700 Calorie Diet Plan: Shocking Benefits and Hidden Risks You Must Know!

The allure of rapid weight loss often leads individuals to explore extreme measures, such as very low-calorie diets (VLCDs). Among these, the 700-calorie diet stands out as a highly restrictive approach. While it promises quick results, understanding its benefits and risks is crucial before embarking on such a regimen. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the 700-calorie diet, its potential advantages, associated risks, and essential considerations for those contemplating this weight loss strategy.

Understanding the 700-Calorie Diet

A 700-calorie diet falls under the category of very low-calorie dieting (VLCD). Eating only 700 calories a day falls under very low-calorie dieting (VLCD). It involves consuming a significantly reduced number of calories each day. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the average adult needs 1,600 to 3,000 calories per day (9). To put things into perspective, a 2-year-old needs around 1,000 calories in a day (9). It is usually only recommended for people with an obesity-related health complication that would benefit from rapid weight loss. VLCD should not be done without medical supervision. You should also not stick to it for more than 12 weeks. The typical recommendation is a calorie deficit of 500-1,000 calories per day with an aim of safe and sustainable weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week (2). For example, if your daily energy needs are 2,000 calories, but you eat only 1,500 calories, you have a deficit of 500 calories.

Potential Benefits of a 700-Calorie Diet

While extreme, a 700-calorie diet can offer some potential benefits, primarily in specific medical scenarios.

Rapid Weight Loss: Calorie restriction is the surest way to lose weight, and there is certainly some science to support it. VLCDs can result in rapid weight loss under medical supervision. This can be particularly beneficial for individuals with obesity-related health complications. An obese person may lose approximately 3 to 5 pounds per week on such a diet (6).
Improvement in Obesity-Related Conditions: As a result of significant weight loss, some medical conditions related to obesity may improve. VLCDs have been demonstrated to positively affect the health of persons with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The improved prognosis is primarily due to the large energy deficit resulting in rapid weight loss leading to improved glycemic control, insulin sensitivity, and reduced cardiovascular risk factors in obese individuals with T2D [2,42▪▪]. Losing as little as 5% of your body weight may improve medical conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
Short-Term Metabolic Benefits: A primary utility of a VLCD is to promote rapid weight loss in preparation for patients undergoing, for example, bariatric surgery [3,4]. During the study, it was noted that the participants’ pre-breakfast blood sugar levels were close to normal. The researchers theorized that the VLCD prompted the body to use up fat clogging the pancreas. As a result, it helped revive insulin-producing cells in this small number of people with type 2 diabetes.
Increased Awareness of Food Choices: With only 700 calories to work with, meal planning isn’t overwhelming. On this diet, you quickly understand how much (or how little) you can eat to hit your calorie target. Following a 700 calories a day meal plan can help you become more aware of portion sizes and make healthier food choices.

Risks and Side Effects of a 700-Calorie Diet

Despite the potential for rapid weight loss, the 700-calorie diet carries significant risks and potential side effects.

Nutrient Deficiencies: It’s tough to get all the vitamins and minerals your body needs on just 700 calories, leading to fatigue and weakened immunity. To be healthy, you need a balance of foods from different food groups. It's difficult to get good nutrition and feel satisfied on a very low-calorie diet. Most people on very low calorie diets need vitamin and mineral supplements to ensure they are getting proper nutrition. Following a 700 calorie diet plan may not provide sufficient nutrients for optimal health, especially if followed for an extended period.
Muscle Loss: According to research, rapid weight loss often results in loss of muscle mass (13). So if you go from consuming more than 2,000 calories to only 700, your muscles may start to break down. Don’t underestimate the dangers of muscle loss. The main risk from following a VLCD is the potential loss of muscle mass [7]. Especially with advancing age, it is important to maintain muscle mass to avoid accelerating sarcopenia [1].
Metabolic Slowdown: As your body mass decreases, your basal metabolic rate (BMR) drops (14). Daily activities take up less energy. If you feel lethargic, you’ll move around much less. Eventually, your metabolism drops so low that weight loss plateaus. This reaction is partly because your brain registers starvation and triggers your body to conserve calories. A sudden and extreme reduction of calorie intake sends your body into starvation mode, which can impede long-term weight loss.
Gallstones: Gallstones are the most common serious side effect of very low-calorie diets. Gallstones are more common during rapid weight loss. When the body experiences a calorie deficit, it starts to break down fat for energy. The liver then secretes more cholesterol and when combined with bile, can form gallstones.
Electrolyte Imbalance: VLCDs can disrupt the balance of electrolytes in the body, leading to potential heart problems and fatigue.
Other Side Effects: People on a very low-calorie diet for 4 to 16 weeks report minor side effects such as fatigue, constipation, nausea, and diarrhea. These conditions usually improve within a few weeks and rarely prevent people from completing the program. Rapid weight loss can also cause some side effects including: Gallstones, Gout, Fatigue, Constipation, Diarrhea, Nausea.
Psychological Effects: The psychological effects of such a restrictive diet can lead to irritability and an unhealthy relationship with food. Stress can lead to overeating or emotional eating, which can derail your progress.
Refeeding Syndrome: When your body gets to a malnourished state, resuming your normal diet abruptly can cause refeeding syndrome.
Weight Regain: People who lose weight very quickly are much more likely to regain the weight over time than people who lose weight slowly through less drastic diet changes and physical activity. The weight loss is a bigger stress for the body, and the hormonal response to the weight loss is much stronger. Notably, VLCD also increases the risk of losing skeletal muscle mass and potential weight regain upon resuming normal dietary habits [47].

