Hello, dear readers of my blog! Right now I want to introduce you to another way to lose weight. 1200 calorie diet Perfect for people who watch their weight. There are rumors on the Internet that it allows you to bring your body back to normal in a matter of weeks. In this article we will discuss how true this information is. We will also analyze the principles of operation and the benefits of such a diet. Let's go through the menu and discuss reviews from people who have already lost weight in a similar way. Interesting? Well, first things first.

The essence of the diet

From the name itself you can already draw conclusions. Eating this way involves limiting your intake of standard amounts of nutrients: fats, proteins and carbohydrates. At the same time, we maintain the minimum permissible calorie threshold for the uninterrupted functioning of the body.

Daily consumption of foods with a total calorie content of just over a thousand is sufficient for the human body to function fully. By keeping the amount of food consumed to a minimum threshold, we prevent the process of endogenous nutrition. That is, our muscles are not destroyed. The energy from the products is more than enough for going to work, training, or walking. The diet is very simple , but quite effective.

Principles and action, why 1200

This amount of calories per day quite enough for any type of people. This method of losing weight is completely harmless. There are also no specific contraindications. To get your due effect It is recommended to adhere to the following principles:

Let's briefly look at each point.

Drink plenty of fluids

Water helps normalize the excretory systems and eliminates all waste from the body. Slags and toxins are removed much more quickly. Thus, our body will acquire a slender silhouette in a much shorter time.

Chewing thoroughly

Since we are reducing our calorie intake quite significantly, we need to learn how to get enough of a modest diet. It's more of a psychological component. However, it is largely decisive. After all, the habit of constantly chewing something is inherent in almost everyone, don’t you agree?

The digestion process begins right in oral cavity. Therefore, prolonged chewing promotes faster absorption of foods. This means saturation will come earlier. So it turns out that we eat less, but fill up more. This technique can be used regardless of the chosen diet.

Any workout requires a large amount of energy consumption. Therefore, together with a diet, you can lose a significant amount of extra pounds. What exactly to do? Everything is individual. Do what you like best: run, jump, squat.

How to create a competent diet, description of products

Now we get to the most interesting part. Well planned menu for a week is the key to adequate well-being and rapid weight loss. Balanced The diet will allow you to put your body in order without harming your body and “cleanse” it healthy.

I would like to note right away: no fanaticism in the nutrition process. You must strictly adhere to the prepared menu. If we overdo it, our efforts can end badly - even leading to anorexia. So that the whole procedure brings nothing but pleasure and enjoyment, I have prepared a diet for you for every day.

The daily requirement of all necessary microelements is present throughout the week. In the first few days, causeless fatigue and loss of vitality may appear. It's OK. This is a temporary effect. Out of habit, it is difficult for the body to immediately switch to a new type of nutrition. How long will this process take? Don't worry. Definitely not month . As a rule, 2-3 days and everything stabilizes. The food you eat will be more than enough.

Presented table includes the name of the products, their quantity and calorie content. You can use it all year round and even bookmark it as photo . Depending on the goals, the duration of the diet is not standardized.

Table of suitable products

It is advisable not to mix a bunch of different ingredients into one plate. It’s better to take it as a rule:

  • No more than five ingredients in one dish

With this technique we will increase the number digestible nutrients. And as a result, you will want to eat less.

A morning smoothie can be prepared from the following products:

  • Glass of skim milk
  • Cherry – 145 g
  • Strawberries – 155 g
  • Vanillin - a pinch

We throw the whole thing into a blender and grind it. It is advisable to use chilled milk. This mix will charge you with energy for the whole day in the morning.

I also want to draw attention to the preparation of chicken schnitzel. Be sure to clean it off the skin. We are only interested in the fillet. Then simmer a little on the fire, adding water. 10-15 minutes will be enough.

You can safely use the above table as a template. Depending on your appetite, replace any component with the desired product. The main thing is to keep an eye on the final number. Allowed limit: plus or minus 50 calories. Going beyond the limits will make it difficult to obtain results.

You should have breakfast an hour after you wake up. Allow your body to awaken and launch all internal systems. Be sure to drink a glass of water before meals. Water will start lymph circulation and speed up the absorption of nutrients.

On average, try to keep the time between meals about three hours. It is enough to digest all components. At the same time digestive system manages to rest. And this is quite important.

However, it is much easier to follow the principles proper nutrition, having a clear proven system before your eyes. Therefore, I recommend that you purchase Vadim Zeland’s book “clean food. A book about clean, simple and powerful food".

Author in simple language describes how ordinary food can create ideal conditions for the functioning of the body and mind. You will find out what properties a particular product has. And also how and with what it is better to use it. Vadim Zeland shows delicious and healthy recipes for every day. You will also understand how to get rid of bad habits and how to choose the right household appliances to maximize the energy conservation of your products.

