Any ideas for a 1200 calorie per day diet

BeccaSkinnyMoo

Hi there, the people saying you are ok to be on 1200 calories are right - MFP says this is how many I should have a day as my lifestyle is sedentary and I am not that overweight. I do however find that 1200 cals is not quite enough for my body each day (I do need to graze or I pass out!) so I deliberately overeat most days by 2-300 cals then exercise these off.

To try and help me stick to this, I eat a bigger breakfast to keep me going longer - usually the same most days and normally is a mini English breakfast (cooked healthily!). Eggs (scrambled) I find are good for filling me up, often also have baked beans, mushrooms, a slice of brown bread/toast, a frankfurter sausage (hot dog) and a few small potatoes. In total, I aim for about 450 cals for breakfast.

Lunch I tend to have crispbreads with low fat houmous and parma ham or sliced salmon. I eat Snack a Jack rice cakes instead of crisps and snack on carrot/cucumber/pepper sticks dipped in low fat mayo. I try and eat about 2 portions of fruit a day but I also find meringue nests are really good when I need a fake sugary hit (I know some will say they're bad as all sugar!) but half of one is only about 25 cals and can really stop a craving for sweetness that fruit just can't match!

Dinner I try to eat lean meat, a small amount of carbs and then bulk out with veg if possible. I deliberately don't cut anything out totally as that just makes me want it more! Everything in moderation I find is the key and if you have a bad day, don't let it get you down! Feel free to look at my diary but be warned - it's not that great this week - struggling to find the time to exercise!!

3laine75

i'm on 1200 - feel free to have a nosy (just back from hols on saturday so there is a blank week )

__Di__

To the OP, lots of protein helps keep you feeling fuller, eggs, chicken, quorn, even baked beans!

I am on 1200 per day, I have to ensure I eat plenty of protein, that way I do not feel like unnecessary snacking due to hunger.

It is definitely do-able.

lmasasa

Thanks for the advice !

Just as an FYI to the guy who told me to get some education. I am working with a dietitian who has put me on 1200 calories a day. The reason I posted was because I wanted to get more ideas on the types of food I could eat.

I appreciate all the other advice and support that was posted.

Thanks to all and good luck !

giveMEbeauty

Bump

jaecamp1

I've been on 1200 for a bit now and it does get easier. You really just have to eat healthy otherwise you'll feel like you're starving all the time. I eat a lot of salads with low cal dressing, sandwiches, fruits and veggies. I usually try and keep breakfast and lunch around 2-300 then I can have pretty much whatever I feel like for dinner, depending on snacks and drinks. I usually try to have one day a bit below too so I can go over another day but keep on track for the week.

contingencyplan

Best idea for a 1200 calorie a day diet: Eat more than 1200 calories. By quite a bit.

megan020103

I am quite active (6 days a week of high intensity cardio and weights) .and cannot eat more than 1200 calories a day or I gain. I am a very small framed woman at 5'2". I think the key to not being hungry is the type of foods that you eat. I have been following the zone for awhile. (I am new to this site!)

Here is what my day looked like today -

Breakfast - 1/3 Cup of Oatmeal, mixed berries, and a couple pistacios
Lunch - 2 scrambled eggs w/ 4 cups spinach in 2/3 tsp of olive oil, plus 1/2 orange
Snack - 1/2 cup grapes, cheese stick, 3 almonds
Dinner - Spinach salad - 3 cups spinach, 4 cherry tomatoes, 1/4 cup onion, 1/4 cup cucumber, 1 oz shredded cheddar, 1 oz. grilled chicken, 1 tbsp. ranch
Snack - 1/4 cup chick peas, cheese stick, 6 peanuts

The total calories came to 1,129 and I would be so stuffed I would feel sick if I ate any more. Stuff yourself w/ veggies to keep full with little calories.

MercuryBlue

For those saying don't do 1200, it's starvation, don't seem to know what you're talking about it. 1200-1500 is a respectable range for some women that have more sedentary lives. I'm on 800 by my doctor's orders (trying to figure out and mend a digestive disorder) and as long as I reach my macros set by him and my nutritionist and don't over exercise I'm fine.

I learned to be more than satisfied on my low cal plan. Last night I made spinach lasagna rolls (for recipe google spinach lasagna rolls skinny taste) and had a large salad with it. My dinner was around 250 calories.

