Need To Lose Weight Fast? Try The 1200 Calorie Diet

The 1200 calorie diet is a proven way to shed off extra pounds efficiently. An everyday diet with a 1200 calorie limit is nutritionally adequate for almost all individuals, and is the recommended amount of calories for safe and fast weight loss. Unlike other diets which starve the body from too few calories, the 1200 calorie diet, when done right, strikes the correct balance of macronutrients and is often recommended by medical professionals and nutritionists.

The number of calories a person consumes vary according to age, gender, basal metabolic rate, body size and daily activity.

The macronutirents contained in the 1200 calorie diet consists of 55% from the complex carbohydrates, 15% coming from protein sources and 30% from fats with no more than 10% coming from the saturated form. These percentages total up to 660 carbs calories, 180 protein calories and 360 fat calories. For this reason, the 1200 calorie diet is used to achieve that crucial balance to sustain satiety without consuming excessive calories.

1200 Calorie Diet Breakdown

• Fruit- 1 cup of either fresh, frozen, canned , dried or juiced fruit is allowed.

• Vegetables- A daily serving size of 1.5 cup of dark greens and legumes is allowed. Starchy veggies can be consumed up to 2.5 cups.

• Grains- Includes barley, rice, wheat, oat and grits, can be consumed in 4 ounces, and half of which should be whole-grains.

• Meat and Beans- only 3 ounces is allowed. An egg is equal to 1 ounce, so is a tablespoon of peanut butter and an ounce of either chicken, beef, pork, turkey and fish meat.

• Milk- A cup of milk or yogurt is recommended every day. 

• Oils- Only includes oils that remain liquid at room temperature. Up to 4 teaspoons is allowed.

• Discretionary Calories- These foods are those low in fat or sugar free. Up to 171 calories is recommended.

The Skinny

The 1200 calorie diet works in the sense that low calorie diets have already been proven to support weight loss, and the best part of this diet is that slimmers have the freedom to choose whatever food they desire as long as the daily limit is not exceeded.

The one key ingredient to the 1200 calorie diet to work is consistence. To lose weight fast, keeping the metabolic rate at an optimal pace is essential. Exercise  has no specific recommendations on the 1200 calorie diet, because nutritional intake is too low to sustain high levels of physical activity. The 1200 calorie diet would surely produce results, but is not feasible for long term use. For sustenance of weight loss, it would be necessary to incorporate other healthy lifestyle changes.

For more information check out The 1200 Calorie Diet Plan and Menu.