{"id":43909,"date":"2022-06-19T02:17:14","date_gmt":"2022-06-19T02:17:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/?p=43909"},"modified":"2024-12-16T08:35:01","modified_gmt":"2024-12-16T08:35:01","slug":"cico-diet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/","title":{"rendered":"CICO Diet: How It Works, Its Benefits, Risks, And Meal Plan Ideas"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_75 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#Get_your_personalized\" >Get your personalized<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#What_Is_The_CICO_Diet\" >What Is The CICO Diet?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#How_Many_Calories_Should_You_Eat_In_A_CICO_Diet\" >How Many Calories Should You Eat In A CICO Diet?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#For_Basal_Metabolic_Rate_BMI\" >For Basal Metabolic Rate (BMI):<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#For_Activity_Level\" >For Activity Level:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#Does_The_CICO_Diet_Promote_Weight_Loss\" >Does The CICO Diet Promote Weight Loss?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#Sample_Of_A_CICO_Diet_Plan\" >Sample Of A CICO Diet Plan<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#1000-Calorie_Meal_Plan_2\" >1000-Calorie Meal Plan (2)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#1200-Calorie_Meal_Plan_7\" >1200-Calorie Meal Plan (7)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#1500-Calorie_Meal_Plan_9\" >1500-Calorie Meal Plan (9)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#1800-Calorie_Meal_Plan_3\" >1800-Calorie Meal Plan (3)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#2000-Calorie_Meal_Plan_10\" >2000-Calorie Meal Plan (10)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#Is_CICO_The_Best_Way_To_Lose_Weight\" >Is CICO The Best Way To Lose Weight?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#The_Bottom_line\" >The Bottom line<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are trying to lose weight, you most likely have been told to consume fewer calories than your burn. So, you have to track the number of calories you consume throughout your day. For this reason, you will need a calorie calculator. But this is tedious for some people, especially those who cannot keep up with the tracking. So, they prefer following the CICO diet. The CICO method is an acronym for the calories-in calories-out method.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, is it practical for long-term weight loss? Let us find out!<\/span><\/p>\n\n    <section class=\"ad-single-wrapper\">\n        <div class=\"ad-single-text ad-title-wrapper\">\n            <h3 class=\"ad-single-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Get_your_personalized\"><\/span>Get your personalized<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n            <span class=\"ad-single-sub-title color-green\">\n                <svg class=\"icon-sparkle\" width=\"36\" height=\"21\" viewBox=\"0 0 36 21\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\"\n                          d=\"M34.6837 0.515943C34.8247 0.835947 34.9421 1.16291 34.9891 1.48987C35.1417 2.64466 35.3179 6.51949 35.2592 7.29863C35.2592 7.53515 35.1887 7.7995 35.0243 8.01516C34.7307 8.39777 33.9791 8.4256 33.5681 8.07081C33.4154 7.94559 33.3215 7.77863 33.2745 7.61863C33.1453 7.15254 33.0396 6.68645 32.9809 6.22035C32.8165 4.81512 32.6638 3.40293 32.5581 1.9977C32.5229 1.53161 32.6051 1.05856 32.6991 0.592466C32.7695 0.244637 33.251 -0.0197144 33.6973 0.00115537C34.2257 0.0289818 34.5546 0.230723 34.6837 0.515943ZM18.6184 9.78225C18.5734 9.67557 18.5344 9.57528 18.4971 9.47956C18.4178 9.27568 18.3465 9.09257 18.2426 8.91267C16.7159 6.24133 14.2615 3.86217 11.4665 1.60128C11.1377 1.33693 10.7267 1.08649 10.2687 0.919531C10.0221 0.829095 9.52885 0.843009 9.247 0.933445C9.03562 1.00301 8.88295 1.27432 8.92992 1.42736C9.01213 1.71954 9.18828 2.01868 9.4349 2.28303C11.0555 4.02913 12.6879 5.76829 14.3437 7.50048C14.8308 8.0068 15.3395 8.50887 15.8473 9.01L15.8473 9.01001C15.9883 9.14921 16.1293 9.28833 16.2697 9.42746C16.4811 9.64311 16.7159 9.85181 16.9626 10.0466C17.2327 10.2692 17.6437 10.4014 18.0547 10.2553C18.0691 10.2501 18.0836 10.245 18.0981 10.2399C18.1097 10.2358 18.1213 10.2318 18.1329 10.2278C18.3785 10.1424 18.6184 10.0589 18.6184 9.78225ZM1.98942 20.1407C2.17783 20.1221 2.37674 20.105 2.58175 20.0875C2.99012 20.0525 3.42272 20.0154 3.84492 19.9598C6.34632 19.6259 8.84771 19.292 11.3374 18.9442C11.8776 18.8676 12.406 18.7355 12.8875 18.5824C13.5334 18.3807 13.7566 18.0954 13.6509 17.7824C13.5452 17.4694 13.1224 17.2746 12.3826 17.2676C11.8776 17.2607 11.3374 17.2676 10.8559 17.3372C7.69683 17.8102 4.5378 18.2972 1.3905 18.7911C1.03819 18.8468 0.674137 18.9442 0.404034 19.0833C-0.2771 19.4242 -0.065712 19.9598 0.803314 20.092C1.01858 20.1228 1.25262 20.1258 1.51135 20.1291C1.66195 20.131 1.82092 20.133 1.98942 20.1407Z\"\n                          fill=\"#17B991\"\/>\n                <\/svg>\n               meal plan!\n            <\/span>\n        <\/div>\n    \n        <div class=\"ad-single-text ad-desc-wrapper\">\n            <p class=\"ad-single-desc\">What's your main health goal?<\/p>\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=CICO_Diet\" class=\"btn-ad btn-green\">Lose weight<\/a>\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=CICO_Diet\" class=\"btn-ad btn-green\">Feel great<\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        <img class=\"ad-single-img\" alt=\"health-food\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"395\" height=\"383\" src=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/themes\/gridlove-child\/assets\/img\/ad\/health-food.webp\">\n    <\/section>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_The_CICO_Diet\"><\/span><b>What Is The CICO Diet?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CICO is an acronym for calories-in calories-out, as mentioned above. If you are following this <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/grain-free-diet\/\">diet<\/a>, you must count the calories you consume to stay within a calorie deficit. If you cannot keep up, you can use an already crafted CICO diet plan that meets your dietary requirements. However, your doctor and dietitian should approve the chosen diet plan first.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Many_Calories_Should_You_Eat_In_A_CICO_Diet\"><\/span><b>How Many Calories Should You Eat In A CICO Diet?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your daily calorie limit is influenced by several factors, such as physical activity, age, lifestyle, body composition, and height (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/245588#activities\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). Generally, women need 1600 to 2400 calories daily while men require 2000 to 3000 (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/245588#activities\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, as you age, the calorie limit declines as your metabolic rate slows down (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/245588#activities\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). So, you will find that many women over 50 will require closer to 1600 calories daily. So, if you are interested in the CICO diet, you must first determine your daily calorie limit.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to Medical News Today, you determine the calories you need by calculating your basal metabolic rate and activity factor (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/245588#activities\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Read More:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/one-meal-a-day-diet\/\">One Meal A Day Diet? \u2013 Real Or Too Good To Be True?