Have you tried hundreds of diet plans, but they didn’t work? You’re not alone; there are millions of people who have suffered from this. The reason is that they have definitely made some mistakes. Here, I will share a 1700 calorie meal plan with you that will help you to remove fat effectively and faster.
Body fat is the biggest obstacle that prevents our muscles from growing and hampers our journey to reach our fitness goal. Here, Diet is not the only element in losing fat, but its impact is the biggest. Did you know that over 80% of how much you gain or lose depends on diet?
In this article, you will learn exactly how you can lose fat. And I’m sure you will be surprised at how easy the process is. You don’t need to stop taking carbs or starve yourself.”
How to Lose Body Fat Fast
You just need two things to get the fastest visible results.
1. Why a 1700 Calorie Meal Plan Works for Fat Loss
There is a common misconception that we fully rely on exercise. Most people who aim to lose fat think that if they sweat more on the treadmill, they will get slimmer soon. But the reality is totally different.
Our body is like a bank account. If we deposit $100 and withdraw $100, our balance will remain the same, and that’s the exact way our body reacts. There is something called calories, which we get from food. Our body has a specific calorie requirement. How many calories we need depends on our BMI, regular activity, muscle-to-fat ratio, metabolism, etc. If we consume more than we burn regularly, then it is stored in our body as a form of fat to be used as a future energy source.
What Science Says About Calorie Deficit
A 2007 study found that the real issue in reducing fat is creating a calorie deficit. The participants were divided into two groups. one group reduced their daily calorie intake by 25%, while the other group created the same deficit by combining diet reduction and exercise. After six months, both groups lost about the same amount of fat. Which means, fat loss isn’t possible only with exercise unless you’re in a calorie deficit. However, those who exercised, their physical abilities also improved
Suppose your regular calorie requirement is 2000. If you want to lose fat, it’s mandatory to consume at least 300-400 fewer calories than 2000, and that’s called the calorie deficit. After that, you will actually start losing fat as your body uses it to meet its regular energy requirements.
2. Combine the 1700 Calorie Meal Plan with Cardio & Weight Training
Exercise like cardio and weight training is the best way to burn more calories. Our body burns more when we move more. Sometimes, our life schedule becomes so busy that we don’t have time to move, and we end up sitting in a chair all day.
Besides diet, if you can dedicate just 1 hour a day, then you will see the magic. With the help of cardio, we can burn 6-10 calories per minute, and with HIIT training, the number is 10-15 calories per minute. So, it means that you can burn around 300-450 calories in just 30 minutes. And along with cardio, if you add weight training, you can burn 400-500 extra calories. When you combine these two, you can burn around 800 extra calories everyday.
Plus, cardio boosts your metabolism and enhances your gut health. When you build muscle through weight training, it will burn more calories to maintain your muscles even when you’re doing nothing. This is called the resting metabolic rate.
How Long Does It Take to Lose Fat?
The fat loss journey is a long process. Your fat didn’t accumulate in one day, and that’s why you won’t see any results overnight. Your fat is the result of consuming unhealthy foods over many years.
To be honest, it takes at least 3-6 months, sometimes around 12 months, depending on the condition, to lose fat and visible muscles and achieve a lean body. Depending on your condition, this time may vary. You might see effects in just three months if you are born with the ability to lose fat more quickly.
Patience and Consistency
A study from 2021 says that losing 0.5% to 1% of your body weight each week is a safe way to do it, and that will also help to preserve your muscles. Walking at this rate can help you lose 16 to 17 kg of fat in six months.
You may lose fat quickly with a crash diet, but in future it will come with some serious health risks. In the fat loss journey, one thing you must have is patience. After starting, you will see rapid results, but this usually happens due to water loss. After some time, the process slows down due to body adaptation.
A Complete 1700 Calorie Meal Plan
Generally, an average amount of calories for a man is 2500 a day, and a woman needs 2000 calories. Cutting down to 500-750 calories is the highest range that experts suggest. However, we must also take care of our nutrients.
