1200 calories/day is SO HARD, can anyone share their meal plan?

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Replies

  • drabbits3
    drabbits3 Posts: 140 Member
    I have been on here since June 30 and I have been doing okay with 1200 calories. It did take me a while to figure out what kept me full at the number. Feel free to look at my diary--it's open. Aim of really calorie dense foods--fat free greek yogurt, one tablespoon of fresh ground peanut butter on a slice of lite bread/toast, green smoothies. I have been pretty good at measuring portions, although I do not have a food scale. By and large I have not been STARVING on the 1200. A little not full, but I used to go to bed feeling stuffed and get up feeling sluggish, so this is better. Think about lots of volume for not many calories-cherry tomatoes, watermelon, carrots, berries. I find I make choices much more carefully when I don't have as much to "spend" on food.
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    I know this isn't what you asked but as others have eluded to, 1200 is likely to low for you. It could be part of why you gained back some of that weight easily. There's a term called "body-fat overshooting", you should look it up. But in-short, it's related to very low calorie consumption for weight loss.
  • threnjen
    threnjen Posts: 687 Member
    Haven't read all the responses. You'd be surprised how low TDEE is for us shorties,but 1200 is still too low. I am 5'1" and 134lbs and my bmr is 1332. On non exercise days I eat 1400.
    At our height it is very difficult to lose 1 lb per week especially as we near or goal.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    Factoring in when you gained weight back, you averaged half a pound a week loss. This is actually reasonable considering how little you have left to lose. I'd recommend changing your goal to half a pound a week, which should give you more calories to work with. You've already shown you can lose at that rate, but with more calories every day you won't have one week at 1200, then the next week much higher and you feel guilty about it. Instead, you have a reasonable level every day that you'll be able to stick with.
  • AskTracyAnnK28
    AskTracyAnnK28 Posts: 2,817 Member
    Feel free to peak at my diary for ideas :)
  • Tea_Mistress
    Tea_Mistress Posts: 105 Member
    Ok this is just what helps ME stick to 1200 calories
    Basically I set my fat percentage quite low (20%) which basically means that I'm getting a larger volume of food from vegetables and high fiber foods, lowering the fat makes me aware of not splurging on ice cream all the time - and I feel more full.
  • lemonsurprise
    lemonsurprise Posts: 255 Member
    Just make sure each meal is 400 calories and under, and make everything from scratch.
    My 400 calorie meals are sausage (quorn) casserole, chilli con carne (quorn), any vegetable soup, chicken (quorn) wrap with cous cous and salad, falafel wrap, jacket potato with fried tomato and onion, chicken (quorn) salad with nuts and Mayo. I find it easy to make big meals under 400 calories as long as I'm cooking from scratch.
  • Aniluz7
    Aniluz7 Posts: 12 Member
    Hi! The only way I have been able to continuously meet 1200 or less is by consuming meal replacement shakes. I am doing Herbalife and I really enjoy it. The shakes are around 150 calories but when I add protein and almond milk I am just over 300 calories. I have three small snacks per day and two shakes. Then I have 400 calories remaining for dinner.
  • KylaDenay
    KylaDenay Posts: 1,585 Member
    UmmSqueaky wrote: »
    KylaDenay wrote: »
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    How aggressively is your goal set? Also, can you open your diary?
    This.

    I am 5'3 and have around 15-17 lbs to go. I am eating to lose .5 lbs a week and was given 1520 calories by MFP.

    Those extra two inches give you a lot more. Using MFP calculations, 5'1 sedentary around this weight (I'm assuming 130 lbs) wouldn't lose anything at 1500 calories.

    I didn't say she should be eating 1500 calories. I am saying that if eating to lose .5 lbs a week she can eat a little more. At least 1300. It will always be slower toward the end and the aim should be for .5 lbs a week at this point. It does not take a lot to burn 100 calories a day to add to your daily intake. You can also eat at tdee daily with your workouts already calculated into your deficit.

  • kaspatore
    kaspatore Posts: 95 Member
    BREAKFAST- 1 WHOLE EGG, 1/4 C EGG WHITE, 1 TBSP COTTAGE CHEESE, SPINACH, LAUGHING COW, COFFEE WITH CINNAMON AND CREAMER.
    LUNCH- A BUNCH OF GREENS (KALE/SPIN/ROMAINE) TOMATOES, A BIT OF CHEESE (PARM/GOAT/ FETA), DELICIOUS VEGGIES, AND HOMEMADE VINEGRETTE WITHOUT TOO MUCH EVOO.
    DINNER- BIG BOWL OF LIGHTLY STEAMED BROCCOLI, 1-2 TBSP CREAM CHEESE, 1 HANDFULL CHOPPED CHICKEN, FRANKS BUFFALO SAUCE
    SNACKS- RED GRAPES, MELON, FIBER ONE BAR, TURKEY PEPPERONI,
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    edited October 2014
    kaspatore wrote: »
    BREAKFAST- 1 WHOLE EGG, 1/4 C EGG WHITE, 1 TBSP COTTAGE CHEESE, SPINACH, LAUGHING COW, COFFEE WITH CINNAMON AND CREAMER.
    LUNCH- A BUNCH OF GREENS (KALE/SPIN/ROMAINE) TOMATOES, A BIT OF CHEESE (PARM/GOAT/ FETA), DELICIOUS VEGGIES, AND HOMEMADE VINEGRETTE WITHOUT TOO MUCH EVOO.
    DINNER- BIG BOWL OF LIGHTLY STEAMED BROCCOLI, 1-2 TBSP CREAM CHEESE, 1 HANDFULL CHOPPED CHICKEN, FRANKS BUFFALO SAUCE
    SNACKS- RED GRAPES, MELON, FIBER ONE BAR, TURKEY PEPPERONI,