<\/a><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=CICO_Diet\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-32616 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/6-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"1500 calorie vegan meal plan\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/6-1.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/6-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/6-1.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/6-1-1636x920.jpg 1636w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/6-1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are the formulas to use:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"For_Basal_Metabolic_Rate_BMI\"><\/span><b>For Basal Metabolic Rate (BMI):<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most commonly used method is the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Men<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) \u2013 5 x age (y) + 5<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Women<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) \u2013 5 x age (y) \u2013 161<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"For_Activity_Level\"><\/span><b>For Activity Level:<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You determine the activity level by multiplying your BMR with an activity factor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Sedentary Lifestyle (BMR x 1.2)<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you perform little or no exercise, you determine your daily calorie requirement by multiplying your BMR by 1.2.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Slightly Active Lifestyle (BMR x 1.375)<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you do light exercise at least once to thrice a week, your daily calorie requirement is BMR x 1.375.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Moderately Active Lifestyle (BMR X 1.55)<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you do moderate exercise three to five times a week, your daily calorie requirement is BMR x 1.55.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Active Lifestyle (BMR X 1.725)<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you perform an intensive exercise at least six to seven times a week, you will calculate your daily calorie requirement by multiplying your BMR with 1.725.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Very Active Lifestyle (BMR X 1.9)<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you perform very intensive or vigorous exercise, at least twice a day, with extra heavy workouts, your daily calorie requirement will be calculated by multiplying your BMR by 1.9.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=CICO_Diet\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-32613 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/5-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"cico diet\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/5-1.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/5-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/5-1.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/5-1-1636x920.jpg 1636w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/5-1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Does_The_CICO_Diet_Promote_Weight_Loss\"><\/span><b>Does The CICO Diet Promote Weight Loss?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It goes without asking that the CICO diet does help you shed pounds. After all, its concept is based on the weight loss principle, which entails consuming fewer calories than your body burns. As a result, you create and sustain a calorie deficit for weight loss.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But how much weight do you lose when following the CICO diet? There is no standard measure because weight loss differs from person to person due to age, body shape, exercise program, etc. But for healthy weight loss, you are advised to aim at shedding a pound or two a week (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/healthyweight\/losing_weight\/index.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although this may not be fast enough for some people, it is safe and promises long-term weight loss. But, again, remember that it is not as easy as it seems. To lose one pound (0.45 kg), you have to burn an extra 3500 calories (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/healthy-lifestyle\/weight-loss\/expert-answers\/fast-weight-loss\/faq-20058289#:~:text=Advertisement,not%2Dfor%2Dprofit%20mission.&amp;text=Remember%20that%20one%20pound%20(0.45,of%20fat%20contains%203%2C500%20calories.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">12<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The best approach is to burn at least 500 calories a day more than what you take in so that within seven days, you burn an extra 3500 calories (500 calories x 7 days) (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/healthy-lifestyle\/weight-loss\/expert-answers\/fast-weight-loss\/faq-20058289#:~:text=Advertisement,not%2Dfor%2Dprofit%20mission.&amp;text=Remember%20that%20one%20pound%20(0.45,of%20fat%20contains%203%2C500%20calories.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">12<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). However, the CICO diet allows you to consume 500 calories less a day, hence a high possibility of losing one pound a week.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>BetterMe app will provide you with a host of fat-frying fitness routines that\u2019ll scare the extra pounds away and turn your body into a masterpiece! <a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=CICO_Diet\">Get your life moving in the right direction<\/a> with BetterMe!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=CICO_Diet\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-32612 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/7-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"BetterMe\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/7-1.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/7-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/7-1.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/7-1-1636x920.jpg 1636w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/7-1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sample_Of_A_CICO_Diet_Plan\"><\/span><b>Sample Of A CICO Diet Plan<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This section is perfect for you if you are interested in following this diet but do not know where to start. It shows you how to cut calories from your diet and still enjoy a healthy and nutritious meal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But before you try any of the listed meal plans, it would be best to talk to your doctor and dietitian. Remember that some diets, especially very calorie diets, have several side effects, including gallstones, fatigue, constipation, nausea, and diarrhea (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.webmd.com\/diet\/low-calorie-diets#:~:text=People%20on%20a%20very%20low,of%20very%20low%2Dcalorie%20diets.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Again, remember that very low calorie diets are not recommended for pregnant, breastfeeding women, seniors, and individuals with a BMI less than 30 (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.webmd.com\/diet\/low-calorie-diets#:~:text=People%20on%20a%20very%20low,of%20very%20low%2Dcalorie%20diets.