You need to realize that 1,200 calories is not a magic number for weight loss. Your daily caloric needs might differ from those of your friends. While they may seem to lose weight as if it's the easiest thing in the world, you struggle, even though you feel like you're doing everything right. It takes more than a strict regimen of 1,200 calories to shed pounds; you must burn more than you consume and watch portion sizes as well.
Step 1
Write down everything you eat. Keep a list of the foods you eat through the day, including condiments. Next to these foods, list their calorie content. Add up your calories at the end of the day; you might be surprised to discover that you have gone over your limit of 1,200.
Step 2
Read food labels. Take your time in the grocery store and read the label of every item before you purchase it. Check the serving size first; it is the serving size that contains the number of calories listed. Although the low-fat brownies might only contain 50 calories, this is per serving.
Step 3
Eat the right portions to fit your caloric needs. You might be able to fit a piece of steak into your 1,200 calorie diet, but the portion size of the steak is what matters. Instead of the 12 oz. piece everyone around you is eating, you may find that 4 oz. is what you can enjoy.
Step 4
Burn more calories than you consume. Weight loss occurs with any diet when you burn more calories than you take in. You must burn 500 to 1,000 calories more a day than you take in for a weight loss of 1 to 2 lbs. per week.
Step 5
Divide your calories into six small meals through the day. Eating every two to three hours wards off hunger and keeps your metabolism high, increasing the amount of weight you lose. Try to consume the same number of calories with each meal or snack.
Step 6
Drink water in between meals. Water keeps you feeling full between meals, preventing you from snacking on high-sugar foods that demolish your weight-loss efforts. Eight to 10 glasses a day is a sufficient amount.
Tips and Warnings
- If you find that 1,200 calories is not working for you, calculate your caloric needs using a calorie calculator like the one in the Resources section. It takes into account your height, current weight, age, gender and current level of physical activity. The calculator then tells you exactly how many calories you need in order to lose weight. Print a copy of a food calorie list for foods without a food label. You can find this in the Resources section as well.
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