Those of you at 1200 cals. a day...

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jtintx
jtintx Posts: 445 Member
in Food and Nutrition
For those of you who are at the 1200 calories per day level, what does your food intake look like for the day? What do you have for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks? I'm finding it very hard to stay at 1200 cals. Having some exercise calories to eat back helps, but on my rest day or days I just can't workout I need to stay at 1200 and need some food ideas. Thanks.
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Replies

  • jtintx
    jtintx Posts: 445 Member
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    For those of you who are at the 1200 calories per day level, what does your food intake look like for the day? What do you have for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks? I'm finding it very hard to stay at 1200 cals. Having some exercise calories to eat back helps, but on my rest day or days I just can't workout I need to stay at 1200 and need some food ideas. Thanks.
  • harleygirl6363
    harleygirl6363 Posts: 426 Member
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    breakfast- fat free cottage cheese and some fruit usually what i have when i get bored i switch the cottage cheese for yoguart

    lunch-lean pocket of some sort they are super super yummy and maybe a sugar free puddng if i still feel a lil hungry

    dinner-depends on the day anything from grilled chicken breast with veggies, anothe lean pocket with some sort of treat, turkey sandwhich

    snakcs-pudding (sugar free), special k bars, 100 calorie snacks, fruit,yogurt, mini rice cakes

    i know it seems boring but it really really is working for me. GOOD LUCK!!!
  • kimber607
    kimber607 Posts: 7,128 Member
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    Hi

    I can give u some of what I ate
    BUT when I was loosing I ate 1490 (even though this site rec 1200) and lost almost 30 pounds
    Now, I eat 1800-2000

    100 cal english muffins
    low cal yogurt (dannon fit is only 80)
    low sugar oatmeal (packs are only 120 cals each)
    string cheese for 60-80 cals
    If u live by TJ they make light bread which is only 40 cals a slice and muffins for 100 cals each

    GOOD LUCK!
  • Marla64
    Marla64 Posts: 23,120 Member
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    cereal for breakfast-- peanut butter and jelly usually for lunch, regular wheat bread-- dinners vary, but I keep it to 300 cals or so, when I can-- and squeeze a snack in, where I can. Exercise buys me an evening snack, usually-- I eat "real" food, no sugar free/sodium free/fat free crap. I want taste, and it's worth it to me to have less of something in order to get real taste.
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
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    i peeked at your profile, jtinx, and if you only have 8 lbs more to go, are you sure 1200/day is enough for you? are you really short or some other factor? cause 1200 is REALLY low. and since you're so close to your goal, I was just wondering.....
  • jtintx
    jtintx Posts: 445 Member
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    i peeked at your profile, jtinx, and if you only have 8 lbs more to go, are you sure 1200/day is enough for you? are you really short or some other factor? cause 1200 is REALLY low. and since you're so close to your goal, I was just wondering.....
    Eight more pounds will put me at 145. But I think I want to get to 135. So 145 is my intermediate goal...but I'm finding it hard to get there....I've kind of stalled out at 153.

    Also, how many calories are you eating at each meal?
  • kallio
    kallio Posts: 70
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    I have special K cereal in the am with a homemade soy chai latte. About 395 cals
    Then I usually have a small lunch like yogurt and fruit.
    Dinner is dependant on if I am cooking for the family or just myself. I try to keep it in the 3-400 range and then have a small snack before bed.
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
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    perhaps you have stalled out because your calories are too low. it happened to me like that. I was staying at 1300, and stalled out, and when I increased to 1500, I started losing again.

    just a thought:flowerforyou:
  • jtintx
    jtintx Posts: 445 Member
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    perhaps you have stalled out because your calories are too low. it happened to me like that. I was staying at 1300, and stalled out, and when I increased to 1500, I started losing again.

    just a thought:flowerforyou:
    I exercise most days and therefore have an extra 300-600 calories to eat, but even with that I'm stuck.
  • AllyKM
    AllyKM Posts: 14 Member
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    I'm at 1,000 a day and sometimes got to 1,200 to treat myself.

    Breakfast: Reduced Sugar Instant Oatmeal
    Lunch: Weight Watchers Yogurt, Honey Wheat Pretzels or Carrot Sticks
    Dinner: Trying lots of new recipes - mostly 300 or less per serving, plus a serving of veggies and/or salad
    Snacks (2 per day): Fiber One Chewy Bar, 2 Clementines, 1 oz. reduced fat cheddar and whole wheat crackers
  • exercisediva
    exercisediva Posts: 127
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    I eat 4 egg whites and 1 veggie sausage
    Lunch - turkey burger (no bun) lettuce and tomatoe
    dinner - tilapia or salmon and broccoli
    snacks consists of hummus and veggies and protein shakes.

