Following a Calorie Restriction eating programme involves cutting down the amount you eat while at the same time getting all the nutrients and vitamins you need. In our diet plan review, we explain the theory behind calorie restriction, and clarify what kind of diet meal plans and meal recipes the programme involves.

Calorie Restriction, or CR, is also known as CRON, or "calorie restriction with optimal nutrition". This programme aims to reduce the amount of food energy you consume by 20-40%, and is in effect about adopting healthier eating habits, cutting out snacks, and taking some nutritional supplements. Consuming too much food energy can lead to health problems such as obesity, ageing, heart disease and cancer. One of the reasons for this is that consuming an excess of food energy prompts the body to produce free radicals, which are believed to cause a lot of these conditions.

Here are some tips on the best way to approach a CR eating programme:

1. Make sure whatever you include in your diet meal plans contains a balance of the different food groups (protein, carbohydrates, fat), and all the vitamins and minerals you need to keep your body healthy.

2. Cut down very gradually on the amount of food energy you consume, so you lose weight slowly. Avoid extremely low-cal diets, which can actually damage your health.

3. Choose whole foods in all your recipes, particularly fruits and vegetables, as these have a higher nutritional to calorific ratio.

4. A CR diet is designed to postpone ageing and age-related diseases: don't go on one before you are fully grown, as it could stunt your growth.