Menu for 1200 calories per day for proper nutrition

In order to lose weight, women agree to try various methods on themselves. Most often there are diets, and with such a menu that after them you don’t want to eat anything at all.

Modern nutritionists, after many studies, have concluded that a 1200-calorie menu is completely harmless to human health and at the same time allows you to quickly lose weight.

What is a 1200 calorie diet?

In modern society, many people suffer from a disease - obesity. Even the initial stage is considered dangerous to health and tends to progress.

You can get this type of disease due to:

Wrong lifestyle.
Poor nutrition (fast foods, baked goods, etc.).
Lack of physical activity.

Everyone tries to get rid of excess weight in different ways:

Go to the gym.
Using fat burning pills.
The use of various low-calorie diets.

The principle of the 1200 calorie diet is to reduce the daily intake of carbohydrates and fats. You can lose weight quickly in a week, and if you completely switch to proper nutrition, your body will adapt and the weight loss will no longer be so great.

Peculiarities

The 1200 calorie diet includes all the essential micro and macronutrients: fats, proteins, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins that are required every day for good health.
Also, this caloric intake is based on performing simple physical exercises. A person is not overcome by attacks of severe hunger on such a diet, which allows him to stay on it without breakdowns.
The diet itself does not specify which foods are contraindicated. But in order not to exceed 1200 calories, you need to eat low-calorie foods. It is preferable to use your favorite healthy foods, this makes it psychologically easier to survive a calorie deficit.

Diet effectiveness

The main criterion for a diet is its effectiveness. If after using the diet there are no results, it is considered useless.

The 1200 calorie diet has been proven to be effective, based on human feedback and backed by scientific evidence. If you maintain the correct daily deficit of not exceeding 500 calories, fat reserves begin to be burned, not muscle.

Otherwise, weight loss will be accompanied by problems with the gastrointestinal tract and a decrease in health. The effectiveness of the diet is directly related to nutritional balance.

During it, you need to eat healthy and varied foods to ensure that your body gets nutrients. The menu should be different every day.

Why exactly 1200 calories a day?

In order to achieve results and lose excess weight when using a diet of 1200 calories with PP daily, you need to monitor not only your daily calorie intake. The protein, fat and carbohydrates consumed are also counted every day.

Protein food should be 20-30% of total consumption. Proteins of animal origin should predominate (approximately 2/3 of the total), everything else is plant-based.
Most of the total diet comes from carbohydrates. They make up 50-60%.
Only 20% is fat. You need to be extremely careful with them. 3% of 20 are animal fats, and the majority are vegetable fats.

1200 calories is the optimal number for losing weight with little physical activity and supplying the body with macro and micro elements. If you exceed your caloric intake by even 200 calories, your weight loss will slow down significantly.

This is why you should follow the rules:

There should be no fatty or fried foods in the diet.
All confectionery products and fast food are contraindicated.
Alcohol is prohibited.
Incorporate exercise into your daily routine.
You can only change your diet or introduce innovations if you are competent in such matters.

How much weight can you lose in a month on a 1200 calorie per day diet?

It is known that normally a man 18-40 years old should consume 2800 - 3200 kcal per day, a woman of the same age - 2400 - 2600 kcal. The individual caloric intake is determined by lifestyle, the presence of sports in it, the severity of work and other factors. Under some circumstances, it may be a little less or a little more than normal. And no matter how much nutritionists and supporters of a healthy lifestyle argue that you need to lose weight not only by reducing the energy value of your daily diet, most people struggling with excess weight still resort to diets. The essence of many of them is to reduce the quantity and calorie content of consumed foods.

The 1200 calorie per day diet is based on calculating the energy value of foods in the diet.

The 1200 calorie per day diet is one of those. Just judging by its name, you can understand that it will have to reduce the calorie content of the daily diet by half, or even more. In addition to cutting the energy value of the daily diet, the 1200 calorie per day diet has other rules:

You need to eat on it five to six times a day. In order not to wonder every time what to eat so as not to exceed 1200 kcal, it is recommended to create a menu for 3, 5, 7 or 10 days at once.
Since you will have to count calories all the time, you need to find a table of caloric content of foods in advance or download a special calculator to your phone.
To trick your body and prevent it from feeling hungry, you will need to learn to eat slowly, chewing your food thoroughly.
Portions on this diet should be small (otherwise how else will you invest in these 1200 kcal?). But at the same time, the foods consumed should be varied. Then you won’t feel like you are making any sacrifices and severely restricting yourself in food. Diet diversity is another argument in favor of the fact that the 1200 kcal diet menu needs to be thought out in advance.
Don't forget to drink. 2 liters of water is a mandatory daily requirement.
The diet does not prohibit products of animal origin, including animal fats. But these fats should be healthy. Therefore, you should eat more fish than meat.
In general, the balance of macronutrients during your diet should look like this: complex carbohydrates – 55%, healthy fats (including omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9 acids) – 30%, proteins – 15%.
Empty calories should be eliminated. You can find a list of dishes that you absolutely cannot eat on a 1200 kcal per day diet below in the article.
This diet provides a way out, which means that after it you cannot immediately increase the calorie intake to your normal one. Consume 50-100 kcal more daily, returning to a healthy diet.