For eating lower its all about portion control for higher calorie foods and supplementing the less food on your plate with lower calories foods. For example, I used to eat with my plate being mostly covered by the main meal/dish/entree, and then veggies or fruits on the side. I just swapped those and I'm getting roughly the same amount of food for less calories and higher nutrition.

I think the big thing you're leaving out here is that it's a respectable range for *some* women (mostly small-framed ones) who live sedentary lives. I've been sedentary for years now, owing to office work, and because of my height and frame, I still burn close to 2000 per day. 1200 per day make me sickly and weak; 1500 is doable.

Really, 1200 is an arbitrary number and is basically considered by the people at MFP, as I understand it, as the absolute minimum a person should be eating. Some get by just fine on it. Some (very petite) women can get by on less. I'm thinking that these posters who "don't know what they're talking about" are basing their opinions on personal experiences and feedback they've heard from others.

The truth is, nobody here "knows what they're talking about" in the sense that nobody here, as far as I know, knows the OP's body type, height, frame, etc. 1200 could be perfectly doable. It could also be potentially harmful.

In response to the OP- Unfortunately, I don't have many tips to offer because, time and time again, I've had difficulty getting by on only 1200. The best response I can give you is to eat lots of protein and whole grains, as well as fruit and veggies. These foods will probably make you feel fuller longer.

iplibrarian

I've been on 1200 for a bit now and it does get easier. You really just have to eat healthy otherwise you'll feel like you're starving all the time. I eat a lot of salads with low cal dressing, sandwiches, fruits and veggies.

That is true. I try to stay around 1200 most days. The type of food you eat will make a huge difference in how hungry you feel. After a few months, I honestly don't feel deprived on 1200. Due to a desk job and some hip problems, walking is about the extent of my workouts for now, hence the 1200. I usually eat a cup of oatmeal with a scoop of protein powder every morning. Very filling. Prepared cereal (like Cheerios) just leaves me hungry in an hour or so. I also eat a cup of sauerkraut every afternoon as a snack (if you can stand it - my husband gags at the smell). I love it and it is only 20 some calories. My husband is also doing MFP and we discovered sugar free popcicles (15 calories) make a delicious evening snack. Anyway, best of luck to you -- ignore the folks that tell you 1200 is a bad idea. It all depends on who you are and your lifestyle.

bhannana

Try http://www.eatthismuch.com/
You can enter a calorie amount and # of meals and it will give you foods that fit those numbers and other parameters you can set.

This site is fantastic for beginners/people who have no idea where to start!

Birder150

My diary is open if you want a peek.
1200-ish calories

keem88

stay away from 100 calorie packaged snacks, you are better off eating real food like fresh fruit, cottage cheese, yogurt and feeling more satisfied on that.

like others have said, work your dishes around fruits and veggies.

breakfasts: 2 eggs scrambled with peppers onion mushroom and some salsa, some avocado if i have some (around 200-300 if you have the avocado more towards 300)
oatmeal with added protein powder, applesauce, maple syrup and pb, etc. usually around 200-300 calories (pb, maple syrup will make it more towards 300)
greek yogurt with either protein powder added or some fresh fruit and honey

lunches: veggie sandwich with cheese and mustard on wheat bread. could use something like turkey or chicken on the sandwich if you eat meat.
other times i bring leftovers from dinner which are usually around 300 calories.
i love oatmeal for lunch as well, one of my favorite foods.
a large salad with different veggies, a protein (chickpeas, meatless chikn strips) and honey dijon dressing
i always have fruit with lunch like an apple, banana, pears and something crunchy like apple cinnamon rice cakes (om nom nom) or wheat thins

dinners: taco salad over lettuce topped with peppers onions mushrooms avocado salsa sour cream cheese
meatless stroganoff
spinach artichoke dip pasta (less than 300 a serving)
spaghetti squash bake
baked ziti with spinach
shirataki noodle stir fry (LOTS of veggies in it with a protein like tofu or chicken) and a little soy sauce
2 cups spinach with marinara sauce garlic and oregano as a side to a main dish
quesadilla
black bean enchiladas

skinnytaste.com has a lot of good main dishes for around 300-400 calories.

you can either do just 3 meals of 400 each which should keep you full for a few hours, or smaller meals even like 200 calories every few hours, or 300 calorie meals with a few 100 calorie snacks inbetween (fresh fruit, veggie slices with hummus, cheese and crackers, popcorn, yogurt etc)

good luck!