A Healthy 1,200-Calorie Diet Meal Plan for Weight Loss

If you're trying to lose weight, cutting back on calories is an important step. A diet that limits the daily calories to about 1,200 may help you reach your goal weight but may provide too little energy and nutrients for most active women and men (men need at least 1,500 cals per day).

Regardless of the specific calorie level that is right for you, strategies for success include planning ahead, choosing your foods wisely and creating meals and snacks that satisfy your appetite. So if you're dead set on starting your 1,200-calorie diet, here's how do (safely) do it.

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A 1,200-calorie diet is not inherently risky and may work well if this energy intake helps you achieve gradual, safe weight loss. But if following this plan makes you hungry or weak, you probably need to adjust your diet.

Also, if this low-calorie plan causes rapid weight loss — greater than 2 pounds a week on average — that means it's too low in calories or not well balanced. That's because weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds a week is ideal, as people who lose at this rate are more likely to keep the weight off, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

If your goal is to lose weight or change your diet to manage another health condition, it's wise to seek the input of your doctor and a dietitian, a professional with nutrition and health expertise. A dietitian can design a food plan to match your specific energy needs, health conditions and food preferences, and can provide guidance on any supplements that are needed to complement your low-calorie diet.

All meal plans provide a certain amount of energy from carbohydrates, protein and fat — the main energy nutrients in food. While the ideal proportions of these macronutrients continues to be a topic of dispute, the National Academy of Sciences provides fairly flexible guidelines.

"The percentages of macronutrients that make up a healthy meal plan are 45 to 65 percent of daily calories from carbohydrates, 20 to 35 percent from fats and 10 to 35 percent from proteins," Malina Malkani, RDN, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and creator of the Wholitarian Lifestyle, tells LIVESTRONG.com.

So according to IOM guidelines, a well-planned 1,200-calorie diet can contain a range of 135 to 195 grams of carbs, 27 to 47 grams of total fat, and 30 to 105 grams of protein.

On the other hand, some research shows the quality of food choices may be more important than the proportion of carbs, protein and fat in the diet. According to a study of over 600 overweight adults, published in the February 2018 issue of JAMA, 12-month weight loss success was not linked to whether the diet was high or low in fat or carbs. Instead, weight loss was greater in those who cut back on added sugar, refined grains and highly processed foods — and in those who ate more vegetables and other whole, unprocessed plant foods.

Read more: Ready to Track Your Macros? Here's Everything You Need to Know

"A 1,200-calorie diet is only as helpful to weight loss efforts as the nutritional quality of the calories," Moe Schlachter, RD and spokesperson for the Texas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and president of Houston Family Nutrition, says.

Whether you are simply improving food choices or following a low-calorie meal plan, planning ahead is important for success. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends that you start with a thoughtful grocery list. Make this list after planning meals for the week, and take note of what you already have on hand. When shopping, choose foods from all food groups and don't let yourself get distracted by foods not on your list.

Aim to purchase:

• A variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, including salad greens, in-season produce and any of your favorite fruits and vegetables. And remember to include white foods like cauliflower, mushrooms and onions, too. Try to purchase mostly fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, although other options such as canned tomatoes or dried mushrooms may be handy pantry staples.
• Fiber-rich grains such as oatmeal, whole-grain cereals, barley, quinoa, whole-grain pasta, and brown or wild rice. Black beans, lentils, pinto beans or other legumes are also nutritious, high-fiber and protein-rich foods that can be purchased dried, frozen, steamed or canned.
• Unsalted nuts and seeds. Although the recommended portions may be small, these foods are great sources of plant protein and healthy fats.
  
• Lean protein foods such as fish, shellfish, chicken and lean cuts of beef or pork. Also try incorporate more plant protein choices, including tofu, soy products, veggie burgers, beans, nuts and seeds.
• Calcium-rich foods such as low-fat or fat-free milk, plain yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese and unsweetened plant-based milk (like soy, almond or cashew). A variety of green vegetables, nuts and seeds are also good sources of calcium.
• Fresh herbs, lemon and lime juice, vinegar, and your favorite herbs and spices. Also keep some healthy fats and oils on hand for moderate use, such as olive oil.

Hunger and cravings are significant barriers to any meal plan. To counter this, Malkani recommends more high-volume, fluid-containing and low-calorie foods, such as salads, vegetables, soups and fruits. In addition, she recommends eating balanced meals, drinking plenty of water and incorporating high-fiber foods, such as whole grains and legumes.

Equally important is to avoid getting calories from liquids and other low-nutrition and high-calorie foods. Avoid sugar-sweetened beverages, including sodas and sugary coffee drinks, and cut back on fried foods, desserts, candies and snack chips. Including these extra calories can really get in the way of your progress. "If you choose to restrict calories, it's important to make every bite count," recommends Malkani.