There is no need to fast on a 1200 calorie diet.

You can talk as much as you like about how healthy it is for the body. But a person who decides to lose weight in this way is interested in knowing how much he can lose on this diet.

IMPORTANT: Remember that weight loss is considered normal and safe, during which a person loses from 0.5 to 1 kg per week.

On the Internet, in the descriptions of the diet, as well as in the reviews of those who have experienced it themselves, you can see that in 10 days you can lose 5 kg on it (if, of course, you follow all the rules and additionally include 2-3 exercise per week). Having carried out simple calculations, we understand that on a diet of 1200 kcal per day we can get rid of 10-15 extra pounds. Let's not forget that their number will also depend on the initial weight of the person losing weight and his metabolic rate.

Who is it suitable for?

A diet of 1200 calories is allowed for almost everyone, as long as there are no serious illnesses.

It is especially suitable for people who like to experiment in their diet. After all, it’s difficult to follow this diet on the same foods, so you need to come up with something to make it both tasty and healthy.

This diet will fit into the diet of a person who does not want to spend a lot of money on food. After all, most often healthy eating is an expensive pleasure, but not in this case. Since it’s easy to put only simple products here, and they will be just as healthy.

Sample menu for the week: list of products and taboo foods

So, let's move on to practice. Let's start with the products that will be prohibited:

any flour products, including dietary baked goods made from whole grain flour or ground oatmeal, since even healthy slow carbohydrates have a high calorie content. There are exceptions, they will be on the menu;
butter, any cheeses with high and medium fat content;
some fruits - grapes, bananas in large quantities, sweet varieties of pears. They have too much sugar in their composition and a high insulin index, so it is better to replace them with lower-calorie citrus fruits and apples;
any fatty meats, even skinless chicken thighs;
nuts and dried fruits are too many calories.

also have to limit the consumption of egg yolks, vegetable oils, fatty fish, pasta (albeit made from durum wheat), and cereals.

Your refrigerator and shelves will be filled, in principle, with the same products as usual (here is a complete list with tables, we will not repeat), but the emphasis should be on fresh or frozen vegetables, herbs, chicken breast, low-fat milk (cottage cheese, kefir , yogurt), lean fish (pollock, hake, cod).

How to create a menu?

First of all, you need to remember that you need to add foods to the menu that you will enjoy eating. At the same time, the quality, calorie content and usefulness must be at a high level. These are the main criteria!

The financial situation of the person losing weight plays a secondary role; only the high cost of food and nothing more depends on it.

Basic rules when creating a menu:

You need to resort to a table of products and ready meals. Each product has a calorie count per hundred grams. This table will help you accurately predict your menu and not exceed your daily calorie intake.
It is important to adhere to the timing of nutrition. The last meal should be completed 3-4 hours before bedtime. The body does not digest foods during sleep; they simply decompose in the stomach and are of no benefit. Don't adhere to the myth: you can't eat after 6 p.m. Nonsense!
Eating food should be in small portions. Thus, the stomach is smaller and the risk of overeating is reduced.

A healthy diet includes 5-6 meals:

breakfast;
snack;
dinner;
snack;
dinner;
snack (optional).

They must pass every four hours. In addition to them, do not forget to drink as much water (not liquid!) as possible - at least 1.5 liters.

The Right Diet and Meal Plan for a Balanced 1200 Calorie Diet per Day

If you have chosen a 1200 kcal diet for yourself, be prepared for the fact that to create the right menu you will need to not only choose the right foods, but also distribute them among meals, and also calculate portion sizes, taking the calorie content of 100 g of foods as a basis. So, an approximate plan for your fractional and balanced nutrition, provided you consume no more than 1200 kcal per day, should look like this:

breakfast -300 kcal
snack – 150 kcal
lunch – 300 kcal
snack – 150 kcal
dinner – 300 kcal

Although 300 calories for dinner, if it is not late and not immediately before bed, this is quite normal, you can also take into account a person’s biorhythms. It would be good to get the bulk of your energy in the first half of the day and in the middle. Therefore, there is a second, also correct version of the plan:

breakfast – 350 kcal
snack – 150 kcal
lunch – 350 kcal
snack – 100 kcal
dinner – 250 kcal

IMPORTANT: Try to plan your menu in such a way that you consume carbohydrate-containing foods for breakfast, first snack and lunch.

What foods can I eat?

When creating a menu, you need to pay attention to what is included in it. First of all, these should be nutritious foods with a low calorie content. These include vegetable fats and carbohydrates, proteins, a small percentage of animal fats and carbohydrates.

You don’t need to eat only plants and cereals; each product contains a number of minerals and vitamins.

On a 1200 calorie diet you can eat:

All vegetables and greens.
Whole grain bread, various cereals, durum wheat pasta.
Small quantities of fruits and berries.
Mushrooms.
Lean meats, fish.
Eggs.
Seafood, nuts, legumes.
Vegetable and butter.
Dairy products.