Prohibited in any situation

There are a number of points to avoid. Otherwise, we risk losing the effect of the diet. Your health may also worsen. So, to prevent negative consequences, remove the following from my life:

  1. Alcoholic drinks
  2. Any drugs
  3. Flour (buns, shangi, etc.)
  4. Trips to fast food restaurants
  5. Sweets (chocolates, candies, etc.)
  6. Synthetics from the supermarket (carbonated drinks, chewing gum)

It’s no secret that these things in themselves are far from useful, would you agree? But when we consume just 1,200 calories daily, these substances can cause irreparable damage. For comparison:

  • Burger from KFC - 560-600 kcal per piece
  • 100 grams of dark chocolate - 530 kcal

So, let's love ourselves and not force ourselves unnecessarily.

Today, many men and women are interested in independent weight loss at home. We recommend that you take a closer look at the 1200 calorie per day diet menu, which is offered by famous nutritionists.

Thus, nutritionist Kovalkov’s system can be used not only in the clinic, but also at home. It aims not only to achieve weight loss, but also to restore proper metabolism.

Dr. Kovalkov’s diet consists of several stages, and the very first of them is preparatory. At this time, you should give up almost any type of carbohydrates (buns, pastries, sweets, honey, potatoes, rice, etc.)

There is a strict ban on alcohol consumption. In the first week or two, it is recommended to stick to 5 meals a day and not overeat in order to prepare the body for the transition to the next stages of the diet.

Already at this stage, you will have the opportunity to lose extra accumulated kilograms, and also reduce the risk of heart disease and such dangerous diabetes mellitus.

Starting from the main stage, which can last from 10 days to 2 weeks, we shake up the body, cleanse our gastrointestinal tract and prepare the body for small doses of food.

In the morning, according to Kovalkov’s wishes, it is necessary to take an hour-long walk or active warm-up. You also need to adhere to the established daily routine and your diet menu.

What to eat and how to combine it with exercise?

So, an approximate daily diet for this week could be as follows:

  • an hour after charging, take a cup of low-fat kefir, eat 1 tablespoon of bran or nuts;
  • after a couple of hours you can eat 1 apple;
  • for lunch you can allow yourself an apple or half a grapefruit;
  • After another hour, you can repeat the same meal;
  • a plate of vegetable salad with light dressing is suitable for dinner;
  • before a night's rest - a glass of milk, yogurt.

During this period, according to nutritionists, you should not visit the gym. It’s just that the nutrition is such that it will simply not be enough for normal muscle growth. Limit yourself to light morning workouts.

The next stage is providing comfortable nutrition coupled with intensive fat burning. Some variety is allowed in the diet menu: you can gradually include chicken breast, turkey, lean fish, cottage cheese, seafood, and cheese. On the other hand, according to Kovalkov, from now on you will have to cook any food exclusively by steaming, and not by frying in oil.

In addition, the diet should be 5-6 meals a day and varied. Almost any fruit, berries, and vegetables are allowed for consumption.

The main difference between this 1200 cal diet and many others that outline weekly menus is the presence in it of a fairly large amount of fiber, which provides vital carbohydrates every day.

Another diet: from Dr. Bormenthal

At the same time, the diet according to Dr. Bormenthal focuses on psychological reasons. According to the author, the patient needs to find within himself the reasons that prompt him to consume a significant amount of food.

Once the reasons are determined, you can begin to lose weight without excessive pain of weaning from the process.

This diet menu is based on the fact that a person needs from 1000 to 1200 calories per day to transition the body to a healthy basis for its relationship with food and its body. This must be done not just for 1 month, but throughout the entire period of life - in this case, you guarantee yourself not only weight loss, but also general improvement of body and spirit.

In this case, for a patient who does not lead an active lifestyle, it is better to stick to the lower value of daily calories. An important point will remember that you should not overeat even during heavy feasts and make this a rule in your life.

Before it’s time to sit down at the table, don’t rush, first calculate the approximate number of calories that you now have to consume.

Despite the fact that the Bormenthal diet does not radically prohibit the consumption of high-calorie foods, you need to know your limits in this. Every day you need to eat some product that saturates the body with protein. This can be lean meat, cottage cheese, dairy products, eggs.

You should consume a significant amount of fruits and vegetables every week. And the number of meals during the day can be increased to 7-8.

  • After each meal, drink a glass of hot tea - this will help increase the feeling of fullness;
  • it is advisable to exclude from the diet foods that are high in calories, but do not provide a significant amount of energy - fatty yoghurts, kefir;
  • foods that increase appetite should be kept to a minimum for the entire week of the diet - spices, pepper, sugar substitute, alcohol, etc.

