Easy 1200 Calorie Diet Menu
Dieting is never easy and rarely fun, but it doesn’t have to be as grueling as going completely cold turkey on all of your favorite foods, like pasta and ice cream, in favor of eating only, well, cold turkey.
There are many delicious, low-cal recipes available that can satisfy your cravings for any type of food, including sweet, salty, crunchy, and carbs.
While you may not think so at first, a huge part of successful dieting is doing research. Making it a habit to eat healthy and exercise regularly is much easier said than done.
If you haven’t done your research, you will be more likely to become bored with your meals and exercise routine and you will either revert to old, unhealthy habits, or you will hit a plateau. If you are interested in turning your “diet” into a “lifestyle choice,” then you are going to want to read this article as it will offer useful information concerning easy meals to make and eat on a 1200 calorie diet.
It is important to keep in mind that 1200 calories is the minimum daily calorie intake that is still considered healthy for the average adult female (males shouldn’t go below 1500).
If you decide to embark on this type of diet, a helpful tip is to take the time to plan your meals in advance. This should be done at least on the daily level, if not weekly. Planning your meals in advance will allow you to do the shopping, the calorie calculations, and the cooking more easily.
Most health care professionals recommend having between 4 and 6 meals a day, 3 main meals with 1-3 snacks in between. There are many tasty low-calorie foods that you can eat on a 1200 calorie diet. Below is a sample menu of yummy foods that are all very diet friendly:
Breakfast:
1 whole wheat English muffin with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter and ½ of a banana
Or 1 cup bran cereal with 1 cup skim milk and ½ cup of blueberries
Mid-morning snack:
½ a cup of low-fat cottage cheese
Or 1 smoothie consisting of 1 cup of skim milk blended with ½ cup of strawberries and ice
Lunch:
1 Low-sodium turkey sandwich made of 2 slices of whole grain bread, 2 oz. low-sodium turkey, 1 oz. reduced fat cheese, 1 tablespoon mustard, lettuce, and tomato plus 1 small orange
Or 1 tuna sandwich made of 2 slices of whole grain bread, low-fat mayo, and 1 cup of raw vegetable crudités plus 1 plum
Mid-afternoon snack:
8 oz. low-fat yogurt
Or 20 almonds and 1 apple
Dinner:
3 oz. grilled, baked, or broiled skinless chicken breast with 1 cup cooked broccoli and 2/3 cup of brown rice
Or 1 serving of lasagna plus 1 cup cooked mixed vegetables
Evening snack:
1 cup skim milk and 2 low-fat fig cookies
Or 1/2 cup of raspberries served over ½ cup of low-fat frozen yogurt