After spending the last few weeks documenting all my food/calories, I've realized that I'm taking in more than I thought. I start off great with a protein shake and a mid-morning greek yogurt or oatmeal and a light lunch. It's typically the small afternoon meal and dinner that do me in. Those are usually time when I'm eating with others. I think I'm overeating when I see how much everyone else is eating. What kind of daily meal plan would you recommend? I'm open to a variety of foods. Please help me figure out a fulfilling 1200 calorie day:)

I think maybe you are eating too many "liquids" (oatmeal and yogurt are liquids) anything you have to eat with a spoon is a liquid and passes thru band quick,therefore being hungrier later- try a solid protein- like a protein bar or egg or something.I'm struggling with the amt of calories i need myself!( see my "ughhh so frustrated" topic lol

This is a typical days menu for me:

Breakfast: Oatmeal with 6 tbs of egg whites, 1/8 cup blueberries and 4 walnuts, one splenda and sprinkle of cinnaman.

Mid morning Snack: 25gm Protein shake

Lunch: 3 ozs lean protein plus a cup of salad, vegtables only no cheese or nuts, with oil and vinegar

Afternoon Snack: 25 gm Protein Shake

Dinner: 3-4 oz protein, salad or some other type of fresh or frozen vegtable to equal about a cup.

I average between 1000-1100 calories per day, I rarely make it to 1200 unless I eat a Protein Bar that is higher in calories and protein or unless I add a starch, which I rarely do. If I am hunger in the evenings and I am under my goal for the day, I may eat some pop corn 1-2 cups or 1/4 cup of nuts.

I have been pretty dedicated to changing how I eat and trying to train myself not to eat between meals unless it is a planned Protein Drink or bar. I do occassionaly have a small desert but I stick to eating this everyday 7 days a week, if i am going to stray from my plan I only do it on Sunday's, that seems to be my day of the week that I am always way under in calories and way under in protein.

To date I lost 107lbs in 19 months and I am 13 pounds from goal, this works for me. Honestly you need to find out what works for you and you can not feel deprived or feel like this is a diet. It has to be a routine that you can adopt and feel like this is how I want to eat everyday because it makes me feel good. Now if I eat junk, I feel like crap. I love my oatmeal and eggwhites for Breakfast and look forward to them everyday. I used to have a quad latte from starbucks and pop tarts. Hope this helps.

I really tend to not eat much in the morning because when I do, I struggle with overeating and taking in too many calories all day. I usually have one or two pieces of fruit throughout the morning and then a small but normal lunch and dinner - soup and half a wholegrain roll and a meat and 3 veg type dinner. That usually keeps me at around 1000 and then I have a few hundred calories for odds and ends, a glass of wine, a cappucino, a bikkie or two with my morning cuppa and maybe even a little treat at night. I'm maintaining, not losing, when I was losing I just didnt have the extras.

I use mihealth to log everything that I eat. It keeps track of my calories and nutrition and gives me a summary daily. I don't do well with out it, it is SO easy to slip in a couple hundred calories accidentally. I'm doing about 1100 calories a day. I need over 60 grams protein a day. I usually eat eggs for breakfast (so easy to make a big batch and portion for the week). I have a protein drink after I exercise (odwalla or bolthouse), salmon or homemade white chili for dinner and a protein bar as a snack. I'm not hungry very often and I'm getting 70+ grams of protein. I have had to stop doing all liquid calories (oragne juice is my bad) except my post workout protein drink. Nuts are a great snack too and I buy the little packs and carry them with me. I dont leave the house without a protein bar and bottle of water, ever. A couple sugar free jolly ranchers cover me when I have a sweet attack. Carbs (yogurt, oatmeal, etc) tend to trigger hunger for me so I'm very low carb.

You say you find yourself overeating when you are with other people. You just need to get into the habit of measuring out your 3 ounces protein and whatever else you may be having and just stick with that. I measure out everything I eat. Sure there are times when I finish and still would like more. But give me 5 minutes and I feel satisfied and happy that I didn't dig in for more.

I would love to have an easy to stick to calorie controlled plan so this thread is a great idea. However i read it and get very confused. egg whites with oatmeal!!! How does that work? I have always eaten oats with a dash of milk and some form of sweetener and maybe some fruit or cinnamon.

Also eggs are so quick and easy to cook I cannot understand how you could make a batch for the week! How do you cook and store them? Surely by the end of the week they would taste like rubber?

There must be a huge difference between US and Aus cooking methods as I am obviously missing something here.

Maybe I'm weird but I just mix egg substitute with a couple real eggs, scramble until just done then I put them in individual containers for about 5 servings of 200 calories. Sometimes I sprinkle a little cheese or add tiny diced ham to make them yummy. I pull the containers (glass single servings) out of fridge and microwave a minute and they are not rubbery at all. Another little weird thing I do is set a timer on my iPod for 9am, noon, 3pm and 6pm. I make sure to eat (200 cals) high protein/low carb so my blood sugar is stable and I don't go into raving hungry mode by waiting too long to eat. That way I have a 200+cal reserve for early mornings or late nights.....what can I say....works for me.

I'm totally digging all this input!!!!!!!

Btw, Jachut- what is a bikkie??lol i love your aussie talk

Great ideas. I was thinking about cooking eggs for the week, too. I would like to add more fruit and salad, but they make weird noises all the way down, which is embarrassing at my job where I talk to people all day. Any suggestions?