Menu for 1200 calories per day for a week. Diet with recipes and calorie counting from simple foods

The danger in consuming less calories

The 1200 calorie per day menu is the best option for a person who wants to stay healthy without putting in much effort. This is how much energy the body requires daily for normal functioning. Consuming fewer calories causes stress and disruption of proper metabolism.

They lead to negative consequences:

  • sleep disturbance;
  • fatigue;
  • depression;
  • dizziness;
  • swelling;
  • hair loss;
  • brittle nails and teeth.

Side effects may be more serious:

  • absence of menstruation or cycle disruption (due to hormonal imbalance);
  • inflammation of the joints (due to increased levels of uric acid in the blood);
  • exhaustion (with a lack of calories, the body begins to process muscle tissue (instead of fat) to maintain blood sugar levels and obtain vital energy).

This diet is suitable exclusively for girls, for whom the norm of 1200 calories is a reduction of the usual diet by no more than 30%. Such nutrition is not suitable for the stronger sex due to a lack of nutrients. Carbohydrates are important for normal hormone production and mental performance.

The essence of the 1200 diet

To understand what we are talking about, let’s look at what you can eat and what you should still give up.

Of course, those foods that are considered harmful at all times and in any diet will be prohibited:

  • fast food;
  • sweet carbonated drinks that contain either a huge amount of sugar (about 10 teaspoons per half liter of water) or harmful sweeteners (read about harmful sweeteners here);
  • alcoholic drinks and beer, which are high in calories in themselves, and also require snacks. In addition, alcohol dulls the ability to control the amount of food; after drinking, you can eat several times more than usual;
  • deep-fried or fat-fried foods;
  • flour dishes, baked goods, confectionery products - they do not provide any benefit; they contain so-called “empty calories”, which are most often processed into subcutaneous and visceral fat;
  • smoked, too spicy or salty, for the reason that these products retain a lot of liquid, which contributes to the “swelling” of fat cells. For example, sauerkraut, which is healthy in itself, causes tissue swelling, and due to the increased content of lactic acid, it can cause problems with joints. It can be eaten in small quantities;

With a diet of 1200 calories, the amount of fast carbohydrates, which include all types of sweets containing sugar, is reduced. You should avoid those carbohydrates that have a high glycemic index (see table of glycemic index of foods)

It is also worth reducing foods with slow carbohydrates by 2-3 times:

  • porridge,
  • bakery products;
  • fruits;
  • bitter chocolate;
  • pasta, etc.

Power efficiency

Most diets are based on maximum fluid loss from the body in a short period of time, resulting in rapid weight loss. But when the water balance returns to normal, the extra pounds also return.

In the 1200 calorie diet, the results of the first week are not noticeable: only a couple of kilograms are lost, but after starting the correct metabolism, the amount of fat will decrease every day. On average, per month you lose 5-7 kg of your original weight, which does not return if you follow the diet correctly.

The optimal way to maintain health is to lose weight by 200 g per day, which is about 1-1.5 kg per week.

The greater the total body weight, the easier and faster the weight loss. But the last few kilograms that are needed to achieve the desired figure will come off very slowly. Here you can no longer do without physical exercise; in this case, any diet will lose relevance.

So how many kilograms are in this cherished figure?

Without a doubt, a person's weight and the calories they consume are related. We constantly eat to maintain our vitality. As a result of this, our body weight can either increase or, conversely, decrease. It all depends on the amount of energy consumed with food, which is expressed in calories.

In order to lose one kilogram of weight, you need to burn seven thousand calories. Therefore, after making simple calculations (1000 grams * 1000 calories / 7000 calories), we can come to the conclusion that a thousand calories is 143 grams. And 1000 calories is how many kg? The answer to this question is this: if you lose a thousand kilocalories, then you will lose one-seventh of a kilogram.

Advantages

The advantages of this way of eating are:

  • Guaranteed results and long-lasting effects if you strictly follow the recommendations.
  • No harm to physical health.
  • The psychological state is normal: there is no hunger strike, which means there is no stress.
  • A varied and healthy diet.
  • Independent menu creation.
  • Clear motivation when keeping a food diary, where achievements are visible.
  • Eating food at convenient times.
  • The opportunity to pamper yourself with your favorite food.
  • There is no need for physical activity.

How to create a menu?

First of all, you need to remember that you need to add foods to the menu that you will enjoy eating. At the same time, the quality, calorie content and usefulness must be at a high level. These are the main criteria!

The financial situation of the person losing weight plays a secondary role; only the high cost of food and nothing more depends on it.

