1200 Calorie Meal plan
mrslehan2013
Posts: 105
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.
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I do the 1200 calories a day, but that is my motivation to exercise so I get more calories to eat. I did 2 hours of bike today for 800 calories, so instead of the 1200, I get 2000. But I do fruit (berries), pretzels (pretzel sticks you get quite a few) and of course drink a lot of water. I would say make sure you are exercising so you get more calories through the day but still stay within your goal.0
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Well to start, dont eat cheddar crackers with peanut butter. Instead do celery or an apple with peanut butter. It is about changing your food into something else that has less calories.0
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Remember the Calories on MFP are NET Calories you may have them set at 1200 but if you are doing it right and exercising/being active you may be eating a TOTAL well above 1200. If your are only taking in 1200 calories TOTAL and you are working out regularly your NET Calories are way under 1200 calories and it just gets you hungry, weak and discouraged.
Try to keep your calories above your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) (the minimum total calories needed to function/lazier than a lazy day) and at a reasonable Deficit (700-1000 calories) below your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. The activity estimates on MFP are a little high, I recommend a Heart Rate Monitor or Body Media Fit Link to keep you honest about how much you are burning in a day.
Customize your MFP goals and your macro nutrients (Protein/Fat/Carbs) to get at leat 80-100g of protein a day. Make sure the carbs and fats you are getting are from quality sources (fruits, veggies, nuts)0 -
I'd recommend lots and lots and lots or fresh raw veggies. I'm eating lunch right now: celery sticks, carrot sticks, red pepper sticks with 28g of Marie's Light Creamy Ranch, plus half a whole grain English muffin with a Laughing Cow cheese wedge and one light mozzarella string cheese. This is a common lunch for me and keeps me full for ages, but those veggies have so few calories! ;-)
If you don't care for raw veggies, maybe try to work them in gradually? Tastebuds change as they become acclimatized to different foods.0 -
I'd recommend lots and lots and lots or fresh raw veggies. I'm eating lunch right now: celery sticks, carrot sticks, red pepper sticks with 28g of Marie's Light Creamy Ranch, plus half a whole grain English muffin with a Laughing Cow cheese wedge and one light mozzarella string cheese. This is a common lunch for me and keeps me full for ages, but those veggies have so few calories! ;-)
If you don't care for raw veggies, maybe try to work them in gradually? Tastebuds change as they become acclimatized to different foods.
I agree with this... I usually start by 'adding' to my diet... the fresh fruits and veggies, THEN once my body gets more used to those again, I cut back on the other stuff.0 -
1200 is quite low to keep up particularly if you are exercising. You will naturally feel more run down and lathargic. The best way to stick to it though, is lots of veggies, think greens, but any veggies will do the trick. High protein foods with fewer calories, think lean meats, turkey, chicken, fish, etc. The Laughing Cow cheese is great, too! As well, you can try sandwiches (I'm a big bread lover), but just make a half sandwich and pack it high with turkey/chicken sandwich meat, some cheese, and veggies!
You can try options like oatmeal, or eggs and toast for breaky as they will keep you fuller longer. Try to eat balanced meals as well, so your protein, carb, fruit/veg and you'll stay fuller longer as well since you don't have time to snack. Almonds are also great, and yogurt.0 -
hot sauce on everything0
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And I agree with the exercise part... a couple hundred calories can add a decent snack into the mix that can hold you over
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stay away from processed food. If you can make it at home then do it! I personally eat a lot of spinach salads with fish, fruit and goat cheese on it. My snacks are peanuts, greek yogurt, and jello.0
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Just curious, how tall are you and what is your exercise plan...be realistic. 1200 is VERY low. Imagine eating a normal amount of calories once you've gotten to your goal weight....hello weight gain. I highly suggest eating more than 1200 calories and adding in 30-60 cardio activity a few times a week with strength training at least twice a week.0
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You can look at my diary to see. I am actually at 1100 as my max per day, so that would give you some wiggle room. Most times I don't even get to the 1100 per day.
I do eat about every three hours, breaky about 8:00, snack around 11, lunch around 2 and then dinner at 5, sometimes I snack after dinner around 7.
Drinking tons of water also helps keep the hungry feeling away.
For those of you reading this please don't judge the 1100 cals, I am being supervised by a Dr for this. Once I reach my goal weight this will increase.0 -
The best way to make it on 1200 a day is to make sure you get enough protein and healthy fats in first, then lots of nonstarch veggies and some fruit. Higher fiber carbs and cut out the processed sugar and white carbs.
I usually have a light breakfast- protein bar and coffee 200-250 cals
Almonds for a mid morning snack- 80 cals
Lunch around 300 cals- 2 egg omelet stuffed with fat free cheese, turkey sausage or ham, with lots of diced veggies. Top with salsa and guacamole or avocado slices around 300 cals
afternoon snack- fruit- 50-100 cals
Dinner- 4 ounces of lean protein with steamed veggies or a large salad- 300 or so cals
late snack- protein drink or smoothie- 100-150 cals0 -
http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2012-food-lovers-cleanse
Check out that diet plan. It has some really great meal ideas and recipes. I'm semi-following it right now, and really like the meal planning. Perhaps you can glean some ideas from it.
PS: I don't know why they call it a cleanse. It's just a nutritious 2 week meal plan.0 -
Well to start, dont eat cheddar crackers with peanut butter. Instead do celery or an apple with peanut butter. It is about changing your food into something else that has less calories.
Yep, you may need to tweak what you eat. But start slowly. Just switch out one snack at a time, then start cleaning up your meals. Living on what you lived on when you gained weight is going to be a lot harder at 1200 calories a day. So I would say start cleaning up your diet, start slowly cutting out the processed stuff, and then leave one snack a day to have as a little treat where you can eat something you are craving. Small steps. But you do need to start changing your food. Good luck, and you CAN do it- there is proof all over this site!0 -
There's some helpful information in this post:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
Good luck!0 -
hot sauce on everything
:laugh: I couldn't have said it better myself.0 -
My calorie count was initially set to 1200 because I was trying to lose 1lb a week. I then quickly realized that I was eating too few calories. I don't have a lot to lose (15-20lbs) and the goal I set myself was unrealistic. I since then changed my goal to 0.5lbs/week and I now have 1420 calories which is much more realistic - I often come in under that anyway. So far I've been losing 1lb/week on average even with the higher caloric intake (I work out 4-5 days a week though).0
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A 1200 kcal meal plans with or above 80% vegetables, meat and fruits works much better than a 1200 kcal meal plan with peanut butter, bread, rice, sugar, flour, and all that stuff that is not good for weight loss.
If you want faster results, you will have to change what you eat to vegetables, fish, chicken, etc.
If you want your peanut butter and cheddar cheese, your weigh loss will be slower.0 -
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!0 -
1200 calories is the lowest recommended amount of calories you need before going into starvation more, so in other words, it's the bare minimum.0
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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 0 -
BMR is NOT the amount you need to maintain. It's the amount you need to stay in bed all day.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!
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.html0 -
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 beens0 -
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.0 -
hot sauce on everything
:laugh: I couldn't have said it better myself.
^this :laugh:0 -
@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.0 -
Thank you! This makes a lot more sense!!0
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"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.0 -
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).0 -
Learn to cook.0
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