I have 1200 calories/day & set to sedentary 2 lb loss per week - food ideas??

ambersanford204

Hey!

I am looking for a full-day meal plan under 1200 calories. Does anybody have any good ideas for food where I won't be starving?? Breakfast is usually Better Oats oatmeal package or poached eggs with multigrain toast. So, that meal is pretty much set. I also snack on cucumbers a lot. I am on a tight budget since I am a full-time student.

I need help with lunch and dinner ideas as well as low-calorie, low-fat snacks that I can bring with me to work. I was originally set to active and I am losing weight, but not at the pace I would like so I changed my stuff to sedentary.

I feel like 1200 calories is really low!! I am 5' 5" and 185 pounds at the moment. I run, jog, walk, and do random burpees, push-ups, planks, etc.

Please help!

juggernaut1974

I don't...other than to say that if 'starving' on only 1200 calories is a concern, I'd recommend maybe adjusting your weight loss goals to 1 lb or maybe 1.5 lbs per week instead of 2 lbs. You'll have more calories to play with, and in the end, if it makes it easier to stick to your plan, you'll probably be more successful in the long run.

jvs125

keep the lean protein high; the calories are relatively low and food is filling - that way you won't feel like you're starving on 1200 cals.

ambersanford204

Chicken breast will do the trick then? I use a lot of ground turkey in my cooking. I also supplement with a protein powder after my runs.

Thanks for the comments.

iwantmydenimback

So if you don't want to be starving and you think 1200 calories is too low AND you were losing weight with a higher activity setting, why not just eat more?

Lleldiranne

I agree with PP. You have 50 pounds or less to lose, so 1 pound a week is probably a better option. Also remember that, with the MFP system, you should eat back at least 1/2 of your exercise calories.

I won't give you any "meal plans," but foods that will help you feel full are those higher in fiber, or with protein or fat. Make sure you are measuring and weighing everything properly. Fruits and vegetables are great, but don't sacrifice other essential nutrients by cutting out something with some fat, either You may have to play around a bit to find what works best for you, if you're used to a lot more.

Best of luck!

Pbrookf

I'm a little shorter and wouldn't have found 1200 calories really really hard esp. with all the activity you are doing. Agree with the protein ideas--greek yogurt maybe?

Plooty222

Watermelon I find to be very filling and tasty and low calorie! Apples too. Lemon water to stay hydrated - most of the time we think we're hungry we're actually thirsty. More veggies, fresh if possible, but I usually buy frozen when they go on sale because they are cheaper and I am on a budget. And beans, the magical fruit (: cheap and filling! I don't like soda, but seltzer / the bubbles would likely help to give you the "full" feeling you may be missing.

lemurcat12

I'd recommend just eating more and accepting a lower rate of loss. Better to preserve muscle mass anyway.

But if you want to do 1200, I did 1250 when I first started and my diary (which is open) from March 2014 through sometime in the summer 2014 reflects that calorie goal (not sure when I started to increase calories quite a bit due to exercise calories). I was generally not hungry at all eating lean protein (pretty varied, though, not just chicken breast) and lots of veggies as well as smaller servings of other foods. I mostly stuck to three meals, no snacks, but would include low or no fat greek yogurt and cottage cheese, and those foods, as well as fruits and veggies, also make for a good, reasonably low calorie snack that for me is filling due to the protein content. I think it was keeping my volume and protein up that made how I was eating satisfying for me (for a period of time, and then I really wanted more variety and more extras).

lauramcsawyerTIU

I'm on 1200 calories a day also, and i'm rarely ever hungry. I just split my meals into 5 a day.

Drinking lots and lots of water helps. Also, sweet potatoes are cheap and are very filling. Try a protein shake and add chia seeds. You're welcome to look at my diary for ideas!

sweetdixie92

Eating 1200 calories a day is relatively easy once your body adjusts to it.

Your breakfast sounds great, although I'm addicted to my Special K cereals with almond milk for breakfast.

Eat lots of veggies and proteins. Chicken, turkey, fish, beef (the leaner cuts).

Buy wraps to make sandwiches with instead of bread. The ones I get are only 110 calories and are pretty big...so right there you are saving probably 100 calories depending on the bread you buy! I can make BLT wraps for less than 300 calories (wrap, 2 slices oven baked bacon, 1 tbsp. olive oil mayonnaise [ I buy Hellmann's which is 60, Kraft is 30 I believe], 4 thin slices of tomato and 1 or 2 leaves of romaine depending on size.)