Sample menu for a 1200 calorie diet

For example, a sample menu that provides 1200 calories could be the following diet (then we will give a couple of recipes for dishes that are mentioned in it):

  1. Breakfast. Fresh, omelet with boiled asparagus, radish salad with green onions, tea without sugar.
  2. Lunch. Yogurt, baked apple.
  3. Dinner. Fish soup, chopped vegetables (greens, cucumbers, tomatoes), chicken schnitzel, fruit juice.
  4. Afternoon snack. Some fruit (orange, grapes, etc.), a glass of yogurt.
  5. Dinner. Fresh vegetables, beef cabbage rolls, chamomile tea.
  6. Before going to bed (1 hour before) – a glass of low-fat kefir.

This diet in total equals approximately 1200 calories. A similar menu can be created for the whole week, adding variety to each day of the diet.

Recipes

So, to create fish soup we will need 350 grams of lean fish per liter of water, a couple of potatoes, sweet peppers, a couple of pickles, and a tomato. If desired, you can add a handful of mushrooms.

After the water has boiled, cut the vegetables into small pieces and cook for about 5 minutes. Add fish, tablespoon tomato paste. The goulash soup is cooked for another 10 minutes, and before turning off, throw in a bay leaf, some fresh herbs and squeeze the juice from a quarter of a lemon.

To prepare chicken schnitzel, we will need to stock up on 150 grams of chicken breast, from which we first remove the fat and skin. We make cuts slightly obliquely and transversely to the fibers, and beat them a little with a hammer. Boil the container with a small amount of water for 10-15 minutes under the lid.

In general, a menu for the specified number of calories per day is enough to intensively and quickly get your body in shape before the holiday period or in case of other need. It is advisable to obtain prior therapeutic consultation.

Bormenthal diet or similar types diet menu may be undesirable if you have diseases of the heart or blood vessels, digestive system or kidneys.

1200 calories is the exact number that nutritionists have determined to maintain a beautiful and healthy body. To find out what is included in this figure and how to get the maximum benefit from it, you should familiarize yourself with the proper nutrition program in more detail.

  • The right foods for your diet
  • Approximate daily diet
  • Simple recipes
  • Results
  • Reviews

Is 1200 calories a lot or a little?

A diet of 1200 calories per day will help you easily cope with extra pounds and at the same time allow you to remain cheerful, since it includes only healthy ingredients rich in vitamins. You will only need to slightly change your diet, reducing the consumption of certain foods.
You should know this! This figure applies only to women, moreover, women without chronic diseases. For men, this amount of calories will only bring harm, because their diet should be more dense.

At first glance it seems that this is very small number and it’s hardly enough for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and you also want to leave room for your favorite sweets. There are already 1000 calories in just one bar of milk chocolate. But in fact, this small number of calories is enough to keep a person in good shape, and you will have to forget about chocolate for now.

The right foods for your diet

Before you create a menu of 1200 calories for the day, you need to figure out how many calories certain foods contain. healthy products, often appearing in the daily diet of people.


Products - calories:

Boiled egg – 70 kkl;
- 200 ml yogurt (1.5% fat) – 110 kkl;
- 1 piece of white/gray bread – 115/60 kkl;
- 100 gr. cheese – 158 kkl;
- pasta (100 gr.) – 320 kkl, (boiled pasta 105 kkl);
- buckwheat 100 gr. – 335 kkl, ( buckwheat porridge 145 kkl);
- oat flakes (100 gr.) – 310 kkl, ( oatmeal on the water 105);
- a cup of vegetable soup (200 ml.) – 100 kkl;
- a cup of borscht with meat (200 ml) – 140 kkl;
- potatoes – 100 gr. – 75 kkl;
- beef (young) - 100 gr. – 175 kkl;
- pork - 100 gr. – 275 kkl;
- chicken - 170 kkl;
- white rice/brown rice – 360/330 kkl; (rice porridge on water - 90 kkl);


The above products do not have a very large amount of calories in their raw form. If you cook them exclusively by steaming, water, without frying or consuming oil, you can easily choose a menu that will consist of 1200 calories.

Attention! Even the lowest-calorie foods can be used to prepare non-dietary dishes if you use fats, vegetable oil or butter. For cooking dietary dishes you need to take water/steam or skim milk.

Approximate daily diet

The daily diet should be healthy and varied. Every day a person should receive enough vitamins, fiber and protein.

Some dietary examples



Attention! You should not use salad dressing while on a diet. Butter or sour cream are very high-calorie foods. If, out of habit, you do not want to adhere to this rule, then add only a couple of drops of olive/linseed oil to the vegetables.

High-calorie, unhealthy foods

If you are determined to lose extra pounds before summer, eliminate all fatty and fatty foods from your diet. harmful products.

Attention! It should be recalled that fast food products are not only harmful to health, but also have high content fast carbohydrates. Fast carbohydrates provide short-term saturation. In addition, fast food products are simply a huge amount of calories and fat, which contribute to the deposition of extra pounds.