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). Additionally, it is more complicated if you are overweight or obese and have weight-related problems. If need be, you should only follow this diet under strict medical supervision.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some CICO diet meal plans to consider:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1000-Calorie_Meal_Plan_2\"><\/span><b>1000-Calorie Meal Plan (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatthismuch.com\/diet-plan\/1000-calorie\/\"><b>2<\/b><\/a><b>)<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the name implies, this meal plan limits your daily calories to 1000. Therefore, it is restrictive and should not be followed without a doctor\u2019s approval.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With that said, here are a few meal ideas that make up this meal plan (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatthismuch.com\/diet-plan\/1000-calorie\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">):<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Breakfast:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Bagel With Cream Cheese (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatthismuch.com\/diet-plan\/1000-calorie\/\"><b>2<\/b><\/a><b>)<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 (3 1\/2\u201d to 4\u201d dia) medium bagel<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 tbsp. cream cheese<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>(Total calories: 315)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Lunch:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Lime Chicken Salad (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatthismuch.com\/diet-plan\/1000-calorie\/\"><b>2<\/b><\/a><b>)<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 can (5 oz.) canned chicken yields<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4 large lettuce leaves<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 tsp. lime juice<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 dash salt<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>(Total calories: 242)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Dinner:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Bachelor Brussels Sprouts (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatthismuch.com\/diet-plan\/1000-calorie\/\"><b>2<\/b><\/a><b>)<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 cups (176 g) Brussels sprouts<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bd tsp. black pepper<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 tbsp. coconut oil<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bd tsp. salt<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>(Total calories: 313)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Snack (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatthismuch.com\/diet-plan\/1000-calorie\/\"><b>2<\/b><\/a><b>)<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 oz. (23 whole kernels) almonds<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>(Total calories: 164)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Grand total: 1034<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=CICO_Diet\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-32594 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/3-7-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"cico diet\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/3-7.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/3-7-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/3-7.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/3-7-1636x920.jpg 1636w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/3-7.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1200-Calorie_Meal_Plan_7\"><\/span><b>1200-Calorie Meal Plan (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhlbi.nih.gov\/health\/educational\/lose_wt\/eat\/menus_tac_1200.htm\"><b>7<\/b><\/a><b>)<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The following meal plan has been obtained from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website. It helps you consume 1200 calories to sustain a calorie deficit for weight loss. It is 100% RDA met for all essential nutrients (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhlbi.nih.gov\/health\/educational\/lose_wt\/eat\/menus_tac_1200.htm\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). For more information on the meal plan, please visit the website.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here is its overview:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Breakfast (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhlbi.nih.gov\/health\/educational\/lose_wt\/eat\/menus_tac_1200.htm\"><b>7<\/b><\/a><b>):<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 medium slice of whole-wheat bread<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 tsp. regular jelly<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bd cup cereal, shredded wheat<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 cup milk<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00be cup orange juice<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 cup of regular coffee<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>(Total calories: 389)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Lunch (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhlbi.nih.gov\/health\/educational\/lose_wt\/eat\/menus_tac_1200.htm\"><b>7<\/b><\/a><b>):<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 medium slices of whole-wheat bread<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 oz. unseasoned lean roast beef<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 leaf of lettuce<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3 medium sliced\u00a0 tomatoes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 tsp. mayonnaise<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 medium apple<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 cup of water<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>(Total calories: 305)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Dinner (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhlbi.nih.gov\/health\/educational\/lose_wt\/eat\/menus_tac_1200.htm\"><b>7<\/b><\/a><b>):<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 oz. salmon<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00be medium baked potato<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 tsp. margarine<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bd cup green beans (seasoned with margarine)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Seasoned carrots<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 small white dinner roll<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 cup unsweetened iced tea<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 cups of water<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>(Total calories: 454)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Snack (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhlbi.nih.gov\/health\/educational\/lose_wt\/eat\/menus_tac_1200.htm\"><b>7<\/b><\/a><b>)<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 \u00bd cups of popcorn<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00be tsp. margarine<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>(Total calories: 99)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Grand total: 1247 calories<\/b><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Read More:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/banting-diet\/\">The Banting Diet: History, How It Works, And Everything Else You Should Know<\/a><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=CICO_Diet\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-32595 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/2-7-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"cico diet\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/2-7.