When it comes to weight loss, most of us are trapped in the vicious cycle of failed diet plans where we start dieting and exercising with great enthusiasm. Suddenly somewhere in the middle of the road we lose interest and determination and give up to the tempting call of butter paneer, biryani, daal makhani and rasmalai.

And the few of us who do succeed to lose some weight by surviving a restrictive diet, will not have any clue on how to maintain it so that they don’t return to their previous size. One such example is Indian GM Diet Meal Plan, where you to tend to lose weight in the first week and gain automatically when not followed with a strict diet plan.

The 1200 Calorie Indian Meal Plan:

The secret to maintaining healthy body weight lies in a planned calorie intake that will boost metabolism and induce fat burning. Boosting the metabolic rate is vital for weight loss and it can be done with the home remedies to boost metabolism. This can also be achieved with our new 1200 calorie diet plan.

A 1200 Cal meal plan can never go wrong, but the result will definitely depend on what you eat. You cannot take in your stipulated 1200 Cal from junk food, fries, sugary treats and chocolates and expect to see effective results. It should be a well-balanced and nutritious diet, containing all the vital vitamins, minerals, essential fats, and nutrients or else your body can get seriously messed up and the effects will be reflected in your lifeless, limp hair, dull, rough skin along with extreme tiredness and lethargy.

Why 1200 Cal is the Magic Number?

Well, the requirement of every individual is different, and a diet for effective weight loss should be based on several factors such as activity level, age, sex, weight, height, metabolism and medical condition. Therefore, it is best to calculate your BMR (Basal Metabolic rate) that will help determine the minimum calorie requirement of your body.

The basic mechanism of weight loss is to create a calorie deficit in the body by eating fewer calories with a balanced diet chart. A minimum of 1200-1800 calorie is the basic requirement of the body and reducing calorie intake below that will signal the brain to slow down metabolism and the body will start conserving fat and extract energy from muscles instead.

Identifying the Right Calories

Calories are the most important factor that determines both weight gain and weight loss, and a healthy weight loss plan creates a safe calorie deficit to promote weight loss. The game of weight loss is all about calorie intake and calories burnt. In case of weight balance, all calories are same, but when it comes to overall health, all calories are not the same.

The three main sources of calories are fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Sources of unhealthy saturated fats are butter, cheese and fatty cuts of meats; whereas sources of healthy unsaturated fats are nuts, vegetable oils, olives and seafood. Just like healthy and unhealthy fats, there are healthy and unhealthy carbs as well.

Simple carbs like white rice, sugar, white flour, soda, fruit juices and baked goods are the ones that make you fat. Complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, wheat flour, beans, lentils, legumes, fruits and vegetables aid in weight loss. Proteins are necessary for increasing muscle mass, and the best low saturated fat natural sources of protein are egg whites and low-fat dairy.

So, it is important to identify the good and the bad calories and include the right foods in your 1200 calorie Indian diet plan to make it healthy and balanced.

(Also read: GM Diet – The Fastest Indian Vegetarian Diet to Lose Weight In 7 Days)

How to Plan Your Own 1200 Calorie Diet Menu?

Well, it must have been heard millions of times by now that the secret to a beautifully chiseled figure is 5-6 small meals per day rather than 3 heavy ones that all of us usually have. The small healthy meals at short intervals help in boosting up metabolism thereby burning more calories. The basic idea of the 1200 Calorie meal plan is the same.

We must divide the 1200 calories into 6 meals consisting of 3 meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) of 300 calories each which comes to a total of 900 calories. The remaining 300 calories should consist of healthy snacks and beverages that will be spread throughout the day.

Try to stick to unprocessed, whole foods such as fresh fruits, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, dairy and poultry for meals as well as snacks. Avoid processed foods, starchy vegetables such as potatoes, cabbage, and cauliflower. You can take calcium and multivitamin supplements along with this diet.

In many cases though, a strict diet throughout the day is often ruined due to late night food cravings.

A Generalized 1200 Cal Indian Diet Menu for Weight Loss:

Here, I have provided a sample 1200 calorie Indian diet plan for weight loss including both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes that will help you get an idea of what it ideally looks like and what portions you are supposed to eat. But it must be kept in mind that this is a generalized diet chart that may or may not suit the requirements of everyone in which case you should consult your dietician to know more about the 1200 calorie diet plan.

Following is a Generalized 1200 Cal Vegetarian Diet Chart:

Vegetarians have a wide range of option in this diet as they can include vegetables, lentils, pulses, cottage cheese (paneer) and yogurt on their menu as a source of protein, vitamins and nutrients. The Vegetarian diet includes:

Timing Foods To Eat Calories Early Morning Lukewarm Water with Lemon 1 glass 0 Tea without Sugar + 2 Biscuits 90 Breakfast 2 Rotis + 1/2 cup Paneer Curry 330 OR Brown Bread Upma 1 plate + Milk 1 cup 300 Mid-Morning 1 Banana/1/2 cup Melon/20 Grapes 50 Lunch Brown Rice 1 cup (195 gm) + Mixed Vegetables 1/2 cup + Salad 1 bowl + Raita 1 small bowl 345 Evening Butter Milk 1 cup 35 Dinner 2 Rotis + Vegetable Soup 1 bowl + Salad 1 bowl 370 Total 1220/1190 Cal

Following is a Generalized 1200 Cal Non-vegetarian Diet Chart:

The 1200 Cal non-vegetarian diet chart is almost identical to the vegetarian diet with the exception of eggs, chicken and fish that are included in breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s best to stay away from red meat because of the high level of saturated fats. It’s certainly not a good option for those trying to lose weight.

