1200 calorie diet?

jenniffer86
jenniffer86 Posts: 65 Member
edited September 20 in Motivation and Support
Hi Everyone..

I've been on here on and off for a while.. i've been finding it harder lately.. busy at work (which I do most of my entering in ) so i've been forgetful.. and eating badly too. =( I know this.. and this is why I am going to keep trying and not give up~!! but the reason for all this rant is this..
how do you people eat only 1200 calories?? I can not..for the life of me, seem to get this on target. I'm either under, over, in the middle.. I'M ALL OVER THE PLACE!
I am looking for some help with maybe.. what a 1200 calorie a day plan looks like?? I've looked on the net.. but would like to hear from some real people..
also.. i'm just a picky eater I guess... i dont like a whole lot of vegetables.. so it gets boring real fast, and i give up.
i want to eat healthy, but also .. i guess a little more conviently? is it wrong to eat a sandwhich everyday? what are some good different types of salad? all i seem to eat is, chicken ceasar, or like.. a garden ranch salad..should I just eat the same thing pretty much everyday? or is it better to calorie shift?
what's the fastest way to get the weight off??
thanks

Replies

  • cmurphy04722
    cmurphy04722 Posts: 254
    I'm sure there are people better suited to answer this, but here goes. Sample day, somewhat average for me but I do mix it up:

    Breakfast: 3 egg whites, 2 veggie "sausage patties, 2 slices wheat toast. Or oatmeal and a banana. And protein shake with light chocolate soy milk after my morning workout.

    Snack: Nonfat yogurt

    Lunch: I usually always bring a sandwich to work: 2 slices wheat bread, 2 slices veggie "turkey", 1 slice cheese, 2 romaine lettuce leaves, 1 Tbsp. light miracle whip or 2 Tbsp. hummus. With 1/2 cup cottage cheese and reduced fat wheat thins. Or hummus with pita chips. Or baby carrots and string cheese.

    Snack: a snack-sized bag of Chex cereal/yogurt/sliced cucumbers/string cheese

    Dinner: spinach, bean and cheese baked burrito/veggie burger with side of lima beans/stir fried veggies with rice or couscous

    Try looking at some food diaries on people's profiles if they're open. Not that I'm amazing, but mine is set to public so feel free to spy on me hehe

    EDIT: Plus I eat my exercise calories (or at least some of them) so on days when I know I'm going to have a few beers at a happy hour or some other calorie splurge, I workout extra hard and stay an extra 30 minutes or so :)
  • jenniffer86
    jenniffer86 Posts: 65 Member
    Awsome that's great! thanks alot =):drinker:
  • angi17
    angi17 Posts: 2
    I am doing the South Beach diet and that seems to help keep me right around 1200 easily. You are really only able to eat meat, veggies -some-, cheese, nuts.. basically anything that doesn't contain Carbs/Sugar for 2 weeks. Then you are able to add in some healthy carbs like fruit after the 2 week period. It seems harder than it is, for me anyways...
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    I've upped my calories recently due to learning that I burn more than I thought, but I followed a 1200 calorie diet for about a month before I switched. I know this probably isn't what you want to hear, but incorporating lots of fresh veggies and fruit into your diet is a big help - they're low calorie and provide lots of vitamins, fiber and good carbs. Plenty of veggies can be super convenient - my current favorite is baby carrots and cucumber - I'll slice up a cucumber and snack on it throughout the day or eat 1/2 with lunch and 1/2 with dinner. Some vegetables like squash and broccoli can be VERY filling, causing you to not feel the need to continue eating when you've hit your 1200 calories. Spaghetti squash is a great substitute for pasta, it's easy to fix and one squash makes a ton. (yay leftovers!) You may need to experiment with different fruits and veggies - try some that you've never had before. If they're not something you eat raw and you don't know how to prepare it (like squash or eggplant), just google it (or look on MFP) and you'll be able to find easy directions. I'm not super fond of all the fruits/veggies I eat, but I know it's what i need to do to successfully lose weight, so that's motivation to stick with it.
  • jhb090107
    jhb090107 Posts: 37
    In all honesty I am not the person to answer this question, but I can share my new favorite snack with you:

    1 cup (prepackaged not cup measurement) Jello sugar free pudding into which I dip a Nature Valley granola bar

    It's like 230 calories but gives me a nice little energy boost in the afternoon
  • mmnichol
    mmnichol Posts: 208 Member
    It is hard to keep at 1200 cal a day. What i've found helps is to find the foods you LIKE to eat and are satisfying as well as nutritionally good for you as possible. If your trying to eat the "right" foods but don't really like them you won't succeed. For instance, i like peanut butter, bananas, i have this for breakfast or egg beaters. for lunch i like tuna salad they make in the cafe at work on lettuce. but maybe a sandwhich would satify you better, just keep it in the calorie range. It will take some time to get used to getting lower fat/calorie foods, but if you stick with it you will adjust. just don't try to deprive yourself too much.

    good luck, you can look at my diary if you want.
  • nolachick
    nolachick Posts: 3,278 Member
    my food diary is public too and this week has been hard to eat ALL of 1200. sounds weird I know, but I guess the foods I have been eating are very filling or I simply got used to it.

