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

To start with (at about 7:30 a.m.) I usually have 1/2 c frozen berries w/ 3 oz. of Dannon nonfat yogurt mixed in. (the yogurt freezes and attaches itself to the berries...mmmmm) Between 9-11 I have a lowfat, lowcarb whole wheat tortilla with .5 -1T peanut butter (mixed w/ ground flaxseed and hot water to spread it out) & 1/2 small banana wrapped up in it OR a few baby carrots & a Weight Watchers string cheese. At noon I have 1/2 - 1 c. lowfat cottage cheese and loads of veggies.... tomato, cucumber, yellow pepper strips, 1/4 avacoda and 1 slice Wasa Multigrain Crisp Bread. 1-3 I usually snack on the other 1/2 of my yogurt and a few raw almonds. For dinner, usually a salad or cottage cheese w/ little lf dressing, meat - chicken, fish or some steak with loads of steamed or roasted veggies. Depending on where I'm at with my calories for the day, I might make a shake w/ skim mik, 1/2 c frozen blueberries, 1/2 sm frozen banana & a scoop of beachbody whey protein powder. It's thick like ice cream! I don't eat much of anything that has added flour or sugar or is processed, and it all looks great, BUT I'm also not losing, so..... go figure! Oh - and I drink about 120 oz. of water everyday.

Breakfast:
Light whole grain English muffin (100 cal.) with scramble Egg beaters and 1 slice of Kraff 2% sharp cheddar and a cup of black coffee.The whole thing is about 200 calories and very fulfilling and yummy.
Also good for breakfast, Quaker instant oatmeal, low sugar, only little bit over 100 calories and it's very fulfilling.

Lunch:
Progesso light soup (1 cup) and a sandwhich (light Wonder bread with one slice of 2% sharp cheddar, 1 slice of 99% fat free Smoked Ham, 1 big tomato slice) or a salad (tomato, lettuce and olive oil with wine vinegar). I try to keep lunch at 350-400 cals.

Dinner:
I try to keep it at 400 cals or less. It's all about portion size. Sometime I have small portion of spagetti with marinara sauce and a 3-4 oz baked (or boiled) chicken breast. Or a 3 oz lean sirloin steak (grilled) with steam veggies.

I allow myself 2 snacks a day (100 calories each). Chips Ahoy (100 calorie packs) are awesome! or Yoplain fat free. Other options are Curves 90 cal microwave pop-cornand Jello sugar free gelatin is delicious and it's only 10 calories a cup....sometimes I eat 3 a day of these!
And, very important, I drink lots of water thorughout the day, and I am never hungry.


Best of luck!

I'm at 1290 net per day. Here's my meals for tomorrow (which I just packed in my lunch box... it's a lot of freakin' food!)

Breakfast:
Kashi Honey Sunshine cereal with blueberries and skim milk
Coffee with Purvia and cream

Morning Snack:
One cup of mixed fresh fruit - strawberries, black berries and kiwi

Lunch:
Salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, three bean salad, tuna and light italian dressing
All Bran crackers
Light string cheese

Afternoon Snack:
sliced banana
1/4 cup Fage non fat yogurt
1/4 cup Kashi Go Lean cereal

Dinner:
Whole wheat rotini with italian style veggie sausage, sauteed peppers, onions and mushrooms, chunky spagetti sauce and mozzerella cheese

I think it's 1206 calories for the whole lot.

I eat LOTS of salad with warmed no skin chicken breasts or tunafish for PM meal and recommend spray dressings as they taste good and work really well as a low calorie, high taste addition. Rice with veggies at noon meal and use Mrs. Dash for seasonings (there are 7 or 8 and all are pretty good.) I like crunchy foods, so I eat celery with low fat peanut butter (carefully) or 4-5 no salt crackers and eat raw fruit, never canned. Only skim milk and LOTS and LOTS of water (I use FRS energy or Crystal light 10 calorie packs as it helps the monotony) to help keep my appetite in check. If I get a salt craving I add lemon juice (lightly) or a dash of vinegar.

SNACKS: (remember fruit has natural sugar so don't go hogwild--and watermellon is a natural diuretic so don't eat it too close to bedtime or you'll be up all night!)
Unfrosted miniwheat cereal, dry
trail mix, measured
yogurt or homemade applesauce (boiled down, no sugar added)
low fat cottage cheese with tomato slices or fresh peach slices
grapes and sliced bananas
Raisins or lowfat Special K bars, read your labels, though as there are 2 sizes of bars (Meal and snack size) I've found the meal bars helpful when I'm in a pinch, they do satisfy my hunger for quit a long while.

sounds dismal, but I change it up when I need or want to and it works OK. My kids like it, too, so I set a good example.

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.

It looks like Imma gonna exercise!!! :laugh: :laugh:

Seriously, I am at 1200 but make sure to earn at least 200 a day from exercise. At 1200 I am starving, at 1400 I am not. Crazy, huh?

1200 looks like

1 egg + 1 egg white
1/2 slice american cheese
whole wheat english
1/2 banana

2 tbls hummus
8 baby carrots

4 oz chic breast
3 cups mixed spring lettuce
1/2 tomato
carrots
2 tlbs EVOO/Balsamic dressing

1 tbls peanut butter
1 slice whole grain bread

4 oz salmon
1tsp EVOO
cup broc
1/2 cup brown rice

snack if I have the cals-almonds 12-24

I think if you eat lots of veggies and lean protein, you can eat a lot! Also, make sure that you're drinking milk (skim). I know you probably don't want to add the calories, but it's a proven fat burner! I am amazed at how much I can eat at 1200 calories if I just eat the right things. I feel like I'm constantly eating! Also, look for food with at least 3 grams of fiber - that will help you feel more full.