The 1200 calorie diet is a low calorie diet that is usually used in the nutritional treatment of some overweight people so that they can lose weight in a healthy way. In this diet, meals should be well distributed throughout the day and intense physical activity is not recommended during this period.
The goal of the 1200-calorie diet is for the individual to burn more calories than he or she eats a day, so that he or she can spend the accumulated fat. A sedentary adult woman spends about 1800 to 2000 calories a day, so if she goes on a 1200 calorie diet, she will be eating 600 to 800 calories less than she uses, and so she will lose weight.
It is important to remember that this diet must be accompanied by a nutritionist, as it causes a large caloric restriction. Therefore, before starting this diet, the ideal is to make a complete nutritional assessment.
How the 1200 calorie diet is made
The 1200 calorie diet is designed to promote weight loss, as it makes the body use the fat stock as an energy source. However, in order for weight loss to happen in a healthy way, it is necessary that the diet be followed according to the nutritionist's guidelines and not to do very intense physical activities.
In addition, this diet should also not be used for long periods, as there may be a deficiency of vitamins and minerals, loss of muscle mass, weakness, excessive tiredness and general malaise.
1200 calorie diet menu
This is an example of a 1200 calorie diet menu for 3 days. This menu was built based on the values of 20% protein, 25% fat and 55% carbohydrates. The main objective of this diet is to eat in small quantities, but several times a day, thus avoiding the feeling of excessive hunger.
| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | |
| Breakfast |
½ cup of cereal or granola with 1 cup of skim milk + 1 tablespoon of oats |
2 scrambled eggs + 1 slice of wholemeal bread + 120 ml of orange juice | 1 medium oat pancake with 1 tablespoon of avocado + 1 slice of white cheese + 1 glass of watermelon juice |
| Morning snack |
½ banana + 1 tablespoon of peanut butter |
1 small pear made in the microwave with 1 square of dark chocolate (+ 70% cocoa) in pieces | Strawberry smoothie: 6 strawberries with 1 cup of plain yogurt + 2 whole grain cookies |
| Lunch |
90 g of grilled chicken breast + ½ cup of quinoa + lettuce, tomato and onion salad + 1 tablespoon (of dessert) of olive oil + 1 slice of pineapple |
90 g of salmon + ½ cup of brown rice + asparagus + 1 tablespoon of olive oil | 1 eggplant stuffed with 6 tablespoons of ground beef with 1 medium diced potato + 1 spoon (for dessert) of olive oil |
| Snack | 1 small apple cooked with 1 spoon (of dessert) of cinnamon | 1 cup of plain yogurt + 1 tablespoon of oats + 1 sliced banana | 1 cup diced papaya |
| Dinner |
Egg tortilla (2 units) with spinach (½ cup) + 1 whole toast |
Raw salad with a 60g chicken steak and 4 thin slices of avocado. Seasoned with lemon and vinegar. | 1 medium wheat tortilla with 60 g of chicken in strips + 1 cup of raw salad |
| Supper | 2 slices of white cheese | 1 small tangerine | 1 cup unsweetened gelatin |
In this 1200 calorie diet, with simple foods, it is also important to drink 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day. A good option, for those who have more difficulty drinking water, is to prepare flavored water. Check out some recipes for flavored waters to drink during the day.
When seasoning the salad in the main meals, you should not exceed 2 teaspoons of olive oil, with more emphasis on lemon and vinegar, for example.
The 1200 calorie diet for men is identical to the one made for women and can be followed by both genders, however it is essential to follow a doctor, or a nutritionist, when starting any diet to avoid harming health.
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