A 2000-calorie diet comprises six wholesome meals and light exercises. This helps expend the calories consumed, boosts metabolism, and aids weight loss. On the other hand, leading a sedentary lifestyle and consuming 2000 calories can make you gain weight and increase the risk of obesity-related diseases. Read this post to know everything about the 200 calorie diet, a 7-day diet plan, foods to eat and avoid, and many more. Swipe up!

What Is The 2000-Calorie Diet Plan?

The 2000-calorie diet is a plan that restricts your calorie intake to 2000 calories per day. It’s a starting point for your weight loss, and continuing this diet for a week is recommended before trying a diet plan with lower calories. After one week, you can move on to the 1500-calorie diet and then the 1200-calorie diet to lose weight. Always consult your dietitian which calorie range is suitable for you as per your height, weight, age, and physical activity. 

7-Day 2000 Calorie Meal Plan

Day 1

This diet plan for Day 1 provides 1873 calories. 

How You Will Feel By The End Of Day 1

A new day with a new routine can feel great, or you may resist it. By the end of Day 1, your cravings may start creeping back in, or maybe you have not followed the diet chart properly. But, that’s OK. Have a piece of chocolate and drink enough water. Get good rest and be prepared for Day 2.

Day 2

 This diet plan for Day 2 provides 2048 calories. 

How You Will Feel By The End Of Day 2

You will slowly start to get the hang of it. As you will also be exercising, you might feel fatigued. But believe me, it will go away tomorrow. Don’t forget to tick your checklist and create a checklist for tomorrow before going to bed.

Day 3

 This diet plan for Day 3 provides 2009 calories. 

How You Will Feel By The End Of Day 3

By the end of Day 3, you would have lost a lot of water weight, and it will show on the weighing scale. This will, of course, bring a smile on your face, and you will be more determined and convinced to follow the diet plan.

Day 4

 This diet plan for Day 4 provides 1981 calories.

How You Will Feel By The End Of Day 4

Day 4 will start on a great note because you are happy with your progress. This is a small stepping stone, and you have a long way to go. By the end of the day, you will be satisfied and will mean it when you say “NO” to any junk food, chocolate, or alcohol that is offered to you.

Day 5

 This diet plan for Day 5 provides 1962 calories. 

How You Will Feel By The End Of Day 5

By the end of Day 5, you will start to feel great and be more energetic. You fall into the pattern of waking up and sleeping at the same time. You will also feel hungry at the same time as you did yesterday. And you will love this new routine. You will notice that you sleep better and wake up fresh in the morning. Hold on to all that positivity and glide on to Day 6.

Day 6

 This diet plan for Day 6 provides 1994 calories. 

How You Will Feel By The End Of Day 6

By the end of Day 6, your body will start melting the fat. You will look slimmer than how you looked a week ago, and this will keep you going. You will eagerly wait for Day 7.

Day 7

 This diet plan for Day 7 provides 2299 calories. 

How You Will Feel By The End Of Day 7

Drinking milk after having the brownie will keep your cravings at bay. A sense of accomplishment and a good shot of serotonin will encourage you to continue this diet for one more week. If you feel that way, great! Go for it. But, I would suggest continuing on to a 1500-calorie diet and following a good exercise plan to lose inches.

Who Needs To Go On The 2000-Calorie Diet Meal Plan?

You may need to follow the 2000-calorie diet if you want to lose weight and are:

in your teens, overweight, and not active. in your mid-20s, average height, not active, and have a desk job. in your 30s, sedentary, overweight, and not fit. in your 50s, average height, slightly overweight. in your 60s, average height, and light active. of average height, active, in your weight range but need to tone up a little or maintain your body weight.

Note: Consult a doctor and a nutritionist before starting this diet and making these lifestyle changes. Now you know whether you should follow the 2000-calorie diet meal plan or not. If you do fall into any of the categories mentioned above, here are a few things you should keep in mind before starting the 2000-calories-a-day meal plan.

What Should You Do Before Starting The Diet?

Here are certain things you must do:

Talk to a dietitian or doctor to find out if it is okay for you to be on a 2000-calorie diet. Check your weight and get a body composition analysis (BCA) done to check body fat and lean mass percent. Click pictures from the front, back, and both sides for comparison after a week. Write down your goal to complete this one-week diet successfully. Maintain a day-to-day checklist notepad. Check on the things that you were able to do. Use a food tracker to know the number of calories you are consuming. Use an exercise tracker to know how many calories you are burning.

Light Exercise Routine To Burn Calories

All you need to do is set aside 20 minutes every day and wear comfortable clothes and trainers to do this workout. You will start noticing a difference in your mood and productivity if you do these exercises.