If desired, you can sometimes include foods that are high in calories in your diet food list. All the same, if you give up chocolate, after a while you will want it, and the lack of such sweetness makes a person irritable and unhappy.

Therefore, sometimes you can add this “prank” to your diet, like any other. After all, the main goal of the diet is not to exceed 1200 calories.

List of low-calorie foods

Low-calorie foods are also called diet foods.
This is because they have low calorie content or even negative. Negative calories are when a food requires more calories to digest than it contains.

Their most prominent representatives are celery and broccoli. If you only eat low-calorie foods in your diet, you need to drink more water. Than when eating foods with a higher calorie content.

Often people who switch to a diet start eating all the vegetables and fruits. There is nothing wrong with them, but the calorie content of some is simply “cosmic”. After all, there is a stereotype that if a vegetable or fruit is harmless. This is wrong!

So, you can eat these low-calorie foods:

Vegetables: white cabbage, carrots, beets, broccoli, cucumbers, tomatoes, asparagus, green beans, radishes, zucchini.
Fruits: apples, citrus fruits, pineapple, mango, peaches.
Greens (any).
Berries: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, currants, watermelon.
Dairy products (without additives, with a fat content percentage of no more than 1).
Bread: rye, gray.
Meat: rabbit, veal, chicken, turkey.
Fish.

List of high-calorie foods

Not all high-calorie foods harm the body and are stored in fat. They can be divided into two categories: they can be consumed and they must be completely excluded from the diet.

Calorie foods you can eat:

Nuts. They are very high in calories, but they contain essential amino acids and vegetable fats, which are responsible for the beauty of nails, hair, and skin.
Cereals. All cereals have a high calorie content, but the body cannot live without them. They include complex carbohydrates, which allow you to forget about hunger for a long time.
Pasta. Their use is permitted if they are made from durum wheat.
Dried fruits. They have the same calorie content as nuts. And, accordingly, they are no less useful. They should not be consumed in compotes or pies, but only in their raw form. Then they are absorbed in the right direction.
Chocolate. Sweet lovers are not so lucky. Since you are only allowed to eat dark chocolate.

It is necessary to completely exclude from your diet (high-calorie foods):

sweets (marshmallows, buns, candies, etc.);
bakery products (pizza, hot dog, khachappuri, etc.);
salads including mayonnaise, oils, fatty sour cream;
fried foods;
instant food products.

Basic recommendations: rules for an effective diet

To follow and create a proper 1200 calorie diet for weight loss, you need to consult a nutritionist after you talk to your doctor. Alternatively, you can choose one of the pre-prepared diets. But first, you need to study the main basic advice given by people who have already tried to eat this way.

Do not forget about the correct balance of BZHU, because this is very important for the proper functioning of the body. In most cases, the best proportion is the following formula: 30%, 15%, 55%, respectively.

Tips for Beginners

Sticking to PP is not so easy, because you will have to constantly count the calories of any food you consume. To get the effect of a diet, you need to develop the habit of following the rules, otherwise you can even harm the body with improperly organized restrictions.

Choose foods that you truly love.
You will have to flatly give up everything salty, rich, fried, smoked, and overly spicy. Delicious cheesecakes for breakfast, cakes, sweets and pastries are now prohibited.
If possible, you should avoid smoking and drinking alcohol while on the 1200 calorie diet.
Ready-made breakfasts, fast food, sweet soda, as well as convenience foods – it’s best to avoid all of this. Some kind of cutlet with a bun can easily replace your entire daily diet and you will have to go hungry for the rest of the day. This can have a detrimental effect on your stomach.
You should not change recipes for dietary dishes yourself, as you will no longer know what their nutritional value is.
Don't forget to drink a lot of water, because it is the basis of life. During this diet, you need to drink at least one and a half liters a day, including all drinks and liquid dishes, for example, soup.
Don’t be lazy to make a menu for the whole week in advance, this will make your task much easier.
Due to the paucity of the menu, it would not hurt to buy a good vitamin complex on the recommendation of a doctor. It will help compensate for the lack of necessary substances.
Don't forget to get a good night's sleep every day. Lack of sleep, coupled with hunger, is the best breeding ground for unscheduled gluttons and breakdowns.

Never go hungry and eat as little as possible should be your motto for the coming weeks.

