1200 Calorie Meal plan

Reesecup312

I eat around 1200 a day. I try to stay around 300 per meal and 300 in snacks. I don't get hungry except if I have been working out a lot!! A lot of people will tell you that 1200 is too low, but it works for a lot of us that are trying to lose weight. It is doable but you will have to find the foods that fill you up, give you energy, and keep you full the longest.

My breakfast is oatmeal with unsweetened almond milk and a half of a small banana and some berries. I have coffee with sugar free creamer Lunch is a greek yogurt and a cup of soup or a sandwich with lower calorie bread dinners can be anything. I love salads, and veggies. Chicken goes with everything, no skin of course!! Snacks are great too!! Make them crunchy veggies, fruits, protein bars, or shakes.

You will find what works for you. Just experiment and try pre-planning your day as well.

Good luck to you!!!

auddii

Please read up on BMR, TDEE, and TDEE cuts. Check out the group Eat More 2 Weight Less ( http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/discussion/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less and http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/680246-tdee-bmr-what-they-are-and-what-to-do-with-them ). And no, it's not like some stupid fad diet that claims you can eat all you want and still lose weight. Check it out and be enlightened. Join the group and ask questions. Do this early on and thank yourself now, instead of in the future wondering why nothing is working and you're so grumpy all the time from not eating enough. Or why you're at your goal weight, but don't have your goal body (i.e. you're still flabby, not lean and "toned" ...unless that's what you want...). Don't make the same mistakes many have. It will make your journey much more enjoyable, successful, and most importantly, healthy. :flowerforyou:


Also, lift heavy. Doing so will retain muscle mass (giving you the lean look instead of squishy, or what people call "skinny fat") make you strong, and make you lose FAT and inches, not just WEIGHT.


Okay, done now

Oh, almost forgot, read this, written by the wise yoovie: my chicksplanation of TDEE BMR - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833500-what-do-i-do-common-sense-cliff-notes

If you don't look at the group I mentioned, *please* read yoovie's post. She is pure awesome-sauce.

I wish most people posting in this thread would read these. It's some great information.

yoovie

good luck.

SillyFitMe

I am also on 1200 calories a day (when I am having a good day).

I found a few staple foods that fill me up for long periods of time. The eat clean Nazi's will probably say they are overly carbie and they are. For me, this is what makes 1200 calories a day "stick withable."

Breakfast - I usually pick one of these 3

1. 1/2 to 3/4 cup regular instant oatmeal (flavored with cinnamon, vanilla, and tiny bit of brown sugar) >300 cal
2. light strawberry yogurt w/ 1/2 cup grape nuts >300 cal
3. 1 cup egg whites made into an omlette (sometimes I spluge and melt a slice of cheese in there and top with salsa) > 200 cal

LUNCH One of these 2

1. 6" turkey or tuna or chicken salad sandwiches from Subway >350 cal
2. large garden salad topped with grilled chicken 400-500cal

DINNER

I usually have one of my breakfast or lunch options for dinner or I'll have baked fish or chicken breast with some veggies on the side

SNACKS

banana or apple 100 cal
caramel corn rice cake with peanut butter >150

NurseLanie

I try to stay under 1200cal even with exercise. I start out with a 130ish cal protein shake in the am. By 0930 I have 1/4cup pecans or almonds. Lunch at 1200 is a high protein soup with veggies (about 300 cal). Snack at 1430 is a 1/2 protein bar. My personal trainer recommended "ThinkThin" protein bars, and if its a meal replacement, eat the whole bar, or if its a snack, eat just half. For dinner I try to have another veggie, protein and low glycemic index grain like brown rice, wheat berries, or quioue (spelling?). For my last snack I will have a veggie and hummus or apple around 1700. Planning ahead is the key to keeping under 1200 calories. Don't look at it as 6 meals, but 3 meals and 3 snacks. Cutting things like sugar, juice, fried foods, and beer/wine really helps cut the calories too. Hope this helps!!!

leodru

If you bump up protein (like chicken breast) and vegetables you will be surprised how much you have available to you (though i wouldn't eat that few). When i live what i should live (unlike my heavy nut brittle day i'm having today) i find i have a lot of calories left over - granted i am eating toward 1600. A 4 ounce chicken breast is around 140 calories and a cup of broccolli is around 30. Shave a bit of cheese on there for taste at around 40 calories and you've had a fair amount of food for 210 calories. Your problem will come in when you have a lot of carbs in your diet - they are always married with fat. They do nothing for hunger and eat your calories. When you stick to real food from meats and produce you will be fine. Good luck - p.s. dont get hooked on the idea its 1200 or nothing. Lots of people eat more than taht a lose weight

stumblinthrulife

Exercise plus make veges and fruits a larger part of your diet. My net allowance is 1280. I do a ~300 kCal workout each morning, an oatmeal breakfast, then eat lots of veges in the day. I frankly can't believe how much I have to eat in order to avoid MFP berating me at the end of the day for eating too little.

beachlover317

Please read up on BMR, TDEE, and TDEE cuts. Check out the group Eat More 2 Weight Less ( http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/discussion/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less and http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/680246-tdee-bmr-what-they-are-and-what-to-do-with-them ). And no, it's not like some stupid fad diet that claims you can eat all you want and still lose weight. Check it out and be enlightened. Join the group and ask questions. Do this early on and thank yourself now, instead of in the future wondering why nothing is working and you're so grumpy all the time from not eating enough. Or why you're at your goal weight, but don't have your goal body (i.e. you're still flabby, not lean and "toned" ...unless that's what you want...). Don't make the same mistakes many have. It will make your journey much more enjoyable, successful, and most importantly, healthy. :flowerforyou:


Also, lift heavy. Doing so will retain muscle mass (giving you the lean look instead of squishy, or what people call "skinny fat") make you strong, and make you lose FAT and inches, not just WEIGHT.


Okay, done now

Oh, almost forgot, read this, written by the wise yoovie: my chicksplanation of TDEE BMR - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833500-what-do-i-do-common-sense-cliff-notes

If you don't look at the group I mentioned, *please* read yoovie's post. She is pure awesome-sauce.

Lots of good info here. Eating at very low calories will allow you to lose weight very fast, but do not kid yourself. You are losing much more than the fat you want gone. You are losing your lean body mass. If you're a woman you need to also educate yourself on how very low cal diets affect bone density.

Yoovie's post is awesome, too.

jdooks

A lot of chicken, fish, and broccoli. I also get very dense whole grain bread as those will satiate your appetite for a decent amount of time so does the broccoli for that matter. A lot of bananas as well.

mfoy94

My calorie goal is 1200, I eat a light breakfast, 400 max calorie lunch and dinner and then a few snacks throughout the day. 6 meals? Aint nobody got time fo dat.