How do you distribute your 1200 calories throughout the day?

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WrkinProg55
WrkinProg55 Posts: 45 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi! I usually have 200 calories for breakfast and 200 for lunch then the rest for dinner and after dinner snack. I am thinking of changing things up a bit and am curious to hear what work for others?
Thanks!
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Replies

  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
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    I'm not on 1200 calories, but my diary is open and you're free to see how I use the ones I do have. It varies day to day depending on how hungry I am :)
  • mkakids
    mkakids Posts: 1,913 Member
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    I usually eat 1200cals for dinner, lol. If I had to stick to 1200, I would do 200 for breakfast, lunch and a snack (600), and 600 for dinner
  • WrkinProg55
    WrkinProg55 Posts: 45 Member
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    TheVirgoddess wrote: »
    I'm not on 1200 calories, but my diary is open and you're free to see how I use the ones I do have. It varies day to day depending on how hungry I am :)

    Thanks I will do that!
  • MaternalCopulator
    MaternalCopulator Posts: 125 Member
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    1200 calories? I call that dinner.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
    edited January 2015
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    OP, you may want to eat more than 1200 cals. with only 6 lbs to go your weekly goal should be to lose 0.5lbs/week and you should be eating back cals burned from exercise. Then you will not have to worry about dividing up 1200, should be more like 1400-1900 depending on how much/long you workout.

    I would also suggest stopping the quick add calories and weigh solid foods and measure liquids so you actually know how much you are eating, instead of estimating
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
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    I usually eat 1200 calories by 2:00 in the afternoon - and then another 1000-1200 in the late afternoon evening. Breakfast is usually 400-500, lunch is 500-600. Dinner is around 700-800 and everything else comes out in snack calories.
  • Saphira291
    Saphira291 Posts: 54 Member
    edited January 2015
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    I fluctuate each day but leave myself most calories for dinner usually. I actually tend to skip breakfast (I know, I know) I'm not usually very hungry in the morning. If I am hungry in the morning it's usually around like 200 cal in the morning. Then lunch sometimes is less calories because I'll have a salad with some turkey on it.

    You just need to find what's right for you and varying it up each day isn't bad either. If you have a day where you feel more hungry in the morning, give yourself more calories in the morning.
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,214 Member
    edited January 2015
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    MaternalCopulator wrote: »
    1200 calories? I call that dinner.

    LOL at username and avi. Creative.

    As to OP, I tend to eat many more calories for breakfast, morning snack and lunch. Dinner is usually something light.

  • DeadliftAddict
    DeadliftAddict Posts: 746 Member
    edited January 2015
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    How does anyone survive on 1200 calories? 200 calories isn't a meal. It's hardly a snack.
  • rachylouise87
    rachylouise87 Posts: 367 Member
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    i am on 1200 calories with me it depends too on the day... i usually have 300 each then some snacks. sometimes i have a bigger breakfast and it makes all the difference as i am not as hungry i usually have 1-2 snacks per day
  • k_stump_13
    k_stump_13 Posts: 21 Member
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    I'm not at 1200 calories, but I am at 1400 and I found it difficult to stay under that; however, I have adjusted the layout of my food diary and it seems to be much easier to do it like that. My diary is public and you are more than welcome to check it out :) I have broken mine out into breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, & late snack/dessert.
  • lohkin
    lohkin Posts: 43 Member
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    Tarcyd55 wrote: »
    Hi! I usually have 200 calories for breakfast and 200 for lunch then the rest for dinner and after dinner snack. I am thinking of changing things up a bit and am curious to hear what work for others?
    Thanks!
    I have been hitting a 1200 / 1100 calorie goal, plus any exercise credits added, for over 3 months. You can look at my diary if you'd like to see how I am distributing them.
  • sk1nnyf0rm3
    sk1nnyf0rm3 Posts: 110 Member
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    I usually have 300 max for breakfast/lunch (unless I have to in which case my dinner will be smaller) and try (unsuccessfully usually) to not snack before dinner so then I'll have 600 (or less depending on my snacks or if I had to have a larger lunch) for dinner.
  • LeslieB042812
    LeslieB042812 Posts: 1,799 Member
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    I am also on 1200 (us shorter folks do need to go that low to lose, even with just losing .5lbs/week). I typically have a small breakfast of black coffee and a granola bar for about 120-150 calories. Lunch is typically 250-350 calories (some sort of protein, veg, carb and fruit). Afternoon snack is about 150-200 calories (usually a serving of raw almonds or oatmeal with fruit). Dinner is my big meal at 400-500 and then I usually have an evening snack of 75-140 calories.

