for those of you on a 1200-1400 calorie diet

what is your daily menu likt? i would like some ideas

Slim,

I usually automate breakfast and lunch because I'm crunched for time and it prevents me from overeating.  Routine is nice sometimes.  :)

220 cal @ brekky:  either a Zone bar or a PowerBar Nut Natural
330 cal @ lunch: a 6" oven roasted chicken sandwich from Subway
140 cal @ lunch (sometimes): 1 oz of baked lays (a bag), if I need something salty
150 cal snacktime:  1 packet of Quaker Instant Oatmeal post-workout

This puts me between 800-900 cals so far and that allows hubby and I to have a nice, light, homecooked meal.  We will do something simple like a sandwich or a wrap or some kind of organic frozen entree.  Even the biggest sandwich I can make at home doesn't go over 400 calories.

Hope this helps!

I tend to eat about 300-400 calories for breakfast- usually oatmeal and fruit with a glass of milk or yogurt fruit and juice; then for lunch I usually have soup, a sandwich, a lean cuisine, or sometimes a baked potato with veggies and cheese in it;  I eat a snack between breakfast and lunch, and a second between lunch a dinner- normally a piece of fruit, sometimes a yogurt or if I'm really hungry popcorn; and then for dinner I eat grilled chicken or lean pork, with steamed veggies and brown rice or whole wheat pasta with homemade marinara sauce.   There are lots of good recipes on here, though, so that you don't get bored.  You can also find yummy lo-cal recipes on Kraft.com and foodnetwork.com if you look for them.  Good luck!

Typical day for me would be something like:

Breakfast:

- instant unsweetened oatmeal
- 1 TB ground flax seed - for healthy omega-3 fats
- 3/4 cup low-fat soy milk (I'm lactose intolerant, hence soy)
- topped with blueberries or strawberries
- 3/4 cup grapefruit juice

Lunch:
- spinach salad with dried cranberries, strawberries, feta, chicken, balsamic vinegar w/ 1 TB olive oil

I've been in a rut lately and have been having the above day after day... which is fine, I like being on autopilot two meals a day!.. or  I might have a PB & banana sandwich on whole wheat, with carrots and pickles, instead.

Snack:
Fruit (usually an apple)
Handful of walnuts or hazlenuts

OR

1/2 cup low-fat yogurt, frozen berries, blended together

Dinner:

Varies but usually:

- 3-4 oz protein such as fish,  scrambled eggs, chicken, meatballs (if having spaghetti), cheese, or yep sometimes even a sausage link! Basically in that order of frequency each week...
- 1/2 cup whole grain such rice, pasta, quinoa, kasha.. maybe a full cup if I've exercised or I'm feeling particularly hungry
- big side of dark green veggie, stir-fried in a little olive oil, sometimes with some toasted pine nuts
- 1 cup pureed veggie soup such as cauliflower, broccoli, spinach or artichoke-leek soup (I make a huge batch and keep on hand)
- glass of wine or two (okay usually two!!)

before bed snack (not necessarily every day):

- yogurt & berries

Or

- 60-cal pudding cup

or

- 2 25-calorie chocolate bites

Or

- Tofutti Cutie

Or

- carrots and pickles if I'm craving salt 


 

Today I ate:

breakfast: balance bar          200 cal             200 cal total
snack: rice cake with butter  100 cal             300 cal total
lunch: pulled pork sandwich  400cal      &nb sp;      700 cal total
  coleslaw (lowfat buttermilk)   50cal      &nbs p;     750 total
dinner:   chicken, roasted       200 cal            950 total
    Big plate steamed veggies  100cal(?)         1050 total
snack: dannon lite n fit yogurt    60cal      &nbs p;     1110 total
    

I still have room for some fruit or cottage cheese or ricecake with almond butter or something else yummy.  The rice cakes were a treat today too.  Got some brown rice ones.   I do a lot of carrot crunching, normally.

I try not to eat refined breads and such, but lunch was out with the office today, and I've been ill and very hypo-caloric the last few days.  So I had the pulled pork on texas toast and I totally enjoyed it.  Usually I'd have soup, or salad with protein, or maybe eggs in a low-carb tortilla with lowfat cheese and salsa.          &nb sp;

I'm on a 1200 calorie diet.

I eat a larger breakfast, a light lunch, a medium dinner, and then between the three meals I eat light snacks. It keeps me full. I drink 12 oz. of water with every meal and ever snack. It equals out to more than the recommended gallon of water a day. I usually drink one glass of skim milk or juice at the end of the day.

