Ideas for things to eat?????

cubbiefan818
cubbiefan818 Posts: 2
edited September 19 in Food and Nutrition
I only have 1200 calories a day. This past week, I have eaten the same things practically every day, and while my family has a nice dinner--I have salad. Any ideas for lunch and dinner items? I am really motivated now that I have lost 2 pounds. Tracking the calories really showed me where I was adding foods that had a lot more calories than I realized. I would just like to eat more than salads. Ideas would be appreciated.

Replies

  • cubbiefan818
    cubbiefan818 Posts: 2
    I only have 1200 calories a day. This past week, I have eaten the same things practically every day, and while my family has a nice dinner--I have salad. Any ideas for lunch and dinner items? I am really motivated now that I have lost 2 pounds. Tracking the calories really showed me where I was adding foods that had a lot more calories than I realized. I would just like to eat more than salads. Ideas would be appreciated.
  • VballLeash
    VballLeash Posts: 2,456 Member
    For lunch, what about hummus and whole wheat tortillas, add some turkey too for protein! :happy:

    ~Leash
  • shannon128
    shannon128 Posts: 61
    I only have 1200 calories too. Here are some things I eat on a regular basis:

    Luna bars- most have about 170 calories and are loaded with protein so they are really filling
    Homemade Breakfast Burritos- I buy these great low fat tortillas and fill them with eggs, tomatos, spinach, and salsa. I make them in bulk and then freeze them, then just microwave them in the mornings.
    Popsicles- the sugar free kind only have 15 calories a piece!
    Mr. Pita Turkey DeLites - only 214 calories! Mr. Pitas are only in a few states but you could duplicate it... it is a low fat wrap, low fat mayo, turkey, lettuce and tomato. I put Red Hot sauce on mine to spice it up a bit without adding calories.
    Soup-a cup of soup can be great for a light dinner or lunch and only has about 100-200 calories. I make anything that calls for milk with water instead and it normally tastes fine.
    Celery and Ranch Dip- I cut up celery and portion it into little snack bags then make ranch dip with fat free sour cream. The powder to make the dip is in the salad dressing aisle in a blue and green packet (I don't know the brand)
    Veggie Chili- I'm not huge on beans but the veggie chili at Nature's Table Cafe only has 60 calories... and I normally can't even finish it all.

    Hope this helps!
  • NoraEE
    NoraEE Posts: 34 Member
    Go to hungry-girl.com. She's got a ton of recipies for lower-calorie versions of foods your whole family can eat so you're not stuck with a sad little salad while they're chowing down on delicious hot meals. She specializes in recipies under 200 calories. Totally amazing!
  • Cindysunshine
    Cindysunshine Posts: 1,188 Member
    You can eat alot of differant things. For breakfasts - egg beaters, turkey bacon, high fiber cereal w/skim milk, . Lunches, Egg salad made w/low fat mayo , chicken salad,tuna salad, raw veggies, yogurt, low fat cheese sticks, hummus, low fat cottage cheese. Dinners, any lean meat and tonsd of veggies. I love making taco salad with ground turkey. You can make anything with lean ground turkey. Spaghetti, Tacos, sloppy joes. 1,200 calories can be done and you can still eat alot if you choose healthy things. Good luck! Cindy
  • alf1163
    alf1163 Posts: 3,143 Member
    Here is a sample of a day I ate 1287 calories...not perfect but pretty good and clean. Now, I do not eat like that all the time. I zig zag my calories and on low calorie days such as this one I exercise lightly or rest from hard exercise that day. You don't want to eat that little when you are burning 500+ calories :noway:

    Breakfast
    Great Value - Fat Free Vitamin A & D Milk, 0.5 cup(s) 45 7 4 0 0 65 remove
    Nuts - Almonds, 7 almond 49 2 2 4 1 0 remove
    Blueberries - Raw, 25 g 14 4 0 0 1 0 remove
    Ralston Foods - Old Fashioned Oats 100% Whole Grain, 0.33 cup dry 99 18 3 2 3 0 remove
    Add Food Remember Meal 207 31 9 6 5 65
    AM Snacks
    Grapes - Raw, 0.5 cup 31 8 0 0 0 1 remove
    Borden - Mozzarella Cheese Stick, 1 stick 70 1 6 4 0 170 remove
    Add Food Remember Meal 101 9 6 4 0 171
    Lunch
    Starkist Tuna Creations - Herb & Garlic, 1 container (5 oz ea.) 225 5 33 8 3 800 remove
    Oroweat - Double Fiber Whole Grain Bread, 1 Slice 70 16 3 1 6 160 remove
    Add Food Remember Meal 295 21 36 9 9 960
    PM Snacks
    Dannon Light and Fit 4 oz. - Strawberry Banana, 1 container 60 11 3 0 0 50 remove
    Homemade - Annettes Trail Mix, 1/4 cup 160 12 5 11 2 52 remove
    Add Food Remember Meal 220 23 8 11 2 102
    Dinner
    Generic - Top Sirloin - Beef, 3 oz 158 0 0 5 0 0 remove
    Homemade - Rice With Chick Peas, 0.5 cup 177 37 5 1 3 146 remove
    Carrots - Raw, 0.25 cup, strips or slices 13 3 0 0 1 21 remove
    Lettuce - Cos or romaine, raw, 0.5 cup shredded 4 1 0 0 0 2 remove
    Celery - Raw, 0.25 cup chopped 4 1 0 0 0 20 remove
    Wish Bone - Salad Spritzer-Ranch, 5 sprays 8 1 0 1 0 35 remove
    Add Food Remember Meal 364 43 5 7 4 224
    bedtime snack
    the Skinny Cow - French Vanilla Truffle Bar, 1 Bar (63g) 100 12 3 3 3 40 remove
    Add Food Remember Meal 100 12 3 3 3 40
    Total: 1,287 139 67 40 23 1,562
    Your Daily Goal: 1,476 184 92 40 25 2,400
    Remaining: 189 45 25 0 2 838
    :flowerforyou:
  • jessicob
    jessicob Posts: 33
    hi there!

