1200 Calorie Meal Plan High Protein Diet: What To Know Before Starting

We all know that increasing your physical activity helps with weight loss. Many people forget that your diet is the most crucial factor determining how much weight you lose and how fast this happens.

In this article, we are taking a deep dive into the 1200 calorie meal plan high protein diet to see what foods you can consume while on this plan and if such an eating plan is suitable for adult weight loss.

What Is A 1200 Calorie High Protein Meal Plan?

This calorie deficit meal plan limits your daily food energy intake to just 1200 calories and focuses on getting a high proportion of those calories from protein. 

Points to Note

1. A calorie deficit refers to an eating plan where you eat fewer calories than your body burns daily, with the deficit being the difference between the number of calories you burn and the number of calories you consume. A review published in the Journal of Obesity & Metabolic Syndrome stated that many obesity societies and guidelines recommend a deficit of 500 to 750 calories per day for weight loss (1).
2. The recommended protein intake for the average healthy adult with minimal physical activity is just 0.8 g per kg of body weight per day (2). A high protein diet demands that you consume more than this 0.8g/kg of body weight/day. A standard recommendation for weight loss is between 1.2 and 1.6 g/kg per day (3).

Is 1200 Calories Too Low?

For most people, 1200 calories are too low even though many weight loss diets – especially those geared to women – claim that a 1200 calorie eating plan is best for weight loss. Such a plan, however, is too low in calories for most people.

Why is this so?

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020 – 2025, the total number of calories a person needs each day depends on various factors, including age, sex, height, weight, and level of physical activity (4). 

The guidelines further state that adults’ estimated calorie needs range from 1,600 to 2,400 calories per day for females and 2,000 to 3,000 calories per day for males. If you look at these guidelines further, you realize that women between the ages of 19 and 50 are recommended an intake of 1800 to 2400 calories daily.

Now let’s take these recommendations and subtract 500 calories to create a deficit.

1800 to 2400 kcal – 500 kcal = 1300 to 1900 kcal

From this calculation, we can see that for young and middle-aged women – even those who lead sedentary lifestyles, a 1200 calorie meal plan is too low for them. 

Suppose you’d like to cut more than 500 calories. In that case, you can still do so, but remember that Harvard Health states that daily calorie intake should not fall below 1,200 kcal or 1,500 kcal in women and men, respectively, except under the supervision of a health professional (5). 

All this to say that if you want to try a low calorie meal plan, there are higher calorie intakes to go for that will still lead to weight loss. However, if you want to push yourself, 1200 calories is the absolute lowest that you should go as a woman without medical supervision.

Read more: 800-Calorie Diet: Why It’s Not Likely To Work Over The Long Term

How Much Weight Will I Lose If I Eat 1200 Calories A Day?

It is hard to say. While diet plays a massive role in weight loss, it is not the only thing that fat and weight loss rely on. 

Other factors determining how much weight you lose include:

• The amount and intensity of physical activity
• Sex
• Age
• Medications
• Stress levels
• Starting weight
• Muscle mass
• Genetics
• Amount of sleep you get per night
• And more (6, 7, 8).

Because of these factors, there is no accurate way to predict how much weight you can lose while on this diet. However, according to the CDC, gradual and sustainable weight loss equals 1 to 2 pounds a week (9).

Use this number to determine how long it will take until you reach your desired weight loss goal. 

Whether you’re a workout beast or just a beginner making your first foray into the world of fitness and dieting – BetterMe has a lot to offer to both newbies and experts! Install the app and experience the versatility first-hand!

How To Feel Full On 1200 Calories A Day

As explained above, a 1200 calorie meal plan is already too low for most people – men and women included – so the chances of feeling hungry are high. However, some things that you can do to reduce the feeling of hunger include…

• Eat More Protein

Protein is the most effective food macronutrient, providing a satiating effect – a fact supported by multiple studies over the years (10, 11, 12, 13). Improved satiety means you will not feel hungry as often, and better diet adherence prevents overeating.

• Eat More Fiber

The research on whether or not fiber affects satiety remains conflicted, with some suggesting that high-fiber diets may increase satiety and others finding that fiber supplementation has little to no effect. Other studies indicate that satiety depends on the kind of fiber you consume (14, 15, 16).

