A 1200-calorie Diet: a Simple Meal Plan for Fast Weight Loss

Do you want to lose weight fast? Then reconsider the calorie content of your diet. A calorie deficit is the only thing that really works. A daily meal plan with 1200 calories will allow you to eat varied foods and lose weight. But if you want to be healthy, a 1200-calorie meal plan can’t be followed permanently. It is a temporary measure that will give a quick result.

What’s a 1200-calorie meal plan, pros and cons

According to many studies, reducing daily caloric intake contributes to an effective weight loss. But remember that a sharp reduction in calories is a big stress for the body. You can achieve this goal by using a universal 1200 calories a day meal plan. However, this weight loss has its pitfalls.

The problem is that your individual characteristics, such as your weight, age, lifestyle, level of physical activity, and food preferences, will not be considered. If you follow a 1200-calorie diet menu, you will certainly lose weight, but you are unlikely to be able to provide the body with the necessary nutrients. It is especially dangerous if you already have a deficiency of some trace elements.

You should be aware that a 1200-calorie easy meal plan is a fairly quick but not the healthiest way to lose weight. Moreover, you may be in for an unpleasant surprise: when you return to your usual eating style, you can quickly regain all the kilograms you managed to lose. Maintaining weight after such a sharp weight loss is quite tricky.

It is not in vain that experts oppose a sharp reduction in calorie content. Instead of a 1200 calories meal plan in Australia, you can order an individual meal plan, where the calorie content will gradually decrease by 10%–20%. You will lose weight more slowly than when using a 1200-calorie deficit meal plan, but it will be safer for your health. The main disadvantages of a 1200-calorie diet weight loss plan include the following:

High probability of a breakdown;
Difficulty with a balanced menu;
Probability of regaining lost kilograms when resuming the previous eating style;
Decreased metabolism with a calorie deficit.

What does a 1200-calorie diet look like? Here is an example of a 1200-calorie meal plan on a budget.

DAY 1

Breakfast

1% fat-free cottage cheese (200 g);
Grated medium-sized green apple (1 pc.) with a sweetener;
Black tea without sugar.

CPFC: 200 calories, 17.6 g of proteins, 5 g of fats, 18.9 g of carbs

Lunch

Broccoli cream soup;
Rye loaves (3 pcs.);
Boiled chicken breast (100 g).

CPFC: 283 calories, 36.7 g of proteins, 9.8 g of fats, 11.2 g of carbs

Dinner

Salad of boiled beef (200 g), tomato (1 pc.), sweet pepper (1 pc.), cucumber (1 pc.), olive oil (1 tbsp.);
Black tea without sugar.

CPFC: 559.7 calories, 66.4 g of proteins, 25.6 g of fats, 15.5 g of carbs

Snack

Medium-sized banana (1 pc.).

CPFC: 192.0 calories, 3.0 g of proteins, 1.0 g of fats, 42.0 g of carbs

Daily CPFC: 1234.7 calories, 123.7 g of proteins, 41.4 g of fats, 87.6 g of carbs

DAY 2

Breakfast

Chicken egg (1 pc.);
Loaves (2 pcs.);
Fat-free yogurt (100 g);
Coffee with milk (one cup).

CPFC: 289.0 calories, 15.5 g of proteins, 10.7 g of fats, 31.4 g of carbs

Lunch

Pumpkin puree soup;
Rye loaves (2 pcs.);
Turkey (200 g), stewed with carrots (50 g), onions (15 g) and vegetable oil (15 g).

CPFC: 360.2 calories, 32.5 g of proteins, 14.9 g of fats, 15.8 g of carbs

Dinner

Fried fish (200 g);
Stewed zucchini (200 g);
Black tea without sugar.

CPFC: 318.0 calories, 38.9 g of proteins, 12.8 g of fats, 5.4 g of carbs

Snack

Big apple (1 pc.);
Kefir (one glass).

CPFC: 204.0 calories, 6.3 g of proteins, 5.3 g of fats, 30.6 g of carbs

Daily CPFC: 1171.2 calories, 93.2 g of proteins, 43.7 g of fats, 83.2 g of carbs

DAY 3

Breakfast

Oatmeal porridge (45 g) with 2.5% milk (50 ml) and raisins (20 g);
Black tea.

CPFC: 221.1 calories, 6.6 g of proteins, 3.8 g of fats, 40.1 g of carbs

Lunch

Mushroom soup;
Boiled rice (50 g);
Chicken hearts (200 g), stewed with onions (15 g) and carrots (50 g).

CPFC: 502.6 calories, 25.3 g of proteins, 29.5 g of fats, 28.4 g of carbs

Dinner

2 fried eggs with spinach (15 g);
Green tea without sugar.

CPFC: 361.5 calories, 18.7 g of proteins, 31.2 g of fats, 1.6 g of carbs

Snack

Prunes (3 pcs.).

CPFC: 87.3 calories, 2.0 g of proteins, 0.1 g of fats, 19.5 g of carbs

Daily CPFC: 1172.5 calories, 52.6 g of proteins, 64.6 g of fats, 89.6 g of carbs

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DAY 4

Breakfast

Smoothie with oat milk (150 ml), orange juice (80 ml), banana (50 g), honey (10 g), and 5% cottage cheese (100 g);
Black tea without sugar.