Make your own chicken salad. I don't like store bought anyway...but shred up your chicken breast and add just enough mayo to make it stick together (I use the olive oil mayo for everything). Start with a tsp. of mustard and add to taste, depending on the amount. Season or add finely chopped veggies/herbs to your liking...salt, pepper, basil, red pepper, garlic, onion, etc. It's a fraction of the calories, a hundred times the taste, and you can really keep track.

I love buying plain Greek yogurt and adding fruit jam to it. I buy juice sweetened so there's no additional sugar.

lynn1982

Egg whites, chicken breast, fish, and if you eat dairy, cottage cheese... lots of veggies... I find eating protein at every meal helps keep me satiated for longer. And then I munch on raw veggies throughout the day. I guess that's my "trick" for sticking to a 1200 calorie plan.

DKG28

i'm 5'5" and started at 196, now at 160. I've been eating 1200 cal for 5 months b/c I am sedentary. I pack a serving of baby carrots, a fruit (usually grapes or stawberries), one slice of whole grain 35 cal/slice bread with a serving of turkey or chicken or eggs, and a slice of low-fat cheese for lunch almost every day. Add a pickle or cucumber for volume. Dinner - turkey hot dog and a serving of beans/lentils. Another fruit and Cottage cheese. Whatever is in my fridge that will meet my calorie goals. I love just sauteeing canned chicken, diced green apple, onion together and seasoning with lots of curry and some paprika.

ambersanford204

iwantmydenimback wrote: »

So if you don't want to be starving and you think 1200 calories is too low AND you were losing weight with a higher activity setting, why not just eat more?

I think it is too low, I don't know for sure that it is because I have yet to try it. Which is why I was asking for some ideas on foods from people that follow that calorie intake.

I am not losing weight like I would. I have lost 9 pounds in 4 or 5 weeks and even that fluctuates so much that I am not positive I have even lost that much. Sometimes when I weigh myself I have put on 3 pounds which I am assuming is water weight, but I don't know for sure. Then a few days later I will be 1 pound less than my lowest weight. Basically my scale is all over the place.

I want to lose as much weight as possible before August 7th when my dad comes to visit us. He is dying from HCC and was given 6 months to live so I would really like some photos of us without me being overweight. So yeah, maybe I'm rushing it but I have my reasoning.

ambersanford204

Thank you all for the ideas. Looks like I just need to buy some fresh veggies and watermelon sounds delicious as well.

kami3006

You can also set your own calorie goal. Instead of changing from light to sedentary or 1 to 2 pound/week loss, you can just tack an extra 150 cals the goal manually. You'll still be losing more than before but you'll have some extra room to eat. Worked well for me when I was losing.

jaga13

I just wanted to say I'm sorry about your dad.

Steff46

Lots of raw veggies, lean protein and water. I'm on about 1260 a day and I don't eat breakfast but here is what I do for most of my work week lunch and dinners: Lunch - fresh cut up veggies (bell peppers and baby carrots right now), fruits (strawberries right now), a can of Rotel (or can of diced tomatoes) with a can of chicken or tuna. I choose canned protein during the work week for lunch because it keeps well in my desk. And sometimes I eat those veggies with just peanut butter. For dinner - I usually have chicken or beef from the crock pot and serve it on a bed of cut up veggies, or ground turkey, spaghetti sauce, low calorie creamette noodles (or even spaghetti squash) served on top of cut up veggies, or ground turkey, salsa, onions, tomatoes on a Romaine Lettuce leaf.

ambersanford204

Thank you to everyone else for the great ideas. I really appreciate the help from those following the same plan. I think I have what I need to switch and see how it goes!

[Edited by MFP Mods]

ambersanford204

Steff46 wrote: »

Lots of raw veggies, lean protein and water. I'm on about 1260 a day and I don't eat breakfast but here is what I do for most of my work week lunch and dinners: Lunch - fresh cut up veggies (bell peppers and baby carrots right now), fruits (strawberries right now), a can of Rotel (or can of diced tomatoes) with a can of chicken or tuna. I choose canned protein during the work week for lunch because it keeps well in my desk. And sometimes I eat those veggies with just peanut butter. For dinner - I usually have chicken or beef from the crock pot and serve it on a bed of cut up veggies, or ground turkey, spaghetti sauce, low calorie creamette noodles (or even spaghetti squash) served on top of cut up veggies, or ground turkey, salsa, onions, tomatoes on a Romaine Lettuce leaf.

