1200 calorie diet
Do you lose weight with it?
© Vladislav Noseek / Shutterstock
With the 1200 calorie diet, meals should be carefully planned. We reveal great recipe ideas and whether you can actually lose weight with them in the long term.
What is the 1200 Calorie Diet?
With the 1200 calorie diet, the daily calorie intake is limited to around 1200 in order to be able to lose weight. Unlike many other diets, the concept recommends three balanced meals per day, which is to prevent cravings. It is important that healthy foods are on the diet plan. The diet is intended to facilitate the entry into a long-term change in diet – the significantly reduced amount of calories practically forces you to eat more healthily, even if theoretically no food is prohibited.
Calorie Reduction for Weight Loss
The 1200 calorie diet can be carried out for a few days and is intended to ensure that we lose a few pounds at the start of a diet change, which increases motivation. It is important not to eat again after the diet as before – otherwise the yo-yo effect threatens. Instead, it makes sense to gradually increase the calorie intake a little after the 1200 calorie diet – For example, by treating yourself to a small snack every day. So the body slowly gets used to it and does not immediately react with one kilo after the other. In order to find the right level, it makes sense to check the weight regularly.
Lose weight at last: what can I eat on the 1200 calorie diet?
In general, any food is allowed in this diet, but healthy recipes are of course the better choice in order not to exceed the maximum number of calories. The following applies: The fewer calories a food has, the larger the serving can be. It makes sense to have a daily mix of healthy carbohydrates (e.g. from wholemeal pasta and bread or quinoa), lots of fruit and vegetables, proteins (e.g. from eggs, fish, lean meat and dairy products) and healthy fats (e.g. . Olive oil and nuts).
Alcohol, ready meals and sweets should be avoided entirely during the diet. After that, small amounts are allowed again. However, the exception should not become the rule, otherwise the new target weight can hardly be maintained because kilo for kilo comes back. And then all the weight loss was in vain.
Tips: Healthy Recipes for the 1200 Calorie Diet
Have you now felt like starting a healthier diet with the 1200 calorie diet and want to lose a few pounds? Then we'll give you a few ideas for delicious and healthy recipes! Here is an example of three meals in one day that fits the concept and together have just over 1200 calories:
In the morning
A combination of oat flakes, an almond drink, raspberries and pears provides the sweet kick in the morning. Delicious and quick made: You will have a healthy breakfast in ten minutes for just under 370 calories per serving!
Noon
Like from an Asian snack bar, only better: Our fried noodles with pork marinated in teriyaki and spinach provide you with all the nutrients you need at lunchtime and they just taste great. Also wow: You only need around 440 calories for one serving.
in the evening
Fish is full of protein and should be on the menu at least twice a week. And it just always works – as our salmon medallion made from organic salmon fillet proves! In addition, a healthy combination of Brussels sprouts, leek and peas – we have a perfect dinner with only 445 calories per serving.
Even more combination ideas and recipe suggestions can be found in our articles Diet Plan and Low Calorie Food.
Don't forget to drink
For both men and women, the following applies: we should drink at least two liters of water a day, and if desired more. Sometimes an unsweetened tea is also allowed. In general, drinks are not included in our plans above. Soft drinks are best avoided entirely, because they are full of sugar and can torpedo weight loss. If you really want to drink a juice, you should use it to make a fruit spritzer with water.
Lose weight thanks to proper nutrition – and exercise!
Losing weight without exercise is possible, but arduous. In order to get your metabolism going and build muscle, which we need to burn more fat, exercise is actually essential. A combination of strength and endurance training on at least three days a week is best. A minimum of 30 minutes should be planned for each workout. Endurance can be increased, for example, by running or swimming, our muscles enjoy circuit or classic dumbbell training. Exercising with your own body weight is also effective.
1200 calorie diet – our conclusion
As a starting signal for a healthier life, you can test the diet because it automatically introduces us to healthy eating. Since it is only carried out for a few days and especially healthy meals are on the diet plan, no nutritional deficiencies are to be expected. In addition, the limited calorie intake is sure to shed a few pounds – A little discipline is essential here too. It is also important to really only do the diet for a short time and then to increase the amount of calories under control step by step so that the body does not slip into a starvation metabolism – in the long run 1200 calories per day is simply too few for most people.
Would you like more help with losing weight? Here we reveal our best weight loss tips, how you can create a nutrition plan and how to lose weight without being hungry. We also explain how the buttermilk diet works.
If you want to exchange ideas about diet and nutrition topics, We would also like to recommend our BRIGITTE Community to you!