Restricting your calories to 1,200 per day will most likely help you lose weight. Choosing the right kind of foods can help you to stick to this small number of calories without feeling extremely deprived and hungry. In order to fit in all the nutrients you need for a healthy body, your 1,200 calories should consist of a variety of whole, unprocessed foods.
Fruits and Vegetables
Vegetables and fruits serve as the foundation for a 1,200-calorie diet. Most contain large amounts of water and fiber, which help fill you up without a lot of extra calories. Stick to colorful varieties such as leafy greens, red peppers and tomatoes, orange squash, white mushrooms and cauliflower and purple grapes and eggplant. Rich colors indicates a higher level of disease-fighting antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Apples, berries, cantaloupe and apricots are fruits with some of the highest nutrition, making them good snacks for a 1,200-calorie diet.
Lean Proteins
Accent your meals with a minimum of 5 oz. of protein daily, the minimum amount recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Guide Pyramid. The lowest calorie proteins have little saturated fat, such as egg whites, poultry breast meat, extra lean ground beef, shrimp and white fish. Vegetarians may opt for a 1/4 cup of beans as an equivalent to 1 oz. of protein, containing just about 60 calories, or 2 oz. of tofu for about 45 calories.
Grains
A 1,200-calorie diet should include at least 6 oz. of grains daily, with 3 oz. of these coming from whole grain sources. Brown rice, oatmeal, 100 percent whole wheat bread and whole grain pasta count as whole grains. Whole grains offer a combination of B vitamins and fiber to support better health. A 1-oz. serving is equal to 1/2 cup, or 1 slice of bread.
Dairy
Dairy foods offer calcium and vitamin D, important to bone health. A 1,200-calorie diet should still include the equivalent of 3 cups of dairy daily, says the USDA Food Guide Pyramid. Skim milk, nonfat unsweetened yogurt and low-fat cheese are low-calorie sources. If you are unable to consume dairy, consult your doctor or dietitian for appropriate alternatives such as fortified soy milk and orange juice.
Fats
The Institute of Medicine says you need to consume between 20 and 35 percent of your daily calories from fats, even when trying to lose weight with a 1,200-calorie diet. Consume a minimum of 27 g of fat from healthy, unsaturated sources such as avocados, nuts and olive oil. Fats support hormone production and help your body absorb certain nutrients.
Considerations
Even with careful planning, it may be challenging to get adequate nutrition on 1,200 calories per day, especially for menstruating women. Medline Plus does not recommend that women consume fewer than 1,200 calories per day, unless under a doctor's care, and that men not go below 1,500 calories per day.
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