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  • jomane81
    jomane81 Posts: 41 Member
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    I eat instant oatmeal and a hard boiled egg for breakfast or a smoothie with a piece of toast. I try to keep breakfast at less than 200 cals (I never have much of an appetite in the morning), but the oatmeal seems to really suppress my hunger until lunch.

    Lunch is usually something prepackaged and microwaveable, like lean pockets or a Smart Balance or Lean Cuisine meal, but I always add fresh veggies as a side. I love baby carrots, and they're really low cal.

    Dinner varies quite a bit for me. If I'm going to be at home all night without any good distractions (like it's raining so I can't exercise,etc.), I tend to pick out several 100-200 calorie items and eat them over the course of the evening, rather than focusing on one meal. I really like the 100 cal popcorn bags, baked potatoes (sweet or regular), and cottage cheese with baked lays. I also eat eggs for dinner quite often, or soup. Progresso soups can be as little as 200 calories for the ENTIRE CAN! That's pretty filling and leaves room for toast or crackers, too.

    Obviously, I do more eating later in the day, so that might not work for you, but it fits my schedule significantly better than a huge breakfast.
  • sassekel
    sassekel Posts: 114 Member
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    Breakfast
    Oroweat Double Fiber - English Muffin, 1 Muffin 110 cal
    Jimmy Dean - Turkey Sausage Links (Fully Cooked), 3 Cooked Links 120 cal
    total= Meal 230
    Lunch
    Kraft - 2% Sharp Cheddar Cheese Slices, 1 slice 50 cal
    Ball Park Fat Free Hot Dogs - Fat Free Beef Hot Dog, 2 frank 100 cal
    Sara Lee - Light Bread-45 Calories, 2 slices 90 cal
    total= Meal 240
    Dinner
    Birdseye Steamfresh - Broccoli & Cauliflower, 1 container (3.5 cups ea.) 105 cal
    Chicken - Baked Chicken Breast, 1 Chicken Breast 250g 284 cal
    total= Meal 389
    Snacks
    Quaker - Chewy Granola Bar - Chocolate Chip - 25% Less Sugar, 1 piece 100 cal
    Jell-O (Jello)-Chocolate Sugar Free - Pudding Cup, 1/2 cup 60 cal
    Hostess - 100 Calorie Pack-Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cakes, 3 Cakes 100 cal
    total=snacks 260
    daliy Total: 1,119
  • stewbigelow
    stewbigelow Posts: 23 Member
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    Br.=whole wheat english muffin with cream cheese and coffee
    1 egg, 2 strips bacon and 1 slice whole wheat toast
    piece of fruit

    Lunch= lean gourmet meal
    chef's salad
    turkey sandwich

    dinner= anything that i would normally eat just smaller amounts

    snack=whole bag of popcorn
    fruit or veggies
    croutons

    The main thing that I have done is cut out a lot of sweets and also sweet tea and chips or fries.

    Hope this helps!
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
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    perhaps you have stalled out because your calories are too low. it happened to me like that. I was staying at 1300, and stalled out, and when I increased to 1500, I started losing again.

    just a thought:flowerforyou:
    I exercise most days and therefore have an extra 300-600 calories to eat, but even with that I'm stuck.

    I'm talking about net calories. if you exercise and earn more, those two things cancel each other. 1500 net calories was much better for me than 1200 was. if I exercise, eat the cals I earned, but I still have a higher amount of net cals.
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
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    I'm at 1,000 a day and sometimes got to 1,200 to treat myself.

    Breakfast: Reduced Sugar Instant Oatmeal
    Lunch: Weight Watchers Yogurt, Honey Wheat Pretzels or Carrot Sticks
    Dinner: Trying lots of new recipes - mostly 300 or less per serving, plus a serving of veggies and/or salad
    Snacks (2 per day): Fiber One Chewy Bar, 2 Clementines, 1 oz. reduced fat cheddar and whole wheat crackers

    this is VERY VERY low for any adult. even that you are short, you should be aiming for at least 1200. not because it's a treat, but because your body needs fuel. you aren't "treating" your car when you fill it up, right?
  • IUChelle423
    IUChelle423 Posts: 197
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    My strategy is to focus on getting my daily fruit/vegetable servings everyday. According to the CDC's website (below), I know based on my age and activity level, I need 2 cups (4 servings) of fruit and 3 cups (6 servings) of vegetables every day. So with that in mind, I plan my meals and snacks to include those. I find that this alone helps me make healthier choices in what I eat.

    http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/

    Breakfast options (always includes 1-2 fruits)
    1. Yogurt w/ 1/2 C blueberries & 1/4 granola (around 250 calories)
    2. Cutie (40 cal) + granola bar (Fiber One Chocolate are 140 calories)

