1200 Calorie Diabetic Diet

A minimum of a 1200 calorie diet is recommended for safe and healthy weight loss. The 1200 calorie diabetic diet plan provides the necessary nutritional intake required for most individuals, at the same time it aids in weight loss programs. There is a misconception amongst people, that the lesser you eat the more weight you lose. This can be true for the first couple of days, eventually your body does not lose weight, instead you start piling up kilos. The 1200 calorie diabetic diet restricts the intake of calories, but ensures that there is no compromise on the nutritional value of food.

1200 Calorie Diabetic Diet

I will not chalk out a 1200 calorie diabetic diet menu for you here. Instead, I will give you the options you can choose for your various meals. This will leave you with many more options and at the same time, you will not get bored of your chalked out diet. You can also refer to the diabetic meal planner for more information.

Breakfast: Often, it is seen that people skip breakfast in an attempt to either lose weight or to get to work in a hurry. This practice should be avoided at all costs. It is the first meal of the day and therefore, should not be skipped. Your breakfast should consist of 1 cup skimmed milk with 1% fat, which is equivalent to low fat milk. Carbohydrates have to be consumed for breakfast, so that you have enough energy to carry you through the day and prevent you from binging. You can choose to have either bran flakes, wheat bread, multi-grain bread, oatmeal, waffle, cereals of your choice or rice. Also include a fruit for fiber in your 1200 calorie breakfast diabetic diet menu. You can also consume tea or coffee without sugar, as per your liking.

Mid Morning Snack: For mid morning snack choose a fruit. You will get fiber from the fruit, hence, thus keeping you relatively full even during lunch. Do not forget to have your mid morning snack. It is often observed that people who skip their mid morning snack and then binge during lunch end up adding those extra pounds. Your choice of fruit can be an apple (with the skin), a pear or a bowl of watermelon.

Lunch: Your lunch can consist of baked chicken or a piece of ham or fish rich in omega 3 essential fatty acids like salmon or tuna, a salad consisting of cucumber, lettuce leaves, tomato or celery and a slice of bread, again multi-grain bread or wheat bread. The alternative to bread can be half a cup of rice with vegetables. You can also add 2 teaspoons of low fat mayonnaise or two ounces of low fat cheese.

Late Afternoon Snack: As before there's nothing like substituting a snack for a fruit. If you are not really up for a fruit, you can choose to munch on about 5 almonds or cashew nuts or walnuts. The other variation is to have low fat yogurt.

Dinner: Dinner will be similar to lunch. To get your share of proteins, you can have boiled, roasted chicken breast (skinless) or turkey, baked cod or fish such as, tuna. Half cup broccoli or french beans steamed or sautéed in little olive oil. Now toss up a nice salad consisting of cucumber, lettuce, onions and tomatoes with vinaigrette or any low fat dressing of your choice. Oh! have we forgotten the carbohydrates? Yes indeed we have. You can have a slice of bread or one third to half cup cooked rice or pasta.

Bedtime: Have a cup of skimmed milk just before you go to bed. If you feel hungry, you can select a fruit such as, an apple or may be a citrus fruit like an orange.

For more information refer to

• Diabetic meal planning
• Diabetic diet recipes

The 1200 calorie diabetic diet ensures that you do not go hungry at any point of time. This diet stops you from over-stuffing in any one meal. The diet has a healthy combination of proteins, carbohydrates, fat and fiber. Once you start on the diet for the first few days you will feel very hungry. At such times, you can choose to have a cup of green tea without sugar or low fat yogurt without sugar, or even a fruit whenever you please. Enjoy healthy eating!