Time | Meal | Foods | Macronutrient Breakdown |
7:30 AM | Water | 500 ml after waking up | Total: 0 kcal 0g carbs 0g protein and 0g fat |
8:00 AM | Breakfast | 2 slices of wheat bread/ 2 egg white omelets + Low-fat milk | Total: 250 calories ~42g carbs with 16g protein and 1.5g fat |
8:30 AM | Water | 500ml 30 minutes after breakfast | Total: 0 kcal 0g carbs 0g protein and 0g fat |
11:00 AM | Snacks | An apple /kiwi/ orange + 2 bananas | Total: 280 calories ~70g Carbs with 3g protein and 1g Fat |
11:30 AM | Water | 500ml 30 minutes after snacks | Total: 0 kcal 0g carbs 0g protein and 0g fat |
2:00 PM | Lunch | 1 cup of rice + 1 plate mixed salad + 250 gm meat | Total: 500 kcal ~55g carbs with 36g protein and 10g fat |
2:30 PM | Water | 500ml 30 minutes after lunch | Total: 0 kcal 0g carbs 0g protein and 0g fat
|
5:00 PM | Snacks | 20 gm nuts + 1 cup coffee | Total: 140 kcal ~9 gm carbs with 3 gm protein and 10 gm fat |
5:30 PM | Water | 500ml after snacks | Total: 0 kcal 0g carbs 0g protein and 0g fat |
8:00 PM | Dinner | 2-3 slices of bread/ 1 bowl of any healthy green vegetable (bean, carrot, spinach, cabbage, or any veggies) + 1 plate mixed salad + 150 gm Tofu + 100 gm plain yogurt
| Total: 530 kcal ~61g carbs with 39g protein and 15g fat
|
8:30 PM | Water | Drink 500ml after 30 minutes of dinner | Total: 0 kcal 0g carbs 0g protein and 0g fat.
|
Macronutrients:
- 95-100 g of protein
- 230 g of carbs
- 35-37 g of fats
This plan provides around 1700 calories, and combined with complete micronutrients and a variety of fruits, veggies, and meat. This chart is suitable for both men and women, but women can cut some extra calories if needed and follow a 1500-calorie plan by making some minor changes.
In this diet plan, we adjust the meal timing and allow space for digestion. Here, fruits and vegetables provide proper vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
And it is a general and standard diet chart. You can adjust the nutrients according to your needs.
Importance of Hydration During Your 1700 Calorie Meal Plan
During fat loss, you may often feel hungry, but you’re actually just thirsty. When you drink water, you will feel the difference. If you look at the chart, it emphasizes drinking plenty of water.
A 2019 study-based systematic review found that those who drank plain water instead of caloric beverages (such as sweetened juices, sodas, coffee, or other sugary drinks) can lose an average of 5.15% more weight in 12 weeks.
How Much to Drink & Why
You should drink around 3-4 liters of water during your fat loss journey. Do you want to know why? It’s because your body requires extra water to support the process of breaking down fat.
Drinking plenty of water increases your metabolism by 24-30%. When your body is metabolically more active, it burns more fat. Not only that, but water also suppresses your appetite. Drinking water before meals will help you feel full with less food and prevent you from overeating. Plus, it balances your electrolytes, which are lost during workouts through sweat.
During fat loss, we often consume a lot of fiber-rich foods, which can lead to constipation if not paired with adequate water intake. Most importantly, many toxins accumulate during fat loss, and these cannot be washed out without water.
So, drinking plenty of water is mandatory during fat loss.
Measure Yourself
Fat loss takes time, and for that reason, there is a high chance that people might get demotivated and give up quickly. Tracking helps you stay motivated because it shows a clear measure of how you are progressing. Now the question is, how to measure? There are several different ways:
- Measure Weight on a Digital Scale
Measure your weight in the morning on an empty stomach once a week, not every day, to avoid fluctuations. - Use Body Measurements
Measure your chest waist arms and legs with a measuring tape. However, remember that changes won’t be visible quickly, so take measurements at least every 15 days. - Body Fat Percentage
Use a digital skinfold caliper to measure your body fat percentage. Sometimes, you won’t see significant changes on the weight scale, or the scale shows you’ve gained instead of losing, but don’t get disappointed. There are two possibilities: either you’re not progressing at all, or you’re losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time. Measuring body fat percentage can help you in this situation. It gives a clear picture to resolve this confusion and track your progress accurately. - Progress Photos
Take a photo every week with the same pose, same lighting, and wearing the same clothes. Progress photos provide a clear visual representation of your transformation.
The Bottom Line
Fat loss is a long journey, and it takes a lot of time. So, do you want all your valuable time to be wasted without seeing any results? If the answer is “NO,” then you must follow the steps properly. The most important of these is the diet, which we’ve already discussed. Now let’s review all the points:
- Learn the basics of how fat is actually lost.
- Losing fat takes time—don’t be impatient and stay consistent with your routine.
- The diet chart I provided is a standard chart with all the essential elements your body needs. Adjust it according to your requirements.
- Drink at least 3 liters of water a day.
- Track how much progress you’re making.