    Lunch options (at least 2 veggies)
    1. Leftovers from dinner (these typically have 1-2 veggies already, but if not, I have some carrots)
    2. Veggie patty (the garden veggie patties I get count as two veggie servings) with BBQ sauce & a side
    3. Low fat burrito (260 cals) + carrots or steamed veggies
    4. PB & J (sometimes you just need one!) + carrots

    Dinner options:
    1. Pasta with ground turkey & veggies
    2. Small salad & potstickers
    3. Soup & salad (we've been making potato soup lately that is really good)
    4. Grilled chicken w/ steamed veggies

    Snacks/treats:
    Cuties (clementines)
    Carrots (I bag them ahead of time so they're pre-portioned and easy to grab)
    Apple
    100 calorie popcorn
    Sugar free jello
    Gummy bears
  • Bunnies_Revenge
    Bunnies_Revenge Posts: 123
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    Two packs of Instant Oatmeal for breakfast using water instead of milk. Fat free half and half works as well, I usually mix that with water still. Sometimes I change my routine because eating oatmeal everyday isn't always fun so sometimes I have yogurt with a glass of milk. Other days I'll have a bowl of fruit, mostly canatouple, honeydew melon, strawberries and pineapple.

    For lunch I usually have one tuna fish sandwich with hard boiled egg whites, onion cucumber, a tablespoon of mayo and a table spoon of mustard, and a apple. Sometimes I eat an openface grilled cheese using I can't believe its not butter, I use only one piece of bread and cut it in half (hint the word open face), I use low fat cheese as well, then I'll have a chopped up orange and some broccoli. Other times I'll drink a protein shake if I have to get to work and don't have much time to eat. Although, I try not to make that habit as it's not too healthy to do that.

    For dinner, I'll make probably some type of helper (I have to feed a family), and I'll take only a cup of that. Tuna Helper Parmesan is 290 for a cup of prepared. And I'll eat a slice of toast with that. I will also order pizza once in awhile, I get just cheese, and that is usually about 233 for a slice, so I eat just one slice. Dinner to me is all about proportion.

    If I have any calories left over at the end of the day (usually three hours before I go to bed), I'll have jello, or a fruit cup. Sometimes, I'll have a handful of nuts as well.

    Before I eat any meal, I drink two glasses of water. And then after I get done eating a proportion that I know should have filled me up but didn't, I'll drink two more glasses of water. That's also how I get my eight glasses of water in a day. Usually, when we think we're hungry, we're just thirsty.
  • mpelc
    mpelc Posts: 1
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    It does get boring, but I have Old Fashioned Oatmeal with skim milk and a packet of Splenda every day for breakfast. I put it in the microwave for 2 and a half minutes, and, once again it gets boring sometimes, but it keeps me full until lunch at 11:30. For lunch I have a salad with lots of veggies and the leftover meat from dinner the night before. If I'm exercising that day I will have a ham sandwich on whole wheat with mustard. And even though the 100 calorie snack packs of Little Bites aren't the best for you, I induge in those every once in awhile to keep the cravings for sweet carbs away.:glasses:
  • 1Corinthians13
    1Corinthians13 Posts: 5,296 Member
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    This is today's (except I have more today b/c I'm running this afternoon. This is if I don't run...)

    Breakfast
    Blueberries - Raw, 0.25 cup
    Strawberries - Raw, 2 large
    Coffee - Brewed from grounds, 12 fl oz
    Giant - Instant Oatmeal Peaches & Cream, 1 packet (35g)


    Lunch
    Cedar's - Sundried tomato & basil hommus (on my sandwich)
    Trader Joes Low Calorie Light Whole Wheat Bread - Bread, 2 slice
    Applegate Farms - Smoked Turkey Breast, 1.5 oz.
    Apples - Raw, with skin, 1 small

    Dinner
    Wegman's - 98% Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, 3 oz.
    Asparagus - Cooked, boiled, drained, 8 spears (1/2" base)
    Mccormick - Grill Mates Zesty Herb Marinade, 1 tsp (on chicken)
    Wegmans - Baby Bella Mushrooms, 3 oz

    Snacks
    Cucumber - With peel, raw, 0.5 cucumber (8-1/4")
    Luna Bar - Nutrition Bar - Nutz Over Chocolate, 1 bar
    Yoplait - Yogurt - Light Fat Free - White Chocolate Strawberry, 1 Container
    Kroger - Grape Tomato, 10 tomato
    Cedar's - Sundried tomato & basil hommus (giant), 1 TBLS (for veggies)
    Milk - Fluid, nonfat, calcium fortified (fat free or skim), 1 cup
    Reese's - Peanut Butter Cups Individual Cups, 1 cup

    That comes to 1098 - so I still have some calories left, and look how much I've eaten!!

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