See, this is why I asked this question. I would have never thought of having Rotel with a canned meat but that sounds yummy!

Thank you for all of the suggestions!

LavenderLeaves

Just as a note, OP, 9 lbs in 4-5 weeks is really good. Please don't set your goals to be something that are unsustainable, because it'll only end up in you feeling inadequate and disappointed. You lost 9 pounds! That's awesome! 1200 for someone who weighs 185 is honestly probably going to be pretty difficult. I know people have a hard time hearing slow and steady, but for weight loss, it's TRUE, because then we aren't necessarily depriving ourselves of every single food we just love to eat that might be more calorie dense. You shouldn't feel like you're on "a" diet, you just should be trying to find a lifestyle diet.

For 1200 calories, it'll be hard to really eat really nourishing, satisfying meals unless you're making majority of your food from scratch using whole foods. If you adjust your weight loss to 1.5 or 1 lb a week that calorie goal will likely seem MUCH less daunting and intimidating. And seriously, pat yourself on the back for that 9 pounds! That amount in 5 weeks is no small feat!

ladyrixx

My husband and I "eat" the Wal-Mart brand diet shakes a lot. We don't have much money either, and it's almost cheaper than living off ramen.

Otherwise, we really like the Belvita breakfast biscuits, they're tasty, high in fibre, and have a pretty good shelf life. (I really don't like to cook for breakfast/lunch)

ambersanford204

Thank you Lavender. I honestly think it is just from the drastic change I've made in my activity level since I started. I haven't been super consistent logging in because I am very busy, but logging makes me very thoughtful about what I am putting in my mouth. I have good days and bad days like anybody else and I am very pleased with the loss despite the scale not always being reliable. I feel better and I think I look better so that is what truly matters. I am definitely proud and you're right, I don't want to set myself up for failure so maybe I will look into manually upping 150 calories to give me a little more per day.

I really appreciate your helpfulness and positivity.

keosech

Myfitnesspal suggest a 1200 caloric intake for me as well. In reality I eat about 1400-1500 per day but I try to work out on the days that I go over 1200 and burn about 400-500 calories so I still stay under my net 1200 calories. I have a very simple diet. The key is exercising!!!

Sample diet:
Breakfast: Coffee w/ creamer, Half a whole wheat tortilla wrap with 1/4 cup of skinless chicken and .5 oz cheese ~ 200 calories
Lunch: 3 cups of greens (spinach, argula, etc), 1 cup of chicken, dressing ~ 220 calories
Dinner: 1-1.5 cups of white rice, with ground chicken or skinless chicken ~ remainder of my calories
Snack: 1 serving of Pretzels, protein shake (usu 130 cal), even beer, and whatever else I can eat that allows me to stay under my calories. Drink water throughout the day (I manage to drink about 48 ounces)

I've found that snacking throughout the day puts me in danger of overeating and indulging. I've only found myself hungry after breakfast around 10am so I try to have an early lunch between 11:30-11:45. Then during the night (8-10pm), my mind tries to tell me that I'm hungry but I know I'm not because I just ate a couple of hours prior. So I do my best to fight through those hunger thoughts! LOL.

If you work out, you can definitely eat more than 1200 calories and most likely won't find yourself hungry if you truly listen to your body! You'll do great!

LavenderLeaves

Not a problem, Amber! I'm glad you're upping your calories a bit, I think you'll find it makes it MUCH easier.

I'd also suggest If you get a little wrapped up in the numbers on the scale but know you're eating accurately, I would suggest trying to make sure you don't weigh yourself more than once a week, as well. I'm far heavier than you, but as an example, I notice that my weight fluxes a lot even at weekly weigh ins. I only weigh myself every 3 weeks now, as a result, because I would often get frustrated at seeing a lack of loss after 7 days sometimes, even though I was eating fine. I pushed my weigh times further apart because I knew there was no way I was eating at a surplus or even maintenance, and *always* see better results now because of waiting longer between weigh times.