Basic rules when creating a menu:

  • You need to resort to a table of products and ready meals. Each product has a calorie count per hundred grams. This table will help you accurately predict your menu and not exceed your daily calorie intake.
  • It is important to adhere to the timing of nutrition. The last meal should be completed 3-4 hours before bedtime. The body does not digest foods during sleep; they simply decompose in the stomach and are of no benefit. Don't adhere to the myth: you can't eat after 6 p.m. Nonsense!
  • Eating food should be in small portions. Thus, the stomach is smaller and the risk of overeating is reduced.

A healthy diet includes 5-6 meals:

  • breakfast;
  • snack;
  • dinner;
  • snack;
  • dinner;
  • snack (optional).

They must pass every four hours. In addition to them, do not forget to drink as much water (not liquid!) as possible - at least 1.5 liters.

Flaws

Among the negative features of the diet are:

  • The diet requires endurance. Although such a system can be classified as a proper and healthy diet, not everyone will dare to choose it, since they will have to change their habits for a long period.
  • Constantly counting the number of calories eaten. A particular difficulty arises when the dish has many components.
  • Weighing all food.
  • Inability to eat on the go.
  • Spending a lot of time preparing meals every day to create a varied menu.
  • The presence of fatigue at the very beginning of the diet due to the body’s inability to adapt to the new nutrition system. But this goes away in 2-3 days.
  • Incompatibility with physical activity.

Physical activity for weight loss

Many people wonder how much they need to jump to burn 1000 calories. Let's figure this out.

Jumping rope is the most effective way to burn calories. On average, a person weighing 75 kilograms burns 980 kcal per hour while jumping rope.

During any physical activity, muscle mass will be trained, which is responsible for burning fat deposits. Therefore, for example, even minor fitness activities have a positive effect on your figure.

In order to achieve an ideal figure, you need to perform workouts regularly for one month or even longer. Initially, you will feel aching pain in your muscles, but proper warm-up and continued exercise will put everything in its place.

How long do you need to run to burn 1000 calories? The calculation is carried out not in the number of meters covered, but in the running time. The faster you run, the more calories you will burn. On average, we can say that you can burn 1000 kcal/hour when running up the stairs.

Authorized Products

The 1200 calorie per day menu is based on adding to the daily diet the maximum amount of natural products that can saturate the body with useful substances, improve well-being and lift your mood.

In the modem table you can see what exactly will help:

Product categoryProduct examples
Cereals and flourBuckwheat, brown rice, pearl barley, rolled oats (not instant), durum pasta, crispbread, whole grain and rye bread
VegetablesCucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, zucchini, avocado, peppers, ginger, a small amount of potatoes
Fruits and berriesApples, oranges, tangerines, lemon, kiwi, pineapples, sometimes: bananas, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries
Dairy and fermented milk productsYogurt without fillers, milk, kefir and cottage cheese with low fat content, in small quantities: hard cheese
BirdChicken, turkey
MeatRabbit, lean beef, veal
FishCod, pollock, pink salmon
BeveragesWater, decoctions, green and herbal tea, chicory, sugar-free compotes, in small quantities: coffee
Unrefined vegetable oilsIn very small quantities: flaxseed, sesame, sunflower
Mushrooms, eggs, seafood

When fulfilling the basic requirements of the diet, you should not go to extremes. If you really want something sweet, then instead of your favorite bun, it’s better to treat yourself to a spoonful of honey or baked goods with stevia; in extreme cases, get by with a square of dark chocolate. You are allowed to eat a handful of nuts (preferably unroasted almonds) or dried fruits. Your favorite seasonings, spices and herbs will add flavor to the dish.

Menu

For a day

The menu for one of the days of a low-calorie diet can be imagined as follows. Let's divide the day into 6 meals (about 200 calories each).

  1. Oatmeal (30 gr., 100 kcal), boiled in water + 1 teaspoon of honey (40 kcal), orange (45 kcal), cup of coffee (8 kcal). Total 193 calories.
  2. Low-fat cottage cheese (100 gr., 110 kcal) + sour cream 1 teaspoon (35 kcal), coffee with cream (55 kcal). Total 200 calories.
  3. Borscht with meat (300 gr., 187 kcal), black tea (2 kcal), marmalade (1 piece, 30 kcal). Total 219 calories.
  4. Banana (125 kcal), glass of orange juice (35 kcal). Total 160 calories.
  5. Vinaigrette (100 gr., 120 kcal), boiled chicken breast (100 gr., 110 kcal). Total 230 calories.
  6. Low-fat kefir 1 glass (66 kcal), gingerbread 1 piece (140 kcal). Total 206 calories.

For a week

A low-calorie menu for a week, based on five meals a day, could look like this.

