TIP OF THE DAY: A 1200-CALORIE DIET FOR A WOMAN A carefully planned 1,200-calorie diet can provide a woman with all the nutrients needed for good health, while prompting weight loss. Eating so few calories per day does not allow any room for junk foods, especially those with added sugars and fats. Your meal plan should include generous amounts of fresh vegetables and moderate amounts of lean proteins, fruits, nonfat dairy and whole grains. As with any diet, you should check with your doctor before beginning a 1,200-calorie diet. APPROACH A 1,200-calorie diet should include at least three meals and one snack. As a woman, you may be tempted to skip meals as you juggle family, household and work duties. Skipping meals can cause you to become extremely hungry and inadvertently overeat or make poor choices at your next sitting. Look for foods that have few calories but a lot of nutrition per serving. Staples for a 1,200-calorie plan might include skinless chicken breast, shrimp, egg whites, canned beans, dark leafy greens, cut-up raw vegetables, melon, berries, apples, brown rice, oatmeal and whole-grain bread. NUTRITION CONCERNS While following a 1,200-calorie diet, it can be challenging to get adequate amounts of iron and calcium, especially for menstruating women. Dark leafy greens, extra lean beef, fortified cereal and kidney beans are good sources of iron that are also low in calories. For calcium, opt for skim milk, low-fat yogurt or 1 percent cottage cheese. You can also get calcium from canned salmon with the bones, fortified soy milk and tofu. You also need vegetables, fruits and whole grains to provide you with a minimum of 25 g of fiber daily to keep digestion regular. SAMPLE MEALS Each meal should contain between 300 and 350 calories. For breakfast, try 3/4 cup of whole-grain cereal, a banana and 1 cup of skim milk; a smoothie made with 1 cup of frozen berries, half of a banana and 8 oz. of soy milk with half a whole-wheat English muffin topped with 1 tsp. of light butter; or 6 oz. of low-fat yogurt topped with 1 tbsp. of almonds alongside half of a whole-wheat English muffin topped with 1/2 cup of apple slices and 1 oz. of shredded, low-fat cheddar cheese. Lunches might include 1/2 cup of roasted, skinless chicken breast with 1/2 cup of brown rice and a 1 1/2 cups of steamed broccoli or 3 oz. of roast beef or deli turkey on a mini whole-wheat pita with mustard, tomatoes and lettuce along with 1 cup of tomato soup and cut-up vegetables. For dinner, broil 3 oz. of cod and serve with a baked sweet potato and a large spinach salad topped with 1 tbsp. of light dressing, or have 1 cup of whole-wheat pasta with 3 oz. of steamed shrimp, 1/2 cup of marinara sauce and chopped bell pepper. A stick of string cheese, baseball-sized piece of fresh fruit, 3 cups of air-popped popcorn or a glass of skim milk make good, 100-calorie snacks. CONSIDERATIONS For some women, 1,200 calories will not support energy needs. If you are an avid exerciser, you might need 200 to 500 more calories daily. You might benefit from taking a vitamin and mineral supplement while eating just 1,200 calories. Talk to your health provider about what works best for your needs. NO-ONE SHOULD EVER BE ON A DIET THAT IS LESS THAN 1200 CALORIES UNLESS BEING FOLLOWED BY A PHYSICIAN. Sample Menu 1 For breakfast, consume 1/2 cup of fruit juice, 1 cup of low-fat milk and 1 cup of cold cereal. For a morning snack, consume 1/4 cup of dried fruit and 1 cup of low-fat yogurt. For lunch, consume 2 cups of salad greens, 1 oz. of croutons, 2 oz. of grilled chicken and 2 tbsp. of salad dressing. For an afternoon snack, consume 1 oz. of pretzels and 0.3 oz of cashews or mixed nuts. For dinner consume 1/2 cup of cooked vegetables, 1 oz. of grilled salmon, 1/2 cup of cooked rice, 1/2 cup of low-fat milk and 2 tsp. of olive oil. Sample Menu 2 For breakfast, eat 1 cup of yogurt, 1 small piece of fruit, 1 slice of whole-wheat bread and 1 tbsp. of peanut butter. For a morning snack, take in 1.5 oz. of low-fat cheese and 1/2 cup of fruit. For lunch, try 1 cup of raw veggies, 1 tbsp. of ranch dressing, 2 oz. of lean turkey or ham, 1 slice of whole-grain bread and 2 tsp. of mayonnaise. For an afternoon snack, consume one-quarter of an avocado and 5 whole-wheat crackers. For dinner, consume 1/2 cup of cooked vegetables, 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes, 1 oz. of meatloaf, 1 tsp. of olive oil and 1/2 cup of low-fat milk.
Posted on: Mon, 27 Jan 2014 04:22:27 +0000
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