The 1000 calorie bodybuilding meal plan is a guide made up of different meal and snack ideas that can help you feel full on a lower number of calories, and ensure that you’re consuming a variety of nutrients to maintain your health.
Before you dive into this 1000 calorie meal plan it’s important to understand who this meal plan is appropriate for, because it’s certainly not for everyone.
In this article, I will discuss:
- What is the 1000 calorie bodybuilding meal plan?
- What foods to eat on a 1000 calorie bodybuilding diet?
- What foods to avoid on a 1000 calorie bodybuilding diet?
- 1000 calorie bodybuilding meal plan
- How to customize the 1000 calorie meal plan
Want to learn more about meal planning? Check out our complete guide on Bodybuilding Meal Plans For Beginners.
What Is the 1000 Calorie Bodybuilding Meal Plan?
The 1000 calorie meal plan is a guide for different ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks that result in a 1000 calorie intake. The macronutrient content of each meal is designed to have the right balance of protein, carbs, and fats to keep you properly fueled.
Who Is The 1000 Calorie Meal Plan For?
It’s important to note that while you may be considering a 1000 calorie meal plan, there are very few people that actually require a 1000 calorie intake, even when weight loss is the goal.
An individual’s daily calorie requirement depends on factors such as gender, height, weight, age, and daily physical activity. All of these factors combined will determine whether 1000 calories is an appropriate intake for you.
You can calculate how many calories that you need in a day by using an online calculator to find out your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) This will give you an estimate for how many calories you burn per day, and how many calories you will need just to maintain your weight.
For example, an average 25 year old woman who is 5’4” tall, weighs 130 pounds, and exercises 2-3 times a week requires roughly 1850 calories to maintain her weight.
To pursue a healthy rate of fat loss, she could reduce her calories by 300 to 500, which would require her to eat between 1350 to 1550 calories to lose weight.
So If she were to eat 1000 calories a day, then she would be creating an 850 calorie deficit which is not necessary for her to see weight loss, and could result in negative health outcomes.
A few side effects that can occur when you do not eat enough calories for your body are:
- Low energy
- Dizziness
- Blood pressure dropping
- Weakness
- Hormone imbalances
- Digestive disturbances (constipation)
- Weakened immune system
- Muscle loss
- Food obsession
- Poor concentration
Considering that a healthy calorie deficit is around 300 to 500 calories below your maintenance calories, the only people who should be eating 1000 calories to lose weight are those who maintain their weight while eating 1300 to 1500 calories per day.
An example of someone who would need 1300 calories to maintain their weight is a 30-year-old female who is 5’1” tall, weighs 100 pounds, and does little to no exercise.
However, while she could use a 1000 calorie diet for weight loss, it could be argued that at her current weight, losing any further weight would not be healthy.
Similarly, a 30-year-old female who is 5’3” and weighs 110 pounds would require around 1500 calories to maintain her weight and therefore could eat 1000 calories per day to lose weight.
However, she would benefit more from a higher calorie diet and workout program that aims to help her build muscle.
So as you can see, even those who would require a 1000 calorie deficit to lose weight, probably shouldn’t commit to it.
The only people that a 1000 calorie bodybuilding meal plan is appropriate for are those competing in bodybuilding, who need to get to an unsustainable level of leanness to be competitive in their sport.
That being said, even those who are competing should only adhere to the 1000 calorie meal plan for a short period of time.
Eating 1000 calories per day for an extended period of time could result in negative impacts on your health because your body would be getting much less than what it needs just to maintain normal functions.
- Related Article: 1000 Calorie Deficit: Is It Healthy & How Much Can You Lose?
What Foods to Eat on a 1000 Calorie Bodybuilding Diet?
If you’ve determined that a 1000 calorie meal plan is appropriate for you, then it’s important to know what foods to incorporate so that you’re maximizing the nutrients that you’re consuming while calories are limited.
Protein
On a low-calorie weight loss diet, ensuring that you have an adequate protein intake is of the utmost importance. This is because when you are in a calorie deficit, you are more likely to feel hungry, and protein can help to make you feel fuller for longer since it is highly satiating.
Another reason that protein intake is important while in a calorie deficit is that protein can help you to preserve lean muscle mass while you are dieting.
This is especially important when you’re in a calorie deficit, because when calories are limited your body is more likely to get rid of muscle to preserve energy.
I recommend allocating 30% of your daily calories to ensure adequate protein intake while dieting. If you are eating 1000 calories a day, this would mean that you would need to eat about 75 grams of protein per day.