Monday:

  1. boiled egg and buckwheat porridge, coffee;
  2. apple;
  3. pollock baked with vegetables, orange juice;
  4. chicken fillet baked with herbs, fresh cabbage salad;
  5. a glass of low-fat yogurt.

Tuesday:

  1. sandwich made from a slice of whole grain bread and light cheese, coffee;
  2. banana, juice;
  3. chicken broth, vinaigrette;
  4. peppers stuffed with vegetables, tea;
  5. a glass of milk.

Wednesday:

  1. fruit smoothie, omelet;
  2. pear;
  3. chum salmon with steamed rice;
  4. grilled vegetables, a piece of chicken breast, tea;
  5. low-fat kefir.

Thursday:

  1. oatmeal with prunes, coffee;
  2. fresh vegetables or fruits;
  3. vegetable broccoli cabbage soup, steamed beef, tea;
  4. boiled rice and a piece of baked salmon;
  5. skim cheese.

Friday:

  1. cottage cheese casserole, a cup of milk;
  2. baked apple;
  3. mushroom soup with chicken pieces, tea;
  4. buckwheat porridge with beef, fresh vegetable salad, tea;
  5. matsoni

Saturday:

  1. wheat porridge, tea;
  2. kiwi;
  3. borscht, orange juice;
  4. pasta with tomato paste, tea;
  5. Ryazhenka

Sunday:

  1. milk porridge, coffee;
  2. peaches;
  3. chicken noodles, vegetable and herb salad;
  4. cheesecakes with raisins, coffee with cream;
  5. yogurt.

For a month

If you decide to spend a month on a low-calorie diet of 1,200 calories, develop a menu for each day.

Eliminate the following foods from your monthly menu:

  1. sugar and baked goods;
  2. canned food;
  3. fried and smoked foods;
  4. sausage, frankfurters, dumplings.

Include the following foods in your low-calorie menu for the month:

  1. porridge;
  2. durum pasta;
  3. fruits and berries;
  4. vegetables;
  5. low-fat dairy products;
  6. quail eggs;
  7. lean white meat;
  8. fish and seafood.

Also, do not forget about important recommendations:

  1. drink more fluids;
  2. eat as often as possible and chew food thoroughly;
  3. if you feel weak, stop limiting the energy value of your diet;
  4. include the maximum variety of ingredients in your diet: fish, meat, vegetables, fruits, cereals, dairy products;
  5. exclude fried and fatty foods, as well as sweets and baked goods;
  6. Divide your daily diet into three main meals, and have snacks between them without waiting until you feel hungry.

When planning your monthly menu, use the following options for your three main meals.

Breakfast:

  • any porridge (oatmeal, buckwheat, millet);
  • boiled egg;
  • cottage cheese casserole;
  • low-fat cheese, banana.

Dinner:

  • vegetable soup, steam cutlet;
  • meat borsch;
  • chicken broth, vinaigrette;
  • stew of meat or fish with vegetables;
  • boiled fish and carrot salad.

Dinner:

  • cottage cheese with sour cream;
  • steam omelette, juice;
  • boiled potatoes, sauerkraut salad;
  • boiled cauliflower, boiled egg;
  • steamed beef cutlet, cabbage salad;
  • baked fish fillet, cucumber salad;
  • porridge with milk.

Between them, arrange mandatory snacks in the form of fruit, kefir, milk, juice or herbal tea. Don't forget to drink more water.

Prohibited Products

Despite the absence of strict prohibitions, you should carefully monitor your diet:

  • Limit the amount of sweets and starchy foods. This especially applies to store-bought cakes, pastries and sweets containing huge amounts of sugar and butter. You can sometimes allow yourself to eat a piece, but you should remember that a small biscuit contains the same amount of calories as a full meal of vegetables and meat. Only after the first meal will the feeling of hunger increase, and a hearty lunch or dinner will give you a boost of energy for several hours.
  • Replace fatty and fried foods with boiled, stewed or baked foods. Use a minimal amount of oil when cooking or not use it at all. Thus, the breakdown of fatty and fried foods in the body leads to the formation of carbohydrates and an increase in the calorie content of the dish by 3 or 4 times.
  • Try to avoid canned and smoked foods.
  • Remove sweet carbonated water and alcoholic drinks from your diet (due to their high content of fast carbohydrates).
  • Avoid fast food and store-bought sauces. Two burgers is already the norm for calories per day, but there is no benefit in it, but carbohydrates, fats and hunger are provided for the whole day after just a couple of hours. Store-bought sauces also interfere with normal metabolism, so if you really want to, you can make the dressing yourself, for example, using natural yogurt, herbs and spices as a base.