Who Should Avoid a 700-Calorie Diet?

Very low-calorie diets are not OK for everyone. Very low-calorie-diets are not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women, and are not appropriate for children or teens except in specialized treatment programs. They also may not be OK for people over age 50, either, depending on the potential need for medications for pre-existing conditions, as well as the possibility of side effects. Individuals with a history of eating disorders, those on specific medications, or anyone with underlying health conditions should steer clear of the 700-calorie diet. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should also avoid such extreme caloric restrictions. In general, a rapid weight loss diet is not safe for children. It may also not be safe for teens, pregnant women or older adults unless a provider recommends it.

Safe Implementation of a 700-Calorie Diet

If considering a 700-calorie diet, it is imperative to do so under strict medical supervision.

Medical Supervision: VLCD should not be done without medical supervision. You should only use a VLCD with the help of your provider. If your BMI is greater than 30, then very low-calorie diets are generally safe when used under proper medical supervision. For people who are overweight but not obese (BMI of 27-30), very low-calorie diets should be reserved for those who have weight-related medical problems and are under medical supervision.
Short-Term Use: You should also not stick to it for more than 12 weeks. These diets are only to be used for a short time and are usually not recommended for more than several weeks.
Meal Replacements: Medically supervised VLCDs often use meal replacements. Most VLCDs use meal replacements, such as formulas, soups, shakes, and bars instead of regular meals. This helps ensure that you get all of the nutrients you need each day.
Hydration: Medically controlled VLCDs emphasize water intake. So, if you want to go on a 700-calorie diet, it’s important to drink enough water.
Calorie Counting: If you take on a 700-calorie-a-day diet without meal replacement, you must count calories. The diet requires a high level of discipline as it is not easy to follow.
Nutrient-Dense Food Choices: You must make healthy food choices that ensure that you get all the necessary nutrients. The specific food choices can vary, but it is important to focus on nutrient-dense foods that provide essential vitamin B-12 rich food, minerals, and macronutrients.
Avoid Dining Out: Dining out while following a very low-calorie diet can distort your calorie consumption pattern. You’ll never know what exactly is in your meal. Although the restaurant may provide nutritional information, most are just estimates. If you’re on a very low-calorie diet, you should avoid dining out. Meal prepping and cooking at home is advisable.
Accurate Label Reading: You discover a fantastic snack that’s “light” or “low” in calories. Although this seems too good to be true, you trust labels and include the snack in your daily intake. Always trust your instincts when it comes to calorie counting. If a health claim on a label seems too good to be true, it probably is. Health claims on labels aren’t always accurate.
Accurate Portion Control: Do you think you can manage a 700-calorie diet by eyeballing your food? Think again. Your portion estimates could be incredibly inaccurate, particularly if you don’t weigh food. Your portion sizes could also be distorted by packed foods that claim to be single servings. Depending on the calorie count, 1 serving according to the package could be 2 or 3 for you on your VLCD. Remember that manufacturers base their serving sizes on recommended daily intakes for healthy adults. Did you know that companies are allowed to label foods with less than 5 calories per serving as “zero-calorie”? (20) This applies to salad dressings, sweeteners, and cooking sprays. As always, moderation is key when it comes to food.