Head tilt – 1 set of 10 reps Neck rotations – 1 set of 10 reps Shoulder rotations – 1 set of 10 reps Arm circles – 1 set of 10 reps Wrist rotations – 1 set of 10 reps Waist rotations – 1 set of 10 reps Ankle rotation – 1 set of 10 reps Side lunge – 1 set of 10 reps Standing touch toes – 1 set of 10 reps Standing side crunch – 1 set of 10 reps Spot jogging – 3 minutes REST – 10 seconds Jumping jacks – 2 sets of 25 reps Lunges – 2 sets of 10 reps Rope jumping – 3 sets of 50 reps REST – 10 seconds Incline push-up – 2 sets of 10 reps Leg raises – 2 sets of 10 reps REST – 10 seconds Scissor legs – 2 sets of 10 reps Bicycle crunches – 2 sets of 10 reps Crunches – 2 sets of 10 reps REST – 10 seconds Russian twist – 2 sets of 10 reps Plank – 30-45 seconds Cool off – Stretch your arms, sides, legs, back, calves, and neck.

On the first two days, you may feel tired and fatigued, but on the rest of the days, you will start to feel great, be active, and enjoy working out. However, you have to be very careful about not getting swayed away from your diet. Here’s a list of foods that you can eat.

Foods To Eat

Veggies – Bottle gourd, eggplant, okra, broccoli, bell pepper, carrot, beetroot, radish, kale, spinach, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, banana flower, ridge gourd, squash, bitter gourd, pumpkin, sugar snap peas, zucchini, and mushroom. Fruits – Apple, pear, banana, peach, plum, orange, lemon, pluot, kiwi, cucumber, tomato, tangerine, plum, pineapple, watermelon, melon, passion fruit, dragon fruits, papaya, berries, and grapefruit. Protein – Chicken breast, white meat turkey, pork round, fish, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, lentils, tempeh, edamame, and tofu. Dairy – Full-fat milk, full-fat yogurt, low-fat frozen yogurt, ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, low or nonfat Greek yogurt, and buttermilk. Fats And Oils – Olive oil, canola oil for cooking, rice bran oil, ghee, peanut butter, and sunflower butter. Nuts And Seeds – Almond, pistachios, walnuts, macadamia, pecan nuts, melon seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, and flax seeds. Herbs And Spices – Black pepper, white pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, clove, ginger, garlic, dried red chili, cayenne pepper, star anise, mace, nutmeg, saffron, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, cilantro, rosemary, dill, fennel, oregano, and basil.

Foods To Avoid

Fruits – Overripe mango and jackfruit. Protein – Chicken with skin, sausage, salami, and red meat with fat. Fats And Oils – Vegetable oil, animal fat, and dalda. Nuts And Seeds – Cashew nuts in excess.

Now that you have a good idea about what you should be eating, how much and at what time to optimize your weight loss, here are some more things that you should keep in mind. Take a look at the Dos and Don’ts section.

Dos And Don’ts

Are 2000 calories a day enough? Check out the infographic below to learn how to keep track of your food intake. Yes, 2000 calories are enough to lead a healthy lifestyle. You need to check with your physical activity. If you are doing high-intensity strength training, talk to your dietitian for the recommended calorie intake. Can you lose weight by eating 2000 calories a day? Eating 2000 calories and exercising is the best combo for losing weight. Eat as per your activity level and see the changes. Make sure to maintain a nutrient balance for better results. Will I gain weight by consuming 2000 calories a day? If you are underweight, yes, consuming 2000 calories will make you gain weight. However, the 2000-calorie diet plan mentioned here in the article is for weight loss. You need to tweak the diet and exclude the weight loss promoting foods from it and include strength training in your exercise routine. How much protein do you need to take on the 2000-calorie diet? You need to take 50-175 grams of protein on the 2000-calorie diet. How many carbs in the 2000-calorie diet? You should take 200-300 grams of carbs on the 2000-calorie diet. What is the recommended range of daily fat consumption for an individual on the 2000-calorie diet? You should get 45-70g (~20-30% of daily calories) of fat in the 2000-calorie diet. How many calories are in a roti? A medium-sized (40 g) plain roti may have around 120 calories. Which fruit has the highest calories? Avocado has the highest calories out of other common fruits. It has around 160 kcal per 100 gm (3). Does eating too few calories slow weight loss? Yes, eating fewer calories than your body needs may slow your metabolism. It may also slow weight loss. How many calories do you burn from sleeping? It depends on the basal metabolic rate and may vary from person to person. However, the average rate will be 50 calories per hour.