1200 Calorie Diet
A diet based on 1200 calories daily is the recommended minimum for safe and healthy weight loss.
This is because 1200 calories will generally provide an adequate nutritional intake for most individuals, yet still allows the reduction of calories to the level that most dieters require in order to lose weight.
Many diet plans for weight loss that are developed by nutritionists and health professionals are based on 1200 calories daily.
Diet Basics
This diet plan is centered around the concept of calorie control. If dieters are consuming less calories than they are expending then this will result in weight loss.
Dieters are to consume 1200 calories daily. This will involve the need to consult with either books or online resources that list the calorie content of each food.
Recommended Foods
There are no specific foods recommended on this plan however dieters are likely to experience a greater degree of success when the diet is based on fresh and unprocessed foods including fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and lean proteins.
Featured Recipe
Sample 1 Day 1200 Calorie Diet Plan
| Breakfast 1 cup bran cereal |
| Lunch Tuna sandwich with whole grain bread and low fat mayo |
| Afternoon Snack Nectarine |
| Dinner 3 oz grilled chicken breast |
| Evening Snack 1 small pear |
3 more days of 1200 calorie meal plans are found for free here.
Look for other healthy recipes and ideas here.
Exercise Recommendations
There are no specific recommendations for this diet however dieters should be aware that daily exercise is important for maintaining weight loss and for general health.
Excessive exercise may actually not be beneficial on this plan because the calories and nutritional intake is too low to sustain high levels of physical activity.
Costs and Expenses
There are no expenses for this program other than perhaps a calorie counting tool such as a book or computer program however free online services are also available such as freedieting.com.
The 100 Calorie Diet teaches dieters to eat 1200 calories by breaking each food down into 100 calorie portions.
Pros
- If wholesome foods are selected many dieters will not experience hunger on this diet.
- Low calorie diets are a proven effective method of weight loss.
- Dieters have freedom to choose whatever foods they like as long as the daily caloric intake is not exceeded.
- Can be adapted to suit special diets such as vegetarian, diabetic etc.
- Rapid initial weight loss may increase motivation to stick with a long term weight loss plan.
Cons
- Necessary to count calories and measure foods.
- Diet will need to be planned carefully so as to prevent nutritional deficiencies.
- Many dieters will experience fatigue and hunger on a low calorie diet.
- Not suitable for physically active individuals.
- High risk of rebound weight gain when calorie intake is increased.
Conclusions
A 1200 calorie diet is likely to produce results for most individuals, at least in the short term. However in order for weight loss to be sustained it will be necessary to incorporate healthy lifestyle changes.
Dieters will have an increased chance of success if they learn how to select nutritionally balanced meals, to manage psychological stress and to incorporate daily physical activity into their routines.
Click to vote!
Loading ...
Hi Everyone. Ive been doing a 1200 calorie diet and using my fitness pal since sept 1, 2012. So far ive lost 20 pounds.
Im eating many small meals during the day. I eat lots of grapefruit, lowfat cottage cheese, plums, protein shakes etc, Ive cut out all fried food, soda, and my big past vice, beer! My favorite new snack is unbuttered lightly salted popcorn..
I work 12 hour shifts in a plastic plant doing a physical job, but im still feeling good at 1200 or less calories per day..on days off i go to anytime fitness or (my preference) a local indoor ice rink and try to work hard for an hour or so. For me, after the first few days, its really become more of a mental shift for me. A burger or pizza doesnt sound appetizing because i realize now that one piece of pizza has 350+ calories!! And while i still love beer, it just doesnt tempt me because its empty calories. No beer, pizza, burgers, nada in 3 weeks and feeling good!
Im 5’2″ and 35 years old and was 270 pounds!! I realize its now, or maybe never! Its only gonna get harder as i get older. Im down to 249, and i would really like to get to 180 or so!
I heard an interview on the radio the other day…Arian Foster of the Houston Texans used a quote that stuck with me…”You eat to nourish your body, not to feed your emotions!” That really hit me…because thats what i have done for YEARS! never again!
Good luck everyone, and godbless!
wow good for you! I am with Nena, add on fitness pal and we can all encourage each other! Star007.
Congrats! I too am utilizing myfitness pal with fantastic results! Add me, we can encourage eachother! Good luck in your endevor and continue with the great work!