How to make calculations correctly?

The formula for calculation is not difficult. You should have the following information before calculating your daily caloric intake:

  • age;
  • weight;
  • height.

The amount of calories a person should consume is equal to the sum of the products (weight x 9.99 + height x 6.25 + age x 4.92). Weight is taken in kilograms, age in years, height in centimeters.

After this, women subtract the number 161 from the sum of the products, and men add the number 5 to it.

The resulting figure is the amount of energy that a person should receive during the day, regardless of whether he leads an active lifestyle or spends all his days in front of the TV or computer.

Rules for creating a diet

The 1200 calorie per day menu includes simple and relatively inexpensive products, so it is accessible to everyone. The diet should be varied and satisfying. A balanced intake of proteins, fats and carbohydrates throughout the day is an integral part of this low-calorie diet.

As a percentage:

SquirrelsFatsCarbohydrates (complex)
15%30%55%
3% animal origin27% plant origin

The right foods should make up the majority of the diet, and the consumption of fast carbohydrates contained in prohibited foods should be kept to a minimum.

The 1200 calorie diet follows the same principles as a healthy diet. Preference should be given to green vegetables and herbs. Other vegetables should also be included in the diet, but in smaller quantities.

The effectiveness of the diet also depends on the freshness of the food and on the method of preparation; it is recommended to boil, steam or eat foods raw to achieve better results.

You can’t stop your choice on one dish. Mono-diets due to an incomplete menu negatively affect human health, since they do not provide the body with all useful substances. 1200 calories should be divided into 5 meals.

Then, in percentage terms, you get approximately the following volume for each meal:

BreakfastSnackDinnerAfternoon snackDinner
25%10%35%10%20%
300 kcal120 kcal420 kcal120 kcal240 kcal

Breakfast should be rich in fiber and carbohydrates to give you energy for the day. In no case should you refuse it, because the metabolism in the body for the whole day depends on breakfast.

High-carbohydrate foods are digested well in the morning, so if you want to eat something from the list of prohibited foods, it is better to do it in the first half of the day, remembering to write down the number of calories acquired. It is also advisable to eat protein foods in the morning . For example, an egg, a piece of cheese or cottage cheese will only add useful components to the first meal.

Lunch is the main meal of the day, which includes almost half of the total calorie intake. This must include at least two dishes. A great option is to combine soup or vegetable salad with the main dish.

For dinner, it is advisable to eat foods that contain a minimum amount of calories to give your stomach a rest at night.

Then the body’s energy during sleep will be spent not on digesting leftover food, but on burning fat. Carbohydrates should not be consumed at the last meal.

Snacks include fruits and berries, which are rich in fiber and slow carbohydrates. The sugars they contain will increase concentration and lift your mood. The mineral component will be replenished by dairy products. Eating cottage cheese or yogurt is a must in your daily diet. It is acceptable to drink a glass of kefir before bed.

The Right Diet and Meal Plan for a Balanced 1200 Calorie Diet per Day

If you have chosen a 1200 kcal diet for yourself, be prepared for the fact that to create the right menu you will need to not only choose the right foods, but also distribute them among meals, and also calculate portion sizes, taking the calorie content of 100 g of foods as a basis. So, an approximate plan for your fractional and balanced nutrition, provided you consume no more than 1200 kcal per day, should look like this:

  • breakfast -300 kcal
  • snack – 150 kcal
  • lunch – 300 kcal
  • snack – 150 kcal
  • dinner – 300 kcal

Although 300 calories for dinner, if it is not late and not immediately before bed, this is quite normal, you can also take into account a person’s biorhythms. It would be good to get the bulk of your energy in the first half of the day and in the middle. Therefore, there is a second, also correct version of the plan:

  • breakfast – 350 kcal
  • snack – 150 kcal
  • lunch – 350 kcal
  • snack – 100 kcal
  • dinner – 250 kcal

IMPORTANT: Try to plan your menu in such a way that you consume carbohydrate-containing foods for breakfast, first snack and lunch.