List of prohibited foods:

All types of smoked sausages;
- smoked fish/meat;
- salo;
- fatty meats;
- all types of fatty cheeses;
- fatty dairy products;
- bakery products (from white flour);
- confectionery/milk chocolate;
- alcohol;
- sauces.

The above foods are not just forbidden during the diet, but harmful throughout your life. They poison the body, leading it to faster aging, chronic or acute diseases.

Simple recipes

Recipes simple dishes It’s easy to come up with it yourself, based on the examples below.

Vegetable salad


Ingredients:

Cucumbers - 50 g;

Tomato - 50 g;

Radish - 30 g.

Method of preparation: wash the vegetables, cut them, mix, do not season.

Vegetable soup


Ingredients:

Potatoes - 50 g;

Tomato - 30 g;

Carrots - 50 g;

Beetroot - 50 g;

Cabbage (broccoli) - 70 g;

Olive oil - 20 ml.

Cooking method

Pour 400 ml of water into a small saucepan, add oil, potatoes, bring to a boil. Peel the vegetables, grate them, and add them to boiling water. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. If you prefer puree soup, then take no more than 300 ml of water, and after cooking, beat with a mixer.


- potatoes - 80 g;

Low-fat fish - 80 g;

Carrots - 60 g;

Onion - Small head;

Flakes (broccoli) - 30 g;

Olive oil - 0.5 ml.

Cooking method

Clean the fish, remove the bones, pour 400 ml of water into the pan, add chopped potatoes, bring to a boil. Peel and grind the carrots, add to boiling water along with the flakes. Cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Leave to simmer on a hot stove.

Attention: ocean, low-fat varieties of fish are well suited for fish soup, but if you choose river or lake varieties, you should cook over high heat so that the fish boils well. This will help you avoid opisthorchiasis.

Diet "scrub"


You can make an excellent edible “scrub” from oatmeal, which is not only a dietary product, but also a product that cleanses the body of excess toxins.

Oatmeal - 100 g;

Raisins - 30 g;

Nuts - 30 g.

Cooking method

Rinse the raisins well and crush the nuts. Pour a glass of warm water over everything, including the flakes, and leave for 15 minutes. This dish should be eaten half-cooked.

Healthy steamed cutlets


- Beef - 100 g;

Carrots - 80 g;

Onion - 60 g.

Cooking method

Mix all ingredients and roll in breadcrumbs and steam it.

It is also useful to eat fruits or dried fruits during the day to make the menu more varied; you can prepare salads from them, seasoned with low-fat yogurt.

Attention! Eating less than 1200 calories per day can lead to detrimental results: impotence, drop in blood sugar, dizziness. As a result, the feeling of hunger will only cause stomach problems or a nervous breakdown.

1200 calories is the norm tested by nutritionists, since this figure contains precisely balanced healthy nutrition.

Results

To rid yourself of extra pounds, you need to determine their quantity and set a goal. Each goal has not only an essence, but also a time frame, so it will be easier to achieve it. The calculation should be approximately 1.5 kilograms in 5 days. This mathematical equation is exactly what a 1200 calorie diet corresponds to. More stringent goals will cause the body to suffer and become uselessly exhausted. If you think this is not enough, it is better to start losing weight earlier for the summer or any other season. Remember that the loss of health may be irreparable.

At this rate, you can get rid of 8 kilograms in a month. Purposeful and strong-willed people achieve positive results. If a person is calm about treats and is not a supporter of overeating, he can switch to this diet several times a year. This will be more difficult for food lovers, so try to go to the supermarket as little as possible and to the grocery store as often as possible.


Attention! After losing weight and following a diet, you need to be very careful in your food choices. It is advisable to increase the amount of calories little by little. In the first month, consume no more than 1800 calories, and then adhere to the following daily norm: 2000-2200 calories per day.

The 1200 calorie per day diet is based on the main postulate: the body needs a certain minimum nutritional value. The 1200 Kcal mark very approximately reflects this level, below which malnutrition occurs for the average woman. This page provides a description with menus and recipes. At the same time, the proposed sample menu for 1200 Kcal is accompanied by recipes that can easily be prepared at home.

According to many nutritionists, too meager a diet is fraught with metabolic disorders, and ultimately with loss of life. muscle mass and poor health. A thoughtless reduction in calories or unprepared fasting simply leads to the loss of healthy tissues necessary for the body in disproportion to the reduction of fat deposits. A sharp restriction of daily caloric intake with high physical activity can cause hypofunction of the thyroid gland. Also, a long-term calorie deficit is fraught with problems with sugar levels, decreased bone mass, weakness and dizziness. To avoid this negativity and achieve quick results, the authors of the “1200 diet” suggest sticking to a given safe limit.

