1200 Calorie Menu?

bethbhansen

HI, can someone please point men the direction of a good, SATISFYING 1200 calorie a day meal plan? I'm looking for a week's worth or longer is possible....thank you!

seska422

"Satisfying" is something that's personal. You need to find what satisfies you and that may be different from what satisfies someone else.

My suggestion is to eat the foods you normally eat in moderation. If some of those foods are too calorie-dense to let you meet your calorie goal, you may need to make substitutions that have fewer calories but are still foods that you like. Don't eat things you don't like.

Jocelynn84

You will likely find that protein rich foods will be both satisfying and will keep you fuller, longer. My big thing is flavour and texture for anything to be satisfying! (see a typical meal plan for me below). Try incorporating as much lean animal proteins (poultry, fish) into your daily meal plan as possible. Also incorporate protein from other sources such as beans, eggs, Greek yogurt and a good protein powder. I recommend the Vega brand which comes in a variety of flavours and contains nutrionally dense ingredients. I like Vanilla because I find it's more versatile.

Here's a breakdown of a typical 1200 calorie (give or take) for me. (Note: I try to aim for a daily caloric breakdown of 300 calories for breakfast, 300 calorie lunch, 400 calorie dinner and a snack worth 200 calories - or you can split the 200 calorie snack into two 100 calorie snacks)

Breakfast: Chocolate Monkey Smoothie (1 Scoop Vega Vanilla Protein Powder, 1 cup Almond Milk, 1 tsp Cocoa Powder, 1 Ripe Banana, 1 tsp. Natural PB - Blend with ice and add bit water if you find it too thick)

Snack: Grapes and Cheddar Cubes/Tuna and Cracker Snack Pack/Half of a high protein Protein Bar, 100 calorie Greek Yogurt cup, etc

Lunch: Tasty Chicken Salad (Grilled Chicken Breast, 2 cups Spinach, Hard Boiled Egg, low Cal Balsamic dressing, small handful unsalted nuts for crunch and a few Raisins or dried cranberries for texture if you like)

Dinner: Steamed or Baked Fish with lemon and herbs, 1/2 cup whole grain rice, big serving vegetables and way you like them (roasted with Balsamic - they get a bit Carmelized... Sooo good! Or Steamed or sautéed with a bit of Sesame oil of you want a little extra flavour)

Snack: (see above examples or you can even do light popcorn or a small serving frozen Greek yogurt)

Hope this helps!!

Jocelynn84

Also wanted to mention that myfitnessplal has the 'Nutrition' tab with the pie chart on it. Crank up your protein goal and monitor it throughout the course of each day to make sure you're close to or will meet that goal. Lots of protein can be hard to reach, but if you get creative with it, it's not so difficult. And the added bonus is that it will absolutely keep you full and satisfied! Just for example purposes, my goals are : 40% Protein, 30% Carbs, 30% Fat. It's hard for me to get, but it 's a good goal! Also keep an eye on your daily recommended for sugar, sodium, etc., and make sure you stay below those recommendations.

SherryTeach

Hum. I never thought to roast veggies with balsamic vinegar. Now I want to try that. As for 1200 calories, I eat chicken, pork tenderloin, lots of roasted and steamed veggies, fruit, string cheese, boiled eggs, and a tiny square of dark chocolate. Oh and yogurt, 1% milk, pasta, rice.