    So apparently gifs aren't animated anymore and you can't delete a post anymore. :cry:

  • odinalove1
    odinalove1 Posts: 11 Member
    edited October 2014
    breakfast= 1egg 1egg white fried in non stick pan rubbed with 1/4 teaspoon of oil eaten with a mini pitta bread, 1/4 cup of baked beans and a cup of tea with skimmed milk. . almost 300cal

    lunch= blue dragon whole wheat noodles stir fried with onions, defrosted mixed vegies, chili and prawns in 1 teaspoon oil=almost 400 cal

    dinner= baked chicken thigh and salad dressed in 1 teaspoon olive oil and salt.=250 cal

    snacks- seaweed crisps
    walkers sunbites
    0% Greek yogurt... may come up to 200 cal
    2 cups of barley tea

    but these are the days i actually plan and then get busy. most times i take up to 1500-1800 since i jog for 3-6 miles on some mornings
  • odinalove1
    odinalove1 Posts: 11 Member
    chaos416 wrote: »
    Hi, I'm just a shade over 5 foot and quite sedentary. I have my doctors approval to do 1000 calories and under. Feel free to send a friend request and browse through my food diary. The weight isn't exactly falling off as my maintenance calories aren't far above that, but I am losing a little. Been logging for 30 days. I do better when I get close or above my protein, especially if I get it early in the day.

    true, if i hit the protein right especially with eggs in the morning it get's easier to wait for lunch, and at lunch if i eat more protein with veggies it gets easier to wait for dinner, at dinner i love salads or soups , fiber and protein for me really.. but then out of boredom and not really hungry i still average over 400cal in sweet snacks. this has nothing to do with satiety , just bad habits i'm dealing with
  • jilljhunter
    jilljhunter Posts: 8 Member
    I eat a little under 1300 (as set by MFP). Lots of protein is key for me or I'm STARVING. This is my typical day.

    B - 1 egg, 1 egg white, lean turkey sausage (1 1/2 links lean) or 1 slice bacon, 2 TBSP cheese scrambled together AND 1/3 cup oatmeal with 1/2 chopped apple

    L - Protein shake (I use Shakeology) with 35 calorie almond milk, 1/2 cup fruit, 3 TBSP liquid egg white, ice

    S- 1/2 cup LF cottage cheese, 1/2 cup fruit, 1/2 TBSP almonds (or) apple w/2 tsp peanut butter and 3 almonds (or) veggies with 2 TBSP hummus

    D- 3 oz chicken breast, 1 cup green veggie, 1/2 cup carb (either potato or bean)

    S- chocolate or Chobani Flips yogurt

    I also exercise a good bit (run 3X week, lift weights 2X week, Zumba once week). After reading all the above posts, I wonder if I'm eating enough calories. I'm 5'8 and was eating around 1400, but when I went under 170, MFP calculated my calorie intake a little below 1300. I lose about 1/2 pound a week. Hmmmm.....
  • ht1211
    ht1211 Posts: 26 Member
    jilljhunter wrote: »
    I eat a little under 1300 (as set by MFP). Lots of protein is key for me or I'm STARVING. This is my typical day.

    B - 1 egg, 1 egg white, lean turkey sausage (1 1/2 links lean) or 1 slice bacon, 2 TBSP cheese scrambled together AND 1/3 cup oatmeal with 1/2 chopped apple

    L - Protein shake (I use Shakeology) with 35 calorie almond milk, 1/2 cup fruit, 3 TBSP liquid egg white, ice

    S- 1/2 cup LF cottage cheese, 1/2 cup fruit, 1/2 TBSP almonds (or) apple w/2 tsp peanut butter and 3 almonds (or) veggies with 2 TBSP hummus

    D- 3 oz chicken breast, 1 cup green veggie, 1/2 cup carb (either potato or bean)

    S- chocolate or Chobani Flips yogurt

    I also exercise a good bit (run 3X week, lift weights 2X week, Zumba once week). After reading all the above posts, I wonder if I'm eating enough calories. I'm 5'8 and was eating around 1400, but when I went under 170, MFP calculated my calorie intake a little below 1300. I lose about 1/2 pound a week. Hmmmm.....

