Key takeaways

  • A 1,500-calorie diet creates a deficit that may support gradual weight loss.
  • Calorie needs vary by activity, age, and goals, so it isn’t right for everyone.
  • Losing 1 to 2 pounds a week is a more sustainable target than rapid loss.

When trying to lose weight, creating a calorie deficit either by eating less or increasing physical activity is necessary.

Many people choose to follow a 1,500-calorie diet plan to jumpstart weight loss and control their food intake.

This article explains how to follow a 1,500-calorie diet, including foods to eat, foods to avoid and tips for healthy, long-term weight loss.

While 1,500 calories may be a good guideline for many people, be sure to calculate your exact needs to optimize your weight loss journey

The number of calories you need depends on many factors, including physical activity, gender, age, weight loss goals and overall health(1).

It’s important to estimate how many calories your body requires to both maintain and lose weight when determining your needs.

To calculate your overall calories needs, it’s necessary to calculate the total number of calories you typically burn in a day, which is known as your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) (2).

The easiest way to determine your TDEE is by using an online calculator or the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation, a formula in which you plug in your height, weight, and age.

The following are the Mifflin-St. Jeor equations for females and males.

Calories per day = 10 x (weight in kg) + 6.25 x (height in cm) – 5 x (age) – 161

Calories per day = 10 x (weight in kg) + 6.25 x (height in cm) – 5 x (age) + 5

To calculate your TDEE, the result from the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation is then multiplied by a number corresponding to your level of activity, known as an activity factor (3).

There are five different levels of activity:

After determining your TDEE by multiplying the answer from the Mifflin. St-Jeor equation with the correct activity factor, calories can be adjusted depending on your weight loss goals.

Creating a calorie deficit for weight loss

While weight loss is much more complex than the “calories in, calories out” way of thinking, generally speaking, a calorie deficit needs to be created to lose body fat (4).

Typically, a reduction of 500 calories per day is suggested to lose 1 pound (450 grams) per week (5).

Though this would equate to a 52-pound (23.5-kg) weight loss in one year, research shows that the average rate of weight loss is much slower.

Behavioral and biological factors, such as dietary adherence and differences in gut bacteria and metabolic rates, lead people to lose weight at different rates (6, 7).

For example, a review of 35 studies observed weight loss of 0.004 to 2.5 pounds (0.002 to 1.13 kg) per week when calories were restricted by 240 to 1,000 calories per day (8).

Try this: Rather than setting an unrealistic goal, aim for slow, consistent weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds (0.5 to 1 kg) per week.

Since weight loss differs drastically from person to person, it’s important not to get discouraged if you aren’t losing weight as quickly as expected.

Bumping up physical activity, spending less time sitting, reducing added sugars, and focusing on whole foods should help expedite weight loss and help you stay on track (9, 10, 11).

When attempting to lose weight and adopt better eating habits, it’s important to choose mostly minimally processed, whole foods.

Though it’s perfectly healthy to have a treat now and then, the majority of your diet should be made up of the following foods:

  • Non-starchy vegetables: kale, arugula, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, mushrooms, asparagus, tomatoes, etc.
  • Fruits: berries, apples, pears, citrus fruits, melon, grapes, bananas, etc.
  • Starchy vegetables: potatoes, peas, sweet potatoes, plantains, butternut squash, etc.
  • Fish and shellfish: sea bass, salmon, cod, clams, shrimp, sardines, trout, oysters, etc.
  • Eggs: whole eggs are more nutrient dense than egg whites
  • Poultry and meat: chicken, turkey, beef, bison, lamb, etc.
  • Plant-based protein sources: tofu, tempeh, plant-based protein powders
  • Whole grains: oats, brown rice, farro, quinoa, bulgur, barley, millet, etc.
  • Legumes: chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils, black beans and more
  • Healthy fats: avocados, olive oil, unsweetened coconut, avocado oil, etc.
  • Dairy products: plain yogurt, kefit, and cheese
  • Seeds, nuts and nut butters: almonds, macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, natural peanut butter, almond butter and tahini
  • Unsweetened plant-based milks: coconut, almond, cashew and hemp milk
  • Seasonings: turmeric, garlic, oregano, rosemary, chili pepper, black pepper, salt, etc.
  • Condiments: apple cider vinegar, salsa, lemon juice, garlic powder, etc.
  • Non-calorie beverages: Water, sparkling water, coffee, green tea, etc.

