healthy meals?

Jane717
Jane717 Posts: 21
edited September 18 in Food and Nutrition
hey everyone! i'm really stuck with figuring out how to eat 1200 calories a day!
i can fit 5 or 6 meals in a day, that's what i see everyone does from the posts i've read so far, but i want healthy ideas for what to eat at each meal!! thank youuu & good luck to everyone

Replies

  • Jane717
    Jane717 Posts: 21
    hey everyone! i'm really stuck with figuring out how to eat 1200 calories a day!
    i can fit 5 or 6 meals in a day, that's what i see everyone does from the posts i've read so far, but i want healthy ideas for what to eat at each meal!! thank youuu & good luck to everyone
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
    I don't think in terms of "meals" as in "three squares". I think in terms of "mini-meals" or big snacks. I try to keep them around 300-400 calories.

    Some of my favorites are an apple with peanut butter, half a chicken breast with lots of steamed veggies, and yogurt mixed with chopped walnuts and blueberries. I'm sure there are lots of other ideas, these are just the ones I keep coming back to. If I find that I eat a large meal, then I have a more modest 100-200 calories snack at my next eating time.

    I always aim to incorporate protein and complex carbs at every meal.

    Also, I exercise every day, so my calories are actually more around 1700-2000. On my heavier calorie days, I occasionally feel like eating is my job.

    Anyway, welcome and good luck with your health.:flowerforyou:
  • FatDancer
    FatDancer Posts: 812 Member
    Greetings Rozediva...yeah, it is tough to keep the calories low but the food diary is so helpful...here's what works for me...

    A serving of fruit and a lowfat-sugarfree yogurt...or a whole grain cereal and nonfat or lowfat milk with half a banana...alot of people eat oatmeal for breakfast with fruit...I like mine plain with cinnamon.

    For lunch, salad (watch out for the dressing...I like a little bit of balsamic dressing) or vegetables and a serving of low-fat cottage cheese, (I like mine with red pepper flakes), with a serving of whole wheat crackers.

    Fruit and vegetables are good for snacks too.

    For dinner, a serving of lean protein about the size of the palm of my hand and lots of vegetables.

    You just have to work it so you stay within the calories and balance out your nutrition...you can eat more of low calorie foods...if I have the calories to spare I like to have a chocolate slim-fast for dessert.

    Hope this helps you come up with meal planning ideas that suit you.

    Teammate,
    Fat Dancer
  • Razboo
    Razboo Posts: 439 Member
    The longer I do this the more I can identify with folks who have trouble eating all thier calories. At first, it was unbeleivable. How not to go over seemed to be the question and I thought the rest of you were just a little bizzare. (No offense. :wink: )

    These days, I can relate a bit more. There are days that I just fall under my calories without even trying and in the evenings discover I've got a little "snack room". So, I guess it would take only a small variance to be in a situation where eating UP TO target would be the challenge.

    Still though, I have only one word for anyone who wants to get up in cals: Peanuts! Unsalted. Lightly seasoned is even low on bad stuff while giving lots of cals, protein and good fats. Just a handful is good for about 300 cals.
  • Anna_Banana
    Anna_Banana Posts: 2,939 Member
    Usually I eat oatmeal with banana or 2 eggs with toast for breakfast.
    then for am snack I will eat and apple or orange or some popcorn, for lunch I will usually have soup, or tuna salad (made with light mayo) on melba toast or pita bread with lettuse, or a salad with cut up chicken breast and salsa. For an afternoon snack I'll have some black bean and corn salsa with a few corn chips, or soup or one of those 100 snack packs. Then I see how many calories I have left to decide what we have for supper. If I happened to have a big lunch I will have soup for supper, otherwise we usually have something like grilled steak or chicken breasts with 1/2 a potatoe or rice and vegies. Last night I had spaghette (it killed me to not eat a whole plateful, but I only had the 1 cup of noodles and 1/4 cup sauce). For and evening snack I will usually (depending on calories that I have left) have something with peanut butter, like cellery or toast. Or sometimes I have popcorn.
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