1200 Calories... What are you eating?

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  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
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    I eat lots and lots of food in quantity as well as variety. I am not going to list them, since my food diary is open. My diet is based on whole foods. Yesterday and on Sunday I did quick calories, because I had a very nasty cold, but apart from that everything is logged for the last year minus three weeks.
  • keem88
    keem88 Posts: 1,689 Member
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    breakfasts:
    -oatmeal with either chocolate protein powder mixed in or unsweetened applesauce with cinnamon (between 165 cals-200 cals)
    -bagel thin (110 cals) with egg (70) lettuce tomato and red onion sandwich (20) - 200 cals
    -protein pancakes
    -omelette with lots of veggies and a little low fat cheese (around 250-300 cals depending on cheese and if egg whites or whole eggs)
    -2 scrambled eggs (140) with a little coconut milk (10ish cals) topped with salsa (10 cals) and sauteed veggies in 0 cal spray (90-100) - 260ish cals

    mid morning snacks
    -apple (80 cals)
    -banana (100 cals)
    -apple cinnamon rice cake (50 cals)
    -watermelon
    -baby carrots (35 cals per serving) with fat free ranch (50 cals 2 tbsp)

    lunch
    -huge salad with protein of choice and light dressing
    -homemade soups (veg broth or chicken broth based with loads of veggies) - a huge bowl can be less than 200 cals
    -tuna on a sandwich thin (i don't eat meat or fish but tuna isn't bad on cals) - use greek yogurt and spices instead of mayo or use mustard instead, top sandwich with lettuce tomato onion banana peppers other veggies
    -mash chickpeas mix with greek yogurt and spices top on sandwich thin and top with veggies
    -leftovers

    mid afternoon snacks
    -pretzels
    -popcorn
    -light yogurt
    -string cheese
    -saltines with hummus

    dinners (these are anywhere between 250-350 cals)
    -shirataki noodle stir fry with veg and protein
    -stroganoff with lowfat cream mushroom soup and greek yogurt instead of sour cream
    -zucchini boats
    -spaghetti squash casserole
    -portabella mushroom cap burgers
    -greek salad
    -eggplant curry
    -tofu and veg curry over couscous
    -homemade soups

    skinnytaste.com has a lot of good recipes, same with chocolatecoveredkatie for dessert or snack ideas
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
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    How do people eating 1200 calories reach an optimal protein and fat minimum? (I struggle sometimes and I have 900 more calories to work with.)

    ETA: Where optimal is .8-1g/#BW for protein and .35g/#LBM for fat.

    I have wondered the same thing. I don't try to get 1 gram of protein per pound of my current bodyweight though, I aim for 0.8-1 gram per pound of LBM... so around 100-124 grams per day, and I find it hard to do eating much more than 1200!

    Of course, it might be different if you are netting 1200, you could feasibly burn 500 cal in exercise, which would let you eat 1700 and still net 1200, and that would be a little more feasible to get the protein.

    I've checked out a few diaries though, and most of the people who actually EAT 1200-1400 only get around 60 grams of protein on a good day, as low as 20 on a bad day. Maybe its enough for them, but not for me!


    The problem is that many people count one gram of protein for one pound of weight. This is wrong. The rule is .5gr to 1.0 per pound of LBM ( Lean Body Mass, which is not the same as pound-of-weight ) for women from 19-70 years. Only people who are really heavily into exercise benefit from one gram of protein per pound LBM,. Even during the eleven years I was a very committed weight lifter, I only ingested .75 grams per LBM and did perfectly fine.
    I eat 1200 calories because I am over 65 and 4'11.5" tall- I admit, there is not much space for food that has little nutritional value like many processed foods, but once I figured it out it was not difficult. I eat meat, fish or fowl about 2-3 times a week( I was a vegetarian for 18 years) and get a lot of my protein from legumes, pulses ( basically beans and similar foods ). I eat a lot of eggs, lots of salad ( I use apple vinegar which has astonishingly a lot of protein, maybe from the yeast....I don't know ) with protein like eggs, tuna, sardines, surimi etc. There are many days when I am over on protein ( even on days when I don't eat fish, fowl or meat ) and there are days when I am close, but under. It evens out over a month and that is all I care about.
  • BeckiCharlotte13x
    BeckiCharlotte13x Posts: 259 Member
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    Friend me if you want meal advise! My diary is open and eat 1300, sometimes less. 3 healthy and generously sized meals too!
  • Iishasears84
    Iishasears84 Posts: 23
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    Morning: 2 Pieces of Raisin bread 1 piece of turkey bacon. HUGE glass of water
    Lunch: One pocket thin with 3 slices of roasted turkey and 1/4 cup of cheese 6 medium strawberries
    Dinner: One 8oz piece of chicken with steamed veggies.
    This is a day if I didn't work out. Usually I work out so I can eat more and I have more options. The more you burn the more you can eat:)
  • Sreneesa
    Sreneesa Posts: 1,170 Member
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    My daily cals are 1800 so with that being said I do not always eat that and yesterday I ate 1295 calories and got 109 grams of protein.

