1200 calorie/day meal ideas

NotASoul

Omelettes are good, especially when you add vegetables and have a side salad with it - low calorie AND gets you nutrients, and is also quite filling!
Stir fry is also good, if you want a very low calorie version add garlic and onion for flavouring instead of a sauce, and instead of having it with noodles just add all the veggies to heated tinned tomatoes or tomato and basil pasta sauce.
A lot of things that you would normally have with pasta can be made lower calorie by just not having the pasta - I make a vegetarian lentil based version of spaghetti bolognaise and for a low calorie version simply don't include spaghetti.
As others have said, soup is also good, as is simply eating anything but in moderation.
I have found that rice cakes make good snacks though - they're huge but only have about the same calories as a biscuit and are very filling!

deliacm

This.... and 1200 calories is just not enough... toooooooooooo hungry lol


I've never had even the slightest pang of hunger eating even 1000 calories a day. With exercise, I will sometimes net below 500 calories. If you're hungry, then I would suggest eating different foods. For some reason, a lot of people chose to fill their calories with shakes and things that don't fill them up, rather than choosing actual food that does. My typical day is a bowl of granola in the morning with my coffee (250 calories), a HUGE salad for lunch (200-250 calories or less depending on the dressing), and the same dinner that my family has (500-700 calories). I RARELY have any desire to snack and when you're eating well and getting a variety of good healthy food, you really lose the craving for sweets, though I do have the occasional Skinny Cow dessert. I've even gone camping and had a S'More and still kept under 1300 calories. It's all in how you do it really and there is no magic shake potion that is going to fill you up as much as just eating the right food.

lol 1200 WILL make me hungry because I work out hard (not long) using weights... I don't do cardio or dance around... I also only have around 40lbs to lose (my choice) and chances are with weight lifting I may never get below 160 and that is OK .. I go for how I look.. not a number...

And the "eat more" mantra isn't what you are assuming... it refers to fuel. If you are hardcore into strength training/resistence or trying to do cardio 3 hours a day then your body needs fuel .. moreso as you continue to lose. I prefer to eat 1700 cals to 1200 .. just that simple..

Yes.

You assumed that I don't work out. Like I said, many days I net below 500 calories. I work out 3-5 times a week with weights and cardio. Never feel hungry. Truthfully, it's all in what you fuel your body with and not necessarily how many calories you consume. But don't take it from me, ask a physician or nutritionist and they will tell you the same, I'm certain.

istykray

I try to eat a lot of protein (lean meats & fish) which help keep you fuller longer, lots of veggies and some healthy fats. I try not to eat fruit, starches or grains after 2pm which is harder to burn off. If I'm REALLY craving something I will google a low carb recipe for ideas, i.e. Enchiladas, Lasagna, Stroganoff. Check labels too because last night I googled for a Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo and saw some easy recipes, but all high in fat! I checked the jarred sauce at the store before buying the other ingredients - Bertolli's Creamy Alfredo Light was only 40 cals & 4 grams fat for 1/4 cup. I tossed with cooked chicken and steamed broccoli (no noodles) and my teenage boys raved about it! Another of our fave is Talapia with lemon pepper and garlic salt and pan fry in olive oil spray and serve with roasted asparagus with same seasonings. EASY and FAST!

roxywho42

You assumed that I don't work out. Like I said, many days I net below 500 calories. I work out 3-5 times a week with weights and cardio. Never feel hungry. Truthfully, it's all in what you fuel your body with and not necessarily how many calories you consume. But don't take it from me, ask a physician or nutritionist and they will tell you the same, I'm certain.

I have, they didn't. In fact, I've spoken to several doctors, I've been to nutritionists, I've hired trainers, and I have ALWAYS been told that I should eat more than 1200 calories, that almost everyone should eat more than that. There is more to your health than just getting the number on the scale to drop, and I promise that what you are doing is not good for you. My 11 pounds is just since I started back to losing weight and started MFP. My actual weight loss is currently at 52 pounds and was at 96 before I had the most stressful 2 years of my entire life. While losing weight, I also cured my diabetes, got my cholesterol to great numbers, cured my high blood pressure, and stopped needing glasses. I was also wearing size 4 pants at 5'2" and 153 pounds because of the fact that I did not cut calories extremely low and avoid real weight training, and therefore I didn't lose all my LBM. I have always had my goal at at least 1500 calories/day and sometimes higher depending on my workout schedule at the time.

There is also the fact that for most people 1200 calories is simply not sustainable. Almost nobody that tries to diet at that level sticks to it and of the ones who do and reach their goal weight, most just bounce right back up when they try to go to maintenance. Whether you like it or not the fact is that 1200 calorie diets are not a good plan.

True_Blue82

Breakfast for me is either chia pudding (chia seeds, almond milk, stevia, and fresh fruit), plain greek nonfat yogurt (with stevia & fresh fruit), oatmeal (with fruit, unsweetened), or an egg white omelet with veggies and low-fat cheese. I'm usually driving, so I only get to have omelets when I'm working from home or on weekends. Occasionally I'll have a slice of WW low-fat rye bread, toasted with some almond butter. I always have a banana in the morning as well.

Lunch - I hate sandwiches, so it's either a salad with grilled chicken, shrimp, or salmon; a lean cuisine/smart ones entree, or homemade soup with veggies & some sort of lean meat (weekends).

Afternoon Snack - 1 fruit & 1 c. veggies

Dinner - 3 oz lean protein, 2 cups veggies, sometimes 1/2 serving starch

Evening Snack - varies. Often milk & rye bread with almond butter, or mini whole wheat bagel with whipped light cream cheese & a few slices of deli turkey, or chocolate vita top toasted with milk, or wine :-)

The keys for me - very little in terms of starches, I try to have a healthy fat at every meal, high fiber, tons of fruits and veggies (I consider them all "free"), and I drink a glass of water before I eat anything, plus a glass of water with each meal. In the beginning I was hungry, but after two weeks that passed. Hang in there!

ATGsquats

1200 calories...oh boy. What happens if/when you plateau...cut more calories?? YIKES!