small 100-percent whole grain dinner roll
• Water with a lemon or lime slice

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

• Total Calories: 1,496
• Total Fat: 22.4 percent (37 grams)
• Total Protein: 26.4 percent (99 grams)
• Total Carbohydrates: 51.3 percent (193 grams)
• Sodium: 1,496 mg
• Sugar: 49 grams
• Cholesterol: 428 milligrams
• Saturated Fat: 11 grams
• Fiber: 25 grams

You can compare this menu plan with that of a 1,700 calorie diet.

Before starting any diet program, speak with your doctor to ensure it is appropriate for your age, weight, current health, and current fitness.