    On days when I know I'm going out to dinner, I usually skip the morning granola bar and eat a smaller lunch to reserve 700-800 for a dinner out. (I still eat my afternoon snack, though, so I'm not starving for the dinner.)
  • NerdieMcChub
    NerdieMcChub Posts: 153 Member
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    That's about what I do too. I try and do 200-300 for breakfast/lunch, 300-400 for dinner, and snack no more than 200. Sometimes if I want something really bad, I'll exercise like a crazy woman to burn extra calories to fit it in though. I am on a low calorie diet because of my autoimmune disease. My doctor kept recommending to cut more and more until it worked for me so here I am. (And it is working FINALLY)!
  • WrkinProg55
    WrkinProg55 Posts: 45 Member
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    erickirb wrote: »
    OP, you may want to eat more than 1200 cals. with only 6 lbs to go your weekly goal should be to lose 0.5lbs/week and you should be eating back cals burned from exercise. Then you will not have to worry about dividing up 1200, should be more like 1400-1900 depending on how much/long you workout.

    I would also suggest stopping the quick add calories and weigh solid foods and measure liquids so you actually know how much you are eating, instead of estimating

    I cheat on the weekends so I have to be extra strict Monday- Friday that is why I have been sticking with 1200. I have been maintaining my current weight with doing so. Also I stopped working out as much. I plan getting my *kitten* in gear again soon! Thanks a lot that is great advice!
  • dclark566
    dclark566 Posts: 330 Member
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    Mine today was

    Breakfast
    Bananas - Raw,
    Silk - Almond Coconut Milk Blend- Unsweetened, 8 ounces
    Full Circle Organic - Creamy Almond Butter, 0.3 Tbsp. (30g)
    Shakeology - Vanilla, 1 packet/scoop

    256

    Morning Snack
    Full Circle Organic - Creamy Almond Butter, 1 Tbsp. (30g) 0
    Apple - Honey Crisp., 1 medium apple (2-3/4" dia)

    185

    Lunch
    Tyson - All Natural Trimmed & Ready Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, 5.22 oz (112g)
    Angelic Bakehouse - Sprouted Seven-grain Bread, 2 slice (oz) (28 g)
    Sabra - Supremely Spicy Hummus, 1 Tbsp (28g/1oz)
    Alfalfa seeds - Sprouted, raw, 0.5 cup
    Veggie - English Cucumber - Seedless, 37 g

    309
    Afternoon snack
    Fisher - Whole Natural Almonds, 0.5 oz (28g/about 1/4 cup)
    Oranges - Raw, navels, 100 g 4

    129
    Dinner
    Thousand Hills Cattle Company - Top Round Steak, 5 oz.
    Baked No Skin - Sweet Potato, 3 oz
    Spices - Cinnamon, ground, 1 tbsp

    321

    = 1200
  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
    edited January 2015
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    I could never ever ever do 1200 calories. I can't even begin to imagine. My snacks are over 200 calories.
  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
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    If I was going to try to stick to 1200 (which I don't doubt I would fail miserably at), I think personally I'd go for no breakfast, 700 calorie lunch, 500 calorie dinner. I think really though the distribution of calories in a day is for individuals to decide based on what helps you stay full and satisfied, what your time commitments are, whether you prefer to eat socially, when you work out, blah blah blah...

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