1200 cal a day diet plan tips needed

NewMeSM75

Don't get in the mindset that you have to only eat salads and plain chicken every single day. I have seen so many people who decide to lose weight and think that's all they can eat. Experiment with flavors. Just because you need to eat healthier doesn't mean it has to be bland. There is so much you can eat. I prefer making my own but that's my personal choice.

Fat and carbs aren't enemies unless there is a health condition preventing you from eating them. Olive oil is a good fat. High fiber foods help you feel full. Unless you're allergic or have trouble with control, no food is good nor bad per se. Yes, I can eat more if I choose lean meats and veggies instead of fast food but it doesn't mean fast food is bad. You can still eat it and lose weight.

If you have a bad day, don't throw it all away. It's not all or nothing. If you have a bad day, shake it off; call it what it is and make the next day better!

Use a food scale. I bought one of those velveeta skillet kits. The box has a portion as 1 cup. Well, you can pack a lot in a measuring cup. I used my food scale and holy crap, that was the saddest serving of food I've seen in a long time. Also, read labels. Most people assume a package of ramen noodles for example is one serving. Nope it's two.

Listen to your body.

That's my tips aka advice.

Lounmoun

ariela569 wrote: »

Hi all

Just embarked on this journey. Does any one have tips, advise, recepies for a strong start. 20lb' to lose..

If you are 20 lbs or less overweight set your goal to a half pound a week rate of loss.
Log everything as accurately as you can. Check that the entries you use are correct. Get a digital food scale and use it. When you don't have much to lose accuracy in logging can make a big difference.
Prelog your food for the day. It has been very helpful for me to do this to make choices.
Meet your calorie goal, protein goal and eat several servings of vegetables and fruits a day. Protein, fats, and fiber usually help people feel more satisfied. Eat food you like and learn appropriate portion sizes.
Pair smaller portions of higher calorie foods with larger portions of lower calorie foods like vegetables.
If you exercise- log it and eat some of your exercise calories.
I drink water or unsweetened tea and save my calories for food. I don't find drinking my calories to be satisfying.

meeshymoosh

Apparently there's two schools of thought being argued here, but we're missing the point:

People can eat "clean" and lose weight and be happy and feel great and satisfied.

People can eat "whatever" and lose weight and be happy and feel great and satisfied.

The basics are to log your food accurately, stay hydrated, pick a calorie goal that works for you in the long term, and an eating schedule that makes you feel good.

The semantics of delicious pasta versus something healthful as a veggie substitution like delicious spaghetti squash is ridiculous and a bit alarming. I'm not a big fan of cauliflower rice, but I'm not going to comment on someone giving an (asked for) opinion using words like "yuck", "not necessary", "why????" for suggesting something definitely more nutrient dense than white rice. Yes, you can lose weight eating both. Let's be supportive.

WinoGelato

meeshymoosh wrote: »

Apparently there's two schools of thought being argued here, but we're missing the point:

People can eat "clean" and lose weight and be happy and feel great and satisfied.

People can eat "whatever" and lose weight and be happy and feel great and satisfied.

The basics are to log your food accurately, stay hydrated, pick a calorie goal that works for you in the long term, and an eating schedule that makes you feel good.

The semantics of delicious pasta versus something healthful as a veggie substitution like delicious spaghetti squash is ridiculous and a bit alarming. I'm not a big fan of cauliflower rice, but I'm not going to comment on someone giving an (asked for) opinion using words like "yuck", "not necessary", "why????" for suggesting something definitely more nutrient dense than white rice. Yes, you can lose weight eating both. Let's be supportive.

Yes it is true that people may take different paths to get the same results and that the most important thing is to find something that works for any individual. However....

There is rampant misinformation about weight loss propagated by clickbait articles, diet gurus trying to sell a book, regular media and social media which tell people they HAVE to give up certain things in order to lose weight. In fact, the post that everyone got so worked up about here gave a series of numbered instructions as if they are the gospel, which included many of these so called myths like "must give up processed foods" and "watch fruit content" and "don't eat creamy salad dressings". The only things missing in that list were "don't eat after 7pm" and "don't eat any white foods" to complete the Unnecessary Diet Advice Manifesto.

Commenting on posts such as that, which make it sound like these things are must do's and letting the OP (and others lurking who aren't participating in the thread) know that those are not requirements, that there are other ways, is being supportive to the OP. Weight loss is hard enough without having a lot of arbitrary rules and directives that people feel they must adhere to in order to be successful.

That said, I'm glad that particular poster has found something that works for her, but many of those things are not required - specifically giving up processed foods, pasta, and creamy salad dressings and being wary of fruit (unless there is a medical reason to restrict sugars or you are allergic to strawberries as I am). I lost >30 lbs and am healthier than I've ever been, not because I cut certain things out, but because I added things to my life. More vegetables, more protein, more whole grains, more exercise, more sleep. I eat plenty of processed foods (microwave Special K flatbread breakfast sandwich this morning and a frozen meal for lunch with extra chicken added) and haven't cut out pasta. I do sometimes use my spiralizer to add zucchini/squash noodles to my pasta for extra veggie volume though!

So yes I agree with you, that people can eat whatever way they choose, be healthy, happy, and lose weight!

WinoGelato

didknot226 wrote: »

Being hungry means you will lose weight. Keep going and sacrifice the pasta

That sounds miserable and unsustainable. I lost weight and never felt hungry. I also never sacrificed the pasta, or anything else for that matter.

Shana67

I've gotten a lot of flack in the past for advocating the 1200 calories/day plan. However, it really does work well for me, and for the most part, I'm not super hungry. Mildly hungry right before a meal, but that's about it. I also don't really eat until I have a light lunch at 1p, and then I eat most of my calories in the evening, so I really don't feel deprived I even have a glass of wine/cocktail each day.

Eat what makes you happy and what makes you feel good - just keep it in your calorie goal.

Oh. I also am dealing with a broken foot at the moment, which is my primary reason for keeping my calories low. I'm still losing - I will probably bump it back up to 1350 once my foot heals and I can workout again.