Author: Jess

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1200 Calorie Meal Plan Ideas

Struggling to make your calories last all day?  Check out this website for meal plan ideas.  Below is an example of a 1200 calorie meal plan that won’t leave you starving.
BREAKFAST
3/4 Cup Bran Flakes
1/2 Cup Skim Milk
1/2 Cup Blueberries
1/2 Whole Wheat English Muffin
1 tsp Almond Butter
LUNCH
2oz Turkey Breast
1oz Whole Wheat Pita Bread
1/2 Cup Alfalfa Sprouts
3 Slices Tomato
2tsp Mustard
1/2 Cup Skim Milk
SNACK
1oz Roasted Macadamia Nuts
DINNER
4oz Whole Wheat Pasta
1/2 Cup Marinara Sauce
1/2 Cup Eggplant
2tsp Parmesan Cheese
1 Cup Mixed Salad Greens
2tsp Olive Oil
1tsp Vinegar
Calories: 1143
Fiber: 22.1g
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Injury Prevention Technique

Looking for a change in your routine?  This simple change may help you overcome your plateau while preventing injury at the same time.  In order to keep your muscles balanced it is optimal to workout opposing muscles groups on the same day.  This means that when you’re in the weight room it is ideal to lift biceps on the same day that you’re lifting triceps.  Additionally, chest should be worked out on the same day as back, and quadriceps and hamstrings should be exercised together.  Likewise, when you’re working on your shoulders make sure you’re hitting both the anterior and posterior delts as well as the rotator cuff muscles and traps so that you’re not leaving one part of the shoulder weaker than another.
The biggest benefit of lifting this way is that of injury prevention.  If you’re unable to complete everyday of your weekly lifting routine, at least you know you’ve hit opposing muscle groups on the days that you did make it to the gym.  Consistency in this style of lifting will help you balance your strength and maintain healthy posture.  Often times we get carried away in the weight room and end up just working aimlessly on what we enjoy.  Try adding an educated plan to your lifting routine and reap the benefits of uninterrupted progress.
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A Helpful Tip to Keep You Accountable

If you’re struggling with accountability consider setting weekly goals for yourself in relation to your time spent in the gym.  I have recently set a goal of completing 90 minutes of cardio and 135 minutes of strength training each week.  Setting such a goal has helped hold me accountable by allowing me to make my workout routine a priority.  Whatever it takes, I make sure I reach my goal by week’s end, and even have incentive to finish it by Friday so I can take the weekends off.
In addition to this type of goal, I have set a physical goal of obtaining a lower body fat percentage.  While my physical goal may take several months to reach, it is nice to still feel accomplished each week by reaching smaller and simpler time oriented goals.  Take a look at your long term goals and consider developing an appropriate weekly plan.  Staying committed to a specific plan will help you achieve your goals without feeling like it’s taking an eternity.  Good luck!
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Nutrition Tips and Tools

If you’re having trouble sticking to your allotted amount of calories each day consider checking this website out.  Not only can you obtain helpful nutrition tips on the site, but it offers free meal plans for 1200 – 1800 calorie per day diets!  Check it out for new ideas and make your calorie counting even easier this week.