The 800 Calorie Diet for rapid weight loss

June 1, 2022 Joanna O'Sullivan

If you have a lot of weight to lose or are keen for a quicker approach, the 800 Calorie Diet may be the perfect solution for you. Based on scientific research, it's been tried and tested by many and found to be a safe and effective way to rapidly lose weight.

The 800 calorie diet simply advocates eating around 800 calories per day, combined with intermittent fasting. This diet originally shot to popularity thanks to its ease of adoption (watch the clock, not the calories) and the power of intermittent fasting for switching our bodies into fat-burning mode.

Lose weight rapidly with just 800 calories a day

Research suggests that 800 calories a day is a perfect number for dieting success. That's because it creates enough of a calorie deficit to lose weight, while being just manageable enough and not driving your metabolism into a slow down. It will also trigger a range of desirable metabolic changes relating to blood sugar and insulin resistance.

Let it be said that eating just 800 calories a day is quite restrictive, so it's not for everyone. However, it does generate quick results which is what a lot of people desire. It really is a perfect kick start to an overall lifestyle change. 800 calories per day is not sustainable for the long term, which is why it is recommended for an initial two week period or longer (up to 12 weeks maximum) for those who want more significant results.

Why use intermittent fasting + how to do it?

Intermittent fasting has been shown to improve a number of cardiovascular and metabolic health markers such as body fat, blood pressure, cholesterol and insulin sensitivity. Not to mention, assist with weight loss!

If you’re not familiar with intermittent fasting, it’s a lifestyle where you cycle between periods of eating and fasting. Most of us already fast every night (while we sleep) but with intermittent fasting you may extend the fast by missing breakfast or dinner, or just eating during a specific time window during the day.

An eating window of between 8 hours and 12 hours is what you should aim for, depending on how it feels for you. Many people start with 12 hours as it's easy to make the adjustment, then shorten the window to around 8-10 hours for better results. As an example, if you're aiming for 8 hours of eating and 16 hours of fasting, you might push your breakfast back to 11am and finish all eating by 7pm. No calories should be consumed between 7pm and 11am. Water, herbal teas, black tea or coffee are ok.

800 Calorie Keto

Our latest addition is our 800 Calorie Keto Diet, which actually offers slightly more calories (up to 1,000 per day) but the menu is very low in carbs to ensure fat burning while retaining muscle mass. Many people find the results just as compelling!

What happens after the 800 calorie diet?

The 800 Calorie and 800 Calorie Keto Diets are part of our Stage 1 for Rapid Weight Loss diets. Other options include our Cleanses and our 1500 Calorie for men. You can switch between these diets for your initial 2 to 12 week rapid weight loss period. After that, it's advised to move onto a more sustainable plan if you still want to lose weight.

Stage 2 is for steady weight loss - it's less restrictive, more flexible and easier to stick to. We have a number of different diet options within Stage 2, such as our intermittent fasting diet, 1200 Calorie Plan or The Anti-Inflammatory Diet Plan.

Once you've reached your goal weight, you'll need to move onto Stage 3 for Weight Maintenance in order to keep your weight in check and stay healthy for life. Choose from either our Individual Meals to supplement your regular diet - this keeps you on track with low calorie, healthy meals a few times a week. You can also consider a Lunch & Dinner Pack or even Build Your Own Plan.

What’s great about this way of eating is that it’s flexible, depending on your goals and lifestyle. After all, you have reached your objective so it's time to live life to the full without too much restriction!