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/2-7-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/2-7.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/2-7-1636x920.jpg 1636w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/2-7.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1500-Calorie_Meal_Plan_9\"><\/span><b>1500-Calorie Meal Plan (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatingwell.com\/article\/57461\/what-does-a-1500-calorie-day-look-like\/\"><b>9<\/b><\/a><b>)<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This diet plan restricts your daily <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/south-beach-diet-meals\/\">calorie consumption<\/a> to 1500 calories. It has been shown to promote weight loss in the average female, helping them shed one pound a week (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/1500-calorie-diet\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">11<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). However, this does not mean you are guaranteed to shed the same pounds if you follow this diet plan.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remember that this is not a one-size-fits weight-loss method, so it will likely not work the same for others. Again, keep in mind that such a diet may be overly restrictive for some people, for example, those whose daily calorie requirement is 3000 calories. So, they may report adverse side effects of a very low-calorie diet such as fatigue, nausea, and diarrhea.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, Medical News Today acknowledges that restrictive diets may trigger disordered eating in people with a history of ita (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/1500-calorie-diet\">11<\/a>). So, consult before following this <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/psoriasis-detox-diet\/\">diet plan<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Otherwise, here is a one-day sample of a 1500-calorie meal plan:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Breakfast:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>A Cup Of Green Tea (2 calories)\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Avocado &amp; Arugula Omelet (344 calories) (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatingwell.com\/article\/57461\/what-does-a-1500-calorie-day-look-like\/\"><b>9<\/b><\/a><b>)<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 large eggs<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bd cup arugula<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bc diced avocado<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 tsp. low-fat milk<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1\/8 tsp. divided salt\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 tsp. divided extra-virgin olive oil\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 tsp. lemon juice<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 tbsp. plain whole-milk Greek yogurt<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>(Total calories: 346)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Morning Snack:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 medium-sized apple sprinkled with cinnamon\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>(Total calories: 95)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Lunch:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Roasted Veggie Mason Jar Salad (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/1500-calorie-diet\"><b>11<\/b><\/a><b>)<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 tbsp. creamy vegan cashew sauce<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 cup roasted tofu<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 tbsp. pumpkin seeds<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 cup roasted vegetables<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 cups mixed greens\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>(Total calories: 400)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Afternoon Snack (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/1500-calorie-diet\"><b>11<\/b><\/a><b>)<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 cup cucumber slices<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bc cup hummus<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 medium carrot, cut into sticks\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>(Total calories: 145)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Dinner (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/1500-calorie-diet\"><b>11<\/b><\/a><b>):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>2 Cups Mixed Greens (18 calories)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Zucchini Noodles With Avocado Pesto &amp; Shrimp (447 calories)<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5 to 6 medium (2 \u00bc to 21\/2 pounds) <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/ovo-vegetarian-meal-plan\/\">trimmed zucchini<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 pound (21 to 25 count) peeled and deveined (tails left on if desired) raw shrimp<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 ripe avocado<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bc cup unsalted shelled pistachios<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 cup baked fresh basil leaves<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 tbsp. lemon juice<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bc cup divided extra-virgin olive oil plus 2 tbsp.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3 minced garlic cloves<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 to 2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00be tsp. divided salt<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>(Total calories: 465)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Dressing:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 tsp. olive oil<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 tsp. Dijon mustard<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 tsp. red wine vinegar<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A pinch of salt and pepper<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>(Total calories: 49)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Grand total: 1500 calories<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=CICO_Diet\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-32592 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/5-7-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"cico diet\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/5-7.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/5-7-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/5-7.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/5-7-1636x920.jpg 1636w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/5-7.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1800-Calorie_Meal_Plan_3\"><\/span><b>1800-Calorie Meal Plan (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatthismuch.com\/diet-plan\/1800-calorie\/\"><b>3<\/b><\/a><b>)<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most people seem to follow the 1800-calorie <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/active-rest-day\/\">meal plan<\/a> because it is not overly restrictive like the 1000 or 1200-calorie meal plans. But this creates doubt among weight watchers, as they ask if you can really <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/sirtfood-diet\/\">lose weight<\/a> on an 1800-calorie diet? The answer is, yes, you can.