    It depends what protein enriched foods you eat. Like for instance 4oz can of tuna is 20-23 grams at 90-100 calories. 4oz chicken breast that I buy in a value pack is 23 grams of protein at 110 cals. Greek yogurt one cup of fage is 23 grams of protein at 130 cals. My protein powder is 170 cals at 30 grams of protein. Salmon 4 oz 23 grams of protein at 110 cals of the frozen kind I get. That alone what I just name is all under 1200 and adds up to over 100 grams or over of protein and calorie wise under 700. I'm guestimating, not precise and add veggies, milk or whatever it can be done.

    I answered your question so you can stop coming on here with reasons to pick apart or take shots at people who choose to eat 1200 calories. May not be for you and I but worry about your own intake. Have a great day.
  • oSummerRaeo
    oSummerRaeo Posts: 39 Member
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    My diary is open. Try to be as 'clean' as I can and to get my protein in, hard with being a veggie sometimes.
  • zipperfall
    zipperfall Posts: 45 Member
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    I'm a college student on a meal plan, so my food options aren't quite as wonderful..

    Breakfast
    Oatmeal Packet ~140

    Snack
    Banana ~110
    Yogurt ~80

    Lunch
    Spinach salad with tuna topping ~300

    Snack
    Green Apple ~80

    Dinner
    Salad ~ 350
    Cup of Cheerios ~100
  • Dsanders460
    Dsanders460 Posts: 12 Member
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    This was not one of my better days for getting in the amount of protein that I should, but it was the first one that I found that I knew was accurate ( traveling on business for the last month, so alot of foods this month have had to be added with a best guess approach) Anyway:

    Breakfast - 260 calories
    1 packet of Quaker High Fiber Cinnamon swirl oatmeal
    1 Motts cinnamon applesauce

    Lunch - 399 calories
    1 cup buffalo chicken soup with 7 tostitos white corn chips crushed on top

    Snack - 155 Calories
    1 fiber one lemon bar
    1 /2 cup 2% milk

    Dinner ( with dessert) - 364 calories
    1/2 cup broccoli
    3 oz parmesan chicken nuggets
    1 laughing cow cinnamon cream cheese wedge
    1 thomas bagel thins whole wheat bagle

    Total 1,178 Calories

    As you can see I skipped some of my afternoon snacks that day, there would normally be at least one Special K Protein bar in there too, that would have bumped it up by another 170 calories. but I got busy and forgot to eat it...
  • fitnessmom92
    fitnessmom92 Posts: 8
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    1200 calories was never enough for me. I'm 5'3" and I feel deprived eating anything less than 1400 calories. The best thing you can do is to make your calories count and to eat as clean as possible. Eat lean meats, replace mayo on sandwiches with mashed avocado, stick to wheat breads and whole grain pastas, green vegetables are best for weight loss, and only eat one fruit a day (because of the sugar content). I put Sargento ultra thin 45 calorie cheese on my sandwiches and I eat 40 calorie Healthy Life wheat bread with flax seed. I like to start with a high protein breakfast and try to eat 4-5 times a day. Protein shakes are great to keep your metabolism up. These are some of the things that work for me, but do what's best for you. Good luck!
  • ThriceBlessed
    ThriceBlessed Posts: 499 Member
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    How do people eating 1200 calories reach an optimal protein and fat minimum? (I struggle sometimes and I have 900 more calories to work with.)

    ETA: Where optimal is .8-1g/#BW for protein and .35g/#LBM for fat.

    I have wondered the same thing. I don't try to get 1 gram of protein per pound of my current bodyweight though, I aim for 0.8-1 gram per pound of LBM... so around 100-124 grams per day, and I find it hard to do eating much more than 1200!

    Of course, it might be different if you are netting 1200, you could feasibly burn 500 cal in exercise, which would let you eat 1700 and still net 1200, and that would be a little more feasible to get the protein.

    I've checked out a few diaries though, and most of the people who actually EAT 1200-1400 only get around 60 grams of protein on a good day, as low as 20 on a bad day. Maybe its enough for them, but not for me!


    The problem is that many people count one gram of protein for one pound of weight. This is wrong. The rule is .5gr to 1.0 per pound of LBM ( Lean Body Mass, which is not the same as pound-of-weight ) for women from 19-70 years. Only people who are really heavily into exercise benefit from one gram of protein per pound LBM,. Even during the eleven years I was a very committed weight lifter, I only ingested .75 grams per LBM and did perfectly fine.
    I eat 1200 calories because I am over 65 and 4'11.5" tall- I admit, there is not much space for food that has little nutritional value like many processed foods, but once I figured it out it was not difficult. I eat meat, fish or fowl about 2-3 times a week( I was a vegetarian for 18 years) and get a lot of my protein from legumes, pulses ( basically beans and similar foods ). I eat a lot of eggs, lots of salad ( I use apple vinegar which has astonishingly a lot of protein, maybe from the yeast....I don't know ) with protein like eggs, tuna, sardines, surimi etc. There are many days when I am over on protein ( even on days when I don't eat fish, fowl or meat ) and there are days when I am close, but under. It evens out over a month and that is all I care about.

