The 2000 Calorie Diet Plan is a nutrient-dense eating plan containing about 2000 calories. As with all diet plans, a healthy weight reduction is only sustainable by following a balanced food plan (from all food groups) which includes good food choices that offer adequate diet nutrition. For example, eat whole grains (whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, whole grain cereals) rather than processed grains. In particular, refined white flour foods (such as those with a high-GI value) are not healthy as they drastically affect blood glucose levels, which can over time increase the risk of metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance. Also, restricting your consumption of saturated fats from animal foods like red meat and cheese and reducing or eliminating your intake of trans fats in foods like margarine, candy and cakes will lower the risk of atherosclerosis, heart attack and stroke.
2000 Calorie Diet Plan
Food Group |
Number of Daily Servings |
Serving Portion Size
Quantity equivalents for each of the food groups |
Fruit |
4 servings
(2 cups) |
Fruits - 1 cup chopped raw or cooked fruit, 1 cup fruit juice. |
Vegetables
Dark green vegetable.
Orange vegetable.
Legumes.
Starchy vegetable.
Other vegetables. |
5 servings
(2.5 cups)
3 cups/wk
2 c/wk
3 c/wk
3 c/wk
6.5 c/wk |
Vegetables - 1 cup chopped raw or cooked vegetable, 1 cup vegetable juice, 2 cups leafy salad greens. |
Grains (Bread, Rice, Pasta, Cereals)
Whole grains
Other grains |
6 oz
3 oz
3 oz |
Grains - These each count as 1 ounce-equivalent (1 serving) of grains: half cup cooked rice, pasta, or cooked cereal; 1 ounce dry pasta or rice; 1 slice bread; 1 small muffin (1 oz); 1 cup ready-to-eat cereal flakes. |
Lean Meats, Beans, Legumes, Nuts |
5.5 oz |
Meat and beans - These each count as 1 ounce-equivalent: 1 ounce lean meat, poultry, or fish; 1 egg; quarter cup cooked dry beans or tofu; 1 Tbsp peanut butter; half ounce nuts or seeds. |
Dairy Foods |
3 cups |
Milk - These each count as 1 cup (1 serving) of milk: 1 cup fat-free milk or yogurt, 1.5 ounces natural cheese such as Cheddar cheese or 2 ounces processed cheese. |
Fats and Oils
Representing the amounts that are added to foods during processing, meal-preparation cooking, or at the table. |
27 grams |
Oils/fats should be free of trans-fats, and low in saturated fat. |
Remaining Calorie Allowance
The discretionary calorie allowance is the remaining amount of calories in each food pattern after selecting the specified number of nutrient-dense forms of foods in each food group. The number of discretionary calories assumes that food items in each food group are selected in nutrient-dense forms (that is, forms that are fat-free or low-fat and that contain no added sugars). |
267 calories |
If as part of your eating plan you choose foods with a higher fat or sugar content than those recommended, these extra calories should be taken from your remaining calorie allowance. |
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When is a 2000-Calorie Diet Appropriate?
Eat about 2,000 calories a day if you are:
- a large size man (little exercise), who wants to maintain weight.
- a large size man (regular exercise) who wants to reduce weight.
Diet Nutrition and Weight Reduction on a 2000 Calorie Diet Plan
Eating a diet of foods with a high nutritional content is very important for healthy weight reduction. In order to lose weight efficiently, you need to maintain a healthy metabolism which will digest and process food efficiently and burn calories quickly. Put simply, eating 2000 calories of junk food typically leads to a sluggish and inefficient metabolism, which is not helpful for weight loss. Also, try to divide your calorie allowance throughout the day, so that you do not go longer than 3-4 hours without eating.
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