I am trying to keep my calories between 1200-1400 Does anyone have any menu ideas? I have a sample menu from a nutritionist but I would like to have some other ideas. If anyone out there has some suggestions please let me know. Thanks for your help!
Breakfast - 3 egg whites scrambled with 1/2 cup of red bell pepper, 1/2 cup of summer squash, and some chive, served with a toasted whole wheat mini bagel, spread with half an ounce of reduced fat cream cheese.
Snack - 2/3 cup nonfat greek yogurt with 1/2 a cup of blackberries and a little Splenda to sweeten it up.
Lunch - Can of tuna mixed with a tablespoon of light salad dressing (I use Brianna's lemon tarragon) and a tsp of dijon dressing, placed on a whole wheat english muffin, topped with 1/4 cup reduced fat cheese, toasted in a toaster oven, then served with 1 cup carrot sticks, 1 cup watermelon, and any veggies you want on top.
Snack - 3 tbsp popcorn (unpopped), airpopped and tossed with salt.
Dinner - 2 mini meatloaves (each portion has 4 ounces 96% lean ground beef, 1/8 cup grated carrot, 1/8 cup grated squash, an eighth of a grated onion, 1/2 tbsp ketchup, and a quarter of a minced garlic clove, and some seasonings, baked in two standard muffin tins after topping with a tsp of ketchup), served with 3/4 cup of mini red potatoes (baked with salt, pepper, herbs), and 2 cups of summer squash sauteed with garlic and 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, then topped with a tsp of basil at the end of cooking.
Snack - 80 calorie fruit popsicle bar (I like Trader Joes Fruit Floes)
1/2 cup FiberOne cereal
1/2 banana
1/2 cup soy milk or skim milk
3-4 oz of fresh fruit like strawberries, blueberries, or melon
8 oz of low sodium V8 juice (to get my potassium)
For lunch I might have 1/2 Sandwich made of (300-350 calories):
Double Fiber whole wheat bread (1 slice)
reduced fat Miracle Whip (1 tsp)
Spicy mustard (1 tsp)
Hormel deli black forest ham or Honey turkey (1.5 oz is about 65 cal)
Lettuce
Some fresh veges on the side (carrot sticks, celery, green pepper strips) or 1 cup of soup (low sodium)
For dinner (450-500 calories):
Lean Cuisine (250-350 calories)
1-2 fresh vegetables (broccoli, asparagus, peas & carrots, etc) steamed
Snack Pack pudding (I love banana cream pie flavor)
Night snack (100-150 calories)
Blue Bunny no sugar added reduced fat ice cream (150 grams or less), or 100 calorie bar, or fat free sugar free yogurt, or a FiberOne bar.
My plan for today (from the "what are you eating today?" topic):
B: 1/2 cup prepared fibre one pancake mix, sugar-free syrup, 5 slices veggie ham, 1 cup cantaloupe/blueberries (400)
S: (skipped, ate breakfast late, had a pot of oolong tea instead)
L: Salad, baked chicken breast, light baby bel cheese, vinaigrette (300)
S: Strawberry yogurt cup (100)
D: Chicken noodle soup w/ spinach (300)
S: 100 calorie cup of ice cream
=1200
I like "what are you eating today?", it's good for ideas.
My plan works for me because I like to eat my "biggest" (400 cal) meal before I leave for work (6 am), and eat relatively lightly for the rest of the day. I don't do elaborate productions for dinner because I work ten hour shifts and cooking is just not a big priority for me when I get home.
If you're planning to stick with a 1200-1400 calorie plan consistently you'll want to make sure that it works with your schedule, that you like the food you're eating, and that it's nutritionally balanced - there's not a lot of room for error if you're really restricting your calories.
Good luck!
Heres a typical day for me:
Bkfst: Green smoothie; spinach, almond breeze, berries, a banana, flax, and ice Or Yogurt mixed with berries and granola (250cals)
Snack: Fruit ( I love summer!) (50)
Lunch: Pita w/ lettuce, cuke, tomato, avocado, and sprouts, greek yogurt with berries( 300)
Snack: Almonds or a Z bar (120)
Dinner: Tonight was veggie fajitas; portabello mushrooms, onion, gr.pepp, and some apple vegan sausage in tortillas topped with cheese and light s.c (450)
Desert: a square of dark chocolate (100)
=1270 cals
Thank you all for all the responses. I will goggle them and see what else I can come up with. It really helps to see what others are eating I just hope I am doing this the right way thanks!
Your menus all look so fun! But, I don't see a lot of you eating heatlhy oils? Olive, flax, safflower, etc...do yo all have that, too? Thanks for all the suggestions.
kmac1196 - I don't really do added oils (other than the small amount of olive oil in my vinaigrette.) I do eat nuts, seeds, eggs and dairy - I don't worry about not getting enough healthy oils as long as I'm eating whole foods.
1200-1400 Calories Sample Menu???
lol!
