1200 calorie/day meal ideas

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  • LynseyAnna
    LynseyAnna Posts: 7 Member
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    I just started working with a physical trainer & we were going over my calorie intake and times of the day that I eat. I explained to him that I have been using the MFP app to help me track my food and calorie intake & when I told him that I was eating 1450 calories or less a day he was shocked and explained that I should really increase my calories to about 1700. This may have to do with the fact that I will be working out multiple times a week and doing lots of cardio and resistance training. I think I will compromise and eat between 1400-1600 a day now. I tried originally only eating 1200 calories and it was just unrealistic for me. I have some decent self control but I felt like I couldn't eat ANYTHING and I beat myself up SO much when I would go over that number.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    I don't typically aim for 1200 per day - but could easily tweak a few things to be there.

    Breakfast 280
    Your choice of fruit or veggie (50)
    2 eggs or oatmeal(140)
    2% cheese or small serving of meat (90)

    Lunch 375
    PB&J on light bread, using no added sugar jelly & 24g peanut butter (250)
    Banana (need to weigh it, but small-medium) (100)
    Carrots (25)

    Dinner 500
    Chicken breast or other lean meat 3-5 oz (150)
    Mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. salad (75)
    Light Dressing and/or cheese for salad (75)
    Small serving rice or other (again, need to weight) (150)
    Various steamed veggies (50)


    This comes to 1155, leaving a little room for a snack. Could easily cut back on the dinner calories for more snacks by having more veggies, removing rice/other or avoiding the dressing/cheese.
  • crossfire266
    crossfire266 Posts: 25
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    are you suicidal eating 1200 calories? what the hell
  • HerbertNenenger
    HerbertNenenger Posts: 453 Member
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    SOUP is both satisfying, filling, and very versatile. do it up any way you want, healthfully of course.
  • dewsmom78
    dewsmom78 Posts: 498 Member
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    Chicken, fish, lean pork or beef, and lots of steamed veggies.
  • bloomsnadversiTE
    bloomsnadversiTE Posts: 3
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    I fill my day with crunchy/low cal veggies like raw celery, radishes and zucchini!
  • Glowiie1
    Glowiie1 Posts: 85 Member
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    Different strokes, for different folks, right?

    I tried the 1200 cal/day diet, and I was starving all the time, and I was eating nothing but whole grains, lean meats, and lots of veggies. I bumped it up to 1450/day and now I can maintain that without even thinking. If you're hungry all the time, try upping to 1300 or 1400. Just make sure that you're eating real food - beans, chicken, barely, brown rice, good green veggies, etc!

    Oh, and something that is helping me is huge veggie portions. You go to a restaurant and they give you 3 broccoli florets or what looks like a quarter cup of mixed veggies as a side. I eat a whole crown or two at a sitting, and carrots? I'll have a half or full pound of them as a snack sometimes (usually not with a dip of any kind - once your taste buds adjust, carrots are sweet enough as they are!). The complex carbs and fiber really fill you up, and there's no processed crap in it. Just good nutrients :).
  • sprintto50
    sprintto50 Posts: 410 Member
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    I had no problem eating regular food, in moderation, using the 1200 calorie plan. That being said, I earned 350-500 calories extra every day, working out in some fashion. I lost about 20 pounds (out of 30) before upping my calories a bit. The big thing with 1200 net is the NET.
  • _jayciemarie_
    _jayciemarie_ Posts: 574 Member
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    I think that people only eating 1200 or less are convincing themselves they aren't hungry. Or, they aren't measuring EVERYTHING with a scale. Back when I started and was only eating "1200" it was more like 1600. But...I will get people saying "No, I weigh everything and I'm really not hungry". Ok....well....guess you got fat by eating 1500 calories a day then.

    Best of luck :)
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    The big thing with 1200 net is the NET.

    Yup.

    Also, I've always lost more than MFP predicts at 1200-1250, so I don't think I was really eating much more when total calories were in that range. I wouldn't find 1200 (or 1250) gross sustainable now (net totally is, and that's what the goal is supposed to be anyway), but back when I wasn't exercising much it would have been--the bigger issue would have been getting bored since my meals followed a pretty similar pattern.

    My sense is that some people tend to be volume eaters and some people seem to be affected more by total calories. I can eat three big meals (by volume) even at 1200, because of filling my plate with veggies, eating protein servings that are as large as I would normally want, etc., so that makes me feel full. What I eat for breakfast now has no more calories than a big bagel I could buy in my office building (as I used to do), even without adding any cream cheese or anything, and there's absolutely no comparison in how filling they are. For similar reasons, I expect I could create a menu of 2200 calories and one of 1200 calories that I'd find equally filling. I'm totally not in favor of doing 1200 gross if someone is exercising, and don't think most have to do 1200 net to lose, unless it feels good to them, but it's perfectly workable for lots of people.
  • NotASoul
    NotASoul Posts: 25 Member
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    Omelettes are good, especially when you add vegetables and have a side salad with it - low calorie AND gets you nutrients, and is also quite filling!
    Stir fry is also good, if you want a very low calorie version add garlic and onion for flavouring instead of a sauce, and instead of having it with noodles just add all the veggies to heated tinned tomatoes or tomato and basil pasta sauce.
    A lot of things that you would normally have with pasta can be made lower calorie by just not having the pasta - I make a vegetarian lentil based version of spaghetti bolognaise and for a low calorie version simply don't include spaghetti.
    As others have said, soup is also good, as is simply eating anything but in moderation.
    I have found that rice cakes make good snacks though - they're huge but only have about the same calories as a biscuit and are very filling!
  • deliacm
    deliacm Posts: 66 Member
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    This.... and 1200 calories is just not enough... toooooooooooo hungry lol