Approximate weekly diet

One example of a full menu:

BreakfastLunchDinnerAfternoon snackDinner
Monday200 g oatmeal with milk -200 kcal,
1 tsp. honey – 50 kcal, 1 apple – 50 kcal
100 g low-fat cottage cheese – 120 kcal200 g baked cod – 160 kcal, 100 g buckwheat porridge – 80 kcal, 200 g pumpkin puree soup – 180 kcal200 g yogurt 1.5% - 110 kcal200 g of celery soup – 70 kcal, 150 g of salad with chicken and cucumber – 150 kcal
Tuesday200 g of rice porridge with milk - 180, rye bread with hard cheese - 110 kcalBanana – 140 kcal200 g vegetable hodgepodge with mushrooms – 210 kcal, 200 g zucchini soup – 120 kcal, 100 g rice – 80 kcal150 g cottage cheese casserole without sugar – 120 kcal150 g chicken cutlets - 150 kcal, 200 g carrot and beet salad - 85 kcal
Wednesday200 g of millet porridge with pumpkin – 150 kcal, 5 pieces of dried apricots – 50 kcal, half a glass of cherry compote – 100 kcal1 boiled egg – 70 kcal, 1 pear – 50 kcal200 g cabbage soup – 80 kcal, 200 g stewed liver – 240 kcal, 100 g pearl barley porridge – 105 kcal200 g raspberries – 80 kcal, half a glass of currant juice – 40 kcal100 g boiled idea – 200 kcal, 100 g pearl barley porridge – 110 kcal, 100 g green beans – 40 kcal
Thursday200 g apple-curd casserole with raisins – 240 kcal, half a glass of orange juice – 55 kcalA glass of kefir – 80 kcal, rye bread – 35 kcal200 g of chicken noodle soup – 130 kcal, 200 g of boiled potatoes – 160 kcal, 100 g of veal – 130 kcal200g tomato and cucumber salad with yogurt -100 kcal300 g stuffed cabbage rolls with tomato in sour cream sauce – 240 kcal
Friday100 g oat pancakes – 100 kcal, 100 g fried spinach – 100 kcal, slice of cheese – 100 kcal1 orange – 40 kcal, 100 g cottage cheese 1.5% – 70 kcal200 g rassolnik – 100 kcal, 100 g carrot salad with egg – 90 kcal, 200 g baked salmon – 240 kcal2 apples – 100 kcal, half a glass of tomato juice – 20 kcal300 g chicken stewed with pepper – 240 kcal
Saturday200 g omelet with tomato, celery and herbs – 220 kcal, a glass of apple juice – 80 kcal200 g of nuts – 130 kcal150 g of pasta with shrimp in garlic and cream sauce – 300 kcal, 150 g of beetroot soup – 120 kcal200 g honey casserole made from low-fat cottage cheese – 100 kcal150 g liver cake – 240 kcal
Sunday200 g of baked cheesecakes without sugar - 230 kcal, half a glass of plum juice - 65 kcal200 g yoghurt 1.5% - 115 kcal300 g buckwheat soup with chicken – 190 kcal, 2 slices of rye bread – 110 kcal, 100 g zucchini caviar – 1251 grapefruit – 100 kcal200 g fish cutlets with green peas – 160 kcal, a glass of 1% kefir – 80 kcal

What can you eat for 1200 calories a day: list of dishes

To roughly understand what foods and in what quantities you can eat per day for 1200 kcal, look at one of the menu options for this diet:

  • breakfast : oatmeal on water - 50 g (about 170 kcal), peach (60 kcal), a couple of slices of Adyghe cheese (100 kcal), rye bread toast or bread (up to 50 kcal)
  • snack : 20 g almonds (150 kcal)
  • lunch : stewed vegetables (cabbage, carrots, onions, peppers) – 100 g (60 kcal), boiled chicken breast – 100 g (140 kcal), brown rice – 50 g (100 kcal)
  • snack : low-fat cottage cheese – up to 100 g (80 kcal)
  • dinner : baked salmon – 100 g (150 kcal), vegetable salad – (up to 120 kcal)


Approximate menu for the day, taking into account the consumption of 1200 kcal.

Low calorie recipes

The diet menu can contain a lot of different dishes.

A few simple and tasty examples:

  • Diet puree soup with celery and tomato . Per 100 g: calorie content – ​​35, proteins – 2, fats – 0, carbohydrates – 5.
Celery100 g
Tomato4 things
Pepper2 pcs
Onion1 PC
Carrot1 PC
Herbs, salt, spicestaste


The 1200 calorie per day menu includes diet puree soup.
Preparation:

  1. Wash all vegetables.
  2. Peel the carrots, onions and grate them.
  3. Cut the celery into slices, tomatoes and peppers into cubes. Place everything in a saucepan and cook until done.
  4. Beat with an immersion blender until smooth, add finely chopped herbs, salt and spices.
  • Sugar-free cottage cheese casserole . Per 100 g: calorie content – ​​83, b – 9, g – 3, y – 8.
Cottage cheese125 g
Milk50 ml
Egg1 PC
Banana1 PC
Vanillataste

Preparation:

  1. Beat the egg whites with an immersion blender.
  2. Separately, beat the mixture of cottage cheese with milk, banana, yolk and vanilla.
  3. The consistency becomes similar to thick sour cream. Fold in the egg whites using a whisk or fork.
  4. Pour the resulting curd mass into a pan lined with parchment paper.
  5. Bake in a pan lined with parchment paper for 30-40 minutes. at a temperature of 170 degrees.
  6. It is advisable to serve the dish chilled. You can add honey.
  • Chicken with kefir sauce . Per 100 g: calorie content – ​​85, b – 15, g – 2, y – 5.
Chicken fillet300 g
Kefir½ cup
Greens, pepper, garlictaste

Preparation:

  1. Add finely chopped herbs, grated garlic, pepper to kefir.
  2. Cut the chicken fillet into pieces and place in the mixture. Let it brew for half an hour or an hour.
  3. Place in an ungreased frying pan and simmer, covered, until tender, adding marinade periodically.
  • Zucchini in whole grain flour batter . Per 100 g: calorie content – ​​95, b – 2, g – 7, y – 8.
Zucchini1 PC
Whole grain wheat flour½ cup
Kefir½ cup
Egg1 PC
Salt, herbs, spicestaste
Garlic1 clove

Preparation:

  1. Peel the zucchini and cut into slices.
  2. Mix kefir, flour, egg and spices for batter.
  3. Heat a non-stick frying pan (if not, add a drop of oil).
  4. Dip the circles into the batter and place in the frying pan. Fry the zucchini on both sides.
  5. It is best to serve the dish hot with dill and garlic.

Diet menu options for 1200 kilocalories

The good thing about the 1200 kilocalorie diet is that it doesn’t require any special menu options. Anyone who is losing weight can develop it for themselves. The main thing is that your daily caloric intake does not go beyond the specified limits. 1200 kilocalories - this number should total all meals during the day, including snacks.

Well, let's start counting.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, for which we will allocate about 400 kcal. Within these limits, we will be able to afford three components:

  • two-egg omelette + vegetable salad (100 g) + slice of rye bread;
  • a portion of oatmeal + grated carrots with sour cream + a slice of bread;
  • two boiled eggs + grated beets with olive oil + a piece of hard cheese;
  • a serving of millet porridge + cucumber salad + low-fat yogurt;
  • cottage cheese casserole + carrot-apple salad with olive oil + rye bread;
  • a slice of boiled beef or chicken breast + low-fat cottage cheese with herbs + sour cream for dressing;
  • cottage cheese + berries or fruits + cheese;
  • oatmeal with dried fruits + a slice of cheese + rye bread.

For drinks in the morning, it is recommended to choose green tea, or coffee with milk, or cocoa, but all of them should be prepared without sugar.

Lunch is another significant meal. 300–350 kcal – this is our reserve, within which you can choose:

  • beetroot soup + 100 gram piece of boiled turkey or chicken breast + vegetable salad;
  • fish soup + vinaigrette + slice of beef tongue;
  • vegetable soup + buckwheat + mushrooms;
  • chicken broth with egg + baked fish + vegetable stew;
  • pureed pea soup + baked potatoes + boiled beef;
  • mushroom soup + small cabbage roll + celery salad;
  • tomato soup + steamed chicken cutlets + rice.

We wash down lunch with either plain water, green tea, or a glass of unpackaged juice.

Dinner is the final meal, which should be limited to 300 kcal. For your choice:

  • jacket potatoes + tomato and cucumber salad;
  • boiled fish + stewed vegetables;
  • boiled chicken breast + grilled vegetables;
  • cottage cheese with berries + a couple of crispbreads;
  • vinaigrette + boiled beef;
  • omelette + vegetable salad;
  • white meat + stewed white or cauliflower cabbage.

Drinks – tea, juice, mineral water.

We remember that meals should be fractional, that is, at least five times a day. For snacks (second breakfast and afternoon snack), we have about 200–250 kcal left in stock. They can be spent on two 100 kcal meals:

  • fruit salad;
  • ordinary fruit - orange, peach, a couple of tangerines, apple, pear;
  • raw vegetable - cucumber, carrot, tomato;
  • a fresh vegetable salad;
  • a glass of berries;
  • a handful of almonds;
  • a glass of freshly squeezed fruit or vegetable juice;
  • a few pieces of dried apricots, dates, a handful of raisins;
  • low-fat yogurt.

A good end to the day would be a glass of kefir drunk before bed. It will lull the feeling of hunger, if any, replenish calcium reserves in the body and normalize the microflora in the intestines.

So, all that remains is to select dishes from the proposed lists and generate an individual menu that can be varied depending on the circumstances.