How the 1200 calorie per day diet works

In order to understand how the 1200 calorie per day diet works, you need to know that the energy of the consumed foods goes towards motor activity and physiological processes: breathing, blood circulation, neurohumoral regulation, etc. The body stores part of it in case of unexpected food shortages or increased energy costs. During optimal functioning, excess carbohydrates are converted into liver and muscle glycogen. Glycogen is easily converted back to glucose as needed.

Consumption of excess and unhealthy food leads to storage of carbohydrates in the form of unaesthetic fat. So the basis of the 1,200-calorie-a-day diet is the same as most: eat less than you burn. But there are a number of nuances:

  • strict calorie control so as not to exceed the daily 1200 calories;
  • “fractional” meals (5-6 times a day). This is supposed to speed up your metabolism;
  • Chewing food thoroughly and slowly. You should not be in any rush during the meal, or be distracted by reading or watching movies;
  • lack of active training, intense exercise. Those who tried to combine diet with aerobic exercise sometimes paradoxically increased their weight at the expense of muscle mass. Some sources advise doing the opposite, exercising to the maximum. Anyway, morning exercises, quiet walk on fresh air and stretching will not harm anyone;
  • exclusion of fatty and fried foods, drinks and sparkling water, fast food, sweets and alcohol. It is also recommended to reduce to a minimum the proportion of saturated fats - lard, oil, etc.;
  • drink 2 liters of still water per day.

The last 2 points are generally accepted medical norms, so even those who have perfect weight should adhere to them.

Pros, cons and important notes

It is important to know the pros, cons and important notes so as not to harm your health. An undeniable advantage of such nutrition is the speed of results achieved. By adhering to a low-calorie diet, it is really possible to lose weight significantly (6 and even 12 kg per month).

The second plus (also a minus) is the great loyalty to the quality of food. This is what most diet enthusiasts focus on. A 1200 calorie diet for every day allows for too many “empty” calories - food low in vitamins, microelements, etc. It should also be noted that any calculations are primitivistic. After all, it is not so much the quantity of food eaten that is important, but the quality of absorption.

Women on a diet carefully and diligently count calories, but ignore the following important points:

  1. compliance with the drinking regime (at least 15-20 minutes before meals and an hour and a half after). It must be followed to ensure a normal digestive process. Otherwise, gastric juice will be diluted with water, impairing the absorption of what is eaten. It is easy to notice that with “fractional” meals it is extremely problematic to observe this principle (15 minutes before meals + 90 minutes after + time for a leisurely meal). If you don’t eat after 18:00, then after 5-6 meals it becomes impossible in principle. For normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, a certain pause is needed;
  2. purity gastrointestinal tract. Lack of fiber leads to stagnation in the intestines. There is literally 0% of it in animal food, and this is already a reason to think about it. With a deficiency of fiber, the intestines literally become clogged, impairing the absorption of nutrients. Systematic consumption of plums, bananas, prunes, berries, broccoli, carrots, green peas, whole grain bread and other similar products significantly improves peristalsis;
  3. The focus is on weight loss rather than overall health. Finding confirmation of your success in the form of numbers, it is easy to be deceived: there is no guarantee that only fat is lost. Regular physical activity can be a guarantee, but the diet does not provide for it.

Exit from the 1200 Kcal diet and its effectiveness

It is not recommended to abruptly “jump” from a low-calorie regime when reaching the desired weight. Such a breakdown is fraught with an unpleasant return to square one. Strong advice from the authors of the 1200 calorie diet: avoid amateur activities and be sure to communicate with qualified doctors or nutritionists. Exiting the 1200 Kcal diet should be timely despite the effectiveness obtained.

When leaving the diet, as the caloric content of the diet increases, you need to increase physical activity. Be especially careful when adding fats. It is worth limiting the consumption of salt and sauces.

The effectiveness of the diet when strictly (and even “liberally”) followed is extremely high. The numbers vary significantly because the body type, weight and metabolism of practitioners differ. But it should be noted that weight decreases quickly and for almost everyone.

What foods should you not eat on a 1200 calorie diet?

There is no clear answer to the question of what foods are prohibited from being consumed during calorie restriction. This diet is not very strict, since the 1200 calorie diet is balanced, and you won’t have to starve or exhaust yourself. To get good results, you need to eat 1200 calories a day, while eliminating prohibited foods. For normal well-being and functioning of all organs, this amount of calories will be quite enough, and the weight will gradually decrease. Of course, a 1200 calorie diet won’t give you instant results. But with this diet, the weight will go away, albeit little by little, but steadily. This is the optimal diet for maintaining body tone and good shape.