While on a 1000 calorie diet, you will want to make sure that the protein sources you are choosing are lean to avoid the added calories that come from fat.
Lean sources of protein to include in your diet are:
- Chicken and turkey breast (no skin)
- Egg whites
- Non-fat cottage cheese
- Non-fat Greek yogurt
- Skim milk
- Whey protein powder
- White fish (cod, haddock, mahi mahi)
- Shrimp
Carbs
Carbs are necessary to give your body energy, but when your calorie intake is low, it is important to choose the right sources of carbohydrate that are high in volume and fiber so that they will fill you up for lower calories.
I recommend allocating 40% of your daily calories to carbohydrates so that you have enough energy to keep up with your daily activities. On a 1000 calorie a day diet, this would mean that you would need to eat around 100 grams of carbs per day in order to meet your goal.
Choosing starchy carbs that are high in fiber can help you to feel full for longer because they’re slower to digest. Non-starchy carbs are also helpful because they take up more space in your stomach but are lower in calories.
Including a combination of starchy and non-starchy carbs will give you energy and keep you more satisfied when eating 1000 calories a day.
The best starchy carbs for a 1000 calorie diet are:
- Sweet potatoes
- White potatoes
- Brown Rice
- Whole grain bread
- Oats
- Quinoa
- Squash (such as spaghetti, butternut, zucchini)
- Fruit (berries, apples, oranges, melons, bananas)
The best non-starchy carbs for a 1000 calorie diet are:
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Asparagus
- Spinach
- Leafy greens
- Celery
Fat
Whether or not you are in a calorie deficit, getting enough fat in your diet is important for bodily functions such as the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, maintaining the health of the membrane of the cell, hormone health and brain function.
I recommend getting roughly 30% of your total daily calories from fat to encourage general health. In the case of the 1000 calorie bodybuilding meal plan, this would mean you would need to eat around 33 grams of fat per day.
You should focus on getting the majority of your fats from unsaturated fat sources (think: plant sources), and moderate amounts from saturated fat sources (think: animal sources). However, it’s best to avoid foods that contain trans fats completely.
Foods that contain trans fats have no benefit to your health, and have even been shown to be harmful to human health.
The best fats to eat on a 1000 calorie bodybuilding diet are:
- Nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, peanuts)
- Nut butter (almond butter, cashew butter, peanut butter)
- Seeds (chia seeds, flaxseeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds)
- Seeds butter (tahini, pumpkin seed butter)
- Avocado and avocado oil
- Olive oil
- Shredded coconut and Coconut oil
- Eggs (primarily the yolk which contains the fat)
Related Article: 10 Easy 1000 Calorie Meals
What Foods to Avoid on A 1000 Calorie Bodybuilding Diet?
When you’re eating 1000 calories per day, there are going to be certain foods that you will want to limit or avoid because they’re too high in calories and too low in volume. These foods will leave you feeling hungry and unsatisfied throughout the day.
Foods that are highly processed often contain additives like sugar and fat, which make them hyper-palatable and easier to overeat. These foods are best avoided completely if trying to adhere to 1000 calories per day, since it could be very easy to overeat and go over your calorie target.
Processed foods also contain little to no vitamins and minerals, which are essential for your body to function optimally.
My recommendation is to aim to get at least 80% of your daily calories from whole unprocessed foods, while allowing 20% of your daily intake to come from foods that are potentially more processed and contain less nutrition.
This allows you a bit more flexibility to include the foods that you enjoy that may not be the “healthiest”. I feel that this is important because when you feel less restricted, you’re more likely to be successful adhering to your diet.
1000 Calorie Bodybuilding Meal Plan
Before you dive into this 1000 calories meal plan, it’s important to note that eating 1000 calories per day is not an adequate calorie intake for most people, even for a calorie deficit. If you’re questioning whether you should follow this meal plan or not, then consider consulting your physician or a nutrition coach.
This meal plan provides two options for each meal and snack that are roughly the same macros to give you more flexibility with the 1000 calorie meal plan. Feel free to mix and match as you like!