Diet duration

The diet has practically no contraindications, but it is not suitable:

  • children;
  • teenagers;
  • pregnant women;
  • nursing;
  • people who lead an active lifestyle and go to the gym.

People with a lot of extra pounds should not resort to this diet, as it can negatively affect the nervous and digestive systems, causing stress in the body. The amount of carbohydrates in the diet should not be reduced sharply.

Despite all the harmlessness of eating 1200 calories a day, you should not make the diet too long. The optimal period is 3 weeks. Afterwards, you need to allow yourself to increase the number of calories, trying to adhere to proper nutrition. Calorie restriction should be repeated no sooner than after another couple of months.

How much weight can you lose in a month on a 1200 calorie per day diet?

It is known that normally a man 18-40 years old should consume 2800 - 3200 kcal per day, a woman of the same age - 2400 - 2600 kcal. The individual caloric intake is determined by lifestyle, the presence of sports in it, the severity of work and other factors. Under some circumstances, it may be a little less or a little more than normal. And no matter how much nutritionists and supporters of a healthy lifestyle argue that you need to lose weight not only by reducing the energy value of your daily diet, most people struggling with excess weight still resort to diets. The essence of many of them is to reduce the quantity and calorie content of consumed foods.


The 1200 calorie per day diet is based on calculating the energy value of foods in the diet.

The 1200 calorie per day diet is one of those. Just judging by its name, you can understand that it will have to reduce the calorie content of the daily diet by half, or even more. In addition to cutting the energy value of the daily diet, the 1200 calorie per day diet has other rules:

  1. You need to eat on it five to six times a day. In order not to wonder every time what to eat so as not to exceed 1200 kcal, it is recommended to create a menu for 3, 5, 7 or 10 days at once.
  2. Since you will have to count calories all the time, you need to find a table of caloric content of foods in advance or download a special calculator to your phone.
  3. To trick your body and prevent it from feeling hungry, you will need to learn to eat slowly, chewing your food thoroughly.
  4. Portions on this diet should be small (otherwise how else will you invest in these 1200 kcal?). But at the same time, the foods consumed should be varied. Then you won’t feel like you are making any sacrifices and severely restricting yourself in food. Diet diversity is another argument in favor of the fact that the 1200 kcal diet menu needs to be thought out in advance.
  5. Don't forget to drink. 2 liters of water is a mandatory daily requirement.
  6. The diet does not prohibit products of animal origin, including animal fats. But these fats should be healthy. Therefore, you should eat more fish than meat.
  7. In general, the balance of macronutrients during your diet should look like this: complex carbohydrates – 55%, healthy fats (including omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9 acids) – 30%, proteins – 15%.
  8. Empty calories should be eliminated. You can find a list of dishes that you absolutely cannot eat on a 1200 kcal per day diet below in the article.
  9. This diet provides a way out, which means that after it you cannot immediately increase the calorie intake to your normal one. Consume 50-100 kcal more daily, returning to a healthy diet.


There is no need to fast on a 1200 calorie diet.

You can talk as much as you like about how healthy it is for the body. But a person who decides to lose weight in this way is interested in knowing how much he can lose on this diet.

IMPORTANT: Remember that weight loss is considered normal and safe, during which a person loses from 0.5 to 1 kg per week.

On the Internet, in the descriptions of the diet, as well as in the reviews of those who have experienced it themselves, you can see that in 10 days you can lose 5 kg on it (if, of course, you follow all the rules and additionally include 2-3 exercise per week). Having carried out simple calculations, we understand that on a diet of 1200 kcal per day we can get rid of 10-15 extra pounds. Let's not forget that their number will also depend on the initial weight of the person losing weight and his metabolic rate.

Quitting the diet

The correct exit should be smooth. You should not abuse prohibited foods for a month. Every day you need to gradually increase the number of calories until the weight loss stops. You should add no more than 200 kcal to your diet per week. Otherwise, the achieved result will not be saved. Nutritionists advise following proper nutrition when leaving a diet.

When used correctly, the 1200 calorie menu allows you to eat delicious, varied and healthy foods. Following the rules of the diet leads to weight loss without debilitating restrictions. It is enough to add low-calorie foods to your daily diet and control the amount of food consumed so that your figure becomes close to ideal.

Author: Molodtsova-Romanova Olga

Article design: Anna Vinnitskaya

How to correctly calculate calories for weight loss?

Calculations obtained using the above formulas will give you the number of calories, consuming which you will not lose weight, but also will not gain excess weight. This is your norm.

In order to lose weight, it is permissible to reduce this norm by ten to twenty percent. Even such a small restriction will help a woman lose up to six kilograms of excess weight in one week.

