Day 2 of the 7-Day Diet Menu for 1200 calories (or more) is easy! This plan requires some advance preparation and a fair amount of cooking on or before Day 1 of the sample diet menu, however, the rest of the week is quite simple. You will have much of the work already accomplished!
For Day 2 Creamy Breakfast Oatmeal is on the menu again but today we’ll pair it up with some yogurt instead of milk for a good source of protein and calcium. To keep the total calories distributed throughout the day I suggest you hold off till mid-morning to enjoy an orange for a snack and satisfy your need for a good source of vitamin C and additional fiber at that time.
Lunch is easy, especially if you like cold chicken. If you prefer your chicken to be warmed simply program your microwave for a low setting to heat for 2 to 3 minutes. While you’re waiting on the microwave, wash and cut all of the celery into snack size pieces about 4 inches in length. Save out about 5-6 pieces for your meal and refrigerate the rest. Now pour a cup of skim milk and you’re set. If you don’t like or can’t tolerate cow’s milk you may want to read Healthy Low Calorie Beverages for some great ideas on how to meet your nutrient needs with nondairy choices.
The afternoon snack calls for about 4 tbsp. of mashed avocado (about 1/2 or so of a medium sized avocado) along with some tortilla chips. You may want to go ahead and mash up the whole avocado and refrigerate the extra for Day 4. (Add a little lemon or lime juice to keep the avocado from turning brown.) Enjoy the mashed avocado plain or season to taste with zero calorie herbs and/or spices.
Dinner will require a few minutes of meal preparation to make a low calorie yet delicious Apple and Chicken salad. I am including chicken for meals twice in one day to minimize the number of ingredients needed for the week and to keep the cost down. I think the taste of the salad is surprisingly good and delightfully different from the chicken wing and leg for lunch. So hopefully you won’t even notice. I’ve posted the recipe for Low Calorie Apple and Chicken Salad on the Best Easy Healthy Recipes site.
Day 2 of the 7-Day Diet Plan for 1200 Calories Plus
Breakfast
1/2 cup Creamy Breakfast Oatmeal
1 6-oz. container Stonyfield Farms Low Fat Yogurt of your choice (130 calories)
1 cup or more of unsweetened tea, coffee, or water
Snack
1 medium orange
Lunch
1 chicken wing (skin removed)
1 chicken leg (just the leg not the thigh meat, skin removed)
2 stalks of celery (about 5-6 4-inch pieces or so)
8 oz. skim (nonfat) milk plain or make your own cafe au lait (see Healthy Low Calorie Beverages for other nondairy choices)
Snack
8 Tostitos Multigrain Chips
4 tbsp. mashed avocado (plain or seasoned to taste)
Supper
1/2 cup Low Calorie Apple and Chicken Salad
2 cups mixed salad greens
1/2 whole wheat roll by Arnold (toast lightly and you won’t feel a need to add a spread and additional calories!)
8 oz. skim (nonfat) milk plain or make your own cafe au lait (see Healthy Low Calorie Beverages for other nondairy choices)
Here’s how Day 2 stacks up for nutritional balance as rated by MyFoodDiary (the service I use to design diet menus).
(Remember to get plenty of water throughout the day.)
Total Calories = 1188
Total Fiber = 24.6
Fat = 26%
Carbs = 50%
Protein = 23%
Calcium = 1046 mg (Women between 19 and 50 years need approximately 1,000 mg a day, 51+ need 1,200 mg a day)
Iron = 10.8 mg (Women 19 to 50 years need 18 mg of iron, 51+ need 8 mg)
1300, 1400, 1500 Calorie Diet Menu
Modify the 1200 Calorie Diet Menu to fit your needs.
The iron count is on the low side if you are between the ages of 19 and 50. Today might be a good day for an iron supplement. I recommend taking your supplement at the same time you have the orange for a snack. Vitamin C in the orange will enhance the absorption of the iron in your body.
Calcium comes up a little short for women 51+. You might supplement this menu plan with a small piece of low fat cheese such as Sargento Light String Cheese or BabyBel Mini Light Cheese for an additional 50 calories. However, if you need to keep your saturated fat intake down, this might be a good day for a calcium supplement.
With the exception of iron for young women and calcium for older women, the menu is fairly well balanced for most nutrients. So go ahead and choose what you might like to add to the menu plan for Day 2 to get your additional calories!
That’s it for Day 2. Check back for Day 3 coming soon and another creative way to use the leftover chicken from Day 1 to keep things simple and minimize cost. I also plan on sharing an article about choosing the best healthy low calorie yogurts. Till my next post, watch those calories and eat healthy food!
