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Try this 3-day 1200 calorie diet plan

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

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

Written by Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, CSSD. Susan is a paid consultant for Herbalife.

Dry, chapped lips are something we all experience at one time or another. Our lips are sensitive and need to be protected. Elements like the sun, the wind, dry and cold weather conditions can really affect our lips. It’s time to take charge and say goodbye to chapped lips! 

The cold winter weather can wreak havoc on our skin and especially our lips. So here are my top five tips to keep your lips in their most kissable condition and ready for party season! 

How to protect yourself from chapped lips 

Chapped lip tip 1: Protection is key 
Our lips have a very thin outer layer of skin and they contain little melanin, which is necessary for protection against the sun’s rays. Always protect your lips from the sun by applying a lip product with SPF UVA/UVB protection. I keep one in my bag, one in my car, one at my desk … always within reach. Our lips are so vulnerable; we must remember to keep them protected. 

Chapped lip tip 2: Stay hydrated 
I drink a lot of green tea and water throughout the day because chapped lips are an indicator that your body is dehydrated and needs water. So fill your glass full and drink up! 

Chapped lip tip 3: Don’t lick your lips 
Our lips lack in both sweat and oil glands making them susceptible to dehydration. 

We tend to lick our lips as they begin to dry out. And while this may provide temporary relief, the reality is it can worsen the condition. As our saliva quickly evaporates, our lips are left even drier than before. It’s a vicious cycle that we have to break. Try to resist the temptation and keep reapplying your lip product instead of licking your lips throughout the day. 

Chapped lip tip 4: Take your vitamins 
Believe it or not, vitamin deficiencies can affect our entire body both inside and out. And, these deficiencies can lead to chapped lips. Be sure to eat a varied, healthy diet and consider taking a daily multivitamin that includes vitamins B, C and E to nurture your lips from the inside out. 

Chapped lip tip 5: Eat healthy 
A healthy diet that includes essential fatty acids is also important when it comes to our lips. If we are deficient in essential fatty acids the chances are that our lips will be affected. Some healthy food choices include fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, whole grains and olive oil. And I choose to take an Omega 3 supplement because Omega 3’s are amazing for our skin and lips. 

Follow these simple tips and you too can avoid dry, chapped lips and instead enjoy healthy, happy, kissable lips. 

Written by beauty expert, Jacquie Carter. Jacquie is Director of Outer Nutrition at Herbalife.

The holiday season is supposed to be fun-filled, but it can also be stressful and busy, which makes it challenging to eat right, exercise and get enough sleep. Herbalife’s nutrition expert Susan Bowerman shares her top tips to help you feel your best during this busy time.

Use a meal replacement shake to control your calories. 
Meal replacements can help you keep your daily calorie intake in check when you’re tempted by festive treats. A Herbalife® Formula 1 Shake made with semi-skimmed milk or soy milk will give you the protein and energy you need. If you have a party in the mid-afternoon, have a shake beforehand so you’re not famished when you arrive. 

Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. 
Fruits and vegetables are low in calories and are one of the best defences against weight gain. Eat some fresh fruit and vegetables at meals and snacks, and seek them out at festive parties and buffets. 

Watch your alcohol intake. 
The calories in alcoholic beverages add up fast. To reduce your overall intake, try alternating an alcoholic beverage with a calorie-free beverage. If you don’t feel sociable without a drink in your hand, a glass of sparkling mineral water with a slice of lime or lemon will do the trick. 

Save your calories for special holiday foods. 
We all have certain foods that we associate with the festive season, foods that we don’t eat at any other time of the year. You don’t need to avoid them entirely, just save your calories for these special items and stay away from the “everyday treats” that you could eat any time. 

Stay active. 
Set aside time for your regular exercise routine. It will help keep your weight under control and it is a great stress reducer during this busy time of the year. If you don’t exercise regularly, now is a great time to get ahead of those New Year’s resolutions. 

Written by Susan Bowerman MS, RD, CSSD, Herbalife’s nutrition expert and registered dietician.