It is difficult to calculate the exact number of calories consumed per day, but it is quite possible. If you have already wondered whether 1000 calories is how many kg, then you are ready to follow your dream.

Remember that one teaspoon contains about seven grams of product, and a tablespoon contains about fifteen grams. One faceted glass is 250 ml or mg.

At the end of the day, write down in a notebook everything you ate and drank during the day. Take a chart of calorie counts for a variety of foods and drinks and calculate how many calories you have consumed. If the resulting figure is greater than what is needed for weight loss, then the next day reduce your diet by as much as necessary.

At first you will have to count often, but then you will get the hang of it and intuitively eat the required amount of calories.

Low-calorie menu options

Snacks are allowed on a diet

This type of diet involves a variety of dishes that can be varied depending on desire. Main meals should not be skipped - breakfast, lunch and dinner should be taken at the same time every day. The first meal is preferably at 8.00, lunch - at 13.00-14.00, dinner - no later than 18.00. They have snacks between them.

For breakfast, porridge is most often prepared with water or low-fat milk. You can eat one soft-boiled egg, a small sandwich, or drink a glass of kefir. For lunch, first courses are prepared (soups from vegetables and cereals, borscht), salads from fresh or boiled vegetables are allowed. For dinner - protein foods and fats of plant origin (fish, lean meat) in combination with a side dish of cereals or vegetables. If desired, you can prepare desserts from fresh fruits without adding sugar.

For a day

Low-carb menu option for 1 day:

  1. Breakfast - porridge made from buckwheat or rice, cooked in milk, one cheesecake made from low-fat cottage cheese. Drink is your choice.
  2. Second breakfast - a sandwich of bread and hard cheese.
  3. Lunch - fresh cabbage soup in weak chicken broth, boiled chicken fillet with a side dish of vegetables stewed in their own juice, drink - green tea.
  4. Afternoon snack - 150 g low-fat cottage cheese. Drink is your choice.
  5. Dinner - beef baked with zucchini.

If you feel hungry before going to bed, you can drink a glass of low-fat kefir.

For a week

A sample menu for 7 days may include several dishes prepared from the same products. Calorie counting should be done before each meal. Daily menu:

  1. Monday. Breakfast - oatmeal porridge with low-fat milk, weak coffee with milk. Lunch: banana or green apple. Lunch - borscht with lean meat, a portion of vegetable salad (fresh cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes), seasoned with a small amount of olive oil. Afternoon snack - a sandwich with hard cheese and fresh cucumber. Dinner - potatoes baked in the oven and fish fillet.
  2. Tuesday. Breakfast - omelet made from milk and chicken eggs, green tea. Lunch - orange, low-fat cottage cheese. Lunch - chicken vegetable soup, boiled chicken breast, orange juice, vinaigrette. Afternoon snack - a glass of kefir. Dinner - beef with vegetables, baked in foil.
  3. Wednesday. Breakfast - low-fat cottage cheese, tea with milk, fruit jelly. Lunch - a few walnuts. Lunch - salad of tomatoes and cucumbers with herbs and olive oil, buckwheat porridge with beef. Afternoon snack - banana. Dinner - dietary pilaf with lean meat, fresh cucumber.
  4. Thursday. Breakfast - a glass of fermented baked milk, a small sandwich with cheese. Second breakfast - grated carrots and orange juice. Lunch - rice soup with beef, seafood salad, apple juice. Afternoon snack - green apple or orange. Dinner - boiled rice with beef.
  5. Friday. Breakfast - cottage cheese with low-fat sour cream without sugar, coffee with milk. Second breakfast - fish sandwich, cucumber. Lunch - fresh cabbage soup, boiled chicken breast with vegetables. Afternoon snack - baked apple. Dinner - chicken thighs with boiled potatoes, lettuce.
  6. Saturday. Breakfast - rice or buckwheat porridge with skim milk, tea with milk. Second breakfast - low-fat cottage cheese or any fruit of your choice. Lunch - pea soup, steamed beef cutlets, fresh tomatoes. Afternoon snack - a glass of kefir. Dinner - fish fillet baked with vegetables, salad of fresh cucumbers and tomatoes with olive oil and lemon juice.
  7. Sunday. Breakfast - any dairy or fermented milk product, an apple. Second breakfast - toast with cheese. Lunch - vegetable soup with chicken and noodles, boiled veal, fresh salad. Afternoon snack - orange juice. Dinner - fish or meat with a side dish of buckwheat or rice.

Dishes can be swapped depending on gastronomic preferences. During a snack, it is strictly forbidden to eat “on the run” and consume fast food.

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