When going on a diet, you will have to give up some foods. Their consumption can negatively affect metabolic processes and hinder weight loss. Products that are the largest suppliers of carbohydrates to the body are excluded from the diet:

  • all types of cheese (only “Grace” cheese with 20% fat content is allowed and then in small quantities, no more than 40 grams per day);
  • sweet fruits, especially bananas and grapes;
  • fatty meat;
  • any alcoholic drinks, including low-alcohol ones;
  • all types of baked goods;
  • pasta;
  • some types of grains that contain a lot of carbohydrates and starch) (for example, white rice).

Only by limiting the amount of carbohydrates during the 1200 calorie per day diet will the body be able to use its own fat reserves as an energy source and the process of weight loss will begin. The duration of such a diet is 1 month, which is quite a long time. This means you need to carefully consider which 1200 calorie a day recipes you can use to avoid feeling hungry and minimize discomfort.

How much food can you consume for 1200 calories?

The 1200 calorie diet menu should be designed in such a way that it includes all the necessary vitamins and minerals. The diet should include dishes from fish, meat, poultry, eggs and others. You need to know how much food you are allowed to consume per 1200 calories in order to comply with the basic principles of such nutrition.

The serving size depends on the number of calories in a particular dish, but you should not eat more than 150 grams of any one product per day. For example, turkey meat is considered dietary and is indicated for preparing dietary dishes. But no matter how much you would like to, you cannot eat more than 150 grams of this bird’s meat per day. You should pay particular attention to foods containing carbohydrates.

The balance of consumed useful elements in the 1200 calorie diet menu for each day should be approximately the following: fat consumed 30%, protein - in its pure form - 15% and 55% complex carbohydrates. It is worth noting that there are certain restrictions regarding fats: only 3% of them can be of animal origin, the rest must be vegetable.

Contraindications to the 1200 calorie diet

The 1200 calorie diet is easily tolerated by the body and gives stable results. There are practically no contraindications here, however, you should consult a doctor if you have chronic diseases that require increased nutrition. Gradually, a person gets used to eating small portions, saturation occurs faster and the weight, as a rule, does not return after finishing the diet. In addition, this diet is good because it has virtually no contraindications. Eating right is not at all harmful, and everyone chooses dishes and recipes for their preparation based on their own preferences and digestive characteristics.

However, some contraindications still exist. Pregnant women and adolescents under 18 years of age fall into this category. The former must eat properly so that the substances received by the body are sufficient for both mother and unborn baby. The latter need the maximum amount of nutrients necessary for growth and development, and 1200 calories per day may not be enough for them.

Balanced sample 1200 calorie diet menu (with recipes)

A 1,200-calorie diet can and should be varied, even if the diet strictly limits food choices. Fortunately, while on this diet, there is a wide variety of things from the “white list”. The approximate menu for the week may be different, so the list of breakfasts, lunches and dinners presented below must be compiled based on your own tastes and preferences. The proposed balanced sample diet menu for 1200 calories with recipes will help organize meals at home.

So, breakfast options for the week (for one tomorrow you can choose one menu option):

  1. a cup of 9% cottage cheese;
  2. carrot and cabbage salad, seasoned with lemon juice and a drop of olive oil, combined with a slice of bread and a thin piece of low-fat cheese, you can add 50 grams. boiled sausage;
  3. unsweetened tea/coffee, muesli without additives, ideally buckwheat, low-fat yogurt dressing;
  4. omelette made from eggs and milk, fat content no more than 5%, 150 g. cucumber and tomato salad (must be fresh), unsweetened coffee;
  5. a piece of whole grain bread, salad, a piece of boiled chicken and unsweetened tea with lemon.

Snack options may be as follows:

  1. just a cup of coffee or tea, sweetened with honey;
  2. a glass of kefir, 2 tablespoons of unsweetened muesli and a green apple;
  3. cabbage and pepper salad dressed with low-fat yogurt;
  4. grapefruit;
  5. 100 gr. sliced ​​roast beef on thin toast.

Lunch looks quite plentiful in the approximate diet menu for 1200 calories and will allow you to restore the loss of strength, give you energy and a good mood.

  1. 100 gr. chicken breast with half a cup of brown rice, seasoned with butter. The latter is no more than half a teaspoon;
  2. 150 gr. baked chicken without skin and fat, fresh cucumber salad, a slice of coarse bread;
  3. baked in foil or boiled fish (low-fat varieties like pink salmon, pollock), 200 gr. fresh vegetable salad, half a cup of buckwheat;
  4. beet soup or green borscht without eggs and sour cream, steamed turkey fillet cutlets, vegetable salad, seasoned with soy sauce;
  5. two spoons of any cereal and 100 gr. boiled breast.

An evening snack in the afternoon should be lower in calories, so its options are not too varied and only allow for a couple of spoons of natural yogurt or some dried fruit.