Maintaining Muscle Mass on a VLCD

Preventing/negating muscle mass loss could result in avoiding declines in physical function and strength [10]. During a caloric deficit, MPB remains constant, leading to the decline in MPS as the primary mechanism for reductions in lean mass [18,35▪]. It has been demonstrated that combining RET with protein intake spread across multiple feedings per day “rescues” this decline in MPS [36].

Adequate Protein Intake: During energy restriction, muscle protein balance is shifted to a net negative state, likely through a decrease in MPS and maybe small increases in MPB, so amino acids are released as substrates for gluconeogenesis and as fuel for various tissues [17,18]. To maintain a more positive net muscle protein balance during an energy deficit, MPS must be increased by ingesting adequate amounts of dietary protein, exercising (i.e., RET), or combining the two. It is important that the magnitude of the deficit is not too large, as protein intakes of 52 g/day (35% daily intake) or 77 g/day (40% daily intake) were not sufficient to mitigate reductions in lean mass in overweight or obese individuals following 8 weeks of a daily caloric intake of 600 and 700 kcal/day, respectively [24]. A retrospective analysis revealed that when ingesting an isolated source of protein, MPS had a “breakpoint” at 0.24 [90% confidence interval (90% CI): 0.18-0.30] g/kg and 0.40 (90% CI: 0.21-0.59) g/kg in older adults, respectively [26]. Thus, per-meal protein feedings should be between 0.30 and 0.59 g/kg (for younger to older adults) throughout the day, targeting a total daily intake of nearly 1.2-1.6 g/kg to stimulate MPS and suppress MPB optimally and support skeletal muscle repair and remodeling [27].
Resistance Exercise Training (RET): Given the compelling evidence, it stands to reason that RET is more effective for maintaining muscle mass during a VLCD due to its ability to stimulate MPS [30]. Employing higher protein and RET concomitantly can, as shown, even increase muscle mass and reduce fat mass; such a pattern of weight loss has been referred to as high-quality weight loss or body recomposition [39,40]. When adhering to a VLCD, RET will be the most powerful nonpharmacological stimulus for maintaining muscle mass and attenuating muscle atrophy. When RET is combined with a higher protein intake (∼1.2 g/kg), they work synergistically to promote lean mass sparing during periods of an energy deficit.

Overcoming Weight Loss Plateaus

You’ve been eating 700 calories a day for 2 weeks, but the scale won’t budge. Understandably, you’re frustrated. Everyone’s body is different so there it is hard to pinpoint the reason for your weight loss plateau. When you drop your calorie intake rapidly, your brain interprets it as starvation. To keep you alive, it triggers your body to slow down and burn fewer calories (16). On a low-carb diet, the body turns to protein for fuel. Muscles burn more calories than fat (17). So if your muscle mass to fat mass ratio is low, you burn fewer calories each day.

Transitioning Off the Diet

Losing weight is only half the battle, keeping it off requires a thoughtful approach.

Gradual Increase in Calorie Intake: Gradually increase your daily intake by 100-200 calories per week.
Focus on Nutrient-Dense Foods: Focus on whole, nutrient-dense high protein foods. Avoid processed and sugary foods that can lead to weight gain.
Balanced Diet and Exercise: Create a balanced eating and exercise routine that fits your lifestyle. Consistency is key to long-term success.

Alternative Approaches to Weight Loss

If the 700-calorie diet seems too complicated for you, try exercise. Eating 700 calories a day can help you lose weight under medical supervision, but so can burning the same amount of calories through exercise.

Read also: Healthy Vegetarian Eating

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): If doing one activity continuously for an hour seems too boring for you, you should consider high-intensity interval training (HIIT). HIIT combines short bursts of intense exercise with rest or lower-intensity exercise. Any workout can be customized to HIIT. For example, a walk can include exercise such as squats every few minutes. HIIT workouts are efficient as they take advantage of the body’s natural fat-burning capabilities (22). They don’t require any equipment, which makes them easy to do anywhere. Furthermore, they’re the key to improving your cardiovascular health.
Intermittent Fasting: One exception to this is intermittent fasting, where you alternate between periods of eating and fasting.

Read also: Implementing a 2200 Calorie Diet

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