What’s your username’s on mfp? I’ve a similar history and to link in with like minded fitness pals. I’m ‘jessicafg’
I work graveyard shift 10pm to 6am. So naturally I sleep during the day. So this is very confusing for me, do I start breakfast when I get off work or when I wake up? But then I miss out dinner with my family. But if I don’t then when I’m up all night I’ll want to eat.
The beauty of this eating plan is that you don’t have to eat certain foods at certain times…Just buy a little pocket calorie counting book, a notebook, and check the back of packages for calorie count. Eat the foods you enjoy in normal portions. Eat with your family and try to space your meals. Just don’t go beyond 1200. If you do one day, don’t sweat it…just get back on it the next day.
if you eat only 1200 calories a day and walk 6 miles a day you will lose 5 pounds a week and drink nothing but water , i walk 4 times a day 30 minute walks for 1 mile and half , so that adds up to 6 miles a day also eat every 3 hours like 5 meals a day , make them small ,
That is awsome I am going to try that how about whole wheat bread? I eat a lot of salads and chicken baked I Do Not eat beef. Like for breakfast I ate two scrambled eggs 3 pieces of bacon and a cup of coffee is that ok. Thank you
This diet definitely works its absolutely true I did it two months after giving birth and I lost 22 kilos in 5 months you just have to count your calories the best app to use is my fitness pal I didn’t really measure food but I used my common sense I did have a sweet once a week I ate veggies fruits nuts mostly cashews which are very filling and satisfying. I drank two to three liters of water a day. I won’t lie I didn’t do a lot of exercise as I don’t have much time so the weightloss came from the change of diet . Try not to eat fried foods but if you want to fry use olive oil. You HAVE to stop drinking carbonated drinks like coke and also juices high in sugar . You have to eat more brown food and less whites such as rice and pasta. I have stopped eating rice. Now I’m still going for five to ten more kilos good luck I’ll leave you with a daily foods example of mine. Breakfast. Weetbix and milk + any fruit. Lunch : chicken breast with salad for eg cucumber lettuce or anything you like. Snack : handful of nuts or yoghurt dinner my favorite is mi goreng noodles with some steamed veggies for eg birds eye small steam vegetable bags. Good luck guys
I just started counting calories 4 days ago. I have not gone over 1200 /day. I weighed myself this morning and dropped 3 lbs. I know it is probably water weight , but I am trying to eat every 3 to 4 hours and have not felt very hungry. I am using a scale to weigh portions. My snacks have been small pieces of fruit and seltzer water. Feel good and staying away from sugar which is helping me not to crave sweets… So far so good!!
Hi, I am about to embark on the journey of weightloss! I am going to start on the 1200calorie per day diet, and would like to exercise as well, however I currently have an injured knee and ankle.
Any suggestions on how to tone my hips (love handles, if you may), and behind without straining myself?
I just got back from travelling for three months, and I’m pretty keen to get back into shape for our Australian summer. I want the fastest possible results for my 21st in October!
Thankyou
I don’t believe all this nonsense about “don’t eat too little, or your body goes into starvation mode and will not lose weight.” Ok people…. first of all weight loss is a very simple equation. Calories in VS. calories out. If you only eat 1200 calories per day, ya gonna lose weight ok! Believe..l know from experience. I have lost over 95 pounds and have kept it off by eating 1200 calories per day Monday through Friday and having two cheat meals of whatever I want and dessert on Saturday and Sunday. Granted, I do exercise quite a bit doing about 3-4 days of cardio, and 2 days of pretty intense weight training. I am female, 5’6″ and weight 125 pounds.
with your excersise do you add on extra cals or stick to 1200 regardless of what cardio you do..?? as me and my friend add extra cals through a myfitness pal app. they say to do that but we dont seem to be getting anywhere…??
Wow that is awsome keep up the great work! I had always been in shape and had stopped working out and ate wrong now my fault I need to lose the weight I am 47 and a med frame and I do work out and the days I do not go to the gym I do the bike at my house but need to do it more often. My problem is I eat lots of salads and chicken no red meat and everything is whole grains so is having scrambled eggs and bacon bad with a cup of coffee. Thank you for infor
I am on a 1200 calorie diet for completely different reasons, but I find that it important to always include a healthy fat in your diet. Do not deny your body some pure dark chocolate and avocado. I have been eating this way for over a year only increasing my my intake when I lived and hiked in the mountains this summer for two months. I have only fluctuated in weight about 4 pounds in that time.