Read more: Does Eating Celery Actually Burn Calories?

While you can easily incorporate many of your favorite foods into a low-calorie diet, sample menus can help add variety or reinforce the concepts of balance and moderation. Below, you'll find a weeklong sample menu for a balanced 1,200-calorie plan.

At any meal and snack, add water, unsweetened hot or iced tea or sparkling water as a beverage. Coffee is also acceptable in moderation.

Breakfast (293 calories)

• Mediterranean Breakfast Scramble
• 1 cup mixed berries and 1 slice whole-wheat toast
• 1/2 teaspoon butter or margarine

Lunch (304 calories)

• Healthy Lunch Fish Tacos
• 1/2 cup diced mango

Snack (141 calories)

• Celery and Carrots with Hummus Dip

Dinner (399 calories)

• Spicy Bean Chili
• Citrus Greens Salad

Snack (84 calories)

• 1 small pear

Breakfast (278 calories)

• Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowl

Snack (35 calories)

• 5 almonds

Lunch (411 calories)

• Turkey and Green Apple Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
• 1 cup fresh sugar snap peas

Snack (60 calories)

• 1 cup diced cantaloupe

Dinner (365 calories)

• Instant Tomato, Basil, Meatball and Italian Noodle Soup
• Simple Baby Spinach Salad

Snack (50 calories)

• Small peach or a small pear

Breakfast (300 calories)

• Smoked Salmon Breakfast Sandwich
• Fresh tomato, sliced

Lunch (389 calories)

• Grilled Chicken and Goat Cheese Salad
• Medium peach, sliced

Snack (113 calories)

• 4 walnut halves
• Small apple

Dinner (368 calories)

• Slow Cooker Beef Stew
• 1/2 cup steamed broccoli

Snack (42 calories)

• 1/2 cup blueberries

Breakfast (330 calories)

• Protein Breakfast Scramble
• Whole wheat English muffin with 1 teaspoon of butter or margarine
• 1 cup diced watermelon

Lunch (414 calories)

• Tomato Mozzarella Platter
• 1/2 cup grapes

Snack (74 calories)

• 10 pistachio nuts
• 2 apricots

Dinner (299 calories)

• Dijon Salmon Dinner
• 1 medium corn on the cob
• Creamy Vegan Spinach

Snack (77 calories)

• Gingery Fruit Salad

Breakfast (385 calories)

• Flaxseed Oatmeal
• 1/2 cup raspberries

Snack (64 calories)

• Turmeric Latte

Lunch (347 calories)

• Caprese Mason Jar Salad

Snack (40 calories)

• 1 cup carrot and celery sticks
• Small plum

Dinner (352 calories)

• Avocado and Black Bean Burritos
• Roasted Cauliflower

Breakfast (253 calories)

• Granola Breakfast Protein Balls
• 1 medium banana

Lunch (391 calories)

• Grilled Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
• 1 nectarine

Snack (161 calories)

• Pink Tea Latte

Dinner (363 calories)

• Spicy Turmeric Chicken
• 1/2 cup brown rice
• 1/2 cup steamed carrots

Snack (31 calories)

• 1/2 cup blackberries

Breakfast (272 calories)

• Pumpkin Protein Smoothie

Lunch (324 calories)

• Simple Veggie Soup
• 4 whole-wheat crackers
• 1 cup sliced strawberries

Snack (143 calories)

• Cranberry Soy Yogurt
• 2 walnut halves

Dinner (360 calories)

• Chia Seed Crusted Fish
• 1 cup of baked acorn squash
• Caesar-Style Kale Salad

Snack (103 calories)

• Tropical Fruit Pop

Eating just 1,200 calories a day may help you drop those last few pesky pounds. But even when cutting calories, weight loss success depends on the individual. So, it's not easy to predict, for example, how long it will take to lose 5 pounds on a 1,200-calorie diet.

"Genetic, metabolic, hormonal and environmental differences between people can affect weight and the rate of weight loss," Malkani tells us. "Past weight loss advice has been to recommend eating about 500 calories less per day than usual to achieve 1 pound of weight loss a week. Weight loss is rarely that simple, predictable and linear."

Another important tool for weight loss success is the incorporation of exercise. Exercise is safe when following a 1,200-calorie plan — if this target is appropriate for your energy needs. "Without physical activity, caloric restriction tends to result in loss of lean body mass, which is not ideal," Malkani says, adding that "weight-bearing exercises (such as walking) can help build and maintain muscle during weight loss."

Schlachter adds, "It's also important that your calorie target for weight loss takes the exercise program into consideration, so your diet is designed to support adequate activity." According to a review published in the June 2018 issue of Progress in Cardiovascular Disease, 150 minutes of moderate-intensity weekly exercise can prevent weight gain.

Read more: Ready to Adopt a Mediterranean Diet? Start With This 7-Day Meal Plan