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Everyone knows that the best 1200 calorie meal plan, is a balanced meal plan that provides for all the nutrients that your body needs. Most people who try out a 1200 calorie meal plan, fail to plan for sufficient lean protein.

You know by now that your required daily protein intake is essential in fast, healthy weight loss.

Today we are going to draw on the experience of nutritional expert and registered dietitian, Susan Bowerman, to show you the best 1200 calorie diet plan.

Try this 3-day 1200 calorie diet plan ~ Susan Bowerman

Looking for sample menus for a 1200 calorie diet plan? This 3-day diet plan packs a lot of nutrition into 1200 calories.

A 1200 calorie diet plan calls for some careful planning – not that higher calorie level diet plans don’t – but when you only have 1200 calories to work with and you want to hit all your nutritional targets, every calorie really counts. This 1200 calorie sample diet plan gives you 3 nutrition-packed daily menus to follow.

Who should choose a 1200 calorie diet plan?

A 1200 calorie diet plan would be appropriate for an adult woman who gets little to no activity and who desires weight loss. If this applies to you, I recommend that you start with a 1200 calorie plan, but that you also begin a regular exercise program as well. A 1200 calorie plan may also be appropriate for small-to-medium framed women over the age of 50 who are only lightly active. This calorie level is probably too low for most men.

A drop of no more than 2 pounds (1 kg) per week is considered a safe rate of weight loss. If you are losing weight more quickly than that, move up to the next highest calorie level. If you are losing more slowly, you should not eat fewer than 1200 calories per day – instead, you need to step up your activity level.

1200 Calorie Diet Plan Overview

This plan calls for three meals and two snacks each day. Here is the basic breakdown for the 1200 calorie diet plan:

Breakfast: 1 Protein + 1 Fruit (+ vegetables if desired)

Lunch: 1 Protein + 1 Vegetable + Leafy Greens + 1 Taste Enhancer

Snack: 1 Protein Snack + 1 Fruit or Vegetable

Dinner: 1 Protein + 1 Starch/Grain + 2 Vegetable + Leafy Greens + 1 Taste Enhancer

Snack: 1 Fruit

Daily Totals: 3 Protein, 2-3 Fruit, 3-4 Vegetable, 1 Starch/Grain, 1 Protein Snack, Leafy Greens – no limit, 2 Taste Enhancers

I’ve structured the diet this way so that your meals and afternoon snack will be evenly spaced throughout the day, providing the proper nutrition to help keep your energy level up. However, feel free to move foods around if it suits you better. For example, if you feel that you need a snack mid-morning, you can move the evening fruit snack to the mid-morning instead. As long as you don’t exceed the daily totals for each food group, you’re good!

Take a look at my ‘How to Create Your Own Sample Diet Plan” article which provides all the details on portion sizes for each food group. This will help you when it comes to designing your own 1200 calorie diet plans. Also, you can always swap out one or two meals for a Herbalife Formula 1 Healthy Meal Drink or an Express Meal Bar if you’re on the go or don’t feel like cooking from scratch.

3-Day Menus for a 1200 Calorie Diet

DAY 1

Breakfast

1 cup (250g) nonfat cottage cheese
1 cup (80g) strawberries
Sprinkled with cinnamon

Lunch

Large salad made with:

Leafy greens (lettuce, spinach) – any amount
1 cup (80g) chopped mixed vegetables (carrots, peppers, tomato)
3 ounces (85g) grilled chicken breast (link to video – quick way to cook chicken breasts)
2 tablespoons (30g) reduced calorie salad dressing (link to salad dressing video)

Snack

1 ounce (30g) soy nuts
1 fresh apple

Dinner

4 ounces (100g) grilled salmon with lemon
2 cups (160g) steamed green beans with garlic
½ cup (150g) cooked brown rice
large leafy green salad – any amount
2 Tablespoons (30g) reduced calorie salad dressing

Snack

1 orange

DAY 2

Breakfast

1 whole egg + 4 egg whites scrambled in nonstick pan with pan spray
Topped with tomato salsa
1 cup (80g) cut melon

Lunch

Veggie stir-fry. Saute together:

5 ounces (125g) firm tofu, cut into cubes
1 cup (80g) broccoli florets
Large bunch fresh spinach leaves
2 tsp. (10 ml) oil to stir-fry
Season with soy sauce, garlic, pepper and ginger

Snack

4 Tablespoons (60g) prepared hummus
1 cup (80g) baby carrots

Dinner

Grain salad with protein. Toss together:

4 ounces (100g) grilled shrimp
½ cup (150g) cooked quinoa
2 cups (160g) chopped mixed vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, carrots, cucumber, onion)
2 Tablespoons (30g) reduced calorie vinaigrette dressing
Place on a bed of leafy greens

Snack

1 fresh orange

DAY 3

Breakfast

1 cup (250g) plain nonfat yogurt
1 banana, sliced
Sprinkle with nutmeg

Lunch

4 ounces (100g) grilled halibut
1 cup (80g) steamed asparagus with lemon
Mixed leafy greens salad – any amount
2 Tablespoons (30g) reduced calorie salad dressing

Snack

½ cup (125g) nonfat cottage cheese
1 cup (80g) chopped mixed raw vegetables
season with salt, pepper, dried dill or chives

Dinner

3 ounces (85g) grilled lean steak
2 cups (160g) roasted Brussels sprouts (halve, toss with olive oil, roast at 400 F / 205 C for 20 minutes)
2 tsp. (10 ml) olive oil (for Brussels sprouts)
Steamed kale, spinach or Swiss chard with vinegar – any amount
½ small sweet potato sprinkled with ginger

Snack

1 cup (80g) diced fresh pineapple

More diet plans:

1500 calorie diet plan

1800 calorie diet plan

2200 calorie diet plan

Hate counting calories?

Most people hate counting calories. Everybody knows that a “counting calories diet plan” is not sustainable for long term weight control. People who control their weight with Herbalife do not have to count their calories.

How many calories in an egg? Don’t care. All I have to know is that it’s a protein source. Everybody finds the Herbalife program so easy to use and most people love the taste of the shakes.

To find out more about the Herbalife products and how you can buy at wholesale directly from the company, just click on the Join Now button on the right. It will open up an information page for you where you will see the products in action. You can also just click here now.

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