I have recently come out of plaster toe to knee. I started doing leg raises right away as I couldnt even weight bear to start with and had visions of a wasted leg! I also found that I could do abs without problem.and some ‘doggies’. That is where you are on all fours with one bent leg working the bum. It has worked but it is easier now the cast is off. Sde leg lifts lying on yor side will work the outside of the thigh.
I have lost 13.5 pds. It is the easiet plan I have tried so far. However I am stuck and have not been able to loose for about a week now. I use my treadmill almost daily and walk 2+miles with incline up to 6 to burn more calories. Should I change up my exercise routine and maybe do some weights or something? I have15 more pds to lose and do not want to get discouraged. Any suggestions?
My trainer says that if you do muscle work one of the benefits will be calorie burning all day. The body needs the additional calories to maintain the muscle. You dont need to buy weights or go to the gym squats and lunges do a good job. I think you also need to gradually increase the difficulty of your treadmill workout, maybe a bit longer or better two min bursts of higher intensity.
I had a broken foot anf have spead! I am just following this diet to get back into shape. I havent been really hungry.
Research “calorie confusion”. If you eat/do the same thing every day, your body adjusts. You need to keep it guessing so it never goes into fat storage mode. Seems to work for me, I’ve lost 25 lbs in 4 months, but it could’ve been more. I’ve cheated quite a lot but now I’m getting serious again. K!
I think maybe you should try a chat day to up your calories as your body has adjusted to the 1200 a day, and maybe try a faster walk or light jog to get your heart rate up more that way you will burn more calories. Don’t get discouraged hang in there you WILL get there!
Execise two times a week/dance class once a week, walk everyday
cereal with skim milk, blueberries/orance juice/peach for snack
soup and salad for lunch or sandwich with whole grain bread
dinner/vegetable/lean meal/fruit
4 bottles water a day
7 hours of sleep
it works…1200 calories a day….and exercise….i lost 100 pounds….and keep it off for 8 years….you can do it to…good luck
Good luck for you all! I’m on my 2nd day and I’m feeling great! I do Zumba and P90x combine
I’m not so sure that the calories-in-calories-out pdaarigm is the best way of thinking about body composition. In my opinion, thinking in terms of hormonal responses to food is the most illuminating. The TYPES of calories we eat have various hormonal responses that influence, for example, (a) whether those calories get stored as lean tissue or body fat, (b) whether and how long those calories will be satiating, (c) our energy levels and the stability thereof. And one of the most important factors that determine the nature of these hormonal responses is the macronutrient ratios of what we eat. If you haven’t read any of Gary Taubes’ stuff, it’s definitely worth a peak (especially his latest, Why We Get Fat, which is a quick and accessible read).
Just a 2 nd thought on this 1200 cal per day diet. remember if you burn off +/-400 cals at thx gym or running add it to the 1200 making 1600 the weight will drop off. On the comnent beliw, Bananas are rather high in sugar if you want potassium to counteract sodium go for avocado or spinach. Life expectancy has increased and continues to do do in the 21st century we live far longer than earlier ancestors regardless of diet.
Coconut water has 3 times the potassium that a banana has!
Not sure how eating too much fruit is possible Its the type of fruit you are eating such as bananas u cant sit around and eat 6 bananas a day on top of everything you will eat. . Our ancestors ate fruit and veggies and live to be hundreds of years old
Melissa. I agree that you can’t eat fruit all day and lose weight. Bananas and other fruits are high in sugar = high in calories. Even eating excessive amounts of healthy food will make you fat.
The rest of your comment made me laugh out loud. Please let me know which of your ancestors lived to be “hundreds” of years old. I think 120 is about the record. That is a “hundred” years old, not “hundreds”.
I’m a week into 1200 cals a day male 54 and feeling great I gym daily and burn 500 to 600 cals off a day and use this free app on my iPhone there’s an android version too. Check it out and friend me (beazil) and share progress the app is called: myfitnesspal it does all the counting. Have fun
Great suggestions! Looking forward to losing the last 10 pounds!
Please indianise the menu
I want to start this diet. I am a diabetic and I’m determined to lose at least 50 pounds. I’m 6’1 and most of my weight is in the middle. I’m actually a picky eater. I don’t eat cereal tuna what are some other foods I can eat on this diet? I do love chicken. are those green beans canned or fresh greenbeans?
I was diagnosed Diabetic back last Oct. 2011. I started eating right, I hate the word diet, it is a like changing decision. So far I have lost over 33 pounds BUT if you are Diabetic, PLEASE consult your diet manager first so you eat the right foods and YES all vegetables are so much better fresh.