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remember that this CICO <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/sonoma-diet-recipe\/\">diet meal plan<\/a> aligns with the weight loss principle of shedding more calories than you consume. So, it is appropriate for individuals whose daily calorie needs are 2000 and above.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here is a one-day sample of an 1800-calorie meal plan (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatthismuch.com\/diet-plan\/1800-calorie\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">):\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Breakfast:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Strawberry Mango Shake And An Ounce Of\u00a0 Pecans (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatthismuch.com\/diet-plan\/1800-calorie\/\"><b>3<\/b><\/a><b>)<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 \u00bd cup reduced fat milk<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bd cup sliced mango<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bd cup whole strawberries<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 tbsp. sugar\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>(Total calories: 304)\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Lunch:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Mango Strawberry Arugula Salad (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatthismuch.com\/diet-plan\/1800-calorie\/\"><b>3<\/b><\/a><b>)<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6 cups (120 g) arugula<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 (207 g) mango without refuse<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 cup (166 g) sliced strawberries<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 peeled and seedless avocado<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bd (35 g) small raw red onion<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>(Total calories: 448)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Dinner (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatthismuch.com\/diet-plan\/1800-calorie\/\"><b>3<\/b><\/a><b>):\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Chicken With Chipotle Gravy\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 half breast (236 g) chicken breast<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bd 7 oz. can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bd tbsp. garlic<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bd small onion<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 \u00bd tbsp. honey<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bd tbsp. coconut oil<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>(Total calories: 506)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Roasted Green Beans\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 cups \u00bd pieces of green beans<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bd tbsp. olive oil<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bc tsp. salt<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1\/8 tsp. pepper<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>(Total calories: 122)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Snack (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatthismuch.com\/diet-plan\/1800-calorie\/\"><b>3<\/b><\/a><b>):<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 oz. cheddar cheese<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>(Total calories: 230)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Grand total: 1806 calories<\/b><\/p>\n<p><strong>Betterme will keep you laser-focused on your weight loss journey! Nutrient-packed meal plans, fat-blasting workouts, galvanizing challenges and much more. <a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=CICO_Diet\">Try using the app and see<\/a> for yourself!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=CICO_Diet\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-32583 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2-10-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"BetterMe\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2-10.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2-10-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2-10.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2-10-1636x920.jpg 1636w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2-10.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2000-Calorie_Meal_Plan_10\"><\/span><b>2000-Calorie Meal Plan (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatingwell.com\/article\/17404\/what-does-a-2000-calorie-diet-look-like\/\"><b>10<\/b><\/a><b>)<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This meal plan is suitable for individuals whose daily calorie needs exceed 2500. It is not efficient for individuals whose daily calorie needs are below 2000 because then it would create a calorie surplus. Conversely, a calorie surplus promotes weight gain instead of weight loss.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take a look at this sample of a 2000-calorie <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/no-carb-no-sugar-diet-meal-plan\/\">meal plan<\/a> for a day from the Eating Well website:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Breakfast\u00a0(<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatingwell.com\/article\/17404\/what-does-a-2000-calorie-diet-look-like\/\"><b>10<\/b><\/a><b>):\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>A Medium Banana\u00a0(105 calories)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>A Cup Of Green Tea\u00a0(2 calories)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Scrambled Eggs With Vegetables\u00a0(338 calories)<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 cup chopped broccoli, asparagus, or\/and zucchini<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bd tsp. minced fresh rosemary<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 tsp. olive oil<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 small minced garlic clove<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 large eggs<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 tbsp. shredded Goudar or Cheddar cheese<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1\/8 tsp. salt<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 tbsp. heavy cream<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bc tsp. ground pepper<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>(Total calories: 445)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Morning Snack (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatingwell.com\/article\/17404\/what-does-a-2000-calorie-diet-look-like\/\"><b>10<\/b><\/a><b>):<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>A Medium-Size Sliced Apple (95 calories)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>A Tablespoon Nut Butter With A Pinch Of Cinnamon (98 calories)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>(Total calories: 193)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Lunch:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Mediterranean Lettuce Wraps (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatingwell.com\/article\/17404\/what-does-a-2000-calorie-diet-look-like\/\"><b>10<\/b><\/a><b>)<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 15 oz. cans of unsalted and rinsed chickpeas<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bd cup of sliced and drained jarred roasted red peppers<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00be tsp. kosher salt<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bd