Being overweight or obese can increase the chance that you will develop heart disease. A 1,200-calorie diet is low enough to spur weight loss in most people. If you incorporate healthy foods into that diet plan, you can benefit from fiber, phytochemicals, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and other nutrients that also contribute to decreased risk of heart disease.
Features
A heart-healthy diet includes at least 4.5 cups of vegetables and fruits daily. Fruits and vegetables are usually low in calories, but high in water and fiber, making them a natural diet food. Twice per week, you should incorporate 3.5 oz. of fish in your meals. In addition, you benefit from consuming about four servings of nuts, legumes and seeds per week and three 1-oz. servings of whole grains daily. Also avoid processed meats and high sodium foods for a heart-healthy plan. You should aim for less than 1,500 mg of sodium per day, according to the American Heart Association.
Fats
Saturated and trans fats add extraneous calories to your diet, without any beneficial nutrients. The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat to less than 7 percent of your total daily calories -- or fewer than 9 g on a 1,200-calorie diet. Trans fats should comprise no more than 1 percent of total daily calories -- or 1 g on a 1,200-calorie plan. You should still include some healthy fats into your 1,200-calorie diet to support hormone production and other important bodily functions. Omega-3 fatty acids and other unsaturated fats may play a role in helping to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and high cholesterol. Aim for between 25 and 35 percent of your total calorie intake to come from unsaturated fats -- or about 33 to 46 g daily.
Considerations
A 1,200-calorie diet is quite low in calories and may be too few for many active people and men. If you lose weight at a rate faster than 2 lbs. per week, feel weak or irritable or are uncontrollably hungry on 1,200 calories, add 200 to 600 more calories daily to make your plan more manageable. A 1,200-calorie plan leaves no room for extra calories, even the 450 calories in sugar-sweetened drinks permitted per week by the American Heart Association guidelines.
Sample
A sample day in a heart-healthy, 1,200-calorie plan might begin with 4 egg whites scrambled with ½ cup of green bell pepper and 1/4 cup of red onion, 2 slices of whole grain toast and an 8 oz. glass of orange juice. For lunch, you might have a large green salad made with 4 cups of romaine lettuce, 1/2 cup black beans, 1/4 of an avocado, 2 tbsp. salsa and a corn tortilla. For dinner, try 3 oz. of grilled salmon with 1/2 cup of brown rice and 1 cup of steamed broccoli seasoned with lemon pepper. You can snack on 1 oz. of almonds and a cup of skim milk.
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