Fresh green beans are better for you than the beans in the can!
I m using last 90 days continuously with recommended food by herbalife adviser. I have the lipoma problem and advised to take herbalife by agency, no improvement but my life style has changed due to herbalife. I stopped tea, coffee, fried food, and alcohol and also high calories food. I feel better my health other than lipoma.
when doing the 1200 calorie diet, do you count carbs?I’m just wondering, for those who lost weight on this diet
I don’t count anything but calories. I have noticed that pasta and that sort of food has to be eaten in measured quantities. I am making healthier food choices. The trick is to eat a smaller portion of food and make sure that if you do have a higher carb food or sugary food that it is a small countable portion. Give yourself a few minutes and think about if it satisfied you or not. Calories are THE key.
A healthy diet includes whole grains – true you will lose weight faster int he beginning cutting the carbs but over the long run it will balance out. You need whole grains to be healthy.
I am on 1200 calorie diet now and I have lost 22 pounds in 10 weeks and I am menopause age. The example above has WAY WAY too much fruit in it. The above is a very high glycemic diet. I would never lose a pound on it and I would feel starved. I count EVERY bite I take in. I eat one fruit a day. I measure everything. My carbs all come from green leafys, brocolli, low carb crackers, and occationally, diabetic bread, (20 carbs per 100 grams, 3.8 per slice.) I get a good amount of fat, up to 4 tablespoons of Helmans mayo. I use it instead of oil because its only 90 calories a tablespoon, and oil is 120. I eat fish and eggs, and rarely, white cheeses. I no longer eat meat and chicken. I power walk 5 -6 miles a day. I am rarely ever hungry on this diet, because I choose all nutritionally dense foods. If I am hungry, I will add another portion of 0% fat, no sugar yogurt with 50 grams all ban, which is about 90 calories, 7 carbs. I am having HUGE success and I tried Atkins and gained 25 pounds, and lost a ton of muscle mass. I just found out today my cholesterol has dropped 50 points, and my triglycerides is 57. I am so happy! At 57 I don’t need as much fruit as the above suggests.
what brans os crackers? which yogurt is 0 calorie? could you give wxamples of breakfast, lunch, dinner snack ? If you eat little fruit what so u snack on? I am anxious to try your suggestions.
Thanks !
Hi Janet,
Are you following a diet composed of 70% carbs, 20% protein and 10% fat? I just began menopause and I’m struggling with my weight. Over the past year, my workout routine included the following: spin 2-3X/week, perform kettlebell workouts 3-4X/week, run/power walk but only when I don’t spin, and trade off using the elliptical. I stopped for 3 months due to a busy work schedule, and at the same time began perimenopause. Between stress, eating the wrong foods, and menopause, I have started to gain weight. I need to get it under control. Can you share more of your diet please?
I have to clearify, my age is 57. I eat a head of iceberg lettuse a day and the crackers are wholewheat and multi grain. I avoid all processed foods. I also eat seeds and nuts occationally. All is calculated into the 1200 calories for the day.
You count everything you eat.
1 week in ! 2nd time around,(i lost 16lbs very quickly!)
using myfitnesspal for my food diary and motivation. Exercising 5-6 times a week mostly strength training by just using the, wii EA fitness coach – more sports, chuck the resistance band away and use a set of dumbells …it is brilliant , the step aerobics is pretty nifty too! Also drinking protein,supplements and oats with water (which i hate) Thats commitment!! 
Thinking about giving this a go. Recently joined the gym also ans was wondering whether to try protein shakes but not sure about calories etc…
Im on this same diet but just started a few days ago and so far im doing good i thing but problem is im counting calories from fat am i doing this right or should i be counting only the calories ? Thanks in advance.
You should be counting ALL calories, nit just those from fat.
Can some one plzz tell me good exercises (I CAN DO AT HOME) that don’t always need equipment and that burn calories quickly I already got trampolining and skipping (I want exercises that I can do at home because the weather isn’t good lately it’s always raining
When washing dishes do leg lifts when in the shower do squats when watching tv do sit ups or push ups any little bit of movement counts. When putting laundry away do it in several trips you will get more steps in this way. And best of all dance when your making dinner!
