1200 Calorie Vegetarian Diet

At the first glance, 1200 might seem like a big number. Do you know that we consume around 1500 calories daily, or sometimes a lot more than that? These days, various diet plans are available for healthy and quick weight loss. Depending upon your overall health, urge to lose weight, eating habits, age, and your daily physical activities, you should choose the best plan to lose weight.

As a result of the increasing awareness about how killing of animals is destroying the biodiversity of our earth, billions of people are showing interest in vegetarian diets. Vegetarians do not eat animal flesh (meat, poultry, and fish) while vegans do not consume animal flesh as well as products derived from animals like honey and milk. Lacto vegetarians consume dairy products but do not consume meat, fish, poultry, and eggs. Lacto ovo vegetarians consume dairy products and eggs, but avoid eating meat, poultry and fish.

Health Advantages
These days, many people avoid eating meat and fish, and willingly prefer a low calorie menu that helps maintain weight and health.

• A properly designed diet plan, even though low in calories, can provide the body with maximum vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that are required to maintain the overall health.
• As it contains comparatively less fat, the body mass index of the people on vegetarian diet is closer to the standard BMI than those of the non-vegetarians.
• Cholesterol is responsible for most of the heart problems, and it is abundant in animal products. Consuming fruits and vegetables helps keep heart diseases at bay.
• As the menu includes foods that are very low in saturated fat, it helps keep you fit and energetic.
• It helps lose weight fast without fasting.
• Including lots of fruits and vegetables in meals helps ingest lots of dietary fiber that is essential for the digestive health and overall health.
• The body is benefited by the anti-cancer properties of the phytochemicals present in the vegetables. Do you know that the chances of developing any form of cancer is 40% less in vegetarian people?
• A diet, low in calories helps control high blood pressure and diabetes, and helps reverse the effects of these two disorders to some extent. However, these ends can be achieved provided that the diet is designed under the guidance of a physician, and it is accompanied by proper exercise.
• Several researches throw light on the fact that the life expectancy of the people following vegetarian diets is quite higher than the life expectancy of the people who regularly consume meat.
• The nutritional value of vegetables helps minimize bone loss, and helps prevent osteoporosis.
• This type of diet reduces the risk of having gallbladder or kidney stones.

Diet Plan
To lose weight fast and naturally,

• A variety of food items like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and eggs should be consumed.
• Fatty, sweet, and heavily refined foods should be avoided.
• Only whole and unrefined food should be incorporated.
• Low fat versions of dairy products should be consumed.

Type of Food Servings Fruits (sections, juices, pulps) 2-3 servings Vegetables (raw, baked, soups, cooked, purees) 2-3 servings Dairy Products (milk, cheese, butter, yogurt) 2-3 servings Grains (whole grains, flours, and other products of grains) 1-2 servings Beans, nuts, seeds, lentils, and eggs 1-2 servings
Sample Diet Menu
The figures in bracket indicate the number of calories.

• Breakfast: Unsweetened fruit juice (60), 1 bowl of cereal with skim milk (250).
• Morning Snack: 1 banana/ 1 apple/ 1 orange (100).
• Lunch: Baked potatoes and baked beans with 100 gm of cottage cheese (400), low fat yogurt (60).
• Evening Snack: Carrots, cucumber, or 1 large mixed vegetable salad (100), unsweetened fruit juice (60).
• Dinner: Rice and peas (430), melon (40)

If you replace a fruit or fruit juice with hard-boiled egg (80) or scrambled egg (90), or if you reduce the quantity of rice, the total calorie count will be approximately 1200. You may have buttermilk or carrot juice which are low in calories. You can adjust the food items according to your choice and availability.

Disclaimer: This article is for informative purposes only, and should not be substituted for the advice of a medical professional.

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