1200 Calories... What are you eating?

isk8nbessy

I just wanted to get a rough idea of how you are filling up those calories in a healthy way. Can those of you who are eating 1200 calories be kind enough to list what you eat for breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner? Any help would be really appreciated.

jofjltncb6

What am I eating when I eat 1200 calories?


Lunch.



(I keed! I keed!...


...but seriously.)


ETA: Most people don't need to eat 1200 calories to see results. Most people will likely fare much better long-term by not trying to restrict themselves to such a deficit. (Inb4: 4'9" or shorter is not "most people".)


ETAM: And if you're doing any kind of load-bearing exercise 24/7, you'll definitely need more than 1200 calories to fuel your efforts.

laceylucas86

following! I don't know how anyone does it on 1200, I am tryin to cut back to 1800 after being pregnant and eating 2300 for 9 months, struggeling, tips/ideas would be great!

reilles

Breakfast: Kashi Go Lean cereal and 2% milk
or 1 TBSP peanut butter on whole wheat toast
or oatmeal with cinnamon and blueberries

Lunch: egg salad sandwich
or some sort of stir fry with meat and veggies

Supper: A pita from Opa
or an oven roasted chicken breast sandwich from Subway
or pizza on a pita bread (go easy on the cheese)
or some sort of new recipe

Snacks: half a cup of 1% cottage cheese with blueberries
Carrots and hummus
healthy muffin (Tripe B or Banana Oat Protein - google them, they rock)
half an apple or orange or a cup of blueberries
Half a cup of balkan style yogurt

I don't skimp on carbs or fat, but the key is complex carbs and healthy fats

This post was brought you to by homework procrastination

Chickee8586

Breakfast - egg white omelet (I use the southwestern egg beaters), add tomatoes, and lean deli ham or turkey breast. Comes to about 150-200 cal.

Snack - light yogurt, 80 cal

Lunch - Flatout wrap or multigrain sandwich thin, 4 oz turkey breast, 1 slice provolone cheese, mustard, tomato, shredded lettuce. 250-300 depending on the cheese.

Snack - 1/2 pkg of Belvita cookies. 120 cal

Dinner - baked boneless skinless chicken breast 4-6 oz, 2 cups broccoli or cauliflower, 1/2 c brown rice. 400-500 cal

Snack = 100 cal popcorn snack bag

reilles

BTW I also usually eat back my exercise calories, which would put me at around 1400 to 1500 calories on days when I work out

LiftAllThePizzas

The pizza I make for lunch is about 1200 calories.

Sunbrooke

I do 1200 or less (I'm short and small). I eat A LOT of fruit and veggies. You can look at my diary, but it is pretty boring. One trick is to blend up fruit and veggies to use for the base of dressings and drizzle a bit of oil separately, or add avocado when you blend. I have noticed that shredded cabbage and kale dont seem to need as much dressing as lettuce. I also drink alot of smoothies and whole juices. I go easy on grain, but I try to get one serving of whole grains a day and one of beans. I snack on nuts, but they aren't a trigger food for me.

Mkristoff1206

For bkfst either Fage yogurt w/ fruit, 1 T diced walnuts, 1 T maple syrup or oat bran cereal w/ diced walnuts & maple syrup
snack : 100 calorie almonds
lunch: salad w/ deli turkey (no bread); small homemade muffin
snack: protein bar or fruit
dinner: 1 1/2 cups turkey chili w/ beans; small amount of cheese
I actually usually end up a a bit over 1200 calories (more like 1300 or 1400 or so); I'm aiming to lose only 1 or 2 lbs more and then want to maintain…even going over my 1250 allotted calories I've lost a couple of pounds in a few weeks.

FoxyLifter

1200 Calories... What are you eating?

....1750 because 1200 is well below my BMR.

courtney1189

I have found that the key is more protein! I weigh 138 and am down to the last few pounds that I would like to lose. The weight loss is sllooowwww, so I try to net around 1200 - 1400 calories daily.

Breakfast ideas:
advantage protein shake - 100 cals.
egg white omelet with skim cheese and turkey bacon - this is usually around 175 cals. for me
1 cup bran flakes with 1/2 cup almond milk - 135 cals.
sugar free maple oatmeal - 100 cals.
80 cal. greek yogurt

Lunch ideas:
sandwich with 35 calorie bread, ham, & skim cheese (around 120 cals.) - and then pair it with salad, veggies, or soup, baked chips, etc.
lean cuisines under 300 cals (on a hurried day because of all the sodium)
leftover meat with veggies (depending, typically around 200 - 250)
progresso soup (200 cals)
can of tuna with saltines (150 or so)
sandwich thin with pizza sauce, fat free shredded cheese, and turkey or ham (around 170)

Snack ideas:
I eat several things for snacks that I eat for breakfast, as well such as bran flakes, oatmeal, protein shake, greek yogurt
small pink lady apples (usually around 55 cals)
bananas (100 cals)
tuna works as a good protein snack, as well
100 cal. popcorn

I typically have at least three snacks a day, usually one between breakfast and lunch. And two between lunch and dinner. I hope this helps!

RubyLou25

Oatmeal with cherries for breakfast (or any fruit I have)

Lunch is a sandwich with chicken laughing cow cheese spread and veggies or a salad with some kind of protien

Supper is always something different. Salmon and veggies are my favorite.

For snacks I like protein bars because I'm always on the go. Yogurt, cheese, fruit are good too.

