The 400 Calorie Fix is creating a buzz in the diet world these days, and get this — it’s not a crazy, short-term deprivation diet from a celebrity!
No, it’s NOT a 400 calorie diet, thank the food gods! So, why the tagline 400 Calorie Fix? Because Prevention magazine editor-in-chief Liz Vaccariello (and ‘creator’ of the flat belly diet) came up with the book based on the amount of calories most of us need to feel full and satisfied, which, according to dietitians, is 400 calories per meal.
Says Vaccariello, “We came up with that amount because registered dietitians say that’s the amount in a meal that you’re going to remain satisfied, you’re not going to get cravings, you get a variety of tastes and textures and you’re going to get enough disease-fighting nutrients so you stay healthy.”
Featured on Rachel Ray, the focus of the book is to get a grip on what Vaccariello calls “calorie creep” — the bad habit of simply not taking the time to be conscious about our calorie intake for meals. Essentially, Vaccariello thinks that with a clear guideline of calories per meal, it should be easier to keep track of how much you’ve consumed.
Following the 400 calorie fix plan over the course of the three to four meals Vaccariello encourages us to eat throughout the day, your caloric intake would total 1200 to 1600 calories, then add two or three recommended snacks of about 200 calories each, and VOILA! you have a lean mean 2000 to 2400 calorie a day diet plan, which is ideal for a moderately active women. The bonus? By eating several small meals, the 400 calorie fix boosts energy, gets your metabolism going and keeps you feeling full longer.
One claim the 400 calorie fix makes that will make us all happy (and possibly skeptical) — no food is off limits. It just has to be 400 calories. Of course this does not mean that 400 calories worth of chocolate pudding counts as a meal — be sure that you’re making healthy choices from all food groups; focus on whole grains, fruit, veggies and lean proteins as usual. But don’t be afraid to curb cravings when you need to.
If you’re not following the 400 Calorie column online or in Prevention magazine, you should be. The weekly column features great 380 to 420 calorie meal and snack ideas, plus the tips actually incorporate some of the guilty pleasures we all indulge in sometimes. Here’s an example:
Need a little pick-me-up in the afternoon? Stop by a Starbucks®!
- Order a tall skim latte (100)
- Pair it with their Reduced-Fat Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake (290)
Caffeine and Cake Break
Total calories: 390
Now that’s my kind of afternoon meal! Grab your copy of the 400 calorie fix book by Liz Vaccariello here.
Following the 400 calorie fix plan over the course of the three to four meals Vaccariello encourages us to eat throughout the day, your caloric intake would total 1200 to 1600 calories, then add two or three recommended snacks of about 200 calories each, and VOILA! you have a lean mean 2000 to 2400 calorie a day diet plan?