    As I said above, I aim for 0.8-1 per pound of Lean Body Mass, NOT my current bodyweight, and I lift weights. I am also 5 feet 7 inches, with quite a bit of muscle mass (albeit, still covered by bodyfat in many places). I was just pointing out to him, that most people don't get as much as he's suggesting, especially not at 1200 cals a day.

    I couldn't do 1200 cals a day, that is below what my BMR would be if I wasn't overweight at all. (AT my ideal bodyweight, my BMR is 1390. Currently it is over 1700), my TDEE averages out around 3000 calories a day, so even if I eat 2000 I still have a deficit large enough to result in a 2 pound per week loss.
  • SheGlistensasSheSings
    SheGlistensasSheSings Posts: 272 Member
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    Breakfast: tea/decaf coffe/hot chocolate, maybe fruit and or greek yogurt
    Lunch: big big salad with lots of veggies, fish, a little wine
    Snacks/evening snack: more like lunch or breakfast depends on the day sometimes just a bigger evening snack
    Dinner like lunch but different combo of veggies fish etc
    Feel free to add me for sharing ideas and support. But if you do please say how you found me/why youd like to be friends cause I don't take requests without info. Bests!
  • Lobnakhaled
    Lobnakhaled Posts: 46 Member
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    My dairy is open :). Check it out.
  • mrsBrown1989
    mrsBrown1989 Posts: 81
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    Something like this:
    breakfast: either a coffee or a home made juiced drink with a raw egg
    lunch: liver, or something with potatoes usualy
    dinner: chicken and veggies or fish/beef with veggies
    snacks: peanut butter, cottage cheese, avacado
  • GummyBears7779
    GummyBears7779 Posts: 35 Member
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    The best ive done is 1235 cals.
    I guess just very lean protein, corn, oats, that stuff seems to fill me up :)
  • nikkihk
    nikkihk Posts: 487 Member
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    I have a desk job so it's difficult to lose on more then 1300... SO I have lots of protein, veggies, squash,eggs, I make beef stew, pot roast, have cottage cheese, water tea, snacks like pop chips or soy nuts, anything that fits in the cal count, hell last night I had a max roast beef and fries and a salad from Arby's. Still stayed in my cal count.
  • AdelinaRosalina
    AdelinaRosalina Posts: 2
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    Well, for a good amount of time I only had about 1200 calories, and my day looked something like this:
    Breakfast:
    1/2 cup oatmeal or hot rice cereal (each expand to about a cup cooked)-150cals
    1/2 cup skim milk for above-50cals
    Nonfat Chobani/Yoplait Greek 100 Yogurt-100cals
    Snack:
    One moderate side piece of fresh fruit-100cals
    Lunch:
    Either one can of Progresso Light Soup-140-200cals OR
    One quesadilla used with 90cal low sodium diet flatbread, two slices of 40cal ultra thin provolone and a serving size of 50cal lunch meat-220cal
    Afternoon Snack-
    If I had the soup. I would have a non far YoCrunch with toppings, or if I had the quesadilla I would have the YoCrunch without toppings- 80-120 cals
    Dinner:
    Dinners were pretty big for me as I ate with the family, and always varied. But basically I would have a nice sized plain piece of protein on top of about 1/2 a cup of pasta or a baked potato and with a cup of cooked veg like kale on the side. I refrained from using any kind of oil/seasonings except for a moderate amount of salt. I always logged these dinners at 400-500 just to be on the safe side.
    Aaand because I have a sweet tooth I'd have a nice dessert once a week :)
    However. I will say that the best thing for my weight loss was exercise, and I soon found that I could eat way more with being active.
    Good luck!
  • bikinisuited
    bikinisuited Posts: 881 Member
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    bump
  • harperjs
    harperjs Posts: 30 Member
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    Breakfast (250-300 calories)
    Smoothie with banana, spinach, PB2 or other frozen fruit, chia seeds and skim or almond milk (playing with this...cows milk has protein, which I like)

    Lunch (300-400 calories)
    I make soup once a week and take it into work. Taco soup, potato soup, broccoli soup, minestrone, lentil soup, black bean soup, etc. Great way to get vegs in! Then an apple for my sweet tooth. Used to do greek yogurt but I'm trying to get away from all the added sugar in the fruit ones.

    Snacks (~150 calories)
    Almonds
    Greek yogurt with chocolate chips
    Dark chocolate

    Dinner (300-400 calories)
    So much mexican (and boring chicken).
    Enchiladas, tacos, fajitas.
    Green salads with hard boiled eggs and bacon
    Pasta with leafy greens and chicken sausage
    Slow cooked pork shoulder
  • gosustu
    gosustu Posts: 33 Member
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    I hit just over 1200 calories yesterday. Take a look at my diary :)

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