Oh, and coffee. All day

ETA that I like the luna protein bars because they are around 170 calories. I just found the zone perfect bars and so far so good for 210 calories.

toomanireasons

For breakfast you can have egg whites with 3 links of Jimmy Dean turkey sausage. All types of salads for lunch or dinner, steamed green veggies like brussel sprouts, broccoli, whole green beans, baked tilapia. sugar free jello, cucumbers, celery and cherry tomatoes make great snacks.

isk8nbessy

Thanks for the replies! this is very helpful. I have moved to another country and so I don't have access to a lot of the foods I'm used to in the States so it's made the process a little trickier. I also do not have an oven so I'm limited to microwave and a hot plate and I needed some ideas so I won't get bored. This has been extremely helpful so thanks for taking the time to share!

GuyIncognito123

Breakfast
Body Fortress - Whey Isolate-Chocolate Protein Powder, 1 SCOOP

Lunch (stir fry)
Club House La Grille Fiery Habanero & Roasted Garlic - Seasoning, 1/8 tsp
Bick's - Banana Pepper Rings, Hot, 2 g, 2 pieces
Kraft - House Italian Calorie-Wise Dressing, 1 tbsp (15ml)
Mushrooms - Raw, 92 g
Broccoli - Raw, 102 g
Body Fortress - Whey Isolate-Chocolate Protein Powder, 1 SCOOP
Petrelli - Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 15 ml

Supper (mushrooms and broccoli stir fry, cauliflower made into rice)
Petrelli - Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 30 ml
Safeway (Canada) - Soya Sauce - 35% Less Salt, 1 tbsp
Broccoli - Raw, 67 g
Cauliflower - Raw, 165 g
Mushrooms - Raw, 48 g
Club House - Greek Seasoning, 1/2 tsp (1g)
Club House La Grille Fiery Habanero & Roasted Garlic - Seasoning, 1/8 tsp
President's Choice - Barbecue Seasoned Whole Chicken, 300 g edible portion

Supplements
Natura - Ideal Protein (Ip) - Potassium Supplement 99 Mg, 1 tablet
Natura - Multi-Vita, 2 tablets
Natura - Cal-mag (Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, and Vitamin D Supplement), 2 tablets
Life Brand - Super Concentrate Omega-3 [no Fish Burps], 1 softgel

It was 1400 calories, 37g carbs, 82g fat and 147g of protein.
It would have been 1200 if I had less chicken and not all the olive oil. 200 calories isn't going to lose me any sleep.

sillyvalentine

I just wanted to get a rough idea of how you are filling up those calories in a healthy way. Can those of you who are eating 1200 calories be kind enough to list what you eat for breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner? Any help would be really appreciated.

I'm eating 1100 (doctors orders).

I eat wild sole (frozen fillets) because 10.5 oz is less than 200 cals and sooo much protein!

I recently found these flat breads for sandwiches called flatout. I got them at Safeway. 110 cals for one flatbread which folds in half to make a sandwich. I throw in a slice of onion and a can of tuna w/ mayo for about 350 cals.

I use those flatouts or tortilla wraps which are 140 cals each. You can make anything on them. Wraps, sammies, pizzas, quesadillas, even cheesesteaks.

I eat mozza or other white cheeses because they are lower cals.

I eat jalapenos, lettuce, onions, bell peppers, spinach...

I don't eat much butter or margarine. I don't eat fruit. I don't drink anything except water. I don't eat sweets or candy. I try to keep my sugar under 20 and its usually around 2 - 4 grams.

sillyvalentine

Thanks for the replies! this is very helpful. I have moved to another country and so I don't have access to a lot of the foods I'm used to in the States so it's made the process a little trickier. I also do not have an oven so I'm limited to microwave and a hot plate and I needed some ideas so I won't get bored. This has been extremely helpful so thanks for taking the time to share!

definitely try to find some tortilla wraps then because you don't need to cook them.

And smoked turkey sausage is already cooked so you could nuke it in the microwave and that would be good.

kellogsmscott

I find it pretty easy, then again i tend to go over and make it back with exercise.

Morning is usually fruit with coconut milk, or some toast and juice
lunch is veggies and meat, or perhaps a sandwich (tuna salad for example)
Dinner is lean meats, veggies, or soup - i looooove home made soup.

I don't tend to hold myself back though, and if i want something, i have it, i just am honest about it and attempt anactivity to make up for it.

kellogsmscott

Thanks for the replies! this is very helpful. I have moved to another country and so I don't have access to a lot of the foods I'm used to in the States so it's made the process a little trickier. I also do not have an oven so I'm limited to microwave and a hot plate and I needed some ideas so I won't get bored. This has been extremely helpful so thanks for taking the time to share!

Hey where are you? I know your pain, I am currently in Shanghai and there is a huge battle to buy western produce. I also bought a mini counter top oven which has helped a lot.

Sunbrooke

Thanks for the replies! this is very helpful. I have moved to another country and so I don't have access to a lot of the foods I'm used to in the States so it's made the process a little trickier. I also do not have an oven so I'm limited to microwave and a hot plate and I needed some ideas so I won't get bored. This has been extremely helpful so thanks for taking the time to share!

I used a cheap little toaster oven almost exclusively when I was single. I usually used the same couple of little Pyrex dishes and lined them with foil.

Also, the roaster ovens that you see for sale around the holidays work just as good as a full sized oven.

My sister couldn't find yogurt when she loved in Belize, so she made hers. She also used her blender alot.

JemmaRestell

You look fantastic!