    I've never had even the slightest pang of hunger eating even 1000 calories a day. With exercise, I will sometimes net below 500 calories. If you're hungry, then I would suggest eating different foods. For some reason, a lot of people chose to fill their calories with shakes and things that don't fill them up, rather than choosing actual food that does. My typical day is a bowl of granola in the morning with my coffee (250 calories), a HUGE salad for lunch (200-250 calories or less depending on the dressing), and the same dinner that my family has (500-700 calories). I RARELY have any desire to snack and when you're eating well and getting a variety of good healthy food, you really lose the craving for sweets, though I do have the occasional Skinny Cow dessert. I've even gone camping and had a S'More and still kept under 1300 calories. It's all in how you do it really and there is no magic shake potion that is going to fill you up as much as just eating the right food.

    lol 1200 WILL make me hungry because I work out hard (not long) using weights... I don't do cardio or dance around... I also only have around 40lbs to lose (my choice) and chances are with weight lifting I may never get below 160 and that is OK .. I go for how I look.. not a number...

    And the "eat more" mantra isn't what you are assuming... it refers to fuel. If you are hardcore into strength training/resistence or trying to do cardio 3 hours a day then your body needs fuel .. moreso as you continue to lose. I prefer to eat 1700 cals to 1200 .. just that simple..

    Yes.

    You assumed that I don't work out. Like I said, many days I net below 500 calories. I work out 3-5 times a week with weights and cardio. Never feel hungry. Truthfully, it's all in what you fuel your body with and not necessarily how many calories you consume. But don't take it from me, ask a physician or nutritionist and they will tell you the same, I'm certain.
  • istykray
    istykray Posts: 9 Member
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    I try to eat a lot of protein (lean meats & fish) which help keep you fuller longer, lots of veggies and some healthy fats. I try not to eat fruit, starches or grains after 2pm which is harder to burn off. If I'm REALLY craving something I will google a low carb recipe for ideas, i.e. Enchiladas, Lasagna, Stroganoff. Check labels too because last night I googled for a Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo and saw some easy recipes, but all high in fat! I checked the jarred sauce at the store before buying the other ingredients - Bertolli's Creamy Alfredo Light was only 40 cals & 4 grams fat for 1/4 cup. I tossed with cooked chicken and steamed broccoli (no noodles) and my teenage boys raved about it! Another of our fave is Talapia with lemon pepper and garlic salt and pan fry in olive oil spray and serve with roasted asparagus with same seasonings. EASY and FAST!
  • roxywho42
    roxywho42 Posts: 165 Member
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    You assumed that I don't work out. Like I said, many days I net below 500 calories. I work out 3-5 times a week with weights and cardio. Never feel hungry. Truthfully, it's all in what you fuel your body with and not necessarily how many calories you consume. But don't take it from me, ask a physician or nutritionist and they will tell you the same, I'm certain.


    I have, they didn't. In fact, I've spoken to several doctors, I've been to nutritionists, I've hired trainers, and I have ALWAYS been told that I should eat more than 1200 calories, that almost everyone should eat more than that. There is more to your health than just getting the number on the scale to drop, and I promise that what you are doing is not good for you. My 11 pounds is just since I started back to losing weight and started MFP. My actual weight loss is currently at 52 pounds and was at 96 before I had the most stressful 2 years of my entire life. While losing weight, I also cured my diabetes, got my cholesterol to great numbers, cured my high blood pressure, and stopped needing glasses. I was also wearing size 4 pants at 5'2" and 153 pounds because of the fact that I did not cut calories extremely low and avoid real weight training, and therefore I didn't lose all my LBM. I have always had my goal at at least 1500 calories/day and sometimes higher depending on my workout schedule at the time.

    There is also the fact that for most people 1200 calories is simply not sustainable. Almost nobody that tries to diet at that level sticks to it and of the ones who do and reach their goal weight, most just bounce right back up when they try to go to maintenance. Whether you like it or not the fact is that 1200 calorie diets are not a good plan.
  • True_Blue82
    True_Blue82 Posts: 17 Member
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    Breakfast for me is either chia pudding (chia seeds, almond milk, stevia, and fresh fruit), plain greek nonfat yogurt (with stevia & fresh fruit), oatmeal (with fruit, unsweetened), or an egg white omelet with veggies and low-fat cheese. I'm usually driving, so I only get to have omelets when I'm working from home or on weekends. Occasionally I'll have a slice of WW low-fat rye bread, toasted with some almond butter. I always have a banana in the morning as well.

    Lunch - I hate sandwiches, so it's either a salad with grilled chicken, shrimp, or salmon; a lean cuisine/smart ones entree, or homemade soup with veggies & some sort of lean meat (weekends).

    Afternoon Snack - 1 fruit & 1 c. veggies

    Dinner - 3 oz lean protein, 2 cups veggies, sometimes 1/2 serving starch

    Evening Snack - varies. Often milk & rye bread with almond butter, or mini whole wheat bagel with whipped light cream cheese & a few slices of deli turkey, or chocolate vita top toasted with milk, or wine :-)

    The keys for me - very little in terms of starches, I try to have a healthy fat at every meal, high fiber, tons of fruits and veggies (I consider them all "free"), and I drink a glass of water before I eat anything, plus a glass of water with each meal. In the beginning I was hungry, but after two weeks that passed. Hang in there!
  • ATGsquats
    ATGsquats Posts: 227 Member
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    1200 calories...oh boy. What happens if/when you plateau...cut more calories?? YIKES!

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