1200-Calorie Low-Carb Diet Meal Plan
Weight loss is one of the most concerning issues world-wide seen not only in adults but in the teenage generation as well. 1200-calorie low-carb diet is the one diet that is now being followed throughout the world among the people who don’t find ketogenic diet suitable. This diet accounts for the daily intake of 1200 calories with carbohydrates as low as 25 grams per day.
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In some of the meals, the levels of carbohydrates could be lower than 25 grams because the fiber is also considered carbohydrate in terms of nutritional value but fibers, unlike carbohydrates, do not increase the blood sugar levels.
Below is some of the detail regarding the low-calorie diet and how to stick to that diet, followed by the updated diet plan comprising of low-calorie low-carbohydrate content.
Two Parts of Every Diet
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The diet plan formed by every dietician or clinic is the outcome of several clinical experiences and testing. The diet focuses on bringing some healthy yet tasty food to the table along with some exercises being made part of everyday life. It is also the most appropriate way to incorporate healthy habits into your lifestyle and can be modified according to your health history and body needs. It is based on a fit-all approach. There are two parts to ensure a healthy diet and a healthy lifestyle.
- Lose It
This phase of the diet comprises of two week dietary and lifestyle changes which may at ease can make you lose 6-10 pounds initially. This duration is enough to eradicate five unhealthy activities, can make you habitual of new five healthy habits and adapt to five more bonus considered healthy habits. In this phase, the focus is more on the lifestyle changes that are linked to weight. The weight loss in this phase gives you a psychological boost and you tend to practice those habits more in order to enter the next phase and rock that too.
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The pyramid base teaches you about the healthy food choices available that provide you with the least calories and still can give you a feeling of a full stomach. You should go for low-energy-calorie food items listed at the base of the healthy weight pyramid to provide you with healthy options. The regions above the base are the ones from which moderate amounts of food must be opted to account for the remaining calories. This includes carbohydrates in the form of whole grains, proteins in the form of lean meat, low-fat dairy and legumes, and unsaturated unhealthy fats. The purpose of this activity to practice the estimation of portion sizes and healthy choices without removing any food portion.
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- Foods to be AVOIDED in Low-Carb Diet
Food items that might alter the calorie and carbohydrates measured intake include refined grains (barley, rye, wheat, rice, pasta, bread), sugar (juices, soft drinks, ice cream, candy, agave), trans fats (oils either hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated), starchy vegetables (all vegetables having starch), highly processed foods (factory-made items), and diet and low-fat products (cereals or dairy products or crackers which even though are processed but contain sugars).
Typical Menu For a 1200-Calorie Diet Plan
Several calorie level meals can be prepared but the most widely used 1200-calorie diet plan as prepared by the Mayo Clinic is as follows:
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- Breakfast: Oatmeal (half cup) cooked in milk (one cup) with raisins (two tablespoons), mangoes (quarter cup) and calorie-free drink or beverage
- Lunch: Sweet potato and quinoa cakes, salad tossed in dressing (fat-free) and calorie-free drink or beverage
- Snack: Bell peppers (half cup and sliced) and hummus (two tablespoons)
- Dinner: Pita pizza (one whole), mixed fruit (three-fourth cup) and calorie-free drink or beverage
You can think of a sweet if you can limit your calories for it to 75 calories daily, but you should not intake sweets on a daily basis instead once weekly is a much profound option. You can have dark chocolate or frozen low-fat yogurt once a week and then should wait till the next week.
The diet plan provided by the Mayo Clinic makes you lose around 6-10 pounds in the first two weeks of the diet by relying mainly on the healthy diet options. After this transition period when you enter the second phase of the diet, incorporation of exercise along with other lifestyle modifications puts you in a steady weight of 1-2 pounds every week unless you attain the desired weight. This diet plan due to its healthy lifestyle and food habits makes you get through various difficulties pertaining to your body and also protects you from various illnesses like heart diseases, insomnia, diabetes, inflammation, and cognitive impairment. Though the diet helps you ingest healthy amounts of fruit and vegetables which may not affect healthier individuals but could affect certain people due to the non-familiarity of their body towards these food items causing bloating and abdominal discomfort.