CPFC: 295.5 calories, 19.15 g of proteins, 7.51 g of fats, 37.69 g of carbs

Lunch

Chicken noodle soup;
Boiled whole grain pasta (100 g);
Chicken filet (90 g), stewed in 10% cream (35 ml) and ghee (3 g);
Parsley for decoration (8 g).

CPFC: 421.32 calories, 30.1 g of proteins, 9.08 g of fats, 44.56 g of carbs

Dinner

Salad of canned tuna (100 g), eggs (1 pc.), cucumbers (50 g), tomatoes (50 g), red onion (20 g), olive oil (1 tsp);
Black tea without sugar.

CPFC: 254.13 calories, 28.42 g of proteins, 12.54 g of fats, 5.46 g of carbs

Snack

Rice loaves (2 pcs.);
Сurd cheese (18 g);
1.5% kefir (200 ml).

CPFC: 184.88 calories, 8.08 g of proteins, 6.8 g of fats, 22.74 g of carbs

Daily CPFC: 1155.83 calories, 85.75 g of proteins, 35.93 g of fats, 110.45 g of carbs

DAY 5

Breakfast

Cottage cheese pancakes (120 g), from rice flour (30 g), egg whites (2 pcs.), raisins (10 g), sweetener, and vanilla;
Jam (15 g);
Coffee with milk without sugar.

CPFC: 416.79 calories, 33.33 g of proteins, 4.66 g of fats, 59.65 g of carbs

Lunch

Tomato puree soup;
Beef (80 g), stewed with potatoes (110 g), carrots (15 g), onions (15 g), tomato paste (10 g), and vegetable oil (5 g).

CPFC: 366.05 calories, 19 g of proteins, 20.01 g of fats, 26.78 g of carbs

Dinner

Pink salmon (100 g) baked in 10% cream (20 ml);
Sauerkraut (120 g).
Green tea without sugar.

CPFC: 242.28 calories, 23.26 g of proteins, 14.61 g of fats, 6.08 g of carbs

Snack

Dried apricots (2 pcs.);
Prunes (2 pcs.);
Dried figs (1 pcs.).

CPFC: 129.94 calories, 1.85 g of proteins, 0.35 g of fats, 30.32 g of carbs

Daily CPFC: 1155.06 calories, 77.44 of proteins, 39.63 g of fats, 122.83 g of carbs

DAY 6

Breakfast

Omelet with eggs (2 pcs.) and 1.5% milk (20 ml);
Sandwich with whole grain bread (1 slice), lightly salted trout (30 g), and cream cheese (10 g);
Black coffee without sugar.

CPFC: 321.3 calories, 23.38 g of proteins, 17.71 g of fats, 14.28 g of carbs

Lunch

Chicken broth;
Rye loaves (2 pcs.);
Boiled brown rice (40 g);
Turkey breast (120 g), stewed with zucchini (80 g), cauliflower (80 g) and 10% sour cream (20 g).

CPFC: 408.6 calories, 35.58 g of proteins, 7.54 g of fats, 49.64 g of carbs

Dinner

Salad from boiled squid (120 g), Chinese cabbage (50 g), cucumber (1 pc.), and boiled egg (1 pc.), with natural yogurt dressing (10 g).
Green tea with honey (1 tsp.).

CPFC: 248.95 calories, 31.63 g of proteins, 9.4 g of fats, 7.01 g of carbs

Snack

1% kefir (200 ml);
Walnuts (3 pcs.);
Dried apricots (2 pcs.).

CPFC: 178.8 calories, 9.2 g of proteins, 9.5 g of fats, 14.8 g of carbs

Daily CPFC: 1157.65 calories, 99.79 g of proteins, 44.15 g of fats, 85.73 g of carbs

DAY 7

Breakfast

Boiled eggs (2 pcs.);
Sandwiches (2 pcs.) with grain bread, lettuce and avocado (40 g).
Black tea without sugar.

CPFC: 349.3 calories, 17.99 g of proteins, 21.08 g of fats, 20.01 g of carbs

Lunch

Pea puree soup;
Boiled bulgur (70 g);
Minced chicken (130 g), stewed with onions (30 g) and tomato paste (15 g);

CPFC: 525.7 calories, 37.73 g of proteins, 17.04 g of fats, 51.79 g of carbs

Dinner

Steamed cod filet (100 g);
Steamed broccoli (120 g);
Steamed zucchini (80 g);
Olives (30 g);
Pumpkin seeds (10 g);
Olive oil (5 ml) for dressing;
Black tea without sugar.

CPFC: 265.8 calories, 24.47 g of proteins, 14.2 g of fats, 12.28 g of carbs

Snack

Fruit salad with pear (40 g), apple (50 g), pine nuts (6 g), and yogurt (15 g).

CPFC: 91.15 calories, 2.5 g of proteins, 3.98 g of fats, 11.59 g of carbs

Daily CPFC: 1231.95 calories, 82.69 g of proteins, 56.3 g of fats, 95.67 g of carbs

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Conclusion

A weight loss 1200-calorie meal plan can kickstart your weight loss journey if you are a beginner. This eating style is relatively easy to follow as it provides more food variety than other strict diets do. At the same time, a 1200-calorie diet for women or a 1200-calorie diet for men implies a sharp decrease in calories, which is guaranteed to provide the desired result.

But if you want weight loss not to provoke health problems, we recommend contacting a specialist who will develop an individual menu for you. The optimal rate of weight loss for a lasting result is 0.5%–1.0% of the weight per week during a long period. This is less than when following an ideal 1200-calorie diet, but the excess weight will not return to you again.