Table of caloric content of main products

Products	BZHUK
Low-fat kefir	Proteins: 3,0 Fats: 0,1 Carbohydrates: 3,8 Kcal: 30
Milk	Proteins: 2,8 Fats: 3,2 Carbohydrates: 4,7 Kcal: 58
Sour cream 10%	Proteins: 3,0 Fats: 10,0 Carbohydrates: 2,9 Kcal: 116
Low-fat cottage cheese	Proteins: 18,0 Fats: 0,6 Carbohydrates: 1,5 Kcal: 86 Read also: Protein for weight loss for girls - tips on when is the best time to drink, how many times a day and how much in grams
Russian cheese	Proteins: 23,4 Fats: 30,0 Carbohydrates: 0,0 Kcal: 371
Rye bread	Proteins: 4,7 Fats: 0,7 Carbohydrates: 49,8 Kcal: 214
Wheat crackers	Proteins: 11,2 Fats: 1,4 Carbohydrates: 72,4 Kcal: 331
Buckwheat	Proteins: 12,6 Fats: 2,6 Carbohydrates: 68,0 Kcal: 329
Oatmeal	Proteins: 11,9 Fats: 5,8 Carbohydrates: 65,4 Kcal: 345
Rice porrige	Proteins: 7,0 Fats: 0,6 Carbohydrates: 73,7 Kcal: 323
Zucchini	Proteins: 0,6 Fats: 0,3 Carbohydrates: 5,7 Kcal: 27
White cabbage	Proteins: 1,8 Fats: — Carbohydrates: 5,4 Kcal: 28
Potato	Proteins: 2,0 Fats: 0,1 Carbohydrates: 19,7 Kcal: 83
Bulb onions	Proteins: 1,7 Fats: — Carbohydrates: 9,5 Kcal: 43
Red carrots	Proteins: 1,3 Fats: 0,1 Carbohydrates: 7,0 Kcal: 33
cucumbers	Proteins: 0,8 Fats: — Carbohydrates: 3,0 Kcal: 15
Parsley	Proteins: 3,7 Fats: — Carbohydrates: 8,1 Kcal: 45
Radish	Proteins: 1,2 Fats: — Carbohydrates: 4,1 Kcal: 20
Tomatoes	Proteins: 0,6 Fats: — Carbohydrates: 4,2 Kcal: 19
Bananas	Proteins: 1,5 Fats: — Carbohydrates: 22,4 Kcal: 91
Peaches	Proteins: 0,9 Fats: — Carbohydrates: 10,4 Kcal: 44
Dates	Proteins: 2,5 Fats: — Carbohydrates: 72,1 Kcal: 281
Apples	Proteins: 0,4 Fats: — Carbohydrates: 11,3 Kcal: 46
Orange	Proteins: 0,9 Fats: — Carbohydrates: 8,4 Kcal: 38 Read also: Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard Protein
Raisins sultanas	Proteins: 2,3 Fats: — Carbohydrates: 71,2 Kcal: 279
Prunes	Proteins: 2,3 Fats: — Carbohydrates: 65,6 Kcal: 264
Chicken egg	Proteins: 12,7 Fats: 11,5 Carbohydrates: 0,7 Kcal: 157
crucian carp	Proteins: 17,7 Fats: 1,8 Carbohydrates: 0 Kcal: 87
Salmon	Proteins: 20,8 Fats: 15,1 Carbohydrates: 0 Kcal: 219
Zander	Proteins: 19 Fats: 0,8 Carbohydrates: 0 Kcal: 83
Beef	Proteins: 18,9 Fats: 12,4 Carbohydrates: 0 Kcal: 187
Turkey	Proteins: 21,6 Fats: 12,0 Carbohydrates: 0,8 Kcal: 197
Chickens	Proteins: 20,8 Fats: 8,8 Carbohydrates: 0,6 Kcal: 165
Walnut	Proteins: 13,8 Fats: 61,3 Carbohydrates: 10,2 Kcal: 648
Peanut	Proteins: 26,3 Fats: 45,2 Carbohydrates: 9,7 Kcal: 548
Honey	Proteins: 0,8 Fats: 0 Carbohydrates: 80,3 Kcal: 308
Marshmallow	Proteins: 0,8 Fats: 0 Carbohydrates: 78,3 Kcal: 299
Bitter chocolate	Proteins: 5,4 Fats: 35,3 Carbohydrates: 52,6 Kcal: 540
chicken broth	Proteins: 2,4 Fats: 1,1 Carbohydrates: 0 Kcal: 21
Borscht with pork	Proteins: 8,3 Fats: 9,7 Carbohydrates: 4,4 Kcal: 133,8
Fried chicken cutlets	Proteins: 14,8 Fats: 8,1 Carbohydrates: 2,8 Kcal: 177,6
Cabbage rolls with minced meat and rice	Proteins: 7,1 Fats: 14,6 Carbohydrates: 12,9 Kcal: 222,4
Oatmeal with milk	Proteins: 8,9 Fats: 6,1 Carbohydrates: 24,6 Kcal: 194,5

Advantages and disadvantages of the diet

The 1200 calorie diet has many benefits:

The most important advantage is the guaranteed results when losing weight. Provided that all the rules of a balanced diet are followed.
Also, a person can choose the products he likes, but without exceeding the caloric intake given for the day.
A diet with this amount of calories is easy to adjust for any disease. Since you can use any products.
Thanks to rapid weight loss, a person becomes motivated to continue maintaining the diet.