While this research remains conflicted, studies on the effects of satiety on individual high-fiber foods and fruits like oats, beans, and apples show that those who ate these foods reported higher feelings of satiety, ate less, and even registered better weight loss numbers (17, 18, 19).

So, add more fiber since it’s healthy for you and can help you feel fuller.

• Drink More Water

Water is essential for hydration, making you feel better overall, and can help with weight loss. Drinking enough water might help you feel less hungry and eat less overall. 

In a study published in the Clinical Nutrition Research, researchers found that when study subjects drank water before eating a test meal, they consumed less food than when they didn’t drink the water or drank water after the meal. 

They also didn’t feel less satisfied when they ate less after drinking water.

Since the subjects were unbothered by eating less when they drank water before their meal, water could have increased satiety effects (20).

• Sleep More

Multiple studies have linked sleep deprivation and other sleep issues to increased appetite and hunger (21, 22, 23). Getting the recommended 7 to 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep a night could reduce the chance of increased hunger, especially late-night eating while on a 1200 calorie meal plan high protein for weight loss diet.

• Try Intermittent Fasting

Some people have found intermittent fasting to be a fantastic plan for weight loss, management, and control, and one of the reasons could be that this type of eating has some effects on appetite control and satiety.

In one study published in Advances in Nutrition, researchers noted that, unlike essential calorie restriction, time-restricted feeding (i.e., intermittent fasting) does not seem to increase the hunger hormone ghrelin, suggesting that IF may have a potential effect on the decrease of hunger (24). 

IF tends to help people lose weight by restricting their eating time and decreasing calorie intake. If you can achieve the benefits without an increase in hunger, it would make the experience much more pleasant.

What Foods Are Good For A 1200 Calorie Diet?

If you want to get the most out of your high protein calorie deficit diet, you must make sure to eat the right kinds of foods. These include:

• Whole Grains

Examples: oats, quinoa, wholewheat bread, and pasta, brown and wild rice, millet, farro, and barley, among others

Whole grains are higher in fiber than refined carbs. As mentioned above, high-fiber foods may increase satiety. 

Ps. If you choose to do a 1200 calorie meal plan high protein low carb diet, whichever limited carb choices you are allowed should also be from whole grains.

• Protein

Not all proteins are created equal. You should fill your high protein meal plan with options such as eggs, low-fat dairy products (specifically Greek yogurt and cottage cheese), lean meats, poultry, seafood, tofu, other soy products, legumes, and lentils.

• Healthy Fats

Fats always get a bad rep, especially regarding weight loss, but like carbs and protein, having the right kind of fats can help with health and weight management. 

Research shows that high-quality fats positively affect body weight and obesity (25). High-quality healthy fat sources include olive oil, canola and other vegetable oils, fatty fish and other seafood, avocados, nuts, nut butter, and seeds.

• Leafy Greens and Non-Starchy Vegetables

These are also known as low calorie high volume foods – which simply means they are low in calories and you can consume them in high volume without messing up your calorie intake for the day. Since they are rich in fiber and water, they also help fill you up without too many calories.

These foods make the best snacks and can always be used to fill up your plate if the plate looks a little empty. 

Examples include spinach, kale, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumbers, tomatoes, radishes, mushrooms, lettuce, eggplants, bok choy, lettuce, carrots, and more.

A 1200 calorie meal plan high protein vegetarian  is possible with a few modifications:

• Substitute meat with high-protein legumes for boosted protein.
• Use tofu or tempeh for protein and essential amino acids.
• Snack on nuts, edamame, and protein bars
• Add Greek yogurt to your meals for protein and probiotics.

These modifications can help you maintain a high-protein vegetarian diet while keeping your calorie intake at 1,200 (26). 

What Are 1200 Calorie High Protein Foods?

As listed above, high-protein foods to add to your 1200 kcal diet include legumes, lean meats, poultry, fish, and other seafood, as well as soy products, eggs, and low-fat dairy products.