I will, however, make a few recipe ideas. I cook a lot and notice certain recipes of mine tend to be wonderfully low calorie and insanely filling. Days I have those at hand I often tend to end up at a larger calorie deficit without even trying.

Potatoes: boiled or steamed, I know it sounds crazy, but plain potatoes are actually super low calorie. Four ounces of cooked potatoes only has 100 calories!. I like to make a large batch at once and just cut them up and keep them in the fridge, so I always have a quick side if I want it. Little bit of salt and pepper, or hot sauce and they do not need butter or to be fried or anything like that. Potatoes rate very high on the satiety scale, as well. Super filling and satisfying! Also yum.

Lentils: Lentils are one of my favorites as well. While making them they can take a bit of work, but it's so worth it since I make a giant batch of them and freeze individual portions of up to 10-15 portions depending on how much I make. I saute chopped celery, onions, and carrots until softened in a little bit of olive oil(measured, of course), then add chicken or veggie stock with the lentils with a ratio of 1:1. I add lots of garlic, either fresh or powdered, and a can of tomatoes, couple bay leaves, stir everything up and bring it to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cover. Cook them to your preference, anywhere from 20-60m depending on how soft you like them. The easy calorie counting comes in when you weigh the total amount once it's done cooking, put everything you used in the recipe builder, and then put however many ounces the total was as total servings. I find it easiest to write down how many ounces I put in each bag before I freeze them. They microwave wonderfully.

Using veggies as fillers, and spices are your friend: Sounds obvious...but it really makes a huge difference. A 2 egg omelet becomes a monster meal with some diced onions, mushrooms, and broccoli. 2 oz of dry pasta can seem like not a lot...but with lots of mushrooms, tomatoes, broccoli, and just barely wilted spinach tossed in it can be a big, wonderful meal. Also, use spices you love, they'll make the food that much more satisfying to you. Garlic is my bestie. No joke. Chicken breast is such a neutral flavor meat, but I love it because I often just will pre-marinade it with spices before cooking it. Eating lower calorie than we're used to can be tough but doesn't need to be tasteless!

TeaBea

Add exercise. The 1200 calories that MFP gave you is net. That means zero exercise was factored in. I exercise for snacks..........

never2late2loseweight

Im at 1274 calories. Have you done your macronutrients?

planetbk

Lavender, that lentil recipe looks awesome! Trying it tomorrow when I get off work
Amber, keep up the good work. I found 1200 calories/day almost impossible to maintain. I added in exercise initially to earn back extra food. Now I've found out I like it so much, the calories are just an extra perk! But, I truly can't imagine staying at 1200 calories WITH activity, I'd be too fatigued and hungry. Seems like it might be a better idea to add back some extra calories than try to game the system as a sedentary person if you're not. Just my experience, you may be able to do it. Whatever way you choose, stay strong! And enjoy your time with your Dad- he doesn't care whether or not you're overweight.

roselemonade

I like low-calorie (well, lower-calorie) flatbreads/wraps from Aldi (they're at other stores too, but for more money) to make wraps (obviously) but also a simple personal pizza for less than 200 calories (with one oz shredded mozzarella and a couple tbsp sauce.)
Soup is also good and pretty easy to make--once a week I make a batch of soup with some soup base (Better Than Bouillon,) a bag of frozen kale, and whatever other vegetables I have floating around. Add whatever spices you want. I add just a little oil, and it comes out to something like 50 cal/cup.
For snacks, I buy baby carrots, portion out ~150g or so into snack ziploc bags, and grab one when I want to feel more full--170g baby carrots is enough to make me almost uncomfortably full on about 60 calories, and with a couple tbsp hummus (or whatever) on the side as a dip it's a pretty tasty/cheap/satisfying snack.
You can make tuna salad (or chicken, salmon, etc) with some lowfat or nonfat yogurt (or full-fat, I'm not your mom) for a cheap protein. I also really like chickpea salad (mash up chickpeas, treat it like tuna) for a good protein/fiber combo that's really easy. Bean salads in general are good--chop up some onion, bell pepper, rinse and drain a can of black beans, add some Southwest-style dressing (or just lime, cumin, a little oil) for a good side dish or filling for burritos.

LavenderLeaves

planetbk wrote: »

Lavender, that lentil recipe looks awesome! Trying it tomorrow when I get off work

Let me know how you like it! They're fantastic with hot sauce!