7-Day Weight Loss Meal Plan: 1,200 Calories

Scientific research conducted by health experts, nutritionists, dieticians, physical trainers, etc has shown the effectiveness of following a 7-day weight loss meal plan. Essentially, when a person consumes a 1200-calorie diet per day, it can be useful to stay on track for the eventual goal of losing weight. This specific number of calories can also be a great idea as it helps you meet the required calorie needs of your body. In the aim to maintain a healthy diet and lose weight, it would be vital to follow the necessary steps and not deprive your body of the nutrition it needs.

Calories, carbs, vitamins, minerals, nutrients, etc are all necessary to keep the body healthily functioning throughout the day. This is where the research comes in and the particular number of 1200 calories has been deemed necessary. Of course, this might differ from person to person, their body types, specific needs, goals, etc, but this number is often considered a good position as a baseline, to begin with.

Having a planned meal can help you be on track as you would have a fixed schedule to follow. Your body and mind will know what to expect and will slowly get used to the nutrition and calories you are providing. You can always visit an expert to understand and evaluate your personal needs and design your goals. They can also help you come up with a meal plan that would be suited to your body type. The planning need not be extensive and time-consuming. With a few simple steps, you can come up with a basic meal plan that will be inclusive of all your needs – you can choose a meal plan that incorporates ingredients that are easily accessible to you. Your 1200-calorie diet plan can be simple and effective. Also know about diet for diabetic patient.

How to Prepare your Meals for a Week?

You can prepare your 1200-calorie meal plan for the week by taking into account exactly what you may need in terms of meeting your nutritional requirements. If the goal is to lose weight, this would be one of the best ways to go about it without putting your body through too much.

Some important points that you can keep in mind while preparing this meal plan could be:

• Consider the number of proteins, fiber, healthy fats, carbs, etc your body may need and devise a plan that would be dedicated to meeting those. You can take help from professionals that can help you understand your body’s needs. 
• You can think about how you would like to divide the calories between snacks and the major meals in a day. For example, each full meal can consist of 300-350 calories while the evening and morning snacks can be about 100-150 calories each. This will have to be done by choosing the food groups carefully so that you remain full until the next meal and the urge to eat in between would die down.  Also know about diet chart for diabetic and kidney patient pdf

Meal Plan- Overview

Creating a 7-day diet plan for weight loss can be simple if you need it to be. You need to make sure to keep the right nutrients intact so that you are not losing out on anything important while trying to achieve your goal of weight loss. In the quest to do so, an unhealthily under-nutritious diet can only do more harm. Ensure that your day consists of 3 meals and 2 snacks. These portions of food should be well-balanced in terms of the ingredients and what it provides. Carbohydrates, fats, proteins, fiber content, vitamins, antioxidants, etc should be in ample amounts. 

The way you cook the meal is also important. For example, grilling chicken or fish vs frying them would include the same ingredients but would change the fat and calorie content. To achieve this, it would be vital to understand the quantity of each nutrient that needs to go into your body.

• The brain and the body break down carbs into glucose and use it to function. The number of carbs would depend on several factors, however, in a 1200-calorie diet plan, about 45-65% of the nutrition can be via carbs. Choose healthy carbs like kale, beans, quinoa, etc
• For proteins, about 25-30 grams per meal will do the job. Officially, the recommendation for protein is 0.8 grams per kg of body weight. 
• The recommendation for fat intake is 20 to 35% of calories. Choose plant foods, fish, eggs, dairy, etc for the same.

7 days diet plan

This is an example of how you can plan your 7-day diet plan for weight loss:

Day 1

• Breakfast – ½ cup oatmeal with blueberries and walnuts
• Lunch – whole wheat wraps with tomatoes, lettuce, turkey, mayo, or other sauces
• Snack – apple
• Dinner – Cooked chicken breast, 1 cup whole wheat pasta, whole wheat sandwich

Day 2

• Breakfast – whole wheat toast, egg, medium-sized avocado
• Lunch – jowar roti with leafy vegetables, salad
• Snack – peach
• Dinner – grilled salmon, steamed broccoli, saute vegetables, etc

Day 3

• Breakfast – whole wheat parathas, banana
• Lunch – dal and steamed rice
• Snack – cherries (15)
• Dinner – Poha, Upma, with buttermilk

Day 4

• Breakfast – whole-grain cereal with milk and fruits
• Lunch – hummus with tortilla, pulses
• Snack – 15 almonds
• Dinner – tomato soup with a whole wheat sandwich

Day 5

• Breakfast – greek yogurt, granola bar
• Lunch – roti and vegetables, or rice, dal, and a vegetable
• Snack – dark chocolate and milk
• Dinner – cooked brown rice, grilled chicken.

Day 6

• Breakfast – wheat flakes or oatmeal
• Lunch – salad with chickpeas, cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc
• Snack – watermelon – 1 cup of hummus 
• Dinner – whole wheat pizza

Day 7

• Breakfast – a hard-boiled egg, whole wheat toast
• Lunch – whole wheat wrap, Frankie, etc
• Snack – Greek yogurt with berries
• Dinner – turkey burger patty, whole wheat burger, etc

Also read about the amount of sugar in watermelon

Bottomline

Losing weight need not be a tough task, all you need is 7 days and a diet plan! Choose your meals carefully considering all the important nutrients to keep your body to its highest possible level of energy and function. For the best results, consult a dietician who can help you curate this meal tailor-made to your needs. The changes you will see will keep you motivated to continue this plan.

Also read about benefits of dates for diabetes

FAQs

What is the 7-day challenge diet?

A 7-day weight loss meal plan is one of the best scientific ways to lose weight and ensure that your body is still receiving all the ample nutrients that it needs to function well. It helps to eliminate all the extra and unnecessary carbs from the diet along with sugar to ensure good long-term health and optimal body weight.

Can you lose weight on a 1200-calorie-a-day diet?

Yes, it is possible that with a 1200-calorie meal plan you can lose weight. This is because the food and eating habits are controlled and you only consume what is necessary for your body. Limited calories mean limited carbs, fat, and sugar. 

What is the best fruit for weight loss?

While creating a 7-day diet plan for weight loss, you can include fruits like apples, berries, kiwi, melons, avocado, etc. These are low in their glycemic index and will help reduce overall fat by keeping you full for a long time.