    I never eat egg yolk they are high in fat and calories. Eat eggwhites only...they even have them ready to go in those little cartens.

    I love celery and hummus and if you make your own hummus you can control the fat and calories and eat more http://www.recipezaar.com/Low-Fat-Hummus-230812 I use less oil and more of the garbanzo bean juice to make it even less fattening.

    Have you ever had ok-mok crackers?? those are also great with hummus and super healthy. Another thing to put on those crackers is eggplant caponata from trader joes that has virtually no calories.

    Using salsa to add flavor to anything is a miracle too. You can add it to baked potatos, use it as a fat free dressing on salad, put in or virtually anything for no fat and very low calories.

    Another thing I do is never use butter or spreads....I use I cant beleive its not butter spray butter. And for cheese I only use light laughing cow spreadable cheese its good on sandwiches chopped in salad and good on bagel.

    I could seriously go on and on so if you want any other ideas let me know :)
  • Georg
    Georg Posts: 1,728 Member
    I snack on raw almonds & low fat string cheese & lots of water.

    I keep my lunch calories low so I can enjoy what everyone else is having for dinner.
    For lunch almost daily I have -

    1 grilled chicken breast & string cheese
    raw celery sticks, cucumber slices, pea pods, red peppers (or some combination)

    It's filled with protein, very few carbs which slow me down & I don't have much time for lunch anyway.
  • Georg
    Georg Posts: 1,728 Member
    OOOOooooooo!!!!!
    Thank you for that Hungry Girl site! It's so cool.
  • kerrilucko
    kerrilucko Posts: 3,852 Member
    keep in mind you can exercise calories away to earn more. Go for a run, there, you earned yourself an extra snack.

    Ps- egg yolks are good for you, I cannot understand HOW people eat just the white, that must taste awful :sick:
  • iTim__
    iTim__ Posts: 6,823 Member
    Seems like so many people on these boards have only/exactly 1200 calories to eat per day. I am surprised so many people have used the calculator on this site (entered their height, weight, and activity level) and come out with exactly 1200 calories, which is actually the ABSOLUTE MINIMUM for a healthy lifestyle. Go figure.

    Mine is a lot different and according to that little ticker below this sentence, I'm doing well. :smile:
  • epiplecticinga
    epiplecticinga Posts: 3
    All I do is ask my husband what he wants for dinner at night.
    He usually wants something big like pizza, or corned beef & cabbage, pot roast.
    My man likes big meals. So I just put into the calorie counter exactly how many calories our dinner is going to be. Usually our dinners are in the 700 to 800 range.
    So during the day I will have a very light meal in the morning & at lunch.
    In the morning I'll have an english muffin & a egg. Lunch I will have an orange or some kind of fruit to keep me going. Just keep your meals light, if you are going to gorge for dinner.
    I still stay under 1200 calories. Rock the plan friends.
  • jessicob
    jessicob Posts: 33
    Yes I agree egg yolks are good in moderation but whites are actually delicous with salt and pepper.
  • angelinaz
    angelinaz Posts: 262
    And don't forget the fage! I almost keep it under my pillow at night, it's so good! :love: :laugh: I eat mine with a few raisins and walnuts if I want crunch or plain if I require smooth feelings like ice cream! I buy the 2% and there is whole milk and nonfat. YUMMMY! And high in protein, low in calories. Found in the dairy section.

    Also, exercise calories really help! Do some type of exercise each day and you get your calories upped!!! How cool is that?!!!!!!!

    And remember, lots of water. Lots!!!!! I recently posted science journal findings that if we drink at least 6 glasses of ice water a day, we lose an extra six lbs per year. (I drink a gallon of water a day. 6 is not enuff).

    Egg whites are my favorite. I make sure whenever I eat protein, I add veggies. So I will do egg whites and spinach with either laughing cow cheese or a sprinkle of fresh parmesan.