4 of the highest protein meats are:

1. Canned Tuna – 3oz contains 22g protein
2. Turkey breast – 3oz contains 23g protein
3. Chicken breast – 3oz contains 24g protein
4. Bison – 3oz contains 22g protein (27)

How Much Protein Do I Need For A 1200 Calorie Diet?

The acceptable protein intake for a balanced diet should be between 10% to 35% of your daily calorie intake (28).

10% to 35% of 1200 calories is 120 to 420 calories or 30 to 105 grams of protein

However, the math changes a little if you are following a high protein low calorie diet. 

You’ll want to aim for the higher end of that range, and you can personalize it further by using your body weight. As mentioned above, the recommended protein intake for the average healthy adult is 0.8 g per kg of body weight per day (28, 2). 

However, a high protein intake means that you should be consuming more than 0.8 g. One review published in the Food & Function journal stated that persons with minimal, moderate, and intense physical activity should aim to consume 1.0, 1.3, and 1.6 g of protein per kg of body weight per day, respectively (2).

We suggest finding where the upper end of the acceptable range (say 25-35% of calories) and 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg body weight overlap, and selecting a protein goal from there.

Read more: How to Decrease Your Appetite Permanently: 16 Ways that Don’t Involve Extreme Restriction

Why Am I Not Losing Weight On A 1200 Calorie Diet?

Here are some reasons why the scale might not be dropping even after being on this diet for a couple of weeks…

• You Are Eating Too Little

A 1200-calorie diet is not enough for most people. While a calorie deficit should help with weight loss, a deficit that is too large may do the opposite. 

When the body goes with too little food, it assumes you are starving and responds by slowing down your metabolism and holding onto fat and calories consumed to try and save your life from starvation. 

At this point, you are not burning enough calories and the body turns even more of these consumed calories into fat.

If this is the case, the solution is to simply accept that a 1200 calorie diet will not work for you and that you need to increase your calorie intake to a more manageable and sustainable level- that way the body allows itself to burn more calories once more.

If you wish to free yourself from all the extra pounds that have been weighing you down for way too long, start using the BetterMe: Health Coaching app and overhaul your entire life!

• You Are Not Exercising Or Getting Enough Sleep

Diet is usually the first step in a weight loss journey, exercise is often the second. Working out helps to increase your metabolism which makes the body burn more calories. Make sure to always get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day. Something as simple as a walk could make a huge difference.

We also mentioned that sleep is another factor that supports weight loss. Sleep deprivation not only affects your metabolism by slowing it down but it also affects your eating habits making you feel hungrier and even more likely to reach for unhealthy foods. Try your best to get at least 7 hours of sleep a night.

• High Stress Levels

There is no way to altogether avoid stress; however, allowing stress to take over will have adverse effects on your life, health and could potentially affect your weight (29, 30). 

Try to find positive ways to manage stress like practicing mindfulness and meditation, yoga, engaging with nature, finding work-life balance, etc.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What to eat for 7 days to lose weight?

You can use any foods listed above to make a healthy 7-day meal plan menu. Choose various foods from all food groups to meet all your nutritional needs. 

Remember that you should not aim to hit your weight loss goals in 7 days. Healthy and sustainable weight loss will take months and possibly even years. Patience and consistency are key.

• Is pasta good for weight loss?

Whole wheat pasta can be an excellent tool for weight loss since it’s made from a complex carbohydrate higher in fiber. Pastas made from chickpeas or other pulses are also high in fiber and protein.

• What foods to avoid while dieting?

You should try your best to limit or avoid foods and drinks high in added sugar, and saturated fats and foods that are ultra-processed or deep-fried. Examples include fries, burgers, sodas, and other soft drinks, industrially processed baked goods, candies, white bread, fruit juices, and more.

• What food is the highest in protein?

Animal products that are the highest in this macronutrient include lean meats, poultry, and seafood. As for plant-based foods, tofu and soy products are high on the scale, as are other legumes like lentils and beans.

The Bottom Line

If you want to try a 1200 calorie meal plan high protein, the first and most important thing to note is that this diet might be too low in calories for you, affecting how well this eating plan will work for you. If you are still determined to follow it, use some of the outlined strategies. Make sure your diet is balanced and made up of a variety of the above-mentioned foods. Increase the amount of physical activity you engage daily and get enough sleep!