tsp. paprika<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bd cup of thinly sliced shallots<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bc cup of chopped toasted almonds<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">12 large Bibb lettuce leaves<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bc cup tahini<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 tsp. lemon zest<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bc cup extra virgin olive oil<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bc cup lemon juice (from 2 lemons)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 \u00bd tsp. pure maple syrup<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>(Total calories: 498)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Afternoon Snack (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatingwell.com\/article\/17404\/what-does-a-2000-calorie-diet-look-like\/\"><b>10<\/b><\/a><b>):<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>A Cup Cucumber Slices (16 calories)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>One Quarter Cup Garlic Hummus (151 calories)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>(Total calories: 167)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Dinner\u00a0(<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatingwell.com\/article\/17404\/what-does-a-2000-calorie-diet-look-like\/\"><b>10<\/b><\/a><b>)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Taco Spaghetti Squash Boats (553 calories)<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 2 \u00bd to 3 pound seeded and halved lengthwise spaghetti squash<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 cup chopped romaine lettuce<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 chopped avocado<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bc cup prepared pico de gallo or salsa, plus more for serving<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bd tsp. divided salt<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 tsp. ground cumin<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4 tsp. chili powder<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 pound ground turkey<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 tbsp. canola oil<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 cup chopped onion<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3 garlic minced cloves<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 medium chopped tomato<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>2 Cups Mixed Greens (18 calories)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>A Tablespoon Citrus Vinaigrette (65 calories)<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bd quartered shallot<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bc cup freshly squeezed (ideally) orange juice<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 tsp. orange zest<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 tbsp. lemon juice<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2 tsp. Dijon mustard<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bd tsp. salt<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bd tsp. ground pepper<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bc cup extra-virgin olive oil<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bc cup organic avocado or canola oil<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>(Total calories: 636)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Evening Snack (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatingwell.com\/article\/17404\/what-does-a-2000-calorie-diet-look-like\/\"><b>10<\/b><\/a><b>)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>3\/4 Cup Strawberry-Mango Ice Cream (70 calories)<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">12 oz. frozen mango chunks<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5 oz. frozen sliced strawberries<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 tbsp. lime juice<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Grand Total: 2010 calories<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=CICO_Diet\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-32581 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/4-9-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"cico diet\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/4-9.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/4-9-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/4-9.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/4-9-1636x920.jpg 1636w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/4-9.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_CICO_The_Best_Way_To_Lose_Weight\"><\/span><b>Is CICO The Best Way To Lose Weight?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Research shows the CICO diet can be a useful <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/no-processed-food-diet-menu\/\">weight-loss tool<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, it may not be a healthy way to control and manage your weight because it is too restrictive for some people (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC1319349\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). For example, for a very active person whose daily calorie requirement is 3000 calories should not be consuming only 1000 or 1200 calories daily.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although your scale will budge, unfortunately, it may come at a cost, as we have seen above, due to health problems like gallstones. Some studies also suggest that this diet may not be suitable for long-term weight loss and may lead to disordered eating (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5639963\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is also not an ideal program for pregnant or breastfeeding women. So, consult a doctor if you are interested in following the CICO diet for weight loss. Then, if you get the green light, remember to consume fewer calories than your body burns by undertaking activities that help you burn more calories.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exercise is one of these activities. Therefore, it would be best to talk to your trainer for better guidance on an exercise program that currently matches your eating patterns.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Bottom_line\"><\/span><b>The Bottom line<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The CICO diet stands for the calories-in calories-out eating approach. It promotes weight loss by helping you create and sustain a calorie deficit. So, depending on your daily calorie needs, you can consider following meal plans under the CICO diet. Some of them include 1000, 1200, 1500, 1800, or 2000-calorie meal plans. However, it would be best to talk to your doctor before making this decision.<\/span><\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2273&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=CICO_Diet\" target=\"_blank\"><video autoplay=\"autoplay\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"playsinline\" width=\"777\"><source src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/ezgif.com-gif-to-mp4-2.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\" \/><\/video><\/a>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you are trying to lose weight, you most likely have been told to consume fewer calories than your burn. So, you have to track the number of calories you consume throughout your day. For this reason, you will need a calorie calculator. But this is tedious for some people, especially those who cannot keep [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":43910,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[67,172],"tags":[],"coauthors":[114,87],"class_list":["post-43909","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diets","category-meal-plans"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v20.2.1 (Yoast SEO v25.