A 1,200-calorie meal plan is recommended by the American Heart Association as an alternative to fad diets that limit the type of food you eat, cause you to make drastic changes to your lifestyle and ultimately rarely work. A 1,200-calorie meal plan restricts your caloric intake, but still allows you to eat a variety of your favorite, filling foods. The trick to the 1,200 meal plan is too get the most out of your diet by choosing foods that are high in nutrients like vitamins, protein and fiber, to help keep you feeling full and satisfied.
Breakfasts
A good breakfast is the basis for every 1,200-calorie meal plan. What you eat for breakfast will set the tone for the rest of the day; if you don't eat enough, you may find yourself slipping and snacking. Eating something unhealthy may set you up for a day of diet trouble. Instead, try to keep your breakfast under 400 calories. Choose options like a plain wheat bagel for 210 calories, and a cup of fruit for another 100 calories. Drink coffee, but remember that cream adds 20 calories to your total. Another option is a cup of yogurt for 100 calories, a half cup of sliced berries for 50 calories, and a slice of wheat toast for another 100 calories.
Lunches
A healthy lunch can help you keep your good habits going throughout the day. It can be easy to slip up while eating lunch at your desk, but preparing ahead of time can combat this problem. Try two slices of fiber-rich whole grain bread for 110 calories, with a slice of lean deli meat like smoked turkey, for 50 calories. Hold the mayo, and try mustard or olive oil on your bread for another 25 calories. Or try a chicken salad with croutons and reduced calories to keep your lunch under 400 calories.
Dinners
Finish your day off right by keeping your 1,200-calorie meal plan on track. Pork tenderloin for 200 calories and a baked sweet potato with a butter substitute is filling and will only bring you to 300 calories. Add a satisfying vegetable like green beans to round out a dinner for under 500 calories. If you're a fish lover, try 3 oz. of broiled swordfish, with a side salad and a half cup of asparagus to change up your meal plan but still keep it within your daily allotted calories.
Snacks
Choosing the wrong kind of snack can undo your whole day. The best 1,200-calorie meal plan calls for two snacks per day, says the AHA. Try a handful of almonds for both protein and fiber for under 100 calories, An apple is only around 80 calories, and is sweet enough to stop your cravings for sugar. It's a good idea to keep your snacks under 100 calories so that you can fill up without stopping the progress of your 1,200-calorie meal plan. says DietBites.com.
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