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Benefits Associated with Low-Calorie Low-Carb Meal Plan
Combining two approaches i.e., low-calorie intake and low-carbohydrate intake can create miraculous results by accelerating weight loss and also facilitating in getting rid of various health conditions.
1200-Calorie Low-Carb Diet Plan Updated Version
A variety of fruits, vegetables, and other food items are available in the market which can help you vary your everyday meals to stop you from getting bored from similar everyday meals. By adding more and different colors to your meals by switching different vegetables and fruits can help you in sticking to the diet plan and can also ensure the appropriate intake of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.
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Since the meal is of low carbohydrates instead of no or zero carbohydrates, it must include some quantity of carbohydrates in it to facilitate the healthy metabolism. But this diet along with low carbohydrates asks for low-calories, green leafy vegetables are the most suitable candidate to serve the purpose.
Breakfast Diet Plan
| Breakfast | # | Food | Ingredients | Calories | Carbs |
| 1 | Veggie Scrambled Eggs | Whole egg, egg white, red pepper, mushrooms, swiss cheese | 240 | 8.8 g | |
| 2 | Open Face Canadian Bacon Sandwich | Ezekiel 4:9 bread, Canadian bacon, avocado, tomato, cheddar cheese | 327 | 22.4 g | |
| 3 | Hard-Boiled Egg and Blueberries | Eggs, blueberries, walnuts | 286 | 13.2 g | |
| 4 | Berry Chia Smoothie | Blackberries, chia seeds, coconut milk, stevia | 274 | 24.8 g | |
| 5 | Breakfast Burrito | Egg whites, low-fat tortilla, turkey sausage, salsa | 265 | 18.1 g |
Lunch Diet Plan
| Lunch | # | Food | Ingredients | Calories | Carbs |
| 1 | Tuna Melt | Tuna, celery, scallions, mustard, Ezekiel 4:9 bread, swiss cheese | 316 | 19.5 g | |
| 2 | Kale and Turkey Wrap Club | Kale, turkey, Neufchatel cheese, bacon, tomato, sprouts | 253 | 14.4 g | |
| 3 | Spicy Egg Salad | Eggs, yogurt, sriracha, pepper, scallions, Ezekiel 4:9 bread | 290 | 22.8 g | |
| 4 | Chef’s Salad | Lettuce, spinach, chicken, bacon, vinegar, olive oil, garlic | 303 | 8.4 g | |
| 5 | Mexican Chopped Salad | Chicken, cheddar cheese, scallions, bell pepper, avocado, salsa, lettuce, tomato, yogurt | 257 | 20.9 g |
Dinner Diet plan
| Dinner | # | Food | Ingredients | Calories | Carbs |
| 1 | Pork Tenderloin and Apple Slaw | Pork tenderloin, brine, apple, yogurt, gingerroot, cabbage | 309 | 25 g | |
| 2 | Salmon and Artichokes | Salmon, artichoke | 318 | 14 g | |
| 3 | Chicken and Mashed Cauliflower with Asparagus | Chicken, cauliflower, yogurt, cheddar cheese, asparagus | 324 | 14.2 g | |
| 4 | Bacon Burger, Protein Style | Hamburger patty, turkey bacon, lettuce, dill pickle, mustard, swiss cheese | 289 | 6.15 g | |
| 5 | Warm Spinach Salad with Shrimp | Shrimp, olive oil, turkey bacon, vinegar, shallot, spinach | 284 | 6.9 g |
Meals listed above lie in between 200 to 300 calories range and the total is build up to 1200 calories with three snacks in between. The purpose of providing the various options for the main course meals is to make yourself at ease to switch from one option to another to remain stuck to the diet meal plan. For each day, you have to select one meal from breakfast, one from lunch, and one from dinner from the above available options. Making this food in oil and butter adds 120 more calories to your diet plan which you can not afford at this time. So, this diet plan revolves around vegetables, berries, and lean protein to provide for low calories with low carbohydrates and yet keep you satisfied.
Mayo Clinic site has provided the exact amounts of the ingredients and the method to prepare the meal in a scrumptious way in their updated version. The link to the chart has been attached below to clear any ambiguity.