    Thank you so so much!!! This is really helpful.
  • ht1211
    ht1211 Posts: 26 Member
    drabbits3 wrote: »
    I have been on here since June 30 and I have been doing okay with 1200 calories. It did take me a while to figure out what kept me full at the number. Feel free to look at my diary--it's open. Aim of really calorie dense foods--fat free greek yogurt, one tablespoon of fresh ground peanut butter on a slice of lite bread/toast, green smoothies. I have been pretty good at measuring portions, although I do not have a food scale. By and large I have not been STARVING on the 1200. A little not full, but I used to go to bed feeling stuffed and get up feeling sluggish, so this is better. Think about lots of volume for not many calories-cherry tomatoes, watermelon, carrots, berries. I find I make choices much more carefully when I don't have as much to "spend" on food.

    Will do. Thank you.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited October 2014
    Suedexter wrote: »
    That's interesting

    I'm 5'2. My weight loss seemed to slow down on 1,200 calories a day.

    So for the last week and a half I've tried the 5:2 diet. 2 days of 500 calories ( essentially Weetabix for breakfast and Weetabix for supper) and then 1,500 calories other days

    I don't know how long I'll do this for, but for now it seems to have kick started me back into losing

    Sorry but this isn't 5:2.....this is just zig-zagging, a rotation diet, or a diet + a fast.

    5:2 is 2 days at 500 calories (for women) plus 5 days of maintenance. You are averaging 1200 calories over the week....this is just a different 1200 calorie diet.

    Fast weight loss is muscle loss....I do 5:2 in hopes on minimizing muscle loss.

    To find your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) aka maintenance .....http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/
  • ht1211
    ht1211 Posts: 26 Member
    throoper wrote: »
    You're pretty short, and depending on what you weigh, 1200 isn't unreasonable. My daily goal is also 1200 but I usually eat back exercise calories too. On days that I don't exercise, and that I actually meet my goal (which I agree is hard!!), here's what my meals look like.

    Breakfast - a couple cups of coffee + low-fat milk plus either a fried egg or a spinach/fruit/bit of protein powder smoothie = ~150-200 cals

    Lunch - either a big spinach salad with chopped bell peppers, 4 oz of grilled lean meat, and balsamic vinegar, or a reasonable portion of healthy leftovers, or a Lean Cuisine / 6" Subway sub in a pinch = ~250-350 cals

    Dinner - my FAVE is a big plate of oven roasted veggies (dice and toss broccoli, asparagus, beets, or brussel sprouts with a little olive oil and a lot of garlic, bake at 375 for ~20 minutes, broil for a couple minutes, HOLY GOOD!) plus 4 oz lean grilled meat, or some homemade veggie-rich stew or soup = ~400-500 cals

    Snacks - apple, mini sweet peppers, snap peas, carrots, low-fat string cheese, Laughing Cow cheese wedges, raw almonds, etc = ~200 cals

    Total = 1100 - 1350

    Thanks!
  • GulfcoastAL
    GulfcoastAL Posts: 74 Member
    feel free to add me, any of you. I'm 5'4" and adding in the protein has been GREAT! I was a mostly non- meat eater so I am also doing a food quality overhaul. I probably had maybe 20 grams of protein prior to logging it on MFP. Each week I add in something new that is high in protein like eggs, flax seeds,almonds, chickpeas on top of my veggies or whole wheat pasta. I find I must eat often especially in the morning- this is when I consume the yogurt and cottage cheese.
    - 7:30 AM Greek yogurt 1/2 cup is plenty filling.
    - 10:00 AM 1/2 cup Cottage Cheese with flax seeds or scrambled eggs with cheese & salsa
    - 12:00PM Lentil soup, turkey with spinach, or veggie quesadilla, usually Feta cheese crumbles too!
    - 2:00 PM some kind of healthy snack, maybe even a Nutribullet drink. Something salty like cucumbers with tomatoes- prefer raw veggies if possible.
    - Condiments: I use lite balsamic vinaigrette, salsa, and Grey Poupon type mustard.
    5:00PM dinner.
    Later if hungry- I usually have a different Greek yogurt with the flax seeds. The golden flax ones ground up taste like graham crackers a little!!!
    My diet at first (a month ago) was under 1200 because that's what MFP said but I have tentatively upped it to 1300 calories after losing 4 pounds in first month( took 3 weeks for first 2 pounds to come off). I am playing around with eating back my exercise calories if I am hungry. Usually I am not. My TDEE is 1710 and my BMR is 1368 ( INCLUDES exercising 3x a week!) so that's not a lot of cut back room AND I'm 45 years old.
    I try to avoid processed " healthy" cereal due to the sodium but have it sometimes for convenience and the iron.

    Looking to add shellfish and tuna about 2x a week next.

    Really happy with what I am eating- seems to have made the sweet cravings truly GO AWAY.

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