I use a video called “Start Walking At Home” by Leslie Sansone….1 or 2 mile walks. Best part I am in my own livingroom walking
I bought several Dancing with the Stars DVDs and dance in front of the TV 1 hour 5-6 times a week. There are lots of dance videos out there, but these are my favorites. I may not look pretty when I dance, but it gave me the results I was looking for and it is fun. I also use myfitnesspal on my iPhone to keep track of calories. It recommended 1200 calories per day to achieve my weight loss, but when you exercise & record it, it gives me more calories to eat! I’ve lost 18 pounds in 9 weeks. Good luck!
Skipping is a great calorie burner but when I want to mix it up at home I do 20 mins hi intensity drill that includes:
High knees
High Heels
Jumping Jacks
Burpees
squat jumps
hops and other varied plyo etc etc.
Turn some music up, set your watch and do each at as high intensity as poss for say 1-2 mins each. The excersises are old school but they work. You might like to add some resistance too, ankle weights, free weights etc. I would then move on to another 20 mins strength training but that’s just me. Just go at it as hard as poss and you will burn calories. Just a note- if you have problems with knees, back etc you might want to take some professional advice before you undertake any high intensity training.
Jump rope is the best IMO when you don’t have time for gym or don’t have access.
The important thing to keep in mind when dieting is what they stated above about caloric intake versus caloric expenditure…if your body uses more calories than you are taking in, then you will be successful on a weight loss regimen. I prefer to count both calories AND fat grams, keeping in mind that there are actually healthy fats that my body needs as well. Since a low cal diet typically impacts an individual’s ability to participate in a high-activity level type of exercise, I often try to make use of the stairs, dumbell curls while watching t.v./reading/talking on the phone etc, ab exercises to do at my desk, etc…it fills the “voids” of some of the minutes of my day and also allows me to work on muscle tone – lean muscle burns more fat…Happy dieting to everyone!
I was contemplating getting the LapBand, but decided to try to lose the weight on my own. I started this diet last Saturday (6/22). I joined CalorieKing.com to track calorie intake and physical activity (20-30 mins a day, 7 days a week), and in six days I am down 9 lbs!! Motivation is definitely up =) My goal is to lose 100 lbs before my college graduation in May of 2013…off to a good start!
I have put myself on a no fat high protein slow carb diet. I use a high quality whey isolate protein(vanilla) that disolves instantly when shaken. I use non fat milk. I also use a creatine product with branched chain amino acids and nos blend. Taken before and after workouts. i also use 3 tblspns of organic coconut oil per day for belly fat. I also use chia seeds, they are full of omega 3&6 fatty acids. I also eat blue and blackberries in my protein shakes in a blender. I also eat greens, onions, mushrooms, walnuts, and almonds. I keep it all at aroung 1200 calories + – 100 calories per day. I do not eat any added fat or sugar, because I am using my body fat as fuel to burn thru my daily routine. I currently walk 1 mile in the morning followed by a 30 minute workout on my fullbody exercise bike, then 30 minutes on my rowing machine. i started this regimen 3 weeks ago and have lost 15.6 lbs. I weighed 289, I am now down to 273.4 lbs. my goal is to lose 60 lbs by December.
hi please add me to your fitnesspal my name is heatherheather45 im 50yrs old and live in the uk thanks
Sorry girls, we don’t publish email addresses and you will thank us later for preventing 1000′s of spammers from finding you .
Just started on this diet. I only have about a stone to loose and hope this will work. Day four and finding it quite easy so far.
I have been on this diet for 14 days using fitness pal. I lost 6.9 lbs (yes i count the .9) so far. The app makes it easy for me not to over eat. I use my burned cals as a cushion so i don’t feel too restricted. I also make notes so I can monitor when I’m having the munchies and why. I LOVE app! I also use a pedometer and try to walk a little more everyday, even if it is around my house. 83 lbs to go but I’m off to a good start.
I am starting this today…I have been reading yalls post and would live to us fitness pal. How does it work? I have always been active even played basketball in college. Because of all that pounding for so long on my knees, I have knees issues that keep me from being as active as I would like to be…need to loose 35 pounds…thanks for your input.
Can anyone be my diet buddy need to lose 28 pounds username:angelalexandra someone plzz be my diet buddy on myfitness pal
Would like to be ur buddy certainly could use one
Hi
Can I be Ur pal .Even I am to loose 14 Kg .Best of luck !
hi i tried to add you but i dont know how, would love to add u if u can tell me how thanks
Bis ally I think this is what u do u go on friends and click on add friend.
How can i join fitness pal?
put myfitnespal,com in to the search engine and download if u have phone follow the instructions and downlod it to phone then when ur out and eat something u can add it on he phone and it goes onto the computer,