Low-calorie diets promote weight loss and, if planned properly, supply adequate nutrition. Not everyone needs to reduce calorie consumption to 1,200 in order to lose weight. Physically active men and women, in particular, may need more calories. However, the National Institutes of Health reports that a well-planned 1,200-calorie diet is safe for most men and women.
Significance
A healthy weight loss plan reduces calorie intake without compromising nutrition. A balanced 1,200-calorie diet consists of grains, lean proteins, calcium-rich foods and an abundance of fruits and vegetables. Managing healthy eating patterns on a restricted-calorie diet requires attention to portion sizes and a commitment to meal planning. If you follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, you can substitute reduced-fat soy or rice milk for dairy requirements and choose beans, nuts and seeds to satisfy recommendations from the meat and beans group.
Function
A 1,200-calorie diet supports weight loss by supplying less calories than your body burns during exercise and basic functions such as breathing and blood circulation. When you reduce your calorie intake and establish a calorie deficit, your body pulls energy from fat cells and you lose weight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Eating a balanced low-calorie diet ensures that your body gets the nutrients it needs. Variety in your diet also helps you sustain your eating patterns long-term, adds the CDC.
Features
A healthful 1,200-calorie weight loss plan includes specific serving quantities from each food group to ensure adequate nutrient intake. For a 1,200-calorie diet, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that you consume two servings of fruit, three servings of vegetables, 3 oz. of beans and/or lean meat, four servings of grains and two servings of dairy each day. Of the four grain servings, the USDA recommends that at least two be whole grain.
Size
Managing low-calorie diets requires you to understand appropriate portion sizes. One serving of grains is the equivalent of one-half cup of cooked pasta, rice or cereal, one slice of bread, a small muffin or one cup of ready-to-eat cereal, according to the USDA Food Guide. One cup of fruits, vegetables or juice counts as two servings, with the exception of leafy green vegetables, which provide one serving per cup, says the USDA. An ounce of meat, fish or poultry constitutes one serving from the meat and beans group, as does 1 tbsp. peanut butter, one egg, 1/4 cup cooked beans or tofu and .5 oz. nuts or seeds.
Considerations
Per the USDA Food Guide guidelines for a 1,200-calorie diet, you should choose fat-free milk to satisfy the dairy serving requirement. Based on serving recommendations from each food group, the USDA allows for an additional 171 discretionary calories. If you consume cheese, yogurt or dairy products other than fat-free milk, allocate the calories to your discretionary allowance. However, you can apply any foods you want to your discretionary calories.
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