Disadvantages include:

Causing inconvenience with constantly counting calories and weighing foods.
The daily diet should be planned in advance. After all, you cannot eat a product with an unknown calorie content.
It is also necessary to take into account the usefulness and nutritional value of the product so that weakness does not develop in the body.
You need to be prepared that in the first days or even a week, you will be accompanied by drowsiness and a feeling of hunger. This will pass.
Under no circumstances should an active person resort to such a diet, since their diet should be richer in calories.
This diet requires discipline and systematicity , so not everyone can stay on it for a long time.

The essence and rules of the diet

Essentially, this diet is a combination of low-calorie and low-carb. Of course, it cannot do without restrictions, but still there are not many of them, so a 1200-calorie diet is considered balanced. In essence, this is proper nutrition, which a person should adhere to. Therefore, the diet has practically no contraindications.

According to the name of the diet, it is based on a daily menu of 1200 kcal - this is exactly the amount you need if you lead a sedentary lifestyle. If you eat more, you start to gain weight.

Important! You cannot exhaust yourself by starvation. If you don't have enough calories, your metabolism will be disrupted and you will end up feeling weak and experiencing other unpleasant consequences. In addition, the body will begin to use muscle cells to obtain the energy it lacks.

The diet itself does not require much effort.

But some rules still have to be followed:

Avoid “light” carbohydrates and other unhealthy foods as much as possible.
The maximum amount of carbohydrates is 200–250 g.
You are allowed to consume 1200 kcal per day.
For men, the amount can be higher - up to 1500 kcal.
Nutrition must be balanced.
Choose foods with a low glycemic index and low calorie content.
For a 1200 calorie diet, choose recipes that require boiling or steaming foods.
Physical education classes will be useful.
Drinking regime is important - about 2 liters. in a day.

The maximum period is 30 days, after which there is a break. The 1200 diet menu itself is designed for 3 main meals and 2 snacks, and the first should contain 300 kcal each, but snacks should contain only 150 kcal.

Important! Even such a balanced diet requires a visit to the doctor before starting. If necessary, also consult a gastroenterologist.

Nutrition menu

For a day

As mentioned earlier, the daily limit of 1200 calories should not be exceeded:

Breakfast should be the most satisfying and nutritious than all other meals. Therefore, in the morning you can indulge in coffee without sugar with the usual sandwiches made from rye bread and ham or chicken. It can also be any porridge, cottage cheese with fruit, salad, etc.
This is followed by a snack, which should be taken only in case of a strong attack of hunger and no earlier than three hours after breakfast. It may include 150 g of spring salad of tomatoes and cucumbers or low-fat kefir with grapefruit. In fact, there are many variations and you can choose any one for yourself.
Lunch is only slightly lower in calories than breakfast. Basically, they prefer various dietary soups - for the first course, meat or fish with various side dishes (stewed vegetables, porridge, etc.) - for the second. Remember, the most important thing is to fit into your daily caloric intake.
After some time, afternoon tea again. Under no circumstances should you go hungry. Low-fat yogurt with kiwi or other fruit is perfect.
Dinner should be the smallest in calories compared to breakfast and lunch. The ideal dinner is vegetables or fermented milk products (cottage cheese, kefir, low-fat yogurt without additives, etc.).

For a week

Day	Menu
Day 1	Breakfast: vegetable salad with lemon juice and olive oil, rye bread with butter + cheese. Dinner: boiled chicken meat, boiled potatoes and green tea without sugar. Afternoon snack: low-fat yogurt, coffee without sugar. Dinner: boiled fish and vegetable salad.
Day 2	Breakfast: hard-boiled egg, rye bread, tea without sugar. Dinner: chicken broth with parsley, vegetable salad with lemon. Afternoon snack: green tea with a spoon of honey and lemon, an apple. Dinner: Boiled turkey breast.
Day 3	Breakfast: fruit juice and marshmallows. Dinner: boiled sea fish, lettuce with balsamic sauce. Afternoon snack: apple with green tea. Dinner: buckwheat with beef liver.
Day 4	Breakfast: oatmeal with low-fat yogurt and tea without sugar. Dinner: rice, sliced cucumber and tomato. Afternoon snack: low-fat cheese, orange and green tea. Dinner: buckwheat with stewed vegetables.
Day 5	Breakfast: scrambled eggs (two whites, one yolk) + coffee without sugar. Dinner: boiled fish with vegetables. Afternoon snack: dried fruits with tea. Dinner: vegetable salad with low-fat kefir.
Day 6	Breakfast: hard-boiled egg, rye bread, tea without sugar. Dinner: chicken broth with parsley, vegetable salad with lemon. Afternoon snack: green tea with a spoon of honey and lemon, an apple. Dinner: Boiled turkey breast.
Day 7	Breakfast: rye crackers with butter and fruit drink. Dinner: buckwheat with breast. Afternoon snack: apple juice. Dinner: carrots and low-fat cottage cheese.

For a month

For a month, every day, every week, approximately the same menu is maintained with slight deviations in products. But at the same time, the menu should be varied and not bland. Don't be afraid to experiment and remember to watch your calories.

