How does a 1200 calorie diet plan work?
Dieters around the world are restricting their calorie intake to lose weight. A widespread regime is a 1,200-calorie diet.
Eating 1,200 calories a day takes more effort than cutting back your portions.
If you want to follow a 1200-calorie diet plan effectively, you must learn about the dynamics of the regime. You can find out what you need to know about a 1,200-calorie plan below!
Hydration Is A Key Component
Here is how 1200 calorie diet plan works – Grapefruit
One of the essential rules for following a 1,200-calorie diet is to stay hydrated. Water is crucial for maintaining your overall health.
Not only is water a natural cleanser that is calorie-free, but it will also help deter discomfort while adjusting to a low-calorie diet. For example, water will lessen adverse effects like:
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Hunger
- Fatigued
- Brain fog
Additionally, studies found that drinking water helps burn calories. Drinking cold water makes your body use calories to warm the liquid to your body’s temperature.
Also, the weight of water in your stomach makes you feel fuller when you limit your intake of solid food. So, if you go on a low-calorie diet, remember to drink plenty of water!
Calorie Density Will Pull You Through
Like drinking water, keeping calorie density in mind when you eat will help you feel full even though you are only consuming 1,200 calories a day.
Calorie density is the measure of a food’s calorie content compared to its weight. For example, a pound of grapes will have fewer calories than a pound of raisins although the grapes weigh more. Grapes are high in water, and raisins have no liquid.
So, it will take more raisins to make you feel full while giving more calories compared to weight. Some foods with low-calorie density include:
- Watercress
- Mussels
- Grapefruit
- Celery
- Strawberries
- Zucchini
- Chicken breasts
- Cucumber
- Lentils
Starchy or sweet foods – like pizza and donuts – will have a high-calorie density. Even worse, you tend to still feel hungry on high-calorie foods.
A doughnut has more calories than both an apple and cucumber, but the wholesome options are filling. As you follow a 1,200-calorie diet, don’t forget about the calorie density of your food!
Meal Planning for Success
People following the 1,200-calorie regime have an easier time sticking with their calorie budget when they prep and plan their meals.
Throughout the day, you will have sensations of hunger and feel tempted to eat junk food.
However, having meals and snacks ready will prevent the desire to break your diet. For example, you can prep the easy meals below and stay within 1,200-calories for the day!
Breakfast (Approximately 200 calories)
A wholesome breakfast is a terrific way to begin the day and provide nutritious fuel for your system instead of turning to fatty foods; like greasy bacon and oily hash browns.
- ½ cup Greek yogurt, plain and non-fat
- 1 Banana
- 5 Strawberries, whole
Snack (Approximately 200 calories)
This easy snack is low in calories and an alternative to calorie-dense sweets like pastries.
- ½ cup Fat-free cottage cheese
- 1 cup Cantaloupe, cubed
Lunch (Approximately 225 calories)
Lunch should be light while filling. More so, satisfying enough to curb temptations of foods available at your work office.
- ½ cup Brown rice
- 4oz Chicken breast, seasoned
- 1 Zucchini, chopped
- 1 cup Arugula
Snack (Approximately 50 calories)
A late snack between lunch and dinner can help fill the hunger void and prevent you from snacking on processed junk.
- 1 cup Berries, mixed
OR
- 1 cup coffee
Dinner (525 calories)
Dinner should have healthy portions of lean meat, vegetables, and carbohydrates. It’s okay to use small amounts of butter, oil, cheese, and spices to make a flavorful dish. In all, your dinner is enough to hold you over until breakfast.
- 4oz Salmon
- 1 tbsp Lemon-butter sauce
- 1 Sweet potato
- ½ tbsp Cinnamon butter
- 6 Asparagus spears
- ½ tbsp Parmesan, grated
- ½ tbsp Olive oil
Meal planning generates success for making a 1,200-calorie diet plan a habit!
The Benefits and Disadvantages
Like any weight loss diet, a 1,200-calorie meal plan will have perks and drawbacks. It is essential to learn about the pros and cons so you can have encouragement and avoid adverse outcomes.
Benefits
- Weight loss is automatic
- Foods are flexible for dietary needs
- Encourages healthy eating habits
- Exercise is not required for fast results
Disadvantages
- Balancing nutrition can be challenging
- Monitoring athletic performance is advised
- May not be suitable for prior health conditions or eating disorders
- Possible adverse effects of restricted food consumption
Get Ready to Start
When you want to follow a diet with reduced calories, start by learning about the 1,200-calorie diet plan. In addition to limiting your portions, you need to be mindful of various elements of your diet.
Such as tracking hydration, meal planning, and more. Overall, it is not difficult to eat only 1200 calories a day if you know how to be successful!