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>CICO Diet: How It Works, Its Benefits, Risks, And Meal Plan Ideas - BetterMe<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Does the \u2605 CICO DIET \u27a4 promote weight loss, and is it healthy? Here is everything you should know about the CICO and its weight loss association.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, nofollow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"CICO Diet: How It Works, Its Benefits, Risks, And Meal Plan Ideas\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Does the \u2605 CICO DIET \u27a4 promote weight loss, and is it healthy? Here is everything you should know about the CICO and its weight loss association.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"BetterMe Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/betterme.health.coaching\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/shutterstock_1954714966.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"667\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"R. Mogeni, Kristen Fleming, RD\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@betterme\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@betterme\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"R. Mogeni, Kristen Fleming, RD\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"14 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"R. Mogeni\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/272b6d75e10f5bf0a519ae23049404af\"},\"headline\":\"CICO Diet: How It Works, Its Benefits, Risks, And Meal Plan Ideas\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/\"},\"wordCount\":2318,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/shutterstock_1954714966.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Diets\",\"Meal Plans\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"articleBody\":\"<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">If you are trying to lose weight, you most likely have been told to consume fewer calories than your burn. So, you have to track the number of calories you consume throughout your day. For this reason, you will need a calorie calculator. But this is tedious for some people, especially those who cannot keep up with the tracking. So, they prefer following the CICO diet. The CICO method is an acronym for the calories-in calories-out method.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">So, is it practical for long-term weight loss? Let us find out!<\/span>\\r\\n\\r\\n\\r\\n<h2 style=\\\"text-align: center;\\\"><b>What Is The CICO Diet?<\/b><\/h2>\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">CICO is an acronym for calories-in calories-out, as mentioned above. If you are following this <a href=\\\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/grain-free-diet\/\\\">diet<\/a>, you must count the calories you consume to stay within a calorie deficit. If you cannot keep up, you can use an already crafted CICO diet plan that meets your dietary requirements. However, your doctor and dietitian should approve the chosen diet plan first.<\/span>\\r\\n<h2 style=\\\"text-align: center;\\\"><b>How Many Calories Should You Eat In A CICO Diet?<\/b><\/h2>\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Your daily calorie limit is influenced by several factors, such as physical activity, age, lifestyle, body composition, and height (<\/span><a href=\\\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/245588#activities\\\"><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">4<\/span><\/a><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">). Generally, women need 1600 to 2400 calories daily while men require 2000 to 3000 (<\/span><a href=\\\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/245588#activities\\\"><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">4<\/span><\/a><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">).<\/span>\\r\\n\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">However, as you age, the calorie limit declines as your metabolic rate slows down (<\/span><a href=\\\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/245588#activities\\\"><span style=\\\"font-weight: ...\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/\",\"name\":\"CICO Diet: How It Works, Its Benefits, Risks, And Meal Plan Ideas - BetterMe\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/shutterstock_1954714966.jpg\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00\",\"description\":\"Does the \u2605 CICO DIET \u27a4 promote weight loss, and is it healthy? Here is everything you should know about the CICO and its weight loss association.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/shutterstock_1954714966.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/shutterstock_1954714966.jpg\",\"width\":1000,\"height\":667},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Blog\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Diets\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/diets\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"CICO Diet: How It Works, Its Benefits, Risks, And Meal Plan Ideas\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/\",\"name\":\"BetterMe Blog\",\"description\":\"Health &amp; Fitness\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#organization\",\"name\":\"BetterMe\",\"alternateName\":\"Betterme Limited\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/BetterMe.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/BetterMe.png\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"BetterMe\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/betterme.health.coaching\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/betterme\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/betterme\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/betterme-apps\",\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/bettermetips\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC0svgcjc3jSgcryqo83spPQ\",\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@betterme.health.coaching\",\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/app\/betterme-health-coaching\/id1264546236\",\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.gen.workoutme&amp;amp;amp;amp;hl=en_US&amp;amp;amp;amp;gl=US\",\"https:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/wiki\/Q114895798\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/272b6d75e10f5bf0a519ae23049404af\",\"name\":\"R. Mogeni\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/5eb07007d9859baca0c49456ca184ac8\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/rodah_mogeni-150x150.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/rodah_mogeni-150x150.png\",\"caption\":\"R. Mogeni\"},\"description\":\"Rodah is a competent and skilful writer with a deep interest in nutrition and healthy living. Her speciality is writing articles that fall under the fitness and weight loss category. Her unparalleled style of writing and ability to explain difficult concepts in simple terms has made her garner much acclaim. Her top priority is creating informative pieces that advocate for or propel individuals towards healthier lifestyles. She believes that health is wealth, which is why she chose fitness and nutrition as her area of expertise. She believes adopting such a lifestyle is easy, as long as you are consistent, hopeful, and disciplined.