Basic menu rules:

For each main meal there are approximately 300 kcal, for snacks - 150 kcal.
Breakfast should include mainly carbohydrates, dinner - proteins.
Lunch can combine both proteins and carbohydrates.
Fats should be kept to a minimum, especially from animals.
Water is an integral part of the diet, so you need to drink at least 1.5 liters.
Get rid of “empty” and “heavy” foods: sweet drinks, desserts, alcohol, etc.

If you follow all the recommendations without interruption for a month, then you simply won’t recognize yourself. In the good sense of the word.

Oatmeal (30 gr., 100 kcal), boiled in water + 1 teaspoon of honey (40 kcal), orange (45 kcal), cup of coffee (8 kcal). Total 193 calories.
Low-fat cottage cheese (100 gr., 110 kcal) + sour cream 1 teaspoon (35 kcal), coffee with cream (55 kcal). Total 200 calories.
Borscht with meat (300 gr., 187 kcal), black tea (2 kcal), marmalade (1 piece, 30 kcal). Total 219 calories.
Banana (125 kcal), glass of orange juice (35 kcal). Total 160 calories.
Vinaigrette (100 gr., 120 kcal), boiled chicken breast (100 gr., 110 kcal). Total 230 calories.
Low-fat kefir 1 glass (66 kcal), gingerbread 1 piece (140 kcal). Total 206 calories.

For a week

A low-calorie menu for a week, based on five meals a day, could look like this.

Monday:

boiled egg and buckwheat porridge, coffee;
apple;
pollock baked with vegetables, orange juice;
chicken fillet baked with herbs, fresh cabbage salad;
a glass of low-fat yogurt.

Tuesday:

sandwich made from a slice of whole grain bread and light cheese, coffee;
banana, juice;
chicken broth, vinaigrette;
peppers stuffed with vegetables, tea;
a glass of milk.

Wednesday:

fruit smoothie, omelet;
pear;
chum salmon with steamed rice;
grilled vegetables, a piece of chicken breast, tea;
low-fat kefir.

Thursday:

oatmeal with prunes, coffee;
fresh vegetables or fruits;
vegetable broccoli cabbage soup, steamed beef, tea;
boiled rice and a piece of baked salmon;
skim cheese.

Friday:

cottage cheese casserole, a cup of milk;
baked apple;
mushroom soup with chicken pieces, tea;
buckwheat porridge with beef, fresh vegetable salad, tea;
matsoni

Saturday:

wheat porridge, tea;
kiwi;
borscht, orange juice;
pasta with tomato paste, tea;
Ryazhenka

Sunday:

milk porridge, coffee;
peaches;
chicken noodles, vegetable and herb salad;
cheesecakes with raisins, coffee with cream;
yogurt.

For a month

If you decide to spend a month on a low-calorie diet of 1,200 calories, develop a menu for each day.

Important! The energy value of all foods consumed during the day should not exceed 1200 calories!

Eliminate the following foods from your monthly menu:

sugar and baked goods;
canned food;
fried and smoked foods;
sausage, frankfurters, dumplings.

Include the following foods in your low-calorie menu for the month:

porridge;
durum pasta;
fruits and berries;
vegetables;
low-fat dairy products;
quail eggs;
lean white meat;
fish and seafood.

Also, do not forget about important recommendations:

drink more fluids;
eat as often as possible and chew food thoroughly;
if you feel weak, stop limiting the energy value of your diet;
include the maximum variety of ingredients in your diet: fish, meat, vegetables, fruits, cereals, dairy products;
exclude fried and fatty foods, as well as sweets and baked goods;
Divide your daily diet into three main meals, and have snacks between them without waiting until you feel hungry.

When planning your monthly menu, use the following options for your three main meals.

Breakfast:

any porridge (oatmeal, buckwheat, millet);
boiled egg;
cottage cheese casserole;
low-fat cheese, banana.

Dinner:

vegetable soup, steam cutlet;
meat borsch;
chicken broth, vinaigrette;
stew of meat or fish with vegetables;
boiled fish and carrot salad.

Dinner:

cottage cheese with sour cream;
steam omelette, juice;
boiled potatoes, sauerkraut salad;
boiled cauliflower, boiled egg;
steamed beef cutlet, cabbage salad;
baked fish fillet, cucumber salad;
porridge with milk.

Between them, arrange mandatory snacks in the form of fruit, kefir, milk, juice or herbal tea. Don't forget to drink more water.

How long should you diet?

There is a specific time frame for following the 1200 calorie per day diet. During this time, the body does not suffer, but gets rid of toxins that have accumulated over a long time.

But this happens taking into account that there is no hunger strike and a nutritious menu is followed. It is not advisable to use this diet for more than a month, since during this time the body will already lose enough toxins and weight.

However, there is also no point in using it for less than ten days if you want to achieve stable results. If you want to repeat such a diet, this will be possible only after a few months, not earlier.

Reviews from those who have lost weight

Elena, 35 years old, Moscow:
I would say that it is not enough to just follow the 1200 calorie per day rule. You need to completely give up sweets and alcoholic drinks, you need to exercise regularly, at least do exercises in the morning, and give up fast food snacks. When all this is combined, then you can expect to lose 6-7 kilograms in a month. That’s pretty much what happened to me, but it’s quite difficult, no easier than any other diet.