The total daily nutrition of this meal plan is
- Calories: 1018 calories
- Protein: 78 grams
- Carbohydrates: 100 grams
- Fat: 34 grams
MEAL | NUTRITION | OPTION 1 | OPTION 2 |
---|---|---|---|
BREAKFAST | Calories: 273 Protein: 17 grams Carbs: 31 grams Fats: 9 grams | Egg and Veggie Scramble with Blueberries -2 eggs + 1 egg white -1 cup spinach -1/2 cup mushrooms -1/4 cup onion -1 cup blueberries | Chocolate Oatmeal and Raspberries -1/3 cup quick oats - 1/2 scoop chocolate whey protein powder -1/2 cup raspberries - 1/2 tbsp peanut butter |
SNACK | Calories: 212 Protein: 5 grams Carbs: 21 grams Fats: 12 grams | Berry and Chia Seed Pudding -1/2 cup frozen mixed berries -2 tbsp chia seeds -1 cup unsweetened almond milk | Sliced Apple with Peanut Butter -1/2 apple, sliced -1 1/2 tbsp peanut butter -1 tsp cinnamon |
LUNCH | Calories: 251 Protein: 27 grams Carbs: 29 grams Fats: 3 grams | Ground Chicken, Sweet Potato and Broccoli -3 oz extra lean ground chicken -3 oz mashed sweet potato -1 cup steamed broccoli -1 tbsp low sugar ketchup | Shrimp and Veggie Stir-fry -3 oz tiger shrimp -1/3 cup basmati rice -1 cup frozen veggie mix (carrots, peas, mushrooms) - 1 tbsp soy sauce |
DINNER | Calories: 282 Protein: 29 grams Carbs: 19 grams Fats: 10 grams | Chicken, Avocado and Spinach Salad -3 oz chicken breast -2 cups chopped spinach -1/4 cup chopped red onion -1/3 cup chopped strawberries -40 grams of sliced avocado -1 tbsp low calorie raspberry vinaigrette dressing | Extra Lean Ground Bison and Spaghetti Squash -3 oz extra lean ground bison -1 cup spaghetti squash -1/3 cup no sugar added tomato sauce -1 oz skim mozzarella cheese -7 roasted asparagus spears |
How To Customize the 1000 Calorie Meal Plan
It’s important to make this meal plan your own so that it aligns with your goals in the gym and it’s as enjoyable as it can be so that you’re able to adhere to it.
Prioritize Your Pre-Workout & Post-Workouts Meals
One way that you may want to customize this meal plan is to adjust your pre-workout and post-workout meals so that you’re properly fueling your workouts and encouraging recovery.
To ensure that you have as much energy as possible for your training session, you should try and consume your highest-carb meal of the day before your workout. I suggest consuming this meal 1.5 to 3 hours prior to working out.
After your workout, you should choose the meal that’s the highest in protein to help repair any muscle damage that occurred while working out. I recommend that you consume this meal within 2 hours of finishing your workout.
Add Your Favorite Seasonings
A great way to make sure you are enjoying the taste of your low-calorie meal plan is to add your favorite low-calorie seasonings. Unlike certain high-calorie condiments, seasoning your food can be a fabulous way to add delicious flavor, without adding any extra calories.
My personal favorite seasonings that I use on my meals while cooking are:
- Sea Salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion Powder
- Cumin
- Oregano
- Basil
- Thyme
- Cinnamon
- Turmeric
- Chili powder
You can also look for brands of seasoning that are free of added preservatives or fillers, such as Flavor God seasonings. In particular, I would recommend the Flavor God Taco Tuesday seasoning, Nacho Cheese Seasoning, and their Italian Zest Seasoning.
For more information on acquiring a customized meal plan to help you achieve your body composition goal in a healthy and maintainable way, reach out and book a 20 minute consultation with one of our nutrition coaches.
Other Similar Meal Plans
Check out all our meal plans or view similar calorie specific meal plans.
References
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Mettler S, Mitchell N, Tipton KD. Increased protein intake reduces lean body mass loss during weight loss in athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2010 Feb;42(2):326-37. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181b2ef8e. PMID: 19927027.
Jéquier E. Carbohydrates as a source of energy. Am J Clin Nutr. 1994 Mar;59(3 Suppl):682S-685S. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/59.3.682S. PMID: 8116550.
Dhaka, V., Gulia, N., Ahlawat, K. S., & Khatkar, B. S. (2011). Trans fats-sources, health risks and alternative approach – A review. Journal of food science and technology, 48(5), 534–541. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-010-0225-8
About The Author
Amanda Parker is an author, nutrition coach, and Certified Naturopath. She works with bodybuilders, Olympic weightlifters, and powerlifters to increase performance through nutrition and lifestyle coaching.
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