A week or so ago, I posted my original review of the 1000 Calorie Challenge in which I explained how this program works and what you may expect from it. At that time I knew that I would need to provide my readers with even more information about this program as I’m sure you have a number of questions about this program and wish to find out for sure that it’s right for you.
This second part of my review will not be done in a “review style” manner but as a questions and answers format. This way, I am sure that I will provide you with the answers to your most urgent questions about the 1000 Calorie Challenge.
Basic Facts about the 1000 Calorie Challenge
Before I get to the actual questions and answers, let’s just make sure that you have the basic facts about this program:
1. The 1000 Calorie Challenge is a program designed for a fast and massive fat loss which is accomplished by creating a large calorie deficit and using the body’s own fat burning hormones to accelerate your fat loss. It was created by Arnel Ricafranca, a known fitness expert.
2. The calorie deficit is achieved by doing 1000 calorie workouts 3 times a week and combining them with some low calorie days each week, with a 1000 calorie total on each of those days. In general, you will need to lead an active routine to get the best results.
3. The rest of the days are higher in calories and include some cheat days in which you can eat un-dietary foods (like pizza).
Ok, now that we’ve got that covered, here are the questions and answers I’ve compiled about this program:
Question: How much weight can I lose with the 1000 Calorie Challenge?
Answer: The official statement is that you can lose 3 – 5 pounds per week. Given the challenging aspect of the program this may be possible during the early stages of the plan. However, this is not a steady rate of fat loss. If you only have 20 pounds to lose, you will not continue shedding weight after you’ve lost this much, nor should you want to.
In addition, you have to realize that every person is different from the next so your own fat loss may be slightly lower or higher than the 3 – 5 range. It is likely an average loss.
Question: Doing 1000 calorie workouts seems a bit extreme, isn’t it too hard?
Answer: There’s no doubt that this is a challenging program. However, you’re not expected to be able to perform these workouts from day #1 of the program. The workouts in the first four weeks of the program are less intensive and designed to help build your fitness so you’ll be able to perform those 1000 calorie workouts.
That being said, expect to make a real effort 3 times a week on those hard workouts. There is no denying it that a fast fat loss requires effort.
Question: How can I know if this program is right for me?
Answer: If your goal is to shed just a handful of pounds, say 7 or less, then this program may be too much for you. It is a program for BIG fat loss so I think that you should use it only if you have 10 pounds or more to lose.
As this program requires intensive workouts, you have to be physically able to perform them. If you’re currently unable to workout, and this is something you should check with your doctor, then it is not for you. You also have to be willing to put in the work required to get the results this program is capable of delivering and to follow the dietary guidelines.
Question: Is this program good for women as well as men?
Answer: I see no reason why women won’t be able to succeed with this plan. The notion that women can’t do good, fat burning workouts is ridiculous.
Question: About the diet part, isn’t 1,000 calories a day too low?
Answer: It is definitely too low if you do it day after day for a while. However, on the 1000 Calorie Challenge there are also days with higher calorie consumption and there are Cheat Days in which you can eat practically anything you want. The 1000 Calorie days help you create the big calorie deficit required for fast weight loss. The other, higher calorie days, help to offset any health issues that may arise from eating too few calories.
Question: What are these Cheat Days and can I really eat what I want?
Answer: Cheat Days are days in which you can “overeat” in moderation and they may include food that is not normally found on diets. Cookies, pizza, ice-cream, cakes are just some of the options you have on these days. Cheat Days help you mentally by allowing you to indulge yourself with your favorite foods and they help you physically by giving your body a big dose of calories in one day, boosting metabolism, and preventing weight loss plateaus. If it weren’t for the Cheat Days, I would not have recommended the 1000 Calorie Challenge program.
Question: I don’t have time to do long workouts. How can I fit this program into a busy schedule?
Answer: Although the workouts are intensive, each should take less than an hour. You only need to do 3 big workouts each week. I feel that you can fit this into a busy routine. However, bear in mind that being active for 30 minutes each day is something that’s highly recommended for health as well as fat loss reasons.
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Question: What don’t you like about this program?
Answer: I feel that this program may not fit everyone. It is a program that demands a lot from you. If you’re not totally serious about losing a lot of fat fast, the 1000 Calorie Challenge diet may prove to be… challenging for you and you may not enjoy it. I feel that some people may find it hard to stick to this program for as long as they need to. However, if you do stick to it, I have no doubt that you will get results.
Question: Are you saying that this program isn’t doable?
Answer: No. That’s not what I’m saying at all. All I’m saying is that this program is challenging which is what it has to be to deliver the kind of results it promises. You need to have the right mindset to take on this challenge in a positive way to succeed.
Question: So, you recommend this program?
Answer: If your goal is to burn off a lot of body fat fast and you’re not afraid of hard work, then Yes, I do recommend the 1000 Calorie Challenge.