1200 cals

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zummerzet_lou
zummerzet_lou Posts: 159 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Help ... am trying to keep to 1200 cals a day, and yet again without eating dinner I've eaten my quota!

Need some low-cal food ideas please
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Replies

  • juliapurpletoes
    juliapurpletoes Posts: 951 Member
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    I only have one friend on 1200 cals and she is 4'8".....

    You only have 3 kg to lose....unless you are very petite, you may be trying to create TOO MUCH of a deficit......rethink your plan! and eat more so you don't go crazy.

    research this site, you will learn alot :)
  • ellie527
    ellie527 Posts: 7
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    I have trouble eating enough to even reach 1000 most days! I usually just eat eggs, meat/fish and veg.
  • joanneeee
    joanneeee Posts: 311 Member
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    I only have one friend on 1200 cals and she is 4'8".....

    You only have 3 kg to lose....unless you are very petite, you may be trying to create TOO MUCH of a deficit......rethink your plan! and eat more so you don't go crazy.

    research this site, you will learn alot :)

    QFT
  • CindiBryce
    CindiBryce Posts: 438
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    I have trouble eating enough to even reach 1000 most days! I usually just eat eggs, meat/fish and veg.

    What? I could easily eat 1,000 in two meals. Sometimes more.
  • picinina
    picinina Posts: 76
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    I'm 5ft and on 1200cals a day, aiming to lose another 7kgs (just to get with in a healthy BMI). If you're over, no big deal... just put your cross-trainers on and go for a run :)

    Good luck
    Picinina
  • shonasteele
    shonasteele Posts: 473
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    If you're just starting out, change your goal to give you more calories (less of a loss) and ease into it. It made all the difference in the world to me starting out.

    Also, eat more veggies; make sure what you're eating has some fibre and/or protein in it to keep you full; lose most of the condiments and what you can't lose, replace with lighter versions; do some exercise to earn you more calories; lose the rice and pasta and potatoes, they're all killer on the calories; if you drink pop or juice, cut it out too, it's wasted calories.
  • deepac456
    deepac456 Posts: 18
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    If you want to focus on 1200 cals a day then you have to plan your meals.

    Take makes approx 500 cal three times.

    Divide these properly in your breakfast,lunch and dinner making sure that each of it does not cross 500 cals.

    Even if you want to eat more you can any time exercise and gain more calories (without guilty since you had already compensated for the extra calories you will be eating) isn't it?
  • TWood10
    TWood10 Posts: 41 Member
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    Small snacks and smaller meals have helped me--my meals are usually under 300 calories each...and then each snack about 100 caloories. I have the laughing cow cheese and just a few crackers for a snack--or 1/4 can tuna (with some boiled egg in it) with a few crackers for a snack. For meals--i do a lean cuisine for one meal most days (out of convenience) and then things like talapia and broccoli, turkey meatloaf and side salad, morningstar's chicken patty with bread, etc...that's how I do it, hope that helps!
  • KariQuiteContrary
    KariQuiteContrary Posts: 274 Member
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    Well I was on 1200 Calories a day when I first started trying to lose weight however I usually ended up eating 1400-1600, because I ate back my exercise calories (only if I earned them obviously). I always keep a lot of high protein/low fat stuff around. Egg white omelets, greek yogurt (chobani or fage), 1% milkfat cottage cheese, activia light, blue diamond chocolate almonds, laughing cow cheese wedges (I LOVE mine with wheatables), lowfat cheese sticks, and VEGGIES galore (think grape tomatoes, cucumber, celery, baby carrots, sugar snap peas, etc). You'd be surprised how much food you can cram into a 1200 calorie allowance if you pic the right things. :)
  • MaryEffingPoppins
    MaryEffingPoppins Posts: 371 Member
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    Here are some tasty ones



    http://www.self.com/goal/bootcamp/eat-your-way-slim
  • michedarnd
    michedarnd Posts: 207 Member
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    I'm on 1200, too. For most weekdays, I just exercise the extra calories I eat off. I haven't managed to stay that low ONCE. It IMMEDIATELY put me at 5x/week exercising. On the weekends, when I have the kids full-time, I can just eat two meals, but I can't stay that low, right now. I just do a lot of cardio and weight training.

    I have a fair stock of Herbalife shakes. That's what keeps me from going over the adjusted amount with exercise. One meal a day is a shake, often times.

    I could probably stay lower if I had maintained the carbohydrate count recommended, but I don't lose weight with a lot of carbs. I need a higher percentage of protein, so the calorie count is REALLY hard for me to do.

    As deepac456 said, you have to plan your meals. Planning the day is the first thing I do every morning.