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/author\/rodahmogeni\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"CICO Diet: How It Works, Its Benefits, Risks, And Meal Plan Ideas - BetterMe","description":"Does the \u2605 CICO DIET \u27a4 promote weight loss, and is it healthy? Here is everything you should know about the CICO and its weight loss association.","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"nofollow"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"CICO Diet: How It Works, Its Benefits, Risks, And Meal Plan Ideas","og_description":"Does the \u2605 CICO DIET \u27a4 promote weight loss, and is it healthy? Here is everything you should know about the CICO and its weight loss association.","og_url":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/","og_site_name":"BetterMe Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/betterme.health.coaching","article_modified_time":"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1000,"height":667,"url":"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/shutterstock_1954714966.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"R. Mogeni, Kristen Fleming, RD","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@betterme","twitter_site":"@betterme","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"R. Mogeni, Kristen Fleming, RD","Est. reading time":"14 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/"},"author":{"name":"R. Mogeni","@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/272b6d75e10f5bf0a519ae23049404af"},"headline":"CICO Diet: How It Works, Its Benefits, Risks, And Meal Plan Ideas","dateModified":"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/"},"wordCount":2318,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/shutterstock_1954714966.jpg","articleSection":["Diets","Meal Plans"],"inLanguage":"en-US","articleBody":"<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are trying to lose weight, you most likely have been told to consume fewer calories than your burn. So, you have to track the number of calories you consume throughout your day. For this reason, you will need a calorie calculator. But this is tedious for some people, especially those who cannot keep up with the tracking. So, they prefer following the CICO diet. The CICO method is an acronym for the calories-in calories-out method.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, is it practical for long-term weight loss? Let us find out!<\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>What Is The CICO Diet?<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CICO is an acronym for calories-in calories-out, as mentioned above. If you are following this <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/grain-free-diet\/\">diet<\/a>, you must count the calories you consume to stay within a calorie deficit. If you cannot keep up, you can use an already crafted CICO diet plan that meets your dietary requirements. However, your doctor and dietitian should approve the chosen diet plan first.<\/span>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>How Many Calories Should You Eat In A CICO Diet?<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your daily calorie limit is influenced by several factors, such as physical activity, age, lifestyle, body composition, and height (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/245588#activities\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). Generally, women need 1600 to 2400 calories daily while men require 2000 to 3000 (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/245588#activities\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, as you age, the calorie limit declines as your metabolic rate slows down (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/245588#activities\"><span style=\"font-weight: ..."},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/","url":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/","name":"CICO Diet: How It Works, Its Benefits, Risks, And Meal Plan Ideas - BetterMe","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/shutterstock_1954714966.jpg","dateModified":"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00","description":"Does the \u2605 CICO DIET \u27a4 promote weight loss, and is it healthy? Here is everything you should know about the CICO and its weight loss association.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/shutterstock_1954714966.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/shutterstock_1954714966.jpg","width":1000,"height":667},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/cico-diet\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Diets","item":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/diets\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"CICO Diet: How It Works, Its Benefits, Risks, And Meal Plan Ideas"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#website","url":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/","name":"BetterMe Blog","description":"Health &amp; Fitness","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#organization","name":"BetterMe","alternateName":"Betterme Limited","url":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/BetterMe.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/BetterMe.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"BetterMe"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/betterme.health.coaching","https:\/\/x.com\/betterme","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/betterme\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/betterme-apps","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/bettermetips\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC0svgcjc3jSgcryqo83spPQ","https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@betterme.health.coaching","https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/app\/betterme-health-coaching\/id1264546236","https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.gen.workoutme&amp;amp;amp;amp;hl=en_US&amp;amp;amp;amp;gl=US","https:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/wiki\/Q114895798"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/272b6d75e10f5bf0a519ae23049404af","name":"R. Mogeni","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/5eb07007d9859baca0c49456ca184ac8","url":"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/rodah_mogeni-150x150.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/rodah_mogeni-150x150.png","caption":"R. Mogeni"},"description":"Rodah is a competent and skilful writer with a deep interest in nutrition and healthy living. Her speciality is writing articles that fall under the fitness and weight loss category. Her unparalleled style of writing and ability to explain difficult concepts in simple terms has made her garner much acclaim. Her top priority is creating informative pieces that advocate for or propel individuals towards healthier lifestyles. She believes that health is wealth, which is why she chose fitness and nutrition as her area of expertise. She believes adopting such a lifestyle is easy, as long as you are consistent, hopeful, and disciplined.","url":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/author\/rodahmogeni\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43909","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/35"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43909"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43909\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43910"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43909"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43909"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43909"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=43909"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}