If you use a calorie level for a weight loss diet, it is common to place it at 1200 or 1500 calories. However, you need to ensure you’re getting enough nutrition. 1 approach to deal with that would be to use a diet plan that suggests the number of servings per day from each food category.
The United States Department of Agriculture advocated the food pyramid diet for several decades. The pyramid was substituted with all the My Plate recommendations but it might nonetheless be useful to ensure you aren’t straying too far away from a healthy diet.
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What’s the 1200 Calorie Diet food list?
The 1200 calorie diet plan is an eating pattern that entails limiting your daily caloric intake to no longer than 1,200 calories per day. Typically, most people cut calories appearing to shed weight and burn extra body fat. However, some research also indicates that low-calorie diets could also protect against chronic disease and extend longevity too.
There are several distinct variations of the diet, including the Dr. Nowzaradan 1,200 Calorie Diet Plan or the Weight Watchers 1,200 calorie diet plan.
A few of the specific eating plans restrict certain foods or put guidelines for which macronutrients should be included in your diet. Generally, though, a basic 1,200 calorie diet concentrates mostly on cutting calories without placing any limitations on which foods must be included in your diet plan.
1200 Calorie Diet Food List
- 6 ounces lean meat or protein foods
- 5 servings bread or starch
- 3 servings fruit
- 4 or more servings of vegetables
- 2 servings dairy
- 3 servings fat
1500 Calorie Diet Food List
- 6 ounces lean meat or protein foods
- 6 servings bread or starch
- 4 servings fruit
- 5 or more servings of vegetables
- 2 servings dairy
- 3 servings fat
Keeping Track
Keeping a food diary on paper or using an app can help you understand how much you are eating and whether you are getting the nutrition you need for health. For example, inputting what you eat into MyFitnessPal or Fitbit’s diet tracker will analyze whether you’re getting enough nutrients in each category as well as whether you’re eating a lot of calories.
What Is a Serving?
It may not be intuitive as to how much is intended as a serving. As the portions have been distorted at restaurants and with pre-packaged foods,1
you will probably have to learn how much is the right amount. By way of instance, the bagels recorded on the original pyramid were probably half the size of the normal bagel found in today’s coffee shops.
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Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta
Whole grains are preferred as they provide needed fiber.
- 1 slice of bread or tortilla (1 ounce)
- 1/2 small bagel or 1/2 English muffin or 1/2 pita (1 ounce)
- 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal
- 1/2 cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta
Vegetables
A variety of colorful vegetables is best for nutrition and health.3
- 2 cups of raw leafy vegetables
- 1 cup of other vegetables, cooked or chopped raw
- 1cup of vegetable juice
- Some diets put raw leafy vegetables into a “free use” category and say to eat as much as you want of leaf lettuce, celery, radishes
Fruit
Whole fruits or 100 percent juice can add sweetness to your diet as you reduce added sugars.
- 1 cup berries, cubed melon
- 1 cup chopped, cooked, or canned fruit
- 1 cup of fruit juice
- Apple, 1 small (2¼” diameter)
- Banana, 1 cup sliced
- Orange, 1 large (3″ diameter)
- Strawberries, 8 large berries
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Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese
Both the traditional and My Plate USDA guidelines say to move to low-fat or fat-free milk or yogurt.
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup plain or artificially-sweetened flavored yogurt
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup ricotta
- 1 1/2 ounces hard cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss, Parmesan)
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts
Note that the pyramid lists ounces of protein foods rather than servings. For the 1200-calorie and 1500-calorie diets, the 6 oz would translate into two portions.
- 2 to 3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish (3 ounces is about the size of a deck of cards)
- 1 to 1 1/2 cup of cooked beans
- 4 to 6 tablespoons of peanut butter or 1 cup of nuts
- 2 to 3 eggs
Fats
- 1 teaspoon oil, butter, margarine, mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon salad dressing, cream cheese
Day 1
Breakfast: 2 large eggs, 2 pieces whole-wheat 1, 1 Tbsp. Olive oil spread.
Steak: 2 pieces of whole-wheat bread, 3 ounces. Tuna (canned in water), 1 piece low-fat mozzarella cheese, 1 Tbsp. Olive oil mayo.
Dinner: 4 ounces. Grilled chicken, 1 medium Idaho baked potato, 1-1/2 cups green beans.
Dimensions: 1 cup skim milk, 1 medium apple.
Day 2
Peanut butter.
Lunch: 2 pieces of whole-wheat bread, 2 ounces. Low-sodium turkey, 1 slice Swiss cheese, 1 teaspoon. Mustard; 1 cup skim milk.
Dinner: 4 oz. Salmon, 1/2 cup brown rice, 1-1/2 cups broccoli, two tsp. Olive oil, 1 Tbsp.
Dimensions: 6 ounces. Non-fat plain Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup strawberries.
day 3
Steak: 3 ounces. Grilled poultry, 1/4 cup bell pepper, 1/4 avocado, 2 Tbsp. Salsa, 1/4 cup shredded lettuce, 1 low-fat wrap; 1 medium cherry.
Parmesan cheese; 2 cups spring lettuce mixture, 1 Tsp. Olive oil, 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar.
Dimensions: 1/4 cup mixed nuts, two Tbsp. dried cranberries.
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1200 calorie diet food list
A wholesome 1,200 calorie diet food list should have a variety of nutrient-dense foods that are also relatively low in carbs, such as fruits, veggies, whole grains, and protein meals.
Here are some foods Which Can Be included on a well-rounded 1,200 calorie diet plan for weight reduction:
- Fruits: apples, oranges, carrots, peaches, plums, melons, apricots, grapefruit, berries
- Berries: asparagus, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, arugula, spinach, zucchini, onions, mushrooms, garlic
- Meat: beef, venison, veal, lamb
- Seafood: salmon, anchovies, trout, salmon, mackerel, sardines, codfish
- Poultry: chicken, turkey, goose, duck
- Dairy: milk, cheese, yogurt, butter
- Eggs and egg whites
- Nuts: almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts
- Seeds: chia seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds
- Whole Grains: quinoa, brown rice, barley, buckwheat, farro, couscous, oats
- Legumes: lentils, chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, navy beans
- Healthy Fats: coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, MCT oil
- Drinks: water, unsweetened coffee, tea, bone broth
- Herbs and Herbs: peppermint, peppermint, cinnamon, oregano, lavender, thyme, basil, black pepper