    At the begginning I was still hungry after 1600!

    Just takes time to find what you like and what is healthy.
  • HEFAAY6
    HEFAAY6 Posts: 7 Member
    I AM ALL OVER TO BUT NEVER OVER 1200 BY MORE THAN 50 TO 60 USALLY UNDER BY 300 TO 400 WILL THIS HURT MY LOSING OR WILL IT INCREASE IT THANKS
  • barbiecat
    barbiecat Posts: 17,210 Member
    :flowerforyou: Have you researched Isagenix ?
  • kbglazier
    kbglazier Posts: 39 Member
    my food diary is public too and this week has been hard to eat ALL of 1200. sounds weird I know, but I guess the foods I have been eating are very filling or I simply got used to it.

    At the begginning I was still hungry after 1600!

    Just takes time to find what you like and what is healthy.

    How do I see public food diaries? It would help me to see other peoples daily menus for ideas.
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
    MFP has me pretty close to 1200 at 1350. I don't have trouble with it, I just watch what I eat, measure everything, and plan my meals at restaurants in advance by visiting their website & looking at their nutrition guides. You find ways to cut calories by going with food substitutes and exercising every day.

    For breakfast, I usually have 1 cup of rice crispies, and 1/2 cup of rice milk. It's very tasty, and only 190 calories. For lunch I often have soup or a Healthy Choice frozen meal, or a sandwich on oroweat buns (only 100 cals in each bun). The soup & HC both have under 400 cals. Dinner is usually my biggest meal of the day, often banking a hefty 700-800 calories. Add in a 1 mile walk for a bonus 100 cals, and I come in under my limit. I find that it makes everything easier if I log in everything I'm going to eat for dinner for the entire week, since I know it's my highest caloric meal. It's like doing a puzzle, with dinner being the big piece, and I need to fit the other ones around it.

    If I'm hungry, I eat a piece of fruit, drink lots of water, or chew gum. Chewing gum is a big help. I've managed to avoid chowing down on ice cream at least twice this week thanks to the gum curbing my sweet tooth. I also make sure I get at least 60 oz of water a day, and even manage to get 90 in some days (I have a big hospital mug that is 30 oz, and have no trouble getting through 2-3 of those a day). I don't drink milk or soda. That choice makes drinking water an easy choice, since there are no other options.

    If you'd be interested in tracking my food/exercise diary, just visit http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/DrBorkBork
  • Advengirl
    Advengirl Posts: 88 Member
    Well...
    The ONLY way I'm able to meet my calorie goals for the day (not over, not under)...is planning. :/
    I will literally log my entire day's worth of food so I know what I should expect...then I set an alarm on my phone to remind me to eat every 3hrs or so (vibrate only, of course, so my co-workers don't think I'm nuts for setting an alarm to eat. LOL)

    And I have had to MAKE myself pack my lunches/snacks at night before bedtime so that I have no excuses in the morning (running late, oh crap- the cat puked on my shoe, wanna sleep in).

    Some days, it's really hard to make sure I eat everything...other days, I feel like I'm about to gnaw my arm off! Making sure I eat on a regular schedule though helps a LOT. I won't get so hungry that I can't control my cravings, but I'm hungry enough to scarf down whatever I need to.

    In regards to what to eat...
    Well...
    I agree with the other guys on here that you're going to have to incorporate in fruits & veggies. Experiment though! Do you hate veggies because of the flavor? Or they're boring? Try something that's mild...like peeled cucumbers or baby carrots- and dip/roll them around aged balsamic vinegar? ie: I can't stand sliced green peppers...but red peppers are my fav.

    Don't forget the 100cal mini-popcorn bags. If you get the 94% fat free butter kind, you'll still be amazed at how MUCH popcorn = 100cals. And it's pretty darn filling and has a decent amount of fiber.

    And I don't think there's anything wrong with eating a sandwich every day :D
    (as long as you try to use the 'good' types of bread & go easy on the mayo etc. I used to haaaate wheat bread, but I found out it was the brand I always bought. Look around and try other types if you're the same way. Some are quite tasty! You can use the 'dud' loaves to feed the ducks or something. hehehe)
  • Advengirl
    Advengirl Posts: 88 Member
    I AM ALL OVER TO BUT NEVER OVER 1200 BY MORE THAN 50 TO 60 USALLY UNDER BY 300 TO 400 WILL THIS HURT MY LOSING OR WILL IT INCREASE IT THANKS

