1200 Calorie Meal plan

cyoka13

Berries, carrots, oranges...I am on the 1200 calorie diet as well. On the days that I do not work out, I eat a much more raw fruit and vegetables. It is amazing how many berries you can eat for one serving! A cup of berries is huge For example, for breakfast I will have an 1/4 cup of walnuts (200 cals), 1/4 cup of blackberries (20 cals) and coffee (54 cals with whole milk/sugar). Or even an English Muffin (150 cal), blackberries and coffee. I will have soup or something for lunch (200ish cals). This keeps my breakfast/lunch total around 450. I will have a orange (60 cals) or other fruit in between if I get hungry. For dinner, I will have around a cup of pasta (depending on the type of sauce used) or last night I had a pot roast that I cooked in the crock pot (one serving is roughly 450 cals).

Carrots and other crunchy vegetables are great because they take longer to eat, they are filling and since they are so low cal (50ish) you can eat a lot of them.

If you work a desk job, pomegranate that have been removed from the skin are great to keep at the desk. You can pop them like candy!

I have to admit though...One of my motivations for working out is that I can eat more. I enjoy sweets

frood

I'm new and very confused about the 1200 calorie and BMR thing.
Using this site's calculator I have a 1337 BMR. Now this is what I need to eat to stay the same weight,correct?
Now, to lose 1 pound a week I need to burn 3500 calories or 500 calories a day, correct.
So, I subtract 500 from 1337 and it is 950.
So, it seems to me if I eat 1200 calories, I am eating 250 too much to lose weight.
Clearly, I am missing something and am very confused!

BMR is NOT the amount you need to maintain. It's the amount you need to stay in bed all day.

TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is the amount you need to maintain. Eat 10-20% below TDEE to lose.
http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

pplf2001

I am on a 1200 calorie meal plan and am not sure how to cut down to so few calories. This is my first day and so far all I have had is a 4 pack of cheddar crackers with peanut butter-130 calories. What do you eat during the day to stay around 1200 calories? How many meals? I've heard a lot of people say to eat 6 meals a day but with work I don't have time to do 6 meals a day and its hard for me to get access to snacks at work, even if I bring my own.

1200 is my base as well - and I can't keep it to 1200, when I exercise and add 200-300 more calories in per day, even just from walking the dog or spending a few hours cleaning the house (which is actually under cardio as an acitvity), I find it easily manageable. Measure your portions, that's key.

Also, I still love carbs and like some others who have posted, I haven't cut them out, just try to keep it under control with the portion size.

Today's meals:

Breakfast:

English muffin w/ 2 slices of bacon (often I use turkey bacon instead, happened to have bacon today) and a ultra thin cheddar cheese slice (I don't like eggs).

AM Snacks: rice cake, mini luna bar, 1 cup of popcorn

Lunch: homemade chicken noodle soup with some french bread

PM snacks: raspberries, an apple, and probably a granola bar or rice cake or more popcorn

Dinner: salmon, w/ 1/2cup of rice and green beens

sundaywishes

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.

tibsons_girl

hot sauce on everything

:laugh: I couldn't have said it better myself.

^this :laugh:

Craigamears

@Suzi - Your BMR is how many calories it takes to keep you alive while you are asleep. When you wake up and move then you are adding calories. So 1337 calories will just keep your heart running. Now to get your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) you apply your activity levels e.g. Sedantary, Light, Moderate, Heavy. This will boost it up to say 1600 or so for a sedantary couch potatoe. So If this was your numbers then you would subtract the 500 calories from the 1600 figure to loose the pound a week. This puts you below your BMR and is not sustainable for the long term. That is why you will also see the advice to eat back your exercise calories. If you do 30 minutes of Cardio for 150 calories your deficit and further your issues with being below BMR.

So... if you eat 10% less then your TDEE and add back your exercise calories then you will achieve a longterm success in changing how you view food and get a good handle on nutrition and portion control. This is the key to keeping the weight off and not having to diet every 6 months or so.

Suzid06277

Thank you! This makes a lot more sense!!

ChristinaHz

"4 pack of cheddar crackers with peanut butter-130 calories"

It would be most helpful to you if you stay away from processed foods. This means no cheddar crackers with peanut butter or anything else packaged in plastic wrap or a box (cookies, snack cakes...). Fill up on quality foods that will keep you full longer so you don't have to have so many snack breaks. Everyone's suggestions regarding veggies and fruits are great! The key is to stay full longer and processed foods aren't going to give enough dietary fiber to do that.

aswearingen22

I'm at 1200 a day too (female, 5'2") and it's all about smart, filling choices. I rarely eat crackers, chips, etc., as they aren't filling enough to spend 150 calories on. I'd rather eat 75 calories with baby carrots and hummus that will actually fill me up for half the calories (and be good for me, not processed junk). Here's my day today (always planned out the night before, starting with what I plan to make for dinner and then filling in with breakfast and lunch, usually leaving 100-200 calories available to eat a snack before/after dinner depending on my hunger).

breakfast - oatmeal with banana & blueberries, coffee
snack - greek yogurt with blackberries
lunch - soup, sandwich thin with laughing cow cheese
snack - fiber one bar (totally processed, but the fiber keeps me full)
dinner - homemade chilli (light on meat, heavy on beans and veggies)

I ran 4 miles this morning and have an extra 350 calories to eat today as well. With the extra and what I have planned to eat, I still have 246 calories left and will use that to have a salad or a veggie with dinner and a small snack after dinner (e.g., Dove dark chocolate, Trader Joe dark chocolate caramel, glass of milk).

Days I don't work out (1-2 days a week), it's much harder to stick to just the 1200 calories. I cut out any processed stuff (sandwich thin for 100 calories for example) and add more veggies instead (carrots or green beans with lunch instead for 25 calories).

successgal1

Learn to cook.

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.