Valentina, 27 years old, Nizhny Novgorod:

I’ve been on this diet for six months now. So far I have lost 11 kg. I replaced some of the products or even crossed them out of the menu. For example, I don’t eat cottage cheese and some nuts at all, and I don’t like dried fruits either. Instead, I choose any other favorite products.

I also agree that you need to limit sweets, alcohol, especially beer. But on the other hand, sometimes you can afford a glass of the same beer or wine. The main thing is that you consume no more than 1200 calories per day.

It is also advisable to exercise intensively at this time so that the body burns as many calories as possible. But don’t get too carried away, otherwise you might faint. In general, everything should be in moderation, I think, without fanaticism.

Svetlana, 40 years old, Tula:

The principle of this diet is based on the fact that we consume fewer calories than we expend. This difference is designed to trigger the weight loss mechanism. But this does not happen immediately, so if you want to lose half of your weight in a week, then the diet is not for you. I'm exaggerating, of course, but the 1200 calorie diet starts to work in about 3 weeks. I started losing weight slowly, at first there was nothing noticeable at all. And gradually, over a month and a half, I lost 7 kg.

I agree that if you want something, it’s better to eat it, otherwise you can wear yourself out so much that you don’t want to go on any diets later.

Low calorie recipes

There are many different low-calorie recipes that can be used for the 1200 calorie per day diet.

Salad with arugula, raspberries and beets

Ingredients:

Beet.
Arugula.
Raspberries.
Sesame.
Salt.
Ground black pepper.
Balsamic vinegar.
Sugar.
Olive oil.
Mustard.

Recipe:

It cooks quickly and has low calorie content.
The first step is to bake the peeled beets in the oven, wrapped in foil.
Once cooked, cut it into slices.
Simply place the arugula on a plate and place the beets and raspberries on top.
Season the salad with balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, mustard, sugar and olive oil.
Mix everything and sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.

Curd dessert with berries

Ingredients:

300 g cottage cheese.
100 g natural yoghurt.
80 g sugar.
1 tbsp. l. cocoa powder
15 g gelatin.

Recipe:

Will bring some bright colors while dieting.
Yogurt, cottage cheese, sugar, cocoa should be whipped until smooth using a blender.
Gelatin must be soaked in cold boiled water for about twenty minutes.
After the gelatin swells, it must be put on fire and cooked until it is completely dissolved.
Do not bring to a boil!
Add gelatin to the resulting homogeneous mass and beat everything.
Pour what you get into a bowl and put it in the refrigerator for three hours.
Top the dessert with berries to taste.

Zucchini in sour cream

Ingredients:

2 zucchini.
2 tbsp. l. sour cream.
1 onion.
Paprika.
Salt.
Ground black pepper.
3 cloves of garlic.

Recipe:

To prepare the zucchini, cut into cubes.
They need to be placed in a baking dish.
Season the zucchini with paprika, salt and pepper.
Chop the onion and garlic and also add to the zucchini.
Before baking, mix all ingredients with sour cream and bake for about 20 minutes.

Menu for 1200 kcal per day for a week: options, recipes

1.3 Balanced diet

An approximate menu for 1200 calories per day for a week of proper nutrition (in this and other examples, the calorie content of a specific amount of product is indicated in parentheses):

