What Does 1200 Calories Look Like?

At our first weight loss support group meeting, the following question was posed: "What does 12oo calories look like?" What a great question (and a great challenge to Marcia and I to find a 1200 calorie and an 1800 calorie meal plan to compare)!

The results surprised us both. The 1200 calorie plan was more food than we imagined it would be and the 1800 calorie plan was not that much more food. One of the reasons that the 1200 calorie meal plan offered such a quantity of food is that it contained mostly whole, unprocessed or minimally processed foods. Processed foods tend to have more calories due to added fats and sugars. Below you will find the meal plans and pictures of the meals for comparison.

1200 Calorie Meal Plan

Breakfast:1 C oatmeal (cooked in 8 fl oz skim milk), topped with 2 Tbsp golden, seedless raisins and 2 Tbsp chopped pecans1 large hard-boiled egg, seasoned as desiredCalorie-free beverage of choice

Lunch: Tuna salad (mix 4-oz water-packed tuna with 2 Tbsp chopped white onion, 1 Tbsp light mayonnaise, and 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard; arrange 1 C shredded lettuce and 3 slices medium tomato on plate; top with tuna mixture)1 medium orangeCalorie-free beverage of choice

Dinner: 8 large shrimp, grilled1 C steamed broccoli florets, seasoned as desired1 C wild rice, prepared with 1 Tbsp butterCalorie-free beverage of choice

Snack: 10 large baby carrots, served with 2 Tbsp fat-free ranch dressing for dippingCalorie-free beverage of choice

1800 Calorie Meal Plan

Breakfast: 1¼ C oatmeal (cooked in 8 fl oz skim milk), topped with 2 Tbsp golden seedless raisins, 2 Tbsp unsweetened dried coconut, and 2 Tbsp chopped pecans
1 large hard-boiled egg, seasoned as desired
Calorie-free beverage of choice

Lunch: Tuna salad (mix 5-oz water-packed tuna with 2 Tbsp chopped white onion, 1 Tbsp light mayonnaise, and 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard; arrange 1 C shredded lettuce and 3 slices medium tomato on plate; top with tuna mixture)
10 unsalted, dry-roasted whole almonds
1 medium orange
Calorie-free beverage of choice

Dinner: 8 large shrimp, grilled
1 C steamed broccoli florets, topped with 1 tsp butter
1½ C wild rice, prepared with 1 Tbsp olive oil
¾ C fruit sorbet, favorite flavor
Calorie-free beverage of choice

Snack: 10 large baby carrots, served with 2 Tbsp fat-free ranch dressing for dipping
1 part-skim mozzarella string cheese snack
8 fl oz canned vegetable juice, low sodium

The first picture is the 1800 calorie meal plan. The second picture is the 1200 calorie plan.