    Good luck! You will find your groove!:smile:
  • angelinaz
    angelinaz Posts: 262
    QUOTE: From epiplecticinga

    All I do is ask my husband what he wants for dinner at night.
    He usually wants something big like pizza, or corned beef & cabbage, pot roast.
    My man likes big meals. So I just put into the calorie counter exactly how many calories our dinner is going to be. Usually our dinners are in the 700 to 800 range.
    So during the day I will have a very light meal in the morning & at lunch.
    In the morning I'll have an english muffin & a egg. Lunch I will have an orange or some kind of fruit to keep me going. Just keep your meals light, if you are going to gorge for dinner.
    I still stay under 1200 calories. Rock the plan friends.


    I understand your logic with this. The only thing I wonder, I feel my body requires fuel during the day when I am running around and working and have to use brain power to think. After dinner, my body requires less calories to burn. I am just wondering how healthy it is to go on an egg and english muffin and a piece of fruit all day.

    Just a thought. :heart:
  • epiplecticinga
    epiplecticinga Posts: 3
    Oh, I take tons of vitamins all day with my meals.
    I drink tons of water with packets of Emerg C, flax oil tablets & green tea.
    You get tons of vitamins & energy and to keep you going!
  • barbiecat
    barbiecat Posts: 17,210 Member
    steamed fresh or frozen green beans, asparagus, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower with I Can't Believe it's not butter

    use Newman's Own spray dressing---one calorie per spray

    Jennie-o 98% fat free ground turkey cooked with no calorie spray olive oil


    oatmeal for breakfast to save calories for later

    no sauces or butter or pasta or white bread to get more to eat for fewer calories

    sara Lee 45 calorie bread
  • ear1128
    ear1128 Posts: 7 Member
    some reallllly good ideas on here! The lowfat Bisquick boxes have some really good ideas on them to mix up the way you make your chicken. You can use egg whites and/or egg beaters instead of eggs, and skim milk....the chicken "fingers" and chicken pot pie are VERY good. Also, apple sauce can be used in place of oil for box brownies, and yogurt for cake mixes....it can be DONE! LOL
  • cassie77775
    cassie77775 Posts: 9 Member
    I try to stick to pretty lowcal options during the day to add a littlw wiggle room into dinner.
    For example today I had:
    eggs and pancakes for bfast
    mango, strawberry, and peaches for snack
    Soup for lunch-usually have steamed veggies and a sandwich(very filling) but wanted a change
    Leftover piece of birthday cake :laugh:
    And then for dinner we are having center cut boneless pork chops, steamed veggies, baked potatos for kids, sweet potatos for me. I've already added dinner into the calculator and it will be only 333 calories and a very filling meal.

    Overall for the day I will be at 1335 cals, and can have 399 more since I eared 500 cals from working out.

    So not a 100% perfect day as I did have cake :) but overall not too bad and I feel nice and full not hungry.
  • kerrilucko
    kerrilucko Posts: 3,852 Member
    QUOTE: From epiplecticinga

    All I do is ask my husband what he wants for dinner at night.
    He usually wants something big like pizza, or corned beef & cabbage, pot roast.
    My man likes big meals. So I just put into the calorie counter exactly how many calories our dinner is going to be. Usually our dinners are in the 700 to 800 range.
    So during the day I will have a very light meal in the morning & at lunch.
    In the morning I'll have an english muffin & a egg. Lunch I will have an orange or some kind of fruit to keep me going. Just keep your meals light, if you are going to gorge for dinner.
    I still stay under 1200 calories. Rock the plan friends.


    I understand your logic with this. The only thing I wonder, I feel my body requires fuel during the day when I am running around and working and have to use brain power to think. After dinner, my body requires less calories to burn. I am just wondering how healthy it is to go on an egg and english muffin and a piece of fruit all day.

    Just a thought. :heart:

    ya, it's actually pretty rough on your metabolism to eat that way. It's much more beneficial to just have a smaller portion at dinner and up your other meals with the calories you save. A slice of pizza and a salad with light dressing will come in at under 400 cals, and meat and potatos are fine as long as you weigh/measure your portions to work for you. You really will find that your weight loss slows when you eat this way over an extended period- I know, I used to do it to.
  • epiplecticinga
    epiplecticinga Posts: 3
    Today I had a 800 calorie breakfast at my grandma's sons of Norway lodge.
    Then 1 meatball & a orange for lunch and a trader joes salad with some garlic bread for dinner.

    I did not feel like I was starving the rest of the day and still got to enjoy some delicious crepes with berries, sausage & scrambled eggs.

    Sometimes you just have to be flexible so you can enjoy a higher calorie meal with family.
    It does not have to be everyday, I understand this kids.

    I would hate to have gone to the lodge and deprived myself some of the delicious food everyone worked so hard to make for us.

    This diet would not work for me at all if I made my husband a nice delicious meal and then I ate a salad.
    I could not do it.

    So, I am still stayin' at around 1200 calories and losing weight. I think it is okay to be flexible.
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