Day	Breakfast	Snack	Dinner	Snack	Dinner	Total daily caloric intake, calories
1	Porridge from 60 g of dry oat flakes, boiled in water (180) + 100 g of mixed berries (35) = 215 cal	30 g walnuts = 210 cal	Buckwheat - 40 g raw (150) + steamed chicken cutlet with onions - 200 g (220) + salad of 50 g cucumber, 50 g tomato (10) and 50 g bell pepper (20) = 400 cal	200 ml low-fat kefir (60) + 100 g orange (35) = 95 cal	200 g cod cutlets (222) + 100 g cucumber (15) = 237 cal	1157
2	50 g dry rice, boiled in water (160) + 2 hard-boiled eggs (80) + 100 g nectarine (50) = 270 cal	Sandwich made from 50 g whole grain bread (125) + 30 g avocado (50) + 20 g lightly salted salmon (50) = 225 cal	100 g of porcini mushrooms stewed in 50 ml of sour cream 10% and water (90) + 200 g of green peas (110) + salad of 100 g of boiled beets (50) with 10 g of walnuts (110), seasoned with 5 ml of olive oil (40 ) = 400 cal	200 ml low-fat kefir = 60 cal	100 g boiled shrimp (95) + 150 g baked eggplant (40) + 50 g baked carrots (20), drizzled with 10 ml olive oil (80) = 215 cal	1170
3	Porridge from 60 g of oat bran (170) per 150 ml of milk 0.5% (45) = 215 cal	100 g cottage cheese 5% (121) + 100 g blueberries (40) = 161 cal	50 g of raw buckwheat, boiled in water (170) + 150 g of homemade squash caviar made from carrots, zucchini and onions (75) + 100 g of boiled beef (230) = 465 cal	150 g jelly from milk 0.5% = 70 cal	120 g baked salmon (260) + salad of 100 g cucumbers (15) and 100 g tomatoes (20) = 295 cal	1206
4	Porridge from 60 g of dry oat flakes, boiled in water (180) + 20 g of sunflower seeds (110) = 290 cal	Salad of 50 g pear (30), 50 g apple (25), 50 g kiwi (30), dressed with 50 ml low-fat yoghurt (30) = 115 cal	Stew of 100 g zucchini (27), 50 g onions (20), 100 g asparagus (20), 50 g carrots (20), 50 g bell pepper (15) = 100 cal + 150 g steamed chicken cutlet (300) = 400 cal	200 ml kefir (60), 100 g berries (40) = 100 cal	Baked fish in the Russian style - 150 g cod fillet (120) + 100 g boiled potatoes (80) + 50 g onions (20) + 20 g Adyghe cheese (50) = 270 cal	1175
5	Porridge from 60 g of dry buckwheat, boiled in water (180) + 2 eggs (100) + 100 g of cucumbers (15) = 295 cal	150 g cottage cheese casserole (120) + 100 g strawberries (32) = 152 cal	Cheese soup made from 100 g broccoli (35), 100 g cauliflower (25), 50 g carrots (20) and 80 g cheese 45% (320) = 400 cal	200 ml low-fat yogurt (60) + 10 g dry fiber (20) = 80 cal	200 g cutlets from 130 g cod (100), eggs (50) and 20 g onions (10) + 150 g cabbage salad (42), dressed with 5 ml olive oil (50) = 252 cal	1179
6	Oatmeal pancake from 60 g dry oat flakes (180), eggs (50), 100 ml milk 0.5% (30) = 260 cal	Apple 150 g (75), baked with 50 g cottage cheese 5% (60) = 135 cal	Vegetable vinaigrette from 100 g beets (50), 50 g onions (20), 100 g carrots (35), 100 g white boiled beans (123), 100 g fresh cucumber (15), 20 g herbs (12), 10 ml olive oil (90) = 345 cal	200 g orange (76) cal + 10 g walnut (70) = 136 cal	200 g boiled cod (160) + salad of 100 g tomatoes (20), 100 g cucumbers (15), 50 g bell pepper (20), 10 g olives (50) = 265 cal	1141
7	Lazy oatmeal from 60 g oat flakes (180) + 100 g mixed berries (40) + 100 ml 0% yoghurt (30) = 250 cal	Sandwich made from 50 g whole grain bread (125) + 30 g hard cheese 45% (11 0) = 235 cal	200 g cabbage (80), stewed with 50 g onions (20), 50 g carrots (17), 150 g steam chicken cutlet with onions added to the minced meat (280) = 397 cal	200 ml low-fat kefir (60) + 100 g kiwi (60) = 120 cal	150 g boiled squid (165) + 150 g cabbage salad (42) = 207 cal	1209

This menu with accurate calorie counting can be used as a basis for proper nutrition (PN) for a month or a longer period of time, adjusting it to suit your own tastes, but controlling the number of calories.

Benefits of PP for weight loss:

with a balanced diet, the body receives all the necessary substances for the full functioning of all organs;
a variety of products allows you to reduce the likelihood of breakdowns and make it easier to lose weight;
the selection of products can be individual, the main thing is to take into account the calorie content and follow the principle “for dinner - proteins + vegetables”;
experts say that losing weight while following such a diet is considered as safe as possible for health and maintaining an attractive appearance;
There is no need to go out of the diet in any special way; it is enough to increase the caloric intake by 200-300 calories every week.

There are no disadvantages to a proper balanced diet, but undisciplined people may find it difficult to organize it at the initial stage of losing weight.

What results does the diet promise?

Experts and people who have followed the 1,200 calorie per day diet say that it is likely to lose at least 2 kg in a week. You can lose 10 kg in a month on such a diet. Depending on your metabolism, each person can lose more or less of this weight.

As a result of this diet, the blood and lymph will be cleansed, the body will get rid of toxins and metabolism will accelerate. We can conclude that such a diet brings many benefits to the body. Another great motivation is getting rid of subcutaneous fat and acquiring the desired beautiful and slender figure.

Contraindications

If a person has a medical condition, the diet may need to be modified or adjusted in case of exacerbation.
Particular attention should be paid to people with problems with the cardiovascular and digestive systems and kidney diseases.
First of all, problems with internal organs must be solved, and then with weight loss.
The diet is completely contraindicated only for pregnant women, breastfeeding women and children. After all, during these periods of life, calorie restriction is prohibited.

Before using the diet in your diet, you should consult a nutritionist and doctor. It is important to monitor your well-being while following the diet. If you feel unwell, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Reviews

Reviews from people about this diet:

Alexandrova Anastasia

Nutrition and healthy lifestyle specialist and author of myfitnesblog.com. For many years, she has successfully helped women and men lose weight and maintain a beautiful figure.