    Hey HEFAAY6...
    Just be careful that you're not putting your body into starvation mode :/
    If you go into it (after several days of under-eating), your body will simply hold on to EVERYTHING it possibly can because it doesn't realize that you're trying to lose weight...it thinks you're in a famine & wants you to survive as long as possible so it will slow your metabolism and certain functions to conserve energy and fat. (same thing will happen with water if you don't drink enough...you'll retain! ahh! )
  • auntbliz
    auntbliz Posts: 173 Member
    I try to add raw spinach or lettuce or sprouts to EVERYTHING I can, lol. That way you're getting more food (this equals full for me) but getting super low calories for it. Something I've done when I run out of calories or am saving calories for something is take 6 slices of buddig heartsmart lunch meat, 70 cals, and a bunch of spinach and wrap some spinach or sprouts in 1 piece of lunchmeat. This way I get six little rollups, and lunch for less than 100 calories. Something else I do around dinner when I've overeaten that day is make a cup of broth from boullion and have that with a boring salad with a light dressing or salsa, again, super low calories. I tend to snack often, so my meals have to be low cal to count for all the snacking (healthy, but still snacks).
  • jmr1969x
    jmr1969x Posts: 1
    Well I just started but I will tell you the best tasting 410 calorie Salad is from Chick-fil-A that's there Grilled Market Salad . Sliced chicken breast served on a fresh bed of chopped Romaine lettuce and baby greens, topped with shredded red cabbage and carrots, crumbled blue cheese and a mix of red and green apples, strawberries and blueberries. Made fresh daily. Served with Harvest Nut Granola, Roasted Nut Blend and I use 2 barbecue packs instead of dressing its 180 calories with out the granola and the nuts and the barbecue.

    For Snacks I like Special K Chocolatey Pretzel Cereal Bars! At 90 calories, each Special K® Chocolatey Pretzel Cereal Bar combines crunchy pretzel pieces with chewy rice and whole wheat flakes, then gets a layer of chocolatey goodness. It’s a deliciously twisted way to curb those afternoon chocolate cravings AND still stay on track.

    Costco sells these 16.9 oz Green tea its 2 serving at 50 Calories per serving it comes with peach, lemon and apple Flavored teas and they taste very good. the flavors are very light I'm a guy and did not think I would like them, 4 cases later ...

    For Breakfast on the go I do like a Egg McMuffin fast and only 300 calories.

    I also like Garden Salsa or Harvest Cheddar Sun Chips they have a lot of flavor 18 grams of whole grain and 140 calories per Snack Size bag.

    I am always short on time and these are fast low cal options.

    Hope this helps!

    You can do it!
  • mattdsoares
    mattdsoares Posts: 13
    I'm on a 1200-1400 calorie diet and really not finding it too difficult, though I did at first. Like running, once you settle into a rhythm, it alll becomes gravy.

    To do it, I use meal replacement shakes for breakfast and lunch. I get all the vitimins, minerals, and protein that I should get in a well balance meal (even more actually!) for only 200 calories. A good shake will have lots of fiber to help you feel satisfied for longer. If you're doing a lot of exercise (which is a good idea to pair with the diet) and want to repair or build muscle, make sure you choose one with lots of protein. 25g a serving is great. If you're not doing a lot of exercise than a shake with lower amounts of protein is just fine. After a morning workout I also have a protein shake, which adds about 250 calories more.

    In addition to the shakes I usually have a mid afternoon snack of a fruit of some kind, though usually an apple or banana as they are my favorite. Occasionally I'll make a peanut butter and banana quesadilla (I don't fry it, just spread and fold). For dinner I eat relatively normally. By dinner time I've consumed roughly 800 calories or so, leaving me with a nice 400 calorie dinner. This usually involves chicken, tuna, fish, and occasionally lean beef. I always grill (outside of George Foreman) or bake, and never fry. I try to avoid regular bread and choose wraps a lot. I pair the meat with a light salad or some veggies.

    If I know I'll be having a bigger dinner because of some event I'll avoid the protein shake and make sure my snack is just a fruit, leaving me with plenty of calories to enjoy the meal.

    It was tough at first but I'm finding that I have more energy and feel much better about myself on the lighter diet.
  • mattdsoares
    mattdsoares Posts: 13
    I AM ALL OVER TO BUT NEVER OVER 1200 BY MORE THAN 50 TO 60 USALLY UNDER BY 300 TO 400 WILL THIS HURT MY LOSING OR WILL IT INCREASE IT THANKS

    Hey HEFAAY6...
    Just be careful that you're not putting your body into starvation mode :/
    If you go into it (after several days of under-eating), your body will simply hold on to EVERYTHING it possibly can because it doesn't realize that you're trying to lose weight...it thinks you're in a famine & wants you to survive as long as possible so it will slow your metabolism and certain functions to conserve energy and fat. (same thing will happen with water if you don't drink enough...you'll retain! ahh! )

    This isn't totally true. If you drop your calorie intake a lot (50% for example), you'll only bring your metabolic rate down 10%, so you'll still be in a calorie deficit. This is largely a myth about weight loss and dieting. While starvation mode does exist, it does not make your body hold on to everything. It simply reduces your metabolism. However you'll still be at a calorie deficit and will still continue to lost fat, rather rapidly. I've provided a link to another post where someone explained this well and provided some great citations and links where you can read up on the studies about this.

    http://caloriecount.about.com/forums/weight-loss/truth-starvation-mode

    Starving yourself is bad idea for a number of reasons, however your body holding on to the fat rather than burning it as part of starvation mode is not one of them.
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