I'll give you a typical menu as an example:

Breakfast (240 cals)
Kashi Chewy Granola Bar-Honey Almond Flax (140 cals)
Yoplait Yogurt-Fat Free (100 cals)
12 oz. water (0 cals)

Lunch (200 cals)
1 slice Merita Light Wheat Bread (40 cals)
3 slices deli-sliced chicken breast (40 cals)
1 cup fresh strawberries (50 cals)
15 Pringles Fat Free Original (70 cals)
12 oz. water (0 cals)

Dinner (356 cals)
Lean Cuisine Cheese Ravioli (240 cals)
1 banana (116 cals)
12 oz. water (0 cals)

Snacks
1 oz. raw almonds (164 cals)
Quaker Lightly Salted Rice Cakes (35 cals)
2 South Beach Diet Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (100 cals)
4 Triscuit Reduced Fat Crackers (70 cals)

I'm not on a diet.  I'm making changes to the way I eat and exercise that will last me my whole life. 

That too, Claire... I count calories, but I'm definitely not "on a diet".  I just try hard to treat my body right every day.

Those posts are very helpful to me.  Thank you.  Any others?

1350

350 brekkie - Usually oatmeal, blueberries, glass of milk (seperate to oatmeal. If I want creamy oatmeal, I add from that, or just make oatmeal with water), piece of fruit, some nuts on top
100 snack - usually and orange and 50 cals of yogurt. Or 200g rockmelon and 1/2 a milo bar (around 88 cal, the rest I make up with grapes or something)
400 lunch - 2 slices wholemeal bread, LOTS of salads, some sort of protein source (beans, chicken, cottage cheese, egg white, fish, salmon, tuna) watermelon for 'dessert'
100 snack (post gym) cottage cheese and yogurt mixed with splenda and blueberries
400 dinner - meat of some sort (esp if I didnt get any at lunch), steamed veggies, 1/2 c rice or pasta. Fruit for dessert. Usually a frozen banana whizzed up in a blenda instead of icecream.

jmghn - that sounds EXACTLY like my meals for the day haha.

Great lists of foods!  I'll have to try them. 

Thanks

This was my course for today, total 1215 calories:

1st course:

1 serving organic whole grain 4-grain hot cereal plus fax, with 2 tsp brown sugar for sweetening = 175 calories

3/8 cup blueberries in the cereal = 40 calories

Less than 1/8 cup 2% milk in the cereal = 15 calories

2nd course:

orange  = 70 calories

3rd course:

1 slice 100% whole wheat bread = 80 calories

1 tbsp Jiff creamy peanut butter on the bread = 95 calories

1 container Healthy Choice Old Fashioned Chicken Noodle soup = 170 calories

4th course:

1 slice 100% whole wheat bread = 80 calories

1 omega 3 all natural egg, fried in 0 calorie Pam (on the bread) = 70 calories

1/2 pkg stir fry veggie mix = 120 calories

5th course:

1 large organic fuji apple = 110 calories

6th course:

6 oz. Cascase low-fat yogurt sweetened with fruit juice = 110

1 frigo swirl cheese stick = 80 calories

And I could not eat one more bite -- totally satisfied.

BREAKFAST    1 CUP MULTI GRAIN CHEEREOS; 110 CAL 1 CUP REDUCED FAT 2% MILK; 122 CAL TOTAL 232

LUNCH    1 CUP DICED CARROTS RAW 53 CAL; 1 CAN LIGHT TUNA DRAINED 120 CAL;1 TBSP MAYO 90 CAL;2 SLICES WHITE WHEAT BREAD 120 CAL; 1 GLASS WATER 0 CAL TOTAL 263

DINNER   2 CUPS HAMBUGER HELPER (CHEESE BURGER)220 CAL;1 GLASS SWEET TEA 70 CAL TOTAL 290

SNACKS   2 CARMEL CORN RICE CAKES 100 CAL;1 SMALL BAG CHEETOS CHEESE CURLS 110 CAL;1 BANANA 116 CAL;DANNON ACTIVIA YOGURT 110 CAL TOTAL 436

TOTAL FOR THE DAY 1221

I CHANGE IT UP A BIT BUT I HOPE THIS HELPS

On the days that I don't excersise, this is what I normally have:

Breakfast: 200 cals

6 oz fat free no sugar added yogurt, about 10 strawberries slightly thawed  with 1/2 cup of uncle sam cereal (it's high in fiber). I mix it and eat it like a parfait. 

Brunch: 150 cals

Normally it's an all bran bar, or a fiber one bar (150ish cals)

Lunch: 200-300cals it varries

 small Wendy's chili (220) or a large baked potato w/ fat free cheese (300) If I'm busy,  I'll have a sandwich on 2 slices of light wheat bread (80cals total) with a couple slices of lean ham (about 40 cals) add about 15 baby carrots and some celery to eat on the side (70 cals)

If I have lots of time, I grill 3oz of chicken breast (80cal), and have a 1/2 cup of boiled endame (125).

Supper: about 300-400cals

Normally it's a healthy choice pizza because they taste soo good (330cals) or I have a smart ones salsbury steak w/ mac and cheese (270) with a salad on the side. or I actually cook, which I don't do often.