Finally, dinner:

  1. salad leaves with carrots and 30 gr. cottage cheese;
  2. 200 gr. boiled fish and 150 gr. fresh cucumber salad;
  3. boiled rice without additives, serving no more than 100 g;
  4. a glass of green beans and low-fat yogurt;
  5. 200 gr. boiled veal with steamed vegetables.

Diet recipes

Many people believe that while on a diet, you can only eat healthy, but the food won’t be tasty. To refute this opinion, here are a couple of recipes for 1200 calorie dishes, which also take very little time to prepare.

Sweet Potato Soup

You will need:

  • 200 gr. sweet potato;
  • 100 gr. cauliflower;
  • 0.5 l vegetable broth;
  • 1 clove of garlic;
  • parsley, cumin and leeks.

Fry until golden color cauliflower with a drop of olive oil, simmer leek rings in water and add chopped garlic. Cut the sweet potato into medium pieces, place in a saucepan, add the remaining ingredients and pour in the broth. Cook until the sweet potato tubers soften.

The calorie content of a 100 gram serving is only 50 kcal.

Steamed fish cakes

You need to take:

  • 500 gr. fish (preferably fillet);
  • 3 tbsp. spoons of breadcrumbs;
  • half a glass of water;
  • 1 egg;
  • 0.5 onion heads;
  • nutmeg is added if desired.

No salt is added during cooking. The fish fillet along with the onion must be passed through a meat grinder, add water and egg, stir well and form into balls. You can cook the cutlets either in a covered frying pan in a small amount of water for 15-20 minutes, or in a slow cooker in the “Steam” mode.

Other recipes specifically for the 1200 calorie diet are available online and are fairly easy to find.

Once again about calories

In conclusion, let's talk again about the calories needed to support life. human body. For weight loss, men are offered approximately 1500-1700 calories per day. Naturally, you need to take into account weight, height, and physical activity. To help fast food lovers understand, here's an example that's sure to be sobering: A Big Mac or a large serving of French fries contains about 1,350 calories.

Vegetarians, vegans and supporters of a healthy diet can rest easy: a whole kilogram of white cabbage contains only 270 calories, broccoli - 280. Cucumbers are even less calorie - 15 kcal / 100 g. If you generously season such a salad with any cold-pressed oil, it will still not work for a “safe” range for the figure. At the same time, the health benefits are undeniable.

Even 1200 calories often more than covers the average physical activity of a modern person. Therefore, if you get used to this diet, replacing fatty side dishes hearty salads, sugar - honey and dried fruits, and baked goods - dietary, this will ensure optimal weight and excellent health. And the “magic” figure will be met. Normalization of metabolic processes and smart food choices will not allow excess fat to accumulate. And then you won’t need to count anything.

This diet ensures the loss of extra pounds without observing strict restrictions and feeling a painful feeling of hunger. A limited diet of 1200 calories per day is an ideal option for gaining slim shape.

Effectiveness of a 1200 calorie diet

The low calorie diet is designed for fast weight loss saving the result. It is important after completing the course to adhere to the norm according to age, weight, and body parameters. The effectiveness of the diet lies in the reduced calorie intake. The body spends more energy on metabolic processes and physical activity than it receives from food.

By creating an energy deficit, the 1200 kcal diet starts the weight loss process, using its own fat reserves as “fuel” to provide the body’s resources. About 0.5 kilograms are lost per day with this diet. excess weight. A low-calorie diet of 1200 calories is suitable for almost everyone; the following are contraindications:

  • pregnancy and breastfeeding - during this period the mother feeds for two;
  • adolescence – the body is in the stage of growth and development;
  • sports mode or active lifestyle - to compensate for energy costs, a person needs more calories than in a static state.

Basic diet rules

Nutrition must be balanced. The diet should contain different sources of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. It is better to make the menu from your favorite products that are allowed. This will make it easier to stick to a low-calorie diet of 1200 calories. Diet rules:

  1. They strictly maintain a daily caloric intake of 1200 kcal.
  2. Maintain the proportion of proteins/fat/carbohydrates in the ratio 30/20/50.
  3. Meals are fractional, the daily norm is divided into 3 main meals (morning, lunch, evening) and 2-3 snacks (light second breakfast, afternoon snack, last dinner) with an interval of 3-4 hours.
  4. The calorie content of each main meal should be approximately 300–400 kcal, an amount sufficient to saturate the body with nutrients for several hours.
  5. The duration of the low-calorie diet varies from 3 to 7 days.