Timing Foods To Eat Calories Early Morning Lukewarm Water with Lemon 1 glass 0 Tea without Sugar + 2 Biscuits 90 Breakfast 2 Hard boiled Eggs + 2 Slice Brown Bread 290 OR 2 Scrambled Eggs + 1 Slice Brown Bread+ Skimmed Milk 1 cup (240 gm) 310 Mid-Morning 1 Banana/1/2 cup Melon/20 Grapes 50 Lunch Brown Rice 1 cup(195 gm) + Chicken(100 gm) + Mixed Vegetables 1/2 cup + Salad 1 Bowl 360 Evening Butter Milk 1 cup 35 Dinner 1 Roti + Fish(50 gm) + Lentils Dal 1/2 cup+ Raita 1 small bowl 380 Total 1205/1225 Cal

How to Structure your 1200 Calorie Meal Plan?

Although, it is evident that when following the 1200 calorie diet meal plan, a person cannot consume more than 1200 calories throughout the day, but it is important to divide these 1200 calories into 5 to 6 healthy meals and portions in order to keep it well-balanced and nutritious so that it can promote healthy weight loss without causing any side-effects like slowed down metabolism or nutritional deficiency. Nutritionists recommend that the 1200 calories meal plan should be structured as follows:

Three main meals, namely breakfast, lunch and dinner should each comprise of 300 to 350 calories.

The snacks and beverages should comprise the rest of the 300 calories that should be distributed throughout the day.

As for beverages, one can opt for hot or cool green tea and herbal teas. The benefits of green tea for weight loss are well known to all.

All the foods consumed during meals and snacks should be whole and unprocessed foods.

300 Calories Breakfast Plan

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and a healthy weight loss diet cannot be complete without the inclusion of breakfast in it. It has been seen that those who skip breakfast as a precaution to limit calorie intake actually end up consuming more calories towards the end of the day.

Having a healthy breakfast supplies energy throughout the day and keeps you going. Although, in the sample diet plan we have suggested a breakfast of 2 rotis and paneer curry or brown bread upma or scrambled or boiled eggs and brown bread, there are several other breakfast ideas for losing weight that you can try out.

Boiled beans or lentils with whole grain toast

Wheat bread slices with paneer and a banana

Scrambled eggs with spinach and brown bread toast

1/2 cup of oats or muesli with low-fat yogurt and an apple

300 Calorie Lunch Plan

We really don’t need to emphasise why is lunch important for healthy weight loss. But the Indian lunch often comprises of white rice that is a high Glycemic Index food which not only causes a sudden spike in blood glucose level, but also causes lethargy and weight gain. Therefore, a 300 cal lunch should always include brown rice or wheat flour rotis. Some 300 cal meal options are:

1 cup of brown rice, 1 small brown of dal tarka, a plate of green salad

2 wheat flour rotis, a cup of boiled bean or rajma curry, a plate of salad

1 cup of brown rice, fish curry with 250 gms of fish, a plate of salad

1 Cup of mixed vegetable rice, 1 glass of buttermilk

300 Calorie Dinner Plan

Most of the dieters lose their reins at the end of the day and stuff themselves at dinner. But a controlled 300 cal dinner can keep things under control. It is best to finish up dinner at 8.30 PM at night because it allows the foods to be properly digested before going to sleep and the body can have a long gap of almost 11 hours before the next meal – breakfast. Some 300 cal dinner options for the 1200 calorie Indian diet are:

2 ounces of roasted chicken, bowl of brown rice, sauteed vegetables

3 ounces of lamb curry, 1/3rd bowl of brown rice and 1/2 cup of mixed sauteed vegetables

2 wheat flour chapatis, a cup of bean or rajma curry and a plate of salad

Combination of 1200 Calorie Meal Plan with Exercise

A healthy and balanced diet in combination with fast fat burning exercises at home or gym is the best way to reduce weight permanently but most of us are confused about the amount and time of exercise that should be done along with the 1200 cal diet in order to promote healthy weight loss. For starters, exercising is absolutely safe while following a 1200 cal diet plan but the maximum recommended rate of weight loss is 2 pounds per week.

In order to burn 2 pounds each week you will need to burn 300 calories a day that can be done by either an hour of moderate intensity exercises like brisk walking or swimming or 30 to 45 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercises like running, jogging, hiking or cycling.

While following a 1200 cal diet and exercise routine, you might notice that your body needs more calories to reach satiety in order to maintain this rigorous routine. You must respond to your body’s signs and make necessary adjustments in your diet. You can determine whether the 1200 cal diet and 300 calorie workout is suitable for you with the help of this formula.

Multiply your body weight by 10 (for a woman) or 11 (for man). Then add another 10% to it for calories burned through the digestion and 20% for sedentary activities.

Benefits of the 1200 Calorie Diet:

The best thing about the 1200 Cal diet plan is that you can lose weight and stay fit while enjoying the food you love. You don’t need to starve yourself or say farewell to your favourite foods. All you need is a bit of self-control and restraint.

You can lose weight while enjoying your favorite foods.

Shows quick results.

Fast weight loss with this diet plan acts as a motivational factor.

No need for vigorous exercise or workouts.

Trying out various types of healthy menus and recipes brings variety to the diet and cuts out boredom.

The 1200 Cal diet plan is a sure way of losing those extra pounds quickly on a short-term basis, but in order to make the effects permanent we need to introduce some healthy changes in the lifestyle that shall include a well-balanced, healthy diet coupled with regular exercise.