 If I feel really hungry, I'll grill up 1/2 a chicken breast(140), and cook about 1.25oz dry wheat pasta (150) and have some salsa on top(20cals)

That leaves about 250 calories to spend on Snacks.  and I alternate between these snacks:  popcorn mini bag (100 cal), 1 pickle when I need salty (25). 1.5 cup skim milk with no sugar added chocolate mix (150),  a whole grapefruit (100), or a 100 cal pack that I have handy.

Breakfast: Strawberry Nutri-Grain bar

Mid-morning snack: Apple

Lunch: Sandwiches: 3 slices of 45cal wholemeal bread with cucumber and 95% fat free turkey ham,
Muller Light Toffee yoghurt

Afternoon snack: Grapes

Dinner: 2x breaded chicken fillets,
Bachellor's chicken super noodles,
cucumber,
a tiny bit of grated cheddar cheese

And if I'm still hungry early evening I have either a Go Ahead honey crisp bar (85 cals) or another piece of fruit.

All of this usually adds up to between 1250 and 1350 cals.

EDIT: Oh, and if you're wondering why I eat such an odd dinner it's because I'm an EXTREMELY fussy eater and I don't like many foods...

I usually hit 1,200 calories a day, but sometimes go as low as 1,000 or as high as 1,500 depending on the day.

Breakfast - none

Lunch - Scenario 1: A can of Progresso Chicken Noodle Soup and an apple - around 300 calories

Scenario 2: regular salad (no dressing) and fruit salad - around 400 calories

Dinner- 4 or 8 oz of steak, chicken, or fish cooked on a George Foreman Grill, and a can of kidney beans or a baked potato without butter - between 500-800 calories depending on how much protein was consumed.

What I listed as dinner sometimes gets swapped as lunch, and occasionally I'll eat stuff that I didn't list instead.

anyone vegetarian?

I'm not strictly a vegetarian but I eat very little meat; I average two servings of meat a month.  During the week I eat about 1,150 calories per day (more on weekends):

Breakfast (230 cals):
3/4 serving Smart Start Antioxidant cereal = 150
1/2 banana sliced onto it = 50
4 oz light organic soymilk = 30

Sometimes I switch the cereal with 1 package Quaker lower-sugar oatmeal (120 cals).

Mid-morning snack:
1 container Dannon Lite 'n' Fit fat free, sugar free yogurt = 60

Lunch (390):

Wrap I make in morning (270) with:

1 burrito-sized whole wheat tortilla = 90
with 2 TB organic hummus = 50
1 slice provolone - 70
about 1/2 cup spinach, 1/4 cup chopped cucumbers, tomatoes and onion = 20
2 pieces tofu = 80

1 package Green Giant Simply Steam frozen veggies = 120

Afternoon snack:
1 apple = 70

Dinner (390):

large spinach salad (with cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots) with fat free zesty Italian dressing = 50
1 cup creamy organic soup (I switch between brocolli, tomato and corn) = 100
1 slice toast = 100
1.5 TB peanut butter melted on = 140

Total: 1180

I'm low on the protein, so a lot of times I will take out the provolone cheese and add in another piece of tofu in my lunch wrap.  Other things high in protein are hummus, nuts and soymilk.  Also if I want something sweet I suck on a sugar-free peppermint from Lifesavers (8 calories each, and I have 3 max) or I have a handful of grapes which I estimate to add about 50 calories.

Hi, if you are looking for a variety of meals that are simple and easy to do within 1200-1400 cal/day try signing up on the discoveryhealth.com National Body challenge.  It's free, it will give you a meal plan for the whole week and can change menus.  You choose what kind of food you prefer from kid friendly, heart-healthy, vegetarian, standard, etc.  It's also a wondrful website like this one.

Hi slimladyrunner,


I a medium sized lady runner (hehehehe) and while I don't count calories down to the last one, I subscribe, through a nutritionist, to a low-cal, low-carb, low-sugar lifestyle that really cuts out most packaged foods.  A usual day for me looks like this (assume LOTS of water drinking too)


Breakkie:  egg white omelet with veggies and feta, iced coffee

Lunch: huge dark green salad with grilled chix, cukes, mushrooms, tomato and a sprinkling of parmesean, olive oil and vinegar

Snack: Greek yogurt ( I LOVE 2% Total FAGE brand!) with frozen berries, mixed with Stevia (natural sweetener) and 1 tbsp of milled flax seed (sometimes this is breakfast)

OR

1 cup Legume-based salad - chickpeas, lentils, and black beans tossed with olive oil and vinegar, red onions, peppers and tomatos

OR

1/3 cup hummus and raw veggies, like peppers and broccoli

OR

1 tbsp soy nut butter and an apple

Dinner: grilled or sauteed protein (fish, chix, beef, pork, lamb) with LOTS of roasted, sauteed, or steamed veggies (the crunchier, the better!)

Hope this is helpful!! I usually hover right around 1300-1350 cals a day! :-)