    Good luck! 1200 is almost ridiculously difficult to maintain.
  • Treed79
    Treed79 Posts: 28 Member
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    I have trouble too. You just have to exercise and then you can eat the calories that you burn. My favorite meal is a Taco salad. I use about 2 c salad,1/8 c mexican cheese, 1/4 c salsa, 3 tbl olives, 1/4 c refried beans about 12 crushed tortilla chips and then about 3 tbl fat free sour cream. That fills me and it's around 400 cal. If I'm realy pinched for calories I leave out the refried beans. Then it's only like 340 cal. Good luck! You'll get a handle on it. It's all about retraining your body.
  • KatJette
    KatJette Posts: 5 Member
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    Hi,

    First, check your profile and make sure you have set reasonable goals.

    Second, the closer you stay to natural foods, the better you'll succeed at eating your fill at 1200 calories. Avoid high cal, low volume foods like starches (bread, potatoes, rice). These are good in small quantities, but they are killers on the calorie counts. Eat lean proteins and fresh fruit and veggies. Stay away from high calorie cooking methods like deep frying or pan frying. Processed or prepackage food is also dangerous--read the labels well.

    One trick I use is to enter all the food I plan on eating that day before I eat it so I can tweak the foods to meet my calorie, carb, and protein goals for the day. That gives me a template to follow that I can change if I change my mind about what to eat during the day. At least it gives me something to base my food decisions on.

    If you find that you are still busting the calorie counts, exercise! Even a 60 minute slow walk can give you the extra calories you need.

    Good luck! You can do this!
  • Care563
    Care563 Posts: 61 Member
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    I have trouble eating enough to even reach 1000 most days! I usually just eat eggs, meat/fish and veg.

    What? I could easily eat 1,000 in two meals. Sometimes more.

    seriously? I could eat 1000 in ONE meal :)
    I had 6 brazil nuts and they were 167 calories...that was SIX nuts. If I had 30 nuts it would of been over 1000....
  • dihar2
    dihar2 Posts: 29 Member
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    I stay (most days) between 1200-1300 calories but I do not count non-starchy veg calories in that 1200. I make a green smoothie in the morning loaded with these veg and have a reasonable amount of steamed or baked veg at supper. My 1200 consists of my protein fat almond milk yogurt fruit etc. Works for me.
  • nrvo
    nrvo Posts: 473 Member
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    0% Greek yogurt, edamame, extra-lean ground turkey, seasonal fruits & veggies, air-popped popcorn (or 100-cal bags), hard-boiled egg whites, water, water, water!
  • mathewb001
    mathewb001 Posts: 11
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    Thanks to MFP, if I didn't exercise I would starve! :-p
  • ellie527
    ellie527 Posts: 7
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    I have trouble eating enough to even reach 1000 most days! I usually just eat eggs, meat/fish and veg.

    What? I could easily eat 1,000 in two meals. Sometimes more.

    seriously? I could eat 1000 in ONE meal :)
    I had 6 brazil nuts and they were 167 calories...that was SIX nuts. If I had 30 nuts it would of been over 1000....

    I dunno, I thought I was doing something wrong in the calculating but I've triple checked.. I just eat til I'm full (good things, not crap) and it rarely goes over 1000 calories.. Maybe I just don't have a big appetite, I don't know
  • kristinathenina
    kristinathenina Posts: 142
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    I am on 1200 a day, and am always full after every meal, feel free to friend me so that you can take a look at my diary. Try to make sure your eating the right foods, lowering fat and eating lean proteins.
  • kkellam1
    kkellam1 Posts: 182 Member
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    I am on 1200 a day, and am always full after every meal, feel free to friend me so that you can take a look at my diary. Try to make sure your eating the right foods, lowering fat and eating lean proteins.

    Agreed. I have done an average of 1200 a day since February. It isn't hard if you stick to lean proteins and fresh veggies. Stay away from anything in a box or a can. Cook fresh and skip sauces. You can eat a tremendous amount of food and keep meals in the 3-400 range. Experiment, read, try new things. Eliminate the high calorie foods that dont fill you up. Honestly, I feel like I eat better tasting food and more of it than most people I know. You can do 1200 easily with planning.

    Of course, a big question is if 1200 is appropriate. For me it isnt about hitting that arbitrary number. That is just where my meals take me and it has been a comfortable range for me. If i eat more or less in a given day, so be it. How many calories to eat is a controversial topic here and I won't even attempt to offer advice on that. That is a personal decision to make.

    I could easily eat 1000 calorie meals also, but that is what got me overweight in the first place. Once I developed new habits, I found I can be really full of healthy foods and have consumed 300 or so in a meal.

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