1200 Calories Diet Plan – What Foods To Eat?

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Can you hear the wedding bells ringing? Want to decrease your waist size and look beautiful on your D day? Don’t know how to reduce extra weight in a short span of time? You need not worry as you have come to the right place. Yes, where there is a will there is way. Now you can knock off those extra pounds with the help of 1200 calorie diet. All this can be done in a short time.

Consuming fewer calories is the most essential necessity for an effective weight loss plan. The 1200 calorie diet is designed specifically for weight loss by limiting the intake to 1200 calories per day. The foremost goal is to burn more calories than what you consume. The number of calories burnt by the body depends on various factors such as height, weight and gender.

On an average a human body burns around 1500 calories in women and 2000 calories in men. In fact, 1200 calories is the minimum number of calories which is consumed in a day (required amount) and still a person remains healthy. Consuming fewer than 1200 calories can result in a number of side effects, eventually causing you to gain more weight rather than lose it.
So it is crucial to choose or plan the 1200 Calorie diet carefully according to your taste and body mass index. So here is the low calorie diet that is less in carbohydrates and high in nutrients such as fiber and protein.

What to eat when on a 1200 Calorie Diet?

The 1200 calorie diet plan requires a careful consideration of the amount and nature of food to be consumed in order to fulfill the nutritional requirements. Starchy foods such as bread and pasta, sugary products and those high in fat should particularly be avoided as they have more calories which tends to cause weight gain.

Food	Calories	Fat (g)	Carbohydrates (g)	Protein (g)
4 large eggs	276	20	0	24
6 oz. Greek yogurt	112	0	12	16
Pepperoni beef stick	105	9	0	6
4 oz. chicken breast	186	6	0	33
1 cup apples	64	0	16	0
1 cup 2% milk	125	5	12	8
6 oz. salmon	332	20	0	38
Total	1200	60	40	12

• Non starchy fruits and vegetables should be taken more as they are low in calories, carbohydrates and high in vitamins when compared to other foods. Vegetables like cucumber, mushrooms, carrots, tomatoes, beets, asparagus, peppers and leafy greens and fruits like bananas, plums, cherries, grapes, apples and peaches are some of the best healthy options.

• Carbohydrates are required in fewer quantities for a fit and healthy body. Junk foods contain high carbs and therefore should be avoided. But being a source of energy, carbohydrates cannot be totally ignored. Consumption of simple carbohydrates should be restricted as they provide little nutritional value and digest quickly, leaving you hungry after eating. Fruit juice, milk, yoghurt, sugar and refined foods contain simple carbohydrates. On the other hand, complex carbohydrates found in whole-grain bread and pasta, bran etc. keep you full for a longer time as they digest slowly. Hence, complex carbohydrates are to be consumed in excess quantities for a strong immune system.

• Saturated and trans-fats should be strictly avoided as they cause weight gain due to their high calories and fat levels. Margarine, butter, eggs, milk, cheese and red meat are high in saturated fat. Red meat should have to be completely avoided due to its high amount of calorie levels. Olive and peanut oil should be used instead of margarine and butter. This lessens the saturated fat and caloric intake. Calories can be further reduced by switching over from red meat to fish and poultry. Fried foods should be avoided at all costs.

• It is recommended that anyone on a diet should consume a good amount of protein. It is extremely vital for maintaining lean tissue while burning fat. Moreover, it improves your blood glucose level and prevents any hunger pangs you might experience.

• Instead of three large meals, it is advisable to have five or six small meals and spread them evenly throughout the day to avoid hunger pangs/excessive hunger. The meals should be balanced in such a way that the dinner is slightly heavier in calories than the previous meals and the late night snack is low in calories. The meal plate should have four sections comprising of mostly protein and non-starchy foods and the remaining portions comprising of starchy foods and dairy products.

The 1200 Calorie Diet To Lose Weight:

The logic behind the 1200 calorie diet chart is restricting calories consumption to only 1200 calories. As we have seen, there are numerous items of foods that are recommended in a typical 1200 calorie diet chart such as lean proteins, whole grains, healthy fats, legumes, fruits and vegetables to guide the dieters. Due to such wide variety, there can be many diet menus for a 1200 calorie diet which you can follow. An example of such diet chart is given below.

Breakfast

1 cup bran cereal

1 cup skim milk

1 banana

Lunch

Tuna sandwich with whole grain bread and low fat mayo

2 cups raw vegetable crudités (carrot, red pepper, celery)

1 small apple

Afternoon Snack

Nectarine

Sparkling water with lemon

Dinner

3 oz grilled chicken breast

¾ cup steamed green beans

Salad with 1 cup lettuce, ½ cup cherry tomatoes, ½ cup grated carrot

2 teaspoons olive oil and balsamic vinegar

1 fresh peach

Evening Snack

1 small pear

Role of Exercise:

No specific exercise is recommended in this diet but dieters should be aware that exercising on a daily basis is vital for maintaining weight loss and for overall good health. Nevertheless, excessive exercise should not be resorted to as the calories and nutritional intake is too low for high levels of physical activity. Thus, exercise and work out should be done in moderation. Working out in the gym or brisk walking for an hour on a daily basis is recommended for a strong mind and body.

Benefits of 1200 Calorie Diet:

The 1200 calorie diet is proven to be beneficial for numerous reasons, the most important being weight loss and various other reasons as well.

• It is simple and easy to follow as there are no restrictions on the types of food you can consume.  Besides, it can be easily adapted to suit the specific dietary concerns.
• It does yield results when it comes to losing weight as it focuses on taking in fewer calories than you expend. The reduction in calories provides the body with less fuel than what the body requires to operate, thus resulting in a net loss of weight.
• Numerous diet plans are available to suit your needs. Any one of these can be chosen to enable you to stay on track. Even if you are following a high protein diet or trying to reduce blood sugar, you can follow the 1200 calorie diet.
• This diet provides a variety of choice due to numerous menus and eating plans that suit different eating habits, nutrition needs and cooking styles.
• It is cost effective. No expenses other than calorie counting tool are involved. All resources can be found online for free.
• It generally provides adequate nutritional intake while still reducing calories to the level that most dieters require for losing weight.
• This diet plan has provided a basis to the nutritionists and health professionals for developing other diet plans for weight loss.

Drawbacks of 1200 Calorie Diet:

All forms of diets have certain drawbacks and the 1200 calorie diet is no exception. While many people might find it effective, it does not mean that this diet is suitable for everyone.

• The reduction in calories may also lead to the reduction of certain vital nutrients. Therefore, careful planning of the diet is required to prevent nutritional deficiencies.
• Consuming enough fatty products is also important to maintain good health. Fats help in protection against diseases, digestion, absorption of vitamins, keeping hair and skin healthy, regulation of body temperature and maintenance of cell function but this diet drastically reduces the consumption of fats.
• Calorie counting and food measurement is extremely crucial in this diet. This can be done by using a menu or assistive diet plan which is an additional requirement.
• Hunger and fatigue are the most prominent side effects of this diet.
• This diet is not recommended for physically active individuals as they require more calories to sustain themselves.
• It is considered an unhealthy diet due to lack of calories for generating energy.

To conclude, the 1200 calorie diet is likely to produce results in the short run but will power is required to follow such a plan in the long run. However to sustain the weight loss, it is important to incorporate healthy lifestyle changes. The chances of success of this diet is enhanced if the dieters are able to select nutritionally balanced meals, manage psychological stress and incorporate daily physical activity in their dietary routine. So have a great time with 1200 calorie diet and share your experiences with us and our readers.