Authorized Products

The main food for 1200 calories per day is lean sources of protein (poultry, fish). Carbohydrates are predominantly complex (cereals, legumes, root vegetables), which are digested in 60 to 90 minutes, providing a long-lasting feeling of satiety. Foods you can eat on a low-calorie diet:

  • cereals (buckwheat, oatmeal, millet);
  • whole wheat bread;
  • durum wheat pasta;
  • fruits (citrus fruits, apples);
  • berries (strawberries, wild strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries);
  • vegetables (zucchini, tomatoes, pumpkin, cabbage, carrots);
  • legumes (beans, lentils, mung beans, chickpeas);
  • eggs (chicken, quail);
  • fermented milk products (kefir 1%, cottage cheese 2%);
  • meat products (chicken, turkey);
  • lean fish (pollock, pink salmon);
  • seafood.

Prohibited Products

Those who want to have a slim figure should avoid simple carbohydrates (ice cream, candies, cakes, pastries, etc.), which are digested in just 15–20 minutes, stimulating an increased appetite. The following foods are strictly prohibited on the diet:

  • sugar;
  • baking;
  • desserts;
  • smoked meats;
  • pickles;
  • marinades;
  • preserves, jams;
  • sausages;
  • canned fruit;
  • sweet carbonated drinks.

Menu for 1200 calories per day

For breakfast, preference is given to cereals and egg dishes. They dine on meat products with a side dish of legumes and vegetables. The best choice for dinner is kefir, cottage cheese, yogurt. Fermented milk products or fruits and berries are also suitable for snacks. Sample menu for 1200 kcal per day, table:

Eating

Products or dishes (kcal)

Oatmeal with water 150 g (132), 1 hard-boiled egg (1.57).

Slice of whole grain bread 50 g (37.5) with low-fat cheese 100 g (340).

Lentil porridge 150 g (170), chicken breast 200 g (226), tomato and cucumber salad 100 g (89.2).

Grapefruit (35).

A glass of kefir 1% 200 ml (80) with prunes 50 g (130).

Buckwheat porridge with water 150 g (195), 3-4 hard-boiled quail eggs (168).

Mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries) 200 g (87).

Boiled beans 200 g (200) with turkey 150 g (210 kcal), cabbage salad with herbs 100 g (75).

A glass of freshly squeezed orange juice 250 ml (36).

Greek salad 150 g (290).

Millet porridge with water 100 g (340 kcal), 1 chicken egg (1,57).

Orange (43).

Mung bean 150 g (450) with steamed pollock 250 g (176), cabbage salad with cucumbers and herbs 100 g (38.3).

Sweet and sour apple (47).

A glass of low-fat drinking yoghurt 200 ml (148).

Oatmeal on water 200 g (176) with dried apricots and prunes 100 g (223).

Whole grain bread 100 g (75) with 2 hard-boiled eggs (3.14).

Boiled red lentils in water 150 g (168), baked pink salmon 200 g (256), cabbage and carrot salad 100 g (140).

Green apple (47).

Cottage cheese 2% 150 g (180).

Recipes for diet

This dish is the most useful look dessert. The combination of a variety of fruits and berries with honey provides the salad with a unique taste. Strawberries can be replaced with strawberries or raspberries, oranges with tangerines, apples, any of the preferably green varieties will do.

Ingredients:

  • apple – 50 g;
  • orange – 50 g;
  • strawberries – 50 g;
  • honey – 20 g.

Cooking method:

  1. Peel the orange and banana.
  2. Cut the fruit into large pieces, strawberries into 4 parts.
  3. Mix the ingredients.
  4. Drizzle with liquid honey.

This dish has great taste and high nutritional value. It provides the body with almost all the useful substances necessary during the day for life. Red lentils have a delicate texture, and thanks to lightly fried vegetables, they acquire a rich taste.

Ingredients:

  • red lentils – 150 g;
  • zucchini – 50 g;
  • broccoli – 50 g;
  • pepper – 50 g;
  • greens – 10 g;
  • oil – 1 tsp.

Cooking method:

  1. Rinse the cereal, add hot water and place in a double boiler or water bath to cook for 20 minutes.
  2. Wash the fruits, cut the zucchini and pepper into cubes, divide the broccoli into small sprigs with dense groups of small buds.
  3. Lightly sauté vegetables in olive or sunflower oil.
  4. Mix the finished porridge with vegetable dressing.
  5. Add spices to taste to taste.
  6. Sprinkle the dish with finely chopped herbs.

The dish belongs to the classics of the culinary genre - a tasty and quick-to-prepare salad. Juicy aromatic vegetables seasoned with herbs and vegetable oil, ideally complement any main dish. The rich vitamin and mineral composition provides the body with many essential microelements with a low calorie content of the dish.

Ingredients:

  • tomato – 1 piece;
  • cucumber – 1 pc.;
  • pepper – 1 pc.;
  • greens – 10 grams;
  • olive or sunflower oil – 1 teaspoon.

Cooking method:

  1. Wash the vegetables and cut into cubes.
  2. Finely chop fresh herbs.
  3. Mix the ingredients.
  4. Season the salad with oil.

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