Ideas to keep total calories below 1,200 (without feeling hungry)

With that number of calories a day, I think you're going to need to make peace with feeling a bit of hunger.

I don't know of a satiating, lower calorie mac and cheese, but a leanish, home-grilled burger on a lower-calorie bun (Sara Lee makes one for 80 calories) can work well in a low-calorie diet. Having pasta regularly is a challenge to meet both satiation and not too many calories goal. Broiled or grilled lean meat/fish, big salads with non-starchy veggies plus minimum dressing or just a lemon wedge and a tsp of olive oil, high fiber bread when you have bread, eggs, greek yogurt, cottage cheese are all my go-tos. Coffee, tea and water can help blunt appetite a little bit.

you’re going to want to focus on nutrient dense foods for the most part. You can eat whatever you want within your calorie goal and still lose, but very small portions of higher calorie/not filling foods will likely leave you hungry, probably grumpy and possibly not getting adequate nutrition (which is already a challenge at 1200).

Eggs, chicken, fish, some pork (lean cuts mostly), cottage cheese, beans/lentils (slightly higher in calories but have a good bunch of fiber and protein which can help you feel full), veggies, fruits, salads (which are veggies/fruits), yogurt, oatmeal, are all things that can work.

My breakfast is often an egg bake with eggs, some kind of meat (often ham), beans, spinach, mushrooms, onions, peppers, turnips. My lunch in summer is usually a salad with chicken/tuna/eggs. In winter it’s usually a soup or stew or some kind of casserole/gumbo type deal or stuffed peppers or something. Dinner is veggies, a salad, lean protein, and a side (I’m partial to “rice” and bean dishes with cauliflower rice, but potatoes, regular rice, Etc could also work). Snacks are fruits, yogurt, nuts (which I know you don’t like), hummus, if I liked peanut butter enough I would have that with an apple or celery or something.

There are lots of foods you can eat. There’s not a lot of room for “fun” foods at 1200 calories if you also plan to get adequate nutrition. I don’t find that I’m able to eat much in the way of bread and pasta because I simply don’t find it filling enough to spend the calories on it. But YMMV-satiety is an individual thing. Also eat when you are hungry. You don’t have a lot of calories to play with so don’t waste them eating 7 meals a day or having breakfast if those aren’t times when you’re hungry. If that’s when you are hungry, by all means-eat. But make sure you’re spending your calories in the best way for you.

And don’t try for less than 1200. It’s already incredibly difficult to get all the vitamins and nutrients you need within a 1200 calorie budget. Eating less than that is just not a good idea, unnecessary, and likely to lead to serious feelings of deprivation and binges and no actual weight loss.

When I was on about 1200 a day I did not give up my 100-150 calorie snacks in the AM and PM. To make room I had a very light lunch, salad or soup. I needed a more substantial breakfast and dinner. I did better all day if I had protein at breakfast, either an egg or Greek yogurt.

Salad was far more satiating with a tablespoon of full fat dressing. Hold the croutons.

Can you do any non impact light exercise, maybe chair exercises? I know my gym has Silver Sneakers classes several times a week. Those won’t burn a lot of calories, but could either increase your deficit or give you a few more calories to work with.

My mom is 78 and I’m hoping to get her doing those classes. They are definitely within her abilities, despite her bad knees and difficultly with overall mobility.