Be sure to eat plenty of fiber-rich foods and quality sources of protein at each meal.

Protein is the most filling of the three macronutrients and combining a protein with filling fiber sources, such as non-starchy vegetables, beans or berries, can help prevent overeating.

Research shows that both high fiber and high protein diets are effective at promoting fat loss (12, 13).

Here are some nutritious, low calorie recipes to try during your day or use for inspiration.

Keep this in mind: Everyone’s nutritional needs are different, and each person should consider their personal health situation when evaluating the recipes suggested in this article.

If you have a health condition or specific nutritional requirements, it’s best to check with a healthcare professional, such as a primary care doctor or registered dietitian, before trying new recipes.

As you can see, eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring.

If you know you will be eating at a restaurant, look at the menu beforehand and pick out an option that is both appetizing and nutritious.

This way, you will be less inclined to make a last-minute unhealthy meal choice.

While sticking to a 1,500-calorie diet may certainly spark weight loss, there are several other ways to ensure that you meet your weight loss goals in a healthy, sustainable way.

Though you may think that you’re eating less, it’s common to underestimate the amount of food that you are consuming (15).

An easy way to make sure you are staying under your calorie needs is to use a food journal or calorie tracking app.

Logging meals, snacks and drinks along with the calories they contain can help you stay on track and reduces the chances of underestimating your calorie consumption.

Although tracking foods is a helpful tool when first starting a meal plan, it can create an unhealthy relationship with food in some people (16, 17).

Focusing on portion control, eating whole foods, practicing mindful eating and getting enough exercise are better ways to keep weight off in the long term (18, 19, 20, 21).

Any healthy meal plan should revolve around whole, minimally processed foods.

Eating too much highly processed food and beverages, such as fast food, candy, and soda can increase your chance of developing chronic diseases and obesity (22).

Although processed diet and low-fat snacks and meals may seem like a wise choice when trying to lose weight, these foods often contain ingredients like added sugars that can contribute to inflammation and weight gain (23).

Whole foods like vegetables, fruits, fish, eggs, poultry, nuts, and seeds are packed with nutrients and tend to be more filling than processed foods (24).

Basing your meals around whole foods is one of the best ways to promote lasting weight loss or to maintain a healthy body weight.

Even though it’s possible to lose weight by just cutting calories, adding exercise into your routine not only promotes weight loss but improves overall health.

While starting a new fitness program may seem like a daunting task, it doesn’t have to be.

If you have never exercised, simply going on half-hour walks three times a week is an excellent way to boost activity.

Once you’re in better physical shape, add in different types of workouts or activities like biking, swimming, hiking or jogging.

Increasing exercise can boost your mood and decrease your risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers (25).

While people generally state that they want to lose weight, they often mean that they want to lose fat.

When you adopt a healthy, sustainable weight loss plan that includes plenty of exercise, you should be gaining muscle mass.

Though this leads to slower weight loss, increased muscle mass helps your body burn fat (26).

Rely less on the scale and try out different methods to track fat loss, such as taking measurements of your thighs, hips, belly, chest and upper arms.

This can show you that even though the scale shows slow weight loss, you’re still losing fat and gaining muscle.

No matter how much weight you need to lose, cutting out excess calories and increasing physical activity is key.

A 1,500-calorie diet fits the needs of many people who want to lose fat and improve health. Like any healthy diet it should include mostly whole, unprocessed foods.

Reducing excess calories and using some of the simple tips in this article can help you succeed in your weight loss journey.