Starting a low calorie diet to lose weight is not a good idea. Let me tell you why. Drastically cutting your calories puts your metabolism into what’s known as “starvation mode.” As your calorie intake is reduced, your body actually thinks you are fasting and will conserve calories rather than burn them at a regular pace. Studies show that when your caloric intake drops too low, your metabolism will reduce its output by as much as 30%.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine if you’re going to follow a low-calorie weight loss diet, women shouldn’t eat fewer than 1,200 calories a day and men shouldn’t eat fewer than 1,800 calories per day. Otherwise, the reduction in your metabolism will ultimately sabotage your weight loss efforts. Healthy weight loss occurs with a 1-2 pound reduction in body fat each week, although you may initially lose more weight at the beginning of a diet. Starvation diets are unhealthy and really unsafe. Eat right, exercise daily and the weight will come off in due time.